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Lion Links: 7/2/19

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7 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.

Free Kicks

  • 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: 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

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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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