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Lion Links: 1/13/19

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6 years ago

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Hey there, Mane Landers. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Florida weather this weekend as you soak in some quality football like yesterday’s Florida Cup. Personally, I’ve just adopted a kitten! It’s been a plan in the making, but my trip to Germany held it off…but I’ve finally pulled the trigger. She’s a Tortie (Tortoiseshell), and she’s currently hiding in my elaborate L-shaped couch. I hope she comes out soon because I haven’t had the opportunity to introduce her to the litter box yet.

Regardless, I’m ecstatic to have a new furry companion. I haven’t yet landed on a name, but I think Java or Bean (Beanie) have potential. She’s beautiful, in brown, orange, black, and white, so if you have any nice suggestions, drop them in the comments section below.

Anyway, back to the reason you’re here; your Sunday serving of delicious Lion Links. Enjoy!

Lions Moving on from Diego

Despite having a three-year offer on the table that was agreed to in principle, Diego Ribas is mulling a new offer from Flamengo and Orlando City is done waiting for the talented No. 10. Diego was going to be a big part of what the Lions wanted to do in 2019 and would make a great mentor for a guy like Josué Colmán, but OCSC isn’t interested in waiting for him to finalize a decision, although the door is reportedly not all the way closed just yet.

“We’re done waiting,” the executive said. “Our offer is off the table because we cannot wait and we will not get into a bidding war. You can’t think twice about an offer that involves a life project like the one we did.”

Orlando Becoming a Hub for Soccer

With an ever-growing supporter base for the Lions and the Pride, notable tournaments like the Florida Cup, featuring internationally renowned clubs, are contributing to an expanding soccer culture here in the Orlando area. The R9 Ronaldo Academy, opened in 2015 by the legendary Brazilian striker of the same name, has seen tremendous growth in its admissions of prospects into its competitive programs. The sport is growing in the Central Florida area, and it’s only a matter of time before the results and development of our state’s youth players comes to fruition. One thing is certain: it’s a good time to be into soccer in the Central Florida area (despite the recent disappointing seasons from the city’s top clubs).

SeaWolves Exact Revenge on Florida Tropics

Gordy Gurson netted four goals and added an assist, and Osvaldo Rojas and Lewis Neal each added a brace to lead the Orlando SeaWolves to a huge 11-6 road win over the Florida Tropics in Lakeland. The ‘Wolves bounced back from a 9-6 defeat in their last trip to Lakeland and picked up their first ever road victory in MASL play. It was also the team’s largest offensive output of its short existence.

2019 MLS SuperDraft: Conservative?

According to mlssoccer.com’s Sam Stejskal, he thinks so. In a class lacking a clear number one and/or number two selection, teams didn’t feel the need to make any aggressive moves. The general feel was that the top seven to 10 prospects were of around the same caliber, which allowed teams to sit back and wait on their pick, rather than trading up to nab their guy. That made this year’s draft noticeably conservative compared to years past.

“I think it has to be a reflection of some of the over the top talent,” Columbus Crew SC president Tim Bezbatchenko told MLSsoccer.com on Friday. “I think in the past there’s been some players that really had something different and unique, and they did this year, but maybe not to the same level. It’s a bit of a reflection of that.”

That doesn’t mean there were no deals struck, of course, as there was plenty of movement. The difference? The movement wasn’t notable or captivating. Stejskal even goes on to hypothesize that the continuing emergence of MLS academies will stymie the quality of future MLS SuperDrafts, with teams looking towards developing their Homegrown talent.

“I think people are more confident with their academy players and people coming through in their USL programs, so maybe they’re not maneuvering as quickly and aggressively,” said Bezbatchenko.

Only time will tell…but what do you think, was this a conservative year for the MLS SuperDraft?

Who Owns Inter Miami?

That’s the question a lot of people are asking right now, as the club has failed to officially disclose its investors — an ethical problem that could potentially throw a huge monkey wrench in Miami’s future MLS plans. as it’s preventing the club from obtaining construction permits for their Miami Freedom Stadium. To boil it down, the local face of the club, Jorge Mas, MasTec chairman, and his brother Jose are investors and own 35% of the team. Sprint chairman Marcelo Claure owns another 35% of the team, with SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son owning 20% and David Beckham owning the remaining 10%. No forms were filed to officially verify these claims however, and there is no evidence to corroborate the team’s investment group. Until the water is no longer muddy, Inter Miami is sitting at a red light — a really, really awkward and seemingly unnecessary red light.

French Federation Hopes to Leave “Strong Legacy” for Women’s Sports

With the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup just around the corner, host country France and its Football Federation has expressed hopes of leaving a strong legacy in France, as they hope to emulate the United States in the respect that women’s footballers are looked up to as role models.

