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Lion Links: 12/13/18

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6 years ago

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Hello, dear readers! It’s Thursday once again and so I get the opportunity to let you know that the Orlando SeaWolves will be playing soccer tomorrow night — indoors! — at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. The indoor game is fun, fast-paced, and (best of all) quite affordable, so go give the lads some support as they take on defending champion Baltimore.

Lions Stockpiling Draft Picks

Orlando City added a fourth-round selection in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft on Wednesday in a trade with New York City FC for the rights to Tony Rocha. The Lions got back the fourth-round pick they traded to the Pigeons in 2017 for Josh Saunders, which is the No. 75 overall selection. Even though the club declined Rocha’s contract option, Orlando retains his MLS rights and those were shipped off to the Bronx. The Lions now have six picks in the SuperDraft and it’ll be interesting to see how those will be used.

Rocha made sure to thank Orlando City’s fans before he departs for the Big Apple.

Where Muzzi At?

Feathers were ruffled yesterday when ProSoccerUSA.com’s Jordan Culver reported that his league sources said that Luiz Muzzi was calling the shots for Orlando City’s recent slew of player moves. Some outlets covering FC Dallas questioned Culver’s report, as Muzzi has not yet been introduced officially as OCSC’s new general manager. Also, FC Dallas denies that he’s leaving the club until the Texas side can announce a replacement.

When asked about Muzzi’s departure, FC Dallas vice president of communications Gina Miller told Pro Soccer USA, “This isn’t true.”

However, a league source told Pro Soccer USA FC Dallas is hesitant to confirm Muzzi’s departure until the club can announce his replacement.

Jordan’s a solid dude and I don’t doubt for a second that he’s got a source he trusts. Our sources have indicated to us that Muzzi was serving in a consulting role during this recent series of moves so it’s clear he’s at the very least being kept in the loop while we await his official arrival.

Why Spector, Sutter Weren’t In Waiver Draft

Some sharp-eyed fans noticed that neither Jonathan Spector nor Scott Sutter were listed as available for the MLS Waiver Draft. That’s because of a loophole that Orlando City exploited (sorry, paywall).

Per MLS rules, teams can exclude a player from the waiver draft if they “have expressed interest in re-signing the player and/or bringing them into preseason.” In this case, Orlando City has done enough to convince the league that it intends to bring both Spector and Sutter back, meaning neither player has officially been waived. Considering a recent change in leadership in the front office at the club, Orlando may justify doing so by saying it needs more time to evaluate its roster and to see if Spector or Sutter may be willing to stay on for lower wages.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the two defenders will be back with Orlando, and both have publicly said goodbye to the fans on social media. But, as Paul Tenorio explains, the Lions could trade their MLS rights or do a sign-and-trade to get something for them if they opt to stay in MLS. Technically, their contracts expire at the end of the calendar year.

Orlando City U-18/19 Team Leads Division at the Break

It’s been a good 2018 portion of the season for the Baby Lions up at Montverde Academy. The U-18/19 team sits first in the Southeast Division at the break, with 22 points in 12 games (7-4-1). The squad has a +13 goal differential. Weston FC sits just two points behind with a game in hand, while third-place Chargers SC has 25 points but in two more games played. The standings are listed by points per game, of which OCSC has 1.8333 to lead the division. Academy Director and U-18/19 coach Mike Potempa said the academy’s move to Montverde is starting to pay dividends.

“I believe now that we are starting to see the fruits of our labor and we expect to see a continuation of our evolution in the second half of the season in 2019 across all age groups.”

MLS Waiver Draft Results

Orlando City passed on the 2018 MLS Waiver Draft yesterday and only four players were taken in total. The New York Red Bulls moved up via a trade with the San Jose Earthquakes and took former Philadelphia Union forward Marcus Epps first overall. The Chicago Fire chose two of the four players taken and they were two of the three guys that our own Guilherme Torres said Orlando City should consider — Cristian Martinez from Columbus and Marco Ureña of LAFC. We’ll have to keep an eye on how the duo fares in Chicago. Ricky Lopez-Espin was the other player selected, moving from Real Salt Lake to LAFC.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Brazilian partner club has rebranded as Athletico Paranaense. They kicked off the second leg of the 2018 Copa Sudamerica final last night vs. Junior (Colombia) and former Lions defender Leo Pereira started. The first leg in Colombia was a 1-1 draw and the teams went to penalties last night after another 1-1 draw. Paranaense won the cup in penalties, taking the shootout, 4-3.

Here’s a look at the new uniforms:

  • The New York Red Bulls re-signed center back Tim Parker to a multi-year deal using Targeted Allocation Money.
  • FC Cincinnati sent $150,000 in General Allocation Money to FC Dallas for Homegrown midfielder Victor Ulloa.
  • Speaking of FC Cincinnati, the club announced that they have an official chili partner in Skyline. I grew up in Ohio and I love the stuff. Don’t @ me and don’t think of it like you think of “normal” chili. It’s its own thing.
  • Those born on this date include Mary Todd Lincoln (1818), Cleveland Indians legend Larry Doby (1923), Dick Van Dyke (1925), Christopher Plummer (1929), Ted Nugent (1948), pro wrestler Junkyard Dog (1952), Steve Buscemi (1957), football coaches Rob and Rex Ryan (1962), sportscaster Mike Tirico (1966), hockey’s Sergei Federov (1969), and Taylor Swift (1989).

That’ll do it for my time this morning. Thanks for reading. Enjoy your Thursday and let’s get to the weekend.

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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.

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6 hours ago

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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

1 day ago

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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

2 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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