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Lion Links: 1/20/18

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Happy Saturday, everyone! There was a good amount of stuff that went on yesterday, including Orlando City‘s turn in the draft. Like the Orlando Pride, the Lions had one pick but they certainly made the most of it.

The Florida Cup will wrap up later today over in St. Pete, so if you’re over that way, stop by Al Lang Stadium for the 6 p.m. start. Atletico Nacional could win the tournament with a two-goal victory over Legia Warsaw.

Now, on to the links!

Orlando City Selects Chris Mueller No. 6 in 2018 MLS Draft 

The biggest news of yesterday revolved around Orlando City’s first-round draft pick. The Lions selected Chris Mueller, a forward/winger from the University of Wisconsin. The 21-year-old comes off an impressive senior season, receiving the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Here’s more on the newest Lion from SBI Soccer.

Mueller, who comes from Schaumberg, IL, scored nine goals and had 21 assists during his senior season of 2017. He also helped lead his team to the conference championship as well as the third round of the College Cup. Though he is listed as a forward by most analysts, Mueller can play in a variety of positions, such as a winger or even in the center of the pitch. It will be curious to see where Jason Kreis and his staff see Mueller fitting into the team. Here’s what Kreis and Mueller had to say at the SuperDraft. Let’s go in the green room with him courtesy of mlssoccer.com:

Orlando City Adds Additional Game to Preseason Schedule

A few days ago, Orlando City announced its preseason schedule which contained matches against Jacksonville University, Minnesota United, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake, and a final game against Chicago Fire in Orlando City stadium. Additionally it appears that Orlando has added an additional game to the slate for preseason. According to Nashville SC, the new USL club will be facing Orlando City on Feb. 25. This game will take place one day after the preseason game against the Chicago Fire, which likely says that Orlando City plans to get the reserves a run-out.

Former Orlando City Midfielder Darwin Cerén Traded 

Darwin Cerén, former midfielder of Orlando City from both the USL and MLS days, was traded from San Jose Earthquakes to Houston Dynamo. The trade has Cerén going to Houston and San Jose receiving $100,000 in General Allocation Money and $75,000 in Targeted Allocation Money with potential performance incentives. Cerén played one season with Orlando City’s USL side and then joined the team when it made the jump to MLS. He then continued to play for the club for a season and a half before he was traded to San Jose Earthquakes for Matías Pérez García.

Former Orlando City Center Back Conor Donovan Joins New Team

Former Orlando City and OCB center back Conor Donovan has found a new team after his option was not exercised by the club. Donovan will be joining Rio Grande Valley FC this upcoming season. RGV is the USL affiliate for the Houston Dynamo and should see some player shuffling before the USL season begins.

Donovan was selected in Orlando City’s first MLS draft in 2015 with the 22nd pick overall as a Generation Adidas player our of North Carolina State and had a lot of upside coming out of college. He made his professional debut against Philadelphia Union in August of 2015, but ended up tearing his ACL in the 10th minute. Ever since the injury Donovan was not able to really make it back to the first team, spending most of his time with OCB on rehab assignments. Best of luck to Donovan!

Chicharito to Beşiktaş?

The Cyle Larin saga gets even more…strange?

As many people know, Cyle Larin left for Turkey earlier this week in an attempt to force Orlando City to transfer him to Besiktas. The club has since prepared itself for a legal battle and is in talks with Besiktas to see if an agreement can be made. In the meantime, rumors have been swirling around the internet that claim Besiktas are in for Chicharito (Javier Hernandez). According to Goal, the Turkish club is offering 8.5 million euros for Chicharito which would make Larin’s move suspect to say the least. 

This could be a play for Besiktas to get Larin then loan him out so he can work on his game but it doesn’t look like they are willing to spend much money on the Canadian if he were to join the club. We’ll be sure to see how this saga plays out but it isn’t looking great for Larin.

Large MLS Trades Run Rampant on Draft Day

The MLS Draft had a handful of trades with many teams moving up, back, and even out of the first round. The biggest deal of the day was the trade between the Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union, where Chicago sent David Accam to Philadelphia for $300,000 in General Allocation Money and $900,000 in Targeted Allocation Money. This trade reaches one of the highest allocation money deals in league history.

The day didn’t end there, either! As reported a week ago, Ola Kamara and Justin Meram had asked Columbus Crew to trade them. There were a few teams interested in both players but no one could reach the the asking price until Friday. LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew agreed to a trade where Gyasi Zardes and $400,000 in allocation money would go to Columbus in return for Ola Kamara. This trade has now shaken up the eastern conference and strengthened LA Galaxy.

Free Kicks

  • Lazio face a two-match stadium closure for Anne Frank photo scandal. Italian football federation prosecutors have requested Lazio play two games behind closed doors and fined 50,000 euros ($61,000) after Lazio fans put pictures of Anne Frank on t-shirts during their rivalry game against Roma.
  • The U-20 USWNT opened its 2018 CONCACAF Championship campaign winning 2-0 over Nicaragua with goals by Taryn Torres and Civana Kuhlmann. The ladies will play again on Jan. 23 at 3 p.m.
  • Eziquiel Barco is finally official for Atlanta United. Atlanta United announced at the SuperDraft Friday that the team had finally signed the 18-year-old. Atlanta had gone back and forth with Independiente for weeks about the price.
  • D.C. United unveiled their new 2018 jersey before the SuperDraft on Friday. The jersey is crafted to represent the new stadium as well as the unique history of the District of Columbia.

  • MLS announced the new match ball for the 2018 MLS season, the “NATIVO.” What do you think? 


As I always like to end Lion Links on a happy note. All of us at The Mane Land would like to say congratulations to Antonio and Federica Nocerino on the birth of their new child, Mattia!

Welcome Mattia 🇮🇹🇺🇸 19january2018❤️

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.

  • That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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