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Lions Links: 3/31/19

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7 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: 6/1/26

Pride and OCB win, Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau called up, USMNT beats Senegal, and more.

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14 hours ago

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June 1, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work and just wrapped up covering high school spring season sports for the school year up here in Chicago. We had the Pride, OCB, and the USMNT all in action, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Beat Bay FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. Barbra Banda scored the opener early in the first half for Orlando, but Bay FC’s Caroline Conti scored the equalizer. In the second half, Banda scored her second goal of the night and added an assist on Cori Dyke’s goal in the 55th minute. Banda went down with an injury late in the match and had to leave the pitch. Since Orlando had already used all its substitutions, the team had to play the final 15 minutes of the match, including stoppage time, down to 10 players, but the Pride held on for the win. Banda has been called up to the Zambia Women’s National Team for the Four Nations Tournament, with the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations set to kick off next month in Morocco.

The Pride will be off until early July due to the NWSL World Cup break. Their next match will be on the road at BMO Stadium against Angel City FC on July 3.

OCB Defeats Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 5-2 at Osceola County Stadium Sunday. Ignacio Gomez scored for the Young Lions six minutes into the match. Chattanooga FC responded with two goals later in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. In the second half, it was all OCB as Pedro Leao, Harvey Sarajian, and Justin Hylton each added a goal to extend the Young Lions’ lead to 4-2. Leao added a penalty kick goal as OCB secured back-to-back wins in league play and moved to fourth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference table with 22 points. OCB will face Carolina Core FC Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau Called Up

Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau have been called up to their respective national teams. Reid-Brown will be joining the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for upcoming friendlies against Georgia and North Macedonia in Bulgaria.

Crepeau will be with the Canadian Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Canada has two international friendlies this week, facing Uzbekistan today and taking on Ireland Friday. Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach Jesse Marsch stated that he has not yet decided which goalkeeper will start in his team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, but Crepeau and Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair will split time in goal against Uzbekistan.

USMNT Defeats Senegal in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Senegal 3-2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, Sunday in an international friendly. Former Lion Alex Freeman started the match and played 45 minutes. Sergino Dest struck first to give the Yanks an early lead, and Christian Pulisic scored his first international goal since November 2024 for the U.S. to take a 2-0 lead in the first half. Sadio Mane pulled one back for Senegal to make it 2-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Mane added another goal to level the match, but Folarin Balogun came off the bench and scored the final goal of the match to seal the win for the Americans. The USMNT will face Germany Saturday in another international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL, before opening the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, taking on Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Paris Saint-Germain Repeats as UEFA Champions League Winner in Penalties

Paris Saint-Germain edged Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, to win the UEFA Champions League title for the second time in a row. Kai Havertz scored the first goal six minutes into the match to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. However, in the second half, Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, resulting in a penalty for Paris Saint-Germain. Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot to tie the match. After 120 minutes of play, the match went to penalties, where Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made one save, but Paris Saint-Germain still scored four goals. In the final round, Arsenal defender Gabriel sailed his shot over the net, and Paris Saint-Germain became just the second team to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the modern era, since 1992. The other club was Real Madrid, which won three consecutive titles from 2015-2016 through 2017-2018.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando City Academy U-14 squad defeated Inter Miami 3-1 Sunday to win the MLS Next Cup.
  • According to Sportico, Major League Soccer viewership has risen significantly in the first three months of the season.

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: 5/29/26

Orlando Pride host Bay FC tonight, Justin Ellis and Colin Guske called up, Ally Lemos joins U.S. U-23 team, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s hard to believe we’re already close to being done with May, but I’m hardly complaining. The World Cup is closer than ever and we still have Orlando soccer to look forward to tonight and later this weekend. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines. Hopefully he can celebrate with a win tonight.

Orlando Pride Host Bay FC Tonight

After three road games in a row, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful for a match tonight against Bay FC. The Pride have not played at home since a 1-0 win against the North Carolina Courage on May 8, and this will be their last match before the summer break. Although the Pride are coming off of a 1-0 win last week against the San Diego Wave, they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Defender Zara Chavoshi spoke on the importance of the team maintaining a winning mindset.

“Three points is the standard for us,” Chavoshi added. “If we come into the next game the way we came into this last game, with belief and assurance, and the trust that if we do everything to 100% that’s what the outcome is going to be, then we need to keep doing that.”

Justin Ellis and Colin Guske Will Head to U.S. Camp

Orlando City forward Justin Ellis and midfielder Colin Guske were both called up for the United States U-19 Men’s National Team’s training camp at the new training center in Georgia. As part of the training camp, the U.S. will play against Japan to help prepare for this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship. Both players were also part of the U-19 team’s 20-player roster in March for a camp in Spain, so it’s nice to see that they’ve done enough to remain in Head Coach Gonzalo Segares’ plans. They’ve each started games this year for the first team, with Ellis recording a goal and two assists so far this season.

