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Lion Links: 4/6/18

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7 years ago

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Hey Mane Landers, I hope you’re having a good week so far. Thank gosh it’s Friday, right? Just a couple hours away from kicking back and relaxing for the weekend. We’ve got some Orlando City soccer this Sunday to look forward to and hopefully the Lions can get a win streak going. In the meantime, here are loads of links from yesterday to start your Friday off right.

Alex Morgan Scores Twice in U.S. 4-1 Win Over Mexico

If you watched last night’s U.S. Women’s National Team’s 4-1 win over Mexico then you probably have a hangover this morning because the game featured a lot of Captain Morgan. Wearing the armband for the USWNT, Morgan was giving Mexico fits with great runs and scored twice in the second half. Morgan’s first goal came after drawing and converting a penalty, her first penalty scored for the USWNT. Her second came only two minutes later where she beat her defender and fired a beautiful shot off the post and into the goal.

Mallory Pugh scored her fourth goal in 2018 to open the match’s scoring and Carli Lloyd scored quickly after Morgan to secure the win for the USWNT. Mexico’s only goal came off a good chip shot by Sky Blue FC’s Katie Johnson.

Kreis Prefers Orlando’s 2018 Start Rather Than Last Season’s

Let’s not beat around the bush here, obviously Orlando City’s 2017 MLS season start (6-1-0) is more desirable than Orlando’s current record in 2018 (1-2-1) if you’re looking at it from a raw stats perspective. But Head Coach Jason Kreis believes the team is off to a much better start this season compared to last year, and he might just be on to something. Sure, Orlando was at the top of the table early in the 2017 season, but the Lions frankly fell apart and missed the playoffs for the third straight time. It’d be great if Orlando could win every game, but I think success can be traced further than points and records. Here’s what Kreis said on the matter, let me know what you think in the comments:

“I felt like last year, we started out with tremendous results, but the truth of the matter is I don’t know if we necessarily deserved all of those results. I don’t know if we were a team that had more to give and to improve on [in] those performances.

“This year, I feel the exact opposite. I feel that our performances have been very good, haven’t gotten the results we deserve, and the fact of the matter is we have a lot of room to improve still. I think, for me, that bodes for incredibly positive things.”

Lions Loosen Up After First Win

Anyone in Central Florida could practically hear the collective breath taken by fans, players, and coaches the day after Orlando City’s 4-3 win over the New York Red Bulls last Saturday. The Lions came into the 2018 season with high hopes after a busy off-season, but a slow start had everyone a little on edge. Luckily, those nerves have been calmed after an impressive showing in last week’s match, which was the first time that all three of Orlando’s Designated Players were on the pitch at the same time.

Josué Colmán Settling in After First Orlando Goal

Piggybacking off of the previous link a bit, I don’t think any player was more relieved after last week’s win than forward Josué Colmán. Things haven’t been easy for the 19-year-old Paraguayan since coming to Orlando City. Colmán has had to adapt to his new team and league while dealing with both a nagging quad contusion and a significant language barrier. His hard work paid off Saturday when he not only started his first home game for Orlando City but scored his first goal as well. Okay, so maybe he didn’t conventionally score, but at the end of the day his name is on the stat sheet and he has something to laugh about with teammates at training. And he may not know much English, but he knew enough to accurately describe what it’s like playing in front of Orlando’s faithful: “crazy.”

Orlando Pride Focusing on Defense During Bye Week

With a whopping 10 players gone on international duty all over the world, the Orlando Pride are a little shorthanded at training and are focusing on individual drills to prepare for the April 15 road match against the Portland Thorns. After losing 2-0 to the Washington Spirit, both midfielder Christine Nairn and defender Toni Pressley are focusing on shoring up the Pride’s defense and becoming better in one-on-one situations.

Marta, Brazil Defeat Argentina 3-1 in Women’s World Cup Qualifying

In the 2018 Copa América Femenina in Chile, Brazil was able to open its tournament in impressive fashion by beating Argentina, 3-1. Orlando Pride players Marta and Monica both started for Brazil, while Pride defender Poliana was an unused sub. Neither Marta nor Monica found the score sheet, but it was a solid team effort from the Brazilian team, which will take the field again tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. ET.

Abby Elinski Capitalizing on Time as National Team Replacement Player

In order to replace the players serving their countries, the Orlando Pride signed four National Team Replacement Players. One of the four was midfielder Abby Elinski, who was originally drafted by the Houston Dash. With only nine teams in such a competitive league, Elinski has had to fight hard to get to where she is and her hard work is being rewarded so far.

