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Lion Links: 7/15/18

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7 years ago

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Happy World Cup final Sunday, Mane Landers! Cherish these hours, because we won’t have the opportunity to experience the greatest sporting final on the globe for another 1,460 days; that’s 35,040 hours, 2,102,400 minutes, or 126,144,000 seconds respectively. If that isn’t a bit deflating, I don’t know what is.

Yesterday’s third-place match didn’t disappoint, with Belgium’s golden generation triumphing over England, 2-0. As I’ve mentioned previously, this has been the greatest World Cup I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m entirely sure that it has nothing to do with recency bias. I have a feeling that today’s final will live up to the rest of what has been a simply chaotic yet inspiring tournament.

With that said, here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links. Eat up!

Orlando City Halts Skid with 2-0 Win vs. Toronto FC

Earl Edwards Jr. was named as the man in between the sticks for this home match against a struggling Toronto side, and he sure did give Head Coach James O’Connor something to think about in terms of who his true No. 1 will be going forward. Chris Shuler, of all players, opened the scoring on the night by heading home a deflected Dom Dwyer strike. Dwyer added another of his own just after the break off of a fine strike from just outside the box, beating Toronto FC’s and the USMNT’s young starting goalkeeper, Alex Bono. The Lions held on from there, winning 2-1 and adding much-needed points. Oh, and that godforsaken nine-match losing streak is over. Thank baby Jesus.

Check back later today for our player grades and Man of the Match from Michael Citro and a photo gallery from Deon Cooper.

Orlando Pride Fight Back to Beat Utah Royals

In the final match of the recent road stint for the Orlando Pride, it was the Utah Royals that found the back of the net first, and early, as Amy Rodriguez put the Royals up 1-0 in just the seventh minute with a nicely chipped volley from some good buildup play. Alex Morgan notched one to tie up the match just before the halftime whistle, with a spot kick. Kristen Edmonds scored from an excellent chip in the second half. From there, the Pride seized momentum and grinded out a gritty and much-needed 2-1 win — one that included seven minutes of heart-pounding stoppage time. Three points in the bag, and the women in purple (well, white yesterday) are still in the hunt for a playoff position.

Belgium’s Golden Generation Downs England for Bronze, 2-0

As I mentioned in the introduction, Belgium completed its best run in a World Cup yesterday by beating Gareth Southgate’s young England squad, 2-0, and securing the third-place honors and bronze medals. The match seemed like it could be split wide open after a fourth-minute Thomas Meunier volley from a beautiful cross by Nacer Chadli. It didn’t break wide open though, and instead turned into a standoff of playing styles. The Belgians were clearly ready to absorb England’s attacks and opted to strike on the counter attack — a tactic that proved to be the undoing of the Three Lions. An 82nd-minute strike from Belgian talisman and captain Eden Hazard (more on him later) sealed the deal, and England, despite controlling possession for the majority of the match and impressing during this exciting tournament, go home empty-handed.

Timothy Chandler Wants to Play for His Country Again

Tabbed as one of former USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s dual-national recruits, right back Timothy Chandler, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, is prepared to don the Stars & Stripes again in the future should the opportunity arise. Chandler hasn’t been called up since Klinsmann’s firing, and age 28, he knows his World Cup opportunities are slowly dwindling.

“When they call me up for the national team, I’m there,” he said. “Of course I miss it. … I see all the players go to their national teams, and I want to fly to the States and play for my country. But the coach decides who plays, and I just wait for him to call me.”

Chandler has enjoyed a spectacular season with Frankfurt, which won the German Cup — the club’s first lifting of major silverware in 20 years. He’s also encouraged by the influx of American talent within the ranks of Bundesliga clubs, and views the moves as valuable experience for these young, developing players.

“It’s good for them to come over to Germany, to Europe, to try something different than the States,” he said. “When you go there, you have to live there for some months and get everything better [adjusting off the field], but it’s good to go there, play there, have some time in Europe, learn a lot, and then maybe they can come back to America and finish their careers.”

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger for making it to 100 NWLS appearances!

  • It’s a small world, folks.

  • Former Orlando Pride No. 10 Lianne Sanderson has made her move to Juventus official. Congratulations, Lianne!

  • Ever wonder why some clubs use race car seats as their bench? Here’s why.
  • I have no words for this one. Actually, I do. This seems wrong. This seems like a way to get one of your players intentionally injured. That said, I once played on a Sunday League team that won a match 15-0, and we stopped trying to score after the second goal (you can only hold 99% of possession for so long before you have to do something in the final third). I don’t know how I feel about either of the two results, to be honest.

That about wraps it up for me today, folks. Enjoy what is destined to be an exhilarating World Cup final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium between Croatia and the heavily-favored French side. I’ve been trumpeting France as the winners since our Bearded Guy wrote up The Mane Land’s World Cup predictions.

“I see France taking home the cup. They’re loaded in every single position with world-class talent, and they’ve under-performed for some time now. I think this is the summer they finally put it all together and can forget Zizou’s red card in the 2006 final. As for who I’m rooting for, that’ll be Argentina, Brazil, and Portugal. I’d like to see Neymar, Messi, or Ronaldo lift the cup, and time is running low on the latter two. Quite frankly, I just want consistent quality football.”

I’d be more than happy with a Croatian triumph though, too. If I’m right, hooray! If I’m wrong, hooray!

Have a great week, Mane Landers. And good luck managing your impending World Cup hangover.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

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2 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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