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Lion Links: 6/24/18

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7 years ago

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Howdy, Mane Landers and happy Sunday! I trust that everyone’s been having a swell weekend, and if not, turn it around baby! We’ve got beautiful football at our fingertips basically every single day right now, and personally, I can’t get enough of it. I’m watching Mexico play South Korea as I start this column, and man, it’s tough not keeping my eyes glued to the other side of my browser…but I shall persist, I shall push through, because who else would be here to serve up your Sunday helping of Lion Links? There are quite a few of them, too. Bon appetite, folks.

Lions Fall Again to the Montreal Impact, 2-0

With interim head coach Bobby Murphy continuing to tinker with the lineup, the Lions came out in a 3-4-3 like they did Wednesday. Unfortunately for the Lions, the Impact took the full three points in Orlando City Stadium, winning 2-0, and the boys in purple have now fallen to a seven-game losing streak in league play. Michael Citro was on hand to recap the match for you.

The coverage will continue today with Guilherme Torres’ player grades and our bearded guy’s five takeaways.

Pride Take Down the Spirit on the Road, 1-0

My oh my, Alanna Kennedy. It didn’t take the Pride long to put one on the scoreboard in their away trip to Washington, and the way in which it occurred was just absolutely bonkers. Kennedy, operating out of the defensive midfield, intercepted a pass in the midfield, picked her head up and saw the Spirit’s goalkeeper off of her line, and launched a rocket that fell just behind the keeper and into the back of the net: that’s sure to be a candidate (if not winner) of the NWSL Goal of the Week.

It was her golazo that was the difference between the two sides. Marcus Mitchell has your in-depth match recap.

World Cup Goals and Physics: Don’t Defy, but Rely

In an insightful interview with John W.M. Bush, Ph.D. in Geophysics from Harvard, Chris Greenburg of SB Nation prodded the applied mathematics professor of MIT for information regarding how physics has affected some of the golazos we’ve been gifted with as World Cup supporters throughout the years. The common cliche is that a beautiful goal “defies physics,” but as John emphasized in his interview with Chris, they actually rely on physics.

“They shouldn’t say it defies the laws of physics,” he reminds us, “it just relies on relatively subtle physics that is well documented in the literature by now.”

He goes into depth with how several factors affect the resulting trajectory of a shot or cross, and even offers analysis of individual instances of goals, explaining exactly how physics has affected each spectacular goal. He covers both contemporary and historical memorable moments, and his knowledge and insight (especially since he was a player himself at some point in time) is truly compelling, and I’m grateful I was directed to the interview.

Meet Jay Taylor, Bringing Orlando City’s Supporters News…in England

Jay Taylor is a lot like you and I. He’s a die hard Orlando City supporter that doesn’t miss a clip of Lion action…but he’s completely different from you and I in one or two major ways: he lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and is one of the most trusted and established sources of OCSC news, mostly delivered through his popular Twitter account, @AllOrlandoCity. As detailed in an interview with UCFB, his alma mater, Taylor speaks on the difficulties of covering the Lions from across the pond.

“The time difference makes it extremely tough. The earliest kick-offs are usually 10pm UK time, but they are quite rare. The normal kick-off time is 12:35am, but it can go even later than that with the latest being 3:30am! Having a full-time job in social media which sees me work lots of hours in the day can make it challenging to run this channel. I get great interaction from the fans on social media and they seem to enjoy what I do and that makes it worthwhile for me. I also feel if you work hard enough you will get to where you want to be one day. I want to work in soccer media in the US and I hope to actually call Orlando my home one day.”

Cheers, Jay. I hope you get to call Orlando your home one day too.

A Brief World Cup Recap

Yesterday was a doozy…in the best type of way. The World Cup fixtures on the day began with Belgium’s 5-2 win over a resolute and surprisingly strong Tunisian side where the scoreline truly doesn’t reflect the way in which the match unfolded. Regardless, Belgium has all but clinched a spot in the Round of 16. Meanwhile, Mexico continued their excellent start to the tournament, downing South Korea, 2-1, in what became a fantastic back-and-forth match that was wide open for large chunks of play. That win moves them closer to punching their ticket to the Round of 16, too. And finally, the final match on the day, Germany vs. Sweden, was a crucial one for Germany, and boy did Die Mannschaft pull the proverbial rabbit out of their hat at the last minute, as Toni Kroos’ goal from an indirect set piece gave them the lead and win within the closing seconds of the match. Germany is still alive, folks.

