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Lion Links: 2/10/18

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9 years ago

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Happy Saturday, Mane Land readers! Another beautiful weekend is here and the news did not disappoint.

There is big USSF election taking place today which could decide the future of U.S. Soccer as we know it. Also, Orlando City will play its second preseason scrimmage taking on Minnesota United at Slyvan Lake Park.

Oh and only 3 more weeks until the start of the Orlando City season!

Now on to the links!

Orlando Pride Waive Midfielder Nickolette Driesse

OK, so the news did disappoint for at least one person. The Orlando Pride made another roster move by waiving Nicolette Driesse on Friday afternoon. Driesse was drafted in 2017 from Penn State, as the No. 32 overall pick. She appeared four times for the Pride totaling 47 minutes. Head Coach Tom Sermanni praised her work ethic during her time with the team and we wish the best of luck to Nickolette in the next step of her career. 

Sacha Kljestan comments on New York Red Bulls Experience

In an interview with Sirus XM FC earlier this week, Sacha Kljestan was asked about his experiences in New York and the new Lion did not mince words when it came to talking about his old squad.

“It’s never easy to be told you’re no longer wanted at a club, especially a club that you gave a lot for and were extremely successful for over a short period of time,” Kljestan stated in his interview.

He went on to say that he wasn’t happy with the way his old team were building up for this season. He did end the interview on a positive note, sharing his excitement about all the roster building Orlando City has done this off-season, citing the additions of Justin Meram and Uri Rosell. Though Kljestan has moved on to a new team, the pieces around the 32-year-old midfielder could push him to even higher heights.

Rachel Hill Reflects on W-League

If there is any particular Orlando Pride player that had a great off-season, look no further than Rachel Hill. Hill was loaned out to Perth Glory in the W-League where she finished third in the league in goals scored and first in assists, totaling nine and six, respectively. She proclaimed that her experience in Australia was life altering and that she got a bit better playing there. She had the opportunity to train with Samantha Kerr, which she believes improved her game.

“At every game and training session she is just so grateful to be there and just the joy and happiness that she plays with, it’s inspiring,” Hill said of Kerr. “Obviously she works harder than most so that too was something I really look up to. I definitely learned a lot from her.”

Orlando City Adds Two Grow Lights to Strengthen Field Quality

Orlando City Head Groundskeeper Matt Bruderek has picked up a new tool to keep the field in tip-top shape. With the first season in the books, the club wanted to improve the quality of the field due to all of the games played on the surface. There were 50 games played last season as well as two Florida Cup games and six days of the MLS Combine since the start of the new year. The club went out and bought two grow lights that help assist the growth of grass through an artificial light the simulates sunlight. There were issues on the ends of the pitch due to the lack of sunlight they receive during the winter months so the club invested in the lights to ensure that the pitch is healthy going into the season.

USSF Candidates Ramp up Before Election

With the election for U.S. Soccer Federation president occurring today, there has been a combination of events occurring over the past few days that are sure to shake up the race. According to Jeff Carlisle, there is a group of six candidates who are banding together to ensure that a reform-minded candidate would win and not some of the same, which could be what Kathy Carter or Carlos Cordeiro would bring. It was reported earlier this week that Carter had collected the NWSL vote as well as a block of the athlete council. Today will be an exciting day, for the future of U.S. Soccer could be drastically changed depending on who wins the election. Grant Wahl tries to make sense of this group and what this means to the election but no one is truly sure what this all means. Carlisle and Sebastian Salazar provide the latest update on the election.

