Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/25/18

What’s up, Mane Landers? I hope things have gone smoothly for you this week as we gear up for a weekend filled to the brim with Orlando soccer. Both Orlando City (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Orlando Pride (3:30 p.m. ET) will be playing against teams from Chicago tomorrow, with the Pride on the road while the Lions will be at home. We have a lot of links to get to this morning so I’ll keep the chit-chat short to catch you up on the latest.
Young Orlando City Midfielders Loaned Out for One Match
Orlando City has loaned midfielders Cam Lindley and Pierre Da Silva to Saint Louis FC in the USL for just one match. That match will be played tomorrow at 8 p.m. when Saint Louis FC travels to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Da Silva will reunite with Saint Louis FC Head Coach Anthony Pulis, who previously coached Orlando City B. Both players have struggled to find the field this season in a crowded midfield so hopefully this opportunity will get them some quality minutes.
Orlando Pride Hoping to Rebound in Chicago
The Orlando Pride take to the road looking for a win against the Chicago Red Stars after falling 4-3 to the North Carolina Courage earlier this week. Both teams are tied in the standings with 12 points each, but the Pride may have an edge after proving already this season that they can win against the Red Stars. Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni believes the team has what it takes to get things done and return to its winning ways.
“We obviously picked up a big win the last time we were in Chicago but we are returning to face a team that has some key players back in the lineup since the last time we faced them,” Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “Any team with Sam Kerr is dangerous and with a quick turnaround from Wednesday, it’ll be important that we get in proper recovery and do our best to create and execute the best game plan. No game in this league is easy but we know what our team is capable of and the skill we possess on our roster.”
Orlando City Draws Miami United FC in U.S Open Cup Fourth Round
With the third round of the U.S. Open Cup done and gone, its time for the MLS teams to get in on the action. After yesterday’s draw, Orlando City is set to face Miami United FC from the National Premier Soccer League. The exact date and time has yet to be revealed, but the game will not take place at Orlando City Stadium. Instead, the match will be played at Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah after Orlando City did not apply to be a host. But before you get on the club’s case, maybe that move was a display of good grace on Orlando’s behalf considering the strain the tournament puts on smaller clubs.
United States Will Play Against Mexico on Sept. 11
In what may just be the biggest match of the year for the United States Men’s National Team, the USMNT and Mexico will have a friendly on Sept. 11 in Nashville, TN. The USMNT is still without a long-term head coach or general manager, but both of those positions will hopefully be filled when the two rival nations clash. The match is one of many high-profile friendlies scheduled for the rest of 2018, but this one should stand out as a must-watch for USMNT fans.
MLS All-Star Voting Opens
Voting has officially opened for this year’s MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta against Juventus. Fans have until June 8 to cast their votes for the All-Star Fan XI through the MLS app, so make sure to give our Lions some love. Fans can also “vote” for a third forward by scoring goals on FIFA 18 with each goal scored counting as one vote. Here’s a list of all the eligible Lions and other MLS players you can vote for.
Free Kicks
- MLS Commissioner Don Garber is heading to Cincinnati, OH this Tuesday for a “special announcement” which will likely result in the welcoming of a new expansion team to MLS.
- MLS Goal of the Week honors go to the Portland Timbers’ Samuel Armenteros for his game-winning strike against LAFC.
- The Orlando SeaWolves have signed another former Lion, adding midfielder Jonny Mendoza to the team.
SeaWolves add former Orlando City midfielder Jonny Mendoza. Read More: https://t.co/BYTcDuh1Ds pic.twitter.com/ZbuzyqYHoT
— Orlando SeaWolves (@MCOSeaWolves) May 24, 2018
- Earnie Stewart, the sporting director for the Philadelphia Union, has pulled ahead as the favorite for the U.S. Soccer general manager job.
- Bob Bradley may not have impressed many people in his time as the head coach of the Egyptian National Team, but he did help Mohamed Salah reach new levels of stardom.
- Former MLS player Robbie Rogers has been a role model to a generation of LGBT youth and coming out while playing inspired an author to create a novel.
- What has been the leading force behind China’s diplomacy with Latin America? Soccer, of course.
- Former USMNT phenom Julian Green is hoping to resurrect his international career while enjoying the game he loves.
- Steve Nash decided to put his basketball and soccer skills to the test against Christian Pulisic in a game of horse.
