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Lion Links: 6/6/18

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8 years ago

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It is another Wednesday here at The Mane Land and I am currently reporting to you from Houston, TX for no other reason than that I was sick of the rain in Florida. So I plan on enjoying some quality new breweries (for me) like St. Arnold, hoping my Cavs might actually win a game, and maybe hunting down J.J. Watt and fanboy a bit.

Today we’ve got a look at tonight’s Open Cup match vs. Miami United FC, a look at why Orlando City is struggling, and Pro Soccer USA evaluates the big trades from the off-season — including the Sacha Kljestan deal. We’ve also got updates on Pride Month events and some interesting free kicks as always.

Orlando City Begins U.S. Open Cup Play Tonight

The Lions kick off their U.S. Open Cup play down in South Florida tonight against Miami United FC. Miami United has won three matches to get to the point of facing its in-state brethren in the fourth round of the competition. And if you're unfamiliar with Miami United FC and the NPSL, you can catch up here.

If you’re not familiar with the tournament, the Cup is a domestic competition where clubs from all professional leagues — including MLS, NPSL, USL — and amateur leagues alike compete for a piece of silverware and a place in the Concacaf Champions League. The age-old question is whether to prioritize this competition over the regular season and MLS playoff potential. Orlando has never really gone for it in this tournament since its USL days. With a lot of injuries and a tough run of form lately, I’ll be intrigued to see what type of lineup Head Coach Jason Kreis puts out there.

Some of us here think that any silverware should be the priority and that this event has the best chance for the Lions to garner some. Others believe the MLS playoffs, somewhere City hasn't ventured, have to be priority No. 1. I guess we’ll see tonight where the club stands on the season’s priorities.

Who is the Real Orlando City?

Benjamin Baer of MLSSoccer.com wonders about the cause of the Lions’ struggles over the past four matches. He does take a quick dive into some pretty geek-driven stats if you’re into expected goals and such. He touches on a lot of the obvious things with strength of schedule and injuries as well. Simply put: If Orlando was healthy, it probably doesn’t see four straight losses. Plain and simple. But it goes to show that a season will be up and down and Kreis may need to look to the transfer window for some additional help.

However, there are still 21 matches to go! That’s right, we are barely one-third of the way through the schedule and Orlando basically hasn't had its full team available at any point and still sits above the cut line with a game in hand. So take solace in that and breathe.

If MLS wants to knock Orlando down to No. 17 in its power rankings, so be it. I like this team with its back against the wall and with no one believing. The good news is that Kreis has stated the entire squad will be traveling this week minus Yoshimar Yotún who is on World Cup duty with Peru. So it looks like we’ve got the band back together and should see many of them this week against Miami, Vancouver, and Montreal.

Haley Kopmeyer Takes Save of the Week

In her first start of the season, backup goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer took the NWSL’s Save of the Week with this nice save and parry over the bar to preserve a shutout this weekend.

I will fully admit that I voted for the Emily Boyd’s fantastic save on the 1-v-1 in space, but it doesn't matter what I think. The fans have spoken.

Additional awards were:

Congrats to everyone on their weekly awards. In other news, the Pride stayed at No. 3 in the NWSL power rankings.

Orlando Supports Pride Month in a Variety of Ways

If you did not know, it is Pride Month across the country — an annual celebration of tolerance and acceptance for all, but namely those in the LGBTQ community. Orlando’s community, which includes its soccer fan base, has never been shy about its support, especially after the tragic events of the Pulse shooting. The city is bonded in this cause with a booming voice nationally.

Orlando City, in my opinion, has been a benchmark for professional franchises with its support. Orlando City and Pride will be supporting the local event on June 12 to remember those lost in the tragic events with a few additional activities:

  • The stadium will open its doors on June 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4-6 p.m., allowing fans to visit the 49 permanent #OrlandoUnited rainbow seats.
  • They will be releasing designated Pride merchandise on June 11, the proceeds from which will go back to five pride organizations.
  • Each organization will receive a unique ticket link available here, with $5 from every ticket purchased at each link donated to the respective nonprofit.

Please show your support in any way you can. To be honest, click here if you don’t want to support this and really give it some thought.

Sacha Kljestan Trade Evaluated After 11 Matches

Tutul Rahman from Pro Soccer USA takes an early look at MLS’s biggest off-season deals as we enter the second third of the season. One of the biggest deals obviously involved Orlando City and the New York Red Bulls in a blockbuster move for midfielder Sacha Kljestan. A reminder of that deal: Orlando City got Kljestan and $150,000 in General Allocation Money; New York Red Bulls got Carlos Rivas and Tommy Redding.

Again, this is very early in the season to be looking at this, especially considering how young Rivas and Redding are, but one can say that Orlando is certainly winning this deal if you must evaluate it today. Rahman brings up some good stats that have Kljestan projecting to have a better season in 2018 than 2017. Sacha may not be living up to the Designated Player impact level, but he's still there. However, Redding and Rivas are not contributing on just about any level.

Redding has been dealing with a labrum injury preventing him from getting minutes even at the club’s USL team, RBII, after a dreadful 90-minute showing in his only MLS match, while Rivas has only appeared in five matches to date. Maybe neither team is getting true value on the salaries, but at least Kljestan is on the field.

Free Kicks

  • Jordan Culver (ProSoccer USA) sat down with Jose Villarreal — acquired from LA Galaxy this season — on his first minutes of the season.
  • Yaya Touré going on the Pep Revenge Tour. I love it. Come on over to the Red Devils, sir.
  • FourFourTwo ranked every World Cup Kit. I vehemently disagree with Nigeria not being No. 1 and, considering it sold three million units in minutes, so do the fans.
  • And finally, I leave with a video of from the GK Nation. While it didn’t amount to much, I still enjoy any time a keeper wants to have a little fun.

That’s it for today! Have a great rest of the week. Find yourself a new beer like I’m doing. And just pray your sports teams win. Because really, what else can you do? Cheers!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

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October 23, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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