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Lion Links: 1/5/19

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Happy Saturday, everyone. Today should be interesting. I’ll be out at Orlando City Stadium for at least a chunk of the 2019 MLS Player Combine. I’ll try to keep my ears open for news and my eyes open for players who impress in their first opportunities in front of the entire league’s scouts. You can watch Copa vs. Nemeziz at 12:30 p.m. ET and watch Predator vs. Team X at 2:45 p.m.

I have absolutely no idea if Orlando City is leaning any particular direction with its first-round pick but I’m a big proponent of just taking the best player available, regardless of position. You want the best and if it ends up overloading one position down the line, at least you’ve got an asset you can trade and some options on who that asset should be. It’s all about getting better.

With all of that said, let’s get to the news of the day.

Ascues Doing Just Dandy in Orlando, Thanks

Midfielder/defender Carlos Ascues is rehabbing a quad tear that he sustained late in the MLS season while in Lima, Peru in the off-season. He told Ovacion that he’s doing fine with Orlando City, has the confidence of James O’Connor, and he’ll be returning to Orlando on Jan. 8 to prepare for the preseason.

“The league is very good, they are going very good players and hopefully continue like this,” he concluded.

Can’t wait to have you back, Carlos.

Same Old, Same Old: Pride’s Morgan and Harris Selected by USWNT

Jill Ellis has called up 26 players for a January USWNT camp and a pair of friendlies in Europe against France and Spain on Jan. 19 and 22, respectively. To no one’s surprise, Orlando Pride stars Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris are among the 26 players selected. Jane Campbell, Alyssa Naeher, and Adrianna Franch join Harris at the goalkeeping position. Danielle Colaprico and Emily Fox are back in the fold and other than that there weren’t any surprising names.

Kaká Proposes, Receives Positive Response

It appears our former captain is going to get hitched again. Based on this Instagram post, the former Orlando City star is going to be marrying model Carolina Dias. Good luck to the happy couple. They are pretty good at staging photos.

Alston Re-Signs with Orange County

Former Orlando City fullback Kevin Alston is still going strong, signing a new deal to stay with Orange County in the USL Championship. Alston helped his new OCSC on top of the USL’s Western Conference standings in 2018, with 66 points. Good luck to Kevin with his 2019 campaign.

Columbus Crew Complete Expected Hires

It seems like such old news that I was generally shocked yesterday to learn that the Crew hadn’t already officially announced Caleb Porter as the new head coach, but the Ohio club did just that on Friday. The other expected move that formally took place was naming former Toronto FC executive Tim Bezbatchenko as the club’s new president. Bezbatchenko oversaw the Reds’ rise in recent years and is a great addition to the club that just staved off a relocation to Austin.

Seven Sign as Generation Adidas Players Ahead of Next Week’s SuperDraft

The 2019 Generation Adidas class is set after seven players became eligible for next week’s SuperDraft and are participating in the MLS Player Combine at Orlando City Stadium. The newly eligible players are UCLA midfielder Frankie Amaya, Syracuse winger Tajon Buchanan, Indiana winger Griffin Dorsey, Virginia Commonwealth winger Siad Haji, North Carolina defender John Nelson, Maryland goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, and Kentucky forward JJ Williams. Good luck, young men.

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  • The Orlando SeaWolves went boating on Thursday.

  • On the men’s side, Indiana’s Andrew Gutman took home the big award.

  • Those born on this date include actress Jane Wyman (1917), actor Robert Duvall (1931), Steelers’ coaching legend Chuck Noll (1932), talk show host Charlie Rose (1942), actress Diane Keaton (1946), The Love Boat actor Ted “Isaac” Lange (1948), actor Clancy Brown (1959), former pro soccer player and current Arrow actor Vinnie Jones (1965), Marilyn Manson (1969), Bradley Cooper (1975), football’s Warrick Dunn (1975), January Jones (1978), Deadmau5 (1981), and Sporting Kansas City’s Krisztián Németh (1989).

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning, kids. I hope you enjoy your weekend. Me, I’ll be at the Combine today as mentioned but I’ve got a lot to do as I’ll be moving next weekend. Ugh. Anyone want to do it for me?