.@SteveNash sank a shot with his feet in a game of HORSE against @CPulisic_10
pic.twitter.com/BHZiNSYeG2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 24, 2018
- We end our links in Brazil, where 38-year-old soccer legend Ronaldinho is set to marry the loves of his life. I wonder if both of the wives have to say “I do” at the same time or not.
That’s all from me folks. We have a big day tomorrow so try not to party too hard tonight. Have a blessed Friday. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/7/25
Getting to know Martin Ojeda, reliving Orlando City’s win vs. Toronto, Orlando Pride play the Washington Spirit tonight, and more.

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Today is the start of three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy. The Orlando Pride play the Washington Spirit tonight, Orlando City will take on New York City FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B will kick off its 2025 season against Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday. It should be a fun weekend of soccer to enjoy. Let’s get to the links!
Getting to Know Martin Ojeda
Orlando City attacker Martin Ojeda is the latest player featured in the club’s video series aimed at shining a light on this season’s players. The 26-year-old had a slow start in his first year in Orlando. Ojeda and Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke about how he’s adjusted to the pace of the game and the demanding transition moments that differ from other leagues he’s played in. He’s certainly improved, and he led the Lions with 12 assists last season. Ojeda also discussed the responsibility of wearing No. 10 on his back, the hurt after losing to the New York Red Bulls in the playoffs last year, and how he and the team are working on improving at every detail this year. The video also includes some great highlights and having the player interviews for these take place on a beach at sunset really makes it feel like I’m watching a documentary.
Sights and Sounds From Orlando City’s Win
The Lions earned their first win of the season in emphatic fashion on Saturday and the club released a video highlighting the best parts of the 4-2 victory over Toronto FC. It’s great to see some different angles on how Cesar Araujo beat the wall and banked the ball off the post from a free kick to get the scoring started. Alex Freeman’s first MLS goal, Ojeda’s celebration, and Luis Muriel’s pinpoint assist all received love as well, with the crowd noise really helping with the immersion. Hopefully the Lions can light it up again in New York.
Orlando Pride’s Challenge Starts Tonight
The Orlando Pride will play their first competitive match of 2025 tonight when they host the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. The annual match is normally between the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship winners, but the Pride won both last year in a historic season. The Pride will be viewed as the team to beat and will take on a Spirit side that tied them with 18 wins last season. The Spirit’s attack is led by two young talents in Trinity Rodman and Croix Bethune, but both are recovering from injuries suffered last year, so we’ll see if they take the field tonight before the season begins next week. Marta, who signed a two-year contract with the Pride this off-season, spoke about this year’s challenge for the Pride.
“It’s exciting to know that everybody is gonna look to us and then try to make it difficult for us,” Marta said. “But for me, it’s the best feeling, because you’re good at what you do, so just go and play, go and have fun. Go and get people excited to see you on the field. And it’s what I’m looking for.”
USWNT Stays Atop FIFA World Rankings
Despite a loss to Japan in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, the United States Women’s National Team is still first in the FIFA world rankings. The USWNT beat Australia and Colombia in the tournament to stay ahead of a trio of European nations in Spain, Germany, and England. Japan rounds out the top five after winning all three of its SheBelieves Cup games. Brazil fell a spot to eighth as a result of Japan’s climb. Zambia, which had a win and a loss against Malawi in a pair of friendlies last month, fell two spots to 64th.
Europa League Round of 16 Begins
The first legs for the Europa League’s round of 16 were Thursday with all 16 remaining teams in action. Manchester United went on the road and battled Real Sociedad to a 1-1 draw, with the Spanish club’s equalizer coming from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. Tottenham had a rougher away trip, losing 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. A late goal by Eldor Shomurodov lifted AS Roma to a 2-1 against Athletic Club.
Lazio also won it late, beating Viktoria Plzen 2-1 thanks to Gustav Isaksen scoring deep into stoppage time while down to nine men. Bodø/Glimt took down Olympiacos 3-0 to end the Greek club’s 26-match unbeaten run. Elsewhere in Europe, Malick Fofana had a brace in Lyon’s 3-1 win over Steaua Bucuresti, Rangers beat Fenerbahce 3-1 in Turkey, and Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-1 against Ajax.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando City SC academy director Darren Powell was hired as Nashville SC’s next academy director. He returns to MLS after spending the past few years coaching Lexington SC in the USL Championship.
