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Lion Links: 1/24/18

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7 years ago

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Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. We’ve got a nice serving of soccer news for you on this fine morning, but first, birthday wishes are in order: Earl Edwards Jr. is celebrating his 26th birthday today, while former Lion Tommy Redding — the club’s first ever Homegrown Player — has hit 21. Happy birthday to the lads, now let’s get into it.

Cyle Larin is Playing a Dangerous Game Training with Besiktas

The Cyle Larin saga got even weirder Tuesday as he was spotted training with Turkish club Besiktas.

Our Michael Citro previously broke down the craziness before today, but this is a new twist. As another one of our writers said today in our conversations: “There will be a time when a trade situation will be all over the place, but we’ll all say “is it Larin kind of crazy?”

And that might be the truth. The club hasn't come out with any additional comments on the Larin situation, but this is becoming tenuous (understatement). We’re not sure if this is Larin attempting to strong-arm a transfer or him making a statement that he’s ready to challenge the validity of his contract. The interesting question in all this is: could the Players Union be backing this in a move to open up their options? (I certainly hope so.)

Take solace in the number of new attacking options Orlando City has added and, in the meantime, grab some popcorn and enjoy the circus.

Pride Get The Off-season Moving with a Big Trade

The Pride had been awful quiet this off-season as fans were seeing monster trades with names like Press, Lloyd, Kerr, Dunn, and Hatch all moving among five different NWSL franchises in the past two weeks.

Well, Tom Sermanni has finally stepped into the ring and it was a big first punch, trading away backup goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and the Pride’s first-round pick in the 2019 draft for Washington Spirit’s Shelina Zadorsky. Zadorsky, 25, played right center back with the Spirit.

“Shelina brings strong defensive qualities [to Orlando],” said Sermanni in a club press release. “The way we play, one of our emphases this year is that we need to be less vulnerable defensively. Bringing in Shelina, who is an out-and-out center back who also has extensive international experience with the Canadian National Team will be a big asset for us.”

This wasn't a massive surprise as Bledsoe appeared to be one of the more valuable — and exposable — pieces on the Pride roster. Her work this past season in Ashlyn Harris’ absence, combined with her recent run of form in the W-League all pointed to her needing a new opportunity that she wasn't going to get in Orlando anytime soon.

The interesting part of the deal is that it was originally rumored to be a three-team deal where potentially the Utah Royals would be involved, but it only turned out to be two-sided. Why that is interesting is because the Spirit have Stephanie Labbé, who, while 31, has shown little signs of needing to be replaced.

Perhaps there’s more on the way, but we cant help but wonder if this was a little too much as Bledsoe looks to be a rising star in the NWSL if her form continues this way. All the best, Aubrey, and just take it easy on us when we see you again!

Newcomers on Showcase in Second Day of MLS Preseason

We were on hand yesterday for City’s second preseason training session, which saw newcomers such as rookie Chris Mueller, veteran forward Stefano Pinho, and goalkeeper Adam Grinwis.

The rust is visible, but all this new blood has brought a great energy to camp. As Assistant Coach Miles Joseph talked about, this preseason was unlike any other so far:

“Everybody now has a chance to prove themselves,” he said. “And I think we’re going into this preseason with a clean slate, more than we ever have. So we’re excited about that.”

We’ll continue to bring you preseason updates, but it sounds like there will plenty of news coming through as the team adjusts with all the new talent.

Sacha Eager in His First Orlando City Preseason

One guy that is experiencing a different style of preseason is the newly acquired Sacha Kljestan. Kljestan has spent the past three years in New York and now he gets a little bit warmer and thrust into a situation with a variety of newcomers.

His first take on all of this: “Definitely the hardest offseason of my life,” he said. “Hard for me and my family.”

The good part about all this was Kljestan wasn't blindsided and had some notice from NYRB and his agent that it was looking increasingly likely that Orlando was his destination:

“Fortunately, [coach] Jesse Marsch was willing to work with me not blindside me with the trade,” Kljestan said. “The common thing that happened was my agent saying, ‘[Orlando City coach] Jason Kreis reached out again. Jason Kreis called again. He’s very interested. He saw me as an important piece and he really wanted me to be there.”

Overall, Kljestan is excited to lead a young group — both in age and City experience — with some exciting pieces at his disposal.

“My job is to go in and build relationships with the guys around me. It’s about coming in and really competing, getting everyone on the same page.”

He is particularly excited to play with include midfielders Yoshimar Yotún, Josué Colmán, and Cristian Higuita. He also already knows forward Dom Dwyer from training together during off-seasons in Los Angeles.

Colorado Rapids Joining Sporting KC as Diversity Leaders in MLS

Recently we saw the first ever Sporting KC technical position awarded to a woman with Meghan Cameron being named as assistant director of player personnel. And now we’re seeing the Rapids joining in on the diversity train by hiring MLS’s first ever female director of player personnel in Ena Patel.