U.S. U-20 Women Dispatch Sweden U-23 4-1

Over in Spain, the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team defeated Sweden’s U-23 team 4-1 in its first game of the 2018 U-23 La Manga Tournament. Forward Sophia Smith bagged a brace as she continues to impress in preparation for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup only four months away. On the other side of the game, Orlando Pride’s new Swedish defender Lotta Okvist started for her country and played the full game. You can catch the U.S. again tomorrow when the team takes on England’s U-23s. Okvist will also have a game tomorrow when Sweden faces off with France’s U-23 squad.

Zlatan Ibrahimovich Wins MLS Goal of the Week

Was there really any doubt who would win goal of the week? Zlatan rocked the country in his MLS debut after scoring an incredible volley for the LA Galaxy. Finishing second was Orlando City forward Dom Dwyer, who earned 13% of the vote for his strike against the Red Bulls. If Zlatan wasn’t Zlatan we would probably be celebrating Dwyer right now.

Free Kicks

  • Head to Orlando City Stadium to get some merchandise to represent the legendary Orlando Cty Sea Cows.

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Phew. That was a lot of links, but now you’re all caught up in everything from a busy day in soccer. I’ll send you off with the trailer for Alex Morgan’s upcoming film, Alex and Me.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/4/25

Orlando City gets ready for the Philadelphia Union, OCSC partners with Footy Access, USWNT prepares for Brazil, and more.

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13 hours ago

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April 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday! It may feel a bit like the calm before the storm today, as Orlando City, Orlando City B, and the United States Women’s National Team are all in action on Saturday. It all makes for a fun next few days and I’m looking forward to it and also watching some kart racing on Sunday. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Gets Ready For the Philadelphia Union

The Lions are back in action Saturday with an away game against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Orlando has won its past two games and leads the league with 15 goals this season. The Union remain near the top of the Eastern Conference, but have lost two of their past three games. Duncan McGuire detailed how healthy competition and a willingness to defend has the offense firing on all cylinders heading into this match.

This will also be a rematch of the season opener on Feb. 22 when the Union won 4-2 at Inter&Co Stadium. Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell spoke on how Orlando is a different team compared to that match due to changes on offense and center back Robin Jansson’s recovery from a knock.

Orlando City Partners With Footy Access

With the Generation Adidas Cup set to take place later this month, Orlando City has partnered with Footy Access, which is a media company focused on youth soccer. This collaboration means fans will be able to enjoy highlights and interviews from Orlando’s academy as it progresses through the tournament. I’m pretty excited about being able to see how well Orlando’s academy is doing.

MLS NEXT also announced that new rankings focused on development rather than results will be used for its U-13 and U-14 age groups. These rankings will use an analytical formula that measures game play and the caliber of offensive and defensive actions. There will also be encouragement for teams to have their own identities on how they want to play.

USWNT Prepares to Face Brazil in Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team will take on Brazil on Saturday in the first of two friendlies this international break, with the second match set for Tuesday. These friendlies will be rematches of last year’s Olympic gold medal match, which the U.S. won 1-0. Marta has retired from international soccer, but Pride midfielder Angelina was called up for these friendlies, along with former Pride forward Adriana. Lorena, who has only conceded one goal in three games for the Kansas City Current this season, will likely get the start in goal for Brazil behind a talented back line anchored by Tarciane. The USWNT will need to find ways to limit attacking threats like Kerolin and Gabi Portilho as well. These should be matches, with familiar faces on both sides for Orlando fans.

U.S. Set to Host 2031 Women’s World Cup

It looks like the 2031 Women’s World Cup will be held in the U.S., as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the only bid came from the U.S. and potentially other Concacaf nations. The U.S., which withdrew from hosting the 2027 World Cup, would be the first country to host the tournament three times and last hosted it in 2007. The United Kingdom was also revealed as the lone valid bid to host the 2035 World Cup and it would be the first time the tournament is hosted there.

Free Kicks

  • Shout out to Orlando City’s U-19 team for its title win and securing a spot in the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs.

That’s all for this fine Friday, I hope you all have a fantastic day and a relaxing weekend!

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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.

Published

2 days ago

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April 3, 2025

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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.

Free Kicks

  • 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.

Published

3 days ago

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April 2, 2025

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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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