Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/11/17

Happy Saturday, Orlando City Nation. And a happy Veterans Day to all of you who have served our country. We at The Mane Land thank you for your service.
Hopefully a nice, relaxing weekend lies ahead for you all. A year ago on this date we were all mourning the USMNT’s 2-1 loss to Mexico in Columbus to kick off the Hex. A year later and we see what that foretold, with the U.S. on the outside in terms of the 2018 World Cup. Alas.
The USWNT is back in action tomorrow night in California against rival Canada. Hopefully Alex Morgan will continue her hot streak for her country and maybe Chi Ubogagu will get her first cap. One can hope. It would also be nice to see Ashlyn Harris get a game out of this pair of matches.
Anyway, the day is waiting for you, so let’s get to those links.
Two Orlando City Players are Among Top MLS Jersey Sellers
Once again Kaká was among the top MLS players in terms of jersey sales, checking in at No. 8 this year. This strikes me as pretty amazing considering people have had three and a half years to buy Orlando City Kaká shirts. Of course, the new home kits were sweet this year, so I’m sure that added to the allure, even for those who had already purchased. Dom Dwyer was No. 14, splitting sales between Sporting Kansas City and Orlando.
Atlanta had five players in the top 25, which makes sense since the noobs hadn’t even unveiled their kit at this point last year (that came Nov. 15, 2016). They went from no one having Atlanta kits to a lot of people having them. We went from having a lot of people having Kaká shirts to even more people having them. Meanwhile, Christian Ramirez was the only Minnesota player in the top 25, which proves that Loons fans don’t deserve Kevin Molino.
Personally, I’m impressed with Seattle having four players in the top 11 and six in the top 25 because they’ve been in MLS a minute.
Pride Announce 2017 Golden Swans
The Orlando Pride handed out their annual season-ending awards — known as the Golden Swans — on Friday. Here’s who took home the trophies:
- Most Valuable Player & Golden Boot: Marta.
- Defender of the Year: Ali Krieger.
- Newcomer of the Year: Camila.
- Comeback Player of the Year: Aubrey Bledsoe.
- Coaches Award: Alanna Kennedy.
- Humanitarian of the Year: Dani Weatherholt.
And, there were five awards selected by fan vote:
- Goal of the Year: Alanna Kennedy at NC Courage, Sept. 30.
- Assist of the Year: Ali Krieger to Alex Morgan at Boston, Aug. 19.
- Save of the Year: Ashlyn Harris at NC Courage, Sept. 30.
- Game of the Year: Aug. 12 vs. Sky Blue FC.
- Social Media Takeover-er of the Year: Toni Pressley.
Congratulations and well deserved to all!
Kay Rawlins’ Ted Talk Now Available Online
The First Lady of Soccer was at TedxOrlando to give a talk about how the Lions captured the hearts and minds of our city, built a gorgeous new soccer palace without using any public money, and became a force of strong social improvement in our community. That talk is available for you to watch on YouTube (or just click below).
Rachel Hill Finally Held Off the Score Sheet (Sort Of)
Orlando Pride forward Rachel Hill turned in a terrific rookie year and now, on loan with Perth Glory in Australia’s W-League, she’s been tearing it up. In her first two W-League matches, Hill scored five goals and assisted on another. The team took a 2-0 record into Friday’s game against Adelaide but played without Sam Kerr. Perth lost the game, 3-1, and Hill didn’t get a goal, but she did cause one with a cross deflected in for an own-goal (0:40 mark).
Short list of @r_hill3's best W-League moments so far:
• Assists
• Hat Tricks
and now…
• Forcing own goals pic.twitter.com/o8yHfgu2Nl— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) November 10, 2017
Hill is also completing more than 80% of her passes and created nine chances, as she continues to take Australia by storm.
Hope Solo Accuses Sepp Blatter of Sexual Assault
That’s a headline that made me do a double-take yesterday. Former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo said that FIFA head honcho Sepp Blatter groped her prior to walking on stage at the 2013 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony.
