Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/15/19

Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers. While it was a tough weekend for those wearing purple, it’s still nice to have the opportunity to see Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all in action. I feel like there was something else that happened this weekend.

Pride Fall to Portland
The Orlando Pride opened their 2019 campaign with a 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns in Orlando City Stadium on Sunday. It was new Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner’s first regular season match so growing pains are to be expected. Caitlin Foord and Tobin Heath both scored for the Thorns, dooming the Pride’s first outing.
OCB Earned a Point
OCB had the best showing of all the Orlando teams, nearly getting all three points but settling for the draw when South Georgia Tormenta FC scored a stoppage time goal to draw even. The young Lions scored in the 59th minute when striker Ates Diouf gave OCB its first lead of the game and season. The equalizer for Tormenta FC came on a free kick from nearly midfield that found the head of Lars Eckenrode for the goal.
The Scoop on the Starting Lineup
James O’Connor made the decision not to start Nani or Dom Dwyer against Real Salt Lake. Given how the match progressed, and the difference the two made once they were subbed on, it was a questionable choice. O’Connor simply felt that given Nani played full games prior to coming to Orlando City, it would be wise to monitor his minutes. The same was said of Dwyer as he was late to start the preseason. The altitude of Rio Tinto Stadium was not the place to add on too many minutes according to O’Connor. We know how it turned out, but O’Connor’s reasons were not unsound.
Pride Players Trust Skinner
The Orlando Pride might have lost their first match, but the players are buying into Marc Skinner’s philosophy. It will be a tough road ahead given the Women’s World Cup this summer and it being Skinner’s first season. Ashlyn Harris is particularly taken with Skinner and her enthusiasm seems to be felt by many on the team. Hopefully, it will all coalesce and produce some results.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL has a streaming agreement with Yahoo Sports, but it does not have a more traditional television partner following the split from A&E. Despite the growth of the league, there are still vacant positions within the NWSL offices and there’s still room to improve.
- It seems that New York City FC will continue to play on that postage stamp of a field for a while.
- Pele is recovering from a kidney stone procedure. The procedure was successful, and he is expected to to make a full recovery.
That’s all for now, make sure to check back throughout the day for more Orlando City news.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/1/25
Orlando Pride prepare for the Portland Thorns, Vancouver Whitecaps reach Concacaf Champions Cup final, Lorne Donaldson fired, and more.