Free Kicks

  • The U.S. Soccer Federation is rolling out an initiative to help connect the national team programs to the college game through a partnership with six of the top college men’s programs. The colleges included will be Clemson, Duke, Georgetown, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wake Forest.
  • Geoff Cameron writes a tell-all in the player tribune about what the United States Men’s National Team loss meant to him and how it will affect his career from this point on. He speaks to the failures within the system and what needs to change so that the USMNT can be successful.
  • There has been talk this transfer window about a possible move for Christian Pulisic. The young American star has been turning heads in Europe and some of the larger clubs in the region have eyes on the young star. Sport1 has reported that Borussia Dortmund has put the price tag 90 million euros on Pulisic.
  • Former Orlando City player Brek Shea went from being a Designated Player down to a TAM-level player as the Vancouver Whitecaps stated in a radio interview that they will be buying down his contract to make way for another DP. Shea had an underwhelming season for the Whitecaps and hopes to bounce back next season.
  • The United States Men’s National Team has added another friendly to their schedule taking on the Republic of Ireland on June 2. The match will take place in Ireland at Aviva Stadium. This will be the first trip to Ireland for the U.S. since 2014, when they lost, 4-1.

As I always do, I like to end on a positive and what better way to do that then share the new vision of the club going into this season. Last night Orlando City held an event at Lions Pride highlighting the club’s new campaign, Face of Our City, a program about the fans that’s for the fans. If you were there or were watching, you probably caught a glimpse of our very own TheBeardedGuy, as he was one of the fans called up to the stage.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/11/26

Antoine Griezmann makes Team of the Matchday, reliving the Pride’s win over Houston, academy players head to U.S. training camp, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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September 11, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann watching his shot go in the net against FC Dallas in a friendly.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Today is the first of three straight days of games featuring Orlando soccer and hopefully the teams can replicate their impressive results last weekend as they push for the playoffs. Apart from working and enjoying the soccer, I plan on making some pasta by hand, so wish me luck in that endeavor. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Antoine Griezmann Makes Team of the Matchday

Orlando City star Antoine Griezmann was the only Lion to make the MLS Team of the Matchday following Orlando’s 3-2 win over Atlanta United. He scored twice and came up with a crucial goal-line clearance to lead the Lions to victory on the road. Griezmann has now scored in four straight games and already has seven goals so far this season despite only playing nine games. Hopefully he can keep finding the back of the net when Orlando hosts a Toronto FC side that has only lost once since the World Cup break.

Reliving the Pride’s Victory Over Houston

The Orlando Pride released a video of the sights and sounds from the team’s 3-1 win against the Houston Dash. It was interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’ first game at the helm and the team was able to get a win after an emotional week. From the different angles of Orlando’s goals to Thomas’ speech to the team following the win, it’s a great watch. The Pride will aim to make it another three points tonight when they play on the road against the Kansas City Current tonight.

Orlando City Academy Players Head to Camp

There are four Orlando City academy players heading to Georgia for the U.S. U-15 and U-16 boys national teams’ training camps at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center. Goalkeeper Luan Silva and defender Zorian Civil were called up for the U-16 team, while goalkeeper Mario Martinez Reyes and forward Molina Baladi will be joining the U-15 team. Hopefully they’ll all be able to impress at camp as they continue to develop for both club and country.

Uncertainty Looms Over Racing Louisville’s Future

Racing Louisville ranks near the bottom of the NWSL in both attendance and spending and there are questions circling the club regarding its investment and future in the league. Along with this, forward Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from the club this summer and 2025 NWSL Coach of the Year Bev Yanez’s contract is set to end after this season. A sale may very well be in the club’s future, with relocation possibly on the table as well. Louisville made the playoffs for the first time last year, but the club has lost 14 games so far this season and is 13th in the league standings.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride moved up a spot to 11th in the CBS Sports NWSL power rankings after beating the Houston Dash.
  • American right back Sergino Dest scored the equalizer in PSV Eindhoven’s 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk.