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/25

Alex Freeman earns recognition, Orlando City prepares for the Chicago Fire, Jarrod Dillon named 2024 Downtowner of the Year, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! We’ve made it through the week and have plenty of Orlando soccer ahead of us to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this weekend beyond working, but it should still be a nice couple of days. Before we get to today’s links, we have a trio of birthdays to celebrate. Let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City’s Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Orlando Pride midfielder Luana, and Orlando City B defender Hayden Sargis!

Alex Freeman’s Breakout Season Highlighted

The folks over at Stars and Stripes FC have shined their spotlight on Orlando City right back Alex Freeman, who is enjoying a breakout season this year with the Lions. The 20-year-old has started in nine of the team’s 10 games this season and has three goals and an assist under his belt so far. He helped the United States U-19 Men’s National Team win the Slovenia Nations Cup in 2022 and could factor into the 2026 World Cup plans for the USMNT if he continues to improve as a player.

Orlando City Faces the Chicago Fire on Saturday

Orlando City will take a seven-game unbeaten streak to Soldier Field for a match on Saturday against the Chicago Fire. The Lions are coming off an April that included three scoreless draws and an emphatic 3-0 rivalry win over Atlanta United. The Fire have not won at home yet this season and have conceded 22 goals, which is tied with D.C. United for the most in the league. Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on the team’s preparations, as well as how players returning to full fitness should help give depth as the team gets ready to balance the U.S. Open Cup with the regular season.

Jarrod Dillon Receives Downtowner of the Year Award

OCSC President of Business Operations Jarrod Dillon was named 2024 Downtowner of the Year by the Downtown Orlando Partnership for his contributions to the success of downtown Orlando. Amid historically successful seasons by both the Lions and Pride last season, Dillon secured a new naming rights partner for the club’s stadium and has helped bring events like the FIFA Club World Cup and Copa America to the City Beautiful. Dillon joined the club in 2022, and it’s great to see that he’s already had an impact in the community.

Analyzing the Longevity of NWSL Parity

Jeff Kassouf of ESPN took an interesting dive into how future expansion in the NWSL can affect parity in the league going forward. The league’s parity has certainly been a positive aspect of the NWSL compared to leagues in Europe that are dominated by the same teams year in and year out. However, expansion could thin the depth of talent throughout the NWSL, and other variables like the elimination of the college draft may make it harder for teams at the bottom to climb out. While I don’t think the league’s competitive balance will be in jeopardy any time soon, I agree that it will be an interesting thing to keep an eye on in the coming years, especially if the NWSL expands too fast too soon.

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  • The game ball for Orlando’s win over Atlanta went to the recently promoted Ricardo Moreira, as it was his first win as the club’s general manager and sporting director.
  • NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Esther González was named NWSL Player of the Month after scoring an impressive seven goals in April.
  • Seattle Sounders star Jordan Morris will be out for an estimated six weeks due to a hamstring injury according to Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. Jesus Ferreira is also nursing an adductor injury and is questionable to play on Saturday.
  • Both of the English clubs dominated in the first legs of the Europa League semifinals. Manchester United beat Athletic Club 3-0 on the road, while Tottenham won 3-1 at home against Bodo/Glimt.
  • There’s plenty to tune in for in this weekend’s final matchday of the EFL Championship regular season. There are five teams in contention for the two open playoff spots, including Haji Wright’s Coventry City and Aidan Morris’ Middlesbrough. The Americans will collide in a crucial match between the two sides Saturday morning.
  • Bayern Munich’s women’s team, which secured the Bundesliga title this past weekend, completed its domestic double after beating Werder Bremen 4-2 in the German Cup final. It’s a nice way to go out for Head Coach Alexander Straus, who is set to become Angel City FC’s head coach in June.
  • Barcelona defender Jules Kounde could miss time due to a hamstring injury, which would make things difficult for Barcelona in the La Liga title race and Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/25

Orlando Pride prepare for the Portland Thorns, Vancouver Whitecaps reach Concacaf Champions Cup final, Lorne Donaldson fired, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to May, Mane Landers! The months are flying by and I’m all for it. I was able to get some belated spring cleaning done this week and have been flexing my interior decorating muscles a bit as well. My cat’s not a fan of all of the furniture being shuffled around, but I’m sure he’ll get used to it. Let’s get this month started with today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando Pride Prep for Portland

The Orlando Pride are back in action Saturday in a road match against the Portland Thorns. Orlando is coming off of a dramatic 3-2 win at home against Angel City FC, which featured the team’s stars and substitutes linking up to come back and win. As for Portland, the Thorns are unbeaten at home so far this season and have scored seven goals across their past two games. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on Orlando’s preparations for this match and how the Pride will need to maintain momentum against a young Portland team that’s finding its groove offensively.

