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Lion Links: 11/3/18

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7 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: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

Published

8 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/27/26

Lions and Pride lose, OCB draws Chicago Fire II, FA Cup semifinals recap, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 27, 2026

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Image of the OCB squad before the team's game March 8, 2026 vs. Chicago Fire II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and looking forward to covering some high school soccer and lacrosse this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Late Lead in Defeat to D.C. United

Orlando City fell 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday at Audi Field. Jackson Hopkins scored the opener for D.C. United early in the first half. In the second half, Justin Ellis equalized for the Lions, and Tyrese Spicer added another goal to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. However, the Lions couldn’t hang on to the lead as D.C. United scored two late goals in six minutes to pull out a win at the death. It will be another busy week for the Lions with a road trip to New England to face the Revolution in a round-of-16 U.S. Open Cup match Wednesday, followed by another road match Saturday against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium.

Pride Fall to Racing Louisville on the Road

The Orlando Pride fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, continuing their winless streak in Kentucky. Louisville struck first with a goal from Lauren Milliet to take a 1-0 lead, but Barbra Banda buried the equalizer for the Pride to level the match before halftime. However, Louisville scored two early second-half goals to take a 3-1 lead before Banda pulled one back to make it 3-2 late in stoppage time, but Louisville held on to pick up its first win of the season. With that result, the Orlando Pride’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The Pride will look to bounce back Saturday, taking on the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B came from behind to draw 2-2 against Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium Sunday. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime, but in the second half, OCB got a break as Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt scored an own goal to pull the Young Lions within one. Late in stoppage time, Nicolas Lasheras scored the equalizer for OCB. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-2 to earn a second point. OCB’s next match will be at home against Crown Legacy Sunday.

FA Cup Semifinals Recap

The FA Cup final is set after the semifinals concluded over the weekend at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, after a scoreless first half, all the goals came in the second half as Finn Azaz scored the opener to give Southampton the lead, but Manchester City was able to overturn the deficit on goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez to seal a 2-1 win against Southampton to advance to the FA Cup final for the fourth consecutive time. On Sunday, Enzo Fernandez’s lone goal in the first half was enough to pull Chelsea to a 1-0 win against Leeds United to book a spot in the final to face Manchester City. The FA Cup final will take place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

Free Kicks

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

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