Welcome to May, Mane Landers! The months are flying by and I’m all for it. I was able to get some belated spring cleaning done this week and have been flexing my interior decorating muscles a bit as well. My cat’s not a fan of all of the furniture being shuffled around, but I’m sure he’ll get used to it. Let’s get this month started with today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando Pride Prep for Portland
The Orlando Pride are back in action Saturday in a road match against the Portland Thorns. Orlando is coming off of a dramatic 3-2 win at home against Angel City FC, which featured the team’s stars and substitutes linking up to come back and win. As for Portland, the Thorns are unbeaten at home so far this season and have scored seven goals across their past two games. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on Orlando’s preparations for this match and how the Pride will need to maintain momentum against a young Portland team that’s finding its groove offensively.
Vancouver Whitecaps Seal Spot in Concacaf Champions Cup Final
The Vancouver Whitecaps went on the road and beat Inter Miami a second time, winning 3-1 to advance to the Concacaf Champions Cup final. An early goal by Jordi Alba gave Miami life in the series, but Vancouver scored three unanswered goals in the second half to win 5-1 on aggregate. The star of the show was 23-year-old midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who provided assists on Vancouver’s first two goals before scoring one himself to put the nail in the coffin. The Whitecaps have had a brutal path to reach the final, taking down Monterrey and Pumas UNAM in the previous two rounds. In the final on June 1, they’ll face whichever Liga MX team comes out on top tonight between Tigres and Cruz Azul.
Chicago Stars Fire Lorne Donaldson
Lorne Donaldson’s time as the Chicago Stars’ head coach has come to a close, with the Stars firing him just six games into the season. The Stars have lost five of their six games this year, including a 6-0 defeat to the Orlando Pride to open the season. Donaldson joined the club in December of 2023 and helped the team squeeze into the playoffs in his first year as head coach. Assistant coach Masaki Hemmi will serve as interim head coach while the club hunts for a replacement.
Brian White Wins MLS Player of the Month
Scoring in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals capped off an impressive month for Vancouver forward Brian White, who was named MLS Player of the Month. The American had five goals in league games this April and became the first player in club history to score four times in one game when he did so against Austin FC on April 12. He’s been a major reason behind the club’s ascent to the top of the Western Conference this year. It will be interesting to see how his continued success this year factors into his role at the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.
Free Kicks
- In case you missed it, enjoy this full interview from Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira.
- Following a 2-2 draw, CF Montreal beat Toronto FC in penalty kicks to reach the quarterfinals of this year’s Canadian Championship.
- FC Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his bicycle kick to complete his brace against Sporting Kansas City.
- Nashville SC promoted Mike Jacobs to serve as the club’s first president of soccer operations and general manager.
- The United States Women’s National Futsal Team beat Honduras 7-0 in its first game of the Concacaf W Futsal Championship, with Sarah Martin scoring the team’s first-ever hat trick.
- FC Barcelona and Inter Milan battled to a 3-3 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal matchup. Plenty of praise is understandably being given to Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, while Inter captain Lautaro Martinez is doubtful for the second leg in Italy after an injury in this game.
- Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 to secure its sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title.
- Here’s everything you need to know for today’s Europa League semifinals. Manchester United will take on Athletic Club, while Tottenham will play against Bodo/Glimt.
- League One side Birmingham City broke an English Football League record by beating Blackpool 2-0 to reach a whopping 108 points this season, with a game still to be played this weekend too.
- An unnamed player who plays for Mazatlan’s women’s soccer team in Mexico has been banned for six years after an investigation into match manipulation.
That’s all I have for you this time around. Make sure to stay hydrated out there, as this heat isn’t playing around. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/30/25
The U.S. Open Cup approaches, the Pride are back on top, USMNT and USWNT news, and more.

Welcome to the last Wednesday of April, Mane Landers. May promises to be a busy month for Orlando City. You will have as many matches as you want to watch over the next few weeks. I’m certainly not complaining, but we could use a little help here at The Mane Land if you’d like to join the staff. I promise you’ll enjoy it. For now, let’s get to the links.
The U.S. Open Cup Beckons
We’re only a week away from Orlando City’s match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies to start the Lions’ 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. Of course, the Lions aren’t the only MLS squad entering the tournament in the Round of 32. Starting Tuesday, 16 MLS clubs join the competition, with Orlando City playing on Wednesday. While we’re waiting for the next Orlando City match, enjoy the sights and sounds from the victory over Atlanta United.
Pride Back on Top
The Orlando Pride back on top of the NWSL standings, though the Kansas City Current are technically listed No. 1 thanks to the alphabet. Of course, we all know that power rankings are actually more important than actual results. Fortunately, the Pride are top of the pops in the Goal.com power rankings and in the All For XI power rankings. Just so you know that sometimes the internet isn’t always accurate, Sports Illustrated kept the Pride in the No. 2 spot.
USMNT Concerns and Commendations
Various people in the U.S. soccer community are calling out the USMNT players for lacking the desire, drive, or passion to be successful. Former USMNT forward Herculez Gomez is the latest, though not only one to do so. At the same time, players like Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent are making a difference at their European clubs. Pulisic is likely to sign a contract extension with AC Milan that will include a hefty pay bump. Sargent was named to the EFL Championship Team of the Season after scoring 15 goals for Norwich City. Alexi Lalas has suggested Mauricio Pochettino bring in Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. If Pochettino is looking for “characters” for his squad, perhaps he should give Orlando City’s Alex Freeman a look?
USWNT Players Thriving
USWNT players are making an impact on both sides of the pond as they wait for their next match against China at the end of May. Emily Fox’s Arsenal squad advanced past Lindsey Heaps’ Olympique Lyon Sunday in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals. It’s not all bad news for Heaps, who was named to the Women’s French Premiere Ligue Awards Team of the Season. Meanwhile, Lily Yohannes continues her growth after becoming the youngest starter in group-stage history of the UEFA women’s Champions League late last year for her club, Ajax.
Free Kicks
- Hey! We’ve got more power rankings! Orlando City jumped five spots up to No. 7 in both MLSsoccer.com’s rankings, and Goal.com’s power rankings.
- File this under “I’m glad our club cares about our women’s side”: Wolves’ front office did not apply for the team to play in the Championship if the team had earned promotion. Ultimately, the team lost out on promotion to Nottingham Forest, but that’s still not a good look by the powers that be.
- Defender Erik Sviatchenko re-signed a contract with the Houston Dynamo through 2026 with a club option for 2027.
- Occasionally, even an organization like FIFA does something potentially good. FIFA will fund a year-long study into anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football.
- Thanks to a 3-0 victory over Charlton on Saturday, Wrexham AFC earned promotion to the EFL Championship. Wrexham is the first team to earn back-to-back-to-back promotions, and the club will get a financial windfall for joining the Championship.
That will do it for today. Check back with us as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/29/25
Lions earn weekly plaudits, Barbra Banda up for Goal of the Week, Orlando City announces affiliation agreement, and more.