Expanding on the alleged incident on Friday, Solo told the Guardian that she had to compose herself immediately afterwards to concentrate on making her speech and giving the presentation to Wambach. “I was in shock and completely thrown off,” Solo said. “I had to quickly pull myself together to present my team-mate with the biggest award of her career and celebrate with her in that moment, so I completely shifted my focus to Abby.”
Blatter denied the allegation through a spokesman.
Free Kicks
- FOX has hired former USMNT and LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena as a studio analyst.
- USMNT 19-year-old Weston McKennie seems like a confident fellow. I like it. The national team could use some more moxie.
- David Beckham’s neverending Miami project may finally become a reality, “soon.”
- Those born on this date include U.S. General George S. Patton (1885), Kurt Vonnegut (1922), actor and comedy legend Jonathan Winters (1925), legendary music producer Mutt Lange (1948), golf’s Fuzzy Zoeller (1951), XTC frontman Andy Partridge (1953), Demi Moore (1962), Leo DiCaprio (1974), Bayern Munich/Germany footballer Philipp Lahm (1983), Sounders midfielder Osvaldo Alonso (1985), and butt fumbler Mark Sanchez (1986).
That’s it for me today, folks. Have a great weekend and check back tomorrow for full coverage of the USWNT vs. Canada.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/8/25
Ramiro Enrique earns weekly props, Club World Cup semifinals preview, United States Men’s National Team stock watch, and more.

Good morning, everyone. Depending on your preference, I hope you either had a restful holiday weekend or an active and engaging one. We have an active and engaging week ahead of us in the soccer world, with the continuation of the Women’s European Championships and the Club World Cup, and Orlando City and Orlando City B in action at the weekend. That means we have a lot to cover this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Ramiro Enrique Earns Weekly Recognition
Ramiro Enrique played an important role in Orlando City’s 2-2 comeback draw against Charlotte FC over the weekend, and he’s been rewarded with a place on the bench in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Enrique bagged Orlando’s first goal of the evening just four minutes after the Lions went down by a second goal, and his strike helped keep the game from getting away from OCSC. He could have had an even better game if he’d not been denied a second goal due to a goal-line clearance. Still, it’s good to see him finding the back of the net, and here’s hoping he keeps doing so.
Club World Cup Semifinals Preview
The Club World Cup semifinals get started later today with Chelsea taking on Fluminense at 3 p.m. There are several storylines and battles to watch, with a big one being Fluminense’s Thiago Silva facing off against a Chelsea team with which he won the UEFA Champions League back in 2021. He’ll be tasked with shutting down Cole Palmer while teammate Hercules will do battle with Moises Caicedo in midfield. Wednesday’s match has Real Madrid taking on Paris Saint-Germain in a game littered with French stars on both sides. The big storyline here is Kylian Mbappe taking on his former PSG team, but the Madrid squad also features Frenchmen Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy. It would take too long to list all of PSG’s French stars, but Ousmane Dembele is the biggest name to watch, although Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola are more than capable of making huge impacts on matches.
Post-Gold Cup Stock Watch
Now that the Gold Cup has concluded, we can better analyze which United States Men’s National Team players benefitted from the tournament, and which ones saw their stock drop. Two guys who got huge boosts as a result of their play during the competition are Chris Richards and Malik Tillman. Richards already had a great club season but displayed a level of poise and maturity this summer that will ease some concerns about the center back position. Tillman scored or assisted in all but two Gold Cup matches, and his performances combined with the year he had for PSV Eindhoven might just get him a move to Bayer Leverkusen. On the other hand, Matt Turner didn’t play a single minute during the tournament and almost certainly needs regular playing time if he wants to regain the starting role he had at the 2022 World Cup. Despite having a good year with Toulouse, Mark McKenzie was unable to unseat Tim Ream from partnering Richards at center back, and he’s running out of chances to make his case for a starting spot.
