Lion Links: 5/22/19

Happy Thursday, Mane Landers! We’re just one sleep away from seeing our Lions back in action at home. Let’s get ready for it with today’s Lion Links.

Orlando City B vs. Richmond Kickers

Orlando City B made it two wins in a row as the Young Lions blew a 2-0 lead but then scored on a late penalty kick to beat the Richmond Kickers 3-2 last night at Montverde Academy. With the win, OCB climbed out of the USL League One basement, if only for the moment, but the young team has shown a lot more character and composure in recent weeks. The Young Lions weren’t perfect, as they did throw away a two-goal advantage and wasted a few opportunities to put the game to bed, but six points out of six in the last two weeks is a positive step for OCB.

Orlando City Set to Host LA Galaxy

Orlando City (4-6-3, 15 points) will be hosting the LA Galaxy (7-5-1, 22 points) tomorrow with kickoff set for 7 p.m. This will the fifth encounter between the two clubs, with both having two victories so far. The Galaxy will be looking to get back to winning ways in Orlando, although they’ll have to do it without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will miss the match due to a two-game suspension. The Lions will be missing a player of their own, Dom Dwyer, after receiving a suspension for yellow card accumulation. The club has prepared a “Know Your Opponent” article for further match information.

FIFA Scraps Changes to 2022 World Cup

After approving a plan for a 48-team World Cup in 2026 earlier in the year, FIFA has announced that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will remain unchanged. The tournament will continue to include 32 teams, as it has since 1998. Additionally, the 2022 World Cup will still take place from Nov. 21-Dec. 18.

MLS Announces Second “Soccer For All” Month

Major League Soccer has announced the launch of the second annual “Soccer For All” month, beginning now through June 30. Soccer For All was launched in March of 2018 to show the league’s commitment to drive positive social change and end any kind of discrimination.

“Soccer For All month provides a unique opportunity to highlight our collective efforts to foster inclusion and diversity in our stadiums and communities,” said JoAnn Neale, MLS President & Chief Administrative Officer in a statement. “We are extremely proud of the deep commitment of our clubs to make everyone feel welcome at our games.”

Free Kicks

• Fix your calendars! Orlando City made some kickoff time changes to two matches.

• The Orlando SeaWolves acquired a new addition to their front line.
• One of Mexico’s giants is eyeing an American star, and no it’s not Landon Donovan.
• Speaking of American stars, one of the top defenders in MLS history is hanging up his boots, as Seattle’s Chad Marshall announced his retirement yesterday.
• 17-year-old Jody Brown, currently of Monteverde Academy, has made it into Jamaica’s World Cup Squad.

That is all for me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and let us hope our Lions can give us a decent result tomorrow night.