Lion Links: 3/8/18

Hey Mane Landers! Hope you all are enjoying your Thursday and are prepping for another weekend of Orlando City action against Minnesota United. It is yet another home game, and another game to see how the team on the field acts as a unit. Hopefully we pick up our first win of this season. Before I start the Links, here is Mohamed El-Munir’s interview from training yesterday:

USWNT Wins SheBelieves Cup

The United States captured the second SheBelieves Cup trophy in three years with a 1-0 win over No. 3 England at Orlando City Stadium. The English scored on themselves in a tight defensive match with a second-half own-goal that decided both the game and the tournament. The Yanks were the better team throughout the match in terms of creating scoring opportunities but both teams’ back lines played well and limited clear-cut chances. In the end, the USWNT went 2-0-1 in the tournament, bouncing back from last year’s fourth-place showing.

Pride Players Finish Up at Algarve Cup

After weather hindered the sides from playing, Sweden and the Netherlands were both awarded first place in the Algarve Cup. This was a bold move by the Portugal Football Federation and one that won’t be forgotten in women’s soccer. Besides that debacle, many Orlando Pride players appeared throughout and performed well.

Pride draft pick Nádia Gomes started for Portugal picked up her first international goal in a 2-1 win over Australia, helping her team finish third in the tournament.

Both Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond came off the bench in the game for the Matildas, who finished fourth. Van Egmond had a late penalty attempt saved.

Shelina Zadorsky did not play for Canada after starting the two previous matches, but her side defeated Japan, 2-0, to finish fifth in the tournament.

Swedish Club Becoming a Pipeline to MLS Soccer

Scandinavian players have long been a part of MLS, but over the last two seasons, Malmo FF has sent four players to MLS from Sweden. The trend started with Yoshi Yotun moving to Orlando City last year, and three players followed, all entering in this year’s preseason. New York City FC acquired Jo Inge Berget and Anton Tinnerholm, while Magnus Wolff Eikrem joined Seattle Sounders.

With Malmo always having an annual trip to Florida for the preseason to play numerous MLS teams, it has become increasingly easy for MLS clubs to scout the Swedish side and their young players, and with the MLS demographic trending downward in age, many young players from Malmo FF may soon follow.

Hertha Goalkeeping Coach Says Klinsmann’s Son is “too American”

Zsolt Petry, the goalkeeper coach of Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin, says Jonathan Klinsmann, son of Jurgen, has become “too American.” Petry has said the club and himself are not happy with Jonathan’s production, stating,

“He has still not fully taken on board the German virtues like concentrating on hard work. In professional football, if you don’t have that, you are lost.”

Jonathan still has the belief that he will eventually be the number one guy in Berlin, but his production may keep him from that goal. Jonathan did compete at the U-20 World Cup last year in South Korea, where he made five appearances, winning two, drawing two, and losing one.

Free Kicks

• Minnesota United’s Christian Ramirez is a game-time call against Orlando City
• Miami has another plan for a stadium site — a golf course!
• Hannover recently signed U.S. youth international defender Chris Gloster.

Have a great rest of you’re day everyone. Vamos Orlando!