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Lion Links: 10/18/17

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9 years ago

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Holy cow, it’s Thursday already. It feels like the week is flying by, but not to fear, because we’ve still got some fresh Lion Links ready to go for you today. But before we begin, we want to wish a special happy birthday to our favorite keeper from Cocoa, Ashlyn Harris! The Orlando Pride goalkeeper turns 32 today, and everyone here at The Mane Land sends only the warmest birthday wishes.

Remembering Kaká

That headline sounds a lot more morbid than intended but I feel like rolling with it. Bleacher Report put out an excellent piece reminding the world about Kaká, and how he was once the most dominant name in soccer around the world. Before Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the maestro in Milan dominated the game. This article gives you a great idea of how polarizing a player Kaká was while he was in the prime of his career with Milan, Madrid, and Brazil. MLS even put out this video documenting how big of an impact Kaká has had on the sport.

OCB…What is Going On?

So, as we reported in Lion Links yesterday, there were reports coming in that stated OCB would be out of the USL next year, and would likely cease operations. Other teams also rumored to be on the way out were Sounders 2, Whitecaps 2, and Bethlehem Steel. At this point we really don’t know what is going on, but we have gotten this report from Alicia DelGallo:

And then there was also this update from Bethlehem Steel:

So basically, there is a lot of information out there, and a lot of misinformation as well. But for now, until the club offers a comment, we will remain silent, while also be anxious, fearful, and hopeful, all at the same time.

OCB Announces Roster Cuts

We have even more OCB news for you today, and it’s stuff that is leaving us still pretty alarmed. Orlando City B has announced the release or expiration of 11 players from contracts including the likes of Austin Martz and former OCSC SuperDraft pick Danny Deakin, as well as Canadian National Team midfielder Jordan Schweitzer. OCB also noted that some contracts expired, including former first teamer Lewis Neal. This doesn’t leave many players for Orlando City B — just four 19-year-olds — which makes the news we reported previously even more disheartening. We don’t know where the future is right now for Anthony Pulis’ OCB side, so we will just have to wait and see.

Interesting Names in the Running for U.S. Soccer President

After the U.S. Men’s National Team crashed and burned out of World Cup qualifying last week, fans everywhere were hoping that heads would roll. So far we have seen a resignation from Bruce Arena. But the name everyone wants to see gone next is U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati. Gulati has said in interviews and conference calls that he has no plans to leave his post, but hasn’t commented with great certainty whether or not he will run for re-election in February. He’s merely said he’s seeking nomination support. Grant Wahl wrote yesterday that Landon Donovan is considering a run, meanwhile Bleacher Report wrote that NBC Sports anchor Kyle Martino will not put his hat in the race, due to his current job, his family, and that the position of U.S. Soccer Federation president is not a paid position. More in-depth analysis from Wahl can be found below:

Personally, I am a big fan of Martino, so it saddens me that he doesn’t think he can run, but he has a family to feed, so I at least I understand his reasoning.

Miami FC Co-Owner Still Talking About Promotion and Relegation in U.S. Soccer

Riccardo Silva is the co-owner of Miami FC, and quite possibly the biggest proponent for promotion and relegation being added to the U.S. Soccer system. As you may have heard back in June, Silva’s company offered Major League Soccer $4 billion in exchange for 10 years of global media rights with the deal being contingent on Pro/Rel being instituted in the United States. MLS turned down the offer — and had to, per their current contracts — and Silva has continued to have his opinions be known. As seen in his recent interview with ESPN’s Gabriele Marcotti. On why promotion and relegation needed to be included in the deal, Silva said:

“The most successful soccer leagues are based on competition. And that's what's probably missing in U.S.soccer. There is no motivation for teams to invest in quality because you can't move from the third division to the second or from the second to the first. We believe the increase in quality can be achieved from the bottom up, with teams investing in quality and we believe right now it's not really happening.”

