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Lion Links: 6/23/18

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6 years ago

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Happy double match day, everyone! The Lions finally return home and look for revenge against the Montreal Impact tonight at 7:30 p.m. Hopefully the lads in purple can give Bobby Murphy his first MLS victory. Meanwhile, the Pride visit the Maryland SoccerPlex tonight at 7 p.m. to face the Washington Spirit.

But what about the time between now and then? How will you fill it? Well, you can go down and start tailgating soon but before then, let’s get caught up with what’s going on.

O’Neill is O’fficially O’fficial

What we mentioned on Thursday afternoon has become official, as Orlando City has announced the signing of center back Shane O’Neill to a three-and-a-half year-deal with club options. The 24-year-old former Colorado Rapids Homegrown Player should fill a much-needed depth role on Orlando’s back line for some time to come, and could possibly grow into a starting caliber defender down the road after learning from the likes of Jonathan Spector and Lamine Sané.

We are pleased to add Shane to our roster,” Orlando City SC general manager Niki Budalic said. “He is an athletic defender who is competitive and hungry to succeed. Shane’s experience in MLS and Europe in addition to various U.S. national teams will be valuable as we head into the second half of the season.”

Murphy: Players Bought in to Shape Change

The Lions came out in a 3-4-3 on Wednesday against D.C. United and it surprised a lot of fans. But Murphy said his decision to change the shape wasn’t unilateral. The interim gaffer talked to his players in advance to gauge their reaction to the change.

“It’s not something I went into just on my own,” Murphy said. “I think if you’re going to change things, you have to have buy-in. I’m a big believer of buy-in versus compliance. If it was something they weren’t comfortable with or didn’t feel good in, then it’s not something we would have done. The players were happy and I think it’s always important to have a ‘Plan B.’”

For the most part, I thought the change went well. We’ll find out tonight if Murphy sticks with it or tries something else against the Montreal Impact.

Orlando City U-18/19 Team Finishes Group Play

The young Lions completed group stage play at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs on Friday, defeating BW Gotschee, 1-0, on a goal by A.J. Seals. Orlando City finished the group stage with a 1-1-1 record and four points, finishing behind Real Salt Lake (2-0-1, 7 points) and Baltimore Armour (1-0-2, 5 points). It was a competitive group, with one goal separating RSL and OCSC in the opener. Baltimore Armour drew both MLS sides and beat BW Gotschee, which went 0-3-0 in the round robin. The top three teams could hardly have been more evenly matched but Real Salt Lake will move on to the knockout rounds.

I, for one, appreciate the pun, academy Twitter folks.

The U-16/17 side will face Barca Academy today at 4 p.m. A win for the baby Lions would leapfrog them to the top of Group H and into the knockout rounds. Barca can clinch the group with a draw or better. Elsewhere, the U-15 side beat down Internationals, 5-2.

Former Lion Talks About Career-Ending Injury

Sean St. Ledger, a former Orlando City center back, discussed with The Times the knee injury that cut his career short and what that experience was like for him.

“When I was 18 or 20 the older pros were saying to me, ‘It’s not a long career. You need to plan ahead’,” he says. “So obviously I didn’t listen to that. I thought it would last forever but it went so quick. For the majority of the time you’re having the time of your life, getting paid to do something you’d do for free. I never saw the end coming — not until I went back out to train after surgery and my knee would just swell up.

“It really hit me that I’m really struggling. ‘What if it doesn’t get any better?’ The surgeon told me that that might be it. There was no other surgery that could be done. ‘Wow, what am I going to do now?’ It’s difficult to prepare for that. When you spend your whole life — I started playing for Peterborough at nine — it’s such a difficult transition, it’s not easy to get your head around it. You can’t blame anyone who finds the transition difficult.”

St. Ledger has his coaching B license and is working on getting his A license. So it looks like a career on the sidelines may be in the cards for the ex-Lion.

Montreal Impact Waive Marco Donadel

When the Impact take the field tonight at Orlando City Stadium, a veteran face will be missing. The Quebecois club waived veteran midfielder Marco Donadel on Friday. The Italian has been an integral part of the Impact the past few seasons, but had made only two appearances in 2018 under Remi Garde. The 35-year-old scored three goals and added 10 assists for Montreal in 67 MLS games (61 starts) and produced three assists in eight MLS playoff matches.

Free Kicks

  • The Washington Spirit will be without Mallory Pugh tonight (and possibly without Rose Lavelle), but Orlando Pride gaffer Tom Sermanni says there are no easy games in the NWSL. And he’s right!
  • Don’t forget that tonight is a Pride in Our City match to honor and remember the victims of the Pulse nightclub shootings and to support vital community organizations.
  • USMNT defender Eric Lichaj has signed with Hull City, moving over from another Championship side, Nottingham Forest.
  • Those born on this date include “Bow-Tie Bill” Torrey (1934), the man who was architect of four New York Islanders Stanley Cup teams and helped build the Florida Panthers. Bill died last month and it’s a shame. I spent some time with the Panthers’ front office and Bill was a legend but he treated everyone like they were important. Others born on this day include Academy Award-winner Frances McDormand (1957), writer/filmmaker Joss Whedon (1964), French football legend Zinedine Zidane (1972), former NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira (1976), Jason Mraz (1977), football’s LaDainian Tomlinson (1979), and The Big Bang Theory’s Melissa Rauch (1980).

That’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. Get yourself a device to watch the Pride match on while you’re at the stadium cheering on the Lions tonight! We’ll have full coverage of both matches, though due to the nature of them both occurring at the same time, it’ll be…well…interesting.

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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: 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

By

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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