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Lion Links: 11/25/17

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9 years ago

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Happy Saturday, folks who read our website. I’m glad you survived the food and the relatives on Thursday, and the stores on Friday, and made it to the weekend. As mentioned in Lion Links yesterday, we’ve made it three years on SB Nation after starting as an independent WordPress blog and we are thankful to those who gave us the opportunity to be part of the SBN network as the site bringing you Orlando City news, opinion, and analysis. There was some competition for the spot and hopefully they’re (and you’re) happy with what we’ve been doing.

This, by the way, is the 1,151st story I’ve written for TML since we moved to SB Nation, so I’ve put a lot of words together for you folks over the last three years and I hope at least a few of those sentences were coherent.

Now back to your regularly scheduled Lion Links, already in progress.

Giles Barnes on Homelessness, Kaká, and More

Hugo Greenhalgh of Planet Football caught up with Giles Barnes and the former (and possibly returning?) Lion touched on a variety of subjects, including how he got the Giles Barnes Foundation up and going to fight homelessness — especially for children — as well as how he nearly didn’t answer the phone call that ended up bringing him to the U.S. to play. He had a few things to say about playing with Kaká — the man he replaced to make his Orlando City debut — and he even indicated his time in Orlando may not yet be done.

“Football’s a funny game,” he says. “Opportunities are always there, it’s about making the right choice now for me – I’m just keeping all my options open right now. Maybe I’m in Orlando, maybe I’m not, but it’s going to be a fun journey for sure.”

More Details on Orlando City Stadium’s “Tap and Go” System

It was a bit disappointing to me the other day when Orlando City announced its extended partnership with Ticketmaster. I saw several tweets about it being met with nothing but cynicism or snarky remarks by people who probably hadn’t read the story or possibly who didn’t fully grasp it. Alicia DelGallo from the Orlando Sentinel dove deeper into the news which is pretty interesting, actually.

The frustration of hand scanners should become a thing of the past, as the club prepares to roll out a system more like those used in some stores for credit cards or the one utilized by Disney annual pass holders. I have personally spoken to Orlando City Chief Revenue Officer Chris Gallagher about the system and can confirm DelGallo’s report that he’s really stoked about it.

Gallagher said the new “tap and go” technology can be compared to what stores now use for credit card payments or Disney’s entry system minus the fingerprint recognition.

“Think of a flat surface and a screen looking up, that’s where you tap and that screen will give you the green light or red light to go in,” Gallagher said. “We’ll probably program the screen to say, ‘Welcome to Orlando City’ or whatever it may be.”

The other end of the extended partnership that excites me is the Live Nation concert addition. It’ll be great to have more events in our new palace.

Alanna Kennedy Talks About Defending

For the Orlando Pride, Alanna Kennedy plays in the midfield, but for her native Australia she’s become a fixture on defense. Kennedy discussed her transition to defense on the Matildas’ website.

“When I was younger I was always a midfielder. That’s something that a lot of people don’t know about me.

“I naturally am a midfielder – I’m not actually a defender. It’s just something that happened,” she told [the site].

Kennedy and her Aussie mates will square off against China again on Sunday in Geelong in the second of two quick meetings. That set of matches affected another Pride player, as forward Rachel Hill started at center forward for Perth Glory last night, instead of on the wing, because Sam Kerr is with the Matildas. Hill scored, but Perth lost, 3-2, to Toni Pressley’s Canberra United.

San Jose Fills Head Coach Vacancy with Mikael Stahre

The Earthquakes have hired Swedish-born Mikael Stahre as head coach following their search to permanently replace Dominic Kinnear, who was fired in June. The club made the hiring official on Friday. Stahre is an interesting hire, as he’s got 11 years of experience but all of it has come in Sweden, Greece, and China. Most recently, Stahre was at Swedish top-flight side BK Hacken, where he led the team to a 14-6-10 record and a fourth-place finish in the league. He is the second Swedish manager in MLS history (Hans Backe, NYRB 2010-2012). I’m not sure this is exactly a hiring at the Tata Martino level but we’ll see how it works out for San Jose.

NASL Ship Continues to Sink

The latest rat to jump off the sinking NASL ship is FC Edmonton. The Canadian side announced yesterday that it is leaving the league and ceasing professional soccer operations. Word is that Edmonton is waiting on the Canadian Premier League to jump back into the pro soccer pool.

Free Kicks

  • The MLS website has put together some deals you might be interested in with their 2017 gift guide. And don’t forget our 15% off sale goes on through Monday using code SBNCYBER15.
  • Monday is Contract Decision Day in Major League Soccer and a lot of teams have some decisions to make. Orlando City is one of four teams to have already made its decisions.
  • This will warm Taylor Twellman’s heart: a study was commissioned to research whether soccer players are at risk for degenerative brain disease. Initial results of the study should be available in two to three years.
  • The NWSL put together a video of the best header goals of 2017 and Orlando Pride midfielder Alanna Kennedy has a couple beauties included.
  • Among those born on this date are hockey’s Eddie Shore (1902), Joe DiMaggio (1914), Ricardo Montalban (1920), Joe Gibbs (1940), John Larroquette (1947), Bucky Dent (1951), Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery (1959), John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960), Chip Kelly (1963), football’s Bernie Kosar (1963) and Cris Carter (1965), Christina Applegate (1971), Donovan McNabb (1976), and Xabi Alonso (1981).

That’s all the time I’ve got for you today. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

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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.

Published

3 days ago

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August 21, 2026

By

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

4 days ago

on

August 20, 2026

By

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

5 days ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

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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