Vancouver Whitecaps Seal Spot in Concacaf Champions Cup Final

The Vancouver Whitecaps went on the road and beat Inter Miami a second time, winning 3-1 to advance to the Concacaf Champions Cup final. An early goal by Jordi Alba gave Miami life in the series, but Vancouver scored three unanswered goals in the second half to win 5-1 on aggregate. The star of the show was 23-year-old midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who provided assists on Vancouver’s first two goals before scoring one himself to put the nail in the coffin. The Whitecaps have had a brutal path to reach the final, taking down Monterrey and Pumas UNAM in the previous two rounds. In the final on June 1, they’ll face whichever Liga MX team comes out on top tonight between Tigres and Cruz Azul.

Chicago Stars Fire Lorne Donaldson

Lorne Donaldson’s time as the Chicago Stars’ head coach has come to a close, with the Stars firing him just six games into the season. The Stars have lost five of their six games this year, including a 6-0 defeat to the Orlando Pride to open the season. Donaldson joined the club in December of 2023 and helped the team squeeze into the playoffs in his first year as head coach. Assistant coach Masaki Hemmi will serve as interim head coach while the club hunts for a replacement.

Brian White Wins MLS Player of the Month

Scoring in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals capped off an impressive month for Vancouver forward Brian White, who was named MLS Player of the Month. The American had five goals in league games this April and became the first player in club history to score four times in one game when he did so against Austin FC on April 12. He’s been a major reason behind the club’s ascent to the top of the Western Conference this year. It will be interesting to see how his continued success this year factors into his role at the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.

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  • In case you missed it, enjoy this full interview from Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira.

That’s all I have for you this time around. Make sure to stay hydrated out there, as this heat isn’t playing around. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/30/25

The U.S. Open Cup approaches, the Pride are back on top, USMNT and USWNT news, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Welcome to the last Wednesday of April, Mane Landers. May promises to be a busy month for Orlando City. You will have as many matches as you want to watch over the next few weeks. I’m certainly not complaining, but we could use a little help here at The Mane Land if you’d like to join the staff. I promise you’ll enjoy it. For now, let’s get to the links.

The U.S. Open Cup Beckons

We’re only a week away from Orlando City’s match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies to start the Lions’ 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. Of course, the Lions aren’t the only MLS squad entering the tournament in the Round of 32. Starting Tuesday, 16 MLS clubs join the competition, with Orlando City playing on Wednesday. While we’re waiting for the next Orlando City match, enjoy the sights and sounds from the victory over Atlanta United.

Pride Back on Top

The Orlando Pride back on top of the NWSL standings, though the Kansas City Current are technically listed No. 1 thanks to the alphabet. Of course, we all know that power rankings are actually more important than actual results. Fortunately, the Pride are top of the pops in the Goal.com power rankings and in the All For XI power rankings. Just so you know that sometimes the internet isn’t always accurate, Sports Illustrated kept the Pride in the No. 2 spot.

USMNT Concerns and Commendations

Various people in the U.S. soccer community are calling out the USMNT players for lacking the desire, drive, or passion to be successful. Former USMNT forward Herculez Gomez is the latest, though not only one to do so. At the same time, players like Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent are making a difference at their European clubs. Pulisic is likely to sign a contract extension with AC Milan that will include a hefty pay bump. Sargent was named to the EFL Championship Team of the Season after scoring 15 goals for Norwich City. Alexi Lalas has suggested Mauricio Pochettino bring in Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. If Pochettino is looking for “characters” for his squad, perhaps he should give Orlando City’s Alex Freeman a look?

USWNT Players Thriving

USWNT players are making an impact on both sides of the pond as they wait for their next match against China at the end of May. Emily Fox’s Arsenal squad advanced past Lindsey Heaps’ Olympique Lyon Sunday in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals. It’s not all bad news for Heaps, who was named to the Women’s French Premiere Ligue Awards Team of the Season. Meanwhile, Lily Yohannes continues her growth after becoming the youngest starter in group-stage history of the UEFA women’s Champions League late last year for her club, Ajax.

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That will do it for today. Check back with us as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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