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Lion Links: 3/16/18

Published

8 years ago

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Good morning, Mane landers! Happy game day eve! I hope you enjoy the last day of the work week, and get to kick back and relax during the weekend! Orlando City takes on its 2015 expansion rivals, New York City FC, tomorrow and it will feel great to get to see Sacha Kljestan in purple!

Kljestan Set to Return

Sacha Kljestan missed the first two games of Orlando City’s 2018 season and the Lions have definitely felt the loss. Between injures and suspensions Jason Kreis has had trouble finding a makeshift starting XI that could get results. This resulted in earning just one point in two home games. One of the new players will finally get to see the field on Saturday, and NYCFC will not be looking forward to it. Kljestan has 10 assists against New York City, the most among all active players against any team.

“I was brought in here to do a job and I know they gave up a lot to bring me here.” Kljestan said. “None of that weighs on me as much as the pressure I put on myself.”

Orlando Makes World Cup Bid Shortlist

Great news for international soccer fans in Orlando came out Thursday. Orlando was named to the 23-city shortlist as a candidate host city for the united North America World Cup bid, meaning if the joint bid by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada wins, the World Cup will be coming back to Orlando! Up to 16 cities will ultimately be chosen from the shortlist of 23 and nothing is settled yet — least of all the location of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On the other hand, this story by thebreaker.news outlines FIFA’s ridiculous demands of its World Cup host locations. These demands are reportedly causing cities to rethink whether they’re interested in hosting.

International Women’s League Coming?

 FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants to start a 16-team competition that would feature the best women’s teams in the world, as well as  four regional leagues. The move is part of an effort to increase the visibility, quality and appeal of women’s soccer and to boost Infantino’s standing before his bid for re-election next year. Investing in the women’s game was a plank in Infantino’s campaign platform in 2015.”

“We are also thinking of creating a world women’s football league so that all federations can participate, because we should not lose sight of the fact that 50 percent of the world’s population is female,” Infantino said.

Actually 48.1% of the population is female, Infantino. But regardless, this is an interesting move that puts the president in a good light prior to his re-election. This would definitely be a good competition and could help grow the women’s game, but I want to see some more movement on it before I believe it will actually happen.

USMNT to Play in Philadelphia

The United States Men’s National team is set to play Bolivia on May 28 in the home of the Union. This game will be a great chance for younger players to break into the national team and interim head coach Dave Sarachan is looking to take advantage of it.

“With the addition of the Bolivia game, we have a great set of experiences on the table for our young players this summer,” said Sarachan. “Bolivia presents different challenges than Ireland and France. We’re thrilled to be starting the tour in Philadelphia, one of the great soccer communities in the United States and a fan base that has always supported the National Team.”

VAR Coming to World Cup

The FIFA Council is set to begin on Friday and Infantino has been talking highly of Video Assistant Referee technology. VAR will be used in Russia on goals, penalties, red cards, and to correct if an official sanctions a wrong player. There are both pros and cons of video review and it will not be perfect in a few months. In fact, get ready for the VAR controversy now so that when it happens in Russia you won’t be surprised. But it will also help referees make the correct call in other situations.

Free Kicks

  • Former OCB player Albert Diwka has his own YouTube show.
  • Uri Rossell may be getting closer, but he is still not going to be ready for game action, as he’s still not fully integrated with the group.

  • MLS Works has launched a new initiative called “Soccer For All” and it is a great step forward. The goal is for everyone to be treated fairy and given an opportunity “regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.”
  • Phoenix Rising’s MLS expansion bid got a boost when the club revealed renderings for a planned 21,000-seat soccer stadium.
  • The NWSL released its roster and competition rules and regulations. Among the changes is the salary cap gets a small boost, but minimum player salary is still under $20,000.

  • Happy birthday to James Madison, Flavor Flav, and Blake Griffin.
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

9 hours ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/18/26

Americans in midweek action, WAFCON takeaways, senior FIFA official fired, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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August 18, 2026

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Image of Barbra Banda holding off a Washington Spirit defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It wasn’t a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three outfits combined to take just one point from the nine on offer. Fortunately, Orlando City gets an immediate opportunity to bounce back against the Chicago Fire Wednesday night, before all three teams are back in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to talk about today, so let’s have a look at the links.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing games during the working week, so get some of the highlights marked down on your calendar. Things get started later today when Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Fenerbahce in UEFA Champions League qualifying. Wednesday features Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid kicking off their La Liga season against Malaga, before Folarin Balogun and Monaco face Gornik Zabrze in UEFA Conference League qualification play. The week then wraps up on Friday when Haji Wright and Coventry City open the Premier League season against Arsenal.

