Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/6/19

Published

6 years ago

on

Good morning, everybody! I hope all of you wonderful Mane Landers had an excellent Fourth of July. We’ve got two Orlando teams in action this evening, with the Lions traveling to Philadelphia for a rematch with the Union at 7 p.m. ET and the Pride hosting the Washington Spirit at Exploria Stadium a mere 30 minutes later. Let’s open the news with a look at how both of the purple squads are preparing for those matches.

Orlando City Flies to Philly for Revenge

Since both of the professional Orlando clubs have games tonight, one of them had to travel and the men of City drew the short straw. The Lions’ superstar, Nani, tweeted that moments of success will be back soon, hopefully a sign that the Lions will be out for blood against the Philadelphia Union.

Sacha Kljestan picked up Orlando City’s second red card in the aforementioned game, and may have seriously injured Philadelphia’s Jamiro Monteiro in the process. Jansson apparently didn’t leave the pitch quick enough after his card and picked up a fine from the Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee. There was no mention of Kljestan in the DisCo report.

Depleted Pride Squad to Face Equally Depleted Spirit

For the first time during the 2019 National Women’s Soccer League season, the Orlando Pride will face the Washington Spirit. Both clubs are down United States Women’s National Team players — Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris, and Ali Krieger for the Pride and Rose Lavelle and Mallory Pugh for the Spirit. Unfortunately, Orlando is also missing some key players to injuries and/or leave. Washington has a few players out too, though I don’t suspect it will hurt the team quite as much as the Pride’s absences. We’ll see what lineup Head Coach Marc Skinner rolls with and how things play out for the Orlando Pride soon enough.

USWNT Trying to Escape Critics and Past Failures

It appears that the criticism the USWNT has been dealing with regarding goal celebrations, and pretty much everything else the players say and do, isn’t going to fade away any time soon. Alex Morgan addressed the significant “double standard” facing women in sports and again explained that her infamous tea celebration “wasn’t a hit to England in any way.” The striker equated the tea sipping to something Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner refers to as “that’s the tea,” causing Turner herself to come to Morgan’s defense. Additionally, English tea company Yorkshire Tea got in on the fun.

Meanwhile, the USWNT still has a sort of important match coming up, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands. Morgan’s fellow controversial forward, Megan Rapinoe, said she’s “feeling really good” and expects “to be healthy for the final” after suffering a minor hamstring knock. Those players who were on the 2011 USWNT squad which lost to Germany in the WWC final are finding motivation from “the most devastating loss” most of them have experienced. When it comes to the final game itself, here’s a great breakdown of each team’s strengths and weaknesses.

FIFA President Discusses Future of Women’s Soccer

Current FIFA President Gianni Infantino hosted the closing press conference of this WWC on Friday. Infantino took the opportunity to praise the tournament, stating it “has been phenomenal, has been incredible, has been emotional, has been passionate, has been fantastic, has been great, has been the best women’s World Cup ever.” That definitely wasn’t the most important piece of information to come from the conference, however. The following five proposals were suggested as features to improve “the future development of women’s football.”

The creation of a FIFA Club World Cup for women: starting as soon as possible.

The creation of a Women’s World League: a proposal put forward already in 2017, to be played in tournaments all over the world.

Expanding the FIFA Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32 teams, potentially already as of the 2023 edition.

To double the prize money for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup.

To double the investment committed to women’s football over the next four-year cycle, from USD 500m to USD 1 billion.

Free Kicks

Enjoy your Saturday! Make sure to support your local watch party for the Lions or get out to the stadium to support the Pride. Go City and go Pride!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/5/25

Orlando City rising, Ally Watt is staying, the Challenge Cup looms, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

March 5, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! We’re almost completely back. Orlando City is playing matches, with the Orlando Pride and OCB slated to start their respective 2025 slates this weekend. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year. So without further ado, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City on the Rise

It should come as no surprise to longtime readers that I find the idea of power rankings to be the junk food of sports journalism. Sometimes it’s fun to indulge, but ultimately it’s just empty calories. That being said, Orlando City rose six spots in MLSsoccer.com’s rankings this week. The site is also enamored with right back Alex Freeman, making him one of the big stories in MLS in Week 2. They might actually be right on that account.

Ally Watt is Staying

The Orlando Pride announced that the club exercised Ally Watt’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Watt played her part in the Pride’s historic 2024 NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship run. Watt produced seven goal contributions last year. Now the attacker will look to increase that production as the club attempts to repeat the success of last season.

The Challenge Cup Approaches

It’s been 102 days since the Orlando Pride last lifted a trophy. Friday, the club will have a chance to do so again in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup has gone through a lot of changes over the years, but this time it features a rematch of the NWSL Championship match between the Pride and the Washington Spirit. The format is supposed to be the Shield winner against the Championship winner, but since the Pride won both, the runner-up gets a shot.

NWSL Roster Moves

The NWSL’s new collective bargaining agreement has changed how the clubs in the league manage their rosters and acquire new talent. Big names like Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) are able to have agency in where they want to play when being traded. There were several big inner-league signings in the off-season, though not all saw a player move. One of the biggest was when the Orlando Pride gave Marta a contract extension. The landscape has changed for the league, and that’s not a bad thing.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for all the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/4/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, U.S. women announce friendlies against China, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

March 4, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! What a happy Tuesday it is, too, as Orlando City bounced back in a big way to earn its first victory of the season on Saturday. As if that wasn’t enough, the Lions will be back in action again on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will return to competitive action in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit on Friday, and OCB kicks off its season Sunday against Columbus. Before we get started, let’s wish Pride midfielder Ally Lemos a happy 21st birthday! We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get cracking.