As The Denver Post reports, Patel was hired to oversee player contracts, salary budget, regulatory compliance, and soccer operations protocols under Pádraig Smith, the Rapids said.

“Ena’s hiring is the final piece of the puzzle for us on the front office side,” Smith, the Rapids’ Executive Vice President and General Manager, said in a statement released by the club. “Bringing in a sharp, legal mind who can oversee our contractual processes and complex league mechanisms is a really important part of ensuring that we’re fielding the best possible team. We can’t wait for her to get started.”

This is a great sight for MLS, which could use some influx of female executives on every level. Believe what you will, but diversity needs to be key in an organization and the doors should be equally open to all candidates. Kudos to Colorado and best of luck Ena!

Free Kicks

I’ll leave you today with some feel-good news. Mason Stajduhar was out today in preseason training and looking good alongside his teammates as he continues his battle with bone cancer. We wish you all the best, Mason, and happy to see you out there.

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Lion Links: 1/31/25

Orlando Pride transfer Adriana for record fee, Orlando City re-signs Carlos Mercado, new Leagues Cup format revealed, and more.

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13 hours ago

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January 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Today ends the first month of 2025 and my resolutions are mostly intact. I’d like to walk a bit more in the afternoons than I currently am, but I’ll take what I can get. I don’t have too many plans lined up this weekend beyond working, catching some sports, and board games with friends. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Adriana Transferred For Orlando Pride Record Fee

The Orlando Pride have transferred Adriana to Al Qadsiah FC in the Saudi Women’s Premier League for a club record fee of reportedly $500,000. Adriana requested the move after two seasons with the Pride since joining in January of 2023. The versatile attacker recorded 12 goals and five assists in 46 regular-season appearances with the Pride. This move opens up an opportunity for more minutes for the team’s young players, and that transfer fee should help improve the Pride’s roster.

Carlos Mercado Re-Signs With Orlando City

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a new contract through the upcoming 2025 season, with club options for 2026 and 2027. The club declined the option on his previous contract following the 2024 season, but he’s back in purple after Mason Stajduhar’s trade to Real Salt Lake. The 25-year-old will likely feature as Orlando City B’s starting goalkeeper this season, with Javier Otero backing up Pedro Gallese on the first team. Mercado started 20 games for the Young Lions last season, so he has some playing time and familiarity with the team under his belt ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Leagues Cup Reveals New Format for 2025

Orlando City was one of only 18 MLS clubs to qualify for this summer’s Leagues Cup and we now know what the new format for the tournament will be. The group stage is gone and in its place is a convoluted first phase that can be simplified as there being six sets of six teams —three from MLS and three from Liga MX. Each team will play one match against the three teams from the opposing league, and then only the top four teams overall from each league will advance to the quarterfinals. This means that there will be MLS vs. Liga MX matchups every game until possibly the semifinals. One rule that stuck around though is that there will still be a penalty shootout for an additional point if two teams draw.

NWSL Awards Franchise to Denver

The NWSL officially announced that the league’s 16th franchise will be in Denver. The new club will take the field in 2026 and is finalizing plans to build a stadium for the team. Rob Cohen, who founded the Denver Sports Commission to help bring major sporting events to the city, will serve as the club’s controlling owner and governor, while Mellody Hobson will be the alternate governor. Denver’s team doesn’t have a name, colors, or a logo just yet, but I think anything other than DEN Nation FC would be a good idea.

Free Kicks

  • Former Pride player Emily van Egmond joined Birmingham City on a two-and-a-half-year contract after three years with the San Diego Wave. Birmingham is at the top of the Women’s Championship in a tight race for promotion to the Women’s Super League.
  • Manuel Cocca, whose contract with Orlando City B expired after last season, has joined Arsenal de Sarandi in Argentina’s second division.

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: 1/30/25

Orlando City reveals kickoff events, women’s transfer market grows, Tanner Tessmann named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 30, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

We’re all another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer and I can’t wait. I’ve been whittling the days away with reading, writing, and taking far too many photos of my cat. This month has flown by for me, and I’m not complaining too much about it. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Announces Kickoff Events

In preparation for Orlando City’s 2025 season, the club announced various events before the season opener at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. The launch for the team’s new primary kit will take place on Feb. 12 at the Canvas Event Venue, with fans in attendance able to get the jersey and meet players. Other events throughout February include a chalk talk, musical bingo night, and plenty of ways to get merch ahead of the season. However, the Purple Pride 5K is not listed, which is a bit disappointing considering it would have been the 10th annual edition of the event.

