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Lion Links: 2/10/19

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7 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers. I say we drop the formalities and hop right into your Sunday serving of Links. Let’s do this.

OCSC Goalkeeper Coach Loves the Open Competition

With the departure of two of the goalkeepers from last season in Joe Bendik and Earl Edwards Jr., the Lions’ keepers have found themselves in an interesting (and somewhat nerve wracking) competition between Adam Grinwis, Mason Stajduhar, Greg Ranjitsingh, and trialist Brian Rowe. All four have seen minutes in City’s preseason clashes, and according to goalkeeper coach Thabane Sutu, it’s currently too close to call in terms of who has the edge.

“As far as standing out, we’ve played two games and all of them have been involved in the games and all of them have been doing quite good. It’s a close one to call, so we’ll see.”

To add to that, Sutu also briefly spoke about how high the level of play is between the goalkeepers, and that although the competition is in full throttle, they still all help each other and provide a support system for each other.

“It’s very, very high, but friendly at the same time,” Sutu said about the competition so far. “Guys [are] getting along really well. They’re helping each other out. It’s been good to see, but, obviously, each one of them wants to be the No. 1, but we’ll get to see that on March 2. For now, the competition is really high, and it’s been fantastic to see.”

Let’s hope the upcoming season will be, too.

Lions in the Running to Land Nani

Cheers to hoping OCSC lands Portuguese winger Nani. The former Manchester United midfielder hasn’t asked for a transfer but Orlando City is interested in the Portuguese winger. Nothing is imminent but Nani would fill a need for the Lions. We’ll keep our eyes on this one.

FC Dallas Defender Reggie Cannon Reflects on Time with National Team

The Gregg Berhalter era as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, as we all know, got off to an excellent start with two consecutive friendly wins against Panama and Costa Rica. Reggie Cannon, a 20-year-old wing back, has provided insight into what it was like working under the new coach, even talking about the tactics and positioning that Berhalter wanted to deploy.

“It was interesting playing with a coach like that,” Cannon told ProSoccerUSA. “He’s a very tactical-sided coach and he has a certain way about going about things. He wants the fullbacks to come inside and play that center-mid role and it’s something I quite haven’t adapted to much yet. . .It’s good to get that adaptation in and I’ve learned a lot in that camp.”

To add to that, Cannon also touched on the attitude and culture that Berhalter has brought with him to the national team setup.

“We spent a lot of training doing tactical stuff,” Cannon said. “It’s good coming back to FC Dallas, where Luchi has that more grit side that Oscar had. It’s even with Luchi; It’s all about grit and effort, but it’s also about having that tactical balance to be able to disrupt the team and be comfortable where you play. Gregg was more on the side of, obviously valuing effort, but tactics is where the majority of his premise sits. Gregg is a great coach, it’s just going to take a lot longer to adapt to that position.”

Stories like this are a good sign — they show the promise and dedication that Berhalter exudes. Perhaps the Yanks might qualify for the next World Cup (too soon?).

World Cup Veteran Fernando Clavijo Passes Away at 63

A member of the 1994 World Cup squad, Fernando Clavijo has passed away after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma. Known globally for his passion, dedication, and commitment to the sport we love, Clavijo was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005. Born in Maldonado, Uruguay, the defender began an illustrious 22-year career at the tender age of just 16, signing with Uruguayan club Atenas de San Carlos. From there, Clavijo made his move stateside, earning accolades in American Soccer League and in indoor circuits. By 1987, Clavijo acquired his U.S. citizenship…and the rest was history, as the versatile defender found his way into the national team setup, and later parlayed his success on the field to success off the field, becoming a manager of several MLS and indoor clubs throughout this later years. The impact he had on the sport in this country was important, and we’re all devastated by his passing.

“All of us in the U.S. Soccer family are deeply saddened by the passing of Fernando Clavijo, one of the pioneers of soccer in the United States,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Carlos Cordeiro said. “As a player, a coach, a mentor and a friend, Fernando impacted the lives of generations of people involved in the sport to which he dedicated his life. Our thoughts today are with his family and friends as we reflect on his great legacy.”

We’ve lost a good one, that’s for sure. Rest in peace, Fernando. You will be missed.

