Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/17
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting excited. This time of year always has me jacked up. Minus the craziness of getting through last-minute Christmas shopping, everything is finally ramping up. Champions League knockout rounds have been drawn, MLS off-season is hitting full swing, and at the end of the day we’re hitting the new year, which for whatever reason — probably the Cleveland fan in me — has me optimistic over the entire soccer landscape. I’m jacked up on good holiday vibes, so lets get into it.
Orlando City Set to Kick Off 2018 Against D.C. United
If you didn't already hear, Orlando City has officially announced its kickoff match for the 2018 MLS season, and the Lions will face off with D.C. United at home. This will be the fourth time in a row City will open at home, as it looks to start off 2018 right against a D.C. United that hit its stride in the back half the year with additions like Paul Arriola.
All I can say is: ARE WE THERE YET?
Morgan, Krieger, and Marta Selected in CONCACAF’s Best XI
CONCACAF announced its Best XI for 2017 and, to no surprise, the Orlando Pride found their way to multiple spots on the list. Alex Morgan, Marta, and Ali Krieger were all honored after a banner 2017.
These players outperformed in 2017 and were crucial for their squad's success! Congratulations to the Female Best XI! #CONCACAFAwards pic.twitter.com/1YmmaTL57j
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) December 19, 2017
If there was one gripe, it has to be the rehashing of FIFA Player of the Year debates where Carli Lloyd was again given a prestigious honor despite being injured for a decent chunk of the year. This left Matilda and Sky Blue FC forward Sam Kerr off an awards list again. Quite frankly, I don’t know how this is still happening.
MLS Nashville Bound? Sounds Like It
It appears that MLS will be announcing its newest city — and one of two new expansion teams — Tuesday afternoon:
#MLS says a major announcement is scheduled for Wednesday in Nashville. Widely expected that Nashville will get the nod for expansion.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) December 19, 2017
Jeff Carlisle isn't the only one talking, as Sports Illustrated’s Brian Straus reports:
The league all but confirmed Tuesday morning that the Nashville bid fronted by local billionaire John Ingram and supported by the Wilf brothers, who own the Minnesota Vikings, has been accepted. MLS commissioner Don Garber will join Ingram, Tennessee governor Bill Haslam and Nashville mayor Megan Barry at an event Wednesday afternoon at the Country Music Hall of Fame, where they’ll announce the city’s entry.
And if that isn't enough, a judge recently threw out a lawsuit intended to block the creation of a soccer-specific stadium in Nashville.
Is this a good thing for MLS? You can argue absolutely, especially regionally, as the South gains another team and the MLS soccer map gets more diverse. Is Nashville going to support a team well? That remains to be seen, but they did have a Tennessee state record for the Gold Cup with over 47,000 in attendance in July at Nissan Stadium (I worked that U.S. game and the atmosphere was solid for it being in a football stadium). And you have to consider that as far as expendable sports dollars go, there’s only two other pro franchises to contend with.
If this is true, this leaves Detroit, Cincinnati, and Sacramento as the remaining cities vying for an MLS expansion club. It’s anyone's guess right now as to who will win that last spot.
Leo Pereira Looks to Stay in Brazil
Center back Leo Periera, who was on loan from Clube Atlético Paranaense — City's official Brazilian partner club — has had his option picked up by his parent club for the 2018 season. While the defender filled in at times in 2017, the youngster never really settled in as the center back musical chairs certainly didn't help. As a reminder of his 2017 season, here was our final season grade.
Zagueiro Léo Pereira volta do Orlando City e é opção no Atlético-PR para o estadual.
Após disputar 10 jogos pelo Orlando na MLS, sete deles ao lado de Kaká, zagueiro volta de empréstimo. Ele é opção para o Campeonato Paranaense de 2018.
Informação de Fernando Freire. pic.twitter.com/fKaHODl50r
— FUTEBOL DA DEPRESSÃO (@FutebolDD) December 19, 2017
This will add a very valuable international spot back to the roster for GM Niki Budalic to utilize this off-season.
