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Lion Links: 10/26/17

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9 years ago

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Welcome back to The Mane Land for another fresh batch of Lion Links. It’s Thursday and here in Florida we’ve finally gotten to feel a once forgotten feeling — cool weather! Oh, and the MLS playoffs have just kicked off, so we have some stuff to talk about! Let’s dive right in.

Larin Says He’s Ready for Europe

There’s been a lot of speculation about Cyle Larin for a long time and every transfer window the big question we get is whether the Canadian international will be leaving the City Beautiful. But that would have cost the club money before the end of this season, as the sale of the club’s first ever draft pick will now be worth more to Orlando City than before, due to league rules. And now, Larin says he’s ready for that move to Europe. Of course, the club still owns his rights and will still need to get an offer management feels is worthy of the Lions’ leading goal scorer.

Also embedded in the article linked above, it seems that despite GM Niki Budalic’s desire to re-sign Dom Dwyer after 2018, the Orlando City striker isn’t feeling too confident about a deal just yet.

“I’d like to be at this club, it’s something we’re trying to figure out, but I can’t say I’m so confident at it right now,” Dwyer said Saturday. “I’ll keep training hard and we’ll finish off strong and we’ll see where it goes from there, but I think this one’s out of my hands a little bit.”

Budalic said the club has spoken with Dwyer’s agent several times since he arrived in Orlando and those conversations will continue.

With the club putting such a big investment in Dwyer this season, it will be surprising if a new deal doesn’t get done sooner or later.

MLS Playoffs Need to Chill

Steve Davis over at FourFourTwo.com wrote that MLS really needs to take a step back if the league wants to get people interested in the playoffs. Sure, supporters of the clubs are interested, but how on earth can the average fan get excited when the playoffs (which started last night), kick off just three days after the final whistle blows on the regular season? I tend to agree with Mr. Davis. I’m not saying that they need two weeks off or anything. I just think giving teams more time to game plan and recharge their batteries will give us a better product, and also give media outlets a chance to better cover the lead-up to the games. But that’s just my two cents.

Marta Keeps Scoring Goals

Though the Orlando Pride season may have ended, Brazilian star Marta is still finding her way onto the score sheet. She managed to score a goal from the spot while on international duty with Brazil the other day against China. It was Marta’s fourth goal of the Yongchuan Four Nations Tournament, which Brazil went on to win with a record of 4-0-1. Not too bad at all. We can’t wait to see Marta back in purple next year.

Bill Hamid on the Move

It was announced just before the end of the regular season, that Bill Hamid would not be returning to D.C. United next year, and would move abroad to take on a new challenge. It seems as though that new challenge has revealed itself, as Hamid has now signed with Danish Superliga team FC Midtjylland. The Wolves, as they are called, are a young club, founded only 18 years ago, but they are also very successful, as they won the Danish Superliga in 2015.

One of the more surprising bits of news here comes from Jeff Kassouf, an editor for FourFourTwo, who said Hamid was let go on a free transfer. This kind of makes you think that if D.C. had known about his desire to play abroad, shouldn’t they have sold him a while ago? In my mind, yes. The answer to that question is absolutely yes. Especially when you consider that Hamid has been one of the best goalkeepers in the league for a few years now.

USMNT Finding its Next Manager in the Premier League?

Yes, you read that right. It is being reported that West Ham manager Slaven Bilic is considering leaving his post in London to take on the task of righting the ship that is the U.S. Men’s National Team. talkSPORT is the one breaking this news, and to be honest, we wouldn’t be surprised if Bilic is looking for a job soon, as West Ham is off to yet another slow start this season. Too soon to tell if any of this is true, or where it goes, but speculation is fun. I wouldn’t expect any major announcements until after the United States’ friendly against Portugal in November.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni continues to adapt as the game changes.
  • Orlando City’s corporate partners are stepping up to provide resources for the Fuerza Puerto Rico Friendly Presented by Audi (those last three words are new).
  • The U-17 World Cup is rolling right along in India, and England knocked off Brazil rather convincingly, 3-1, to reach the final. England reaching the final makes me feel at least a little bit better about the tournament for the United States. If you’re going to lose, you might as well lose to a team that made the final.
  • More on that England youth system: Just take a look at this graphic Squawka put together. We might be on the brink of English football dominance if the Three Lions’ youths can keep these results rolling through the senior level.

  • The Carabao Cup always finds a way to give us interesting news. What’s going on this time? Manchester City and Arsenal could find themselves disqualified over an interesting substitution rule. Check it out here.
  • Serie A games are trying to find new ways to combat anti-Semitism. After an event that happened in the stands of a game between Roma and Lazio, it has been decided that passages from Anne Frank’s Diary will be read before games to promote Holocaust remembrance. Good job, Italy.
  • Ever wonder who the worst player in FIFA 18 is? Well, you can find out all about him and his 46 overall ranking here, but, spoiler alert, he’s actually not a player at all.

That’s all we have time for today. Enjoy that MLS playoff action that we have on the slate for tonight (Atlanta-Columbus, Houston-Sporting KC), and check back with us tomorrow for some more Lion Links! Before I go, here is your dad joke of the day:

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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

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Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

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3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

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

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