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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.

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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: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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2 hours ago

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April 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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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: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

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  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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 4/16/25

Orlando Pride on top, OCB falls to Inter Miami II, USMNT eyes Gold Cup, and more.

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2 days ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I know I’ve said it before, but I love that I can always find soccer to watch. Whether it’s UEFA Champions League or the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, or anything in between, I love it. I’m willing to bet you love it too. Speaking of love, we want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City Designated Player Luis Muriel. Let’s get to the links.

All the Rankings

With the win over the Seattle Reign, the Orlando Pride stayed perfect on the season. It was enough for the Pride to remain on top of the standings and also at the top of numerous power rankings. All for XI kept the Pride at No. 1 with a shoutout to Anna Moorhouse, SI.com did the same, while noting Summer Yates’ injury, and Goal.com completed the sweep. The Pride also landed at No. 8 in Opta’s global power rankings for women’s clubs. Strangely, the Kansas City Current were two spots above on that particular list.

OCB Falls to Inter Miami II

Orlando City B traveled to IMG Academy to take on Inter Miami II Tuesday night. The Young Lions went down early on the road, but were able to equalize thanks to a goal from Tahir Reid-Brown. Unfortunately, Inter Miami scored two more goals before a penalty in second-half stoppage time gave OCB a slight lifeline. It was not enough as the team fell 3-2 to their in-state foes.

Generation Adidas Cup Matchups

Orlando City Academy’s U-18 squad won Group J in the Generation Adidas Cup. Now the team will face St. Louis City SC 2 in the Round of 16. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the younger generations of players in Orlando City’s system, here is your opportunity.

U.S. Eyes Gold Cup

We’re about two months out from the start of the Concacaf Gold Cup and it feels like a must-win for the USMNT given recent results. Winning an eighth Gold Cup title will not come easily. Naturally, all eyes fall on Christian Pulisic to lead the squad, though not everyone thinks he should be the pick for captain. Tyler Adams is looking for more belief from his teammates heading into the competition.

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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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