Lion Links: 10/18/18

It’s Thursday everyone! That was a public service announcement for those of you just coming out of a coma or sobering up.

We just had an Orlando City game last night but we’ve got another one this weekend, so gear up for more pain. With that said, let’s get to today’s top stories.

Orlando City Can’t Overcome Slow Start in 2-1 Loss to Seattle

It looked like it was going to be an awfully long night with the Lions staring out playing lethargically and seemingly uncaring soccer for the first 30 minutes last night. But then Orlando started to get more and more of the game as the end of the first half neared. A change in shape to start the second half paid dividends in a Dom Dwyer goal and Orlando controlled much of the game after the break. However, no second goal ever came, despite there being some good opportunities.

• Scott Carnevale has your match recap.
• I gave out player grades and Man of the Match.
• The view from the other side comes from Sounder at Heart.

And stick around later for Dan MacDonald’s photo gallery and Sean Rollins’ five takeaways.

USWNT Captures Concacaf Crown Without Conceding

It’s been quite a run for the United States Women’s National Team at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship. Last night Alex Morgan and Rose Lavelle scored to lead the USWNT to a 2-0 win over rival Canada in the final. The U.S. out-scored opponents 26-0 in the tournament and Orlando Pride star Morgan won the golden boot with her seventh goal of the tournament. Now the team can concentrate on tuning up for next year’s World Cup.

Awful 2018 Ate at Lions’ Psyche

I think it’s fair to say that this season has eaten at all of our souls, but it has also done so to the players themselves. Will Johnson talked about Orlando’s poor run of form and how it snowballed on the Lions in 2018.

“The longer that you get into a bad streak, the harder it is to get out of it. Early on in the streak, when Jason was still around, we continued to get frustrated with those mistakes and instead of finding a way out of it, we made things worse.

“Guys started trying too much and when you want something so bad to end and the harder you try, the more you kind of paralyze yourself in terms of getting results and getting out of it. You need to be more relaxed and we got tense. We got nervous. We got anxious. Those are all adjectives that ultimately lead to more and more bad results.”

Orlando SeaWolves Host Fan Fest Today

The area’s new soccer team is holding its Fan Fest today from 4-8 p.m. at Silver Spurs Arena. If you like free food, player autographs, free swag, and music, it might be a good place for you to hang out today.

Sarachan Expects to Coach USMNT in November Friendlies

Amidst all the rumors that a new USMNT head coach will be named in early November, the national team’s interim coach, Dave Sarachan, expects to lead the side in Europe against England and Italy in a pair of friendlies next month.

“Yeah. Until they tell me I’m not, I’m full bore man,” said Sarachan when asked if he expects to still be in charge in November. “Keep going. This is too much fun.”

Go get ‘em, Dave.

Free Kicks

• An Orlando company has partnered with a Brazilian organization to purchase the streaming rights to the Brazilian National Championship for $150 million.
• Awful news out of D.C. as Chris Odoi-Atsem has been diagnosed with Stage Two Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We wish Chris the best of luck in his fight.
• Remember the La Liga game that was coming to the U.S. and then it wasn’t? The head of La Liga is suing to make it happen.
• Usain Bolt turned down a two-year offer from a team in Malta to continue his quest to make the Central Coast Mariners squad in the W-League.
• Those born on this date include Chuck Berry (1926), Patton actor George C. Scott (1927), legendary sportscaster Keith Jackson (1928), Gilligan’s Island actress Dawn Wells (1938), Mike Ditka (1939), Lee Harvey Oswald (1939), late REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath (1949), Mork & Mindy actress Pam Dawber (1951), TV producer Chuck Lorre (1952), tennis legend Martina Navratilova (1956), Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi actress Erin Moran (1960), Jean-Claude Van Damme (1960), Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (1965), and U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn (1984).

That’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. Enjoy the rest of your Thursday.