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Lion Links: 12/9/17

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9 years ago

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Happy MLS Cup Day, everyone! Today we’ll learn who gets to take home the big shiny trophy from Major League Soccer’s championship game. It won’t be Orlando City, but just think — someday it will be. Whether you’re pulling for Toronto FC or Seattle Sounders FC, hopefully it will be a good match.

Let’s get to your MLS Cup helping of Lion Links.

Don Garber’s State of the League Speech

The soccer don gave his annual address yesterday in Toronto, and it was a doozy. He managed to anger Columbus Crew fans and the American Outlaws, and although everything’s totally fine with Beckham’s group down in Miami — seriously, no issues there, they’re totally in, you guys! — he mentioned that other expansion teams may jump past Miami in line in terms of entering the league.

Of Columbus, Garber said that the Crew rank 20 of 22 teams:

“in every measure that matters across sports. Average ticket price, average attendance, average revenue, local television ratings, their local television deal — every aspect that is going to determine if a team is going to be viable."

OK, cool, but no word when and where teams 21 and 22 will be moving. Naturally, his speech didn’t sit well with the #SaveTheCrew crowd.

About Miami, Garber said:

"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together, so I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.”

This is an interesting new twist in what Garber has said about Miami in the past. It did not go unnoticed.

What about those angry American Outlaws? Well, Garbs kinda said that Sunil Gulati was responsible for the growth of the U.S. supporters group.

He also said some hilarious things about how New York City FC will be getting a stadium and if the team was among the current crop of expansion hopefuls, they’d have a stadium requirement in place in advance. This is your reminder that it was a requirement for Orlando City — the team that entered with NYCFC in 2015. In similarly humorous news, he said Boston will be getting a soccer stadium too.

You can watch the whole thing here.

Ex-OCB Striker Michael Cox Signs with Nashville SC

Canadian forward Michael Cox spent two seasons with OCB but now he’s off to Tennessee, signing with Nashville SC. Cox scored two goals and added three assists in 17 appearances in an injury-plagued 2017 season for the young Lions. He’s the club’s second-leading all-time goal scorer, with 11 goals and three assists in 28 games in 2016, for a total of 13 goals and six assists across his two seasons with OCB. Hadji Barry has 14 goals in that span for OCB. Good luck to Coxy in Nashville.

Hope Solo Running for USSF President

I’m not making this up. The woman who ran afoul of the U.S. Soccer Federation for comments after the Olympics and borrowing a team van without permission — which her husband got a DUI while driving, no less — wants to become the organization’s leader. Hope Solo is not only running for the federation’s presidency, but reportedly already has the necessary nominations to do so. Solo’s platform includes increased transparency and making soccer affordable for kids. Those are solid ideas, but does she really stand a chance? At the very least, she’ll make this election more entertaining.

Harrison Heath to Reunite with Inchy in Minnesota

Former Orlando City Homegrown midfielder Harrison Heath is set to be reunited with his father Adrian with the Loons in Minnesota. This makes a ton of sense, as H’s career sort of went off track a bit with Atlanta United (never did trust those guys). Heath’s contract option was declined by Waffle House FC after the 2017 season and so it appears he’s headed to Minnesota United in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. If he makes his way to NYCFC and LAFC in the next couple years, he’ll have an expansion club Yahtzee.

MLS Increases TAM for 2018

We knew it was coming, but we didn’t know exactly how much or what it would look like. Now we know. Major League Soccer announced an increase in TAM for 2018 with what the league is calling “discretionary TAM.” As if the various league mechanisms weren’t complicated enough, this new TAM can’t be traded and is spent by the clubs. This comes on the heels of the $1.2 million in Targeted Allocation Money that the league gave out to clubs in 2017.

MLS clubs also will have the flexibility to spend up to an additional $2.8 million of TAM, on a discretionary basis funded by the team, per year in both 2018 and 2019, which will further enhance the quality of play across the league. This injection should increase a teams ability to build their rosters with increased flexibility and help add high-quality players outside of their Designated Player spots.

This should make things even more interesting and even harder for the average fan to figure out.

Free Kicks

  • Kaká continues to be everyone’s favorite soccer trivia answer. He’s also self-aware about it.

  • FIFA dealt a blow to Yoshimar Yotun’s Peru side yesterday when striker Paolo Guerrero was hit with a one-year ban for testing for cocaine. This will obviously keep him out of the World Cup.
  • 20-year-old U.S. goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann made his debut with Hertha Berlin during Europa League action and his save on a penalty kick preserved a draw for his team.

  • Among those born on this very date are Kirk Douglas (1916), Sanford and Son actor and comedian Redd Fox (1922), Eight is Enough dad Dick Van Patten (1928), Dame Judi Dench (1934), Beau Bridges (1941), Dick Butkus (1942), basketball’s World B. Free (1953), John Malkovich (1953), Donny Osmond (1957), and Wallflowers vocalist Jakob Dylan (1969).

That’s all my time for today. Enjoy the MLS Cup final!

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Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

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10 hours ago

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October 23, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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