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Lion Links: 11/4/17

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Happy match day, Lion folk. Tonight Orlando City takes on Puerto Rico in friendly action at Orlando City Stadium for a great cause — to raise funds for the island nation’s recovery from getting rocked by not one but two hurricanes this season. It’s also your last chance to see Kaká in Orlando City colors, so go on out to the purple palace tonight and have a look. (If you can’t make it, our Scott Carnevale will be on hand to live tweet the match and write up a recap afterwards.)

It’s a crazy time right now. Some of the teams in our league are still playing but we’ve been in off-season mode for a couple weeks now. We should start hearing soon about some contract statuses for Orlando City players but for now we know that Leo Pereira has returned to Brazil following the conclusion of his loan to the Lions. Pereira is a young guy with good feet and some upside, and — even if he didn’t set the world on fire with Orlando City — his loan to OCSC was a positive step in the partnership between the club and Atletico Paranaense.

OK, with that said, let’s get to some Lion Links.

Purple Deadpool Will Be Honored Tonight

Joseph Campo Jr. (a.k.a. “Purple Deadpool”) was taken from this Earth far too young — at just 31 years of age when he was killed in a traffic accident on Tuesday while driving on John Young Parkway, headed for work. In those 31 too-brief years, Campo endeared himself to his friends, his supporters’ group, and his community. All of that came out in this story by Orlando Sentinel writer Alicia DelGallo. But it was summarized nicely by someone who knew him best — Campo’s girlfriend Corinne Battersby.

“He can make anybody laugh, regardless of circumstance,” Battersby said. “He’s giving. People would call at 2 o’clock in the morning; he’d go fix their car. There’s just so much good that I can say about him, and it would never be enough.”

Campo will be honored by the club and The Ruckus at tonight’s friendly at Orlando City Stadium. We send our deepest condolences to Campo’s friends and family and the entire OCSC supporters’ group community.

OCSC Academy Player to Face His Club

Puerto Rico will get a boost from Alejandro Colon from the Orlando City Development Academy in tonight’s game.

The academy product said it will be strange to go up against his club but is looking forward to representing what he calls “my little island.”

No Ronaldo vs. the USMNT?

Portugal manager Fernando Santos has named his squad for two upcoming friendlies — including the Nov. 14 clash with the USMNT — and Cristiano Ronaldo’s name isn’t on it. The strikers listed for Portugal for those games include André Silva (Milan), Bruma (RB Leipzig), Éder (Lokomotiv), Gelson Martins (Sporting), Gonçalo Guedes (Valencia), and Rony Lopes (Monaco). Portugal will be the first team the U.S. will face since being eliminated from 2018 World Cup contention and the resignation of Bruce Arena.

Will Franch Get a Look in Upcoming USWNT Friendlies?

Sure, we know who you guys would like to see between the sticks for the USWNT. But Jill Ellis has made it clear she feels that Ashlyn Harris is the No. 2 behind Alyssa Naeher, at least for the time being. In the meantime, the backstop of the NWSL’s stingiest defense has been on the outside looking in. But she may be closing the gap. Adrianna Franch got the call-up for the November friendlies against Canada and it would be a good test to see if the Portland goalkeeper has what it takes to become the next great U.S. stopper.

Could Global Nations League Replace International Friendlies?

We could see new worldwide international competitions in odd-numbered years if plans for the ‘Global Nations League’ get off the ground.

The UEFA-led Global Nations League could replace many often-meaningless friendly matches, officials briefed on the project told The Associated Press.

The plan would invite all 223 members of FIFA's six continental confederations and take place every two years. The format expands on the UEFA Nations League, which kicks off next September in Europe.

Free Kicks

  • Anthony Precourt’s minion made my skin crawl with some of the things he said to Austin, TX, soccer supporters. Despite a recent lucrative jersey sponsorship deal with Acura and a stadium naming partner in Mapfre, Dave Greeley said the Columbus Crew lack sponsorship support. It’s clear that Precourt and his posse have no intention to #SaveTheCrew.
  • Detroit’s new plan to use Ford Field certainly changes things in the city’s bid to gain an MLS expansion franchise. MLS, of course, responded by reiterating that soccer-specific stadiums will be prioritized, which is probably amusingly adorbs news to fans of New York City FC and Atlanta United.
  • Paul Caligiuri has thrown his hat into the ring and will run for USSF president.
  • Here’s an interesting piece on a tattoo artist who has inked plenty of athletes, rock stars, and celebrities, including the likes of Tally Hall and Seb Hines.
  • Among those born on this date are “Oklahoma’s favorite son” Will Rogers (1879), Walter Cronkite (1916), Art Carney (1918), Everybody Loves Raymond actress Doris Roberts (1925), M*A*S*H actress Loretta Swit (1937), “Modern Day Delilah” singer Van Stephenson (1953), Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess (1956), Karate Kid actor Ralph Macchio (1961), Survivor host Jeff Probst (1961), Sean Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy (or whatever he’s calling himself these days) Combs (1969),  Matthew McConaughey (1969), Portuguese soccer legend Luis Figo (1972), football’s Vince Wilfork (1981), and hockey’s Dustin Brown (1984).

That’s all the time I have for you this morning. Stay tuned for complete coverage of tonight’s friendly and enjoy your weekend.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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