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Lion Links: 10/13/18

Published

8 years ago

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Happy match day, everyone! It’s another chance to stop the bleeding and you can’t get a win if you don’t play. That’s not likely to happen tonight but I have to be optimistic because I don’t want to stick my head in the oven today. It’s a poor alternative, in my opinion.

The Lions are at New England tonight (here’s a preview) and we’ll have full coverage for you here at The Mane Land, so keep your internet dial tuned in to www.themaneland.com. Also follow our Twitter feed because we post stuff there too.

While we wait for tonight’s kickoff, why not digest some Lion Links? I have some for you and we’ll get to those now.

OCB’s Coach Returns from Brazil Trip

Orlando City B Head Coach Fernando De Argila has returned from his trip to Curitiba, Brazil, where he spent time with OCSC’s partner club, Clube Atletico Paranaense. The new gaffer from Orlando’s USL League One team and OCB GM Mike Potempa met with coaches and leaders of Paranaense while in Brazil, and the visit was chronicled on the coach’s Twitter feed over the past several days. One theme of the trip was optimism for bringing top quality players to Orlando and his social media feed promises to be a good follow to learn about the future of Orlando City. You can’t help but get excited about his positive attitude.

Crew Saved?

The massive #SaveTheCrew movement may have finally found a breakthrough in keeping original MLS club Columbus Crew SC in central Ohio. Yesterday was an eventful day in Columbus with news breaking that a group including Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is close to an agreement to save the Crew. After a year of stressing out over losing their club, Columbus fans appear to have pulled off the feat of keeping their club.

“Major League Soccer and the Columbus Partnership have been working together for several months on a plan to keep the Crew in Columbus and we have made significant progress,” MLS said in a statement released on Friday. “MLS, the Columbus Partnership and the investor group all agree that for the Club to be successful, it requires strong local owners, long-term corporate support, a strong season ticket base and long-term plans for a stadium, practice facilities and associated sites. MLS is committed to keeping the Crew in Columbus should we continue to make progress on these critical components and agree to key terms with the investor group.”

This came on the heels of news that Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt had seen another deadline come and go without an agreement in place with the city of Austin over a stadium.

It’s obviously great news that an original club will remain in MLS. There’s still work to be done, but if this comes to pass, Precourt will have a new franchise in Austin while the Ohio group will pay an expansion fee yet keep the colors, logo, and likely the current roster and management as well. Precourt isn’t going to repair his relationship with Columbus fans after his statement yesterday.

Jill Ellis’ USWNT Plan Working

Say what you want about USWNT Head Coach Jill Ellis’ tactics or player selections, but after the team’s worst-ever finish in a major tournament in the Rio Olympics, she has the United States playing at a high level again in 2018. Caitlin Murray chronicles this in a story in The Guardian. Ellis’ squad has dominated Concacaf but also won both the Tournament of Nations and the SheBelieves Cup against top competition in 2018 — a year in which it hasn’t lost. The U.S. is 14-0-2, seems to have put all the experimentation in the past, and has a plan to not only get to the World Cup in France next year, but to make a deep run as well. The USWNT could clinch a spot in the World Cup as early as tomorrow with a win over Jamaica.

Usain Bolt Bags Brace in First Pro Soccer Game

If you want speed on the front line, they don’t come any faster than track star Usain Bolt. The 32-year-old Jamaican speedster is trying to make the first team and got his first start with the Central Coast Mariners in Australia’s A-League in a friendly against Macarthur South West United on Friday. He did OK, scoring a brace with goals in the 55th and 69th minutes in a 4-0 win.

“My first start and scoring two goals, it’s a good feeling,” Bolt told Fox Sports said after the match. “I’m happy I could come here and show the world I’m improving.

“I’m keen to be a Mariner, to play my best and get into the team.”

Bolt fired six shots — three on target — on the night. This is a great story and I hope Bolt can make the club and begin his second sports career while he still can. Here’s a look at his first goal:

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That’s my time for this morning but I’ll be back later as part of our comprehensive coverage of Orlando City at the New England Revolution. Have a great day and don’t let tonight’s match spoil your weekend.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

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  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

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

Lion Links: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

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That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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