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Lion Links: 6/17/18

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7 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers! With the World Cup in full swing, I find it difficult to express my pure joy for life right now, especially with that Portugal vs. Spain thriller going down the way it did in the most dramatic of fashion. Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat trick lifted his country to a well-earned draw with the Spaniards, while Lionel Messi’s failure to finish from the spot mired his country in a 1-1 draw against a far out-matched Iceland team.

Iceland held on for what may be one of the country’s most memorable World Cup results, and the stats really show you how incredible the feat was.

Meanwhile, France opened their account with a 2-1 win over Australia, Peru (OCSC’s Yoshimar Yotún’s home country) fell 1-0 to Denmark, and Croatia downed Nigeria, 2-0.

I’ve been so distracted by these enthralling World Cup matches that I’ve barely had the chance to reflect on the firing of Orlando City Soccer Club’s now former head coach, Jason Kreis. It doesn’t feel prudent to me. Why make this change now, after a franchise-record winning streak was on tap just a few weeks back?

It baffles me, and it worries me as a supporter. I want a coach that has the opportunity to install their system, acquire their preferred personnel, and then is given time to iron out the kinks over the course of the season’s journey to the playoffs. I would have been much more understanding of a sacking come the end of a playoff-less season, but these sorts of changes mid-season are good for nobody involved, and I can only hope that the next manager appointed to the hot seat is treated better, by both club and supporter. Things take time. But hey, that’s just me. (More on this later.) Who might replace Kreis? Well, Taylor Twellman says the Lions want to go Brazilian.

Scolari will turn 70 this fall.

With that said, here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links:

Orlando Pride Defeat Sky Blue FC

Amidst the star power of the World Cup fixtures currently behind held in Russia, the NWSL had a major match last night that featured some of the world’s best women footballers pitted against each other on the same pitch. The Orlando Pride hosted Sky Blue FC in a bout that saw Alex Morgan, Marta, Carli Lloyd, and a plethora of world-class ladies take the field in an exciting match that ended in a 3-2 Pride win. Our very own Scott Carnevale has your in-depth match recap.

Be sure to check back later for Michael Citro’s five takeaways from the match and a photo gallery from the game.

Inchy on Kreis Firing

Original Orlando City boss Adrian Heath called the firing of Kreis a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ by the club.

“They’ve had a complete roster overhaul, a third of the season in, they’re above the playoff line. I think it’s a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction,” Heath said. “When you’re on that six-game losing streak, it’s not nice for everybody, and I get that. Ownership groups not just in Orlando but all over the U.S., it’s not a nice feeling, and with social media now, the pressure mounts up on the coach because everybody’s an expert. People who’ve never been involved in football have their little five minutes of fame because they’ve got a blog … and unfortunately, people listen.”

I’m not sure bloggers have quite that much power, but it’s understandable that Inchy would feel that way given that he was let go by Orlando City while a spot out of the playoffs and Kreis’ 2018 squad was still above the line.

Yoshimar Yotún and Peru Fall to Denmark, 1-0

In what turned out to be a surprisingly physical World Cup opener for the Danes and Peruvians, Denmark held on to a second-half lead to put the match away and gain its first three points of the tournament. Orlando City’s Yotún was, as usual, impressive on the day and served as a lynch pin for the Peruvian midfield. Unfortunately, La Blanquirroja were unable to capitalize on a bevy of chances, one even coming from a spot kick that Christian Cueva sent into Russian airspace. Denmark has won four of its five World Cup openers, while Peru is winless in seven straight World Cup fixtures, notching its last win in 1978. Despite the poor result, mlssoccer.com’s Dylan Butler wrote up a nice piece on Yotún’s performance, noting that he was one of the best players for his country on the day — and the stats don’t lie.

Peru and Yotún next face off against a stacked France side on Saturday, June 21 in Yekaterinburg.

Sam Stejskal’s Perspective of the Jason Kreis Sacking

Stejskal, a well-informed and talented sports journalist over at mlssocccer.com wrote up his thoughts on the firing of Orlando City’s second-ever MLS head coach, and if I may say, I completely agree with his assessment. As I mentioned earlier, the timing of the move really doesn’t make sense, and Stejskal’s assertion that the firing indicates that the club lacks a long-term vision is something that, personally, bothers me greatly. As Stejskal states in his piece, Kreis was given full control over the off-season moves, bringing in what was essentially a brand new team with a core of 14 fresh faces. He was given just 15 matches with that new group before he saw the chopping block. To be fair, head coaches are brought in and paid the big bucks to produce results. Even Kreis himself said that in an interview following his final match in charge of the Lions. Here’s his response following the defeat to Montreal when asked if there were any positives from their Canadian road trip:

“Zero. Zero points means zero positives really. I still think we’re doing some things right in the game but at the end of the day, we get paid to get points and we didn’t get the job done.”

Unfortunately for Kreis, he didn’t “get the job done,” and he won’t be getting paid to get points anymore. At least not by Orlando City. *sigh*

Philadelphia Union and Levi’s Partnership Adds Pride Patch to Collection

In honor of Pride Month, the Philadelphia Union and Levi’s have added a Pride patch to their growing collection of patches that supporters are able to use to customize their personal Levis clothing. The partnership — just one of three in existence between Levi’s and soccer clubs on the planet, the other two being France’s Paris Saint-Germain and Germany’s St. Pauli — is a unique way for the club to engage with their supporters. The club and apparel partnership is also adding patches that celebrate Military Appreciation Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and even rivalry matches. Cheers, Union and Levi’s. Classy move.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations are in order to Orlando City right back RJ Allen: she said yes!

  • Brazil’s manager Tite claims that superstar striker Neymar still isn’t quite 100%, but fully expects him to start and perform well in their opener today (the only questionable Brazilian right now is Fred, who is working his way back from an ankle injury).
  • After Iceland’s impressive draw against powerhouse favorite Argentina, why not check out what your Icelandic name would be? Personally, I’m Álekór Ingi Pierceson, and I love it. Check out how to find your own Icelandic name here.
  • Lionel Messi feels responsible for the shock draw with Iceland, blaming the negative result on his surprising miss from the spot.
  • Despite the opening round loss, Peru and Yotún will have an endless source of support from Orlando City and his teammates, and former Orlando City players, back in Central Florida.

  • And if you’ve made it this far, here’s one more for fun:

If we’re talkin’ MLS, I’d probably go green, swapping (insert best Lion here) for Sebastian Giovinco. If we’re talkin’ any other sporting league, I’m probably going orange and building the future. Which button are you pressing?

Well, that’s about all I’ve got for you this beautiful World Cup Sunday. Keep in check with The Mane Land for more news and updates, and then enjoy today’s fixtures: Costa Rica vs. Serbia, Germany vs. Mexico, and Brazil vs. Switzerland: the latter of the three almost guaranteed to live up to their lofty expectations of explosive offensive showings. You’ve got some great football to witness today, Mane Landers…make sure you do so.

Other than that, have a great week! Try your best not to let your boss catch you eyeing the matches too often…and definitely don’t stand up and celebrate when your country puts one in the back of the net. That might look weird to your co-workers.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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20 hours ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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March 31, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.
  • That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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