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Lion Links: 7/11/18

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Hello, everyone. Hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday. As you are reading this I am probably in the air, as I am traveling to Minnesota for the College Media Mega Workshop. Fun fact: I have never been out of the Eastern time zone, so this is a very new experience for me. Lots of news today, so let’s get straight to it.

Mohamed El-Munir Feels Confident In Versatile Role

Mohamed El-Munir has been a solid addition to the Lions since his first match in March. He has shown off his skills at left back but he has also been placed in the midfield in various lineups throughout the season. Against LAFC, El-Munir was subbed on for Chris Mueller in the 64th minute, which happened to be the first time the traditional left back was placed in an attacking position.

“I don’t see a big difference, you know?” El-Munir said. “Especially if I’m going to be on the left side. As a left back, I go more often into the attack. I’ve played in this position before. That’s what I don’t have a problem with it.”

El-Munir did play well after coming on for Mueller, constantly pressuring the LAFC defense and taking a shot on goal as well. This has to give some relief to new Head Coach James O’Connor in knowing that he has such a versatile player who is willing to play where he helps the team the best.

Defensive Depth Being Tested Yet Again

Orlando City saw some defensive players sidelined at training on Tuesday.

Sutter has missed a good chunk of the season with injury issues and Sané has been working himself back to 100%. Spector, who recently came back from his concussion injury, was out of training with a hamstring injury sustained early in the 4-1 loss to LAFC this past Saturday. Shane O’Neill will be available for selection for the first time in a Lions uniform against Toronto FC this weekend. The defense of Orlando City has struggled during this losing streak and with three quality defenders out of training, the struggles may continue. Sutter, Sané, and Spector are all regular starters, so seeing them come back to 100% would be a huge boost for a back line that could use some confidence. But the depth of the center backs will be tested while they are sidelined and time will tell how they handle the pressure.

Pride Begin Road Trip Tonight Against Dash

After a 2-1 victory over the Washington Spirit just a short four days ago, the Pride will begin their two-game road trip tonight against the seventh-place Houston Dash. The Pride are currently riding a club-record six-game unbeaten streak away from Orlando City Stadium that began over two months ago. The Pride have a 4-0-2 road record over that span.

This match will be the first match that the Dash play at home in over two weeks after three straight road matches, including a 2-1 victory over the Pride on June 27. The two teams have each won a game against each other with this one being the rubber match between the two. After setting a club record with 31 shots in a single game, we will see if the Pride can continue their dominance away from home.

In other Pride news, Marta’s goal was voted as the NWSL Goal of the Week.

World Transfer News

Amid weeks of speculation, Real Madrid announced Tuesday that Ronaldo officially agreed to a transfer to Italian side Juventus. The club had this to say about his exit.

For Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo will always be one of his great symbols and a unique reference for the next generations.  Real Madrid will always be your home.

Ronaldo is arguably one of the best footballers to ever play — not only for Real Madrid, but overall. He is the leading scorer in the club’s history with 451 goals over 438 games. He helped lead the Spanish powerhouse to 16 titles over his tenure and picked up four golden balls and three golden boots for his individual achievements.

Along with Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez officially inked his transfer from Leicester City to Manchester City, another move that has been teased for awhile. The 27-year-old signed for five years and moves to the Premier League champions after winning a title with Leicester City in 2016. Mahrez has 39 goals and 27 assists in 139 EPL appearances.

“Watching them from afar has been a pleasure. Pep is committed to playing attacking football, which is a perfect for me, and City’s performances last season were outstanding. They’re redefining the English game and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Fernando Torres also moved away from his tenure with Atlético Madrid while also passing on an MLS move to go to Sagan Tosu of the J1 League in Japan. Torres had been teased to go to the Chicago Fire for awhile now but the deal obviously never came to fruition leading to Torres taking on the J1 League in likely the final step of his career. Torres has enjoyed a lengthy and successful career with Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and AC Milan.


Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando City assistant coach C.J. Brown is now with the New York Red Bulls amidst coaching changes for the club.
  • France and Belgium played the first of two World Cup semifinal matches with France coming out victorious after Samuel Umtiti’s header in the 51st minute. France awaits the winner of today’s match between England and Croatia.
  • All 12 boys and their head coach from the Wild Boars soccer team in Thailand were safely rescued from the flooded cave that trapped them on June 23.
  • Akil Watts’ signing with Real Club Deportivo Mallorca adds to the U-17 USMNT pro list.


Hope you guys enjoy your Wednesday and have a great rest of the week.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.

