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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: 5/1/25

Orlando Pride prepare for the Portland Thorns, Vancouver Whitecaps reach Concacaf Champions Cup final, Lorne Donaldson fired, and more.

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11 hours ago

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May 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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.

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  • In case you missed it, enjoy this full interview from Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira.

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!

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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.

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

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.

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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!

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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.

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2 days ago

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April 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

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.

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That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!

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