Free Kicks

  • Darlington Nagbe is apparently attempting to force a move to the Columbus Crew, with his absences from the Atlanta United’s recent preseason friendlies raising questions as to what’s going on with the defending MLS champions and their influential midfielder.
  • Major props to the Philadelphia Union for releasing a fan-inspired jersey celebrating their 10th season. The jersey includes an MLS first — customizable back tags. The available tags include local athletes Zach and Julie Ertz and Jorge Alfaro, rapper Freeway, alternative rock group The Wonder Years, club Chief Tattoo Officer Bonedaddys Tattoo, Phang, as well as the club’s supporter group, the Sons of Ben (as voted on by the fans).
  • Speaking of the Union…the club’s recent signing of Marco Fabian is making major waves in the City of Brotherly Love, and he already feels comfortable in his new home.
  • Another recent MLS move, Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez to Atlanta United, is garnering praise as well. Pity, while a very different player than the recently departed Miguel Almiron, is impressing his new teammates.
  • Real Salt Lake will advance to the Pacific Rim Cup final against V-Varen Nagasaki after they notched a 2-1 win against Iwaki FC. The Vancouver Whitecaps lost to Nagasaki, failing to reach the final of the preseason tournament.
  • And speaking of the Whitecaps…the club has secured a year-long loan of FC Chiasso striker Joaquín Ardaiz with an option to make the move permanent. The young Uruguayan will occupy one of the club’s Young Designated Player slots.
  • Liv Cooke is a beast. Proof:

Before I make my leave, I want to leave you with this absolute gem. Well played, mom. Well played.

Enjoy your Sunday and have an excellent week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/13/26

Orlando Pride prepare for 2026 season opener, NWSL power rankings, Guro Reiten joins Gotham FC, and more.

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10 hours ago

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March 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I’ve spent most of my free time this week getting some needed spring cleaning done before the weekend gets here. Kicking up dust while also dealing with all the pollen when I go outside probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but it’s nice to be productive. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Season Opener

The Orlando Pride are set to return to action on Sunday against the Seattle Reign in what should be an exciting season opener. It will be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal between the two, which the Pride won 2-0 thanks to a strong defensive performance and goals from Haley McCutcheon and Luana. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team’s preparations for the season have gone, as well as the expectations to fight for titles after failing to win silverware last year.

NWSL Power Rankings Ahead of 2026 Season

The Orlando Pride placed fifth in All For XI‘s NWSL power rankings before the start of the season. It’s a pretty fair ranking for the Pride in my opinion, as they were inconsistent last year but still managed to reach the semifinals in the playoffs. Whether or not they can stake a claim as a title contender may hinge on how well Jacquie Ovalle does now that she’s had time to settle in this preseason.

The Kansas City Current top the rankings, with defending champion Gotham FC in second and the Washington Spirit third. As for the new teams on the block, the Boston Legacy are down in 15th while the Denver Summit are in 10th. It should be an interesting season and I can’t wait for it to start tonight when the Spirit and Portland Thorns square off at 8 p.m.

NWSL Transfer News Roundup

The NWSL season is here, but teams are still bringing in some firepower to their rosters before things get underway. Gotham added Norwegian forward Guro Reiten on loan from Chelsea and she will join the club as a free agent once the loan expires, with that deal lasting through 2029. Reiten has been a force in England, recording 59 goals and 44 assists across 207 appearances and helping Chelsea win six Women’s Super League titles.

The Chicago Stars also strengthened their attack, sending $300,000 in transfer funds and $200,000 in allocation money to the Reign in exchange for forward Jordyn Huitema. The 24-year-old joins on a contract through 2028 and gives the rebuilding Stars an aerial threat to help fill the void left by Ally Schlegel leaving for the North Carolina Courage.

European Title Races to Watch Out For

While it may not be crunch time just yet for clubs in contention, it’s a great time to check in on how title races are shaping up across Europe. While it may take some intriguing results in Germany, Italy, and Spain for things to get interesting, the United Kingdom is rife with drama to look forward to. Celtic and Rangers are usually the contenders in the Scottish Premiership, but it’s Hearts that has a five-point lead with plenty to go. In the English Premier League, the title race between Arsenal and Manchester City may end up being dwarfed by a relegation fight involving Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham. Wrexham is right in the thick of a tight battle for promotion as well. Don’t sleep on the title race in France either, as Lens is hanging around just one point behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

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

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Lion Links: 3/12/26

Oscar Pareja and Orlando City part ways, Kay Rawlins announces her retirement, Orlando Pride roster unveiled, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 12, 2026

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Image of Marta celebrating a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City’s season continues to be something out of a fever dream, but at least Orlando City B won this weekend and we have the Orlando Pride to look forward to. This weekend will be the first time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action for competitive matches in quite some time, so hopefully it won’t be all be doom and gloom. That’s just how probability works, right? Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City and Oscar Pareja Part Ways

Oscar Pareja’s time as Orlando City’s head coach has come to an end after a mutual agreement between the two to part ways after six seasons with him at the helm. The decision comes amid three consecutive losses to start the season, including a 5-0 defeat to New York City FC on Saturday. The Lions won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup and also made the playoffs in all six years of Pareja’s tenure, which is the longest active streak in the league.

