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Lion Links: 8/19/18

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7 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: 2/21/25

Marco Pasalic’s soccer journey, MLS storylines to watch, USWNT shuts out Colombia, and much more.

Published

2 days ago

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February 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to the final day before the MLS season kicks off! I don’t know about you, but the off-season and preseason flew by for me. I’m ready to throw on some purple and cheer this weekend, even if I won’t have the pleasure of being there in person. Before we dive into today’s links though, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride forward Amanda Allen!

Marco Pasalic Prepares for First MLS Season

Many eyes will be on Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic this season after the club signed him as its latest Designated Player. The 24-year-old spoke on how a strong work ethic was instilled in him at a young age from his parents while growing up in Germany. He also talked about his injury while with Borussia Dortmund and the difficulties he faced both physically and mentally to overcome it. He’s now in the City Beautiful after playing for Rijeka in Croatia and the dual-national shared some insight about his decision to become a Lion.

“I think getting the chance to see a new league, to make the next step in my career, for me, it’s a better step to come here than to stay in Croatia. That’s my opinion,” he said. “I like it here a lot so far. It’s an honor when a club really wants you, and I wanted to come here, also. My decision didn’t take long, either. Maybe one day before I said yes. Now, I want to bring this league to another level, to bring this club joy and play good games.”

MLS Storylines Ahead of 2025 Season

The 2025 MLS season is finally upon us and there are already plenty of storylines to keep an eye on after an interesting off-season. For Orlando, it’s a simple inquiry into if the club’s new players can truly replace the players who won’t be on the field for the Lions this year. Facundo Torres is gone and Wilder Cartagena is out for the season, and only time will tell if Pasalic and Eduard Atuesta can fill those voids.

There are many questions all over the league I’m looking forward to getting answers to as well. How quickly can Bruce Arena turn things around with the San Jose Earthquakes? Will Atlanta United’s attack live up to the hype? What will the Philadelphia Union look like without Jim Curtin at the helm? Can the Chicago Fire reach the playoffs under Gregg Berhalter? I have the feeling it’s going to be a really great season for the league.

USWNT Wins Against Colombia

In its first game of this year’s SheBelieves Cup, the United States Women’s National Team beat Colombia 2-0 in Houston. The first goal for the USWNT was wonderfully crafted and sparked by a nice ball over the top by Lily Yohannes to Yazmeen Ryan, who found Catarina Macario in front of the net. It’s great to see Macario scoring again for the U.S. after she missed out on the Olympics due to injury. Ally Sentnor scored her first international goal by doubling the USWNT’s lead with a great strike from distance that you can check out below.

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams didn’t come off the bench, but the defense still did well to shut out Colombia. The USWNT’s next match will come on Sunday against an Australian team that got beaten 4-0 by Japan.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

After a rough week that included many Americans getting eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, attention now turns to a weekend filled with soccer. Former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will host Oxford United on Saturday, with Josh Sargent, Brenden Aaronson, and Ethan Horvath as other Americans to watch in the EFL Championship. In the English Premier League, Antonee Robinson and Fulham will take on Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace. The usual suspects like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams are also set to take the field. If looking for a game off the beaten path, Damion Downs could score his 10th goal of the season when Cologne faces Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday in Germany’s second division.

Luis Rubiales Guilty of Sexual Assault

Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso following the 2023 Women’s World Cup. As a result, he was ordered to pay more than $10,400 in fines and is prohibited from being within 200 meters of Hermoso and from communicating with her for a year. The prosecution had asked for a prison sentence of a year for sexual assault and a year-and-a-half for coercion, the latter of which he was acquitted of. FIFPRO issued a statement standing in solidarity with Hermoso and other victims of sexual assault, while also stating that the courts must send a stronger message in regards to the level of punishment.

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  • Orlando City and the Orlando Pride announced a partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey. I’ve actually never tried Jameson, as I’m a bit more of a tropical cocktail kind of guy when it comes to libations.
  • LAFC has a new Designated Player after signing Turkish winger Cengiz Under on loan from Fenerbahce through June 30, with an option to buy. He should add even more firepower to a potent LAFC attack that includes Olivier Giroud, Denis Bouanga, and Jeremy Ebobisse.
  • This year’s MLS Competition Guidelines include an interesting addition where only a team’s captain should approach the referee. If crowded by multiple players, the ref is to signal that to the players and only the captain can be within four meters of the referee, with intruding players being shown a yellow card.
  • Former Orlando City B forward Ates Diouf is joining Detroit City FC on loan from Lexington SC for the USL Championship season.
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard has signed with Calgary Wild FC of the Northern Super League.

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

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Lion Links: 2/20/25

Marco Pasalic named an MLS newcomer to watch, Houston Dynamo sign Nico Lodeiro, USWNT takes on Colombia today, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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February 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re only a few days away from the start of Orlando City’s 2025 season and I can’t wait. There’s also plenty of women’s soccer to enjoy thanks to the SheBelieves Cup. It’s a great time to be a soccer fan here in the U.S. Let’s dive right into today’s links!

Marco Pasalic Noted as MLS Newcomer to Watch

Orlando City signed Marco Pasalic as a Designated Player this off-season to help fill the void left by Facundo Torres, and he was noted as one of the top newcomers in the league for 2025. While I don’t think he’s expected to fully replace the goal contributions Torres provided, I’m hoping he can unlock defenses and am looking forward to seeing some overlapping runs between him and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson on the right wing.

