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Lion Links: 7/8/18

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6 years ago

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Howdy, Mane Landers, and happy Sunday. I hope the weekend has been treating you well. I’ve been on vacation (from my real job) since July 3 and it’s been refreshing to…let me cut the bullshit, it’s been awesome. I truly love my job and the people that I work with, but it’s always nice to take a few days off and relax a bit (when I say relax, I really mean sleep in. play soccer, and go to Orangetheory Fitness classes — which are excellent, but I digress).

I’m actually looking forward to heading back into the office on Tuesday: a place where there are true football fans aplenty…and all of our brackets fell apart early. I’m not sure where I stand at the moment compared to my opponents, but I have my $5 at the ready because a Brazil-Spain final sure ain’t happenin’ this go round.

Any who, here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links. Enjoy!

Orlando City Travels to Los Angeles in James C’Connor’s Debut

It was a late one for supporters here in Orlando and on the East Coast as the Lions traveled across the Continental United States to face MLS newcomers Los Angeles FC with an 11 p.m. kickoff. James O’Connor’s first lineup in charge of the Lions was an interesting look that featured Josué Colmán on the left flank, Dom Dywer up top, and Chris Mueller on the right. It was an unfortunate debut for O’Connor, as his Lions side lost for a ninth straight league match, 4-1. Of course, VAR was back at it in disallowing a Dom Dwyer equalizer, ruling Justin Meram offside. There’s no doubt going to be a lot of upset supporters with what seems to be a trend in being on the wrong end of VAR rulings, but hey, this is Orlando.

Also be sure to keep an eye out later today for Guilherme Torres’ five takeaways and our bearded guy’s player grades and Man of the Match.

Orlando Pride Come Back Against the Washington Spirit, 2-1

The Pride welcomed the Spirit into Orlando City Stadium last night in an affair that saw the Pride trailing early as Ashley Hatch put the Spirit up with a 25th minute header. The energy was high from the Pride in response though, and they were determined to leave their stamp on the match. Sydney Leroux brought it level just before the break with a good turn and shot to the near post. Marta provided the comeback heroics. Brandon Turton has your in-depth match recap.

World Cup Update: Semifinals are Set

I’m starting this one by saying that this is personally, already, the greatest World Cup I’ve ever witnessed (my first was Japan/South Korea in 2002). Throughout this entire tournament, and even throughout qualifying for some of these sides, miracles have been seemingly in abundance. For Russia yesterday, the miracles finally ran dry. Through 120 minutes of heart racing play, close calls, and injuries, it was Croatia that emerged triumphantly as they beat Russia on penalties, 2-2 (3-4).

The other quarterfinal yesterday, England-Sweden, was an exhilarating affair that saw England’s Harry Maguire score his first international goal with a first-half header. Dele Alli also notched a header of his own in the second half, and England advances to a semifinal where a tired Croatia side (see above) will be waiting for them.

A World Cup with 48 Countries?

It’s hard to start thinking about the 2022 World Cup when we’re still in the magnificent throes of the current tournament, but Qatari organizers of the 2022 World Cup have stated that they’re open to conversations over altering the format of the tournament in order to host 48 teams, rather than the current number of 32. Qatar, which believes they could host the potential 48-team tournament alone, holds the ability to essentially veto the plan — as FIFA has ruled that the host country’s consent is a precondition to the expansion. The country is excited about the prospects, but also hold caution in the case that it won’t be beneficial to the hosts.

“If we feel that it’s not in favor of us or of football, we won’t go for it,” (Nasser) Al Khater said at the opening of a Qatari hospitality house in Moscow’s Gorky Park. “If the format of a 48-team World Cup is an exciting format, and it doesn’t follow the traditional type of format, yeah, why not? It might add an exciting new element. Maybe it’s a sudden death, one game sudden death and you’re out, and maybe it happens before the rest of the teams come,” Al Khater said.

While a sudden death scenario is unlikely, the talks are in the works. Personally, I don’t see it happening. Europe’s top leagues have pushed back against the idea of losing another weekend of fixtures in November to accommodate World Cup matches, so adding days to the existing format won’t work. Squeezing in those additional matches at this juncture, just four years out, seems impossible if not unwise. That being said, Al Khater has also acknowledged that all preparation for their hosting of the 2022 tournament has been focused on accommodating 32 teams, not 48.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Antonio Nocerino has officially joined Benevento Calcio, of Italy’s Serie B. Cheers and best of luck, Antonio!

  • The U-20 Women’s National Team beat Brazil, 2-1, in their final preparation match before the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and before head coach Jitka Klimkova selects her 21-player roster for next year’s tournament hosted by France. The team will be considered among the strongest contenders to take the Cup.
  • Looks like Mexico’s Hirving Lozano’s World Cup exploits were noticed by some of Europe’s elite, as Manchester United is set to offer up £35 million to PSV for his services. Though something tells me they’ll need to shell out a lot more than that, especially once other clubs voice their inevitable interest.

  • England’s motorways were absolutely deserted yesterday (likely for approximately an hour or two) due to a wide majority of the nation being stuck to television sets to watch their national team beat Sweden, 2-0, and advance to the hallowed semifinal.
  • Speaking of England and their national team, a vehicle company has commissioned professional artists to recreate scenes from the country’s Round of 16 win against Colombia…using the dirt that’s built up on their white vans. The vehicular masterpieces include depictions of Jordan Pickford’s essential penalty kick save in the shootout, Harry Kane in celebration, and the three lions crest with a second star; symbolizing the chance that England has in bringing the cup back home for just the second time in their storied history.
  • Brazilian talisman Neymar has stated that his country’s exit to Belgium in the Round of 16 was the “saddest moment” of his career.
  • Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is “proud” of his country’s heroes and deep run in the tournament, according to a spokesperson of the Kremlin (had to put that last part).
  • Young American and Manchester City prospect Erik Palmer-Brown has been loaned to Eredivisie side NAC Breda. The answer to the quiz question: Earnie Stewart, the soon-to-be USMNT general manager. He played for the club from 1996 to 2003.

  • The General Secretary of the Swiss Football Federation made comments recently that are very likely to spark debate. He believes that a player with dual citizenship should only be permitted to play for a country if they drop their second nationality. The reason? His fear that prospects could benefit from his country’s youth development programs only to bolt for other national teams when the time comes.

That’s about it for me today, folks. Enjoy these World Cup semifinals that are bound to live up to expectations; France-Belgium on Tuesday and Croatia-England on Wednesday, both kick off at 2 p.m. ET.

Have an excellent week, Mane Landers. Push through Monday, and then we’re all smooth sailing into next weekend’s third-place match on Saturday (10 a.m. ET), and then the World Cup final on Sunday (11 a.m. ET). I just don’t want it to end.

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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.

Published

12 hours ago

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November 15, 2024

By

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.

Free Kicks

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

on

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

on

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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