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Lion Links: 9/22/18

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8 years ago

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Happy match day, everyone. At least, I hope it’s a happy one. It’s been since July 14 since Orlando City has given us one of those.

The Houston Dynamo make their biennial visit to Orlando tonight at 7:30, so I hope to see you in the purple palace tonight. There are only a couple more of these left after tonight before the long, cold off-season, which is always dark and full of terrors. Hey, at least there are only 100 days left until 2019.

To help you waste time between your morning routine and your tailgating ritual, I’ve provided some reading material for you.

JOC Says Roster Decisions Will Come at Season’s End

When Jason Kreis was fired, one of the things I was most concerned with was having to completely rebuild a team that had just been completely rebuilt from the rebuilt team that was rebuilt after Adrian Heath was fired. That’s a lot of rebuilding in a short period of time. Now that James O’Connor has seen his team go 1-8-2 in MLS since his arrival, it’s left a lot of questions about the current group of players. JOC himself has openly criticized the effort and character of players after the Chicago game. However, he’s not sure just yet that a complete rebuild is necessary. That decision will come later, he said.

“I think decisions like that will be made at the end of the season,” he said. “I think the important aspect is to make sure that you’re very diligent in how you go about things. I think, at the moment, everything is really negative, but there’s so much to be positive about.

“When you look at the atmosphere in the home games, when you look at the passion that our supporters bring, when you look at the stadium that we have, we have everything here to be able to go and be successful. For us, it’s analyzing everything to make sure that we get the level of success that we all want. Rest assured, we’re going to get there.”

I would respectfully say that having passionate supporters and a gorgeous stadium is nice, but it isn’t what ultimately brings success to the pitch. The Lions must play with more desire and quality than we’ve seen in recent weeks. Maybe that’ll happen tonight.

Pride’s Hill Returns to W-League’s Perth Glory for Off-Season

Orlando Pride forward Rachel Hill, who took Australia by storm last fall, is returning to a land down under. Hill re-signed with Perth, where she finished third in the league in goals last year, with nine. She also led all W-League players with six assists. Her breakout season in Australia had many people expecting big things out of Hill for the 2018 NWSL season but a nagging groin issue and Tom Sermanni’s desire to use her as a super sub off the bench limited her minutes. Hill still managed to finish tied for third on the Pride in 2018 with four goals. Good luck to Rachel in Oz and we hope she comes back to Orlando healthy for 2019.

MLS Considering Eliminating or Altering Third DP Slot

According to Sam Stejskal, a freelance writer who contributes often for mlssoccer.com, his sources have told him Major League Soccer is considering tinkering with Designated Player rules. The most likely outcome would be the elimination of the third DP slot for teams or a limit on its cap. Stejskal said if this happens it would likely start in 2020 and the league would likely increase Targeted Allocation Money. The idea would be to improve quality in the middle of the roster. But here, let me allow Sam to explain it.

Nairn Drops the Knowledge

Orlando Pride midfielder Christine Nairn — who for some reason has one of the most often misspelled names on the team despite it being only five letters — has done some impressive things with her feet over the course of her NWSL career. In this video, she talks to Miguel Gallardo about her technique for both spraying the ball across the field and trying to beat the goalkeeper from distance. If technique interests you, give it a look.

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Do you like kids? Do you like soccer? If the answer is yes to both of those questions, perhaps you can help out with this:

  • In a bit of a surprise, Lindsey Horan captured the NWSL Most Valuable Player Award, beating out Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr. I’m certainly not arguing with the selection, though.
  • Spain’s football association reportedly will not approve the plan for Barcelona and Girona to play a regular-season La Liga match in Miami. On the one hand, I can’t blame Spain for protecting its domestic league inventory and keeping it at home. On the other, it’s a missed opportunity to grow the game to an audience with disposable income.
  • Among those born on this date: legendary baseball manager Tommy Lasorda (1927), former NBA commissioner David Stern (1942), Whitesnake singer David Coverdale (1951), Concrete Blonde vocalist Johnette Napolitano (1957), Joan Jett (1958), Scott Baio (1960), and Brazil and PSG star defender Thiago Silva (1984).