“What I like and what I wish we could bring in France is the atmosphere, the support of the game,” Georges said. “To have role models – because in France, now it’s starting, players are role models. When I came to the U.S. … it was already in the culture, a woman’s football player, you’re a role model.”

Brigitte Henriques, the French Federation’s vice president, and Laura Georges, the secretary general, gave an hour-long presentation in Chicago last Thursday, and spoke about the vast potential this tournament holds. They have their eye on highlighting the value of women’s soccer to their male counterparts, as well.

“What we expect is to have more men’s professional teams supporting the women’s game,” Georges said. “Make sure that they really think: ‘We are doing it because they ask us? No, we are doing it because it’s worth it.’”

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  • Last but certainly not least, we have American U-18 prospect Charlie Kelman netting an impressive goal from midfield after helping out in the tackle that won the ball. Take a bow, sir.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. Now, I need to go find this kitten. Have a great week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/25

Lions earn weekly plaudits, Barbra Banda up for Goal of the Week, Orlando City announces affiliation agreement, and more.

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11 hours ago

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April 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning everyone! It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as two out of the three picked up victories to collect six out of the nine points available. In the process, Orlando City stretched its undefeated streak to seven games and the Orlando Pride got back to winning ways. There’s no time to rest on our laurels though, as Orlando City B returns to action on Friday. We’ve got plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into the links.

Two Lions Garner Weekly Recognition

Marco Pasalic and Alex Freeman both played important roles in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United on Saturday, and they’ve each been rewarded with a place on the bench in the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Freeman scored his third goal of the season while Pasalic scored a goal and provided the assist for Freeman’s strike, and the Croatian was also David Rohe’s pick for the Man of the Match. The good vibes don’t stop there though, because Pasalic’s fantastic strike from distance was also named the Energy Moment of the Matchday, which I admittedly wasn’t aware was an actual thing until this week. Not to be outdone, Freeman got some props as one of the standout young players from the matchday, which is far from the first time he’s gotten some love in that particular category. Keep up the good work guys!

Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week

Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning praise for their performances over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. She scored the Orlando’s Pride’s 76th-minute equalizer that drew the team level with Angel City FC after going into halftime down 2-0. Carson Pickett did a great job saving the ball before it went out of bounds, and then whipped a dangerous cross into the box. Banda did the rest, getting halfway around her defender and contorting her head low to meet the ball and send it into the upper corner off the post. It was the sort of outstanding finishing that we’ve come to know and love from Banda, and here’s hoping we’ll see plenty more of it.

Orlando City Announces Affiliation Agreement

Orlando City announced on Monday that it has begun an affiliation agreement with Black Knight Football Club that will focus on “player development, scouting operations, executive collaboration, and commercial opportunities across both organizations.” This is technically a multi-club partnership, as BKFC has a number of different clubs in its network, including Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Hibernian. BKFC is a partnership that was formed in 2022 when Bill Foley and Cannae Holdings purchased Bournemouth. Representatives from both Orlando City and Black Knight were enthusiastic when talking about the opportunities that the partnership will provide players and staff members from both sides, so it’ll be very interesting to keep an eye out for if/how it affects the on-field product.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and cup competitions are a big point of focus. Things start on Wednesday with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, as youngster Diego Kochen will likely be on the bench for the Spaniards. Also on Wednesday, Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps will try to knock off Inter Miami in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals. Things then wrap up on Friday with Gianluca Busio and Fiorentina traveling to play Torino in Serie A.

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That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/28/25

Lions defeat Atlanta United, Pride bounce back against Angel City FC, OCB falls to New York Red Bulls II, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I will cover high school volleyball and soccer later this week. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B forward Thalles, who turns 20 today. Our beloved Lions finally won a match this month, the Pride bounced back with a win, and OCB lost over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Defeat Atlanta United at Home

Orlando City snapped its three-game winless streak and extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, beating rival Atlanta United 3-0 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Luis Muriel, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic scored for the Lions. With Pasalic’s goal and assist in Saturday’s match against Atlanta, he added his name to the club record books by becoming the fourth player in club history to have seven goal contributions in his first 10 matches.

