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Lion Links: 6/17/18

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6 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: 11/15/24

Barbra Banda speaks about playing alongside Marta, USMNT beats Jamaica, international soccer roundup, and more.

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12 hours ago

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November 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I hope the week hasn’t been too rough on you as we gear up for what should be an exciting weekend. There aren’t too many plans lined up for me, but I’m still looking forward to being able to relax a bit over the next few days. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to our favorite Beefy Swede, Robin Jansson!

Barbra Banda on Playing With Marta

It’s an understatement to say it’s been a fantastic year for the Orlando Pride, and NWSL MVP finalists Barbra Banda and Marta have been major reasons for the team’s success. Marta has been with the Pride since 2017 and is thriving in what may be the twilight of her legendary career. Meanwhile, it’s Banda’s first year with the Pride and she’s taken the league by storm alongside Marta. In an interview with Futbol W, which is co-hosted by former Pride player Ali Krieger, Banda spoke about how motivating it is to play with the greatest women’s soccer player of all time.

Battle of the Rebuilds in NWSL Playoffs

Of the four teams remaining in the NWSL playoffs, only NJ/NY Gotham FC was in the playoffs last year. Not only are this year’s semifinalists a testament to how much things can change each year, but it’s also an interesting showcase of the different ways clubs can build a team capable of winning in this league. The Pride capped off a patient and smart rebuild by signing international players like Banda, while the Current have benefited greatly from adding Temwa Chawinga. After winning the NWSL Championship last year, Gotham added several American stars like Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn in free agency to do it again. Meanwhile, the Washington Spirit have leaned on a strong rookie class and other young players to reach this point.

USMNT Beats Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team got its quarterfinal series started with a solid 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston. Ricardo Pepi scored the lone foal of the game early on with a nice strike after a silky smooth assist from Christian Pulisic. Matt Turner came up with a great save on a penalty kick in the first half, earning a clean sheet the hard way. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable victory for Mauricio Pochettino and the Yanks, but winning on the road in Concacaf is hardly ever comfortable. The two teams will reconvene in St. Louis on Monday with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Keeping Up With International Soccer

The U.S. obviously isn’t the only nation taking part in the international break, with teams all around the world in action. Paraguay arguably had the biggest win of the day, beating Argentina 2-1 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Venezuela also had a decent result, drawing 1-1 against Brazil in a match that included a missed penalty by Vinicius Junior.

In 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Uganda, and Gabon all booked their tickets to next year’s tournament after the latest round of matches. Saudi Arabia and Australia battled to a scoreless draw in AFC World Cup qualifying, while South Korea moved closer to qualifying after a 3-1 win over Kuwait that featured Son Heung-min’s 50th international goal. There weren’t too many surprises in the UEFA Nations League, with England cruising past Greece and Italy beating Belgium. France was held to a scoreless draw against Israel but still qualified for the quarterfinals.

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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: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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November 14, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

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

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Lion Links: 11/13/24

Orlando City’s international call-ups, Orlando Pride playoffs preview, NWSL Awards voting opens, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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November 13, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City might have to wait a week to continue its playoff journey, but the Orlando Pride do not. The Kansas City Current are coming to town this Sunday for the third meeting between these NWSL heavyweights this year, and I will be there. I hope you will make it to Inter&Co Stadium to show this Pride club how much we appreciate all they have done this season in their final home match of the season. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions on International Duty

Several Orlando City players received call-ups for this international break, including Facundo Torres for Uruguay. Additionally, the following also got the call: David Brekalo with Slovenia, Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena for Peru, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for Iceland, and Favian Loyola for Chile’s U-20 squad. All we can hope for is they all stay healthy and in form. Orlando City’s next opponent, Atlanta United, also had several players called up.

The NWSL Playoffs Continue

The Orlando Pride will face the fourth-place Kansas City Current this weekend after decimating the Chicago Red Stars Friday. There’s been a lot of drama between these two clubs, making this an intriguing semifinal match. The other match sees the second-place Washington Spirit take on third-place NJ/NY Gotham FC. While we get to enjoy seeing the Pride continue their NWSL playoff run, many clubs are now watching from home and working on next season’s campaign.

NWSL Award Voting Open

The NWSL has opened the “fans voting round” for its 2024 end-of-season awards. There are several Pride players who were named finalists, including Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, Kylie Strom, and Anna Moorhouse. Of course, Seb Hines is up for NWSL Coach of the Year in what should be a foregone conclusion. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and submit your vote here. This is your chance to make a difference for Hines and these Pride players who have given so much this season.

Pepi is Ready

The USMNT will play its first competitive match under Mauricio Pochettino against Jamaica Thursday night in the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series. The U.S. doesn’t have a ton of options at forward, meaning Ricardo Pepi will likely get the start. The PSV striker said he feels he’s “ready to be the man.” It’s been years since anyone locked down the starting role up top for the USMNT. Let’s hope that Pepi is indeed ready.

Free Kicks

  • In unsurprising news, Charlotte FC’s Kristijan Kahlina was named 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Orlando fans are all too familiar with how good Kahlina is in goal. Honestly, Khalina is a very deserving winner.
  • England’s squad will look very different this international window with eight players out due to injury, including Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
  • The UScpMNT match scheduled for today has been postponed due to inclement weather.
  • Coventry City has its eye on Frank Lampard as a possible replacement for Mark Robins as manager.
  • We have unfortunately seen the last of Memphis 901 FC. It is a sad day, as we’re unlikely to see such a cool name with whatever Santa Barbara comes up with.
  • We’re sad to share that FC Cincinnati’s Marco Angulo passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates.
  • Finally, I leave you with Ally Watt solving a Rubik’s Cube.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s playoff match against the Kansas City Current. Vamos Orlando!

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