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Lion Links: 11/2/18

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8 years ago

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What’s up, Mane Landers? I hope you all are ready for the first weekend of the off-season. Even though the Lions will be off the field, there is still plenty to be excited about with the MLS playoffs heating up and plenty of soccer all over the world to keep us busy until 2019. But first, let’s kick off your Friday on the right foot with some links!

New Orlando City Training Complex to Open in Kissimmee

In surprising news, Orlando City announced that a new training complex is set to open in July 2019 in Osceola County. The announcement is unexpected to say the least considering Lake Nona was the rumored home for a training complex expected to rival the ones of other clubs in MLS. Instead it seems the club will be going with renovating the Osceola Heritage Park, which served as the spring training grounds for the Houston Astros.

The approximately 20-acre area will be set up to be the exclusive training ground for both the Lions and the Orlando Pride. The complex will feature four full-size grass fields, a film room, a lounge and dining area for players, and roughly 30,000 square feet of office space for staff. You can check out some of the early renderings released by the club.

James O’Connor Determined to Disprove Doubters

James O’Connor is well aware that his 2-12-3 record as head coach for the Lions is far from the future he, the OCSC front office, players, and supporters are expecting for this club. A lot will likely change this off-season, but O’Connor will remain at the helm of a team that needs an improvement both in performance and in attitude. Some don’t think that O’Connor can complete such an overhaul in just one off-season but he’s spoken to the front office and the players who will be staying with the team and the Lions are ready to prove the doubters wrong. This is what O’Connor had to say to fans whose faith may be lacking after 2018:

“I would ask for one more opportunity, to really be given an opportunity to show you what we will be like in preseason, what we will be like at the start of next year,” O’Connor said. “I would candidly tell you, you’re probably going to miss out on a fantastic and very, very special year.”

MLS Playoff Conference Semifinals are Set

Only eight teams remain in the MLS playoffs as the knockout round finished up last night. In the earlier game, it took penalty kicks to decide a winner in a tight match between D.C. United and the Columbus Crew. After 90 minutes, the score was level at 1-1 and both teams were able to score again in extra time to push the game into penalty kicks where the Crew held on to defeat Wayne Rooney and D.C. to move on to the next round.

Meanwhile in California, Real Salt Lake stunned LAFC with a 3-2 victory on the road. Real’s Damir Kreilach stole the show with a brace and a crane kick goal that would even make the karate kid jealous.

A deflected shot from Jefferson Savarino caused an own goal and that was all the difference for Real Salt Lake to make its way to the next stage and give LAFC an early exit.

The quarterfinals of the playoffs start this Sunday when the first legs of the round begin. The Columbus Crew are set to host the Supporters’ Shield winning New York Red Bulls while New York City FC will look to maintain momentum when Atlanta United heads to Yankee Stadium.

In the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake will hope to upset the best team in the conference when Sporting Kansas City comes to town. But the most exciting series will undoubtedly be the clash of rivals as the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers face off.

USL League One Schedule Format Unveiled

The competition format for the anticipated USL League One that will feature the return of Orlando City B has been revealed. The 28-game regular season will begin on March 29 and end by Oct. 13, with the playoffs consisting of four teams and starting on Oct. 17. Each of the 10 clubs will play eight other clubs three times and will have one club they play four times. More news is sure to follow in the time between now and the season starts so keep an eye out for when the full schedule will be released and who the 10th and final founding member will be.

Carson Pickett’s Resilience Leads to Australian Success

Born with a left arm that stops at the elbow, Carson Pickett has had to work harder than most to become a defender for the Orlando Pride and Brisbane Roar. The 25-year-old credits a strong support system and a “never say never” attitude, for why she refuses to back down from challenges. So despite her position as a defender, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when the Roar were trailing late against the Perth Glory it was Pickett who was there to level the score and get a result.

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  • Orlando City Youth Soccer released a brand new website for you to check out where you can learn more about the academy system, the Little Lions program, and even check out upcoming tournaments.
  • Both Christine Nairn and Dani Weatherholt played a full game to help the Melbourne Victory win 2-1 against Emily van Egmond and the Newcastle Jets in the W-League. Although she didn’t score or have an assist, Nairn did all the little things and led the team in touches, passes, tackles, and she created eight chances. The game also featured this incredible goal by Melina Ayres from way out.

