Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/12/18

Happy match day, everyone. The Orlando Pride visit the Portland Thorns today at 3:30 p.m. ET. Will today finally be the day the Pride’s offense gets on track? Will it be Orlando’s first ever win at Providence Park? A draw or better would be fine with me to wrap up the club’s longest road trip.
The men take the stage tomorrow, of course, with Orlando City battling Atlanta United in a search for the Lions’ first true signature win. We’ll have full pre- and post-game coverage of both matches and you can follow us on Twitter for everything in between.
I was delighted to hear our little merry band had been honored on this list even though I’m not familiar with the outfit handing it out. It’s a tribute to the good people who give their time to bring you anything they can think of regarding Orlando City and the Pride.
Now for the news.
Cristian Higuita Has Officially Turned the Corner
I have been quite critical of midfielder Cristian Higuita in the past. Like his Colombian countryman, Carlos Rivas, Higuita has tantalized fans for three previous seasons but hasn’t been able to make the leap and become a key player for Orlando City. With Rivas gone, Higuita reported to camp out of shape and it really seemed that his days in Orlando were numbered with the arrivals of Yoshimar Yotún and Uri Rosell. But Higuita picked himself up, worked hard, and has done so many great things over the club’s six-game winning streak — avoiding unnecessary petulant bookings, taking care of the ball, becoming a brick wall in the central midfield, covering for Yotún’s frequent forays into the offensive third, and even scoring a wondergoal. Seems like I’m not the only person who sees a whole new Cristian.
“Looks like different people,” Kreis said of Higuita. “He was probably 20 pounds heavier when he came in the beginning of preseason, and nowhere near as fit and nowhere near as hungry and nowhere near as professional as he’s proving himself to be right now.”
“Progress has been really good, I’ve matured and gained a lot of experience through playing with big players who have more experience than me,” said Higuita. “Those players usually help you become a better person, but also a better player, so I think it’s been a really good time of growth for me.”
Orlando: A Lions Town or a Magic Town?
Are folks in the City Beautiful more partial to Orlando City or the Orlando Magic? This is a question posed by Orlando Sentinel writer George Diaz. In the column, which includes a poll where you can vote your conscience, Diaz points out the pros and cons of both teams. Of the two, the Lions are seemingly more on the upswing but it’s still early in the season. My own anecdotal evidence would suggest it’s more an Orlando City town, based on the magnets, shirts, and hats I see and the general discussion I’ve witnessed in public places. But others may have different experiences. What do you think? And, more importantly, does it even matter? It doesn’t seem like it should.
Alex Morgan Discusses Her Involvement with UNICEF
Orlando Pride and USWNT star Alex Morgan continues to use her platform as a well-known athlete to help others in need. One of her projects is being involved in the UNICEF Kid Power. The program promotes physical activity in children and it’s tied to UNICEF’s greater goals. Alex talked about her good work over at The Players’ Tribune, and spoke out on what inspired her to be a part of something bigger and more global.
Atlanta United Injury News
Orlando City’s visitors on Sunday are formidable and ideally you’d like to see both sides enter such an important match with their full complements of players. However, we already know the Lions are still waiting for the return of Jonathan Spector and Scott Sutter, and Amro Tarek is working his way back from a knock as well. What about Atlanta United? They’ve gotten both good and bad news on the injury front entering this weekend.
NWSL Still Has No Commissioner…Is It Costing the League?
Howard Megdal over at Deadspin wrote this piece about the NWSL being more than a year without a commissioner now and how it could be hurting the young league. Megdal’s points out that the NWSL is not part of the SheIs partnership, which features the WNBA, NWHL, USTA, CWHL, Women’s Pro Fastpitch League, and WWE. The partnership is dedicated to promoting one another and raising the profile of all, but the NWSL is not a part of it because it has no clear-cut leadership (and hasn’t for more than a year). Personally, I thought that by now Amanda Duffy would have successfully landed the job but that hasn’t happened and it may never happen. Megdal further explained the league’s current position.
