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Lion Links: 11/19/17

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Good morning, Mane Landers, I hope you’re having a good weekend as we start to gear up for the holiday season. Today might as well be a holiday as Nov. 19 marks Orlando City’s MLS-iversary (name in progress). On this day in 2013, Orlando City was named as the 21st MLS franchise and, since then, we have seen some incredible football in our City Beautiful.

So, while it may sting that we haven’t seen our Lions in the playoffs, let’s take today to rejoice in the fact that we made it to MLS and don’t have to worry about fighting for a spot like Cincinnati, Nashville, or Detroit. Now, let’s get to some Lion Links!

Pride Players Continue to Shine in W-League

While the NWSL off-season continues, many players continue their campaigns over in the W-League in Australia. Round 4 has just finished up and the teams are starting to find their footing with four games already played. As many of you already know, the Orlando Pride have four players competing in the W-League and all have found their place with their Australian clubs.

This past weekend, Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy were on the losing end of a 3-2 result as Melbourne City fell to Sydney FC, although Kennedy was able to “earn” a goal for her side by sending in a header that resulted in an own goal against Sydney.

Meanwhile in last night’s late night contests, Toni Pressley found the back of the net for the second straight week as she and Canberra United edged the Newcastle Jets 2-1 late last night. Rachel Hill’s hot streak continued as she scored a goal in the Perth Glory’s 3-1 win against the Melbourne Victory. After Round 4, Hill leads the W-League in both goals (six) and chances created (14).

If you missed out on this week’s W-League action, try to check it out next weekend in Round 5, when Catley and Kennedy face off against Hill and the Perth Glory on Nov. 25 at 12 a.m. ET.

USMNT Future May be Found in Orlando

While everything seems to be up in the air regarding the direction that should be taken for the USMNT after its shock exit from World Cup qualifying, the future of the national team will undoubtedly be in the hands of the current youth. Many players who are rising up the ranks of U-20 or U-18 teams are currently plying their trade in Europe but there are a couple of rising stars right here in Orlando that shouldn’t be overlooked. Both Tommy Redding and Pierre Da Silva have experience as “Baby Nats” and are steadily growing with Orlando City.

The MLS Coaching Carousel Keeps Spinning

With the sudden departure of Caleb Porter from the Portland Timbers, the MLS coaching scene has a new, and lucrative, vacancy. Steven Goff over at the Washington Post took the time to write up each and every coaching situation in MLS, highlighting the vacancies of Colorado and Portland while also weighing in on some of the new kids on the block like Brad Friedel and Bob Bradley. As for Orlando City, Jason Kreis was described as having “full support” from management and likely has a longer leash than most once the 2018 season kicks off.

Going back to Porter though, the move has left many scratching their heads as they try to figure out why Porter left Portland. Maybe he wants to make a run at the USMNT position. Or perhaps he has his eyes on a job overseas with a bigger club in a bigger league. Or maybe he will take “personal time off” from coaching and wait around to pounce on a good coaching opportunity here in the U.S. If Kreis has another bad year and that aforementioned “full support” starts to wane, then Porter may be the leading candidate should he want it.

NCAA Soccer Tournaments Continue

The 2017 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament continues into its second round today and a few Orlando City academy products will take the field.

  • Eli Lockaby and No. 16 VCU is set to play Butler at 5 p.m.
  • Michael Melvin of No. 8 Clemson will take on Coastal Carolina at 6 p.m.
  • Raul Aguilera and No. 3 UNC will play against North Carolina Wilmington at 7 p.m.
  • Landen Haig from No. 1 Wake Forest faces off with Columbia at 5 p.m., although our Mane Land academy expert Sean Rollins doesn’t expect Haig to play in this one.

Meanwhile, the 2017 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament moves on to the third round. The UCF women have already been eliminated but there are still a couple teams from the Sunshine State to root for. Florida State, which has yet to concede a goal in the tournament, will take on Stanford, while the University of Florida will look to avenge UCF by beating the team that eliminated the Knights, Washington State University.

The Return of Zlatan

After battling a knee injury the past seven months, international superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovich took the field for Manchester United yesterday. The Swedish striker was subbed on late and didn’t impact the result but the crowd was all cheers as one of the game’s best returned to the pitch. After the game, Zlatan had some choice words when asked how he came back as quickly as he did.

This isn’t the first time he’s referred to himself as a lion. Now if we could only get him to call himself one in a contract.

