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Lion Links: 3/4/18

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Hey there, Mane Landers, happy Sunday. This is my first official foray into the world of sports journalism, and I couldn’t be luckier to have the opportunity to join an established team of writers, editors, and most importantly; Orlando City supporters. I can’t wait to tackle the 2018 season with you, and I’m ecstatic that I’ll have the ability to share my experiences and opinions with the same passionate fans that I stand with and cheer beside at Orlando City Stadium.

Orlando hosts one of the most dedicated and inclusive MLS communities in the nation and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it. I am proud to be a Lion. Or should I say that I’ve got Lion Pride? Or perhaps that I’ve got Pride and I ain’t lyin’? Forget it; let’s go with all of the above.

I hope everyone is recovering well from last night’s season opener against D.C. United. I’m still struggling to find my voice…and I didn’t even leave my condo. My neighbors must hate me.

Anyway, here’s your Sunday serving of Lion Links:

More Opening Day Drama for Orlando City

The Lions have developed a strange opening day tradition of giving up the lead and then waiting to the death of the match to equalize. There was Kaká’s free kick in 2015, the two stoppage-time strikes in 2016, and, after a break last year to christen the new stadium, now we’ve got Stéfano Pinho’s late-game magic that led to a 1-1 draw against D.C. United in the 2018 opener. It was a crazy game filled with video review decisions that went the visitors’ way, lots of sick dribbling and nutmegging from Justin Meram, and a whole lot of new Lions. Here’s what you need to know:

Don’t forget to check back later this morning for Ben Miller’s five takeaways from the match and we’ll also have a photo gallery from Nick Leyva.

Orando Pride Down UCF in Preseason Action, 3-0

The Orlando Pride have only one preseason match remaining after posting a winning 3-nil result against the University of Central Florida. Sydney Leroux netted twice in the opening 21 minutes and Christine Nairn also got on the score sheet with a beautiful curling free kick. The Pride seem to be hitting their stride at just the right time with the season opener less than a month away, and with half the starting roster still away on international duty. Leroux has scored three times in the last two matches; be on the lookout for the USWNT star to be a constant goal-scoring threat this season. The Pride’s final preseason match will be at the University of South Florida on Thursday.

Here’s Nairn’s fantastic free kick for the Pride’s final goal:

Three Orlando Pride Players Named in the World XI Shortlist

The Women’s World XI is a prestigious distinction awarded only to the most transcendent and awe-striking talents in women’s football. Three of our Pride players have broken into the shortlist for this honor: Marta Vieira da Silva (Brazil), Alex Morgan (USA), and Alanna Kennedy (Australia). Both Marta and Morgan were named in last year’s World XI. The governing body and worldwide players’ union, FIFPro, will be announcing the World XI on Thursday, which is also International Women’s Day.

VAR Approved by IFAB for Use at World Cup Finals

Regardless of where your opinion falls on Video Assistant Referees (especially after last night), one thing is now certain: they’ll be used during this summer’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals, hosted by Russia. Long considered a controversial injection of technology into the beautiful game, video review has been fervently debated for decades. Traditionalists argue that they prevent the natural flow of the game and believe that they jeopardize the authority of the officiating crew. Others think that we might as well take advantage of the technological advances to ensure a fairly officiated match. All eyes will be set curiously toward Russia this summer to examine, scrutinize, or praise the contentious decision.

Potential World-Class Players Interested in David Beckham’s Miami Franchise

We should be keeping an eye on David Beckham and his Miami franchise — a very, very close eye. The word out of Miami, and Becks’ mouth himself, is that the club is generating interest from notable players worldwide that have competed with or against the former LA Galaxy skipper. Let that sink in for a moment as I briefly list sides that Beckham has been a part of: Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, PSG, LA Galaxy, and the English national team. Miami’s new franchise won’t begin MLS play until at least 2020, so we shouldn’t be anticipating any legitimate transfer news for at least another year, but we’ll want to monitor the situation to our south.

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  • Check out the new Lion’s Den club store at Orlando City Stadium, located near Gate A!

  • Our club’s first-ever captain, Kaká, provided some inspiration before the team’s season opener yesterday:

  • The American Women’s U-20 national team recorded a 1-nil win against France yesterday. Former Orlando City ECNL player Mandy McGlynn was between the sticks and achieved her first U-20 shutout. Congratulations, Mandy!

  • 18-year-old American striker Tim Weah, son of legendary striker George Weah, made his professional debut for PSG yesterday.

  • And check out this fantastic volley from Saint Louis FC’s Albert Dikwa, a former OCB player:

That’s all that was fit to print on this lovely Sunday, but as always, stay tuned for all Orlando City and Pride news. And hey, there are only about 150 hours until the Lions host Minnesota United!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

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  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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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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