Women’s Euros Results
The Women’s European Championships continued on Monday, and fans were treated to a pair of extremely different games in Group B. In one, Portugal needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw against Italy. That point gives Portugal a chance to advance to the quarterfinals if it beats Belgium in the final group match and Spain beats Italy, although it also needs to make up a significant gap in goal difference. In the other game, Spain punched its ticket to the knockout rounds in emphatic fashion by trouncing Belgium to the tune of a 6-2 scoreline. Alexia Putellas had a brace, and five different Spanish players found the back of the net as Spain scored four unanswered goals in the second half to cruise through to the next round.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride have announced a series of summer events to help fill the women’s soccer void during the NWSL’s midseason pause.
- Orlando City held fast at no. 10 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- New York City FC is floating a giant pigeon down the Hudson River today, but a rotating Lion statue it is not.
- Inter Miami is reportedly in talks with Atletico Madrid to sign Rodrigo De Paul.
- Newcastle United has reportedly signed Anthony Elanga pending the completion of a medical.
- Wojciech Szczesny has signed a two-year contract extension with Barcelona, which may open the door for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to leave the club.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/7/25
Lions draw at Charlotte FC, OCB claims two points against Crown Legacy, USMNT falls to Mexico in Gold Cup final, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday weekend. I was busy working but tried to catch some soccer when I could. The senior Lions and OCB were both in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Come from Behind in 2-2 Draw at Charlotte FC
Orlando City overturned a 2-0 deficit and picked up a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. The Lions trailed 2-0 late in the second half, but Ramiro Enrique pulled one back for Orlando to make it 2-1. Marco Pasalic scored the equalizer to help Orlando secure a draw. The Lions are unbeaten in their last three matches on the road (2-0-1) but are winless in their last two consecutive matches (0-1-1). Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel assisted on both goals for the Lions, and Ojeda became the third player in club history to record 50 goal contributions.
Orlando City remains fifth in the Eastern Conference table with 34 points. The Lions will take on CF Montreal Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium but will be without Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson, who will serve suspensions for yellow card accumulation.
OCB Wins Penalty Shootout vs. Crown Legacy FC after 2-2 Draw
Orlando City B drew 2-2 against Crown Legacy FC Sunday at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex. The Young Lions stuck first against the run of play on a goal from Justin Ellis to take a 1-0 lead. Orlando City B held onto the lead through halftime. In the second half, Crown Legacy FC scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. However, Ellis scored the equalizer on a late penalty kick to record his second goal of the match. After 90 minutes, MLS NEXT Pro draws go to penalties, and OCB won the extra point with a 3-1 shootout win. Carlos Mercado was instrumental, as the goalkeeper stopped Crown Legacy’s first three spot kicks. OCB will be back in action Sunday at Osceola County Stadium against Carolina Core FC.
USMNT Falls to Mexico in Gold Cup Final
The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium. Mexico won the Gold Cup for the 10th time and repeated as champions. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. The USMNT got off to a great start as a Chris Richards header gave the U.S. the early lead. Later in the first half, Raul Jimenez scored the equalizer for Mexico. In the second half, Edson Alvarez buried his header to pull Mexico ahead 2-1. The goal was initially called offside, but it was awarded after video review. The USMNT fell short of an eighth Gold Cup title but will now shift its focus to preparing for the 2025 FIFA World Cup next summer. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 4 and Japan on Sept. 9.
Club World Cup Quarterfinals Recap
The semifinals are set in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after four thrilling quarterfinal matches over the weekend. On Friday, Fluminense edged Al-Hilal 2-1 to move on to the semifinals. Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 and booked a spot in the semifinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres started the match for Palmeiras and played 67 minutes. On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 2-0, scoring two late goals in the second half from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembélé to advance despite finishing the match with nine men. Real Madrid edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling match to advance. The semifinals kick off Tuesday afternoon as Fluminense faces Chelsea. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Real Madrid as Kylian Mbappe faces his former club. The Club World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium Sunday.