Orlando set a club record early in the match for the most consecutive shutout minutes. By the end of the match, Orlando had not conceded a goal in 436 minutes. The Lions’ last goal conceded was to Christian Ramirez in the 14th minute against the LA Galaxy last month. Orlando City will be on the road Saturday to take on the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

Pride Rally to Defeat Angel City FC at Home

The Orlando Pride completed the comeback, overcoming a 2-0 deficit late in the second half and defeating Angel City FC 3-2 Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. In the final 20 minutes, Marta and Barbra Banda scored to tie the match after Orlando trailed 2-0. Orlando also got an own goal in stoppage time from Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola and escaped with a win at home. The Pride bounced back after a defeat to the Washington Spirit the previous week. With the Kansas City Current losing to the North Carolina Courage over the weekend, the Pride are tied with the Current atop the NWSL table. After the match, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines shared his thoughts on his team’s resiliency to overturn a 2-0 deficit and fight back for the win at home.

The Pride will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Thorns in their next match Saturday at Providence Park.

Orlando City B Falls at Home to New York Red Bulls II

Orlando City B started slowly and dug too deep a hole to climb out of on Sunday night in a 4-2 loss to New York Red Bulls II at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 early in the first half. Jhon Solis pulled one back for OCB before Red Bulls II added another goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Justin Ellis scored to pull the Young Lions within one again before Ibrahim Kasule converted a penalty kick goal in stoppage time to seal the win against OCB. New York Red Bulls II moves to second in the Eastern Conference with 13 points, while Orlando City B has lost back-to-back matches and is in fifth with 11 points. OCB will be on the road Friday to take on Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium.

NWSL Announces Plans to Launch a Second Division Women’s League

The National Women’s Soccer League has submitted an application to the U.S. Soccer Federation to launch a second-division soccer league in 2026, the league announced on Friday. The plan for this new league is to focus on furthering player development and building a pipeline between the NWSL and the second division league, similar to Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT Pro. Eight clubs are reportedly set for the league’s inaugural season, including the Orlando Pride. Joining Orlando in committing to the league are Bay FC, the Kansas City Current, the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville, the Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit. The Division 2 clubs would play in the same stadiums as their parent clubs. The season format would be a round robin, featuring 14 matches, home and away, and will include playoffs with two semifinals and a championship match.

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

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Lion Links: 4/25/25

Orlando City gets ready for Atlanta United, Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira promoted, NWSL MVP candidates, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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April 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! Today starts three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. It was a fairly fast week for me, and I was able to read three books somehow. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy 21st birthday to Orlando City winger Nicolas Rodriguez!

Orlando City Gets Ready for Rivalry Match

The Lions are back in action Saturday night against rival Atlanta United in what should be one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend. Both teams are looking for answers on offense heading into this match, as Orlando is coming off of three straight scoreless draws and Atlanta hasn’t won since March. Taking on a rival at home could be just what’s needed for the Lions to jumpstart their attack and return to the form they had earlier this season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how it’s an important game to win for Orlando, as well as how the offense needs to exercise some calmness to finish its chances.

Orlando City Promotes Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira

Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira were both promoted by Orlando City, with Moreira taking over as the club’s general manager and sporting director and Muzzi becoming senior advisor to ownership, global soccer ventures. It’s a natural step up for Moreira, who joined the club in 2018 and has helped build a competitive roster that’s made the playoffs for the past five seasons. Muzzi’s new role is a bit of a mouthful, but he’ll be taking on an advisory role focused on the growth of the club while working closely with ownership.

“I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as Orlando City Soccer Club’s EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager for seven seasons, and I am excited to continue my journey with the club in this new role,” said Luiz Muzzi. “I look forward to working alongside the Wilf family and the leadership team to help shape the future of the club and its continued success, both on and off the field, and I know Orlando City’s Soccer Operations will be in great hands under Ricardo’s leadership.”

Orlando Pride Players in the NWSL MVP Hunt

Now that we’re over a month into the NWSL season, ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf highlighted the league’s early MVP candidates, and there are a couple of familiar faces in his rankings. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is predictably in the mix in sixth on the list, as she has three goals and an assist to her name so far. But a surprise inclusion is midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who has impressed on both sides of the ball to earn ninth place in the rankings. While I think the MVP race will ultimately be between scorers like Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Ashley Hatch, and Debinha, it’s pretty great to see McCutcheon receive deserved praise for her performance this year.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The transfer deadline may be over for MLS clubs, but deals that crossed the finish line are still coming in. The Columbus Crew added yet another forward by sending up to $1.2 million to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Aliyu Ibrahim. The 23-year-old will maintain his U22 Initiative Player status in Columbus and recorded 12 goals and nine assists across 90 appearances for Houston. LAFC signed 26-year-old midfielder Ryan Raposo, who spent the past five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps and was a free agent this year. St. Louis City also made things official with Simon Becher by making his loan move a permanent one so that he stays with the club.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. Mother’s Day is less than a month away, just as a warning. If the mothers in your life like romance books and you’re looking for a gift, I can’t recommend The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center enough. Have a great Friday!

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