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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

Lion Links: 10/7/24

Orlando City wins on the road, Ramiro Enrique up for Player of the Matchday, Orlando Pride lift the NWSL Shield, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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October 7, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy working at Under Armour and spent my birthday yesterday catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while. For our clubs in action, Orlando City and the Orlando Pride won, while OCB lost over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Beat FC Cincinnati On the Road

Orlando City defeated FC Cincinnati 3-1 at TQL Stadium on Saturday. Ramiro Enrique scored early on, but FC Cincinnati equalized just before halftime. Ivan Angulo scored for Orlando in the second half, and Enrique added his second of the match to secure all three points for the Lions. It was Orlando’s third straight win and the team is fourth in the Eastern Conference table with 52 points. The Lions are off this weekend but will return to action on Oct. 19 at home against Atlanta United for their final game of the regular season.

Ramiro Enrique Up for Player of the Matchday

Orlando City forward Ramiro Enrique was nominated for MLS Player of the Matchday for his performance in Cincinnati.

Enrique scored two goals and also assisted on Angulo’s goal to lift the Lions to victory against one of the league’s best teams. The 23-year-old has scored in three of Orlando’s last four matches and has eight goals to his name this season. Other players in the running for MLS Player of the Matchday are Cucho Hernandez of the Columbus Crew, Simon Becher of St. Louis City SC, and Santiago Rodriguez of New York City FC.

Orlando Pride Win the NWSL Shield

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 2-0 at Inter&Co Stadium to clinch the NWSL. It’s the first trophy in club history and the Pride extended their unbeaten run to 23 matches as well. After a scoreless first half, Marta scored from the penalty spot to put the Pride in front and an own goal by defender Tara McKeown off a shot from Adriana gave the Pride a 2-0 lead to seal the win. Orlando is atop the NWSL table with 57 points and has a 10-point cushion over the Spirit with three games left this season. The Pride’s next match will be on the road against the Portland Thorns on Friday. Enjoy this moment of the Pride celebrating winning the NWSL Shield as their historic season continues.

Pride Players Named to NWSL Best XI of the Month

Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, defender Emily Sams, and forward Marta were named to the NWSL Best XI of the Month for September. This is the second time that Moorhouse has been named to the NWSL Best XI of the Month this season. She registered four clean sheets in five matches last month and made 18 saves as well. Moorhouse also set a new league record with 12 shutouts. Sams also made her second appearance on the NWSL Best XI of the Month. She played in all five matches, won five tackles, and had six interceptions in 450 minutes of play. It’s Marta’s first time on the NWSL Best XI this season, and she scored twice in September to keep Orlando’s offense rolling. All three played vital roles throughout the season to help the Pride keep their unbeaten streak alive.

OCB Falls to FC Cincinnati 2 On Decision Day

Orlando City B lost 3-1 to FC Cincinnati 2 at TQL Stadium on Sunday, falling short of clinching a home playoff match. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime before Alex Freeman pulled one back in the second half. Gerardo Valenzuela completed his hat trick to give Cincinnati its third goal and the win. With OCB’s defeat, Inter Miami CF II took the Southeast Division title, and OCB dropped from third to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. With the regular season over, the Young Lions will have to wait and see if Cincinnati, Philadelphia Union II, or Miami will choose them as their opponent in the first round of the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. If OCB isn’t chosen, it would travel to face Chicago Fire FC II, which finished fourth in the East.

Free Kicks

  • Marta’s contract with the Pride expires at the end of the season, and she told The Athletic ($) she wants to continue playing professional soccer for at least two more seasons.
  • USMNT and Borussia Dortmund winger Giovanni Reyna is dealing with a setback in his recovery from a groin injury suffered last month. There is currently no timetable for his return.
  • Tanner Tessmann, Brandon Vazquez, and Alex Zendejas were called into camp for the USMNT’s upcoming friendlies against Panama and Mexico. Folarin Balogun, Johnny Cardoso, and Tim Weah have all withdrawn from the team due to injuries.
  • Christian Pulisic scored another goal for AC Milan, as he found the back of the net in his team’s 2-1 loss to Fiorentina in Serie A action. Pulisic has scored six goals across all competitions for Milan this season.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links: 10/4/24

Luis Muriel named to the Team of the Matchday bench, Orlando City B and Alex Freeman earn recognition, Angel City FC disciplined, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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October 4, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! All three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action this weekend and there’s plenty of reasons to watch them. It should be an exciting next few days to say the least, and it’s still kind of crazy to believe that the Orlando Pride could clinch the NWSL Shield on Sunday. Let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Luis Muriel Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Orlando City forward Luis Muriel landed on the MLS Team of the Matchday bench for his role in the team’s 2-1 win at home against the Philadelphia Union. The 33-year-old came off the bench in the second half and assisted on both of Orlando’s goals in one of his best performances as a Lion. While it’s a bit disappointing that no Lions were named to the starting lineup of this Team of the Matchday after winning, it’s a testament to how the Lions have been able to find goals in a variety of ways as of late. Hopefully Muriel can keep this momentum rolling as the Lions finish out the rest of the season.

Orlando City B Named MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month

After winning all four of its games in September, Orlando City B was deservedly chosen as the MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month. The Young Lions did well on both sides of the ball last month, outscoring opponents 11-2 in that four-game stretch. Forward Jack Lynn scored three goals in September, but right back Alex Freeman was the star of the show and was named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month. The 20-year-old contributed to seven of the team’s 11 goals last month with four goals and three assists.