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That’s all I’ve got for you guys today! Have a blessed Sunday, Mane Landers.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/13/24

Orlando City’s international call-ups, Orlando Pride playoffs preview, NWSL Awards voting opens, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City might have to wait a week to continue its playoff journey, but the Orlando Pride do not. The Kansas City Current are coming to town this Sunday for the third meeting between these NWSL heavyweights this year, and I will be there. I hope you will make it to Inter&Co Stadium to show this Pride club how much we appreciate all they have done this season in their final home match of the season. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions on International Duty

Several Orlando City players received call-ups for this international break, including Facundo Torres for Uruguay. Additionally, the following also got the call: David Brekalo with Slovenia, Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena for Peru, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for Iceland, and Favian Loyola for Chile’s U-20 squad. All we can hope for is they all stay healthy and in form. Orlando City’s next opponent, Atlanta United, also had several players called up.

The NWSL Playoffs Continue

The Orlando Pride will face the fourth-place Kansas City Current this weekend after decimating the Chicago Red Stars Friday. There’s been a lot of drama between these two clubs, making this an intriguing semifinal match. The other match sees the second-place Washington Spirit take on third-place NJ/NY Gotham FC. While we get to enjoy seeing the Pride continue their NWSL playoff run, many clubs are now watching from home and working on next season’s campaign.

NWSL Award Voting Open

The NWSL has opened the “fans voting round” for its 2024 end-of-season awards. There are several Pride players who were named finalists, including Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, Kylie Strom, and Anna Moorhouse. Of course, Seb Hines is up for NWSL Coach of the Year in what should be a foregone conclusion. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and submit your vote here. This is your chance to make a difference for Hines and these Pride players who have given so much this season.

Pepi is Ready

The USMNT will play its first competitive match under Mauricio Pochettino against Jamaica Thursday night in the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series. The U.S. doesn’t have a ton of options at forward, meaning Ricardo Pepi will likely get the start. The PSV striker said he feels he’s “ready to be the man.” It’s been years since anyone locked down the starting role up top for the USMNT. Let’s hope that Pepi is indeed ready.

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  • In unsurprising news, Charlotte FC’s Kristijan Kahlina was named 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Orlando fans are all too familiar with how good Kahlina is in goal. Honestly, Khalina is a very deserving winner.
  • England’s squad will look very different this international window with eight players out due to injury, including Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
  • The UScpMNT match scheduled for today has been postponed due to inclement weather.
  • Coventry City has its eye on Frank Lampard as a possible replacement for Mark Robins as manager.
  • We have unfortunately seen the last of Memphis 901 FC. It is a sad day, as we’re unlikely to see such a cool name with whatever Santa Barbara comes up with.
  • We’re sad to share that FC Cincinnati’s Marco Angulo passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates.
  • Finally, I leave you with Ally Watt solving a Rubik’s Cube.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s playoff match against the Kansas City Current. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/12/24

Examining Orlando City’s playoff path, what to watch in the Concacaf Nations League, Lily Yohannes declares for the U.S., and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! The weekend couldn’t have gone much better for Orlando’s soccer teams, as both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride advanced after their respective playoff games, with the Pride dominating Chicago and the Lions getting a late, dramatic equalizer before winning the penalty shootout. The Pride will return to action Sunday against the Kansas City Current, while the Lions have a slightly longer layoff before they take on Atlanta United. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City’s Playoff Path

It was a wild weekend for the MLS playoffs as far as the Eastern Conference was concerned, and a slew of upsets suddenly means that the path to the MLS Cup final in the Eastern Conference goes through Orlando. The Lions are the highest remaining seed in the East, and not only will they host Atlanta Nov. 24, but they would also host the Eastern Conference final, should they come out victorious. Oscar Pareja spoke after the game about not wanting the victory over Charlotte FC to be the end of the playoff journey, and says the team intends to chase the MLS Cup. If Orlando does make it that far, the team wouldn’t be likely to host the match, as it would require Minnesota United to come out of the Western Conference in order for the final to be held in Orlando. Stranger things have happened though.

What to Watch For With the USMNT

It seems like we just had an international break, but here we are again with two more United States Men’s National Team games on the docket. These are two important games, as the USMNT squares off against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. Besides the obvious chance to advance to the semifinals, there are plenty of other storylines to keep an eye on. With Josh Sargent and Folarin Balogun both absent due to injury, can Ricardo Pepi seize an opportunity to lay claim to the starting striker role? What sort of impacts can Brendan Aaronson and Weston McKennie have in the midst of good starts to the season for their clubs? Last, but certainly not least, is Christian Pulisic, who has had a fantastic start to the season and will have many eyes on him in the first competitive matches under Mauricio Pochettino.