Martin Perelman will take over as head coach in an interim capacity, with OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg becoming an interim assistant coach and Julian Vergara now serving as OCB’s head coach. Given Wilfried Nancy’s availability, Orlando fans may need to keep fingers crossed for a Frenchman other than just Antoine Griezmann.

Kay Rawlins Announces Retirement

Orlando City SC Founder and Senior Vice President of Community and Social Impact Kay Rawlins stated that she will retire from her role on Friday. She co-founded the club alongside Phil Rawlins and has been with the club through it all, including the creation of the Orlando Pride and the opening of the club’s very own stadium. Along with her role in the front office, Rawlins has made a strong impact in the community through the Orlando City Foundation as well. We wish her nothing but the best in retirement!

Orlando Pride 2026 Roster Revealed

The Orlando Pride released their start-of-season roster for the 2026 NWSL campaign Wednesday, and there’s a decent mix of veteran starters and young depth players. Defender Hailie Mace is the most notable addition to the roster from this off-season and other new faces include rookie forwards Solai Washington and Seven Castain. Center back Emily Sams is gone after her trade to Angel City FC and forward Ally Watt is with Denver Summit FC, so we’ll see how well the Pride do at filling the voids left by their departures. Hopefully the triumvirate of Marta, Barbra Banda, and Jacquie Ovalle can have the offense firing on all cylinders.

Concacaf Champions Cup Roundup

The round of 16 of this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup is underway and the competition has been stiff over the course of the first legs. Nashville SC and Inter Miami battled to a scoreless draw and will settle things in the second leg in Miami on March 18. LAFC was held to a 1-1 draw against Costa Rican club Alajuelense, with goalkeeper Washington Ortega making 10 saves. The Philadelphia Union have a tough game ahead of them after falling 1-0 to Club America at Subaru Park. In the only matchup of this round that pits two Mexican clubs against each other, Cruz Azul beat Monterrey 3-2 thanks to a late goal from Nicolas Ibanez. The late games Wednesday on the west coast featured the LA Galaxy hosting Jamaican side Mount Pleasant FA and San Diego FC hosting Liga MX side Toluca.

Free Kicks

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: 3/11/26

Maxime Crepeau fined, NWSL season approaches, USMNT news and notes, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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March 11, 2026

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Image of Robin Jansson accepting a pass in a match against Nashville SC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The Orlando Pride are finally back in action this weekend, and we’ll get to watch it — unlike the preseason. It’s a good thing too, since Orlando City has been hard to watch. Speaking of the Pride, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride Podcast and our special guest. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Trio of Missing Lions

Crepeau, Jansson & Gerbet sounds like a law firm specializing in personal injury cases. That is definitely the case when it comes to Robin Jansson and Joran Gerbet, as the two work back from their respective injuries. Fortunately, there’s some progress on that. Both are training off to the side. Hopefully, their recoveries go well and they can return to help Orlando City.

Some #OrlandoCity developments over on the injury front — Robin Jansson (fractured foot) and Joran Gerbet (ACL) seen getting some more involvement on the ball. Told they’re still in recovery.

— Mike Gramajo (@mikegramajo.bsky.social) 2026-03-10T14:04:35.223Z

Maxime Crepeau will be absent from Orlando City’s next match thanks to the red card he earned against New York City FC Saturday afternoon. He was also fined by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for not leaving the field in a timely manner. I’d like to say he had a good argument against the sending off, but I can’t, and I’m not the only one.

NWSL Season Approaches

We are days away from the Orlando Pride season opener — and the rest of the NWSL will kick off over the weekend as well. That means it’s time for speculation about the various clubs and how ambitious each was based on its off-season moves. The Pride were not very ambitious, but perhaps the club did not need to be. Despite the supposed lack of ambition, the Pride are still a team to watch, even if others don’t consider the club “must watch” tv.

U.S. National Team Player News & Notes

The fact that there are USMNT players competing in the Champions League is great news in a World Cup year. Johnny Cardoso’s Atletico Madrid beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-2 with some help from a guy name Antoine Griezmann. Mauricio Pochettino said he also respects MLS players like Sebastian Berhalter. Speaking of Berhalters, former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said the USMNT is poised for success in the World Cup. We know the team won’t be wearing the denim kit despite Adidas bringing it back.

Free Kicks

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

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