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Lion Links: 11/16/17

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Good Thursday morning to you, Mane Land readers. I hope you are in good spirits. There’s a young man on the Orlando City roster who could use your support, well wishes, prayers, good vibes, etc. More on that below.

On a selfish note, I hope you got a chance to hear me and Dave Rohe interview Jason Kreis on the latest PawedCast. He had some interesting things to say about what the club wants to do with Kaká’s DP slot, why we maybe shouldn’t be too attached to Cyle Larin as we head toward 2018, and a whole lot more. Give it a listen.

OK, now that the shameless self-promotion is out of the way, let’s get to today’s links.

Stajduhar Diagnosed with Bone Cancer

In the most terrible news out of Wednesday, 19-year-old Orlando City Homegrown goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar received a diagnosis that no teenager should ever have to deal with. The young Lion was being examined by team physicians when a lesion revealed an eventual diagnosis of Localized Ewing Sarcoma. Orlando City Medical Director Daryl Osbahr said the condition was discovered early, which should improve his chances of beating it. The young keeper will be placed on the team’s season-ending injury list for 2018. I think I speak for everyone here at The Mane Land when I say get well soon, Mason.

The Latest on the Columbus Crew Saga

Let’s just say the meeting didn’t go well. Depending on who you believe, either Anthony Precourt and Don Garber didn’t show up ready to commit to keeping the Crew in Columbus, or Mayor Andrew Ginther showed up with no real plan to somehow entice Precourt to stop his courtship with Austin. Both sides used the word “disappointed” about their meeting in New York City. It looks like it’s getting harder and harder to #SaveTheCrew.

Atlanta Fans Stuff Ballot Box, Ruin MLS Awards

OK, that headline might be half-kidding. Or it might not. Brad Guzan (incorrectly) won MLS Save of the Year and Hector Villalba (maybe correctly) won MLS Goal of the Year on Wednesday. Now, we all know that Joe Bendik’s last-ditch tracking back to deny D.C. United was objectively better than anything Guzan has done in Atlanta. I mean, look at this thing:

That’s just too pretty to win, I guess.

Meanwhile, it takes a superhuman strike to score a game winner from distance against Bendik, so Villalba’s award makes more sense. I’m not sure it’s the best goal of the season but at least it has some logic to it.

Dempsey is MLS Comeback Player of the Year

It was a big day for Clint Dempsey yesterday. He was named the 2017 MLS Comeback Player of the Year after his return from an irregular heartbeat that was treated in 2016. The USMNT striker also inked a one-year contract extension with the Seattle Sounders. Big day for Deuce. He and the Sounders will visit the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday for the first leg of the Western Conference semifinals.

NASL Champion Deltas Cease Operations

Life comes at you fast. On Sunday night, the San Francisco Deltas were capping their inaugural season by winning the NASL championship over the storied New York Cosmos. Yesterday, the Mercury News reported that the club has ceased operations. You never want to see this happen to any team, but the NASL is no stranger to financial problems and if the league’s hail Mary lawsuit doesn’t work out, the entire NASL could follow the Deltas in shutting down.

More USL News

The USL season ended Monday night — when James O’Connor became the first person to win the USL as both a player (with Orlando City) and a head coach (with Louisville City) — and yet the news has been flowing non-stop from the league ever since. Wednesday brought us the rebranding of the Harrisburg City Islanders, who will now be known as Penn FC. The Central Pennsylvania club has also partnered with the Rush Soccer organization, which should only add to the team’s resources. Personally, I think the new logo makes it seem like the club should be called FC Penn, but whatever.

Additionally, the Rochester Rhinos announced that they will need to raise $1.3 million in order to remain solvent enough to compete in the USL in 2018. Even worse, the last non-MLS side to win the U.S. Open Cup needs the money by Nov. 30 — just two weeks away. The club has seen a dramatic decrease in attendance in recent years and ownership is seeking 2,500 new season ticket holders in the next two weeks. The club averaged around 2,000 per game this past season. Good luck. #SaveTheRhinos

