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Lion Links: 6/7/18

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8 years ago

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Hey, Mane Landers! Hope you are all having a great week and have a great rest of the week as well. We are about a week away from the World Cup in Russia and personally I am very excited. With my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates starting their usual decline and the NBA Finals and NHL Finals basically over, soccer is the sport to watch for me. Anyway, let’s get into the Links for today.

Orlando City Defeats Miami United FC. 3-0

Orlando City got its U.S. Open Cup run started with a bang, defeating NPSL side Miami United FC, 3-0. The game got off to a slow start for both teams but Stéfano Pinho opened the scoring in the 37th minute, assisted by RJ Allen. The Lions dominated from the beginning and came out of the gates hot in the second half which led to numerous chances. Dillon Powers netted his first goal in all competitions for Orlando in the 53rd minute while Victor PC Giro made the score 3-0 on a goal nine minutes later. Both goals were assisted by Sacha Kljestan. The game got chippy as the second half continued and Orlando City pulled out the 3-0 victory to advance to the fifth round of the USOC. Orlando City will wait for its fifth round opponent and move back to MLS action on Saturday against Vancouver Whitecaps.

Lions Look to Get Back on Track On Road Trip

While mired in a losing streak, Orlando City has a lot of traveling to do in the next two weeks. Including last night’s match against Miami United, the Lions have to travel nearly 8,000 miles from Miami to Vancouver to Montreal before returning home to Orlando City Stadium on June 23.

“These trips are fun,” midfielder Sacha Kljestan said before training Tuesday. “When you get away for a little bit you go to a few cool cities, you usually have one or two nights on your own to get out and get some dinner and take off the Orlando City gear and put on some normal clothes and just be bonding. It’ll be good for us.”

Orlando will take the entire roster to Vancouver and Montreal, creating good signs for players who have been hindered with injuries such as Lamine Sané and Jonathan Spector. Amro Tarek also returned to the club last night for the first time since the 2-1 loss to Toronto FC. Many players and the coaching staff believe that a strong road trip can give Orlando a good push to get back into the playoff contention discussion. The team has been streaky this season, but a win-streak right now would be the perfect time for the Lions to gain much needed confidence back heading into the back part of the season.

Three Orlando Pride Matches to Air Nationally on ESPNews

The NSWL announced that ESPN will broadcast six NWSL matches throughout the remainder of the season with one game a week. Each game will replace the original start time and be played in the evening, replacing the Lifetime broadcast.

The Orlando Pride are scheduled on ESPNews against the Washington Spirit twice and Utah Royals FC. The Pride will play the Spirit on June 23 and July 7. Orlando will play Utah Royals FC on July 14 on ESPNews to wrap up their stint on ESPN. All three of these games will be available for viewing on the ESPN app, with a pregame show before each match covering NWSL news and analysis. This is big news for the NWSL as the league has not aired live on ESPN since 2014 — before the Orlando Pride were even founded.

Earnie Stewart Named USMNT General Manager

Philadelphia Union sporting director Earnie Stewart was officially announced as the USMNT general manager on Wednesday. Stewart takes over the position that was just created and will begin the search for the next USMNT head coach. The position was created after the crushing loss to Trinidad and Tobago to help find a better method to fill the head coach position.

Stewart has familiarity with the USMNT, making 101 appearances for the squad while playing in three World Cups for the U.S. He immediately went to front office work after his playing days, starting as a technical director for Dutch Club VVV Venlo and ending up as the Philadelphia Union’s sporting director in 2015 after numerous stints with other clubs.

It will be interesting to see how Stewart starts this new era for USMNT soccer and hopefully lead the club into a bright future.

U.S. U-17 Women Throttle Bermuda

The United States U-17 women booked a spot in the Concacaf championship semifinals with a 10-1 demolition of Bermuda on Wednesday. The tournament resumed in Bradenton, FL, after being pulled out of Nicaragua earlier this year but the U.S. didn’t miss a beat. Eight different players scored for the U.S., with Maya Doms and Sunshine Montes each netting a brace. The U.S. showed good balance, scoring five goals in each half. The Yanks will face Canada on Friday in the final group play match.

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  • The Ali Krieger Sports Complex has its Grand Opening this weekend.

  • Rog from Men in Blazers is officially an American.

Rog is now an American. It took four generations and over 30 years of dreaming. But he is now as American as Barbecue, Freedom, and Neil Diamond. This film is one new immigrant's story. A bit like Scarface. 🇺🇸

Posted by Men In Blazers on Wednesday, June 6, 2018

After the win last night, I have optimism that the victory over Miami United FC can push Orlando back in the right direction and the Lions must use that momentum against Vancouver this weekend. The Lions have been streaky, but lets hope they get on the right side of a win streak. Have a great rest of your day and week! Cheers!

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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.

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  • 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: 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

By

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.

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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

on

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.

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

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