That’s all my time for today. We’ll have full coverage before, during, and after tonight’s Orlando City match against Houston, so check back at The Mane Land throughout the day and follow us on Twitter.

I leave you with Dom Dwyer, Chris Mueller, and Uri Rosell calling season ticket holders to thank them for renewing.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/15/26

Orlando City concedes late in draw with Toronto FC, Justin Ellis earns praise, U.S. Soccer announces Crest Cup for women’s soccer, and more.

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2 hours ago

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October 15, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann and Justin Ellis celebrating a goal against Real Salt Lake.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How are you feeling after last night’s Orlando City game? I don’t think my thoughts have ever been as mixed, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles at times when supporting the Cardiac Cats. It could’ve gone worse though, and being able to watch Antoine Griezmann work his magic is always a treat. Today marks nine years since Kaká’s final game with Orlando City, and I’ve loved being able to see world class players like him, Griezmann, Nani, and more over the years in Orlando. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Lead Late in Dramatic Draw

Orlando City went on the road to Canada and played to a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC in a rollercoaster of a match. The Lions clawed their way back to equalize twice and managed to take the lead late in the match, but couldn’t close things out despite another solid performance by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau behind a leaky defense. Make sure to check out our match recap of what was an exciting, yet frustrating, match that at least featured a couple of great Orlando goals.

Justin Ellis Earns Praise During Breakout Season

The Athletic‘s Tom Bogert ranked his top 22 MLS players under the age of 22 and Orlando City forward Justin Ellis ranked eighth on his list. The 19-year-old has 10 assists and a goal to his name this season, thriving in the attack with an intriguing combination of creativity, strength, and positioning. He’s also already scored for the United States Men’s National Team, doing so in Orlando last month against Peru. Bogert predictably has Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan at the top of his list and Julian Hall in second. We’ll see if Ellis lands a bit higher than eighth when the annual MLS 22 Under 22 list is unveiled later this year.

U.S. Soccer Announces Crest Cup

A new club tournament is coming to women’s soccer. U.S. Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup for women’s soccer teams across the country to compete against each other in a single-elimination format. Official details such as when this will take place and which teams will be allowed to participate haven’t been unveiled at this point, but it does seem like it will at least include teams from both the NWSL and USL Super League. The winner of the Crest Cup will receive $1.1 million and qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Toothpaste jokes aside regarding the name, I’m excited for a tournament that puts a spotlight on more women’s soccer teams.

Takeaways From USWNT Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team may not have beaten Spain in either of its two friendlies against the European powerhouse, but it at least finished strong by rallying to a 2-2 draw in the second meeting. Not many of the problems the USWNT faced were unexpected either. Naomi Girma’s absence was felt on defense, neither Claudia Dickey nor Phallon Tullis-Joyce emerged as the clear starter in goal, and the midfield looked suboptimal against the best team in the world. Head Coach Emma Hayes has multiple decisions to make before the Women’s World Cup next summer, with the USWNT’s next match coming on Nov. 27 against El Salvador in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League returned this week and there were plenty of good games across Europe. In one of the bigger matchups of this round, Paris Saint-Germain went to England and beat Manchester City 4-2 to move to the top of the table. Elsewhere, Real Madrid mounted a late comeback to beat AS Roma 4-3 in Italy, Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LAK Linz, and Bodo/Glimt won 1-0 in Norway against Borussia Dortmund. The teams will play again on Tuesday and Wednesday, with PSG going up against Barcelona and Bayern Munich hosting Arsenal as two of the heavyweight showdowns.

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  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride newlyweds Rafaelle and Hailie Mace on tying the knot!

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/14/26

Orlando City plays Toronto FC, Orlando Pride prepare for Houston, the USWNT draws Spain, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 14, 2026

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Image of Iago passing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. As the regular season winds down, the tension ramps up. The Lions are currently above the playoff line, but it’s a precarious perch. With two matches this week, earning crucial points will be even more difficult. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Visits Toronto FC Tonight

Orlando City travels to the Great White North tonight for a match against Eastern Conference opponent Toronto FC. Points are at a premium as both teams chase a playoff appearance. Rest assured that Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman is making sure the team is prepared and taking it one match at a time. It is a double match week so we’ll see how Perelman rotates the starting lineup.

