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Lion Links: 7/2/19

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5 years ago

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Happy Tuesday, Mane Landers. I’ve had a busy and rather dusty week of traipsing around national parks out in the western part of the country, so let’s keep this intro short and dive right into today’s news.

Marta Ready to Challenge Pride Teammates on Return

Marta has issued a challenge to her Pride teammates upon her return from international duty at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was less than impressed with the team’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago Red Stars over the weekend and made her displeasure known. Two of Chicago’s goals came as a result of sloppy back passes to Haley Kopmeyer and Marta was very clear that those sorts of careless plays need to be eliminated if Orlando is going to turn its season around. Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner agreed with her and called the first two goals that the team conceded “unacceptable.” Hopefully the comments help serve as a catalyst to reverse the struggles of a Pride team that’s currently in a massive hole.

Morgan Ready to Sacrifice Body for Glory

Meanwhile, Alex Morgan is still with the USWNT as the team tries to continue its push towards the Women’s World Cup final, and says that she has grown accustomed to the physical tactics that teams have been employing to deal with her. She recognizes that as a No. 9, a lot of attention will be given to her by the opposition center backs and it’s simply something that she’s had to adjust to. The attention paid to her by opposing teams has been taxing but has also opened up room for her teammates to work, with Megan Rapinoe in particular finding a good deal of success. In the end, if taking more hard tackles than normal is what it takes to win the big trophy again, then she’s willing to do it.

Orlando Players Recognized

A pair of Orlando players have won recognition for their efforts over the weekend. Nani made the bench on the MLS Team of the Week for his two-assist effort in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Columbus. While it seems a bit strange that neither Lamine Sané nor Robin Jansson were recognized for their spectacular efforts, I suppose you can’t have everything you want in life. Additionally, the Pride’s Haley Kopmeyer was recognized for a stoppage-time save she made when sprinting back to her goal to deny a shot just over the halfway line that would have killed any further attempts at salvaging a late point. Congratulations to both players.

Orlando City Personnel Updates

There are a few things to report ahead of Wednesday’s game with the Philadelphia Union. All of the international players that were away on duty with their respective national teams have returned and have been training. Dom Dwyer should also be in the mix to play in Wednesday’s game after missing time due to the birth of his second child. Finally, Joao Moutinho is currently dealing with a hamstring injury and is not expected to play this week. All in all, some very welcome returns of players who have been big contributors up to this point in the season, and that depth will be extremely useful as the team continues its loaded July.

Skills Challenge Coming to All-Star Week

MLS will be adding a new wrinkle to its All-Star festivities with the introduction of a skills challenge during the upcoming 2019 All-Star week. An MLS-All Star team, Orlando City team, and Atlético Madrid team will all compete in the challenge, which will be held on July 30 at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. Nani will captain the Orlando team with Chris Mueller and Sebas Mendez joining him as teammates for the competition. Koke will be one of the players featured for Atlético Madrid, with two more being announced at a later date. Some of the challenges will include shooting, passing, and touch and volley, and the event will be streamed on Twitch and Twitter.

MLS Transfer Roundup

There are a few noteworthy MLS transfers to report with the first being Atlanta United’s acquisition of Emerson Hyndman on loan from AFC Bournemouth. The deal also includes an option to buy at the end of the current MLS season. The move is probably a good one for Hyndman’s career, as he has only made a pair of league appearances with the English Premier League side to date. The second move also involves Atlanta United, as they traded Romario Williams to the Columbus Crew in return for $100,000 in General Allocation Money. The GAM was most likely then used to help secure Hyndman’s discovery rights from FC Dallas, which was done for $200,000 of GAM as well as an international roster spot in 2019 and 2020.

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  • The Orlando SeaWolves have signed Edelmiro “Titino” Elizalde, a Mexican defender, to a five-year contract.
  • Borussia Dortmund have signed Gio Reyna from NYCFC. Reyna is a 16-year-old midfielder and a United States youth international.
  • Robin Jansson is a funny guy.

