Lion Links: 5/4/19

May the fourth be with all of the Star Wars fans out there! It’s also an Orlando City home match day, so let’s all hope the force is with the Lions when they take on Toronto FC this afternoon. Until then, enjoy some of the best links in the galaxy!

Lions Riding Momentum With Toronto Test Looming

Quietly in a playoff position, Orlando City has four points in two games and looks to continue its good run of form against Toronto FC today at 4 p.m. ET. It will be a tough challenge against a Toronto side that has yet to lose to an Eastern Conference opponent. However, Toronto will be without Jozy Altidore and the chance is there for the Lions to make a statement in Orlando City Stadium.

Atletico Madrid Legend Diego Forlan in Orlando

After Thursday’s confirmation that the Major League Soccer All-Stars will face La Liga’s Atletico Madrid in the July 31 exhibition right here at Orlando City Stadium, former Atletico superstar Diego Forlan paid a visit to the City Beautiful on Friday.

Nani, the Lions’ own superstar and possibly an MLS All-Star, seemed excited to catch up with Forlan.

Orlando Pride Gets a Documentary Too

A surprise Orlando Pride documentary dropped on Friday as part of Orlando City’s “Bleed Purple” series. I don’t want to ruin any of it if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but it’s great. The Pride will play the Houston Dash tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET on the road in BBVA Compass Stadium and the club has the official preview of the showdown.

Just in case you weren’t counting down on your own, the tournament kicks off in 34 days. FOX Soccer highlighted Morgan’s first career WWC goal from the 2011 iteration in their countdown tweet on Friday.

Orlando City B Earns A Point

Orlando City B drew 0-0 with the Chattanooga Red Wolves as the Lions doubled their season’s point total from one to two. The good news is that this was OCB’s first shutout of the season. The bad news is that this was the second game in a row that OCB failed to find the back of the net. Although the Young Lions couldn’t score, it wasn’t for a lack of trying as they had many opportunities to score. OCB remains winless this season, but looks to be breaking out of growing pains and improving as a squad.

Francisco Calvo Gets Traded on a Big MLS Trade Day

In a surprisingly big trade day for MLS, the Chicago Fire acquired former Minnesota United FC captain Francisco Calvo from the Loons. As Head Coach Adrian Heath’s longest-tenured player, the defender was an MLS All-Star in addition to captaining the squad for the majority of the last two years. Calvo heading to the Windy City means that Minnesota will receive $100,000 in General Allocation Money in 2019 and 2020, $50,000 in Targeted Allocation Money in 2019, $100,000 in TAM in 2020, and the potential for another $150,000 in TAM depending on his quality of play for the Fire. Check out Calvo’s statement about the trade below:

Elsewhere, in a rather strange trade, FC Dallas acquired a 2020 first round MLS SuperDraft pick from D.C. United and waived defender Marquinhos Pedroso so that D.C. could claim him. D.C. also handed Dallas $100,000 in GAM to get the deal done. Lastly, the LA Galaxy traded $225,000 in GAM to Columbus Crew SC in order to receive $300,000 in TAM a day after getting $325,000 in TAM from Minnesota in exchange for $225,000 in GAM. MLS is weird.

Free Kicks

• This full week 10 MLS preview is worth a read if you’re trying to keep up with the teams Orlando City will eventually face this season.
• The United States’ Under-17 squad came from behind to defeat Canada’s team in its opening match of the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship.
• In another strange MLS story, Philadelphia Union forward Cory Burke will miss at least three months due to issues with his visa.
• Technically this isn’t directly soccer news, although considering the USWNT’s lawsuit for equal pay, I felt I had to address it. Women’s hockey players from both the U.S. and Canada have refused to play in any professional leagues until they “get the resources that professional hockey demands and deserves.” Personally, I say bravo to these brave women!
• Arsenal has condemned the behavior of Valencia fans after it appeared they were making Nazi salutes.
• The English Premier League is getting close to wrapping up, and it’s a tight two-team race for the title.

• Speaking of the title race, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said star Kevin De Bruyne is still out, while not being sure about the status of Fernandinho.
• Now it’s time for my happy Chelsea FC news! The Blues youth team ended the season with a win on Friday.

That should’ve taken up some of your Saturday morning. Now make sure you get down to the stadium to yell your lungs out for the boys in purple! Go City!