Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/28/18

Published

8 years ago

on

Happy Saturday, Mane Landers. I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend. I sure am. I’m looking forward to seeing a good friend’s band play their farewell show later this evening, as their drummer is moving to Michigan. It should be a good time, or at least a much better time than having to sit through yet another frustrating Orlando City performance.

Things just keep spiraling out of control for the Lions, but I’ll continue to shout from the rooftops that there’s still plenty of time to right the ship. I mean, the ship’s taking on water too…but that’s beside the point. Let’s just remain positive, folks.

Before you jump in, we here at The Mane Land want to wish the Orlando Pride’s Ali Krieger (34) and the Lions’ Pierre Da Silva (20) a very special happy birthday!

That said, here’s your Saturday serving of Lion Links. Bon appetite.

Several Lions Facing Disciplinary Action

Following last Saturday’s dramatic (to say the least) 3-2 loss to the Columbus Crew, the MLS Disciplinary Committee has issued undisclosed fines to the Crew’s Zack Steffen, and City’s Joe Bendik and Uri Rosell for instigating and escalating a mass confrontation during the 94th minute of the Lions’ loss. Head Coach James O’Connor has been issued an official warning for the club’s violation of the League’s policy during the 2018 campaign and the club was fined for its second violation of that policy.

In addition, the same committee issued Orlando City midfielder Cristian Higuita an undisclosed fine for “simulation/embellishment” in the 64th minute of Thursday’s loss to New York City FC. There’s some controversy here, depending on which club you support, but have a gander at the video footage and decide on your own how you feel about the aforementioned disciplinary actions.

Personally? I feel the Lions have been shafted the entire season, and clearly frustrations are boiling over. Higuita clearly took contact in the box on the call in question, but I don’t think he did himself any favors by holding his face after clearly taking no contact to the face. Despite the theatrics, there was contact, and boy has the officiating in City matches been far more than inconsistent throughout the season. As for Uri and Joe, well, don’t do that guys…but I empathize. Once again: theatrics.

Pigeons’ Gaffer Not Happy After Win in Orlando

It’s a bit of salt in the wound, considering the Lions fell to the Pigeons at home, but New York City FC Head Coach Dome Torrent was not satisfied with his team’s performance following his side’s win in Orlando City Soccer Stadium. Apparently, the winning performance wasn’t even remotely close to the standard that Torrent has set for his players, and he was vastly dissatisfied with the match. It must be nice to be unhappy with your team that’s clearly in the playoff picture, a potential favorite to win the MLS Cup, that’s missing its best striker, and still take home three points from a road win. That’s not a frequency that’s been available to Orlando’s supporters — and to hear it from the rival side’s gaffer must certainly feel frustrating.

“I’m not happy tonight,” said the Spaniard postgame. “We were able to win, but I’m not happy with our performance because I can’t play that way. If you want to win MLS, even when [Orlando] play with 10 players [after Shane O’Neill’s ejection], we play bad, really bad. I say in the second half I don’t like to defend deep. I repeat a few times. But I don’t know what happened. Maybe it’s because we won 2-0 in the first half, I don’t know, but we have to improve, improve a lot. Believe me.”

USWNT Players had Concerns Over Jill Ellis Last Year

A report from Sports Illustrated has stated that players from the USWNT confronted then-federation president Sunil Gulati last year before the Tournament of Nations with concerns over Jill Ellis and the direction of the squad, fearing that complacency may have set in following the triumph during the 2015 World Cup final. The players, who haven’t been named, were apparently veterans, and were told that Ellis wouldn’t be going anywhere prior to next summer’s Women’s World Cup…in front of Ellis. It’s an interesting tidbit of news to leak out, especially during the tournament, but the players asked for changes in either Ellis’ leadership and communication methods, or for a new coach in general. Clearly, Ellis is still in charge. Hopefully things go well next summer.

Earnie Stewart Reflects

Stewart’s time as the sporting director of the Philadelphia Union will come to a close on Tuesday as he departs to become the USMNT’s new general manager. While there’s no doubt in the mind of most Union and MLS club supporters that Stewart performed admirably while with the Union, Stewart himself feels like he’s leaving behind an incomplete legacy.

“Building for the future is not something that happens in two and a half years. That takes a lot more time than it’s been,” he told the Inquirer and Daily News. “I wanted to be here for a longer time, because you can’t just build in two and a half years. You can build, but you’re not going to get the fruits from what you build.”

It’s an unfortunate truth for Stewart, but there is a silver lining for him: he might just see some familiar faces within the ranks of the USMNT in the future, perhaps even some from Philadelphia. Just recently, Derrick Jones and Auston Trusty represented the Stars and Stripes in the U-20 World Cup. Clearly, Stewart has an eye for talent and an aptitude for developing young talent.

“That means we went in the right direction,” Stewart said. “There’s a lot of talent coming behind that. Hopefully they hit some national teams and make a lot of minutes [played] within the Philadelphia Union, and ultimately win games.”

Let’s just hope his ambition and abilities translate to consistent and quality play from the USMNT moving forward. I have a good feeling, but I guess I’m playing the optimist here.

Free Kicks

  • Not only is it Ali Kreiger’s birthday, but she’s also just an excellent individual in general. I can’t wait to see her next career move, whether that be coaching, commentating, or anything else relating to the club and sport she’s dedicated her life to. Double cheers to you, Ali. We love you!

🙌

A post shared by Major League Soccer (@mls) on

  • Speaking of the World Cup, remember that Russian youngster that blew the minds of millions with his pacy runs, tenacious play, and eye for goal? Well, Aleksandr Golovin’s World Cup exploits have paid off, as he’s officially made the move to Ligue 1 side Monoco. Well deserved, Aleksandr. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for you next.
  • This is incredible to even think about…but the upcoming La Liga season will be the first time since the 1999-2000 season that Real Madrid will not have a Ballon d’Or winner within their ranks.

That’s just about all I’ve got for you today, folks. Remember to check back in periodically to stay up to date on all things Orlando City and Orlando Pride, and most importantly, enjoy the remainder of your weekend!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

August 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

August 20, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending