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Lion Links: 4/6/18

Published

8 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: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/8/26

Orlando City prepares for CF Montreal, Pride host North Carolina tonight, Johnny Cardoso injured, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Image of goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! We have some exciting games ahead of us over the next few days, with three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy. It all starts with the Orlando Pride’s game tonight, with Orlando City playing Saturday afternoon, and Orlando City B wrapping things up on Sunday. Make sure to plan your weekend accordingly! Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Gets Ready for Road Match

The Lions are on the road this weekend for a game in Canada against CF Montreal on Saturday. Orlando is coming off of a dramatic 4-3 win over rival Inter Miami, with Martin Ojeda scoring a hat trick. Ojeda has had Montreal’s number in recent years, scoring at least once against the Canadian club each year for the past three years. Orlando hasn’t lost to Montreal since 2023, but it also hasn’t won on the road against Montreal since 2021. Saturday’s match will also be a reunion of sorts for goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who joined Montreal’s academy at age 15 and played there for nine years. He was excellent in Orlando’s win in Miami, so hopefully he can keep it up in his home country.

Orlando Pride Host North Carolina Courage Tonight

The Orlando Pride are back in action tonight with a home game against the North Carolina Courage. Both teams are coming off of losses last week, with the Pride falling 4-2 to the Washington Spirit. Tonight’s match will pit the league’s top two scorers against each other, with Barbra Banda scoring seven so far while Ashley Sanchez has scored five. The Pride will play three consecutive road games after tonight, putting an emphasis on a strong showing at home. It’s also Survivor Night at the stadium, so make sure to bring any immunity idols if you’ll be in attendance. The Pride could use any advantage they can get.

Johnny Cardoso Injured Ahead of World Cup

Atletico Madrid announced that American midfielder Johnny Cardoso was diagnosed with an ankle sprain he sustained in training, casting doubt on his availability for the World Cup next month. He’ll now work on rehabilitation before the club provides a timetable for his return. The 24-year-old started in the United States Men’s National Team’s game against Belgium in March, but he had to exit that camp due to injury as well. Hopefully he has a smooth and successful recovery from this.

English Clubs Reach European Finals

Aston Villa beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 in the Europa League, overcoming a loss in the first leg to secure a spot in the final. John McGinn scored twice to help his team reach its first major European final since 1982. Villa will play in the final on May 20 against SC Freiburg, which also bounced back from a loss in the first leg by beating Braga 3-1 in Germany. A red card to Mario Dorgeles in the sixth minute reduced Braga to 10 men early on and Lukas Kubler bagged a brace for Freiburg.

In the Europa Conference League, Crystal Palace won 2-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk to advance to the final on May 27 against Rayo Vallecano. As a result of this week’s semifinals across the continent, English clubs are in contention to win the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.

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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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