That’ll be all for me today. As I mentioned earlier, Orlando City plays the Philadelphia Union twice on a short week, which is quite possibly one of the weirder scheduling quirks I think I’ve ever seen. Anyway, get familiar with the Union players, because you’ll be seeing a lot of them over the next few days. And check back later today for our coverage of the USWNT vs. England. Stay safe out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/5/24

Orlando City announces preseason match, how the Orlando Pride turned things around, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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11 hours ago

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November 5, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We have a massive week ahead of us, as the Orlando Pride take on the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL playoffs on Friday. That will be followed up by a pivotal Game 3 for Orlando City against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Both matches will be at home, so suffice it to say we have a lot going on around these parts. As usual, we have lots to talk through today, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Announces Friendly

Orlando City has announced that the club will play a preseason match against Inter Miami in Tampa on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 p.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public on Nov. 14. There will also be a pregame fan festival set up outside the stadium, which is free if you have a ticket. The decision to play Miami in a preseason game isn’t a surprising one, as it involves minimal travel for both clubs, and a chance to capitalize on the box office draw of Lionel Messi. It is a little surprising that the decision was made to host the game at Raymond James Stadium rather than Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, but it’s possible that the latter wasn’t available, or that there was a desire to capitalize on the additional gate money from the extra 15,000 seats at Raymond James.

How the Pride Escaped the Cellar

In a season that featured several teams who played outstanding campaigns, the Orlando Pride still managed to finish first in the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s a feat made even more impressive when considering how the club has historically struggled, but the change didn’t happen overnight. The rebuild really got underway in 2021, which was when a series of high profile exits and trades began to take place, which would eventually allow the Pride to do a lot of maneuvering in the transfer market. It was a long process though, and it took the arrival of Haley Carter in the front office and Seb Hines as the head coach for things to really start coming together. It’s been an all-around effort, but one that paid off with a first-place finish this season.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing this week, so make sure you’ve got everything marked down on your calendar. UEFA Champions League action returns tomorrow, as Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Richie Ledezma will take on Girona with PSV Eindhoven. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Real Madrid, and Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus hit the road to take on Weah’s former club, Lille. European action then continues on Thursday as Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Hoffenheim on the road in the Europa League, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Celje in the Conference League.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always seems to be the case, there are a number of transfer rumors floating around. First up, Spanish outlet Marca says that if Vinicius Jr. becomes available then Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain would be interested in signing him. This comes amid reports that the Brazilian is considering a move to Saudi Arabia. Speaking of Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez could seek an exit from the Blues reportedly due to not being favored by boss Enzo Maresca, with Barcelona and Inter Milan as possible destinations. Finally, Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush is reportedly attracting interest from some of Europe’s big clubs, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both interested in signing him.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/4/24

Orlando City falls to Charlotte FC in penalty shootout, Orlando Pride defeat the Seattle Reign, Megan Montefusco retires and more.

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1 day ago

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November 4, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I covered high school cross country state semifinals over the weekend, and I’m getting ready to cover a high school soccer playoff match later this week. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose Penalty Shootout to Charlotte FC

Orlando City fell 3-1 on penalties to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night after playing to a scoreless draw in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs. Orlando’s offense struggled to create anything throughout the match in the attack. The best chance came late in the second half when Facundo Torres thought he had scored the game-winner for Orlando, but the assistant referee deemed him to be offside. In the penalty shootout, Luis Muriel was the only Lion to find the back of the net. Nico Lodeiro and Duncan McGuire had their penalty kicks saved by Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, while Robin Jansson’s kick sailed over the net. The Lions will host Charlotte FC in Game 3 at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday with a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the line.

Orlando Pride Defeat the Seattle Reign in Regular Season Finale

The Orlando Pride snapped their two-match losing streak and defeated the Seattle Reign 3-2 to close out the 2024 NWSL regular season. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello, and Marta all scored for the Pride. Even though the Reign fought back to keep it close, Orlando held on for the win. The Pride finished the regular season first in the NWSL standings with 60 points. The Pride will take on the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NWSL playoffs on Friday in their first home playoff match ever. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.

