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Lion Links: 5/7/19

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6 years ago

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It was…not a great weekend for Orlando soccer. While Orlando City B did manage a scoreless draw, Orlando City lost 2-0 to Toronto FC, and the Orlando Pride fell 1-0 to the Houston Dash. My soccer-induced depression grows more powerful by the day. There’s plenty of other things to discuss though, so on to the links, as soon as we wish Orlando Pride forward Sydney Leroux a very happy 29th birthday.

Ricardo Moreira Key in Building Roster

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Orlando City’s Director of Scouting has a very important job. Ricardo Moreira has to have an eye on the global transfer market, expiring contracts and what positions the team needs filled, among other things. As such, Moreira has been instrumental in rebuilding and retooling the Orlando roster since he was hired last October.

One of the things he does that didn’t necessarily occur to me is the fact that he watches five or six soccer games a day. Rather than simply reacting to offers from other clubs or agents, he prefers to take a more active role in scouting, and one of the ways he does that is by watching as much tape as he can get his hands on. All in all, he’s got quite the interesting job, and one that isn’t always in the spotlight in the same way other members of the front office are.

Orlando City’s Biggest Need?

The folks over at ProSoccerUSA.com have put together a list of every MLS team’s biggest need, and have named the center back position the biggest area of concern for Orlando City. Personally, I would dispute that assessment. While Orlando City has conceded 16 goals, that number isn’t particularly egregious when compared to the rest of the league. Far worse is the fact that the team has only scored 13 goals and has scored more than one goal in a match only twice all season. In my opinion the team needs help offensively, whether it be in the form of a creative dynamic midfielder, or another striker — witnessing 18 shots and only two put on goal in the loss to Toronto did not exactly fill me with warm and fuzzy feelings.

Forlan on MLS and Orlando City Stadium

Diego Forlan was in Orlando over the weekend as an Atletico Madrid ambassador following the announcement that the La Liga side will face off against the MLS All-Stars in Orlando over the summer. In a sign that the club got things right with Orlando City Stadium, he was very complimentary of the venue that will host this summer’s contest, calling the grass “beautiful” and remarking on how close the fans were to the field itself. He believes that soccer-specific stadiums like the one the Lions enjoy is just another sign that the American game is beginning to catch up to that of its overseas counterparts.

MLS Transfer Happenings

Two big transactions took place in MLS yesterday. Beginning in the Pacific Northwest, the Portland Timbers signed Brian Fernandez from Liga MX team Necaxa as the team’s newest Designated Player. Argentinian forward Fernandez had 18 goals in 32 appearances for Necaxa, and should add some more firepower to a Timbers team that will welcome additional help down the right side of its attack. Elsewhere, the Columbus Crew made a trade with the aforementioned Timbers to acquire David Guzman, a Costa Rican international who plays in the midfield. Guzman should bring some experience and steel to a Columbus team that has dropped five games in a row.

LeBlanc Praises Women’s Awards

It’s no secret that things aren’t exactly equal when it comes to men’s and women’s soccer. In recent times though, the wheels of change have slowly started to move and one of the ways that has happened is the introduction of two new awards for The Best FIFA Football Awards. The two new awards are the Women’s Best XI and The Best Goalkeeper in Women’s Football, two categories that have long been present in the men’s game but will be included for the very first time on the women’s side of things. Former Chicago Red Stars keeper Karina LeBlanc noted that the new awards will give more exposure to the women’s game and will hopefully help give young girls some female players to look up to, whereas all her idols as a kid were male players. Obviously there’s still a mountain of work to be done before equality is achieved, but every little bit counts.

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  • The Parley for the Oceans auction put up some good numbers.

  • Vincent Kompany almost burned a hole through the net.

Apparently lots of his teammates were telling him not to shoot.

  • If you ask me, John Aldridge a) shouldn’t be surprised by any antics performed by a man who’s bitten opposing players three times, and b) maybe needs slightly thicker skin. Players dive and try to rile up the opposition in literally every game of professional soccer. To quote Bruce Hornsby and The Range, “That’s just the way it is.”

It’s yet another busy week full of Orlando soccer. OCB and the Pride kick things off on Saturday with games against North Texas and the Portland Thorns, respectively, before Orlando City finishes things off with a road clash against Atlanta United on Sunday. Y’all stay safe out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/25

Orlando City ousted from U.S. Open Cup, OCB’s Justin Ellis named Player of the Matchweek, Tottenham wins Europa League, and more.