  • 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

Lion Links: 3/28/25

Orlando Pride prepare for the San Diego Wave, NWSL weekend matches, USMNT roster predictions, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We made it to Friday! Celebrate however you see fit, whether that’s an indulgent breakfast or just your favorite cup of coffee. This week has flown by a bit for me and I’m looking forward to a weekend filled with soccer. I’ll be spending the next few days working, reading a new book or two, and working out the kinks of making a frozen coconut mojito. My blender hates me. Let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the San Diego Wave

The Orlando Pride will look to extend their 2025 win streak to three games — and their overall win streak to seven — on Saturday when they host the San Diego Wave at noon. Orlando has looked the part of a defending champion so far, leading the league with eight goals without conceding a single one in two games. The Pride will take on a revamped San Diego team that is unbeaten under Head Coach Jonas Eidevall. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how Orlando will need to set the tone early on at home against the Wave and keep up the momentum.

NWSL Provides Entertaining Slate of Weekend Matches

While it’s far too early to think about the NWSL Shield race, it never hurts to check out how the Pride’s competitors are doing while enjoying some great soccer. Tonight features a pair of matches at the same time, with the Washington Spirit hosting Bay FC and the Houston Dash playing on the road against NJ/NY Gotham FC. Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga will have a chance to tie her own record of scoring in eight straight games when her team plays the Utah Royals on Saturday. On Sunday, we’ll get to see if the Seattle Reign’s solid start continues against an unbeaten Angel City FC team searching for its first win of the season.

USMNT Roster Predictions for Concacaf Gold Cup

The pressure is on United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino to turn things around after a rough showing in the final four of the Concacaf Nations League. This summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup will be an opportunity for the USMNT to impress in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, and Pro Soccer Wire dove into how the roster could look for the tournament. Injuries to Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun complicate things up top, but we could see Brenden Aaronson or Alex Zendejas could return to the attack. The Gold Cup will likely also determine which goalkeeper between Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, and Patrick Schulte emerges as the true starter. Players like Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman, and Johnny Cardoso are other notable names to keep an eye out for leading into the tournament.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Kick Off This Weekend

Only eight teams remain in the FA Cup and the action returns with enticing quarterfinal matchups. Preston North End is the only team outside of the English Premier League still fighting, but Manchester City is the only traditional giant left in the field as well. City will face off against a Bournemouth side that beat it 2-1 back in November, while Preston will have to get past Aston Villa, which has only won two of its last eight games. Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood’s injury adds an obstacle to overcome when the team travels to play Brighton and Hove Albion. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace gets star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta back from injury for its clash with Fulham.

Free Kicks


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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/25

Marco Pasalic wins Goal of the Matchday, Orlando Pride members join U.S. U-23 camp, Orlando City B beats Crown Legacy FC, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We’re another day closer to what should be an awesome Saturday, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride in action. All three of Orlando’s soccer teams have been doing well lately, which is not something we can say too often. Hopefully that trend continues this weekend and beyond. Let’s get to today’s links!

Marco Pasalic Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

An Orlando City player has won MLS Goal of the Matchday for the first time this season, with Marco Pasalic claiming the award for his strike against D.C. United. The goal was a real team effort from the Lions, as all three Designated Players linked up to get the ball up the field in a hurry for a counter. Pasalic did well to create space and then curl the ball into the back of the net from distance. His goal garnered 64.7% of the vote, beating out goals from Daniel Rios, David Martinez, and Deandre Kerr. In his first year as a Lion, the Croatian winger has already recorded four goals and an assist so far.

Pride’s Zara Chavoshi and Yolanda Thomas Join U.S. U-23 Camp

Orlando Pride defender Zara Chavoshi was called up for the first U-23 United States Women’s National Team training camp of the year, which will run alongside the senior team’s camp in California. The 22-year-old, who was signed by the Pride directly out of college after four years at Wake Forest, will develop her game at the camp alongside other promising young defenders like Savy King, Gisele Thompson, and Eva Gaetino. Orlando Pride Assistant Coach Yolanda Thomas will also be in attendance as an assistant coach at the camp, and it’s great to see her get this opportunity.

Orlando City B Defeats Crown Legacy FC on the Road

Orlando City B won its first road match of the 2025 season, beating Crown Legacy FC 1-0 to extend its unbeaten run to three games (2-0-1). The Young Lions didn’t make things easy on themselves by not converting some solid opportunities to extend their lead, but they ultimately held on to secure all three points. Orlando is now tied at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with New York City FC II with eight points from three matches. OCB’s next match will be a road game against Chattanooga FC on April 5.

Say Hello to Boston Legacy FC

Boston’s NWSL team has rebranded itself as Boston Legacy FC, which is leagues better than BOS Nation FC. The team initially went with that anagram of Bostonian as its name back in October as part of a brand launch that also included a widely criticized marketing campaign involving the slogan “Too Many Balls.” While I’m not crazy about the name, the team deserves credit for not defaulting to something too generic after whiffing on its first swing. The Boston Legacy will take the field for the first time next year as the NWSL’s 16th team.

Free kicks

  • Pride midfielder Angelina was called up by Brazil for its friendlies against the United States in California on April 5 and April 8.

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

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