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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: 11/22/24

Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.

Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.

“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”

Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.

Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year

Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.

Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves

FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.

Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.

Free Kicks

  • In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
  • ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
  • Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
  • Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
  • The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
  • Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.

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

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Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

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: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

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That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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