Good morning everyone! It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as two out of the three picked up victories to collect six out of the nine points available. In the process, Orlando City stretched its undefeated streak to seven games and the Orlando Pride got back to winning ways. There’s no time to rest on our laurels though, as Orlando City B returns to action on Friday. We’ve got plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into the links.
Two Lions Garner Weekly Recognition
Marco Pasalic and Alex Freeman both played important roles in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United on Saturday, and they’ve each been rewarded with a place on the bench in the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Freeman scored his third goal of the season while Pasalic scored a goal and provided the assist for Freeman’s strike, and the Croatian was also David Rohe’s pick for the Man of the Match. The good vibes don’t stop there though, because Pasalic’s fantastic strike from distance was also named the Energy Moment of the Matchday, which I admittedly wasn’t aware was an actual thing until this week. Not to be outdone, Freeman got some props as one of the standout young players from the matchday, which is far from the first time he’s gotten some love in that particular category. Keep up the good work guys!
Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week
Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning praise for their performances over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. She scored the Orlando’s Pride’s 76th-minute equalizer that drew the team level with Angel City FC after going into halftime down 2-0. Carson Pickett did a great job saving the ball before it went out of bounds, and then whipped a dangerous cross into the box. Banda did the rest, getting halfway around her defender and contorting her head low to meet the ball and send it into the upper corner off the post. It was the sort of outstanding finishing that we’ve come to know and love from Banda, and here’s hoping we’ll see plenty more of it.
Orlando City Announces Affiliation Agreement
Orlando City announced on Monday that it has begun an affiliation agreement with Black Knight Football Club that will focus on “player development, scouting operations, executive collaboration, and commercial opportunities across both organizations.” This is technically a multi-club partnership, as BKFC has a number of different clubs in its network, including Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Hibernian. BKFC is a partnership that was formed in 2022 when Bill Foley and Cannae Holdings purchased Bournemouth. Representatives from both Orlando City and Black Knight were enthusiastic when talking about the opportunities that the partnership will provide players and staff members from both sides, so it’ll be very interesting to keep an eye out for if/how it affects the on-field product.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and cup competitions are a big point of focus. Things start on Wednesday with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, as youngster Diego Kochen will likely be on the bench for the Spaniards. Also on Wednesday, Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps will try to knock off Inter Miami in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals. Things then wrap up on Friday with Gianluca Busio and Fiorentina traveling to play Torino in Serie A.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride held fast at no.1 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Orlando City rose one spot to no.14 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Southampton is reportedly considering Minnesota United’s Eric Ramsay as a candidate to fill the club’s empty managerial position.
- D.C. United has reportedly held exploratory talks with free agent Paul Pogba, although no official offer has been made yet.
- Carlo Ancelotti will reportedly become the next Brazil manager.
That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!
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