Orlando Pride News and Notes

Yolanda Thomas is getting the Orlando Pride ready for Sunday’s road match against the Houston Dash. Of course, there are several players on international duty before then. Oihane got the start for Spain against the USWNT (see below) on Tuesday night. Barbra Banda scored a brace for Zambia in a 4-1 win over Uganda in an Olympic qualifier. Ally Lemos contributed two assists in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team’s 5-0 dismantling of the Dominican Republic.

USWNT Comes from Behind to Draw Spain

The USWNT played its second friendly against top-ranked Spain Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. Much like the previous match, Spain was able to build a 2-0 lead before the end of the first half. Unlike last time, the U.S. was able to score two goals to draw Spain. Ashley Sanchez scored in the 49th minute in her first USWNT start in nearly two years, and Mallory Swanson added the second goal in the 86th minute. Unfortunately, the USWNT wasn’t able to get a third, but a 2-2 draw is still a better result than last time and coming back from two goals down made it feel more like a win in the end.

USMNT Players in Club Action

Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman came on in the 63rd minute of Villarreal’s 3-1 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. Johnny Cardoso played all 90 minutes for Atletico Madrid in his club’s 2-0 win over Manchester United. He almost scored a goal, but it was disallowed after video review. Sergino Dest’s PSV lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig. Dest is Top 10 when it comes to Champions League appearances by U.S. players. There are a few more USMNT players making appearances in the matches today.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/13/26

Orlando City players named to MLS Team of the Matchday, USWNT takes on Spain tonight, Americans in action this week, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 13, 2026

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Image of Ivan Angulo playing against D.C. United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a bit of a pep in my step so far this week after Orlando City’s win this weekend. Hopefully, the soccer we have ahead of us tonight and Wednesday night doesn’t end up dimming that enthusiasm. Let’s go ahead and dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Lions Make MLS Team of the Matchday

Orlando City players Maxime Crepeau and Ivan Angulo were both named to the MLS Team of the Matchday, with Antoine Griezmann landing on the bench. Crepeau was immense in Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew, recording a club-record 12 saves. Angulo also excelled with a goal and an assist, with his late winner landing a spot on Sports Illustrated‘s top five goals of the week as well. Griezmann also chipped in a goal and an assist. There are a couple of familiar faces on the bench with Griezmann, with former Orlando goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. earning the honor after making nine saves for the San Jose Earthquakes and former Lion Shak Mohammed recording a goal and an assist in Nashville’s win.

USWNT Aims to Bounce Back Against Spain Tonight

After a 2-0 loss to Spain on Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team will play the top team in the world again tonight. It will be interesting to see what lineup changes Head Coach Emma Hayes makes following the loss, particularly with regard to the defense to help stop Spain’s potent attack. Spain got off to a hot start in Saturday’s match, but the team’s physicality likely won’t catch the U.S. by surprise this time around. Orlando Pride defender Oihane, who is with Spain for these friendlies, said she expects the U.S. to be more aggressive in this rematch.

Spain's Oihane Hernández on what she expects from the #USWNT in Tuesday's rematch:"I honestly expect like a really more physical game. I think they're gonna be more aggressive."(I would expect the same.)

— Jeff Kassouf (@jeffkassouf.bsky.social) 2026-10-12T15:37:35.556Z

Americans in Action Abroad This Week

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League return this week and there are many Americans to keep an eye out for across Europe. Former Lion Alex Freeman, who earned plenty of praise for his performance against Real Madrid on Saturday, could start in his first UEFA Champions League game today when Villarreal hosts Napoli. We may also see more of 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert when Borussia Dortmund plays Bodo/Glimt as he continues to impress at such a young age. Sergino Dest and Johnny Cardoso are other Americans who could play in the Champions League, while Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, and Tim Weah may suit up for Europa League play.

U.S. Soccer Announces Referee Development Program

U.S. Soccer unveiled a new program aimed at improving referee development and making the pathway for aspiring officials more consistent. Named R90+, the program will give referees access to mentors and coaches for them to improve across multiple aspects of officiating, such as game management, physical preparation, and tactical awareness. The first edition of this program will take place in the South, with 10 of the 60 officials coming from Florida. Hopefully this investment in officiating improves things for everyone involved.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

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