Takeaways from WAFCON

WAFCON 2026 is officially in the books, so what did we learn from this year’s tournament? For one thing, expanding from 12 teams to 16 was largely successful, as Cameroon won the trophy after getting into the tournament on the strength of its world ranking after being eliminated during qualifying. We also saw a competitive tournament that had some upsets, with first-time participants Malawi making a run all the way to the final, and Zambia failing to get out of the group stage despite racking up six points. That said, attendance was non-existent for matches not involving host Morocco, and the video review process wasn’t exactly speedy for the most part. Still, it was mostly a great tournament and a great showcase for African women’s soccer.

Kevin Lamour Leaves Position as FIFA Executive

Kevin Lamour has been fired from his position as FIFA’s chief operating officer just several weeks after strongly condemning Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Lamour said that FIFA’s leadership had been “deceived” when it came to the plan and that losing his job over his opposition to it would be worth it since he would at least be able to sleep well at night. Before his two years at FIFA, Lamour had previously worked alongside Infantino when the two men were at UEFA. FIFA confirmed his departure with a brief statement on Monday afternoon.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Most summer transfer windows will be closing soon, but we’ve still got plenty of rumors to discuss. We begin with a piece close to home, as Breel Embolo has reportedly rejected the personal terms offered to him by Atlanta United and is said to be negotiating with Ipswich Town. Speaking of the Premier League, Manchester City is reportedly still in pursuit of a deal for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez despite missing the Blues’ stated deadline of Aug. 14 to get a deal done. Moving to Spain, Real Madrid is reportedly interested in signing Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal and has already had contact with his representatives. Finally, Inter Milan is said to be interested in signing Liverpool’s Curtis Jones.

Free Kicks

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/17/26

Lions draw FC Cincinnati, Pride and OCB lose, Americans abroad, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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August 17, 2026

By

Image of Orlando City's starters pose for a pregame photo wearing their Archive Collection third kits.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’m back to covering high school sports again for the fall season, with golf, soccer, and football this week. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw FC Cincinnati at Home

Orlando City drew FC Cincinnati 1-1 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium. The Lions trailed 1-0 at halftime, but Tyrese Spicer’s early goal in the second half was enough for Orlando to secure a point at home. Orlando City hasn’t won in its last three matches across all competitions and will need to pick up wins down the stretch, with the club sitting outside the MLS playoff spots in the Eastern Conference standings with 21 points. Before the match, Orlando City announced it had signed OCB midfielder Issah Haruna to a short-term contract. Haruna was on the bench but did not play against FC Cincinnati. The Lions have a quick turnaround, with two home matches this week. Orlando City will face the Chicago Fire on Wednesday and Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Pride’s Winless Run Continues with Loss at Portland Thorns

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on Saturday. After a scoreless first half, Portland struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the second half. Jacquie Ovalle scored the equalizer for Orlando, but in stoppage time, Caiya Hanks scored a late winner for Portland. Orlando has lost three consecutive matches. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Sunday against the Washington Spirit.

OCB Falls at Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B fell 2-0 to Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday. Robert Turdean scored the opening goal for Chicago in the first half, and the Fire took a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Damyan Villanueva added the insurance goal for Chicago, which won its third in four matches. The Young Lions have lost four consecutive matches. OCB will be on the road to take on Atlanta United 2 on Saturday.

Americans Abroad

Let’s catch up on Americans in action abroad in Europe. Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten were both in action for Middlesbrough in a 2-1 win against Lincoln City on Saturday in the EFL Championship. Ricardo Pepi scored, and Sergino Dest notched an assist for PSV Eindhoven in a 2-1 win over Excelsior in the Eredivisie. Gianluca Busio played a full 90 minutes for Venezia as his side defeated Modena 3-2 in the Round of 64 in the Coppa Italia. Austin Trusty scored for Celtic, and Cameron Carter-Vickers was also in action in a 4-0 win against Dundee United, as the Scottish Premiership leaders advanced to the quarterfinals in the Scottish League Cup. On Sunday, former Lion Alex Freeman came off the bench late in the second half for Villarreal in a 2-2 draw against Racing Santander in La Liga.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who is on loan at Dallas Trinity, scored her first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against the Tampa Bay Sun on Saturday in the USL Super League.
  • Former Lion Cyle Larin scored for Southampton, but his side fell 2-1 to Watford on Sunday in the EFL Championship.
  • Atlanta United is reportedly close to signing forward Breel Embolo from Stade Rennes for an $18 million transfer fee.

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

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