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Lion Links: 5/30/18

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8 years ago

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Greetings, Mane Landers! At this point hopefully you've recovered from your holiday hangover and you’ve realized that you only have three more days (or fewer) of work until another weekend!

We have a ton of news on this Wednesday morning. Both U.S. national teams have named new rosters, on which you’ll see some familiar faces. MLS has announced another expansion club for 2019. There’s also news on Jonathan Spector and the usual array of free kicks, so let’s dive in!

Spector Finally Cleared for Full Training

It’s been a while since we've seen Orlando City’s rock at center back, and him coming back couldn't be happening at a better time. Jonathan Spector is back in full training with the team after an extended absence due to a concussion.

It’s been since April 8 that we saw Spector out on the field, so he’ll be working back into match fitness but should hopefully be available in the coming weeks. The Lions need him, as the center back position has taken some serious hits with Amro Tarek out for World Cup duty and Lamine Sané and Chris Schuler sustaining injuries.

As for additional updates:

Meram Sends Message to Iraqi MLS Fan

This story is why I love sports so much. Mustafa Abed is of Iraqi decent and is a huge soccer fan. He's been unfortunate, needing a lot of medical attention after being caught in missile strikes.

Orlando City forward Justin Meram heard of the story and prepared a heart-warming message and surprise for the boy.

Three Pride Players Called in for National Team Duty

The U.S. Women’s National Team roster has been set by Head Coach Jill Ellis for camp ahead of two friendlies vs. China starting June 1. You will see many familiar faces including Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris. Additionally, center back Shelina Zadorsky got her own call-up to the Canadian National Team as it prepares for a June 10 friendly against Germany.

While there are no reports on the Canadian camp yet, we do know that U.S. players are supposed to be reporting this Friday, June 1, in advance of the Pride’s match against the Seattle Reign on Sunday. This means Orlando will go without both players as it battles another potential playoff team. If there's any consolation, the Reign will also be without two national team players as Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long will both be at camp as well.

I wrote this week about the issues that come with these call-ups. The idea of a national team camp in the heart of the season for friendlies seems a bit odd when it appears that it could have been avoided.

FourFourTwo’s Jeff Kassouf just wrote a fantastic article on the process of how Ellis and BJ Snow are managing player identification and selection, and I highly recommend taking the time.

Rachel Hill Taking Advantage in Whatever Role Given

I speak for many of us at The Mane Land when I say we are big fans of Rachel Hill and have been a bit shocked at her usage this season. While it was in a younger league, she came back from the Australian W-League this summer on a tear after garnering six assists and ranking third in the league with nine goals.

She’s been utilized as both a starter and super sub and got her third goal of the season in the onslaught 5-2 victory over Chicago this weekend. She’s taking her usage in stride though, as the second-year player is a part of an experienced attacking unit.

“I mean, everyone likes to play as much as they can so obviously I’d prefer starting,” Hill said with a smile. “Whatever’s given to me, I’ll take it. Whether I come off the bench or get the start, either way, doesn’t matter. Whatever my role is, I’ll take it and I’ll do the best I can.”

Here’s hoping for continued success and some more starts for Hill, who will be key this weekend with the absence of Alex Morgan.

Vote for Pride Players in Weekly Awards ; Dash Star Wins Player of the Week

Ashlyn Harris is up for NWSL Save of the Week and Sydney Leroux is up for Goal of the Week. Follow those links to cast your votes ASAP!

Also, Houston Dash Forward and English international Rachel Daly was named NWSL Player of the Week for her brace vs. the Washington Spirit.

USMNT Makes Roster Changes for Upcoming Friendlies

As expected, interim Head Coach Dave Sarachan made a fair amount changes in preparation of the U.S. Men’s National Team friendlies against Ireland and France. With tougher competition on deck, a few more veterans were added to the roster, which should help a team that still is carrying an average age of just over 23.

Seven total players departed while 10 were brought in for the trip. Notable departures include Christian Pulisic (a break that was well needed for him, I might add), Alex Bono, and Walker Zimmerman. The players added include veteran USMNT players DeAndre Yedlin and Bobby Wood. But there is plenty of youth here as well, and we’ll get Kenny Saief back in the side, as well as New York Red Bulls Tyler Adams and Tim Parker, as well as Luca de la Torre, a standout with the U-20s who plays for Fulham.