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

Lion Links: 9/10/26

Orlando City beats Atlanta United, Orlando’s soccer history, U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team draws against Japan, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

September 10, 2026

By

Image of Inter&Co Stadium at night.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m feeling pretty good after Orlando City’s win on Wednesday and am hoping the good times keep rolling through this weekend’s games. After a rough August, September has thankfully been kind to Orlando’s soccer teams. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Beats Atlanta United On the Road

The Lions are coming back to Orlando with all three points after winning 3-2 against rival Atlanta United. It looked like it would be a rough night for Orlando after an early own goal, but Antoine Griezmann continues to excel in purple (or gold, as was the case on Wednesday night). Atlanta made it close in the end because of a second own goal, but Orlando ultimately secured the win to climb further up the MLS standings. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday with a home game against Toronto FC before traveling to play the Columbus Crew in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

Orlando’s History as a Soccer City

The United States Men’s National Team will play at Inter.co Stadium later this month in its first match since the World Cup. The soccer-specific stadium has been no stranger to hosting the U.S national teams since opening in 2017 and has also hosted Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup games, along with the NWSL Championship and NCAA Women’s College Cup final. The City Beautiful has been a place for soccer for decades, hosting World Cup and Olympic soccer while also having club teams at various levels over the years. Orlando City lifting the U.S. Open Cup trophy in 2022 and the Orlando Pride winning the double in 2024 have helped solidify the city’s reputation as a soccer city as well.

U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Held to Draw

The United States U-20 Women’s National Team drew 2-2 against Japan in its second game of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The U.S. struck first thanks to a goal from Ainsley McCammon in the first half, but Japan equalized in the 74th minute. Alex Buck restored the U.S. lead a minute later, but Japan knotted things up again and the Yanks could not find a winner despite some late chances. It’s a tough result for the U.S., which lost its first group game against Italy. It can still qualify for the knockout round, but would need some help from other results even if it wins against New Zealand on Saturday.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is underway this week and there still has yet to be a draw so far. VfB Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirovic was the standout performer from Wednesday’s slate of games, scoring a hat trick within a 12-minute stretch in a 3-1 win against Viking FK. Elsewhere across Europe, Arsenal edged past Napoli in a 1-0 win in Italy, Barcelona got its campaign started with a big 5-1 win against Feyenoord, and Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda remains an NWSL MVP candidate, although Ashley Sanchez is starting to run away with it with 18 goals so far this season.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/9/26

Orlando City plays Atlanta, Griezmann gets fined, Banda a Ballon d’Or contender, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

September 9, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. The fixture congestion is back for the next couple of weeks which means plenty of opportunity to watch the Lions in action. I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Ojeda fully integrate back into the offense with Antione Griezmann. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads to Atlanta

Orlando City is headed north to take on Atlanta United tonight. Both teams have been playing better of late, but this is still an opportunity for the Lions to get all three points from a rival on the road. Atlanta has struggled to score goals this season, and Orlando City’s offensive weapons are many, and the team is rising up the MLS power rankings, thanks to the win over San Diego FC. It’s a double match week, so it will be interesting to see how Atlanta rotates players based on availability.

Grizi Gets Fined

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann an undisclosed amount for violating the League’s policy regarding throwing/kicking an object toward fans in the match against San Diego FC. Here is the “incident” in case you missed it during the match.

If the fine was more than a dollar, it was too much. That’s not true, a dollar is also too much.

Pride in the News

The Orlando Pride made history in the 3-1 win over the Houston Dash. The victory made Yolanda Thomas the first Black woman in a head coach’s role in NWSL history, and only the fourth female coach to win their first-ever NWSL match in charge. It also comes as no surprise that Barbra Banda is a nominee for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino’s Big Plans

Mauricio Pochettino wants to make the USMNT one of the “most powerful” international teams in the world. That is a pretty ambitious goal, though I like the high aspirations. Pochettino is now in charge of the procedural and developmental sides of the game. He will have some time to experiment before the next World Cup, including utilizing more MLS homegrowns.

Free Kicks

  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian National Team for the UEFA Nations League matches later this month and in the first part of October. Croatia will be playing Czechia, England, and Spain.
  • Ivan Angulo will be sporting a new look at the match tonight. Hopefully it helps him score goals on his breakaway opportunities.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

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