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Lion Links: 11/3/18

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6 years ago

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It’s the first weekend of the off-seasonocalypse and I already miss those terrible purple Lions and their occasional glimmer of coherent soccer. I promise that sounds way snarkier than I feel about the team, but the 2018 season’s bitter outweighed the sweet by a good few metric tons and the stank is still in the air as we watch a pretty exciting start to the MLS playoffs.

The fact that four of the final eight teams fighting it out for MLS Cup were among the Lions’ eight measly victims in 2018 shows that the club was capable of putting together a performance here and there, even against good teams, but with only three wins all year against non-playoff teams, there’s really no explaining what we saw this past season.

Is it 2019 yet? No? Then I’m going back to bed until Media Day. Here is some news for you to read while I’m asleep.

O’Connor Keeping an Eye on Academy Players

While Mike Potempa and Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita are putting together the roster for Orlando City B, James O’Connor is keeping his eye on the team’s prospects, including having some out to training recently. JOC is, himself, the product of an academy background and he knows the development system must align philosophically with the first team, even if the in-game tactics aren’t always the same.

O’Connor clarified that the idea isn’t for OCB to use the same tactics as the First Team — “the formational aspect is a personal choice for the coach” — but rather to develop players that can fit into a certain style of play.

“When we have the ball, we want good movement, rotational movement. We want people pulling into space, finding space,” O’Connor said. “And then when we’re defending we want to deny space as much as possible.

“From those pillars you want to create principles of play and make sure that it’s all aligned.”

O’Connor didn’t name any names, but did say that a 16-year-old from the OCSC academy stood out as someone who played well in training. Orlando City B will provide that link between the academy and professional soccer and it’ll be exciting to keep an eye on what happens at Montverde Academy starting in 2019.

Alex Morgan in Graphic Novel Form

It appears that Yahoo Sports writer Dan Wetzel is writing a series of sports biographies for young readers that will include Orlando Pride and USWNT striker Alex Morgan. The book will include comic book-style illustrations from Cory Thomas and will be released next May ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Here’s the elevator pitch:

Fierce competitor. World Cup winner. Role model.

U.S. Women’s Soccer star Alex Morgan has earned each of these impressive titles throughout her incredible career. As a young girl growing up in Southern California, she dreamed of being a professional soccer player, fighting to compete on the international stage against the world’s greatest athletes. Flash forward to the present and Alex Morgan has emerged as the face of U.S. Women’s soccer, famous for her clutch, late-game goals, and an inspiration to kids across the country.

And here is Alex in comic form:

How Eddie Johnson Ended Up Training Christian Pulisic

Orlando resident and former USMNT striker Eddie Johnson saw his playing career cut short by a heart condition but he’s found his second calling training and mentoring kids as they hone their skills from an early age. That led to a surprise student in current USMNT wunderkind Christian Pulisic. Eddie talked about it on the most recent Planet Futbol podcast, but here’s a shorter version:

“He would just comment on certain videos that I would post about what I was doing with the younger kids, and then after last season he sent me a DM on social media, on Instagram, and said, ‘Hey Eddie, I love what you’re doing I’m going to take some time off in the offseason. I’d love to fly into Orlando and get some work in with you for about four or five days.’ I said, ‘Are you kidding me, man? I’d love to do that.’ He asked me what hotels are close to the training facility where I train, and we just made it work. He came here, and we got five days in doing double days, and it was amazing, man. It was an unbelievable experience.”

The link above also mentions that Eddie will soon be working with Dom Dwyer and Sydney Leroux. He has previously worked with Justin Meram during the now-Crew winger’s exile from training, as well as former Lion Cyle Larin.

Sadly, it’s not been all great for Johnson, as there are apparently clubs in the Orlando area who don’t want their kids training with him for unspecified reasons, threatening to kick them off their teams. That’s a bunch of BS. If my kid hadn’t drifted away from soccer, I’d love for her to learn from a legend like Johnson to augment the skills she’d be learning from her club team.

Report: PSG, Manchester City Had Insider Help Skirting FFP Rules

This is a pretty massive story brewing for those of you who follow the beautiful game in Europe. According to Football Leaks, UEFA officials, including current FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, brokered deals to allow PSG and Manchester City to skirt the confederation’s financial fair play rules. Qatar Sports Investments allegedly spent 1.8 billion Euros that Infantino and Michel Flatini helped cover up.

An investigation conducted by the EIC Network claim that Senior UEFA administrators, including the ex-secretary general and current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, personally intervened to encourage settlements with big clubs.

They also report that the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) aggressively pursued poorer clubs in the likes of Turkey and Romania to divert attention.

