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Lion Links: 11/10/18

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7 years ago

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The weekend is here, friends. It’s time to throw off the shackles of our nine-to-fives and enjoy two days of freedom, completely unfettered by the bonds of servitude (most of us, anyway). Let’s enjoy them to the fullest with many hours of soccer watching and perhaps a delicious and refreshing beverage or two in a comfy chair.

Don’t forget the Orlando SeaWolves will be playing a preseason match against Brazil tonight at Silver Spurs Arena as part of a doubleheader. Get out and support Orlando’s newest team.

Before we get to the news of the day, I want to remind you that you’re running out of time to vote for Scott Sutter for MLS Goal of the Year. Voting closes tomorrow night at midnight Pacific Time.

Orlando City Youth Players Earn Scholarships

I love hearing stuff like this and, frankly, there’s not enough news like this. Orlando City/Orlando Pride sponsor, Central Florida Audi Dealers, have given scholarships to four Orlando City youth soccer players. Congratulations are in order for Rodney Bargaineer (age 11, from Sanford), Magnoly Isaac (15, Orlando), Courtney Jones (13, Apopka), and Lindsay Sheets (13, Sanford). 

“We are very fortunate to have great partners like the Central Florida Audi Dealers who are not only integrated with our professional men’s and women’s teams, but are also invested in helping us at the core youth development levels of our business,” added Orlando City SC Chief Revenue Officer Chris Gallagher. “Audi understands the importance of supporting youth development and shares our vision to provide the best opportunities to young athletes to be part of the fastest growing sport in North America.”

It’s the second consecutive year that Central Florida Audi Dealerships have passed out such scholarships. It’s very cool to kick off today’s Lion Links with such a positive item.

Eddie Johnson Putting Dom, Syd Through Their Paces

Former USMNT and MLS striker Eddie Johnson has found a nice second career training players of all ages. He famously trained Christian Pulisic during his off-season and we told you a few days ago (via linking a story in Lion Links) that he would be working with Orlando City striker Dom Dwyer and Orlando Pride forward Sydney Leroux. Well, now we have visual evidence.

It’s nice to see soccer’s power couple staying sharp and looking to improve so soon after the end of their respective seasons.

U.S. U-20s Win Group A at Concacaf Championship

The U-20 USMNT advanced to the next stage of the U-20 Concacaf Championship after winning Group A last night with a 7-0 victory over Suriname in Bradenton. Alex Mendez and Ayo Akinola each scored a brace in the match.

The tournament now moves into a second group stage, where the winner of each of the two remaining groups will advance to the 2019 U-20 World Cup, which will be held in Poland.

The US will play Honduras and either Haiti, Costa Rica or Saint Lucia, with that stage beginning on Tuesday.

FC Cincinnati Expansion Draft Details Released with Off-Season Calendar

Major League Soccer released its annual off-season calendar yesterday with all of the various draft dates. We already know the SuperDraft will be Jan. 11 in Chicago, but now we know when in December the MLS Expansion Draft, Waiver Draft, and two stages of the Re-Entry Draft will take place. Click the link above for the details. FC Cincinnati may select up to five players on Dec. 11 from the pool of eligible MLS players and each club may lose only one player.

Eric Wynalda Loses Home to Ventura Fire

The fires in California are no joke and our thoughts are with everyone who is in harm’s way or who have homes in the area. Former USMNT star and current Las Vegas Lights coach Eric Wynalda had his house destroyed, including many irreplaceable mementos of his playing and coaching days. Thankfully Eric has his health, but you’ve got to feel for someone who has lost so many memories in the forms of photos, jerseys, etc.

Wynalda said they received an alert on their phones about 12:30 a.m. of a voluntary evacuation. His wife decided to leave then, loading their kids into the car with jewelry, important documents and four suitcases of clothes.

Wynalda said he’d be right behind them and began packing clothes into a smaller sedan. At about 3 a.m., he went upstairs and saw decades worth of soccer memorabilia — jerseys from a career that took him to the 1987 NCAA championship game with San Diego State, to Germany’s Bundesliga, to scoring the first goal in Major League Soccer history, to being the U.S. national team’s all-time leading scorer, to three World Cups, to international all-star games, to several stints as a TV analyst and now to coaching.

By 4 a.m. he got a text from a friend who informed him he was watching Wynalda’s house burn on the local news. Man, that suuuuuuuucks.

Free Kicks

  • What do you think of this conceptual home Orlando City kit?

  • Former Orlando City forward and SuperDraft selection Hadji Barry had an outstanding USL season and it caught the eye of his national team. Congrats to Hadji.

  • Didier Drogba announced on Twitter that he wasn’t going to retire after his Phoenix Rising FC lost the USL title Thursday evening to Louisville City FC. Much like the way he plays, he did it like a boss.