Cincinnati Officially Approved to Join MLS in 2019

MLS has found its 26th club, as it announced Tuesday that FC Cincinnati will join the league in 2019. In a statement, MLS Commissioner Don Garber noted:

“Major League Soccer is proud to introduce Cincinnati as our 26th team,” said Garber. “The rise of Cincinnati as a passionate soccer market in recent years, coinciding with the city’s growing economy and reputation as a top destination for young professionals makes it an ideal city for our growing league.”

It is not really a huge surprise as Cincinnati was considered a finalist in the recent expansion bids. The announcement of Miami had some worried but the club, which had been fantastic from a local support standpoint, finally got its invitation.

Interestingly, while Cincinnati was announced as the 26th club, it will actually enter in as the 24th. Nashville and Miami, which were announced in December and January, respectively, are both slated to join the league in 2020. This is a huge advantage for FC Cincinnati as it won't have to share assets in the expansion process, i.e. allocation spots, draft picks, expansion draft, etc.

Free Kicks

And I leave you with some interesting music news. If I told you a notable soccer TV personality was about to release an album, how long would it take you to get to this individual?

Not gonna lie. I’ll give it at least one listen on Spotify. Why the hell not?

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Lion Links: 7/14/26

Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

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1 hour ago

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July 14, 2026

By

Image of Marta looking for an outlet in action against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor

There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.

If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.

Marta Up for Weekly Honors

The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.

USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.

Previewing France vs. Spain

The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.

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

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Lion Links: 7/13/26

Pride and OCB win, Maxime Crepeau to compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, Latest MLS transfer roundup, and more.

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1 day ago

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July 13, 2026

By

Image of Marta blasting a goal from long range against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work, but I look forward to watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals and final this week. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Shut Out Kansas City Current at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday night, bouncing back from a tough outing at Angel City the previous week. After a scoreless first half, Marta scored the opener from long distance to give Orlando the lead. Hannah Anderson and Barbra Banda added a goal apiece as the Pride have won three out of their last four league matches. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse earned a clean sheet in her 100th appearance for the club. Orlando remains eighth in the NWSL table with 20 points. The Pride will be back in action at home Wednesday, taking on Boston Legacy at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins at FC Cincinnati 2

Orlando City B beat FC Cincinnati 2 by a 2-1 scoreline at NKU Soccer Stadium in Highland Heights, KY on Sunday. Issah Haruna’s goal gave the Young Lions the lead in the first half. In the second half, Cincinnati leveled the match, but Matthew Belgodere scored the winner on the road. That result pulls the Young Lions into third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings with 33 points, just one point off leaders Chattanooga FC. OCB will be away for another road test Saturday against Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium.

Orlando City Reportedly Submits Transfer Offer for Alex Moreno

Orlando City has reportedly submitted a transfer offer to sign Girona defender Alex Moreno. No agreement has been reached between the two sides, and conversations remain ongoing, according to reports. Moreno made 31 appearances for Girona last season in La Liga and recorded three assists. The 33-year-old left back remains under contract with Girona through 2027, but the club was relegated from La Liga to La Liga 2 last season. Several European clubs have also expressed interest in signing Moreno, including La Liga sides Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano.

Crepeau to Compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge

Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau will compete in the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge at Truist Field in Charlotte on July 28, the club announced Friday. The competition will feature top players from Major League Soccer and Liga MX competing to test their soccer skills on the pitch. Five skills challenge competitions are featured, including the All-Star Goalie Wars, All-Star Crossbar Challenge, and the MLS vs. Liga MX Relay Challenge. Each competition will crown its own champion this year, switching from the traditional MLS-versus-opponent format used in previous years.

Latest MLS Transfer Roundup

According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Sporting Kansas City has emerged as a potential option to sign former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

🚨🇪🇬 Sources: Sporting KC has emerged as top MLS suitor for Liverpool legend Mo Salah.Still a longshot of course, as sources believe he prefers Europe + Saudi very interested, but SKC the top MLS option now.More here with @paultenorio.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/743…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-10T19:35:14.046Z

D.C. United has reportedly acquired forward Nathan Ordaz from LAFC.

