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Lion Links: 5/30/19

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7 years ago

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Happy Thursday, everyone. It’s been a while since I last did Lion Links but here I am, writing them up to drop on the morning of my 16th wedding anniversary (happy anniversary, Jamie!). While we wait for the end of the week to see what fate awaits our teams (OCB on the road Friday at FC Tucson, Orlando City at Montreal on Saturday, and the Pride at home Saturday night against the Courage), here’s some reading material to help you start your day.

There’s a lot to get to, so let’s get started.

Marcelo Neveleff Hired to Lead Orlando City Academy, OCB

On what turned out to be an extremely busy Wednesday for news out of Orlando City SC, one of the biggest items was the hiring of Argentine coach Marcelo Neveleff. The former New England Revolution assistant coach is the new OCSC Academy Director. Neveleff will report directly to Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi and will also oversee OCB’s operations.

During his time in New England, Neveleff worked with U.S. Soccer as both a technical advisor for the Boys’ Development Academy and as an assistant for the U-20 Men’s National Team. In 2017, he was part of a staff that helped lead the U-20s to win the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

Neveleff has a lot of developmental experience, having served as technical director for powerhouse South Florida youth club Weston FC from 2009 to 2015. On the surface, this looks like an excellent hire by Muzzi and the club.

If you are, like me, wondering what this means for OCB GM Mike Potempa, well, I should be talking with Muzzi in the next couple of days and I’ll be asking about that and lots of other stuff, so stay tuned.

Lions, OCB, and Development Academy All Moving to Osceola Heritage Park

At the end of the 2019 season, Orlando City SC will be moving its MLS side, USL League One team, and development academy all to the club’s new training facility. The two professional teams will move from their current locations at Sylvan Lake Park and Montverde Academy after conclusion of the 2019 season. The academy will relocate at the start of the 2019-2020 academic year. The new facility at Osceola Heritage Park will feature four soccer fields — three natural grass and one artificial turf. The MLS side will use two of the grass fields, with OCB and the academy sharing the other grass pitch and the turf field.

“We are very excited and appreciative that the club has decided to increase its already considerable investment in the new training complex, showing its commitment to the development of our youth players and the future of Orlando City. The move to Osceola is a huge step for this club,” Orlando City EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said. “I think it’s a huge step for the club, for the first team, for the youth, for OCB and for the whole development pyramid of the club. It gives us the ability to bring the youth together under the same roof – seeing the first team, interacting with the first team and why not training with the first team?”

This total integration of the club has Muzzi’s fingerprints all over it and it should make for a more competitive atmosphere and provide the players at all level with a feeling of connectivity.

Orlando Pride Will Also Get New Customized Training Facility

The facility news doesn’t stop with the academy, OCB, and the MLS side. The club’s NWSL side, the Orlando Pride, will get a new, customized training facility at Sylvan Lake Park after 2019. The club is calling it the “first training facility in the NWSL that is tailored to and used only by a women’s team.”

“I think this [move] is building the sustainability of the club and of the franchise and it shows that, you know what, we’re here to stay,” Orlando Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck said. “We’re showing a commitment to Seminole County, we’re showing a commitment to the Pride and that vision becomes global. This isn’t only for the immediate future and the current team, but it’s also to become a destination for the future of the club, for the future of the franchise and to be able to attract top-class players from around the world and within the NWSL.”

The Pride will have access to the same perks that the MLS team has — two grass fields, a gym, a meal room, a film room, a players’ lounge, and a locker room “designed to replicate the team’s locker room at Orlando City Stadium.”

This is a big upgrade over the team’s current home at Seminole Soccer Complex, a fantastic bit of news for Pride fans, and a great recruiting tool to land players in the City Beautiful.

Nani Would Rather Talk About the Next Game than the Playoffs

Orlando City captain and leading scorer Nani said he gets asked a lot about the playoffs but he wants the focus to be on winning the next match.

“I’ve been learning a lot since I arrived,” Nani, 32, told Omnisport. ”We are ambitious and we want to be more ambitious every season. We want to achieve better goals. ”We want to be among the best teams in the league. But every time I’ve been doing interviews, everyone asked if it’s possible to reach the play-offs. I don’t think it’s a good conversation at the moment because it hasn’t helped until now.

”We must start focusing on each game, play our best because we have a good team. We showed already we can do it. I think it’s better to take some pressure off our team and club and believe we can go far. Obviously, we will arrive there but if we take off this pressure, things will go much better during the season. It will be less stressful on the young players especially and this can help.”

Makes sense to me. If you keep winning the next game, then the next, the playoffs will eventually take care of themselves.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Sentinel and ProSoccerUSA.com writer Jordan Culver covered his last training session before moving on to a new chapter in his career. I’ve personally enjoyed working alongside Jordan — and his expansive bow tie collection — since he arrived on the Orlando City beat and it was good to see the club honor him.

  • It’s always nice to see the club doing great work in the community, so it was quite heartwarming to hear that members of Orlando City and the Pride paid a surprise visit to a local youth goalkeeper battling cancer.

  • Sports Illustrated is honoring the USWNT with six collectible covers in their World Cup preview issue. Grab yours before they’re gone.

  • MLS and Liga MX have announced the “Leagues Cup,” a new competition consisting entirely of meaningless friendlies that will further congest the fixture schedule.
  • Former Lion Jose Villarreal has landed with Las Vegas Lights FC.
  • Those born on this date include Loony Tunes cartoon voice actor Mel Blanc (1908), restaurant founder Bob Evans (1918), Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers (1943), actor and podcaster Stephen Tobolowsky (1951), Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine actor Colm Meaney (1953), basketball coach Billy Donovan (1965), Idina “Elsa from Frozen” Menzel (1971), baseball’s Manny Ramirez (1972), NASCAR’s Clint Bowyer (1979), and Steven Gerrard (1980).

That’s all my time for this morning. Enjoy your Thursday, everyone!

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Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

Free Kicks

  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

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: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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