Free Kicks

  • Steve Davis from FourFourTwo writes that MLS and U.S. Soccer are different, and you can’t blame MLS for the fact that the USMNT laid an egg. Have to agree with you on that one, Steve.
  • Former U.S. Soccer legend Claudio Reyna lashed out at U.S. Soccer following the World Cup qualifying debacle. He called U.S. Soccer “obnoxious” and “arrogant.” This is also really hard to argue with.
  • In “that’s really a thing?” news, PRO referees have announced their nominations for Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year. Personally, can’t say we think anyone is really too deserving, because PRO referees have been pretty bad throughout the course of MLS, but maybe Mark Geiger? He’s kinda okay.
  • In interesting roster news, it’s being reported Bill Hamid is leaving D.C. United. No news yet on where he plans to go. Where do you want to see Hamid end up?
  • Also, the Champions League was back this week! In case you missed all the results from yesterday, here ya go!

That’s all for me today, folks! Don’t worry or stress too much about the OCB stories right now, as all of us here at The Mane Land are worried and stressing enough for the entire city of Orlando. Fingers crossed the kids still get to play, that’s all I have left to say on the matter. Depressing news aside, I’ll leave you with a bad joke to get you through the rest of the day.

If you like inclusion of bad dad jokes, I’ll toss one in at the end of all my Lion Links going forward, just let me know in the comments!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/10/26

Orlando City beats Atlanta United, Orlando’s soccer history, U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team draws against Japan, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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September 10, 2026

By

Image of Inter&Co Stadium at night.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m feeling pretty good after Orlando City’s win on Wednesday and am hoping the good times keep rolling through this weekend’s games. After a rough August, September has thankfully been kind to Orlando’s soccer teams. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Beats Atlanta United On the Road

The Lions are coming back to Orlando with all three points after winning 3-2 against rival Atlanta United. It looked like it would be a rough night for Orlando after an early own goal, but Antoine Griezmann continues to excel in purple (or gold, as was the case on Wednesday night). Atlanta made it close in the end because of a second own goal, but Orlando ultimately secured the win to climb further up the MLS standings. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday with a home game against Toronto FC before traveling to play the Columbus Crew in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

Orlando’s History as a Soccer City

The United States Men’s National Team will play at Inter.co Stadium later this month in its first match since the World Cup. The soccer-specific stadium has been no stranger to hosting the U.S national teams since opening in 2017 and has also hosted Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup games, along with the NWSL Championship and NCAA Women’s College Cup final. The City Beautiful has been a place for soccer for decades, hosting World Cup and Olympic soccer while also having club teams at various levels over the years. Orlando City lifting the U.S. Open Cup trophy in 2022 and the Orlando Pride winning the double in 2024 have helped solidify the city’s reputation as a soccer city as well.

U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Held to Draw

The United States U-20 Women’s National Team drew 2-2 against Japan in its second game of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The U.S. struck first thanks to a goal from Ainsley McCammon in the first half, but Japan equalized in the 74th minute. Alex Buck restored the U.S. lead a minute later, but Japan knotted things up again and the Yanks could not find a winner despite some late chances. It’s a tough result for the U.S., which lost its first group game against Italy. It can still qualify for the knockout round, but would need some help from other results even if it wins against New Zealand on Saturday.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is underway this week and there still has yet to be a draw so far. VfB Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirovic was the standout performer from Wednesday’s slate of games, scoring a hat trick within a 12-minute stretch in a 3-1 win against Viking FK. Elsewhere across Europe, Arsenal edged past Napoli in a 1-0 win in Italy, Barcelona got its campaign started with a big 5-1 win against Feyenoord, and Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda remains an NWSL MVP candidate, although Ashley Sanchez is starting to run away with it with 18 goals so far this season.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/9/26

Orlando City plays Atlanta, Griezmann gets fined, Banda a Ballon d’Or contender, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 9, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. The fixture congestion is back for the next couple of weeks which means plenty of opportunity to watch the Lions in action. I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Ojeda fully integrate back into the offense with Antione Griezmann. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads to Atlanta

Orlando City is headed north to take on Atlanta United tonight. Both teams have been playing better of late, but this is still an opportunity for the Lions to get all three points from a rival on the road. Atlanta has struggled to score goals this season, and Orlando City’s offensive weapons are many, and the team is rising up the MLS power rankings, thanks to the win over San Diego FC. It’s a double match week, so it will be interesting to see how Atlanta rotates players based on availability.

