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Lion Links: 1/9/18

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7 years ago

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Happy Tuesday, Mane Landers, and happy birthday to Orlando City’s Rafael Ramos, who turns 23 today. There’s a wealth of soccer-related news to get into, so let’s get cracking.

MLS Strength of Schedule Rankings Released

Major League Soccer has released its rankings for the strength of each team’s 2018 schedule. The rankings are calculated by taking last season’s average points per game both at home and on the road for every team’s opponents. At the most difficult end of the spectrum are the Montreal Impact, while new club Los Angeles FC has the easiest schedule. Your Lions come in at the No. 12 spot out of 23 total teams, putting them about as smack in the middle as they can be. The actual differences between the clubs, according to these rankings, are slim at best and there’s also no telling how good or bad LAFC will actually play, so at the moment it’s hard to put too much stock in these.

Dwyer Called Up for January

Orlando forward Dom Dwyer has been called up for the USMNT’s January camp. The camp starts tomorrow and concludes with a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Jan. 28. Once again, the roster is almost entirely MLS players, with 28 out of the 30 playing for the U.S.’s top league. Dwyer will be one of six forwards and will surely be looking to catch the eye with only Juan Agudelo and Jordan Morris having more experience in the January camp than Dwyer. With a little luck he’ll do exactly that, so keep your eyes peeled for that friendly at the end of the month.

Gonzalez to Switch to Mexico

Jonathan Gonzalez, the 18-year-old Monterrey midfielder, has confirmed that he intends to play for the Mexican national team. Gonzalez played for the United States at the U-17 and U-20 levels but was not capped for the senior team. He now intends to file for a one-time switch that would see him become eligible to represent the Mexican national team instead. Recent weeks had seen the two CONCACAF federations vying for the young midfielder’s affections.

U.S supporters had hoped he would decide to represent the Stars and Stripes and he was seen as the possible future of the heart of the midfield, with his ability to shield the back line well documented at Monterrey. However, that future will now have to be found elsewhere and surely questions will be asked regarding how a player who only ever played in the U.S. youth setup was allowed to switch to the federation’s mortal enemy.

U.S. Soccer Denies SUM’s Influence on Venue Decision

U.S. Soccer and USSF presidential candidate Kathy Carter have issued statements denying Kyle Martino’s allegations relating to the decision to host September’s World Cup qualifier at Red Bull Arena. Martino suggested that Soccer United Marketing (the USSF’s marketing partner) decided to place the USMNT’s qualifier against Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena because it was a location that would draw the most Costa Rican fans. In essence, he alleged that SUM prioritized profiting from the game over getting the best possible result for the team.

Both U.S. Soccer and Carter stated that SUM had nothing to do with picking the venue location, and that the USSF alone made that decision. Martino also went on to say that he spoke with Bruce Arena and was told that the coach had personally lobbied to have the site changed, but was told no. Whether there’s any truth to these claims or not, the mere discussion isn’t a good look for a federation in the midst of a massive transition year.

NASL to Switch to International Calendar

The North American Soccer League has announced its intention to switch to soccer’s international calendar. Kickoff is planned for mid-August 2018, with the season to conclude in early June 2019. The planned switch will make NASL the first U.S. professional league to use the international calendar, something that some people have criticized MLS for refusing to do. The change of schedule is still pending, and will be determined by NASL’s appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Free Kicks

  • Eric Lichaj’s wife apparently told him he could get a dog if he scored a hat trick in Nottingham Forest’s third-round FA Cup tie with Arsenal. When Lichaj came up one goal short, he encouraged the world to bombard his wife with all manner of dog-related media in an attempt to change her mind.

A good show for a good cause.

You don’t say?

  • Today’s birthdays include Kate Middleton, Sean Paul, Jimmy Page, J.K. Simmons, and Richard Nixon.

That’ll do it for today’s Links. Keep it here on The Mane Land for more Orlando City content than you can brandish a yellow card at. Ciao.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/3/24

Orlando City wins at home, Eastern Conference playoff picture update, USMNT roster announced, and more.