  • Italy announced the squad that will be playing the United States Men’s National Team in a Nov. 20 friendly. After reading who made the squad, I’m in the mood for lasagna. Also, Kevin Lasagna has one of the all-time great names.
  • The Portland Timbers would like you to know that they were just excited about penalties and it wasn’t at all that they thought they advanced on away goals after extra time or anything. Honest!
  • Those born on this date include Martin Luther (1483), inventor of the flush toilet George Jennings (1810) — seriously, thank you George! — actor Richard Burton (1925), Jaws sheriff Roy Scheider (1932), ELP bassists/guitarist/vocalist Greg Lake (1947), former college football coach Les Miles (1953), film director Roland Emmerich (1955), writer Neil Gaiman (1960), Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy (1963), actor/comedian Tracy Morgan (1968), former Arsenal/Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann (1969), Grey’s Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo (1969), and Justified star Walton Goggins (1971).

That’s all my time for today. Enjoy your weekend, folks!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/9/25

Orlando City’s next U.S. Open Cup match date revealed, MLS matches to watch, top soccer club valuations, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 9, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Friday! I hope the week has treated you well as we get ready for a Mother’s Day weekend packed with soccer. Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are both in action at the same time on Saturday, so make sure to plan accordingly depending on how you want to enjoy the action. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Will Face Nashville in USOC on May 21

Orlando City will officially host Nashville SC on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 16. That match is sandwiched between a road game against Inter Miami on May 18 and a home game against the Portland Timbers May 24, so at least there won’t be much travel during that week during an already jam-packed month. The Lions reached this stage of the tournament after beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 5-0 Wednesday, while Nashville won 1-0 against the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Tuesday.

What to Watch In MLS This Weekend

We’ll all be tuned in for Orlando City’s match on Saturday against the New England Revolution, but there’s plenty more MLS action to look forward to as well. Before Orlando’s match, Inter Miami will head to St. Paul to take on a Minnesota United team that leads the league with six clean sheets this season. Another notable match this weekend is a clash between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings when the Philadelphia Union host the Columbus Crew. That game has Daniel Gazdag written all over it. Sunday night’s match should be a doozy between two heavyweight Western Conference teams, as LAFC will hit the road to take on the league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps.

MLS Clubs Listed Among World’s Most Valuable

Sportico announced the valuations for the top 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world, and a whopping 19 MLS teams made the list. The Lions aren’t included, but it’s still neat to see some clubs like Minnesota, Sporting Kansas City, and Charlotte FC listed. LAFC is the highest listed MLS side, coming in at 16th with a $1.28 billion valuation. Real Madrid tops the list at $6.53 billion, and six of the top 10 are from the English Premier League. While valuations aren’t exactly hard evidence of success or influence, I think this is a testament to the growth and parity of MLS through an international lens.

English Clubs Reach Europa League Final

This year’s Europa League final will feature a pair of EPL teams as Manchester United and Tottenham breezed through the semifinals. United overcame a shaky first half to beat Athletic Club 4-1 at Old Trafford, with Mason Mount scoring two of the team’s four goals in the second half. Tottenham avoided an upset in Norway by winning 2-0 against Bodo/Glimt. The final will take place on May 21 in Spain, and there’s both a trophy and Champions League qualification on the line. Both United and Tottenham struggled this season and are respectively 15th and 16th in the league standings, but winning the Europa League is all that matters now.

Free Kicks

  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso played every minute of Real Betis’ 2-2 result against Fiorentina to advance to the Europa Conference League final, where the Spanish club will face Chelsea on May 28. Enjoy this goal from Antony to help his side prevail.
  • In honor of Mother’s Day, AC Milan players will wear their mothers’ last names on the back of their jerseys in today’s match against Bologna. I love this idea and hope more clubs follow suit moving forward.
  • An ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville acquired Salford City of England’s League Two.
  • Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra’s MMA debut will have to wait, as the 43-year-old’s fight set for May 23 in Paris was postponed.
  • We’ll end our links with what looks to be some unexpected Orlando Pride representation in Vatican City!

That’s all I have for you this time around. Have a fantastic Friday and enjoy the holiday weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/8/25

Orlando City steamrolls the Tampa Bay Rowdies in I-4 Derby, Orlando Pride aim to bounce back, U.S. Open Cup results, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 8, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s not often we get to celebrate an Orlando City victory in the middle of the week these days, but hopefully it’s a habit we get used to. The Lions took care of business in my neck of the woods, and it’s given some nice optimism to finish this week strongly. Let’s dive into the big win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Trounces Tampa Bay Rowdies

Take a bow, Gustavo Caraballo! The 16-year-old was the star of the show in Orlando City’s dominant 5-0 U.S. Open Cup win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, scoring twice to jumpstart Orlando’s attack and making history along the way. There’s plenty of scoring to enjoy, so be sure to check out our full recap!

Hopefully this game was a nice shot in the arm for Orlando’s offense and something to build on in league play. It’s always nice to take down the Rowdies and the Lions are now the last Floridian team standing in the tournament. They’ll host Nashville SC in the round of 16 later this month in what should be a good game in the City Beautiful.

