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Lion Links: 7/8/18

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8 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: 3/6/26

Leagues Cup schedule unveiled, Orlando Pride sign Reagan Raabe, USWNT prepares for Colombia, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

on

March 6, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a hectic week but I’m looking forward to spending the weekend enjoying some soccer and visiting my family for a birthday. Hopefully Orlando City can get a win on the road on Saturday and bring points back to the City Beautiful. Before we get started, we want to give a shout out to “Flip,” the latest subscriber at the TAM Player level in our Buy Me a Coffee membership program. Thanks for your support and welcome to The Mane Land family! Now, let’s jump right into today’s links!

Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Schedule Revealed

The schedule for this summer’s Leagues Cup is out and we now know which Liga MX teams Orlando City will play against. All three of Orlando’s games in the first phase of the tournament will be at Inter&Co Stadium, starting with a match against Monterrey on Aug. 5. The Lions will then take on Club Leon on Aug. 8 before playing San Luis on Aug. 12. Of the 18 MLS clubs taking part in the Leagues Cup, only the top four will advance to the knockout stage. Last year, the Lions went unbeaten across their four matches against Mexican teams before falling in the semifinals and the third-place match.

Orlando Pride Sign Reagan Raabe 

The Orlando Pride signed forward Reagan Raabe to a short-term contract that will last through June of this year. The 24-year-old has been with the club throughout its preseason as a non-roster invitee. Raabe joins the Pride following a collegiate career with the University of Nebraska, recording four goals and six assists in her final season after missing a couple of years due to injury. Hopefully she can continue to impress the coaching staff and make an impact this year.

Analyzing Colombia Ahead of USWNT Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play Colombia on Saturday in the final game of this year’s SheBelieves Cup. Colombia lost 4-1 to Canada in its first match but bounced back with a 1-0 win over Argentina. One of the top nations in South America, Colombia finished second in last year’s Copa America and boasts a versatile attack that does well with possession or in transition. The U.S. will need to limit Real Madrid forward Linda Caicedo as much as possible. The 21-year-old has scored in both of Colombia’s games this tournament and has the talent to create opportunities out of seemingly nothing.

WAFCON Postponed Until July

The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which was set to begin on March 17, has been postponed until July 25 and is set to last through Aug. 16. This decision comes amid reports that Morocco wished to withdraw as the tournament’s host and it’s unclear at this time if Morocco will still host it later this year. Many NWSL players are impacted by this change, including Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, whose Zambian side will face Nigeria, Malawi, and Egypt in the group stage. The tournament doubles as qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with the quarterfinalists directly securing a spot in Brazil next summer.

Free Kicks

  • We have some rumored numbers to put to how much Orlando City was offering to pay Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann. Even if the move doesn’t come to pass, I can appreciate the club taking a big swing.
  • Nothing is official yet, but the United States Men’s National Team’s jersey for the upcoming World Cup may have been spotted in the wild. It looks like the Waldo kit with a twist, literally.
  • Toronto FC officially added center back Benjamin Kuscevic on loan from Fortaleza in Brazil’s second division.
  • Walid Regragui stepped down as Morocco’s head coach with only a few months to go before the World Cup. Mohamed Ouahbi will take over for Regragui and it will be his first time coaching a senior team.
  • Relegation is growing into a real possibility for Tottenham, which lost its fifth-straight match after a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
  • Cristo Fernandez, who plays Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso, made a splash with a pair of goals in an exhibition match while training with Chicago Fire II.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links: 3/5/26

Antoine Griezmann reportedly pausing move to Orlando City, USWNT beats Canada, Portland Thorns hire Robert Vilahamn, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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March 5, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against Inter Miami.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Hopefully Orlando City and Orlando City B can turn things around this weekend after recent losses. If not, then we’ll have to start looking into ritualistic ways to turn the city’s luck around. I have an Etsy witch on speed dial if need be. But for now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Antoine Griezmann Transfer Saga Rolls On

Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has reportedly pressed pause on a potential move to Orlando City before the MLS transfer window closes on March 26. Any and all news should be taken with a daily dose of salt, but it would still be nice if the rumor mill was spinning in the other direction on this move. It would not be surprising to me if Griezmann chose to see out the rest of this season with the Spanish club, which remains in contention for silverware. I’ll hold out hope until the deadline passes, but this transfer may have to wait for all sides to return to the negotiation table in the summer. Only time will tell, but Orlando at least reportedly has his discovery rights.