Lily Yohannes Chooses the United States

The United States Women’s National Team has landed a great young talent, as Lily Yohannes announced on Monday that she has chosen to represent the U.S. over the Netherlands. While she was born in Virginia, Yohannes has lived abroad since the age of 10, making her eligible to play for either country. However, she stated that with the United States being her country of birth, as well as where her extended family lives, she decided to commit to representing Emma Hayes’ team. Yohannes made her debut for Ajax’s senior side in November of last year, and has seven goals in 40 appearances for the Dutch team.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always, the transfer rumor mill continues to turn, which means we have plenty of things to catch up on. We start with Major League Soccer itself, where FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta has said he may have played his final game for the club. He cited frustration with falling short of silverware as a possible reason for wanting to move on, so he may change his mind once the sting has faded more. Moving to Spain, Barcelona is reportedly monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush as an option to replace the aging Robert Lewandowski. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be interested in Leroy Sane, and will pursue him hard if contract talks with Bayern Munich don’t progress well.

Free Kicks

  • NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman had some friendly words for the Orlando Pride.

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/11/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride advance in the playoffs, MLS and NWSL playoff roundups, USMNT roster announced, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Alex Corrie

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you in Florida. Happy Veteran’s Day to all those who have served or are currently serving in the military. I’ve been busy working at Under Armour during the holiday weekend. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Advance to Eastern Conference Semifinals

Orlando City defeated Charlotte FC 4-1 in penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight year. The Lions were down 1-0 late in the match, with their run in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs about to end. However, Duncan McGuire was pulled down in the box and Orlando was awarded a penalty kick deep in stoppage time. Facundo Torres had his penalty kick saved but scored on the rebound to tie the game at 1-1. In the penalty shootout, Pedro Gallese came up with big saves, and every Lion converted their kick to book Orlando’s ticket into the next round. It took three matches, but the Lions are through and will face Atlanta United at home Nov. 24.

Pride Secure First Playoff Win Against the Chicago Red Stars

The Orlando Pride defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to secure their first-ever NWSL playoff win. Barbra Banda scored twice, and Haley McCutcheon and Marta each added one for Orlando. The Red Stars pulled one back with a goal from Jameese Joseph, but the Pride dominated the match from start to finish and advanced to the semifinals. The Pride will face the Kansas City Current at home Sunday with a spot in the NWSL Championship on the line.

First Round of MLS Playoffs Wraps Up

It was a wild weekend to conclude the first round of the 2024 MLS playoffs, with plenty of Game 3 drama. Let’s start with a big upset in South Florida, as Atlanta United got two goals from Jamal Thiare and won 3-2 win against Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami. New York City FC defeated FC Cincinnati 6-5 in penalties after a scoreless draw and will move on to face the New York Red Bulls in a playoff edition of the Hudson River Derby in the next round. Inter Miami, Columbus Crew, and FC Cincinnati were the three highest seeds in the Eastern Conference and all three were eliminated after the first round. Out west, LAFC secured a 1-0 over the Vancouver Whitecaps with Mateusz Bogusz scoring the lone goal to advance. LAFC will take on the Seattle Sounders, while the LA Galaxy will face Minnesota United in the Western Conference semifinals.

NWSL Playoff Quarterfinals Roundup

The first round of the 2024 NWSL playoffs is also in the books. The Kansas City Current defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Saturday. Temwa Chawinga scored for the Current and extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches. There were two more matches on Sunday, and the Washington Spirit fought back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Bay FC 2-1 to advance. NJ/NY Gotham FC edged the Portland Thorns 2-1 with Rose Lavelle scoring the winning goal late in stoppage time. Gotham and the Spirit will square off on Saturday at Audi Field.

USMNT Roster Announced for Nations League

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announced the 25-man roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Jamaica. Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream, and Chris Richards are a few of the defenders called up, while the midfield includes Brenden Aaronson, Weston McKennie, and Yunus Musah. Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah, and Brandon Vazquez are some of the attackers to keep an eye on. Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Zack Steffen were called up alongside Patrick Schulte and Diego Kochen. Orlando City’s Duncan McGuire was not called up, and Real Salt Lake forward Diego Luna is another notable player who wasn’t selected. The USMNT will face Jamaica in a two-legged series this week, with the first match in Kingston Thursday followed by the second leg Monday at City Park in St. Louis.

Free Kicks

  • In case you missed it, check out this video of Facundo Torres’ equalizer on Orlando City’s social media page to secure his 20th goal of the year.
  • The Orlando Pride honored Brazilian midfielder Luana before their playoff win on Friday.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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