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Lions Links: 3/31/19

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6 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers — but more importantly, happy match day! We’re set for an exciting one tonight with the Lions’ Nani and D.C.’s Wayne Rooney set to be on the same pitch again after spending several years as teammates within the famed halls of Old Trafford.

The match should be sold out (I assume it is), the press box will be be packed (I know this for sure), and the match will be televised nationally. If you’re headed down to Orlando City Stadium tonight, be sure to bring the noise and show your full support for the Lions as they fight what’s sure to be an uphill battle against one of the best teams in MLS. Also, be safe. I probably don’t need to add that last bit, because you folks are some of the finest in the league, but I still feel obliged to say it. I blame you, mom (love you!).

Let’s also wish Tesho Akindele a happy birthday, as he turns 28 today!

All right, enough with the small talk. Let’s hop right into your Sunday serving of Lion Links. Enjoy!

Orlando City B Starts the USL League One Season with a Loss

It’s a new era in Orlando, one where the respected OCB program is back and playing in the USL, kicking off the inaugural League One season last night at Montverde Academy. Unfortunately, the season didn’t quite get off to the start that everyone had hoped for, as the team lost its opening match to FC Tucson, 3-1. After going down a man to a red card in the first half, Koby Osei-Wusu was the man who notched the first goal of the season for OCB, as he neatly put one away in the 56th minute. OCB sees action next on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the MVA Athletic Complex vs Toronto FC II. The Young Lions will hope to improve upon their opening result. #TheFutureIsPurple

OCB Signs Nathan Simeon

Prior to last night’s match, OCB announced the club had signed defender Nathan Simeon and he was in the team’s starting XI. The young defender, born in Montreal, Canada, has been signed to an academy contract. The OCSC Developmental Academy brought the young Canadian down to Orlando last season, and the club saw enough in him to warrant another year’s worth of training and opportunity. Last season, Simeon started for the academy team nine times, with a total of 14 match appearances. Welcome back, Nathan! We’re looking forward to seeing more of you around here.

The Pride Crush USF in Preseason Action

With April 14 quickly approaching, the Orlando Pride have been tuning up with some preseason action. Yesterday offered the Pride the opportunity to face off against a strong University of South Florida women’s team, with the Pride running away with the win after netting an impressive six times in a 6-0 win.

The scoring began early…like, first minute early. Chioma Ubogagu netted a solo goal, and then an own goal suffered by the Bulls in the fourth minute put the Pride in control quickly. It only got better from there, as the Pride’s Rachel Hill netted a six-minute hat trick just after the break, and then Marta added another before the hour mark to put the Pride over the top.

It may only be preseason, and it may only be against a college program, but the convincing win is promising after a shaky start to the preseason matches. The team looked strong, and the result probably could have been worse had the Pride not taken their foot off the gas. Let’s just hope that these types of results translate to the upcoming season, because if they do, watch out NWSL stalwarts.

Rachel Hill Ready for Third NWSL Campaign

It took some time for Pride forward Rachel Hill to really settle in, but it appears that she’s finally found the confidence and reached the high level of play that she desires. With two NWSL seasons under her belt, Hill is now ready to plunge into her third, with the potential of increased playing time becoming more and more evident with some of the club’s marquee names set to be away on international duty.

“We’re obviously going to be missing a lot of players, so there are big shoes to fill and I think we’ll be able to do that as a team,”

Head Coach Marc Skinner had a one-on-one with Hill, and she believes it went quite well.

“It was really good,” she said. “He just shows that he really believes in you and wants the best for you, and he’ll do whatever it takes to reach your full potential, which is amazing. It’s like a breath of fresh air and it’s really nice to hear that.”

Personally, I can’t wait to see more of Hill this season. I have a good feeling that she’s set for a breakout year. She’s certainly one to keep an eye on come April 14.

Pride’s Alanna Kennedy Opens Up

My personal favorite Pride star, Alanna Kennedy, has provided insight into what it’s like to experience heartbreak at the international stage with Australia. After crashing out of the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2018 Asian Cup, the Matildas icon looks back at the gut-wrenching losses as learning experiences, noting that she believes that it’s only made her stronger.

“For me I think it was just a learning experience,” Kennedy told foxsports.com.au at Nike’s launch of the new Matildas national team collection. “I think it’s obviously a tough time to go through and at the time, (in) my world, it was the worst thing. But I look back on it now and I think it’s only made me stronger and those kinds of things happen. And obviously losing in the Asian Cup as well, in the final, they’re just moments that you don’t want to go through again so it drives you to be better and hopefully win the next time around.”