Orlando Pride Aim to Bounce Back in North Carolina

After a 1-0 loss on the road to the Portland Thorns, the Orlando Pride will look to return to their winning ways when they face the North Carolina Courage on Saturday. It’s going to be another tough environment for the Pride to play in, although the Courage have lost two of their three home games so far this season. Pride defender Emily Sams spoke on the team’s mentality heading into this match and how the team can raise its level after a disappointing loss in Portland.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 Wraps Up

MLS teams mostly cruised in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32, but it was still an exciting round of soccer filled with drama. In a vintage “cupset,” the Pittsburgh Riverhounds beat New York City FC 1-0 thanks to a goal in stoppage time from Orlando native Beto Ydrach. Indy Eleven nearly took down the Philadelphia Union, but the MLS side converted all five kicks in the penalty shootout to advance after a 1-1 draw.

The New England Revolution escaped Pawtucket with a 2-1 road win against Rhode Island FC, with 17-year-old Cristiano Oliveira scoring a late winner. Minnesota United squeezed past Louisville City 1-0, the Chicago Fire put Detroit City to the sword in a 4-0 win, and FC Dallas won 3-1 against USL League One side AV Alta FC.

UEFA Champions League Final Set

Paris Saint-Germain did everything it needed to and more at home against Arsenal, winning 2-1 to advance to the UEFA Champions League final. Great saves by Gianluigi Donnarumma and goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi propelled PSG to victory, with Bukayo Saka providing Arsenal’s only goal of the two-leg series. PSG will take on Inter Milan in the final on May 31 and it should be an interesting matchup at Allianz Arena to close out the tournament. Will PSG lift its first Champions League trophy only a year after Kylian Mbappe left the club, or will Inter come out on top after finishing as runner-up in 2023? I can’t wait to find out.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to United States Women’s National Team star Mallory Swanson and her husband Dansby Swanson, as the couple announced that they’re expecting their first child!
  • Racing Louisville announced that goalkeeper Katie Lund and midfielder Maddie Pokorny will both miss the remainder of the season due to hip injuries. Jordyn Bloomer, who had five saves in Friday’s win over the Houston Dash, will serve as the team’s goalkeeper in Lund’s stead.
  • The Columbus Crew signed Daniel Gazdag to a contract extension through 2027, with a club option for 2028 as well.
  • Arsene Wenger proposed a change to the offside rule so that attacking players are onside so long as any part of their body is lined up with the last defender. We’ll see if anything comes of this, but it could lead to more goals in the future.
  • Here’s what to watch for in the second legs of the Europa League semifinals. Manchester United will host Athletic Club with a three-goal lead in aggregate, while Tottenham will aim to defend its two-goal advantage in Norway against a Bodo/Glimt side that has key players returning from suspension.
  • Tottenham will be without James Maddison, who is out for the rest of the season after a knee injury sustained in the first leg against Bodo/Glimt.

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 5/7/25

Orlando City takes on the Rowdies, sponsors like MLS, the NWSL is growing, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 7, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day as the Lions begin their 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. I’ve repeatedly said on The Mane Land PawedCast that I want Oscar Pareja to focus on this competition more than another one (*cough* Leagues Cup *cough*). That all starts tonight, and I hope you’re as excited as I am. Let’s get to the links.

I-4 Derby Tonight

Orlando City enters the 2025 U.S. Open Cup tonight against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions make the perilous 112-mile trip along I-4 — which feels approximately like flying to Seattle — to take on an old geographical rival. We’re likely to see a rotated lineup for this match, but Pareja said he has confidence in the younger players to get the job done. If you’re not making the trip to Tampa here is how you can watch the match. We will have our normal match coverage for you tonight.

Nobody Likes Nil-Nil

You know something is going on when Orlando City attracts the attention of the national media. Unfortunately, that thing is the overabundance of 0-0 draws in four out of the last five matches. The theory is that the Lions aren’t getting enough service out of the midfield for the players up top. It may be as simple as players getting healthy for Orlando City to reignite the offense. For the sake of a certain The Mane Land editor’s sanity, I hope that is the case.

MLS News and Notes

Soccer’s popularity is growing in the United States. Are decades of being America’s next big sport finally paying off? It seems to actually be the case, at least when it comes to the sponsors. With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, brands are investing in MLS and soccer in America. EA Sports is in on the action, partnering with MLS and Apple TV to show four live matches within the EA FC mobile gaming app this season

NWSL Keeps Growing

Big things are also happening in the NWSL. The growth has prompted the league to move its headquarters from one New York office to a bigger New York office. Part of that growth comes from owners like the Washington Spirit’s Michelle Kang. The billionaire is investing in the NWSL, U.S. Soccer, and other leagues and countries throughout the world. On a slightly different scale, Mikaela Shiffrin — the most decorated alpine skier of all time — has invested in the Denver NWSL expansion side.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of tonight’s match as well as the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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