Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/13/18

Published

7 years ago

on

Happy Sunday, Mane Landers, but more importantly Happy Mother’s Day! I hope that everyone enjoys their Mother’s Day in whatever fashion you most prefer. As for my family, we’ll be having a cookout: burgers, franks, and steaks. I’ve gone overboard in this year’s gift to my mom for the holiday, but I won’t spoil it here in case she’s reading (if you are, hi Mom, love you).

Mothers are the hardest working human beings on the planet, and they don’t get the credit they’re due. Make sure you remind yours that you love and appreciate her. It’s a happy day to celebrate, so do so no matter what. Also, we here at The Mane Land also want to wish a very special birthday to fan favorite and overall beloved teammate Scott Sutter, who turns 32 years young today! Happy birfday, Mr. Sutter. We love you and the positivity that you bring to the squad!

Oh, and the Lions host Atlanta United in Orlando City Stadium.

What a day…we’ll keep this one trimmed to ensure you can get back to enjoying your family and preparing for what’s destined to be a fantastic match. Here’s your Sunday serving of Links, Mane Landers.

Orlando Pride Score Early and Hold Off Portland Thorns, 2-1

In a match that saw the Thorns dominate ball possession and shots, the Pride held on to their early lead and saw the match through, winning three important points in the process and beating the Thorns for the first time ever. Alex Morgan was on target early, scoring in the 11th minute. Christine Nairn followed suit just minutes later, ripping a beauty from distance to grab one of her own (see below) and give the Pride an early 2-0 lead. That score line wouldn’t last long, however, as Portland’s Christine Sinclair netted in the 23rd minute to keep the Thorns in the match. Ultimately, the ladies in purple successfully fended off the late barrage from the Thorns, and rightfully earned the full three points.

Head Coach Jason Kreis Buys Orlando’s Mothers Purple Roses

The Lions’ gaffer made the admirable decision to purchase 1,000 purple roses to be handed out to mothers as they enter Orlando City Stadium for the weekend’s clash against powerhouse rival Atlanta United. The gesture, both generous and heartfelt, shows a side of the Lions’ coach that the supporters don’t often get to see. He stated, “Anybody that’s got a mother or anybody that’s married to a mother, it’s always a special day and it gives us an opportunity to recognize them in a very public forum.” Ultimately, it was a classy move by an ascending celebrity in the city of Orlando. Cheers, Jason, and cheers to all of the Orlando mothers (and any, anywhere, for that matter).

Lions’ Supporters Make Saturday’s Training Session Something Special

With an exciting clash with rival side Atlanta United on the horizon, members of Orlando City’s supporter’s groups, The Ruckus and the Iron Lion Firm, turned out in numbers to cheer on their boys in purple in their final team training session before the match. The atmosphere was something else as 45 supporters showed up to chant the team’s beloved tunes. The move was a nice gesture from the fans that attended, and serves as a reminder of how much the team means to the community. The feeling is mutual as well, as star winger Justin Meram said, “They want a high standard. They express their opinions. I think it’s a great thing that they understand the game and want everyone to succeed and do well.”

Toffees’ Gaffer Sam Allardyce Provides Update on Rooney Transfer Saga

It appears that Everton manager Sam Allardyce isn’t opposed to seeing Wayne Rooney leave the club amid heated interest from MLS side D.C. United. When asked about the potential move, the manager stated,

“If the player wants to go – if any player wants to leave – then I’m comfortable with that. But let’s get this right: Wayne Rooney has not asked to leave and neither has he had a confrontation with me,” Allardyce said. “My understanding of the situation is there seems to have been some negotiation somewhere along the line. I don’t get involved in anything with regards to transfers so all I know is there appears to be interest from DC United. Where that lies and where Wayne lies with it I can’t tell you at the moment. But in terms of clarity of whether Wayne is staying or leaving, I’ll find out a little more later when he comes into training.”

It’s looking increasingly possible that we’ll see the English legend plying his trade in MLS, and I can’t wait to see how the players will stack up around him. Despite his age, Rooney still holds world class potential in his ability and leadership, and could prove to be the foundation of a future title-contender. The move to some pundits, of course, will scream of the cliched “retirement league” mantra that some believe MLS has become, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is Rooney is still plenty capable as a top class striker for a top European side. Regardless of the critics, I can’t wait to see this one.

Free Kicks

  • The SIMA Aguilas, a USL PDL team that features several Orlando City academy products, opened their 2018 regular season last night at Montverde Academy and played to a scoreless draw against Weston FC.
  • The fellas over at mlssoccer.com polled a pod of eight of the writers and editors on which match today will be the one they’re looking forward to the most. Spoiler alert: five of the eight picked Orlando City-Atlanta.
  • If you’re looking ahead to next weekend’s opponents, Orlando City plays at Toronto FC. The Reds will be without Giovinco after he was sent off late in last night’s match at New England for hands to the face.

  • San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski is now officially the player with the most goals with a single club in MLS history. Congrats, Wondo.

  • Jose Mourinho’s longtime assistant, Rui Faria, is set to step down from his role with Manchester United in order to spend quality time with his family before pursuing the next step in his professional career. Mourinho stated, “17 years and the kid is now a man. The intelligent student is now a football expert, ready for a successful career as a manager.”
  • Matt Reed over at nbcsports.com did a write-up on who he views as the best and worst valued players in MLS based on their current contract.
  • Congratulations are in order to the 2002 Boys Black Team and their coaches for winning the Greater Central Florida Youth Soccer League Third Division Championship!

  • A report has recently stated that Brazilian superstar Neymar told his teammates that he will not return to PSG following the World Cup in Russia this summer amid interest from several of Europe’s top clubs. I’m not sure what’s going on with this one, all I know is there’s going to be a lot of money moving between some bank accounts.
  • Meanwhile, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is back on track in terms of his ankle’s health, and he’s expected to be available and selected for the upcoming Champion’s League final against Liverpool.
  • Former Lion and current Whitecap Jose Aja scored his first career MLS goal Friday against the Houston Dynamo.

“Well, that’s about all that’s fit to print,” Mane Landers (that’s something my mom says when she’s ready to get off of the phone with me). Enjoy your family on this wonderful Mother’s Day, and then revel in what will go down as an epic clash between two of the south’s hottest footballing clans. I can’t wait, Mane Landers, it’ll be a good one.

Before I sign off, I’ll leave you with my score prediction: 3-2 Orlando.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

December 20, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

December 19, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

December 18, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending