Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/27/19

It’s a big day today! All three of our purple teams will be in action, with the senior Lions kicking things off at 1 p.m. ET against New York City FC. The boys of Orlando City B travel to take on North Texas FC at 5:50 p.m. and then you can wrap up the day at Orlando City Stadium as the Pride host Utah Royals FC with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Before all of the craziness starts, let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Releases “Bleed Purple Part 2” Documentary
Friday morning, the OCSC Twitter account teased that the second part of the documentary series “Bleed Purple” would be coming later in the day.
Coming later today…
Bleed Purple pt. ✌ #FaceOfCity pic.twitter.com/wPrSYgvhPL
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 26, 2019
Shortly after 3:30 p.m., the account went live with the premier of “Bleed Purple Part 2.” This installment picked up with the scrimmage against the New York Red Bulls at IMG Academy, while spotlighting Brian Rowe and his shortened preseason as a Lion. After the obligatory training footage and talks, clips of City’s dominant performance against the New England Revolution in the final match of the Orlando City Invitational are shown.
Sacha Kljestan’s now infamous opening day locker room speech then kicks off the highlight package from the 2-2 New York City FC draw. The squad’s trip to Chicago for the second draw of the young season leads into the much more uplifting footage from the Lions’ first victory over the Red Bulls. Narration from Head Coach James O’Connor wraps up the almost 16-minute long video. Make sure to check it out below.
Building a team. Growing a culture. Starting a season. Bleed Purple Part Two, an inside look at Orlando City SC. https://t.co/QlhFydjRiQ
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 26, 2019
New York City FC Hosts Orlando City
The Mane Land’s big man Michael Citro has this week’s match preview of the Lions’ trip to the joke of a soccer pitch that is Yankee Stadium. That’s also where you can find information about both teams’ projected lineups and how to watch the match — may the odds be ever in your favor if you’re going to try to stream it. Even though it seems way too early in the season, today’s match will actually conclude the series with NYCFC for the year since the Pigeons were the Lions’ first opponent back on March 2. In addition to the preview pieces, Ben_Miller sat down for a chat with Christian Smith of the NYCFC blog Hudson River Blue for the intelligence report as well.
Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals FC Preview
The Pride will take over Orlando City Stadium tonight for the second time this season when Utah Royals FC comes to town. If you’re not already planning to be out there, the team has you covered. Hopefully, we’ll get to witness the Pride pick up their first three points of 2019. The squad appears to be ready to come together as a team, a sight that was unfortunately lacking in the previous three matches.
Team work, makes the dream work. 💙 #FilledWithPride pic.twitter.com/gZWM0FZUHk
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) April 26, 2019
Sporting KC Fans React to Red Bulls’ Kaku’s Suspension
Shocking a total count of no one, the Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee extended the normal one-match red card suspension for NYRB’s Kaku after he kicked the ball into the stands in Kansas City and a fan was hit. What did, however, surprise quite a few people was the length of the extension, a mere two additional matches, and how MLS sneakily went public with the decision right before Wednesday’s mid-week games. The Kansas City Cauldron, an official supporters’ group for Sporting Kansas City, published a statement reflecting their negative reaction to the news. I don’t see how anyone could reasonably argue with their position and I can only hope that should a similar incident ever happen involving a Lions fan, MLS would take it more seriously than it took it this time.
Free Kicks
- If you hurry, you can still make it out to this event hosted by the Orlando City Foundation and I highly recommend you do so.
TOMORROW! Come on out to help us wrap up #EarthMonth and our #GreenerGoals! 8am-noon, sign up here: https://t.co/volzSTE8BP Volunteers will be treated to food and beverage at the #OCSvNYCFC watch party following the clean up. You can't pass THAT up! See you then! pic.twitter.com/qfPv5S7xEe
— OrlandoCityFnd (@OrlandoCityFnd) April 26, 2019
- The hosts of the MLS ExtraTime podcast have some opinions about Nani and other Designated Players in the league.
- USL League One teased next week’s upcoming expansion announcement.
One more hint before next week's expansion announcement:
The next League One city will be in a state that is not currently home to a League One, @USLChampionship, or @USLLeagueTwo club. #WeAreOne | #TheNextOne pic.twitter.com/gPUhHYSF0A
— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) April 26, 2019
- In less than 50 days, the United States Men’s National Team will start its 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup journey.
- Former D.C. United and Real Salt Lake midfielder Freddy Adu is now featuring in a where are they now, sadly.
Where are they now?
Freddy Adu – AGE: 29
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Having just left Las Vegas Lights FC, Adu finds himself without a club. He’s picked up 241 career appearances and 33 goals. Has played for the likes #DCU, #RSL, Benfica, Monaco, Belenenses and #DOOP pic.twitter.com/DuvBnw0vu3
— The MLS Hub (@TheMLSHub) April 26, 2019
- LA Galaxy midfielder Romain Alessandrini underwent successful surgery for a meniscus root repair and is expected to be out until September.
- Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar got himself suspended for three 2020 Champions League games because he insulted a match official. Neymar acting immature? You don’t say!
- English Championship side Bolton Wanderers may see a player strike today.
- Naby Keita scored Liverpool’s fastest-ever goal in Premier League history on Friday with this 15-second strike.
THAT. WAS. FAST.
Naby Keïta opens the scoring just seconds into this one!
Watch it on @NBCSN or stream here: https://t.co/sAiVvJd4zY pic.twitter.com/iF2ZPIC9dg
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 26, 2019
- Finally, in my happy Chelsea news of the week, three of the team’s female players made the Professional Footballers’ Associate Women’s Super League Team of the Year.
The PFA FA WSL Team of the Year!
🏴 @sophiebag96
🏴 @HanBlundell
🏴 @aoifemannion_
🏴 @stephhoughton2
🏴 @DemiStokes🇰🇷 @jsy0341
🏴 Kim Little
🇨🇭 @liawaelti🏴 @erincuthbert_
🏴 @lilkeets
🇳🇱 @VivianneMiedema#PFAawards | #TOTY | @OfficialPanini pic.twitter.com/s43Lzug1bF— PFA | Professional Footballers' Association (@PFA) April 26, 2019
Enough links, get out and support your local Orlando City watch party and then make sure to be at the stadium to bring the noise for the Pride tonight. Go City and go Pride!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/22/25
Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.
Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition
Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.
English Promotion Update
Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped three spots to no. 15 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- The Orlando Pride dropped all the way to no. 3 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Monday’s four scheduled Serie A matches were postponed following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, with the games set to be played Wednesday instead.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/21/25
Another scoreless draw for Orlando City, a home loss for the Pride, a championship for the OCSC U-18 squad, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I managed to watch a few soccer games while work kept me busy. Our Lions picked up another draw for the third week in a row, the Pride lost, and OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Draw CF Montreal on the Road
Orlando City and CF Montreal split the points in a scoreless draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive week that the Lions could not get a win with another scoreless draw. It’s the second straight match that Orlando had to play down a man as Rafael Santos was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Still, the Lions extended their unbeaten run to six matches and are seventh in the Eastern Conference table with 13 points. After the match, Major League Soccer issued a statement after being informed a fan used discriminatory language towards a player during the match.
Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on Atlanta United.
Orlando City Signs Two Players to Short-Term Deals
Before Saturday’s match against CF Montreal, Orlando City announced the club had signed defender Zakaria Taifi and midfielder Riyon Tori to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Tori did not play, but Taifi came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut. Tori has played with OCB and has made three appearances. Taifi has made 42 appearances, starting 21 matches for OCB, scoring one goal and adding three assists.
Orlando City Signs Four Assistant Coaches to New Contracts
Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has renewed the contracts of First Assistant Coach Diego Torres, Second Assistant Coach Martin Perelman, Goalkeeper Coach Cesar Baena, and Fitness & Performance Coach Fabian Bazan. This news comes just days after the club announced that Head Coach Oscar Pareja will remain with the Lions under a new three-year contract through the 2028 MLS season. Together, the coaching staff has played a key part in the recent success of the Lions over the last five seasons, making five consecutive MLS Playoff appearances, two appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Lions also set club records for wins and points, scoring 308 goals across all competitions with a plus-44 goal differential in 202 competitive matches.
Pride Fall to Washington Spirit at Home
The Orlando Pride fell to the Washington Spirit 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to suffer their first loss of the season. The Pride dominated most of the match, but in the 63rd minute, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball away in front of the goal, and Gift Monday capitalized to score the winning goal for the Spirit. Late in the second half, it looked like the Pride had scored the equalizer; however, after video review, it was determined that Kylie Nadaner backed into Aubrey Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball, and the tying goal was waved off. With the Kansas City Current’s win over the Houston Dash over the weekend, Orlando drops to second in the NWSL table. The Pride will return to action Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to face Angel City FC.
Orlando City U-18 Team Wins Generation Adidas Cup Championship
The Orlando City U-18 and U-16 squads played over the weekend in playoff matches in the Generation Adidas Cup at IMG Academy. In the quarterfinals on Friday, Omar Robbana scored the lone goal in the U-18 squad’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
The U-18 squad followed that up by defeating Santos Laguna 3-0 in the semifinals. Justin Ellis scored twice and Gustavo Caraballo added a goal.
On Sunday, Caraballo scored the winning goal in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the U-18 Championship final.
On Friday, the U-16 team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
The U-16 squad defeated the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinals on Saturday.
The U-16 squad’s run for a championship trophy came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Inter Miami in the U-16 Championship final on Sunday.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Youth Soccer Network announced the integration of the Orlando Pride into its network and plans to launch 11 Orlando Pride soccer schools across Central Florida.
- Inter Miami has acquired an international roster spot from the Portland Timbers for the 2025 season in exchange for $270,000 in General Allocation Money.
- David Blitzer and Ryan Smith’s Smith Entertainment Group have reached an agreement to sell the Utah Royals and Real Salt Lake to former Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller and Miller Sports & Entertainment for $600 million.
- LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo announced over the weekend that he will step down from his role with the club at the end of the 2025 MLS season.
- The San Jose Earthquakes have reached an agreement to acquire left back DeJuan Jones from the Columbus Crew; however, the deal still needs to be finalized.
- Leicester City became the second club to be relegated from the Premier League this season after a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
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.

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.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf suspended Jesse Marsch for an additional game for arguing with the referee in Canada’s Nations League match against the U.S. As a result, he’ll miss Canada’s first two matches of this summer’s Gold Cup.
- Check out the host city posters for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. I like the synergy of Mexico’s entries, but Boston’s poster featuring a giant lobster as a goalkeeper is my favorite by far.
- Cece Kizer and NJ/NY Gotham FC agreed to terminate her contract for the forward to pursue other opportunities.
- Defender Virgil Van Dijk signed a two-year deal with Liverpool, extending his stay until 2027. The 33-year-old has been at Liverpool since joining from Southampton in 2018.
- Neymar had to exit just 34 minutes into his return for Santos in Brazil due to a thigh injury.
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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