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Lion Links: 6/13/19

Published

6 years ago

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Did you ever have one of those weeks? I’m having one this week. I needed a tire repaired early in the week. I recorded a great episode of the podcast only to find out one of the settings was wrong so Dave’s voice didn’t record. I’ve had to watch dozens of people get #MadOnline about the USMNT not scoring any goals and the USWNT celebrating theirs. And now I am quite unexpectedly writing these very Lion Links. But hey, I’m all about that #BlogLyfe.

Before we go any further, let’s all wish a very happy birthday to Orlando Pride defender Morgan Reid, who turns 24 today.

Successful Start to U.S. Open Cup for Lions

Orlando City went to Memphis and for much of the game it seemed like the Lions were content to just control the midfield and pass the ball around without much danger of finding the back of the net. But Sacha Kljestan scored twice — once from the spot — and Robin Jansson added his first goal with City to lead Orlando to a 3-1 win in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. There was little doubt about the penalty that Shane O’Neill drew to help open the scoring but Memphis fans will feel hard done about the winning goal, which began with a clear foul on Cristian Higuita that wasn’t called. But hey, it’s nice to be on the winning end of a controversial call every now and then. The Lions will learn their fifth round opponents later this morning.

OCB Sees Unbeaten Run Snapped

An abysmal end to the first half led to Orlando City B’s first loss in weeks as the Young Lions saw their four-game unbeaten streak halted in a 2-1 loss to FC Tucson. OCB was nearly in the locker room when Tucson’s first goal — in the 44th minute — came from distance and it looked like goalkeeper Christian Herrera was late in seeing it. The second came in first-half stoppage on a scramble in the box. The Young Lions fought back to get within one but couldn’t find any late magic.

Orlando City Dumps Colmán Loan News

And I do mean “dumps.” The club announced the Josué Colmán loan that we wrote about three days ago just as OCB was kicking off last night’s match and an hour before the Lions took to the field against Memphis 901 FC. I know from experience that sometimes the timing of these things can’t be helped but this seems to happen more than it should. (For example, the Lions dropped news just as the Pride were about to make a draft selection back in January.) Anyway, here’s what Luiz Muzzi had to say about the loan:

“As a club we feel this is a transaction that benefits both the player and the team,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said. “For Josué, this gives him an opportunity to play on a consistent basis in an environment he’s familiar with in his former club in Paraguay. For Orlando City, it gives us roster flexibility moving forward.”  

As was previously reported, the club confirmed that the loan is for a year and a half, and the Lions have recall rights in January and next June.

Morgan Consoled Fellow Cal Graduate After Thailand Thrashing

Pride striker Alex Morgan has taken some heat for celebrating her fourth and fifth goals on Tuesday — the ones that allowed her to tie Michelle Akers’ World Cup record. Personally, if I scored any goals in a World Cup game, I’d take off my pants, regardless of the score. But, as there usually is, there’s more to the story. After the match, Morgan talked to Thailand international and fellow University of California graduate Suchawadee Nildhamrong (known more commonly as Miranda Nild).

“She said to keep my head up and that this is only the first game,” Nild said, both crying and smiling at the same time during postgame interviews. “I think that Thailand did the best they knew how to do. We’re a developing program. It was an amazing experience to be able to play against the States. They’re the reigning champs for a reason. I think it’s all hitting me at once. The experience was incredibly emotional.”

The phrase that got me in the feels: “Nild said, both crying and smiling at the same time…” Morgan told the 22-year-old to go after these next two games.

“I told her that it’s a dream of all of ours to play in a World Cup,” Morgan said. “And she has at least three games, and this is Game 1. And she still has at least two games to showcase herself, to get some goals, she’s a quality player, and to stay encouraged through this tournament.

“Because she’s living out a dream that most girls and women don’t get to.”

Free Kicks

  • MLS salaries were released yesterday. We’ll have more on this later today.
  • Atletico Madrid’s CEO says Antoine Griezmann is going to Barcelona. As an Atleti fan, I now hate everything.
  • La Liga is in a bit of hot water after using their app to listen in on fans to catch bars illegally streaming matches.
  • It seems that a lot more Americans are upset about the USWNT than fans of Thailand, who don’t seem all that bothered about things. To me, that’s a head scratcher.
  • Here’s a piece on former Lion Servando Carrasco, who is, of course, Alex Morgan’s husband. The Express called him an “LA Galaxy star,” which may be overstating it, but I always liked Servando’s hustle and he seems like a good dude.
  • Those born on this date include longtime Hollywood Squares center square holder Paul Lynde (1926), actor Malcolm McDowell (1943), actor Stellan Skarsgard (1951), Tim Allen (1953), “Brat Pack” actress Ally Sheedy (1962), Marvel Cinematic Universe actor Chris Evans (1981), and child-acting twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (1986).

That’s all my time for today. Enjoy your Thursday as we get set for OCB and the Pride both in action this weekend, along with the USWNT.

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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

10 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: 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

1 day ago

on

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.

Free Kicks

  • 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: 5/20/25

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

Published

2 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”.

Free Kicks

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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