  • Voting is open for MLS Goal of the Year and Save of the Year. Although the Lions didn’t make the cut for a top save, Scott Sutter did land on the ballot for one of the best goals of the season
  • Another young Chicago Fire defender is hanging up his cleats as 25-year-old Christian Dean announced he will be retiring after a season plagued with injuries.
  • The United States opened the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Championship with a dominant 7-1 win over Puerto Rico. The U.S will need to finish at the top of its group to advance to the next stage and the Young Yanks will continue their campaign tomorrow night (6 p.m. ET) against the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Usain Bolt’s trial has ended with the Central Coast Mariners in Australia and the track superstar is leaving the team.

That’s all from me, I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a relaxing weekend.

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Lion Links: 8/6/26

Orlando City beats Monterrey, Marco Pasalic reportedly staying in Orlando, Zambia ousted from Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and more.

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12 hours ago

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August 6, 2026

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Image of Marco Pasalic saluting the fans.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

It’s Thursday, which means we’re celebrating an Orlando City victory. The Lions have been midweek monsters this season and it’s been a nice boost of energy to get through the week. If any of you are performing some sort of ritual on Wednesday nights, please keep it up. Let’s get to the big win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Beats Monterrey in Leagues Cup

After a lengthy weather delay, Orlando City beat Monterrey 2-1 at home in its first match of this year’s Leagues Cup. The video review system was put through its paces in this match, overturning a Monterrey goal, a Monterrey red card, and a penalty on Orlando’s Robin Jansson in separate instances. Be sure to check out our recap of the win, which included a nice performance from Tyrese Spicer as a starter and the return of Daryl Dike off the bench. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday against Club Leon before wrapping up this phase of the tournament on Wednesday against San Luis.

Marco Pasalic Reportedly Staying in Orlando

There’s been buzz this summer regarding Marco Pasalic being transferred form Orlando City to Hull City, but the move is reportedly not going to happen according to Croatian sports newspaper Sportske Novosti.

Pasalic had 12 goals and five assists in his first MLS season last year after joining Orlando from HNK Rijeka. While the 25-year-old hasn’t quite had the same impact so far this season, he did play for Croatia in this summer’s World Cup and could benefit from the addition of Antoine Griezmann to the offense. Pasalic came off the bench for a late cameo on Wednesday to help see out the win over Monterrey.

Zambia Eliminated From WAFCON Despite Win

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored in Zambia’s 2-1 win against Malawi in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but it wasn’t enough for Zambia to avoid elimination. Zambia, Malawi, and Nigeria all finished with six points in the group stage, but Zambia was ousted due to the third tiebreaker of goals scored in matches between the three. It’s a rough way to go out for Zambia, which finished with the best overall goal differential in the group. As a result, Zambia will not take part in the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Banda finished the tournament with five goals and will return to a Pride team in desperate need of help on offense.

U.S. Qualifies for 2027 U-20 Men’s World Cup

The United States U-19 Men’s National Team beat Guatemala 3-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf U-20 Men’s Championship, qualifying for the 2027 U-20 World Cup and 2027 Pan American Games in the process. Guatemala struck first, but the U.S. found an equalizer right before halftime and went on to win the game with a pair of goals in the second half. Orlando City midfielder Colin Guske was a starter in the match as well. The U.S. will take on Costa Rica in the semifinals Friday at the Azteca.

FIFA Backs Gianni Infantino as Pressure Rises

As the soccer world reacts to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s failed scheme to sell stakes in the World Cup, FIFA reaffirmed its support for him at a crisis meeting in Morocco over his presidency. There have been many calls for reform due to Infantino’s actions, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stating he does not have confidence in him and Portuguese legend Luis Figo calling for him to step down. FIFA also denied a report that Infantino offered Morocco hosting for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support.

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  • Former Lion Nico Lodeiro announced his retirement from professional soccer and Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira wished him the best with one of his highlights as a Lion.

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: 8/5/26

Orlando City opens Leagues Cup play, the Orlando Pride sign a forward, the USMNT to play in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 5, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s Leagues Cup match day for Orlando City. Are you excited? Me neither, but it is a chance to watch the team we support, so that’s at least something. I prefer the U.S. Open Cup, but here we are. On a more positive note, Ted Lasso returns tonight, so we have that going for us. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Begins Leagues Cup

Orlando City opens the Leagues Cup campaign against CF Monterrey at Inter.co Stadium this evening. The Lions will likely still be without Martin Ojeda, and we’re yet to see Daryl Dike take the pitch. Orlando will need to deal with former MLS stars Hugo Cuypers and Diego Rossi. I had really hoped the Lions had seen the last of those two. It will be interesting to see how Orlando City approaches the match.