Stay tuned for more on this particular story as it develops. Meanwhile, Der Spiegel has a full guide on the latest from Football Leaks.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Yoshimar Yotún is one of four MLS players called up by Peru for November friendlies against Ecuador and Costa Rica on Nov. 15 and 20, respectively.
  • Here’s a quick preview of Major League Soccer’s conference semifinals. Portland-Seattle should be fun. Which series are you looking forward to most?
  • A day after the USL League One inaugural season format dropped, FC Dallas was announced as the league’s 10th founding member. Dallas’ “2” team will join Orlando City B and eight other clubs in competition for four playoff spots in 2019.
  • Leicester City players unanimously chose to honor Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the four others who perished in the helicopter crash with him by playing the scheduled match today against Cardiff City, according to Jamie Vardy.
  • The New England Revolution wisely exercised their club options on Cristian Penilla and Luis Caicedo.
  • New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy lost half a million dollars last year through his ownership of Sky Blue FC, according to this nj.com story. Murphy’s total hit from owning the struggling NWSL franchise has exceeded $6 million. Hey, maybe sell the team to a new, more caring owner?
  • Those born on this date include football legend Bronko Nagurski (1908), baseball legend Bob Feller (1918), late actor Charles Bronson (1921), boxing’s Larry Holmes (1949), Rosanne Barr (1952), comedian Dennis Miller (1953), singer Adam Ant (1954), football’s Phil Simms (1955), Mystery Science Theater 3000 puppeteer and writer Kevin “Tom Servo” Murphy (1956), actor Dolph Lundrgen (1957), Porcupine Tree (and solo) musician Steven Wilson (1967), Colin Kaepernick (1987), and Kendall Jenner (1995).

That’s all for me today. Be nice to each other and don’t punch anyone over trivial things like parking spots. Enjoy your weekend and the MLS conference semifinals, everyone.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/29/25

Orlando City’s cup competitions, Orlando Pride’s new home kit leak, NWSL’s top 2025 matches, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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January 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City’s preseason continues in Mexico, where the Lions played a closed door match against Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in Cancun on Tuesday. The club didn’t release any details on the match (more on that below), but the feature image is from the scrimmage. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Cup Competitions

Orlando City will compete in two of the four North American cup competitions in 2025. After a year away, the Lions return to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup along with 15 other MLS clubs and 10 MLS Next Pro participants. Orlando City will also take part in the Leagues Cup with 17 other MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs. The Lions did not qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, nor will they compete in the Canadian Championship for obvious geographical reasons.

Lions Remain Scoreless in Preseason

While Orlando City didn’t release any details from Tuesday’s scrimmage, the folks at TrueNorthFoot reported that the Lions and Forge FC played to a 0-0 draw in Cancun Tuesday. The photos released by the club mostly featured younger players, and it’s not surprising that the offense isn’t sharp at this stage, but at least the defense is doing well through two matches. The next scrimmage will take place Feb. 5 against Atlanta United.

Pride Home Kit Leak?

From now on, all Orlando Pride kits will have a star above the crest (or more, pending future results). Like many of you, I’ve eagerly awaited what the next home kit will look like. We now have a glimpse, if a leak from Footy Headlines is accurate.

ohwww.footyheadlines.com/2025/01/mass…

— andré (@838carlisle.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T15:14:13.357Z

I really hope that picture doesn’t convey how purple the kit is supposed to be. I’m also not a big fan of the crest in the center thing, but they don’t let me make those decisions. If the new kit doesn’t float your boat, you can pick up some previous Pride kits from the club’s official shop at a nice discount.

The Orlando Pride are Must-Watch TV

As the defending NWSL Shield and NWSL Cup winners, it’s not a surprise that the Orlando Pride earned three spots on All for XI’s Top 10 Must-Watch NWSL Games in 2025 list, including the top spot. The matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and of course, a rematch against the Washington Spirit will certainly draw big viewership numbers.

NWSL Expansion Update

An official announcement adding Denver to the cities with an NWSL club is expected in the near future. Prior to that commissioner Jessica Berman hinted that there are plans to further expand the league. If Denver joins as planned, the team’s ownership will pay a record $110 million franchise fee. You can expect those fees to continue to grow as the league does the same.

Free Kicks

  • Remember Amro Tarek? He made 20 appearances for Orlando City back in 2018. If you don’t remember him, that’s all right since Austin FC supporters will almost certainly remember him for this fun fact.
  • Some pretty big names have left the NWSL for other shores. While the story includes the Pride’s Mariana Larroquette, she’s not quite the biggest name on the list, and she’s also only on loan until July 1.
  • The U.S. Open Cup has tweaked the competition rules so that teams must use primary venues when possible. If they cannot, the team will be on the hook for any differences in the cost to broadcast the match.

That will do it for today. Have a great rest of the week. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 1/28/25

Wilder Cartagena injury reports, Orlando City B’s 2025 schedule, Americans in the UEFA Champions League, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 28, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! It was nice to get a first look at the 2025 edition of Orlando City on Saturday, but the experience was sullied by an injury that we’ll speak more about shortly. Regardless, we continue to march towards the start of the season with a closed-door scrimmage against Forge FC up next on the docket today. We have a ton to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Wilder Cartagena Injury Reports

Wilder Cartagena exited Orlando City’s preseason game against Atletico Mineiro with a non-contact injury, naturally leading to fears about what the injury would be. While the club has not released a diagnosis at the time of writing, reports are emerging that the Peruvian midfielder suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon. There are some reports that go as far as saying that he will undergo surgery soon. If true, Cartagena could be sidelined for anywhere from a few months or up to a year, depending on the severity of the injury. We’ll keep you updated as more news becomes available.