Grizi Gets Fined

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann an undisclosed amount for violating the League’s policy regarding throwing/kicking an object toward fans in the match against San Diego FC. Here is the “incident” in case you missed it during the match.

If the fine was more than a dollar, it was too much. That’s not true, a dollar is also too much.

Pride in the News

The Orlando Pride made history in the 3-1 win over the Houston Dash. The victory made Yolanda Thomas the first Black woman in a head coach’s role in NWSL history, and only the fourth female coach to win their first-ever NWSL match in charge. It also comes as no surprise that Barbra Banda is a nominee for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino’s Big Plans

Mauricio Pochettino wants to make the USMNT one of the “most powerful” international teams in the world. That is a pretty ambitious goal, though I like the high aspirations. Pochettino is now in charge of the procedural and developmental sides of the game. He will have some time to experiment before the next World Cup, including utilizing more MLS homegrowns.

Free Kicks

  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian National Team for the UEFA Nations League matches later this month and in the first part of October. Croatia will be playing Czechia, England, and Spain.
  • Ivan Angulo will be sporting a new look at the match tonight. Hopefully it helps him score goals on his breakaway opportunities.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 9/8/26

Antoine Griezmann earns recognition, lessons from MLS matchday 24, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

September 8, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend — the same way Orlando’s soccer teams most certainly did. All three teams picked up victories over the weekend: Orlando City B got the party started on Friday with a 4-1 win over Inter Miami CF II; Orlando City knocked off San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday; and the Orlando Pride made it a full nine points from nine with a 3-1 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday. OCSC has a midweek game against Atlanta United Wednesday night, before all three teams are back in action over the weekend. We’ve got lots to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Antoine Griezmann Earns Recognition

Antoine Griezmann scored the all-important goal in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over San Diego FC on Saturday, and his performance has been rewarded with a bench place in the MLS Team of the Matchday. The goal was his fifth of the season and he now has eight goal contributions in eight league appearances with the Lions. His arrival has coincided with OCSC slowly climbing up the table into the playoff places, and the good guys will need more defensive performances like the one we saw on Saturday if they’re going to hang onto a playoff spot and potentially make some noise in the postseason.

Lessons from Matchday 24

Major League Soccer’s 24th matchday is now in the books, and there were plenty of things to be learned from the weekend’s action. Up in Canada, Josh Sargent bagged a hat trick and is starting to look more and more like the player he was at Norwich City. Toronto FC is now unbeaten in its last six games. Strikers were certainly at the forefront this weekend, as Petar Musa bagged a brace for FC Dallas in the team’s 4-3 win over Sporting Kansas City, and Breel Embolo scored a penalty kick on his Atlanta United debut to salvage a point with Inter Miami on the road. Finally, while its been an uneven year for the LA Galaxy, they knocked off the New England Revolution 2-1 at home and are now just one point outside the Western Conference playoff places.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and the UEFA Champions League is firmly back in the crosshairs. Things get going on Tuesday when Alex Freeman and Villarreal start their UCL campaign on the road against Borussia Dortmund. Wednesday sees Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid play Liverpool on the road in UCL play, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic play St. Johnstone during Scottish Premier League play. Things then wrap up on Friday when Gianluca Busio and Venezia play Fiorentina in Serie A action.

Mauricio Pochettino Speaks on Young Talent

Speaking of American players, USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has urged caution when it comes to the hype surrounding young Yanks like Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. The United States Men’s National Team will play four friendlies in the upcoming international window, and with the roster set to be announced on Sept. 17, there’s plenty of people calling for young talent like Sullivan, Hall, and Justin Ellis to get some looks with the senior squad. While the USMNT coach said he’s happy about the young talent in the player pool, he also urged people to not get carried away, and said,

“We need to be careful because when you are young, of course you need to be confident, you need to have the trust in yourself, and believe that you can perform and you can do well. But the thing is it’s a limit. The balance is the most important. And one of our responsibilities is to protect this guy because sometime if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18 and you play well and people started to know to talk about that you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do some few good things. If after you are confused and you don’t manage well, that can be dangerous for your career.”

Free Kicks

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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