But the real issue extends beyond a single missed partnership opportunity. For the large majority of NWSL players, the league itself is not a source of much money: team salary caps are set at $350,000 this season, with a minimum salary of $15,750 and a maximum of $44,000 for non-national team players. This is an implicit bargain: players are playing for relatively little money today because they want to see progress for the league in the future. This is an act of self-sacrifice in some senses, but it’s not just that—it’s a bet on the good faith of the people in charge of the league, and an implicit statement of trust on the players’ part that they believe the NWSL is doing all it can to grow as fast as possible. The SheIs misstep is not a fatal blow by any stretch, but it’s another reason to wonder if the NWSL is willing or able to hold up its end of the deal.
Hopefully the league will find someone capable of driving the NWSL forward. To me that means getting a TV deal on a higher profile network which would air more games and eliminate my need to use go90.
Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship to Resume in Florida
You might (or might not) remember that the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship was underway and was postponed due to safety concerns in Nicaragua. To ensure the security of the players, the confederation halted the tournament on April 22. The tournament will resume June 6 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, to determine which teams will qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay. Three teams will advance from Concacaf. The U.S. is 1-0-0 after a 4-0 win over Costa Rica and still has to play Canada and Bermuda in group play.
Free Kicks
- Justin Meram says he prefers wins to goals. Hey man, the goals will come. They will.
- Charles Boehm over at MLSSoccer.com discusses soccer’s return to prominence in the Southeast, which will be on display Sunday.
- Gianluigi Buffon will have to answer for his UEFA Champions League meltdown against Real Madrid.
- Syfy has canceled The Expanse and I’m about as bitter as I can possibly be. The good news is the show is being shopped to other potential network homes. I’m rooting for Netflix or Hulu. personally. I was already mad about Brooklyn Nine-Nine being canceled but then this happened.
Hey everyone, just wanted to say no big deal but….
NBC JUST PICKED #BROOKLYN99 UP FOR SEASON 6!!!
Thanks in no small part to you, the best fans in the history of the world!Nine-nine!!!!!!!!!
— Dan Goor (@djgoor) May 12, 2018
- Those born on this date include Florence Nightingale (1820), Katharine Hepburn (1907), Yogi Berra (1925), George Carlin (1937), Steve Winwood (1948), Billy Squier (1950), 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey player Dave Christian (1959), Ving Rhames (1959), Emilio Estevez (1962), skateboard wiz Tony Hawk (1968), Jason Biggs (1978), Mr. Robot star Rami Malek (1981), and Emily VanCamp — a.k.a. Sharon Carter in the Marvel film universe (1986).
That seems like enough for one day. Don’t forget to check back for full coverage of the Pride at Portland today and Orlando City vs. Atlanta United tomorrow!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/25/25
Orlando City gets ready for Atlanta United, Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira promoted, NWSL MVP candidates, and more.

Happy Friday! Today starts three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. It was a fairly fast week for me, and I was able to read three books somehow. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy 21st birthday to Orlando City winger Nicolas Rodriguez!
Orlando City Gets Ready for Rivalry Match
The Lions are back in action Saturday night against rival Atlanta United in what should be one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend. Both teams are looking for answers on offense heading into this match, as Orlando is coming off of three straight scoreless draws and Atlanta hasn’t won since March. Taking on a rival at home could be just what’s needed for the Lions to jumpstart their attack and return to the form they had earlier this season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how it’s an important game to win for Orlando, as well as how the offense needs to exercise some calmness to finish its chances.
Orlando City Promotes Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira
Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira were both promoted by Orlando City, with Moreira taking over as the club’s general manager and sporting director and Muzzi becoming senior advisor to ownership, global soccer ventures. It’s a natural step up for Moreira, who joined the club in 2018 and has helped build a competitive roster that’s made the playoffs for the past five seasons. Muzzi’s new role is a bit of a mouthful, but he’ll be taking on an advisory role focused on the growth of the club while working closely with ownership.
“I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as Orlando City Soccer Club’s EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager for seven seasons, and I am excited to continue my journey with the club in this new role,” said Luiz Muzzi. “I look forward to working alongside the Wilf family and the leadership team to help shape the future of the club and its continued success, both on and off the field, and I know Orlando City’s Soccer Operations will be in great hands under Ricardo’s leadership.”
