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Lion Links: 8/2/18

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8 years ago

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What’s going on, Mane Landers? I hope you all are enjoying your Thursday as the month of August is still just beginning. We’ve got plenty of news today as the Lions continue to prepare for the New England Revolution this Saturday. Let’s get straight into the links for today.

Orlando City to Host 2019 MLS All-Star Game

ProSoccerUSA reported yesterday — on the eve of the 2018 MLS All-Star Game — that Orlando City will host the 2019 MLS All-Star Game. If true, the event will bring attention from media, players, and fans for five days next summer, with different events going on leading up to the All-Star Game itself. Orlando City Stadium has already hosted significant events such as the SheBelieves Cup, the NWSL final, and a USMNT World Cup qualifier. Once again, all eyes will be on central Florida in 2019 for the mid-season event. MLS has yet to announce the news officially, so the opponent and date haven’t been set.

Juventus Wins Penalty Shootout After 1-1 MLS All-Star Game

The MLS All-Star Game was a low-scoring affair as Juventus and the MLS All-Stars were tied at one apiece through 90 minutes. Juventus won on penalties, 5-3 as the Italian superpower did not miss a penalty. Orlando City’s lone All-Star, Yoshimar Yotún, subbed on in the 63rd minute for Alphonso Davies and made an impact. Playing left back, he made a tackle to break up a Juventus attack and ran 70 yards before finding Diego Valeri in the box. The Portland star’s shot was blocked, but it was an excellent play. Yoshi nearly scored on a free kick in the 90th minute, hitting it foot or two too high. Yotún did pick up one of the three penalty shootout goals for the All-Stars as he represented the Lions well.

Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez won the match’s MVP award as he picked up the lone goal in regulation for the All-Stars.

Cam Lindley Earns Recognition After Homegrown Game

Cam Lindley got his chance to showcase his skills at the MLS Homegrown Game on Tuesday night and people noticed. Lindley hasn’t appeared in an MLS match for Orlando City since the March 31 victory over New York Red Bulls, so getting the call-up to the MLS Homegrown Game was an important chance for him to get a run out. Atlanta United’s academy director and coach of the match, Tony Annan, had this to say about Lindley’s performance.

“Cam was brilliant. I thought he was very good,” Annan said. “I thought his decision-making was excellent. He’s technically good. He was in the right place, he takes up great starting positions. He played as an 8 in the first half and was very effective and then we dropped him in as a 6… equally as effective. I mean, the kid’s a good soccer player. He’s an intelligent soccer player, which is what we want. We want players that are intelligent and can make decisions and really take over a game. I thought he controlled the tempo of the midfield in both positions he was in.”

As the 21-year-old midfielder continues to develop, it will hopefully lead to more playing time with Orlando City in the future.

Daniel Byrd Eager to Help Orlando City Succeed

Orlando City Assistant Coach Daniel Byrd has plenty of experience with James O’Connor. Byrd and O’Connor go back to when Byrd was an Orlando City youth coach while O’Connor was a player. When O’Connor headed to Louisville City FC in 2014, Byrd followed to be his assistant coach. Byrd was the subject of a nice write-up by Jordan Culver, and said he’s enjoying being back in the Sunshine State.

“When I come down to Orlando, I’m very happy. I like the energy here, I love the sunshine. I love the state. I love the water, the beach,” he said. “I’m into fishing and diving. I have friends down here that are very connected to the land. I’ve got some friends that do some farming down here. I love this area.”

As Orlando City tries to make its final push of the season, Byrd and O’Connor have some work to do to try and get the club that first crack at the postseason.

USWNT Faces Brazil to Cap Off Tournament of Nations

The USWNT will finish up the Tournament of Nations tonight against Brazil. After a 4-2 victory over Japan and a 1-1 draw against Australia, the U.S. will look to cap off the tournament on a high note ahead of World Cup qualifying. The U.S. has a chance to clinch the title and dethrone the Matildas, who won last year. As of now, the U.S. holds the tiebreaker with goals scored as both nations are tied on points and goal difference. Following the ToN, the U.S. will have two friendlies against Chile and enter World Cup qualifying shortly after. Orlando Pride’s Alex Morgan, Marta, and Monica will likely feature in the match.

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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.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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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.

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  • 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!

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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.

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3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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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.

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  • 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!

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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

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August 19, 2026

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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.

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  • 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!

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