Megan Montefusco Announces Retirement

Orlando Pride defender Megan Montefusco will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. She’s played in the NWSL since 2015 and joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season. In her time in Orlando, Montefusco made 45 appearances for Orlando and scored in a 2023 Challenge Cup match against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She did not play in any matches in the 2024 season after undergoing foot surgery during the off-season and was placed on the season-ending injury list. Montefusco finishes her career with 179 appearances, scoring three goals and adding four assists across all competitions.

MLS Playoff Roundup

The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs continued over the weekend, with a few teams booking their spot in the next round. The Columbus Crew’s title defense ended after they lost 5-4 on penalties to the New York Red Bulls after a 2-2 draw. The LA Galaxy dominated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on the road to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Minnesota United also moved on, defeating Real Salt Lake in a shootout after a 1-1 draw and the Loons will face the Galaxy. The Seattle Sounders edged past the Houston Dynamo 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the Western Conference semifinals as well.

New York City FC bounced back with a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati, while Atlanta United did the same with a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami as both teams stayed alive to force a third game in their series. LAFC fell 3-0 on the road to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a match that included two own goals.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/1/24

Orlando City plays Charlotte FC tonight, Orlando Pride get ready for the Seattle Reign, NWSL playoff scenarios, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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November 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to November, Mane Landers! It’s kind of crazy that there are only two months left of 2024, and I’m not looking forward to the holiday shopping frenzy. I checked on how my resolutions are doing for this year and am going to have to pick up the pace if I want to reach my reading goals. Let’s get this November started with today’s links!

Lions Takes On Charlotte FC Tonight

Orlando City has a chance to book its spot in the next round of the playoffs tonight when it faces off against Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. This will be Charlotte’s first playoff game at home since joining the league and it will likely be a loud environment for the Lions to deal with. Charlotte is without Designated Player Pep Biel due to his red card, but midfielders Kerwin Vargas and Patrick Agyemang are more than capable of making an impact. The Lions will have to remain at the top of their game to avoid the series being sent back to Orlando for Game 3 on Nov. 9.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Regular Season Finale

The Orlando Pride will aim to get back on track Saturday night when they take on the Seattle Reign at home in their final game of the regular season. After a pair of losses, a match against the Reign presents a good chance for the team to return to its winning ways after securing its first NWSL Shield. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the international break gives the team a decent chance to reset, as well as how playing at home should give the team a boost.

NWSL Playoff Race Nears Its End

While the Pride secured the top spot in the standings weeks ago, a majority of the league has plenty on the line this weekend. There are three teams in contention for the final two playoff spots, and there’s a three-team race for the second seed in the playoffs. The Portland Thorns can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a result tonight against Angel City FC, while Bay FC can clinch with a result tomorrow night against the Houston Dash. If either team loses, it opens the door for Racing Louisville to snatch a spot in the playoffs on Sunday against the San Diego Wave. After last year’s drama that included the Pride narrowly missing out on the playoffs, I’m glad things are already locked up for Orlando this year.

USWNT’s New Era Off to Strong Start

One of the biggest takeaways from the United States Women’s National Team’s trio of victories in the recent international window was how many new players took the field and impressed. Head Coach Emma Hayes utilized plenty of rotation across the three matches, and Pride defender Emily Sams was one of seven players who made their debut. Sams received a rating of 7 coming off the bench in the team’s win over Argentina, a match that showcased just how deep the U.S. player pool is. It’s been a fantastic past few months for Hayes, who leaned on innovation and experimentation with Chelsea and has the U.S. rebuilding while still staying on top.

Free Kicks

  • Forward Diana Ordonez won’t play in the Dash’s final game of the season after undergoing successful surgery earlier this week.

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

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