Orlando Pride Players in the NWSL MVP Hunt
Now that we’re over a month into the NWSL season, ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf highlighted the league’s early MVP candidates, and there are a couple of familiar faces in his rankings. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is predictably in the mix in sixth on the list, as she has three goals and an assist to her name so far. But a surprise inclusion is midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who has impressed on both sides of the ball to earn ninth place in the rankings. While I think the MVP race will ultimately be between scorers like Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Ashley Hatch, and Debinha, it’s pretty great to see McCutcheon receive deserved praise for her performance this year.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The transfer deadline may be over for MLS clubs, but deals that crossed the finish line are still coming in. The Columbus Crew added yet another forward by sending up to $1.2 million to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Aliyu Ibrahim. The 23-year-old will maintain his U22 Initiative Player status in Columbus and recorded 12 goals and nine assists across 90 appearances for Houston. LAFC signed 26-year-old midfielder Ryan Raposo, who spent the past five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps and was a free agent this year. St. Louis City also made things official with Simon Becher by making his loan move a permanent one so that he stays with the club.
Free Kicks
- Enjoy this intriguing article that shines a light on how MLS team administrators manage the chaos of the transfer window. I would devour a television series following these kinds of crises throughout the season.
- St. Petersburg is exploring demolishing Al Lang Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, to make room for an amphitheater. The proposed demolition would take place after 2028, so we’ll see if this comes to pass.
- Jamie Vardy is leaving Leicester City, ending a 13-year tenure there that will be remembered for winning the English Premier League title in 2016.
- Here’s everything you need to know before the second legs of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals on Sunday. Chelsea will take on Barcelona before Lyon and Arsenal square off, with both English clubs trailing after the first legs.
- Real Sociedad announced that Head Coach Imanol Alguacil will step down following this season. Alguacil was hired in December of 2018 and led the team to victory in the 2020 Copa del Rey.
- Manchester United will take part in the inaugural women’s seven-a-side tournament next month, joining Bayern Munich, Ajax, Benfica, and four other teams yet to be determined.
- NBA Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd has joined Everton’s ownership group. I too would be looking for anything to take my mind off of the Dallas Mavericks’ season.
- Former Pride players Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley announced a weekly podcast, with the first episode set for Monday.
That’s all I have for you this time around. Mother’s Day is less than a month away, just as a warning. If the mothers in your life like romance books and you’re looking for a gift, I can’t recommend The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center enough. Have a great Friday!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/24/25
Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC
The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.
Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings
Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.
MLS Deadline Day Transfer News
The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.
The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.
In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.
Free Kicks
- German legend Thomas Muller, who is set to leave Bayern Munich this summer, reportedly rejected an offer from FC Cincinnati and Fiorentina.
- Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his volleyed strike against Atlanta. Seeing Atlanta get scored on really makes the goal that much sweeter to watch.
- Marcus Rashford is reportedly aiming to join a Champions League team after this season. The 27-year-old is on loan with Aston Villa from Manchester United and should be an interesting name to keep an eye on this summer.
- Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace kept a few champagne bottles corked, as Liverpool would have won the league title if Arsenal lost. Liverpool now just needs a point when it faces Tottenham at home on Sunday.
- Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0, but it came at the cost of injuries to both David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga. The Spanish club may now have a crisis at left back ahead of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.
That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/23/25
The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.
Bad Pride, Good Pride
It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.
The (OCSC) Academy Awards
Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.
Pochettino Prepares
The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.
MLS Transfer News
The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped a spot to No. 12 in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. Three 0-0 draws in a row will do that.
- Michael Buxbaum is suing the U.S. Soccer Federation for $100 million because the USWNT didn’t try to win the SheBelieves Cup. I wasn’t happy with the result either, but this is the definition of frivolous.
- Nani and Ali Krieger are both participating in The Soccer Tournament on seven-on-seven soccer teams. The matchups for the $1 million tournament have been set.
- Speaking of Krieger, she is settling in at her new gig at ESPN as an analyst for NWSL matches and co-host of “FutbolW.”
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.
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