Ally Lemos Called Up By U.S. U-23 Team

Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos was called up for international duty as well and will head to Brazil for the United States U-23 Women’s National Team’s training camp. The team will play two matches against SC Corinthians Paulista, which beat Gotham FC and finished second in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup earlier this year. Lemos has been part of the U-23 team’s previous two camps this year as well, and she’s one of eight players called up who placed third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Storylines Ahead of USMNT Friendlies

The United States Men’s National Team roster was announced and now all eyes turn to how the team does in a friendly against Senegal on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Charlotte. It should be a great test for the USMNT against one of Africa’s top teams, as well as a chance for some of the Americans to make a splash. Christian Pulisic has been stuck in neutral for most of this year and the starting striker position may come down to which player gets hot over the next week. Other things to keep an eye out for include defender Chris Richards’ availability, the goalkeeping battle between Matt Turner and Matt Freese, and the impact Giovanni Reyna and Alex Zendejas can bring to the attack.

Free kicks

  • Orlando City and Orlando Health teamed up once again to celebrate Orange Center Elementary School students for getting good grades, giving each achieving student a jersey.
  • Tom Bogert of The Athletic reported that the rumors linking Orlando City with French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac are false. Welcome to the summer edition of silly season.

Rumors suggesting Orlando City are about to sign Tigres legend Andre-Pierre Gignac (40) are completely false, sources say

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T12:53:00.739Z
  • Charlotte FC is reportedly in talks to sign winger Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. It’s a move that would make sense for Charlotte considering Wilfried Zaha’s recent exit.
  • Atalanta reportedly chose not to exercise the option to buy on American midfielder Yunus Musah’s loan from AC Milan. It’s unclear what’s next for the 23-year-old, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him as a Lion one bit.

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

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Lion Links: 5/28/26

U.S. Open Cup semifinal dates revealed, Andre-Pierre Gignac linked with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for Bay FC, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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May 28, 2026

By

Image of Marta showing off the Pride's new Unity Kit.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a bit of a hectic week, but things are finally settling down a bit for me as we get ready for a weekend filled with soccer. The World Cup may not be here just yet, but we do have international soccer to enjoy as teams get in their final preparations. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Date Unveiled

The date and time for Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Columbus Crew were announced, with the Lions set to play at 7 p.m. on Sept. 16 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Ohio. Following wins against FC Naples and the New England Revolution in earlier rounds, Orlando City reached the semifinals after a convincing 4-1 win over Atlanta United in the quarterfinals earlier this month. Now the Lions are just two wins away from lifting the trophy for the second time in the past five years. They should also have Antoine Griezmann available to tip the scales after he arrives this summer. If the Lions advance then they will host either the Colorado Rapids or St. Louis City in the final on Oct. 21.

Andre-Pierre Gignac Linked With Orlando City

It’s not much more than a rumor at this point, but French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac is reportedly close to leaving Tigres to sign with Orlando City according to journalist Diego Armando Medina on the RG La Deportiva radio show. Gignac has spent the past decade with Tigres in Mexico and is the club’s all-time leading scorer. That being said, he’s also 40 years old and the move wouldn’t necessarily line up with the team’s efforts to develop young players like Justin Ellis. Only time will tell if this rumor has legs or if big names in French soccer will continue to be linked with the Lions due to Griezmann’s impending arrival. Either way, I don’t think an aging striker is going to keep the ball out of Orlando’s net.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Bay FC

The Orlando Pride are back in action on Friday with a home game against Bay FC in their final game before the summer break. The Pride closed out a string of road games with a 1-0 win against the San Diego Wave and will face a Bay team that has only scored eight goals this season. Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and defender Aldana Cometti both received red cards in their previous match, while Pride midfielder Angelina will miss this match after being handed an additional suspension from the NWSL Disciplinary Committee. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team is preparing for this home game after a long road trip.

Pride Trio Called Up By Brazil

Orlando Pride players Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle were all called up for Brazil’s pair of friendlies next month against the United States. Both matches will take place in Brazil as the two nations prepare for next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil. Marta and Angelina were both part of Brazil’s winning team in last year’s Copa America Femenina, with Angelina scoring once and Marta twice in the final against Colombia.

USWNT Roster Announced for Brazil Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team roster for these friendlies was also announced, with Head Coach Emma Hayes calling up 26 players for the team’s training camp. Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson were all called up together for the first time since dominating the 2024 Summer Olympics. While Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario, and Sam Coffey aren’t available due to injury, goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and midfielders Croix Bethune and Riley Jackson are back in the mix. The USWNT will first take on Brazil on June 6 in Sao Paulo before a second match on June 9 in Fortaleza.

Philadelphia Union Part Ways With Bradley Carnell

Bradley Carnell’s time as the Philadelphia Union’s head coach has come to a close, with the two sides parting ways after only winning one game so far this season. Carnell was named MLS Coach of the Year last year after helping the Union win Supporters’ Shield, but the team has struggled mightily this year. Philadelphia also named John Scheer as its sporting director, removing the interim tag, and he will begin the hunt for a new head coach. Until then, Philadelphia Union II Head Coach Ryan Richter will serve as the first team’s interim head coach.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero was called up by Venezuela for friendlies against Turkey and Iraq.

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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