Lions Earn Weekly Plaudits

A pair of Lions have been rewarded for their performances in Orlando City’s 4-2 triumph over Toronto FC with places in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Cesar Araujo finds himself in the starting lineup after notching a spectacular goal and assist, while Alex Freeman makes the bench after marking his first senior start with his first professional goal. Freeman also earned a shoutout as one of the standout Young Players of the Matchday. Both men turned in impressive performances during the win, with Sean Rollins grading Araujo a 7.5 out of 10 and naming him the Man of the Match, with Freeman close behind on a 7 out of 10. Congrats and keep up the good work!

U.S. Women Announce China Matches

The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of friendlies against China at the end of spring. The USWNT will play the Steel Roses on Saturday, May 31 at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN, and then on Tuesday, June 3 at Energizer Park in St. Louis. While China is the team that the U.S. has played second most behind only Canada, it will be the first meeting between the two nations since the end of 2023. The St. Louis game will also have a pre-match celebration for Becky Sauerbrunn, who announced her retirement at the end of last year.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, with European cup action once again featured prominently. Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund will host Lille in the Round of 16 tomorrow, while Richy Ledezma and PSV Eindhoven will welcome Arsenal. Thursday sees Tanner Tessman and Lyon traveling to face Steaua Bucharest in the UEFA Europa League, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis take on Vitória Guimarães in the UEFA Conference League. Things finish on Friday with the red-hot Josh Sargent and Norwich City hosting Oxford in Championship play, while Mark McKenzie and Toulouse face off against Moncao.

Women’s Club World Cup Could be Delayed

FIFA had intended on starting a 16-team Women’s Club World Cup in 2026, but that plan may be facing delays. While the tournament reportedly has plenty of support within FIFA and its various federations, there are said to be ongoing discussions about pushing the start date back a couple years to allow more time for preparations to be made. Initial plans called for the tournament to take place between January and February 2026, but that date is fast approaching and no concrete plans have been made. A possible solution could be holding a four-team mini-tournament in 2026, with the full 16-team version then debuting later down the road. Who knows, if the Orlando Pride can have a 2025 campaign similar to last year’s, maybe we’ll see them there.

Free Kicks

  • Forgive my language, but Eduard Atuesta positively ran his ass off on Saturday, covering 8.18 miles — the most of any MLS player on Matchday 2.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/3/25

Lions defeat Toronto FC, MLS weekend recap, Americans abroad, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

March 3, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I got a break from covering high school sports, and I finally got to see Captain America: Brave New World and catch up on some shows. It was a fantastic weekend for our Lions to get their first win of the 2025 season. This weekend, we have the Lions, Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B are all in action. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Defeat Toronto FC for First Win of MLS Season

Orlando City bounced back from its opening day loss with a 4-2 win against Toronto FC on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium and secured its first win of the 2025 season. Cesar Araujo, Alex Freeman, Martin Ojeda, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson scored for the Lions. Toronto FC scored two late goals in the second half, but Orlando was in control at that point. The Lions scored six goals across their first two matches this season, the most scored in their first two games since the team joined Major League Soccer. Orlando City will have its first road test of the season on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, taking on New York City FC.

Orlando City Signs Three Players to Short-Term Deals

Before Saturday’s match against Toronto FC, Orlando City announced that the club had signed midfielders Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo and defender Zakaria Taifi to short-term contracts. All three players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Caraballo came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut, becoming the youngest player to ever get MLS minutes with OCSC. Taifi and Guske did not get into the game. Guske and Caraballo were signed to short-term contracts the previous week and were on the bench for the Lions’ opening day match against the Philadelphia Union but didn’t play.

MLS Weekend Recap

Week two is in the books after another exciting weekend of Major League Soccer action. Wilfried Zaha scored his first MLS goal and added an assist as Charlotte FC defeated Atlanta United 2-0. Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls won their matches with the Seattle Sounders and Nashville SC, respectively, by the same score. The Columbus Crew, Minnesota United, LAFC, and the Portland Timbers all won 1-0 matches over the New England Revolution, CF Montreal, New York City FC, and Austin FC, respectively. The Philadelphia Union cruised past FC Cincinnati 4-1, while the San Jose Earthquakes edged Sporting Kansas City 2-1. The Colorado Rapids had a 2-0 lead with Rafael Navarro scoring twice, but FC Dallas fought back in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Hugo Cuypers scored twice for the Chicago Fire, but D.C. United grabbed a late equalizer for a 2-2 draw, while San Diego FC and St. Louis City ended scoreless. On Sunday, the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated the LA Galaxy 2-1, while former Lion Nico Lodeiro scored his first goal for the Houston Dynamo, but Inter Miami won 4-1 on the road.

Americans Abroad

Two Americans squared off in the EFL Championship as former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom battled Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United. Aaronson played 72 minutes while Dike came off the bench late in the second half as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. In the FA Cup, Antonee Robinson and Fulham defeated Manchester United 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 16. Matt Turner started in goal, and Chris Richards recorded an assist as Crystal Palace defeated Millwall 3-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals. Fulham will face Crystal Palace in the quarterfinals on March 29. Ethan Horvath started in goal, but Cardiff City fell 2-0 to Aston Villa while, Tyler Adams’ Bournemouth side defeated Wolverhampton 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw and will face Manchester City in the quarterfinals. Johnny Cardoso scored his first league goal in La Liga as Real Betis defeated Real Madrid 2-1 on Saturday. Naomi Girma made her debut for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League on Sunday but suffered an injury and came off the pitch in the second half in a 2-2 draw against Brighton.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride wrapped up their preseason over the weekend. The Pride will open their 2025 season against the Washington Spirit on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium in the NWSL Challenge Cup.

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

Continue Reading

Trending