- Angel City FC Sporting Director Mark Parsons stated that he does not expect a full-time head coach to be hired until June. The club fired Becki Tweed in December, and Sam Laity has been the club’s interim coach this preseason.
- American forward Folarin Balogun is back at training with AS Monaco after being sidelined for the past few months due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He won’t be with the U.S. for the Concacaf Nations League this month, but could feature in the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.
- Inter Miami defender Ian Fray had his red card rescinded by the Independent Review Panel and he will be eligible to play on Sunday against Charlotte FC.
- Mason Greenwood is switching his international allegiance from England to Jamaica. Get ready to learn Concacaf, buddy.
- For the first time since tearing his ACL in October of 2023, Neymar has been called up for Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina this month. Brazil is currently fifth in the CONMEBOL standings with six games left in qualifying.
- Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. If the 22-year-old does sign with United, the fans absolutely need to nickname him Young Trafford.
- Lyon’s manager, Paulo Fonseca, is banned from Ligue 1 games for nine months for angrily confronting the referee in his team’s 2-1 win over Brest on Sunday. Fonseca will not be allowed on the touchline or in the locker room, and won’t have access to players at Ligue 1 games until Sept. 15.
- FIFA will review a proposal for the 2030 FIFA World Cup to include 64 teams for the centenary of the event. It would be ambitious and I don’t think it would happen, but I’ll admit that I hope it comes to fruition.
- We end our links with the Lions showing off their singing abilities, and nothing will prepare you for how beautiful Robin Jansson’s voice is.
That’s all I have for you this time. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/6/25
Rafaelle and Grace Chanda cleared to play, Orlando City B signs two players, Women’s Club World Cup delayed to 2028, and more.

Congratulations, you’ve made it more than halfway through the week! Thursday tends to feel like an annoying speed bump before we reach the fun of the weekend, but hopefully today goes smoothly for you as we prepare for a busy next few days. Let’s get the day started off on the right foot with some links from around the soccer world!
Rafaelle and Grace Chanda Removed From Season-Ending Injury List
Orlando Pride players Rafaelle and Grace Chanda will both be available for selection for the NWSL Challenge Cup match against the Washington Spirit Friday after being removed from the Season-Ending Injury list. Chanda joined the club last summer but wasn’t able to take the field due to an injury sustained while on international duty with Zambia at the Olympics. Rafaelle also picked up a season-ending injury at last year’s Olympics with Brazil, missing out on the team’s historic playoff run. Both players have the talent to start for the Pride this season, but there shouldn’t be a rush to get them going from the start considering how good the Pride’s roster is this year.
Noah Levis and Noham Abdellaoui Join OCB
Orlando City B signed another pair of players, adding midfielder Noah Levis and defender Noham Abdellaoui to the roster. Both players were signed to MLS NEXT Pro contracts through 2025 with an option for 2026. Levis has developed his game across Europe and appeared in 25 games for Mikkelin Palloilijat in Finland’s second division last year. The 18-year-old has also played for Finland’s national team at the youth levels. Abdellaoui is an Algerian center back who has also played in Europe, featuring for the youth teams of clubs like Saint-Etienne, U.S. Lecce, and Genoa CFC. Like Levis, the 20-year-old played for his national team’s youth squads. I’m excited to see how some of these new faces OCB brought in mesh with the returning players this season. OCB’s season gets started on Sunday when it hosts Columbus Crew 2.
Women’s Club World Cup Delayed to 2028
FIFA announced that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup that was set to kick off in 2026 has instead been delayed to 2028 and will be every four years after that. It will feature 16 teams, with five European teams and two each from Concacaf, CONMEBOL, CAF, and AFC able to earn guaranteed entry. The other spots will be claimed through play-in games. We’ll still get an international club competition next year though, with FIFA also announcing the 2026 Women’s Champions Cup. That will be a six-team tournament and the winners of the UEFA Champions League, Concacaf Champions League, and Copa Libertadores will claim a spot in the semifinals. The Women’s Champions Cup will be annual, except for years when the Women’s Club World Cup takes place.