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21 hours ago

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October 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

One of the best parts about Orlando City winning a midweek MLS match is that it makes the rest of the week feel much less like a slog. Having all three of Orlando’s soccer teams performing well is both unfamiliar and pretty great. Let’s dive right into Orlando’s win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Beats the Philadelphia Union

Orlando City hosted the Philadelphia Union and claimed all three points in a 2-1 win. Luis Muriel came off the bench and changed the game after a scoreless first half, continuing his strong run of form as of late. The Union pulled one back, but the Lions held on for their sixth straight win at home in league play. The Lions remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with two games to go. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday with a tough road match against FC Cincinnati.

Eastern Conference Playoff Races Tighten

Although the regular season nears its end, the MLS playoff picture didn’t get much clearer after the midweek matches across the league. New York City FC beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 and the New York Red Bulls won 4-1 against Toronto FC, meaning both teams are still just two points behind the Lions in the standings. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte FC clinched a spot in the playoffs after winning 4-3 against the Chicago Fire. Inter Miami also won the Supporters’ Shield with a 3-2 road win over the Columbus Crew. D.C. United’s Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to lift his team to a dramatic 4-3 win over Nashville.

Mauricio Pochettino Names His First USMNT Roster

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino called up 25 players for his first training camp at the helm. The roster includes plenty of familiar faces, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Ream. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in the fold, joining Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, and Ethan Horvath. Midfielder Giancarlo Busio was also called up for the first time this year. The USMNT will host Panama in a friendly on Oct. 12 in Pocchettino’s first game in charge before a friendly with Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara.

Keeping Up With Champions League Action

The second round of matches in the Champions League wrapped up and there were some interesting results to enjoy. Despite a red card to goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 59th minute, Juventus mounted a comeback to win 3-2 on the road against RB Leipzig. Mo Salah had a goal and an assist in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Bologna. In the heavyweight match between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, Jhon Duran beat Manuel Neuer from distance to give Aston Villa the 1-0 win. It was a rough day for the Spanish clubs, as Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Lille, Atletico Madrid fell 4-0 to Benfica, and Girona was beaten 3-2 by Feyenoord.

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  • The NWSL unveiled the redesigned NWSL Shield and MVP trophies, which were handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. Hopefully, the Pride can secure some of this brand new silverware on Sunday, because it is gorgeous.
  • The live show where MLS NEXT Pro playoff teams choose their opponents will take place on Monday. Orlando City B has already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but Decision Day on Sunday will determine if the Young Lions will get to pick which team they’ll face in the first round. The top three teams in each conference get to choose an opponent, with the fourth-place team facing whichever club is left over.
  • Ahead of his team’s clash with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez stated that he won’t have a player take the field until they are “100% available.” Spirit forward Trinity Rodman may miss Sunday’s game due to the back injury she suffered last month.
  • Former Portland Timbers defender Modou Jadama has unfortunately passed away. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all affected.
  • Senegal sacked Aliou Cisse as its head coach, with the federation citing a government request not to renew his contract. In his time as head coach, Cisse helped Senegal win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the past two World Cups.
  • A section of Atletico Madrid’s stadium will be closed for three games due to fan behavior in the club’s derby match against Real Madrid.
  • Brentford has been off to a hot start in each of its past three English Premier League matches, scoring in under 40 seconds each time out. Although Brentford didn’t end up winning any of those games, it’s still an impressive feat. Someone should tell the Bees they’re allowed to score after the first minute.

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

Lion Links: 10/2/24

Orlando City ready for the Union, Julie Doyle’s new contract, Champions League results, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful, and I will be joining all of you lovely supporters at the stadium this evening. I know it’s a midweek match, but why not come on out and bring some friends or family? That’s what I will be doing, as my nieces and nephews from the area are coming with me. There’s still time to get tickets, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Lions Welcome the Union

Orlando City hosts the Philadelphia Union tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The Union need results as they currently sit ninth in the standings and in the final play-in match position for the playoffs. As such, they still control their own destiny. The Lions are looking to maintain their fourth position and home field advantage to start the playoffs. It should be a hard-fought match.

Doyle’s New Contract

The Orlando Pride signed midfielder Julie Doyle to a new contract through the 2026 NWSL season. Doyle adds depth and energy to the Pride’s attack. The three-year deal is exactly the type of business that Haley Carter and the club are becoming known for — locking in players with new contracts before the current contract is up. The strategy has been integral in building the Pride into the successful club we see today.