🇸🇻 BREAKING: D.C. United to acquire El Salvador international forward Nathan Ordaz from LAFC, per sources.Ordaz, 22, is a product of LAFC's academy. Made 98 first team apps. 9g/4a in 2,163 mins over last two years.Gets chance to earn more mins at D.C.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-12T13:55:49.973Z

Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders have reportedly traded defender Cody Baker to the New England Revolution.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Silvester van der Water has signed with Cambodian Premier League side Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC.
  • Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez, who plays Dani Rojas in the show, made his professional debut for USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive over the weekend.

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: 7/10/26

Duncan McGuire reportedly being traded, Orlando Pride host Kansas City tonight, Steve Cherundolo named U.S. U-23 men’s coach, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

July 10, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! The Orlando Pride are in action tonight and we also have an Orlando City B game on Sunday to look forward to. It’s been a bit of a hectic week on my end, but it’s at least helped make the U.S.’s World Cup loss feel like old news. Orlando City putting the Tampa Bay Rowdies to the sword in a friendly didn’t hurt either. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Reportedly Trading Duncan McGuire

Forward Duncan McGuire is reportedly being traded by Orlando City to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for $1.25 million in General Allocation Money, with another $1.15 million heading Orlando’s way if performance metrics are reached per Tom Bogert of The Athletic.

🇺🇸🟠 BREAKING: The Houston Dynamo to acquire forward Duncan McGuire from Orlando City, per sources.Orlando acquires $1.25m GAM + $1.15m GAM add-ons. ORL retains sell-on clause.Houston acquires new goal scorer, will fit seamlessly in Dynamo attack. www.nytimes.com/athletic/743…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-09T15:25:31.373Z

Selected by Orlando with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, McGuire has scored 29 goals across four seasons with the Lions. Injuries have plagued him in recent years, but let’s hope he can have a renaissance of sorts with Houston and hit those performance requirements if this move comes to pass. Orlando would be even lighter on options up top, but the money could help the club improve at a few positions.

Orlando Pride Host the Kansas City Current Tonight

Following a 2-0 loss to Angel City FC, the Orlando Pride will look to bounce back tonight when they host the Kansas City Current in the first meeting this season between the past two NWSL Shield winners. The Current are on a three-game win streak, with Michelle Cooper scoring twice in a 3-0 win over the Denver Summit last week. Temwa Chawinga also scored in that match to bring her tally to eight as she closes the distance on Pride forward Barbra Banda in the Golden Boot race. Hopefully the Pride can keep Kansas City’s offense in check and get back on track with a win at home.

Steve Cherendulo Named U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team Coach

U.S. Soccer appointed Steve Cherendulo as the head coach of the United States U-23 Men’s National Team as preparations begin for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Cherundulo is no stranger to success in the City of Angels, leading LAFC to a league title and MLS Cup victory in 2022 before winning the 2024 U.S. Open Cup as well. He represented the U.S. as a player starting at age 18 and played in three World Cups, which should be valuable experience to get these younger players ready to make an impact with the senior team. Tahir Reid-Brown, Justin Ellis, and Colin Guske are a few Orlando City players to keep an eye out for as possible Olympic roster candidates as they develop their games.

France Advances to World Cup Semifinals

France became the first team to secure its spot in the World Cup semifinals, beating Morocco 2-0. After a scoreless first half, Kylian Mbappe scored his eighth goal of the tournament to give France the lead and then provided the assist on Ousmane Dembele’s goal a few minutes later. While the offense is understandably grabbing headlines, the defense has now had a clean sheet in three straight games during this knockout phase. In the semifinals, France will take on whichever nation advances from today’s match between Spain and Belgium.

Free Kicks

  • Less than 24 hours after scoring for Orlando City in a friendly, Antoine Griezmann was in Boston for France’s World Cup match.
  • Crystal Dunn, who set records at Florida State University before her storied professional career, joined the Tallahassee Reckoning’s ownership group. The organization aims to provide more opportunities for youth soccer players and improve the pathway towards playing professionally.
  • English defender Jarell Quanash was given a two-game suspension for the serious foul play that earned him a red card against Mexico. He’ll miss Saturday’s quarterfinal against Norway and also England’s semifinal if it advances.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Pride!

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