U.S. Shuts Out Canada in SheBelieves Cup

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada 1-0 in Columbus in Wednesday’s SheBelieves Cup match. After a scoreless first half, the U.S. took the lead in the 55th minute thanks to a goal from Ally Sentnor off of a corner kick by Rose Lavelle. It was another shutout victory for the U.S. and the team has not conceded a goal in its past seven matches. The USWNT sits alone atop the standings and will play its final match on Saturday against Colombia, which beat Argentina 1-0.

Portland Thorns Hire Robert Vilahamn

With a little over a week to go before the start of the NWSL season, the Portland Thorns have named Robert Vilahamn as their next head coach. He joins the Thorns after two years with Tottenham’s women’s soccer team and led the English club to the FA Cup final in 2024. Vilahamn replaces Rob Gale, who parted ways with Portland in November after a 2025 season that included a third-place finish in the NWSL standings and an exit in the semifinals of the playoffs.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

American midfielder Yunus Musah came off the bench and scored the equalizer for Atalanta in a 2-2 draw with Lazio in the Italian Cup semifinals. That’s back-to-back appearances with a goal for the 23-year-old and hopefully this will lead to some more playing time for him. In other European cup action, Real Sociedad secured its spot in the Copa del Rey final by beating Athletic Club 1-0, with Head Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo making history in the process.

Americans clashed in the French Cup quarterfinals, with Mark McKenzie and Toulouse winning a penalty shootout against Timothy Weah and Marseille to advance. Folarin Balogun was named Monaco’s Player of the Month after scoring four goals in February.

Free Kicks

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: 3/4/26

Orlando City reactions, an Orlando Pride scavenger hunt, U.S. National Team news, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

March 4, 2026

By

Image of Angelina preparing to take a shot against Gotham FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Did you know the NWSL season is almost upon us? I’d all but forgotten since we haven’t really heard much from the Orlando Pride, but that changes today — sort of. If recent soccer events have you feeling down, just remember that we’re supposed to get season four of Ted Lasso sometime this summer. That’s pretty cool, right? Until then, let’s get to the links, but not before we wish Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reflects

I know you want to move on from Sunday’s match between our beloved Lions and Inter Miami. I also want to put it behind us, but it’s my job to share information on the club. We did learn some things from the post-match presser. The coaches and players are as disappointed with the result as we are, but Oscar Pareja rightly took some positives from the loss while acknowledging the challenges facing the team — injuries mostly — are still no excuse. I think Marco Pasalic summed it up nicely when he said, “Now we have to train more, do everything we can to win the next game, and stay positive. I’m not positive at all right now, but I will be.” I also hope to get to positive before the next match, but we’ll see.

Scarf the City is Back

We’re not far out from the start of the NWSL regular season and we finally got some news from the Orlando Pride. No new signings, or training updates, or anything like that. Instead, the club announced that the Scarf the City scavenger hunt is back. The event will kick off at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10. There will be 3,000 scarves hidden throughout the city, including the return of some golden scarves. Those are worth four season tickets for the 2026 season. Good luck for those who are participating.

USMNT News

The 2026 World Cup is only months away, meaning it’s a good time to take a look at the state of the USMNT. There will be a lot of pressure to perform as hosts, and how far this team goes in the competition will be highly scrutinized. We know that the final roster will be announced at the end of May.

There are players like Yunus Musah who are still hoping to make the squad even though he hasn’t received a call up since Concacaf Nations League back in March 2025. Meanwhile, Noahkai Banks is still trying to decide if he will represent the U.S. or make the switch to represent Germany.

USWNT Notes

USWNT supporters were rightfully worried when Trinity Rodman was injured in second-half stoppage time on Sunday against Argentina. Rodman was holding her lower back after Milagro Martin fouled her. Fortunately, USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes said that Rodman is fine and fully training for the next SheBelieves match against Canada. That match is tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Columbus, OH.

Free Kicks

  • West Ham United’s Adama Traore has been banned from lifting weights at the training ground by manager Nuno Espirito Santo. If anyone doesn’t need to put on more muscle it’s Traore.
  • Former Orlando City center back Antonio Carlos was fined by the MLS Disciplinary Committee after not leaving the field quickly enough after his red card.
  • Toronto FC is shoring up the center back position with Chile international Benjamin Kuscevic. Must be nice.
  • The Antione Griezmann drama continues. Take stuff like this with a big grain of salt, given that both clubs, the player, and his manager are all negotiating the particulars. In other words, don’t panic.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against New York City FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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