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Lion Links: 2/13/19

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6 years ago

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Happy Hump Day, everyone. The Orlando City season looms larger on the horizon every day and many of us will finally get our first look at the 2019 squad in person on Saturday night when the Lions welcome New York City FC. That should be fun, and it will be nice to follow along with a game as it happens live rather than waiting for sporadic social media posts from the club.

There is a plethora of news items to get into today, so here we go.

Orlando City Falls to Philadelphia Union in Closed Scrimmage

Things didn’t go well for Orlando City at Championsgate on Tuesday afternoon, as the Philadelphia Union ran riot for a 4-1 win over 90 minutes. The teams agreed to play an additional half hour afterward, but no goals were added. Here’s a rundown of the City starters:

Chris Mueller opened the scoring for Orlando after the Lions worked the ball through traffic at the top of the area.

Things unraveled from there. The Union scored the next four over the remainder of the match, including a penalty surrendered by new right back Ruan in an inauspicious start. After only a few days of training with his new team, it wasn’t the start Ruan wanted but it’s early days for the Brazilian.

There are three preseason games left and only one of those is closed, so we’ve almost made it through the long, dark off-season. Preseason is preseason, and of course Dom Dwyer is still out with a quad injury, but this team seems to have the same issues scoring goals if the preseason is anything to go by. Three games, three goals. Look for more on that subject later today.

Warshaw: Dwyer is Orlando City’s ‘Most Irreplaceable Player’

Over at mlssoccer.com, Bobby Warshaw put together his list of players from each team that he deems the ‘most irreplaceable.’ For Orlando City, he chose striker Dom Dwyer.

If you have Dwyer in your team, you have to account for his specific skillset. Dwyer can be an elite striker in MLS and singlehandedly lift a team, but his unique attributes make him tough to replace.

I don’t disagree with his selection but possibly that says more about the squad than Dwyer. I love me some post-goal Dom back flips as much as anyone, and maybe more than most, but I’m not sure it’s a good sign if your striker is your most irreplaceable player. A dominating defensive midfielder or an attacking mid that you can’t dispossess seem like they’d be more valuable overall (provided you have a good backup striker who can put the ball in the net), but I’m not sure this team has that at this point. But we’ll see once the season starts.

Lions Have a New Radio Voice

Bruce Silverman will be Orlando City’s new radio play-by-play voice on 96.9 The Game. The former television play-by-play announcer for Miami FC tweeted out the news yesterday. Silverman also says he’s going to do “television” broadcasts for OCB games, which…having not heard of a TV deal for the USL League One side, I’m guessing is more streaming video on YouTube or the USL League One site.

Silverman has his own talk show as well, Silverman on Sports. He describes himself as “a hard-news guy in a sportscaster’s mind” on his website. I’m generally at the game or watching road matches on TV so I don’t think I’ve heard a single radio broadcast from the team yet but hopefully fans will like what Silverman brings.

Orlando Pride Stars Named to 2019 SheBelieves Cup Roster

To no one’s surprise, Pride striker Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris were named to Jill Ellis’ 23-player squad for the SheBelieves Cup, which kicks off in two weeks. England, Japan, and Brazil will come stateside to take on the Yanks in this year’s iteration of the tournament, which will take place in Chester, PA; Nashville, TN; and Tampa, FL. We hope to be on site for the last match on March 5 in Tampa against the Brazilians, for some Pride vs. Pride action. Notably absent will be Lindsay Horan, who is recovering from a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to Orlando City forward Tesho Akindele.

  • Don’t forget, you can get a bus ride to see the SeaWolves play in Lakeland Saturday and a ticket to the game for just 25 bucks with this special offer.
  • D.C. United has a decision to make at backup goalkeeper — Chris Seitz, or former Lion Earl Edwards, Jr.?
  • Good news, you guys. Sky Blue FC is going to try to start operating like a professional club should. At least, so they say.

  • Those born on this date include legendary Grambling football coach Eddie Robinson (1919), general/pilot Chuck Yeager (1923), The Goldbergs grandpa George Segal (1934), Monkees bassist Peter Tork (1942), actress Stockard Channing (1944), Duke hoops coach Mike Krzyzewski (1947), musician (one of my absolute favorites) Peter Gabriel (1950), Henry Rollins (1961), actor Neal McDonough (1966), Swedish hockey legend Mats Sundin (1971), football’s Randy Moss (1977), and Netherlands/Lyon forward Memphis Depay (1994).

That’s all I’ve got for you on this particular Wednesday. Hang in there. The weekend is almost in sight and we’ve got to get to the purple palace for Saturday’s match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

8 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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