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Roundup
The round of 16 is underway in the UEFA Champions League and every match on Wednesday was a shutout. Liverpool’s only shot on target was the winner in a 1-0 road victory against Paris Saint-Germain, with substitute Harvey Elliott scoring in the 87th minute. Goalkeeper Allisson Becker played out of his mind, making nine saves to help his team take a lead back to Anfield for the second leg. In a matchup between German giants, Harry Kane had a brace in Bayern Munich’s 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. However, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer may not play in the second leg after injuring himself while celebrating a goal.
Barcelona was reduced to 10 men in the first half against Benfica, but great saves by Wojciech Szczęsny and a goal from Raphinha were enough for a 1-0 win in Lisbon. Inter Milan beat Feyenoord 2-0, with goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther saving a penalty kick to secure his team’s eighth clean sheet this tournament.
Free Kicks
- The Purple Pride 5k is officially back and will take place on May 17. The race will begin at 8 a.m. on Glenn Lane and finish inside Inter&Co Stadium. Each runner will get a shirt, a medal, and a ticket to an Orlando City and Orlando Pride game.
- FC Dallas added Brazilian midfielder Kaick as an MLS U22 Initiative Player, signing him to a contract through 2028, with an option for 2029. The 19-year-old joins from Gremio in Brazil’s top flight and Dallas reportedly paid the fourth-highest transfer fee in club history to sign him.
- Congratulations to United States Women’s National Team and Portland Thorns star Sophia Wilson, who announced that she is pregnant with her first child.
- TNT Sports will broadcast 24 of the 63 FIFA Club World Cup games this summer. FIFA also announced that the prize money will be $1 billion for this year’s revamped tournament that features 32 clubs from around the world.
- Check out the finalists for the People’s Puskas Award, an award created by tech company Veo to crown the best goal scored by an amateur or grassroots player. There are some great acrobatic strikes in the mix, but the free kick knuckleball by Ardi Canolli had me hitting replay over and over.
- Speaking of great goals, Tigres midfielder Jacqueline Ovalle may have already scored the best one of 2025 with a move she calls “the shrimp.”
That’s all I have for you for today’s links. Make sure to stay hydrated out there and have a wonderful Thursday!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/5/25
Orlando City rising, Ally Watt is staying, the Challenge Cup looms, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! We’re almost completely back. Orlando City is playing matches, with the Orlando Pride and OCB slated to start their respective 2025 slates this weekend. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year. So without further ado, let’s get to the links.
Orlando City on the Rise
It should come as no surprise to longtime readers that I find the idea of power rankings to be the junk food of sports journalism. Sometimes it’s fun to indulge, but ultimately it’s just empty calories. That being said, Orlando City rose six spots in MLSsoccer.com’s rankings this week. The site is also enamored with right back Alex Freeman, making him one of the big stories in MLS in Week 2. They might actually be right on that account.
Ally Watt is Staying
The Orlando Pride announced that the club exercised Ally Watt’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Watt played her part in the Pride’s historic 2024 NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship run. Watt produced seven goal contributions last year. Now the attacker will look to increase that production as the club attempts to repeat the success of last season.
The Challenge Cup Approaches
It’s been 102 days since the Orlando Pride last lifted a trophy. Friday, the club will have a chance to do so again in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup has gone through a lot of changes over the years, but this time it features a rematch of the NWSL Championship match between the Pride and the Washington Spirit. The format is supposed to be the Shield winner against the Championship winner, but since the Pride won both, the runner-up gets a shot.
NWSL Roster Moves
The NWSL’s new collective bargaining agreement has changed how the clubs in the league manage their rosters and acquire new talent. Big names like Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) are able to have agency in where they want to play when being traded. There were several big inner-league signings in the off-season, though not all saw a player move. One of the biggest was when the Orlando Pride gave Marta a contract extension. The landscape has changed for the league, and that’s not a bad thing.
Free Kicks
- Houston Dash forward Yuki Nagasato announced her retirement from professional soccer.
- Ion has named Seb Salazar and Kylen Mills as their new studio team for NWSL broadcasts. Salazar comes from ESPN and Mills from FOX/BTN.
- The always fair and above board FIFA has lifted the suspension imposed on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that kept the team from participating in the 2026 World Cup. The PFF revised its constitution prompting FIFA to lift the suspension.
- Landon Donovan wins my just made up “Pundit of the Week” award for his assertion that Lionel Messi should have been shown a second yellow card in the New York City FC match, and thus should have served a suspension against the Houston Dynamo rather than just skipping the match for — [/checks notes] — reasons.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for all the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
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