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Lion Links: 9/16/18

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6 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers. It’s been quite a whirlwind of a weekend, with news breaking on Friday that the Pride and Tom Sermanni have mutually agreed to part ways. The news came as a bit of a surprise to me, but with a bit of reflection and painful season highlights watched, it isn’t as shocking as it was initially. The news came on the same weekend, ironically, as the start of the NWSL playoffs (more on that later), and one can only imagine how different things could have, and honestly should have, been with the Pride failing to make the push into the postseason.

Meanwhile, two MLS clubs that came into the 2018 season with lofty expectations will clash in a bottom-of-the-table match today at 5 p.m. ET, with the Lions set to take on the Chicago Fire in Toyota Park in what is unfortunately a meaningless match. Hopefully, James O’Connor deploys a young lineup and we get to see a few promising glimpses of the things to come next year. Boy…it’s been a rough year.

Regardless, I’m still on hand to feed you your Sunday helping of Lion Links while you wait, or not wait, to catch the aforementioned Lions match. So, without further ado, here’s your Sunday serving. Bon appétit.

What to Watch When Orlando City Visits Toyota Park

As meaningless of a match as this is in terms of the MLS playoff picture, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding the upcoming clash between the Lions and the Fire today. For example, Toyota Park is one of three away venues that the Lions have an all-time winning record in. Another interesting facet to this match to keep a close eye on will be Orlando’s eight-match winless streak and Chicago’s nine-match winless streak in MLS play. Someone’s gotta take a W at some point…but I wouldn’t be in the least surprised to see the two teams walk away with a point in hand each. That’d be poetic irony if I’ve ever seen it.

I really enjoy the way Orlando City’s press team does their milestone tracking. Despite having such a horrid season on the pitch, there are quite a few individuals who are close to setting some club records. Check out the link above to see what’s coming up.

The Future is Always Purple

As we always preach here at The Mane Land, the future is purple. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy is constantly tracking the young Lions, and boy, were they in for some fun ones on Saturday.

The U-12s were set for a doubleheader against Florida Rush SC, and they didn’t disappoint. The youngsters took the first bout by a score of 6-2, and were eager to get back onto the field to finish off their day, as inclement weather caused cancellations for the U-15 team’s match. In the second of their two matches, one U-12 youngster by the name of Aiden Suguene is certainly brightening up the day for his coaches, parents, and teammates, netting seven (!) goals in an 8-1 route over Florida Rush SC. He’s currently a member of the U-12 team, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name continue to pop up in the near and distant future. Kudos, Aiden!

Meanwhile, the U-13s were a bit shortchanged, as a 1-1 draw was ruled as the final result due to lightning delays. Still, a great showing from the young Lions, and I can’t wait to see how things progress throughout their season!

The U-15s took all three points with a 1-0 win over South Florida Football Academy. The U-17s also also continued to impress, with a 4-0 win over South Florida’s side under the belts. The future is lookin’ good, folks.

And lastly and unfortunately, due to a last-gasp goal, the U-18/19s fell to South Florida’s side, 1-0. An unlucky break, but hey, that’s football.

A great twitter follow is the Orlando City SC DA account, make sure you keep in check with the young talent coming down the Lions’ pipeline!

Portland Tops Seattle in NWSL Playoff Opener

The NWSL playoffs got off to an exciting start as the Portland Thorns hosted the Seattle Reign and picked up the 2-1 win to advance to the final. Ex-Pride original Jasmyne Spencer put the Reign up early on, finishing off Megan Rapinoe’s crossbar rattling free kick in the 27th minute. It’s always nice to see former Pride players doing well, especially in such a momentous occasion like the NWSL playoffs.

Unfortunately for Spencer and the Reign, the Thorns were having none of it, and found their way back into the match through goals from Tobin Heath (43’) and Linsay Horan (77’) and held on tight from there in a contest that was close.

Keep an eye on the other side of the equation, where the North Carolina Courage face off against the Chicago Red Stars at Providence Park on Tuesday night in a rematch of last season’s playoff clash — a game that saw the Courage fend off the Red Stars, 1-0, and advance to the final. It’s set to be a good one.

Top 30 MLS Players FIFA Ratings Revealed

Not surprisingly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads the cast with an 85 overall rating, and David Villa, also unsurprisingly, is just after him with an 82 overall ranking in the most recent iteration of the popular FIFA video game franchise. After that, cases can be made for players to be higher or lower on the scale, but no Lions made the cut for this edition of the top 30.

Free Kicks

  • I just want to express a bit of love for Sermanni, because well, I think it’s deserved, and so does Pride goalkeepers coach Lloyd Yaxley.

  • I’ve always been a Taylor Twellman fan (I was born in Salem, MA, and he played for the Revolution — the first MLS club I ever watched play), and I have to wholeheartedly agree with his critical assessment of the USMNT’s search for a new head coach. You decide how you feel about it on your own and let me know what you think.

  • Speaking the USMNT, striker Julian Green has been on fire as of late, coming on to notch a goal in Greuther Furth’s 4-1 win over Holstein Kiel. Add to that the fact that he performed admirable against Mexico in this last week’s friendly, and things seem to be trending upwards nicely for the young forward. Keep it up, Julian!

  • Here’s Zlatan doing, well, typical Zlatan things. He never ceases to amaze me. For the record, this was his 500th career goal. That’s a boatload of goals, and this one is just the icing on top. I expect several more cherries to be added to that cake before he finally calls it quits and hangs up the boots.

Well, that’s about all I’ve got on the docket for you today, folks. Do your best to enjoy the Lions’ clash with the Fire. Try to be optimistic and look at the silver linings; there’s always next year. Aside from that, enjoy the remainder of your Sunday and have an excellent week.

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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.

Free Kicks

  • 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.

Free Kicks

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.

Free Kicks

  • 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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