“It’s an honor to be Player of the Month and I’m glad I could showcase my talent in this league, but more importantly help my team succeed and gain momentum going into the playoffs,” Freeman said. “Vamos Orlando!”

MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day Looms

The final matches of the MLS NEXT Pro regular season will all take place on Sunday afternoon as teams aim to qualify for the playoffs and jockey for positioning. OCB can’t finish any higher than third in the Eastern Conference, but it can secure hosting in the first round and the right to choose its opponent when it takes on FC Cincinnati 2. Nearly every game between Eastern Conference teams on Sunday can also impact OCB’s path forward. There are still five playoff spots up for grabs, so it should be an exciting day. The Western Conference has one playoff spot still to be claimed and five teams in contention, with none of them facing each other.

Angel City FC Disciplined For Salary Cap Violation

The NWSL has imposed disciplinary actions after an investigation into a salary cap violation by Angel City FC. The club has been docked three points this season and fined $200,000 for five side letters with players that weren’t disclosed to the league and affected multi-year agreements. As a result, Angel City exceeded the salary cap by approximately $50,000 for four weeks this season. President Julie Uhrman and General Manager Angela Hucles Mangano were also suspended from conduct related to player transactions for the rest of the year. It’s a strong statement by the league and Angel City is now 12th in the standings with 19 points.

USWNT Will Take On the Netherlands Abroad

The United States Women’s National Team will play its final game of 2024 in the Netherlands when it takes on the Dutch on Dec. 3. The last time these two sides faced off was in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup, with Lindsey Horan equalizing in the second half of a 1-1 draw. This match will come three days after the USWNT plays against England at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30. Both of these friendlies are against strong European opponents who were not at the Olympics this summer. We’ll see if Head Coach Emma Hayes can keep the USWNT firing on all cylinders to close out the year.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride midfielder Luana on completing her chemotherapy!

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links: 10/3/24

Orlando City wins at home, Eastern Conference playoff picture update, USMNT roster announced, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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October 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

One of the best parts about Orlando City winning a midweek MLS match is that it makes the rest of the week feel much less like a slog. Having all three of Orlando’s soccer teams performing well is both unfamiliar and pretty great. Let’s dive right into Orlando’s win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Beats the Philadelphia Union

Orlando City hosted the Philadelphia Union and claimed all three points in a 2-1 win. Luis Muriel came off the bench and changed the game after a scoreless first half, continuing his strong run of form as of late. The Union pulled one back, but the Lions held on for their sixth straight win at home in league play. The Lions remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with two games to go. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday with a tough road match against FC Cincinnati.

Eastern Conference Playoff Races Tighten

Although the regular season nears its end, the MLS playoff picture didn’t get much clearer after the midweek matches across the league. New York City FC beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 and the New York Red Bulls won 4-1 against Toronto FC, meaning both teams are still just two points behind the Lions in the standings. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte FC clinched a spot in the playoffs after winning 4-3 against the Chicago Fire. Inter Miami also won the Supporters’ Shield with a 3-2 road win over the Columbus Crew. D.C. United’s Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to lift his team to a dramatic 4-3 win over Nashville.

Mauricio Pochettino Names His First USMNT Roster

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino called up 25 players for his first training camp at the helm. The roster includes plenty of familiar faces, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Ream. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in the fold, joining Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, and Ethan Horvath. Midfielder Giancarlo Busio was also called up for the first time this year. The USMNT will host Panama in a friendly on Oct. 12 in Pocchettino’s first game in charge before a friendly with Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara.

Keeping Up With Champions League Action

The second round of matches in the Champions League wrapped up and there were some interesting results to enjoy. Despite a red card to goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 59th minute, Juventus mounted a comeback to win 3-2 on the road against RB Leipzig. Mo Salah had a goal and an assist in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Bologna. In the heavyweight match between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, Jhon Duran beat Manuel Neuer from distance to give Aston Villa the 1-0 win. It was a rough day for the Spanish clubs, as Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Lille, Atletico Madrid fell 4-0 to Benfica, and Girona was beaten 3-2 by Feyenoord.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL unveiled the redesigned NWSL Shield and MVP trophies, which were handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. Hopefully, the Pride can secure some of this brand new silverware on Sunday, because it is gorgeous.
  • The live show where MLS NEXT Pro playoff teams choose their opponents will take place on Monday. Orlando City B has already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but Decision Day on Sunday will determine if the Young Lions will get to pick which team they’ll face in the first round. The top three teams in each conference get to choose an opponent, with the fourth-place team facing whichever club is left over.
  • Ahead of his team’s clash with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez stated that he won’t have a player take the field until they are “100% available.” Spirit forward Trinity Rodman may miss Sunday’s game due to the back injury she suffered last month.
  • Former Portland Timbers defender Modou Jadama has unfortunately passed away. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all affected.
  • Senegal sacked Aliou Cisse as its head coach, with the federation citing a government request not to renew his contract. In his time as head coach, Cisse helped Senegal win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the past two World Cups.
  • A section of Atletico Madrid’s stadium will be closed for three games due to fan behavior in the club’s derby match against Real Madrid.
  • Brentford has been off to a hot start in each of its past three English Premier League matches, scoring in under 40 seconds each time out. Although Brentford didn’t end up winning any of those games, it’s still an impressive feat. Someone should tell the Bees they’re allowed to score after the first minute.

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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