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Lion Links: 7/1/18

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7 years ago

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Happy July, Mane Landers. The heat is sweltering, the rain is random, and the humidity is borderline oppressive…but we do live in Florida, so this is to be expected. I trust that you’ve all been having a great weekend, maybe some of you are in preparation for your Fourth of July plans?

It should be a nice and relaxing break on my end, so I hope you all enjoy your plans, family, and friends in this time of patriotic celebration. It would have been much cooler to be celebrating this weekend with a Round of 16 fixture featuring the USMNT, but alas, we don’t have that. Regardless, it’s been a fantastic treat to have the World Cup back in our lives. Not only that, but there’s been obviously club-altering decisions announced with the appointment of the new head coach, James O’Connor. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the club, and I hope the supporters are patient and show their full support. We’ll see what happens.

Anyway, here’s your Sunday serving of Lion Links, Mane Landers. Enjoy.

Lions Drop Eighth Straight MLS Match

In what was interim head coach Bobby Murphy’s last match in charge, the Lions started on the back foot but were solidly in the game at halftime before getting blown out, 4-0, at Atlanta United. The game was pretty much summed up with Will Johnson missing a wide-open empty net from just a few yards out. The team has been shut out in three straight MLS matches, getting outscored 9-0 in those games.

  • Scott Crumbly has your match recap.
  • Ben Miller dished out player grades and Man of the Match.

Also keep an eye out for our very own bearded guy’s Five Takeaways this afternoon.

Pride Drop 3-0 Home Match vs. North Carolina Courage

The Pride did their best imitation of the Lions, turning the ball over three times in a four-minute span and watching all of them turn into North Carolina Courage goals in a 3-0 home loss. The Courage were the better side, but Orlando also couldn’t finish, rattling the woodwork twice — once via Marta and once through Alex Morgan. Scott Carnevale has your match recap and highlights.

Jason Kreis Says Goodbye to Orlando City

After taking some time to decompress, former OCSC gaffer Jason Kreis posted his goodbye to Orlando City on Twitter yesterday.

The things that stick out are his obvious regrets about not getting to see this season through as he was let go just as guys were returning from injury and prior to Yoshimar Yotún’s return, as well as his class in thanking literally everyone involved in his time in Orlando.

Orlando City’s New Head Coach to be Missed in Louisville

James O’Connor will be missed tremendously in Louisville, that’s for sure. Speaking briefly at the official groundbreaking ceremony on FC Louisville’s new stadium, O’Connor emphasized his gratitude for the opportunity granted to him by the city, even going as far as to state that he wanted his gratitude “on record.” His message was well received, and his legacy of bringing silverware to the city will never be forgotten. Now he’s on to bigger and better things, and the supporters would be wise to throw their full support behind him as he makes his transition into the nuances of coaching an MLS club.

O’Connor’s old club built a 2-0 lead but fell behind New York Red Bulls II last night, before dramatically pulling back a late equalizer in his final match in Louisville. The game ended in a 3-3 draw.

World Cup 2018: The Round of 16 Begins

Well folks, the Round of 16 is here. It started with fireworks, too, as France came back from a second half deficit to win a thriller against Lionel Messi’s Argentina side, 4-3. Kylian Mbappe was truly the star of the show though, as his brace was crucial in his country’s triumph. France (which I picked to win it all in our bearded guy’s World Cup piece) advances to the quarterfinals now, and will play Uruguay; which was carried by Edison Cavani’s brace to a 2-1 win over Portugal. Cavani may have picked up a knock in this one though, so that’s something to keep an eye on in the quarterfinal.

Today’s fixtures include Spain (which I have winning the tournament in my office bracket pool) playing Russia, and Croatia (my secret dark horse) playing Denmark. Ah, what a time to be alive. This tournament still feels wide open, and I love it.

Free Kicks

  • Think you’ve got what it takes to play professional soccer? See below.

  • Christine Nairn…I love you so much. Just keep being you, please. You’re a role model in so many ways.

  • France star Mbappe is donating his World Cup earnings to a charity, Preiers de Cordees, a charity that aims to organize sporting activities for children with disabilities. Kudos and cheers, Kylian, especially after yesterday’s breakout performance!
  • FC Cincinnati has formally announced a timeline for the construction of their new stadium in Cincinnati’s West End. The name of the stadium and its official capacity has yet to be revealed, but a range of 21,000-30,000 seats was unveiled. FC Cincinnati will begin its MLS journey in 2019, but the stadium isn’t expected to host matches until 2021.
  • FIFA is planning on reviewing the current rule that decides a tie in a World Cup group stage — much like the one that occurred in Group H between Senegal and Japan — which saw Japan advance because of fewer bookings over the course of their matches. FIFA has already indicated that the measure is unlikely to change.
  • Brazil will be without Douglas Costa and possibly Marcelo (my favorite player still playing) for the clash against Mexico in the Round of 16.
  • After Argentina’s Round of 16 exit at the hands of France, 4-3, Javier Mascherano has urged global superstar Lionel Messi to remain with the national team and not make any rash decisions about international retirement. Messi has yet to win a major tournament with Argentina. Mascherano, however, has retired from international duty, along with Lucas Biglia.
  • Russian and Mexico are the latest countries to be he hit with fines due to their supporters. For Russia, the country was fined $10,100 for the display of a discriminatory banner by the team’s fan base. For Mexico, it was a $15,149 fine for crowd disturbance during their 3-0 loss to Sweden.
  • I’ll end with this excellent Sydney Leroux reaction to a recent booking.

Only beggin’ that I do is me beggin’ your pardon.

A post shared by Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) on

Well, that’s all that I’ve got for you today, Mane Landers. Remember to check back in periodically for news and updates regarding all things Orlando City and Orlando Pride. See you next time, folks, and have an excellent week; and enjoy this beautiful World Cup!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a terrific Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

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

Published

2 days 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.

Free Kicks

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

3 days ago

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April 1, 2025

By

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.

Free Kicks

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

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