Free Kicks
- On Saturday, France defeated England 2-1 in its opening match of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros in Switzerland. Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench.
- Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored 58 seconds into the match for Zambia in the 2025 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations against Morocco. Banda also notched an assist, but it wasn’t enough to win as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda joined Banda in playing for Zambia.
- San Diego FC midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr. and defender Andres Reyes will miss the rest of the 2025 season. Both players will be placed on the season-ending injury list.
- Arsenal has completed the signing of midfielder Maritin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad after triggering his $67 million release clause.
- New York City FC has reportedly signed midfielder Nicolas Fernandez from La Liga side Elche on a Designated Player contract.
Former Chicago Fire and Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has reportedly joined Fenerbahce on a one-year loan six months after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was taken off the field in an ambulance just seconds before the end of stoppage time after taking a knee to the head by a Crew player as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/4/25
Orlando City prepares for Charlotte FC, USMNT and Mexico will face off in Gold Cup final, Diogo Jota dies in car accident, and more.

Happy Fourth of July! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend and am hoping to get some needed rest over the next few days. There’s also a local brewery in my neck of the woods that sells canned cocktails that taste like the red, white, and blue popsicles that look like rockets [Ed. note: we think he means Bomb Pops], so I’m hoping to snag some of those to celebrate. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Readies for Charlotte FC
The Lions are back in action on Saturday night for a road game against Charlotte FC in one of the more enticing games in the league this weekend. Orlando fell 2-1 at home to FC Cincinnati on Saturday, while Charlotte heads into this game on a three-game losing streak. However, all three of those losses were on the road, and Charlotte boasts one of the better home records in the league. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the Lions will need to neutralize Charlotte and create chances in order to maintain distance between the two clubs in the Eastern Conference.
USMNT and Mexico Will Clash in Gold Cup Final
For the ninth time in the tournament’s history, the United States Men’s National Team and Mexico will square off in the Concacaf Gold Cup final. These two nations have won 17 of the past 18 Gold Cups and the U.S. beat Mexico 1-0 with a goal in extra time the last time they clashed in the final in 2021. It’s been a gauntlet for both teams to reach this point, and the U.S. has proven its mettle with a roster missing many of its usual stars. The final will take place on Sunday in Houston and should be an exciting match between the confederation’s best.
Diogo Jota Dies in Car Accident
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident in Spain. Jota’s passing comes less than a month after his marriage to Rute Cardoso and he is survived by three children. The sports world mourned the loss, with clubs, managers, teammates, prime ministers, and fans showing an outpouring of support. There was also a moment of silence before the Women’s European Championship match between Spain and Portugal, and players wore black armbands during the match.
Club World Cup Quarterfinals Kick Off Today
The Club World Cup returns today with a pair of quarterfinal matchups, including a showdown between Fluminense and Al-Hilal in Orlando at 3 p.m. The expanded format for this year’s tournament has been a major boon for the Brazilian teams, as all four made the round of 16 and Fluminense and Palmeiras received $13 million for making the quarterfinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres and Palmeiras will take on Chelsea at 9 p.m. and Estevao Willian will be the player to watch, as it could be his last game with Palmeiras before he joins Chelsea following the tournament.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Gaston Gonzalez is headed to Club Atletico Sarmiento on loan from Defensa y Justicia in Argentina’s top flight.
- San Diego FC players Alejandro Alvarado Jr. and Andres Reyes will miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to injury.
- Derby County and Charlotte FC have reportedly reached an agreement over the transfer of American forward Patrick Agyemang.
- Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey signed with Pumas UNAM in Liga MX. The Lions will host Pumas on July 30 in their first match of this year’s Leagues Cup.
- Spain kicked off its 2025 Euros campaign with a 5-0 win over Portugal that included four goals in the first half. Italy also won its first game, beating Belgium 1-0 thanks to a goal from Arianna Caruso.
That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
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