Orlando Pride Sign Nunes

If you listen to the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride Pawedcast later today you’ll hear us talk about how Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Orlando Pride General Manager Caitlin Carducci has barely done anything — at least that we have seen. That changed Tuesday when the Pride signed Brazilian forward Gabi Nunes through the end of the 2026 season. It’s no secret the team needs help in the attack, and Nunes is an experienced striker. Hopefully she gets up to speed quickly as the Pride’s playoff hopes are all but gone.

USMNT Returning to Orlando

Inter.co Stadium will host a friendly between the USMNT and Peru on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m. The match is the first of four starting off the 2030 World Cup cycle. Mauricio Pochettino is still in charge of the program. We might see Wilder Cartagena play, along with plenty of former Lions, like Alex Freeman for the U.S. and Pedro Gallese for Peru. Typically, the USMNT has done well when playing in Orlando. It will be interesting to see which players are called up by Pochettino.

NWSL News

You are welcome to go back and relive last week’s NWSL stories, but I don’t recommend it. Looking forward, the NWSL will start early next season to accommodate the World Cup. USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger is on her way back to the NWSL to play for Bay FC. The Portland Thorns are signing Tobin Heath to a one-day contract to officially retire with the club.

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

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Lion Links: 8/4/26

New contract for Mauricio Pochettino, MLS names new commissioner, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 4, 2026

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land.

Good morning, everyone. It was a decidedly horrific weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as all three outfits fell to defeats in their matches. Fortunately, chances for redemption are right around the corner, as Orlando City plays Leagues Cup games Wednesday and Saturday, and the Orlando Pride play Racing Louisville at home on Friday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s get into the links.

New Contract for Mauricio Pochettino

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Monday that Mauricio Pochettino has signed a new contract that will see him remain as the head coach of the United States Men’s National Team through 2030. Pochettino has been in the job for a little over two years, and helped guide the USMNT to the Round of 16 at this summer’s World Cup, where the team was soundly beaten by Belgium. The Argentine oversaw the national team emergence of former Lion Alex Freeman and had the team playing attractive, attacking soccer when everything was clicking. The USMNT’s next competitive test will be the 2027 Concacaf Nations League.

MLS Chooses New Commissioner

Major League Soccer has chosen a new commissioner, with LAFC co-owner Larry Berg the man chosen to succeed Don Garber. The league held a closed-door meeting on Monday in New York, with the choice coming down to Berg and former FOX executive David Nathanson. Berg will begin his duties on Jan. 1. Garber will transition to a chairman role while Berg becomes the league’s third ever commissioner. As part of his new role, Berg will be required to divest his ownership stake in LAFC. In addition to his role at the club, the league’s next commissioner has also served as the co-chair of the MLS sporting and competition committee

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything noted on your calendars. Tanner Tessmann and Lyon take on Sparta Prague later today in the third round of UEFA Champions League qualifying, while Colin Guske and the U-20 USMNT face Guatemala in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf U-20 Championship. Wednesday has Yunus Musah and AC Milan (Christian Pulisic is out injured) play a friendly against Inter Milan, while Weston McKennie and Juventus do the same against Chelsea. Things wrap up on Friday as Sebastian Berhalter, Aidan Morris, and Middlesborough face Wrexham in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

With the start of most European leagues bearing down on us fast, transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast. We begin with Atletico Madrid, as the side from the Spanish capital is said to be weighing a move for Jack Grealish, who spent last season on loan at Everton. Staying in Spain, Real Madrid is said to haveoffered Vinicius Jr. a new contract worth $25 million a year in an effort to combat interest from Arsenal and with his contract set to expire in June of 2027. Moving stateside, a club source for Inter Miami has said that the Herons have neither held talks with, nor initiated contact with Kevin de Bruyne, despite rumors indicating otherwise. Finally, Bay FC has reportedly agreed to sign United States Women’s National Team fullback Jenna Nighswonger from Arsenal.

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That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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