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Lion Links: 11/16/17

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9 years ago

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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

Free Kicks

  • 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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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

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Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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