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Lion Links: 8/19/18

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6 years ago

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Hey there, Mane Landers! Happy Sunday. I trust you’re all doing well. If you’re not, pick it up! A very good friend of mine has introduced me to the Law of Attraction. I highly suggest that you, after reading these Links, give it a Google search and learn about it. It’s changing my life by the day, and I’d be honored to introduce you to it and have a positive influence on your day-to-day routine.

Okay, sorry, I went a little off the rails there. It’s a slow day, but eat up, because here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links!

Pride vs. Courage Postponed

This one started with a 90-minute lightning delay and ended in a lightning postponement. The Pride and Courage (both admirable traits, might I add) finally took the field around 8:30 last night to battle it out in an important fixture with major playoff implications for the Pride. But only 22 minutes were played before that pesky sky electricity returned and forced the game to be abandoned. It will be picked up again later this morning at 10 a.m. right where it left off. Don’t worry, the league will still be streaming it.

Paul McDonough’s First Interview as Miami GM

The name Paul McDonough should be familiar to you. In case it’s not, he was once a vice president within the halls of Atlanta United, and before that he was one of the key figures in Orlando City’s rise into MLS. Now? He’s been appointed general manager of David Beckham’s new MLS franchise, based in Miami. Set to begin MLS play in 2020, Paul has a lot of work set out for him in order to ensure a successful launch and maiden voyage season. He’s certainly experienced, and he’s clearly excited about his new project. During his first interview as Miami’s GM, he was asked about the differences between Atlanta, Miami, and Orlando (the question that struck me as the most interesting) here’s how he responded:

“This is a melting pot, so much diversity. The people here have been dying for soccer. Soccer is in the blood of the people here. In Atlanta, there are transplants, but there is a big youth soccer community and no one really knew how it was going to take off. A lot of kids play soccer, you just didn’t know it was going to catch on as well as it did. Orlando is a city that had never really done well in professional sports and no one ever thought the millennials would take to it like they did and were so passionate.”

Let the intense derby matches begin…in 2020, of course.

President of Napoli Accuses Roma and Liverpool of Collusion

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has always been known to speak his mind…and boy, has he spoken. De Laurentiis has come out with an explosive accusation, claiming that fellow Italian side Roma and Premier League side Liverpool are in cahoots, colluding together to ensure success for the two clubs. It’s not that surprising of an idea, considering Liverpool is owned by the John Henry-led Fenway Sports Group, while Roma is steered by the Massachusetts-born James Palotta. Due to the close proximity of the two American owners, there could be something here, but it’s still a surprising public statement to make to the media by Napoli’s president. He believes that if there’s evidence to support his claim, that both clubs should not be permitted to play in the UEFA Champion’s League; arguably the most important tournament for top tier clubs worldwide.

“I always had a suspicion that the real owner of Roma is the same as Liverpool, and if this were the case, the two clubs should not be allowed to play in the Champions League,”

He may have a point, or he may just have a tinfoil hat on his head. Who knows? What I do know is that whoever runs Roma’s English twitter account is hysterical.

Ronaldo Makes Serie A Debut for Juventus in a Dramatic 3-2 Win

He, surprisingly, didn’t find the back of the net, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s first Serie A match with his new teammates went well, as The Old Lady dramatically snatched all three points at the death with a Bernardeschi goal in stoppage time. The scene on hand prior to the match was also a show, though, as tens of thousands descended upon Verona in hopes of catching just a glimpse of the Portuguese star as his team’s bus pulled into the venue. According to ESPN’s James Horncastle, a circus of this magnitude hadn’t been experienced in the small Italian town with a population of just over a quarter of a million people since the 2006 visit of Pope Benedict XVI. CR7 is going to take over Italy, and he might just push The Old Lady over the top in the Champions League. We’ll see, but man, is this going to be an exciting year for Juventus and their supporters.

Free Kicks

  • Right in the feels: Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar (who, like myself, was born in Salem, MA — that bonds us somehow, right?) has been back and training with the first team but it’s always nice to see pictures of him actually out there doing it. There’s no doubt everyone, and I mean everyone, is grateful to see it.

💪 @m_staj 💪 #FaceOfCity

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  • Former Lion and and international star at several clubs (see below), Julio Baptista has made a triumphant return from retirement at the age of 36. Congratulations, Julio! We wish the best for “The Beast.”

  • Can you execute the #DeleAlliChallenge? The Englishman’s signature celebration has gone viral, and the Pride’s Alanna Kennedy and Sydney Leroux got in on the action. I must say, I’m quite impressed…because I look like crazy when I try it.

  • Finally. Mane Landers, the sauce has arrived.

  • Personally, I like Juan Carlos Osorio. I think he’s a strong leader and I felt he did an excellent job managing the Mexican national team…but apparently he won’t be managing the USMNT any time soon.

As my mother would say, “that’s about all that’s fit to print today.” Enjoy your Sunday, Mane Landers, and check out the Pride and Courage at 10 a.m. And it’s not too early to start getting pumped (or anxious?) about this Friday’s home match against rival side Atlanta United FC. I wish I could say I have a good feeling, I really do. But I don’t.

Regardless, Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

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  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

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  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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December 18, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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