Analyzing the Women’s Soccer Transfer Market

American defender Naomi Girma’s move from San Diego Wave FC to Chelsea was the first to break the $1 million threshold for transfer fees in women’s soccer and The Athletic ($) dove into which players could warrant similar spending from clubs in the future. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one such player noted. Banda did fantastic in her first season in the league last year, starred in the past two Olympics, and is still only 24 years old. Only time will tell if Europe can entice her before her contract in Orlando is up, but clubs would likely pay seven figures for her services. Americans Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman could also surpass that $1 million mark, along with NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and Paris FC’s Clara Mateo.

Tanner Tessmann Named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer announced that midfielder Tanner Tessmann was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a solid year for both club and country. The 23-year-old captained the U.S. at the Olympics last summer and started for the senior team in both Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal games against Jamaica. A regular starter for Venezia last year, Tessmann scored in the promotion playoffs to help the team earn a spot in Serie A. He was then transferred to Olympique Lyon in August and has taken part in the Europa League. Tessmann received 70% of the vote, winning the award over Gianluca Busio and Niko Tsakiris.

Champions League First Stage Wraps Up

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is finally over, with eight clubs already through to the round of 16 and 16 set to take part in a knockout round. Manchester City escaped elimination after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge that resulted in both teams advancing to the knockout stage. A hat trick from Ousmane Dembele lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-1 win against Stuttgart and secure 15th in the standings. Aston Villa, Lille, and Bayer Leverkusen all won to clinch a spot in the round of 16, all three benefiting from Atalanta coming up short in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. AC Milan lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in a match that included Christian Pulisic scoring and Yunus Musah being sent off. Liverpool’s perfect run came to an end following a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven, but it still topped the standings.

While I found the new league phase to be a bit underwhelming, the knockout stage should provide some intriguing matchups. The draw will take place on Friday, but we already know that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and Juventus will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game with enhanced production on Sunday nights. It’s a solid strategy and hopefully it can catch on and become something fans across the country look forward to each week.
  • The Chicago Fire are set for a nice payday if Jhon Duran completes his move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr.
  • Giovanni Reyna earned some style points for this assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

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

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Lion Links: 1/29/25

Orlando City’s cup competitions, Orlando Pride’s new home kit leak, NWSL’s top 2025 matches, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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January 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City’s preseason continues in Mexico, where the Lions played a closed door match against Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in Cancun on Tuesday. The club didn’t release any details on the match (more on that below), but the feature image is from the scrimmage. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Cup Competitions

Orlando City will compete in two of the four North American cup competitions in 2025. After a year away, the Lions return to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup along with 15 other MLS clubs and 10 MLS Next Pro participants. Orlando City will also take part in the Leagues Cup with 17 other MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs. The Lions did not qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, nor will they compete in the Canadian Championship for obvious geographical reasons.

Lions Remain Scoreless in Preseason

While Orlando City didn’t release any details from Tuesday’s scrimmage, the folks at TrueNorthFoot reported that the Lions and Forge FC played to a 0-0 draw in Cancun Tuesday. The photos released by the club mostly featured younger players, and it’s not surprising that the offense isn’t sharp at this stage, but at least the defense is doing well through two matches. The next scrimmage will take place Feb. 5 against Atlanta United.

Pride Home Kit Leak?

From now on, all Orlando Pride kits will have a star above the crest (or more, pending future results). Like many of you, I’ve eagerly awaited what the next home kit will look like. We now have a glimpse, if a leak from Footy Headlines is accurate.

ohwww.footyheadlines.com/2025/01/mass…

— andré (@838carlisle.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T15:14:13.357Z

I really hope that picture doesn’t convey how purple the kit is supposed to be. I’m also not a big fan of the crest in the center thing, but they don’t let me make those decisions. If the new kit doesn’t float your boat, you can pick up some previous Pride kits from the club’s official shop at a nice discount.

The Orlando Pride are Must-Watch TV

As the defending NWSL Shield and NWSL Cup winners, it’s not a surprise that the Orlando Pride earned three spots on All for XI’s Top 10 Must-Watch NWSL Games in 2025 list, including the top spot. The matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and of course, a rematch against the Washington Spirit will certainly draw big viewership numbers.

NWSL Expansion Update

An official announcement adding Denver to the cities with an NWSL club is expected in the near future. Prior to that commissioner Jessica Berman hinted that there are plans to further expand the league. If Denver joins as planned, the team’s ownership will pay a record $110 million franchise fee. You can expect those fees to continue to grow as the league does the same.

Free Kicks

  • Remember Amro Tarek? He made 20 appearances for Orlando City back in 2018. If you don’t remember him, that’s all right since Austin FC supporters will almost certainly remember him for this fun fact.
  • Some pretty big names have left the NWSL for other shores. While the story includes the Pride’s Mariana Larroquette, she’s not quite the biggest name on the list, and she’s also only on loan until July 1.
  • The U.S. Open Cup has tweaked the competition rules so that teams must use primary venues when possible. If they cannot, the team will be on the hook for any differences in the cost to broadcast the match.

That will do it for today. Have a great rest of the week. Vamos Orlando!

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