Free Kicks

  • Props to one of my favorite Lions, Scott Sutter, for representing and honoring Orlando Police’s fallen heroes on his way into Orlando City Stadium prior to yesterday’s match. You’re the man, Scott (and I’ve found myself rooting for Switzerland during their group stage matches because of you).

  • Toronto FC and USMNT striker Jozy Altidore is nearing a return to training following a surgery on May 8 to remove bone fragments in his foot. Good for you Jozy, just don’t score on Orlando City when the two sides meet up in July, please.
  • A plane carrying Peru fans from Yekaterinburg to Tyumen in Russia experienced engine failure, causing smoke to billow into the cabin. The pilot landed the plane safely with one engine.
  • Los Angeles FC star Carlos Vela’s sound spot kick helped his side win Mexico’s second consecutive World Cup match — it was an emotional goal for the striker too, as he dedicated the goal to his grandfather who passed away just last week. Well done, Carlos. Make em’ proud.
  • FC Dallas has announced that it is already moving on from off-season acquisition Anton Nedyalkov, transferring him to Belgium side Ludagarets.
  • Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has become the first player in World Cup history to score a brace in consecutive World Cup matches since Diego Maradona did so back in 1986. Others who have achieved such a rare feat include Brazil legends Garrincha and Pele, Englishman Gary Lineker, Argentina’s Mario Kempes, German striker Gerd Muller, and Portugal’s legend Eusebio.
  • Speaking of Gary Lineker…need I say more?

  • Egyptian talisman Mohamed Salah has been granted honorary citizenship by Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. So, that’s a thing.
  • Great news is coming out of Jose Enrique’s camp, as word has spread that the ex-Liverpool defender is successfully recovering from surgery relating to a brain tumor. Cheers, Mr. Enrique.
  • And here’s an interesting (yet likely deflating to Germans) statistic that came from Germany’s 1-0 loss to Mexico…all I have to say is “Wow.” Vamos Mexico! Give me a hard time all you want, but I’m proudly supporting El Tri and I always have, except when they’re facing the USMNT or doing absurd things out of spite.

What a weekend, eh? That’s all I have on tap for you folks for now, but be sure to check back in with The Mane Land habitually as we keep you updated on Jason Kreis’ eventual replacement, OCSC and Pride news, World Cup updates, and all things soccer that you need to know about. Have an excellent week, Mane Landers. It shouldn’t be that tough: we have another week of mouthwatering World Cup fixtures ahead!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

on

April 18, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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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: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 17, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

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  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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 4/16/25

Orlando Pride on top, OCB falls to Inter Miami II, USMNT eyes Gold Cup, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

April 16, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I know I’ve said it before, but I love that I can always find soccer to watch. Whether it’s UEFA Champions League or the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, or anything in between, I love it. I’m willing to bet you love it too. Speaking of love, we want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City Designated Player Luis Muriel. Let’s get to the links.

All the Rankings

With the win over the Seattle Reign, the Orlando Pride stayed perfect on the season. It was enough for the Pride to remain on top of the standings and also at the top of numerous power rankings. All for XI kept the Pride at No. 1 with a shoutout to Anna Moorhouse, SI.com did the same, while noting Summer Yates’ injury, and Goal.com completed the sweep. The Pride also landed at No. 8 in Opta’s global power rankings for women’s clubs. Strangely, the Kansas City Current were two spots above on that particular list.

OCB Falls to Inter Miami II

Orlando City B traveled to IMG Academy to take on Inter Miami II Tuesday night. The Young Lions went down early on the road, but were able to equalize thanks to a goal from Tahir Reid-Brown. Unfortunately, Inter Miami scored two more goals before a penalty in second-half stoppage time gave OCB a slight lifeline. It was not enough as the team fell 3-2 to their in-state foes.

Generation Adidas Cup Matchups

Orlando City Academy’s U-18 squad won Group J in the Generation Adidas Cup. Now the team will face St. Louis City SC 2 in the Round of 16. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the younger generations of players in Orlando City’s system, here is your opportunity.

U.S. Eyes Gold Cup

We’re about two months out from the start of the Concacaf Gold Cup and it feels like a must-win for the USMNT given recent results. Winning an eighth Gold Cup title will not come easily. Naturally, all eyes fall on Christian Pulisic to lead the squad, though not everyone thinks he should be the pick for captain. Tyler Adams is looking for more belief from his teammates heading into the competition.

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

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