Orlando City B Schedule Released

In much more pleasant news, the MLS NEXT Pro schedule was released, which means that we have OCB’s roadmap for the upcoming season. The Young Lions will get the season started at home on Sunday, March 9 against Columbus Crew 2 with a 7 p.m. kickoff. OCB closes the season at home against FC Cincinnati 2 on Decision Day, which will be on Sunday, Oct. 5. The team will play 14 home games, 13 away games, and one at the neutral site of IMG Academy in Bradenton. Most of the games will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with the rest appearing on mlsnextpro.com.

Americans in Champions League Action

The UEFA Champions League will have its final matchday of the league phase on Wednesday, and there are a lot of Americans who will be competing. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan can guarantee a place in the top eight of the standings with a win when they welcome Dinamo Zagreb to San Siro. Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, and Esmir Bajraktarević also have a lot to play for with PSV Eindhoven, as a loss or draw risks the club being overtaken and eliminated from the competition. Aside from Juventus, all other teams featuring Americans are placed anywhere from 14th-24th, so the stakes are high during this week’s action.

NWSL News Roundup

Monday was a busy day for the National Women’s Soccer League, so let’s get caught up. The Houston Dash acquired former Orlando Pride forward Messiah Bright in a trade with Angel City FC. The Dash sent $100,000 in inter-league transfer funds to Angel City in exchange, and that number could increase by up to $50,000 with incentives. The Chicago Stars noted that Mallory Swanson has not joined the team for the start of camp due to personal reasons. Jenna Nighswonger has reportedly been sold to Arsenal for a fee of $100,000.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City went old school to bring us a look at Monday morning’s training session.
  • The Pride meanwhile, opted for a more traditional route.
  • Congratulations are in order for the team of Baby Lions that became the PreMLS NAC Champions for the 2013 age group!
  • Former Lion and cowboy hat enthusiast Benji Michel is training with Nashville SC.

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

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Lion Links: 1/27/25

Orlando CIty wins first preseason match, Naomi Girma completes move to Chelsea, MLS transfer news, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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January 27, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy working and covering high school sports. Besides that, I was able to watch a few Premier League matches over the weekend. Let’s all wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina, who turned 25 on Sunday. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Defeats Atletico Mineiro in Penalties After Scoreless Draw

In its first preseason match of 2025, Orlando City edged past Atletico Mineiro 6-5 on penalties after a scoreless draw at Inter&Co Stadium in the FC Series. The Lions had to go through seven rounds of penalties to defeat Atletico Mineiro and clinch the Inter&Co Trophy. Both teams had chances throughout the match, but after 90 minutes of play, the game went to penalties. After being tied 5-5 after six rounds, Joran Gerbet scored in the seventh round andPedro Gallese saved Bruno Fuchs’s shot to win the shootout for the Lions. Orlando City will be in Mexico for camp for the next week and will face Forge FC. The Lions will take on Inter Miami in Tampa on Feb. 14 at Raymond James Stadium.

Lions Reportedly Shift Focus Away From Marco Pasalic

According to Tom Bogert, Orlando City is reportedly shifting their focus from Croatian winger Marco Pasalic to other transfer targets, as the 24-year-old is undecided about his future.

The Lions were reportedly in talks to sign Pasalic from HNK Rijeka last week, as they look to fill their open Designated Player spot following the record-breaking transfer of forward Facundo Torres to Palmeiras last month. The clock is ticking for the Lions to sign a new Designated Player, with Orlando’s season opener set for Feb. 22.

Naomi Girma Completes Record Transfer Move to Chelsea

United States Women’s National Team and former San Diego Wave defender Naomi Girma has completed her transfer to Chelsea in a record-breaking deal. The transfer fee is reportedly agreed at $1.1 million, making her the first player to break the $1 million mark in women’s soccer. Girma signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Chelsea after three seasons with the Wave. She has 44 caps for the USWNT and was an integral part of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Major League Soccer had another busy weekend with some notable transfer moves. The Chicago Fire signed midfielder Rominigue Kouame on loan from La Liga 2 side Cadiz CF for the 2025 MLS season, with an option to purchase. The Fire also transferred midfielder Federico Navarro to Argentine first division side Club Atletico Rosario Central for an undisclosed transfer fee. FC Cincinnati is reportedly in negotiations to sign center back Gilberto Flores.

LAFC has agreed to transfer midfielder Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul for a fee reportedly over $10 million. The New York Red Bulls have transferred forward Dante Vanzeir to KAA Gent in Belgium. The Red Bulls have also reportedly expressed interest in signing Tottenham Hotspur forward Timo Werner, who is on loan from Red Bull Leipzig.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Daryl Dike is close to full fitness and is back training as he looks set to return to action for West Brom. Dike has been recovering from a ruptured Achilles injury from last season that has kept him sidelined for almost a year.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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