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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.

Free Kicks

  • 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: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

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6 hours ago

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November 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

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That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/19/24

Orlando Pride players honored, USMNT beats Jamaica, USWNT roster announced, and more.

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1 day ago

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November 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! We’ve had a busy few days with the Orlando Pride advancing to the NWSL Championship in style, and games continuing to come thick and fast during the international break. Things aren’t slowing down around here though, as the Pride will play for a trophy on Saturday, and Orlando City faces Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday. Today also marks 11 years since Orlando City was announced as the 21st MLS club. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Pride Players Named to NWSL Best XI

On top of advancing to the NWSL Championship, a number of Orlando Pride players have been honored with places in the league’s Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team. Emily Sams, Marta, and Barbra Banda made the cut for the First Team, while Anna Moorhouse and Kerry Abello were chosen for the Second Team.

Sams started in all 13 of the Pride’s shutouts, while Marta had 10 goal contributions on the year and Banda bagged 13 goals and six assists in her first year in the league. A big congratulations to all five players!

USMNT Routs Jamaica

The United States Men’s National Team ran riot over Jamaica in the second leg of its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series, winning by a score of 4-2 in St. Louis. The Yanks used a dominant first half to put the game away early, with two Christian Pulisic goals and Ricardo Pepi’s second goal in as many games giving the Americans a 3-0 lead at halftime. In the first 45 minutes, the USMNT enjoyed 70% possession and took six shots to the visitors’ two, with the majority of the action being played in Jamaica’s half. The game opened up more in the second half with Demari Gray grabbing a brace, but the Yanks were never truly threatened and advanced to the Concacaf Nations League semifinals.

USWNT Roster Announced

The United States Women’s National Team has announced its roster for upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Emma Hayes has named a 24-player roster for the two games, both of which will take place overseas. The roster features a familiar face, as the Orlando Pride’s Sams was named to the squad as a center back. The team also features Lily Yohannes, who recently announced her decision to play for the USWNT, and she will face the other team she was eligible to declare for in the Netherlands. To date, Sams has made two appearances for the USWNT and could be in line to double that number. The Yanks will face England at Wembley on Nov. 30, and then take on the Dutch on Dec. 3 at ADO Den Haag Stadium.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

The international break continued yesterday and there are a number of results to catch up on. In Europe, Croatia and Portugal both advanced to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw, and Scotland used a late goal by Andy Robertson to beat Poland 2-1, with the result sending the Scots to a playoff that will determine if they’ll be relegated from League A, while Poland dropped into League B. San Marino won just its second game in 20 years by beating Liechtenstein 3-1 to move up into League C. Finally, Denmark advanced to the quarterfinals courtesy of a scoreless draw with Serbia.

Free Kicks

  • Come meet Duncan McGuire tomorrow and enjoy some chicken to boot.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/18/24

Pride advance to NWSL Championship to face the Spirit, USMNT takes on Jamaica, UEFA and Concacaf Nations League recaps, and more.

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2 days ago

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November 18, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I was busy working at Under Armour all week but spent the weekend checking out the Northwestern and Ohio State college football game at Wrigley Field on Saturday. Yesterday, I watched some third-round 2025 U.S. Open Cup qualifying action between Chicago House AC and Wisloka Chicago. Let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero. We have plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.

Pride Advance to NWSL Championship

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to the NWSL Championship. The Pride trailed in the first half before Haley McCutcheon buried an equalizer to get them on the board. In the second half, the Pride added to their lead with goals from Barbra Banda and Marta. The Current scored another goal to make it close, but the Pride held on for the win and reached their first-ever final. The Pride will face the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship as the top two teams battle for a trophy at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday.

Spirit Beat NJ/NY Gotham FC in NWSL Playoffs

The Spirit defeated the defending NWSL Champion NJ/NY Gotham FC in penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw at Audi Field on Saturday to punch their ticket to the NWSL Championship. Washington trailed 1-0 early in the second half after Esther Gonzalez put Gotham ahead. The Spirit’s equalizer didn’t come until stoppage time, as Hal Hershfelt scored to send the game to extra time. In the penalty shootout, Ashley Hatch, Lena Silano, and Tara McKeown converted from the spot for the Spirit, while goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made three consecutive saves to seal the win. The Spirit return to the final for the first time since 2021, when the club won its first NWSL Championship.

USMNT Takes on Jamaica in Nations League Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will be back in action tonight, taking on Jamaica in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals at City Park in St. Louis. The USMNT defeated Jamaica in Kingston last week in the first leg with a 1-0 victory, with Ricardo Pepi scoring the lone goal. The USMNT did what it needed to do to put itself in an excellent position to move on to the semifinals going into the second leg. Jamaica must change its strategy to be more aggressive instead of trying to score on counters or set pieces to have a shot of an upset. Jamaica will be without center back Mason Holgate, who received two yellow cards in the previous match against the USMNT and will be suspended for tonight’s match. The semifinal round of the Concacaf Nations League will kick off in March, with the final set for March 23 at SoFi Stadium.

UEFA and Concacaf Nations League Recaps

We had some notable international soccer action across the globe to recap from the weekend. Spain defeated Denmark 2-1 to secure the top spot in its group in the UEFA Nations League. Portugal cruised past Poland with a 5-1 win, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice in the match as his side clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. France defeated Italy 3-1 to win its group on goal difference. England shut out Ireland 5-0 to earn promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League, while Erling Haaland scored a hat trick as Norway dominated Kazakhstan 5-0. Today, we have more UEFA Nations League action with notable matchups featuring Croatia facing Portugal, Serbia hosting Denmark, and Spain taking on Switzerland.

We had other quarterfinal matches over the weekend in the Concacaf Nations League. Canada defeated Suriname 1-0 in the first leg, while Mexico lost 2-0 on the road to Honduras. The second leg of those matches will be tomorrow, while we have another second leg quarterfinal matchup tonight as Panama takes on Costa Rica in the second leg with a 1-0 advantage.

Free Kicks

  • Rhode Island FC, led by former Orlando Pride assistant coach Khano Smith, defeated the Charleston Battery 2-1 in the playoffs to advance to the USL Championship final.
  • Former Orlando City B player Joe Gallardo was named MVP of the USL League One final, as Union Omaha defeated the Spokane Velocity 3-0 to win its second USL League One Championship.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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