Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/16/17

Published

9 years ago

on

Happy Saturday to you, readers of our website. I hope that you’ve either seen the new Star Wars movie or that no one in your life spoils it for you. I won’t spoil it for you but I can tell you I enjoyed it immensely. Please don’t spoil anything in the comments section, as that’s just not cool.

While you wait for the theater to open so you can see Star Wars: The Last Jedi (or see it again), you can pick up one of our cool new Soccer Capital of the South t-shirts. Otherwise, here are some piping hot Lion Links for your enjoyment.

Kaká to Announce Future Plans on Sunday

Former Orlando City captain Kaká will reveal what the next chapter of his life will look like in an interview that will air on Sunday.

(Translated)

With proposals to be a player or manager of Sao Paulo and Milan, precisely the clubs he most shone, the player who played three World Cups spoke about his past and his future exactly a decade after receiving the award from Pele. Do not miss out on this Sunday at Esporte Espetacular .

I don’t know about you but I am very intrigued to know what’s next for the Brazilian.

Orlando City Passes in Re-Entry Draft Stage 1

The Lions noped out of the first phase of the MLS Re-Entry Draft on Friday, which doesn’t mean that they won’t pick someone up next Thursday in Stage 2. Players chosen in the second phase can have their contracts renegotiated, so a better deal for the club can be struck. Only two players were selected, with Colorado grabbing Mike Grella — who might have been a good pick-up for Orlando — but then dealing the former Red Bull to Columbus in exchange for a second-round pick. That’s a good bit of business for the Rapids, in my opinion. The other player chosen was Tyrone Mears from Seattle by Minnesota United.

Orlando Pride Remove Official SG Designation from Crown

I’m not going to pretend to have all the details on this one. I’ve exchanged messages with several parties and there are various versions and a lot of second-party hearsay, so, rather than get into the details at this time, let’s just say that the Orlando Pride have removed official supporters group recognition from the Crown following a recent meeting. Here is what the Crown said about it publicly.

The Crown did a generally good job of supporting the team in 2016 and 2017, I think, and so hopefully they can pull together, fix whatever needs fixing, and get back to lifting up the Pride in 2018.

Pulis Signs ex-OCB Forward Albert Dikwa

Montverde Academy product Albert Dikwa showed flashes of skill as a 19-year-old with Orlando City B in 2017 but he was surprisingly part of the USL side’s postseason purge. But we know what Anthony Pulis thinks of him because the new Saint Louis FC skipper has signed the young Cameroonian. Dikwa scored three goals and added two assists in 22 games (10 starts) in 2017 with OCB, but tailed off badly toward the end of the year. Hopefully he’ll find his form in St. Louis, where he’ll be teammates again with Austin Martz.

Two Former Lions Have Teams for 2018

Speaking of USL Lions, two more former Orlando City players from the pre-MLS days found jobs this week. Veteran midfielder Austin da Luz re-signed with North Carolina FC. Da Luz, who played with Orlando City in 2014, has scored 14 goals with the club in more than 100 games and 9,000 minutes played. Meanwhile, midfielder Christian Duke, who helped Orlando City SC win a USL championship in 2013, has left Swope Park Rangers for another OSCS — Orange County SC. Duke was Swope Park’s captain and played every game the last two seasons with the club but now he’ll start fresh in California.

USWNT Ranked No. 1 to Close 2017

The final FIFA rankings came out and the United States will end the calendar year ranked No. 1 in the world. While the U.S. men may have had a disappointing 2017, the women’s team continues to more or less stay at the top of the pack despite a few friendly tournament results that didn’t go their way. Also, the rest of the world continues to make strides at reaching the USWNT’s level — chiefly the next several teams in the rankings: Germany, England, Australia, Canada, and France. Orlando Pride stars Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy have elevated the Aussies to the No. 4 spot after an impressive year, while Marta, Monica, and Camila have helped Brazil to a No. 8 ranking.

Free Kicks

  • Sporting Kansas City signed 25-year-old Frenchman Yohan Croizet to a DP contract and no, that doesn’t mean the Lions are sitting on their hands, doing nothing, so just stop. Patience, as they say, is a virtue.
  • I really like the way Minnesota United is going to immortalize their inaugural supporters. To be honest, I expected Orlando City to go big with Society XXI in some fashion similar to this, but in the end I was underwhelmed. Here’s MNUFC’s way:

Sculpture that will stand at Allianz Field and recognize the contributions of the club’s Itasca Society members. Limited to 11,842 fans — one for every lake in Minnesota — the society is made up of season ticket holders who supported the club during its inaugural MLS season. pic.twitter.com/taxPI9MJRZ

— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) December 15, 2017

  • Defender Drew Moor re-signed with Cup champion Toronto FC.
  • Among those born on this date were a lot of creative folks, like Ludwig van Beethoven (1770), Jane Austen (1775), Noel Coward (1899), Arthur C. Clarke (1917), Philip K. Dick (1928) — seriously, if you don’t know those last two, hit Wikipedia and enjoy the rabbit hole you’re about to go down — Abba’s Benny Andersson (1946), ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons (1949), comedian Bill Hicks (1961), William “The Refrigerator” Perry (1962), and Jessica Jones actress Krysten Ritter (1981). You may be wondering why The Fridge is creative, but hey, he was a pro wrestler for a bit, too.

That’s all my time this morning. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

I leave you with this goal from Orlando City’s Alejandro Colon at the Winter Showcase, which somehow finished second in the Twitter voting held by the USSF Development Academy.

So many 🔥 goals at the Boys’ #WinterShowcase, we can’t just pick one!

It’s time for YOU to decide who scored the goal of the tournament!

First nominee: @OCYouthSoccer‘s Alejandro Colon with the 🌀 & the 🚀! pic.twitter.com/0zywSizFLH

— Development Academy (@ussoccer_acad) December 14, 2017

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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

on

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

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!

Continue Reading

Trending