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  • Orlando City’s Yoshimar Yotun is headed to the World Cup as Peru defeated New Zealand 2-0 in Lima last night to qualify for the country’s first WC in 36 years.
  • It appears the NWSL’s FC Kansas City franchise may be headed to Salt Lake City.
  • Speaking of the NWSL, Sky Blue FC announced that its new head coach will be Denise Reddy, formerly an assistant with the Washington Spirit. Hopefully she’ll be Reddy for the new challenge (see what I did there?).
  • Why did Honduras bother advancing out of CONCACAF on the final day when it couldn’t even beat Australia? Los Catrachos lost the second leg (and the series on aggregate), 3-1. The Socceroos advance to the World Cup.
  • Romelu Lukaku is recognized as Belgium’s all-time goal scorer by his country — but not by FIFA. The governing body nullified a 2014 friendly between Belgium and Luxembourg because the Belgians used seven substitutions instead of six, wiping out a Lukaku hat trick. Imagine that…repercussions for a team using an illegal player.
  • Among those born on this date were former NASCAR driver Terry Labonte (1956), CSI actress Marg Helgenberger (1958), baseball’s Dwight Gooden (1964), Lisa Bonet (1967), Paul Scholes (1974), figure skater Oksana Baiul, The Deuce actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (1977), and basketball’s Amar’e Stoudemire (1982).

That’s all the time I have for today. Enjoy your Thursday!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/25

Orlando City gets ready for Atlanta United, Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira promoted, NWSL MVP candidates, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! Today starts three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. It was a fairly fast week for me, and I was able to read three books somehow. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy 21st birthday to Orlando City winger Nicolas Rodriguez!

Orlando City Gets Ready for Rivalry Match

The Lions are back in action Saturday night against rival Atlanta United in what should be one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend. Both teams are looking for answers on offense heading into this match, as Orlando is coming off of three straight scoreless draws and Atlanta hasn’t won since March. Taking on a rival at home could be just what’s needed for the Lions to jumpstart their attack and return to the form they had earlier this season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how it’s an important game to win for Orlando, as well as how the offense needs to exercise some calmness to finish its chances.

Orlando City Promotes Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira

Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira were both promoted by Orlando City, with Moreira taking over as the club’s general manager and sporting director and Muzzi becoming senior advisor to ownership, global soccer ventures. It’s a natural step up for Moreira, who joined the club in 2018 and has helped build a competitive roster that’s made the playoffs for the past five seasons. Muzzi’s new role is a bit of a mouthful, but he’ll be taking on an advisory role focused on the growth of the club while working closely with ownership.

“I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as Orlando City Soccer Club’s EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager for seven seasons, and I am excited to continue my journey with the club in this new role,” said Luiz Muzzi. “I look forward to working alongside the Wilf family and the leadership team to help shape the future of the club and its continued success, both on and off the field, and I know Orlando City’s Soccer Operations will be in great hands under Ricardo’s leadership.”

Orlando Pride Players in the NWSL MVP Hunt

Now that we’re over a month into the NWSL season, ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf highlighted the league’s early MVP candidates, and there are a couple of familiar faces in his rankings. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is predictably in the mix in sixth on the list, as she has three goals and an assist to her name so far. But a surprise inclusion is midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who has impressed on both sides of the ball to earn ninth place in the rankings. While I think the MVP race will ultimately be between scorers like Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Ashley Hatch, and Debinha, it’s pretty great to see McCutcheon receive deserved praise for her performance this year.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The transfer deadline may be over for MLS clubs, but deals that crossed the finish line are still coming in. The Columbus Crew added yet another forward by sending up to $1.2 million to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Aliyu Ibrahim. The 23-year-old will maintain his U22 Initiative Player status in Columbus and recorded 12 goals and nine assists across 90 appearances for Houston. LAFC signed 26-year-old midfielder Ryan Raposo, who spent the past five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps and was a free agent this year. St. Louis City also made things official with Simon Becher by making his loan move a permanent one so that he stays with the club.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. Mother’s Day is less than a month away, just as a warning. If the mothers in your life like romance books and you’re looking for a gift, I can’t recommend The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center enough. Have a great Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/25

Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC

The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.

Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings

Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.

MLS Deadline Day Transfer News

The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.

The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.

Sources: Minnesota United in advanced talks to acquire Julian Gressel from Inter Miami.Nothing done yet. Still details to figure out. Optimism something gets done, but not there yet.

Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T00:25:26.971Z

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.

In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.

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That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Bad Pride, Good Pride

It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.

The (OCSC) Academy Awards

Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.

Pochettino Prepares

The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.

MLS Transfer News

The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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