With her past behind her, she’s now set her sights on the upcoming Women’s World Cup, even going as far to say that her country can take the cup home. She might be right, but only time will tell. Another aspect of her career that she opened up about was the prospect of playing in Europe one day.

“Definitely I’ve had thoughts of playing in Europe and … I think the opportunity could arise,” Kennedy said. “And I think it’s something that a few of us are going to have to think about in the future, in the coming couple of years and it’s only going to make us better as footballers. But at the moment I love playing in the W-League and I think it’s a discussion for later but it’s definitely something that I’ve thought (about).”

For now though, she seems happy to bounce back and forth between the NWSL and Australian W-League. To be honest, I just want to see her in the purple kit.

Free Kicks

All right folks, that’s about it for the day. Enjoy what’s destined to be an exciting affair between the Lions and D.C. United. Let’s hope that the Lions contain Rooney while setting Nani loose. The former Manchester United teammates will be the focal points of the broadcasting, and rightfully so. It should be a good one. Enjoy it, Mane Landers, and have an excellent week!

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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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22 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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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: 1/20/25

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

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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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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Lion Links: 1/17/25

Orlando Pride loan out Mariana Larroquette, USMNT gets ready for Venezuela, MLS transfer news, and much more.

Published

5 days ago

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January 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! Maybe it’s just because I’m a San Jose Sharks fan when it comes to hockey, but I sure do miss being able to watch Orlando City and the Orlando Pride win games. Thankfully it won’t be much longer until Orlando’s soccer teams are back in action, although I wish the Lions would make some moves to get us excited for 2025. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Mariana Larroquette Heads to Argentina on Loan

The Pride have loaned forward Mariana Larroquette to Newell’s Old Boys Women in Argentina. The loan lasts through July 1, so Larroquette may still provide some attacking depth for the Pride later in the season. This should be a good opportunity for her to get some minutes in her home country after only making four appearances for the Pride last season. Larroquette joined the Pride back in July of 2023 on a contract through 2025, so this is a solid chance for her to get some consistent playing time to showcase her talent before her current contract ends.

USMNT Prepares for Friendly Against Venezuela

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first game of 2025 when it takes on Venezuela Saturday at 3 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale. This is just the seventh meeting between the two nations, with Venezuela winning the most recent match 3-0 back in 2019. Goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez started for Venezuela in that shutout and is expected to get the nod in goal again, with Orlando City’s Javier Otero backing him up. The Yanks will be without multiple players who were called up, as Jesus Ferreira, John Tolkin, Jalen Neal, and Drake Callender will no longer be available. The USMNT will be back in action on Wednesday for a friendly against Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium.

Catching Up On MLS Transfer News

Every MLS team apart from Orlando City seems to be making major moves in preparation for the 2025 season. Austin FC is reportedly signing Albanian forward Myrto Uzuni as a Designated Player, which would trigger a $12.3 million release clause in his contract with Granada. Uzuni has scored 14 goals in 18 appearances for the Spanish club this season. Austin also added midfielder Nicolas Dubersarsky from Instituto in Argentina’s top flight. He will be a U22 Initiative Player and signed a five-year contract with the club.

New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin was officially transferred to Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga for a reported $3 million transfer fee. The New England Revolution continued to strengthen their attack, signing veteran forward Maxi Urruti to a one-year deal with an option for 2026. Atlanta United and Middlesbrough have reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a deal for forward Emmanuel Latte Lath, although Atlanta still has to finalize personal terms with him.

Chelsea Reportedly Leads Race for Naomi Girma

One of the biggest questions this NWSL off-season is whether or not San Diego Wave defender Naomi Girma will remain with the club. The 24-year-old is under contract through 2026, but European teams are reportedly willing to pay up to secure her talents. Chelsea is the reported frontrunner, with Arsenal and Lyon also in the mix to sign her. Girma is one of the best defenders in the world and was a major reason behind the United States Women’s National Team winning Olympic gold last year. Speaking of Girma, she will not be in attendance for the USWNT training camp in Florida due to a minor injury.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter followed through on her promise to dye her hair after a historic season.
  • In news that impacts Orlando City duo Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena, Jorge Fossati is no longer Peru’s head coach. Peru only won one of its six CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with Fossati at the helm and is last in the standings.
  • Former Lion Chris Mueller spoke on the importance of mental health and the resources available to help.

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

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