Published

20 hours ago

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May 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, that could have gone better. It’s understandable to feel a bit deflated after Wednesday night’s game, especially after so many positive Orlando City results as of late. The good news though is that we’re another day closer to a holiday weekend that should include some good times or at least rest and relaxation. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup

The Lions lost 3-2 at home to Nashville SC in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16, ending the team’s run in the tournament. Orlando struck first in a rollercoaster of a match, and Ramiro Enrique pulled the Lions level after they fell behind, but rookie Wyatt Meyer scored the winner for the visitors. The loss snapped Orlando’s 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and Orlando looked like a team that played five other matches already this month. Orlando will need to shake off this loss as it prepares to host the Portland Timbers on Saturday.

Justin Ellis Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek

Orlando City B midfielder Justin Ellis was selected as MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his role in the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami II. Ellis, who turned 18 years old last week, assisted on both of OCB’s first two goals before scoring from the penalty spot himself. It’s been quite the year so far for Ellis, as he also scored six goals in the Generation Adidas Cup to help Orlando win the U-18 title in April. The Young Lions are back in action Friday with a road match against rival Atlanta United 2.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Results

Comebacks were a theme throughout the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16. Minnesota United took the lead, gave it up, and ultimately advanced thanks to defender Anthony Markanich scoring two late goals to beat St. Louis City 3-2 at Allianz Arena. Markanich was traded from St. Louis to Minnesota last year, adding a little salt in the wound for the visitors. D.C. United and Charlotte FC battled in a back-and-forth match that ended up with D.C. winning the penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw. The match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas also went the distance, with the Red Bulls winning the shootout. The Philadelphia Union won 4-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to eliminate the last team from outside MLS. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place this morning.

Tottenham Hotspur Wins Europa League Final

Tottenham prevailed in this year’s Europa league final, winning 1-0 against Manchester United in Spain. Brennan Johnson’s goal was enough for Tottenham to end its 17-year wait for a major trophy. It was a bit of an underwhelming finish to what was a fairly exciting knockout stage, and this was United’s only loss in this year’s tournament. Tottenham has now qualified for next season’s Champions League despite currently being 17th in the English Premier League standings.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

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  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/20/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, preliminary Gold Cup rosters released, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Life always feels a little brighter after your team wins a soccer game, even more so when it’s against a hated rival, so I hope you’ve had as good a start to your week as I have. We have no time to rest on our laurels though, because Orlando City is straight back into action tomorrow with a U.S. Open Cup match at home against Nashville SC. Let’s get into today’s links.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

Several Orlando City players are getting some deserved plaudits following the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Pedro Gallese has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday, while Joran Gerbet is on the bench and Oscar Pareja is the coach of the side. Gallese made four saves while keeping a clean sheet and also assisted Luis Muriel on the first goal of the game. Gerbet did an excellent job of helping to minimize the impact of Lionel Messi, while Oscar Pareja was the man who who masterminded it all. Alex Freeman got some love as one of the standout young players of the matchday, and also had a nice piece written about him in The Athletic (paywall). All the Lions are deserving of their praise, and here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see them getting some love.

Freeman Named to USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

The preliminary rosters have been announced for the 16 teams set to participate in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Most of the usual suspects are present for the United States Men’s National Team, with the exceptions of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna, whose teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Of note for Orlando City fans is Alex Freeman’s inclusion on the preliminary roster. That being said, this early list contains 60 names and will need to be cut down to 26 by June 4. With Sergino Dest and Joe Scally both on the 60-man list, Freeman is probably an outside shot to be included, but you never know.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their penultimate Premier League game later today, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth do the same against Manchester City. Wednesday has Jordan Pefok and Reims visiting Metz in a playoff to decide which team will play in Ligue 1 next season. Alex Zendejas and Club America take on Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura final on Thursday, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Valencia in La Liga play on Friday.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so let’s take a look at what the transfer rumor mill is saying these days. Manchester United is said to be on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal. Man City has reportedly ended its interest in signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and has instead turned the club’s attention to Barcelona’s Dani Olmo. Finally, Rodrygo is reportedly considering leaving Real Madrid in the summer, with some outlets saying that he “has one foot out of Real Madrid”.

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That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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