Speculation on New Pride Players as Sermanni Returns from Europe
It’s every good manager’s role to actively scout, but it seems that Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni may have something up his sleeve with his recent trip to Europe. With Camila injured, and Australians Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy out of contract (yet considering extension offers), Sermanni went to Europe in search of what could be a few new additions to the Pride in 2018. Backline Soccer ponders who the possible targets could be.
Your USSF Presidential Candidate Update
Paul Caligiuri starts off with an open letter to the Federation, most notably calling out the recent issue of USSF’s board of directors looking to finalize a general manager position before the new president can even be elected. Couldn't agree more with him that the timing is very odd and seems like a control grab — my words, not his — by an organization’s board set to protect itself and its power.
Michael Winograd, my current preference, sat down with Yahoo! Sports’ Henry Bushnell to discuss many of his takes but the article mainly highlights Winograd’s take on the youth soccer industry. Youth soccer has a multitude of issues, and one very big one being that the Aspen Institute illuminates in regards to participation of athletes ages 6-12.
For you Eric Wynalda fans, here’s his new website where you can keep tabs on all his stances, forums, etc.
Another OCB Alum Finds a Home
Defender Zach Carroll has found a home with Reno 1868 FC. The 23-year-old center back will move to his third team in three years despite earning second-team All-USL in 2016 with New York Red Bulls II and a year with Orlando City B that had many excited about his future prospects.
This is just another player in a line of multiple OCB players who has found his way out of town, giving OCB supporters continued heartburn on what is to come for 2018.
All the best, Zach.
Free Kicks
- Need your guide to the 2018 soccer calendar? The Washington Post has your back
- U.S. Soccer Foundation has approved eight additional “Safe Places to Play” that will continue to help drive the fight on affordable options to playing soccer
- LA Galaxy sign Venezuelan international Rolf Feltscher
So until next week, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, or simply just enjoy some free vacation time. Cheers!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.
Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.
Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.
“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”
Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.
Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year
Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.
Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves
FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.
Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.
Free Kicks
- In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
- ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
- Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
- Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
- The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
- Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/21/24
Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship
There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.
Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.
Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year
Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.
2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled
The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach
FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.
Free Kicks
- District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.
- Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino, who was an Orlando City B assistant coach in 2015 and played for the USL Lions, spoke on Atlanta’s Cinderella run this postseason ahead of his team’s clash with Orlando City on Sunday.
- CF Montreal signed Canadian center back Joel Waterman to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2027 with an option for 2028 as well.
- D.C. United signed goalkeeper Jordan Farr from the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a two-year deal. Farr had 11 shutouts with the Rowdies this year and joins a D.C. side that declined the contract options for both Tyler Miller and Alex Bono last month.
- American forward Catarina Macario had an assist for Chelsea in a 3-0 win against Celtic in the Women’s Champions League.
- Spanish midfielder Juan Mata joined San Diego FC’s ownership group ahead of the club’s inaugural MLS season next year.
- Costa Rican club Alajuelense, which is the highest-ranked team in Central America, has hired a legal firm regarding FIFA allowing both Pachuca and Club Leon to take part in the 2025 Club World Cup despite having the same owner.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/20/24
Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.
Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!
Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons
Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.
Seb Hines Wins Major Award
The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:
Internationals Take The Pitch
Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.
Record MLS Signing Reported
FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.
Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup
Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.
Free Kicks
- Gerardo “Tata” Martino will address the media in a final news conference on Friday along with Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas as he is expected to step down from his head coach position for personal reasons.
- Instantly linked to the managerial vacancy at Inter Miami is former FC Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernández.
- Nashville SC acquired 23-year-old former Norway youth international midfielder Edvard Tagseth from Rosenborg BK through 2026 with an option for 2027.
- Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang is set to donate $30 million dollars to U.S. Soccer’s women and girls programs over the next five years.
- The United Soccer League announced that USL Dallas, North Texas’ newest professional soccer team, will join the USL Championship for the 2027 season.
- Manchester United is offering €30 million and a struggling player in a swap deal to gain the services of Victor Osimhen.
- Patrick Vieira is likely to step into the managerial role at Genoa after Alberto Gilardino was unexpectedly fired.
- Miami FC and a professional women’s team could be getting a new 10,000-seat stadium in Homestead.
That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!
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