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Lion Links: 4/26/19

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7 years ago

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What’s up, Mane Landers? It’s another Friday and the start to a wonderful weekend here in Florida. I don’t know if any of you have looked at the upcoming forecast lately but it’s really going to start getting hotter here. Luckily, things are heating up on the pitch as well with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all in action tomorrow. But for now, let’s start the day cool, calm, and collected with some links.

Robin Jansson Making the Most of Minutes

It’s not often that a player can come to a new league and fit in well with the team immediately, but Orlando City defender Robin Jansson is doing just that by starting in every game he has been available thus far. Jansson has been a welcome addition to an OCSC back line that was notorious for lacking consistency in 2018. With Orlando defenders often injured, it’s nice having some stability in the back and Jansson believes the team as a whole defended well in its recent matches.

“I think if you look back in the last game and the New York game, I think we worked in the defense as a team,” he said. “Because the defense starts higher up in the field and the whole team defends. So, I think those parts have been good and I think we need to do that all the time to control our defensive way of playing and then we attack from the defensive part. Because if you have a strong defense you will have good attacking as well.”

The Wild Wild…East?

With teams like Atlanta United, the New York Red Bulls, New York City FC, and the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference, it’s always a challenge to predict who will finish at the top of the conference standings. It gets even harder when none of those teams are even in the top six. Practically every team in the conference looks good enough to make a playoff run while also looking like they are one bad loss away from self-destructing.

For Orlando City, living on the brink of total collapse is second nature and success this year will be largely dependent on whether the signature summer slump will take this team down yet again.

Orlando Pride Focus On Discipline

With only one point to show from three tough games this season, the Pride are still searching for their first win of the season as they head travel to face the Utah Royals. There have been flashes of brilliance but Head Coach Marc Skinner is pushing the Pride to put together a complete performance on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

“You can’t build your castle on sand. That’s what we’ve got to be able to do — solidify our foundations and then move forward with flowing, attacking football. But you need to do the first parts first.”

Young Lions Head West

Orlando City B’s hunt for its first win of the season continues as the team travels to the old town roads of Frisco, TX for a match with North Texas SC, the affiliate club of FC Dallas, tomorrow at 5:50 p.m. ET. The Young Lions have a tough road test ahead of them as North Texas has won both of its games this season, but OCB has a few players who are starting to make their presence known. Defender Matheus Martins Silva, who made the USL Team of the Week last week, and goalkeeper Juliano Chade, ranked third in the league in saves, are both finding their form on the team while forward Ates Diouf remains a constant threat on offense (although he’s been dealing with a back injury of late).

Yanks Will Host Jamaica In Nation’s Capital

Listen, I love having the United States Men’s National Team play at Orlando City Stadium, but is there a better venue for the Yanks than in Washington D.C.? The USMNT will host Jamaica at Audi Field on June 5 in the final game before the Gold Cup begins later that month. It’s the 26th meeting between the two nations, with the most recent result coming in the 2017 Gold Cup Final when the Yanks defeated the Reggae Boyz 2-1.

Free Kicks

  • With Avengers: Endgame upon us (don’t worry, no spoilers), Stephanie Yang of All For XI did us all a favor and reimagined each NWSL team as a member of the Avengers. It’s a great read and finding out why Orlando is basically Ant-Man makes a lot of sense.
  • The Lions are set to take on New York City FC tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET and they will need to get past a surging NYCFC team that has found recent success with just three men in the back.
  • Toronto FC’s Alejandro Pozuelo scored another MLS Goal of the Week. This time the goal came against Minnesota United as the Loons gave the Spaniard far too much space, letting him bury the ball in the back of the net from outside the box.

  • The Professional Football Association's Premier League Team of the Year was announced. Let me know in the comments below what you think. Does Paul Pogba deserve his spot? Should the team be called Manpool City or Liverchester FC?

That’s all from me folks. I hope all of you have an amazing Friday filled with fun and joy. Stay cool out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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

Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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