Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/5/17
Good morning, Mane Landers. Hope you all remembered to set your clocks back and are well rested after getting an extra hour of sleep last night. After last night’s friendly with Puerto Rico, we are officially without Orlando City soccer until 2018 and headed into the off-season. While we wait for the transfer rumors to start rolling in, enjoy some links from around the soccer world.
Orlando City Trounces Puerto Rico in Friendly
The game may have ended in a lopsided victory, but it was all smiles from both sides in Orlando City’s 6-1 victory over the Puerto Rican National Team in a friendly where all proceeds went towards recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.
In his final game as a Lion, Kaká delivered a gem to Dom Dwyer for Orlando’s first goal of the game and the Brazilian superstar was given a standing ovation when taken off the field in the second half. Cyle Larin (in possibly his final game in purple as well) would go on to score to put the Lions ahead and the floodgates opened for the Lions. Hadji Barry, Seb Hines, and Tony Rocha all put the ball in the net and the scoring stopped when Larin earned his brace in the 90th minute.
It was a fun night that fittingly said goodbye to a rocky season for the Lions, while also playing a part to rebuild Puerto Rico and give its people something to cheer about for once. Fuerza Puerto Rico!
UCF Men’s Soccer Team Marches On to AAC Championship
With all the excitement going on yesterday, you may have missed the University of Central Florida’s men’s soccer team go on to win off a golden goal in a thrilling 2-1 victory against the University of Cincinnati. The win extended UCF’s unbeaten stretch to seven and earned the Knights a high seed in next weekend’s American Athletic Conference Championship bracket, where they’ll take on UConn in the semifinals on Friday in Dallas. Host SMU will face Temple in the other semifinal.
Unbeaten streak ➡️ 7⃣
Cal nets the golden goal in the 94'. Matias scores early and Matthew makes a couple huge stops late.#ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/Jh87J6Sn5s
— UCF Men's Soccer (@UCF_MSoccer) November 5, 2017
NASL Request for D2 Status Gets Rejected
The North American Soccer League’s request for a preliminary injunction to keep its Division 2 status was denied yesterday morning by Judge Margo K. Brodie. The request would’ve granted the NASL a small victory as it continues its legal battle with the U.S. Soccer Federation over a federal anti-trust case. Judge Brodie determined that although losing Division 2 status would constitute as “irreparable harm” for the NASL, the league never “made a clear showing of entitlement to relief.” It is not yet known if the NASL will fold or continue as a Division 3 league in 2018.
Christian Pulisic Shines in Der Klassiker
Although Borussia Dortmund fans likely cringed at the German club’s 3-1 defeat to rival Bayern Munich, those who have been keeping an eye on Christian Pulisic were rewarded with quite the performance from the young American. Winning eight of a whopping 14 times when he took on Bayern players one-on-one and showing a fierce intensity late in the game when down 3-0 earned the 19-year-old some praise from Dortmund Head Coach Peter Bosz. And how about that nutmeg to kickstart the play for Dortmund’s only goal? Nifty stuff.
The Bartra finish was pretty, but how about that nutmeg by Pulisic?? 😳 https://t.co/LWEH30eLva
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 4, 2017
Free Kicks
- Celtic FC set a new British domestic record yesterday with its 63rd win in the Scottish Premier League. The Celts have a ways to go to reach the European record of 104 set by Romania’s Steaua Bucuresti, led by the legendary Gheorghe Hagi. Good luck, lads.
- The 2017 USL Cup Final has been set! Lousiville City FC defeated New York Red Buls II, 4-3 in penalties in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final. It was sweet revenge for former Lion and current LCFC Head Coach James O’Connor to eliminate the team that ousted his in 2016 and move on.
The game also went to penalties over in the Western Conference but it took an intense 11 rounds before a winner was decided. It came down to a showdown between goalkeepers where Adrian Zendejas got one past C.J. Cochran to give the Swope Park Rangers a 7-6 win in penalties to beat the Oklahoma Energy and return to the USL Cup Final. What a finish.
FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR, YOUR SWOPE PARK RANGERS ARE GOING BACK TO THE @USL CUP FINAL! SPR WILL FACE LOUISVILLE ON NOV. 13! pic.twitter.com/6K4c7S6PXK
— Swope Park Rangers (@SwopeRangers) November 5, 2017
- The Major League Soccer playoffs continue today as we finish up the second legs of the quarterfinals. To catch you up to speed, the New York Red Bulls are down 2-1 on aggregate as they travel up north to take on Toronto FC. Meanwhile in the Big Apple, New York City FC has a 4-1 deficit to make up as it hosts the surging Columbus Crew.
And in the Western Conference, things are all square at 0-0 when the Houston Dynamo take on the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. The winner of that game will face off with the Seattle Sounders, who punched their ticket thanks to Clint Dempsey’s brace on Thursday night.
- Rounding out yesterday’s busy soccer night here in the Sunshine State, the Florida Tropics opened their season with a 10-5 win against Barracudas FC in the Major Arena Soccer League.
Final Score: Tropics 10 – @BarracudasFC 5 #maslsoccer #RGVvsFLO 🌴⚽️🙌 pic.twitter.com/QIpHMOzs1N
— Florida Tropics SC (@FLTropicsSC) November 5, 2017
In our final link of the morning, check out Cameroon’s amazing new kit made by Puma to celebrate its 20th anniversary of its partnership with the African nation. Now just imagine it in purple.
Cameroon's new kit has been revealed and it is 🔥 pic.twitter.com/teryK7S0MF
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 3, 2017
That’s it from me, folks. Check back later today for some more Orlando City coverage and have a blessed Sunday!
We leave you today with Orlando Pride forward Rachel Hill, scoring the first goal of an eventual hat trick in Perth’s 4-1 win over Brisbane Roar. She now has five goals in two W-League games.
The @samkerr1 and @r_hill3 combination does the business for @PerthGloryWomen. 3 goals in 2 games for Hill. #BRIvPER #wleague pic.twitter.com/Xb7tg2x9Jm
— The Women's Game (@TheWomensGame) November 5, 2017
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
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
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- 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!
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.
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.
- The Columbus Crew announced that they will play Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field rather than its home stadium next season. The “home” game is a good two-hour drive north and reportedly has no opt-out option for season ticket holders, so this decision has not gone over well with some Crew fans.
- Forward Lynn Williams is reportedly expected to be traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC to the Seattle Reign so that she can close out her career on her home coast.
- We now know the eight quarterfinalists for the Women’s Champions League, with the draw set for Feb. 7. The usual suspects like Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and Lyon all made it, which should make for an exciting knockout stage.
- Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup, giving Carlo Ancelotti his 15th title with the club.
- Here’s a look at the absurd amount of minutes players like Federico Valverde and Jules Kounde have logged this year. Just seeing those numbers makes my legs tired.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/18/24
Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.
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.
- Vitor Pereira will be the new coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers following the departure of former boss Gary O’Neil. Pereira will have his work cut out for him getting Wolves out of the relegation zone.
- Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in a recent drug test. Mudryk stated he has never knowingly used such substances, and hopes an investigation will clear up the matter.
- The Washington Spirit have signed free agent midfielder Narumi Miura to a two-year contract. Miura spent the last two years with the North Carolina Courage.
- The Columbus Crew re-signed goalkeeper Evan Bush through the 2025 season.
- New name, same idea. The European Super League is back as the “Unity League.” A proposal has been submitted to UEFA and FIFA.
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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