Marta’s Resurgence

At 38 years old, no one should expect Marta to be doing as well as she is this season, especially after coming back from injury last year. However, the Pride captain has seven goals and looks better than she has in years. While she isn’t the same player she was in the past, she is an integral part of Orlando’s success this season. Her leadership, play, and heart show in every match as the Pride continue to take on every challenge put in front of the team.

Champions League Results

The Champions League is underway. Arsenal defeated PSG 2-0 thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Fellow English Premier League side Manchester City utterly dominated Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Honestly, it’s lucky it was that close. You can check out all of the other results here. The Champions League continues today. Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday’s matches.

Free Kicks

  • Emma Hayes has brought the fun back to the USWNT, according to the players. So far, the results are pretty good.
  • The WSL will look to avoid any further postponements while scheduling around the Women’s Champions League after having to do so with the match between Chelsea and Manchester United.
  • The Houston Dash have officially parted ways with Fran Alonso. Alonso has been absent since June with Ricky Clarke acting as Houston’s interim head coach. Clarke will continue in that role through the end of the season.

That will do it for today. Check back after the match for our match recap, players grades, and five takeaways. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/1/24

Lions earn weekly recognition, Angelina up for NWSL Goal of the Week, MLS stock watch, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. All three of Orlando’s soccer teams have made the playoffs for the first time ever. With Orlando City back in action tomorrow we don’t have any time to rest on our laurels. Before we get into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B defender Zakaria Taifi.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

A pair of Lions were rewarded for their performances in Saturday’s 3-1 win over FC Dallas with starting spots in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Rodrigo Schlegel gets the start on the left side of a back three, while Ramiro Enrique gets the nod as the right midfielder. Enrique nabbed the game’s first goal with an outstanding flicked header from a Rafael Santos cross despite being one of the shortest players on the field, and he also stole the ball and provided the assist for Facundo Torres’s goal. Schlegel scored the game’s second goal with another header from a corner, beating Dallas defenders to send the ball home. Andrew DeSalvo gave Schlegel an 8 out of 10 and Ramiro an 8.5 out of 10 and Man of the Match honors in his player grades, so it’s nice to see them get some more widespread recognition as well. Keep it up, boys!

Angelina Up for Goal of the Week

Continuing the theme of Orlando players being recognized for their performances over the weekend, Angelina’s strike against the Houston Dash has been nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week. With the Pride leading the game in the 51st minute, the ball fell to Angelina on the edge of the area. She took a couple touches to set herself before firing her shot past Jane Campbell and into the net. It’s a worthy contender for NWSL Goal of the Week so make sure you go cast your vote for her!

MLS Stock Watch

With just a handful of games left in the MLS regular season, form matters now more than ever, and that makes this a good time to check in on which way various teams are trending. LAFC won the U.S. Open Cup and then beat FC Cincinnati on the road all in the span of a few days, so it’s definitely going in the right direction. So too are the Seattle Sounders, who are 10-2-2 in their last 14 league games, and Orlando City, which sits in fourth in the Eastern Conference and will need to keep winning in order to stay there. The same can’t be said for the Chicago Fire, Sporting Kansas City, and St. Louis City SC, as all three have been eliminated from postseason contention. The plights of those teams pale in comparison to the San Jose Earthquakes though, as not only are they locked in as the team that will receive the Wooden Spoon, but they’re also in real danger of setting some unfortunate league records in the process.

Americans in Midweek Action

It’s a busy time of year when it comes to the soccer calendar, and that means there are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the week. Things kick off in the Champions League today, as Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Bayer Leverkusen, while Malik Tillman, Richie Ledezma, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV Eindhoven face Sporting CP. Wednesday features Folarin Balogun and Monaco facing off against Dinamo Zagreb, while Weston McKennie and Juventus will take on Red Bull Leipzig. Things finish on Friday with Joe Scally and Borussia Mönchengladbach in action against Augsburg, and Gianluca Busio’s Venezia traveling to play Hellas Verona.

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That’s all for me this morning, vamos Orlando!

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