The rest of the list has multiple players on Eastern Conference teams who could have Orlando fans reaching for the liquor cabinet this season, including Charlotte FC’s Wilfried Zaha, FC Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey, and Atlanta United’s shiny new striker, Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Nico Lodeiro Signs With the Houston Dynamo

Midfielder Nico Lodeiro, who mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Orlando City earlier this week, has officially signed with the Houston Dynamo on a deal through 2025 with an option for 2026. This signing was reported leading up to his departure from Orlando, and he should be able to get some solid playing time with the Dynamo. Lodeiro had 11 assists with the Lions last season and is great from set piece situations, so he should be able to help a Houston team that made the playoffs last season but only scored 47 goals.

USWNT Takes On Colombia Today

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup kicks off today and the United States Women’s National Team will face off against Colombia at 8 p.m. in Houston. It will be the USWNT’s first match of the year and Head Coach Emma Hayes’ first time coaching the U.S. during the SheBelieves Cup. The team will be without star players like Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma, and Sophia Wilson (née Smith) but still has plenty of talented players to get the job done. Colombia should present a solid challenge for the U.S., as it reached the quarterfinals of both the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. After this match, the USWNT is set to take on Australia in Arizona on Sunday before closing out the tournament in San Diego on Wednesday against Japan.

MLS Clubs Begin Champions Cup Campaigns

The Concacaf Champions Cup is underway and there are many MLS sides aiming to start the tournament off on the right foot. The Seattle Sounders’ new signings from FC Dallas linked up for a goal just three minutes into their match with Guatemalan club Antigua GFC, with Jesus Ferreira teeing up Paul Arriola’s goal at the top of the box. Antigua equalized later in the first half, but the Sounders struck twice in the second half for a 3-1 victory. In Costa Rica, Real Salt Lake and Herediano battled to a scoreless draw. Lionel Messi scored the lone goal in Inter Miami’s 1-0 win against Sporting Kansas City in a bitter cold game that exemplifies why MLS should not switch to a winter schedule.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

Only 16 teams remain in the UEFA Champions League after the latest round of matches. Most of Wednesday’s drama was in PSV Eindhoven’s 3-1 win over Juventus. American forward Tim Weah scored for Juventus, but PSV advanced thanks to a goal from defender Ryan Flamingo in extra time. In Spain, Kylian Mbappe had a hat trick in Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory against Manchester City, eliminating the English club from the tournament. Paris Saint-Germain booked its spot in the round of 16 in convincing fashion as well, with seven different players finding the back of the net in a 7-0 home win over Brest. After a 3-0 win in the first leg, a scoreless draw at home against Sporting CP was enough for Borussia Dortmund to advance to the next round too.

The draw for the round of 16 is on Friday and should deliver on some fun matchups. Either Barcelona or Liverpool will face PSG, with the other getting Benfica. We may also get Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich against Bayer Leverkusen.

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

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Lion Links: 2/19/25

Halliday and Lodeiro are out, Cartagena’s season is over, the SheBelieves Cup starts tomorrow, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City continues to see more departures than arrivals to the roster with the season opener looming this weekend. Sure would be cool if the Lions added an experienced MLS striker this week. Alas, I feel it’s not in the cards. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

In better news, it’s Marta’s 39th birthday! Happy nirthday to the captain from all of us here at The Mane Land. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Say Goodbye to Halliday, Lodeiro

Both Michael Halliday and Nico Lodeiro have departed Orlando City. Halliday was traded to the Houston Dynamo for a first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. With Dagur Dan Thorhallsson starting at right back and Alex Freeman moving into the number two spot behind him, it made sense for Halliday to try to get minutes elsewhere.

Nico Lodeiro mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club. Lodeiro’s departure will free up $800,000 salary for the club and allow Lodeiro to pursue more playing time at another club. According to Tom Bogert, that club may also be the Houston Dynamo. Given Lodeiro’s role off the bench for Orlando City, this is a move that makes sense for both the player and the club.

Cartagena Out for the Season

While the news was expected, Orlando City officially placed Wilder Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The midfielder suffered the injury in the preseason match against Atletico Mineiro. The surgery on his left Achilles tendon was successful, but he will still be out for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, the Lions brought in Eduard Atuesta to shore up the midfield. While Orlando City may even be better with Atuesta on the pitch, losing Cartagena still hurts the team depth.

Orlando City in the Top 10?

The off-season was not as long as usual, thanks to Orlando City’s run to the Eastern Conference final. Despite the shorter time frame, I had forgotten how useless, dumb, and yet fun power rankings can be. I’d warn you against spoilers, but these rankings mean absolutely nothing — especially before a match has been played — so I’ll just tell you that the Lions came in at number nine. However, I won’t spoil why they made the top 10, nor which Ft. Lauderdale based club is in the top spot.

SheBelieves Cup Starts Thursday

The USWNT plays its first match of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup Thursday at 8 p.m. The match will take place at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Unless you plan on traveling to Texas, you’ll have to watch it on TV or streaming. The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams is on the squad and will hopefully see some minutes for Emma Hayes.

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  • In the “isn’t that mildly interesting” category, Pete Mangione will appear for FC Cincinnati.

That will do it for today. Check back everyday as we get you ready for the season opener on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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