Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/1/19

Welcome to the first day of August! After all of the buildup, it’s hard to believe that the Major League Soccer All-Star Game here in Orlando has finally come and gone. I’ve got more on that below, along with the rest of the top stories, so let’s dive right in.
MLS All-Stars Face Off Against Atletico Madrid at Exploria Stadium
We're hosting the #MLSAllStar Game today in @Dwntwn_Orlando.
Who do you think will win: The @MLS All-Stars or @atletienglish? pic.twitter.com/jvrFX31zk9
— City of Orlando (@citybeautiful) July 31, 2019
I know that tweet is old information at this point, but I adore the use of the Lake Eola fountain and swans. In a historic match attended by a who’s who of big wigs (including the governor of Florida himself, Ron DeSantis), the MLS All-Star squad lost to La Liga super club Atletico Madrid 3-0. The lone Lion on the roster, Nani, got the start in a 4-1-4-1 formation. All-Star and Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor admitted that he didn’t “think there’s time to get too in-depth in regards to tactics.” Atletico midfielder Vitolo was so impressed by the club and city that he endorsed Orlando as a host city for the 2026 World Cup, stating “you can tell it’s a beautiful city and it should be a great event if it’s hosted here.”
Last night’s All-Star Game at Exploria Stadium was the culmination of events that brought Orlando City CEO Alex Leitao full circle.
Lions to Get New Academy Facility
Before last night’s game, Audi and MLS announced a new program to help add resources to MLS teams’ academies, and the first one will land in Orlando. The Audi Goals Drive Progress funding will help build Audi Performance Centers, located at select MLS academies, like Orlando City’s. These centers will be equipped with a vast range of technology, tutorial and educational resources to help enrich off-field academic development. It will give players a place to work on schoolwork, do video study, and get extra off-field instruction from coaches. While the OCSC academy won’t have a full residency program to start with, Orlando City EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said Wednesday that is the long-term goal.
Nani Demonstrates Passion for Helping Others
As Orlando City fans, we’ve seen the class and skill that the team’s first-year captain, Portuguese superstar Nani, has brought both on and off the pitch this season. Life hasn’t always been one of luxury for the man with 13 siblings from a poverty-stricken city, however. Nani discussed his upbringing with ProSoccerUSA.com.
“I grew up with a lot of brothers, a lot of sisters all together, and we had to fight to survive and to get a better life. At the end, we’ve been very lucky with football to give us a different opportunity and a lot of beautiful things in our life. We are all together in my family. I’ve been in that situation before where playing football was the only thing you could do. All we had was that [five-versus-five] pitch to play football.”
Whether it’s returning to Amadora, Portugal to ensure his hometown pitch is preserved or greeting a bus of kids during Orlando City training, Nani is eager to help those around him however he can. He even saw his last-second MLS Skills Challenge winning kick as an opportunity to give back.
10, 9, 8, 7… wait for it… Orlando City Wins the #MLSAllStar skills challenge! I'm very happy for last night's outcome. We played for a single goal: donate the prize money to Orlando City Foundation. Thank you very much for all the support. 🎯🏆🙌🏾#MLS #MLSskills #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/bGI5PS3fGl
— Nani (@luisnani) July 31, 2019
City of Orlando Gets a Year Older on All-Star Day
In addition to history being made at Exploria Stadium last night, the city of Orlando celebrated its 144th birthday with tributes to Orlando City SC and the All-Star Game. The club took the opportunity to wish The City Beautiful a happy birthday, a sentiment we here at The Mane Land would like to express as well.
Mayor Buddy Dyer, while rocking an Orlando City jersey emblazoned with “Orlando 144” across the back, stated that he’s “proud to be a resident…of this inclusive, vibrant community,” another sentiment I can certainly get behind. The Orlando Pride also joined in on the love fest for the city the team calls home.
Pride’s Morgan Makes FIFA Short List for Annual Player Award
The nominees for the yearly FIFA top players and coaches across world soccer were revealed by the governing body yesterday. Orlando Pride star striker Alex Morgan is up for Best Women’s Player, alongside three of her United States Women’s National Team teammates — Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle, and Megan Rapinoe. Rounding out the women’s player list are England’s Lucy Bronze and Ellen White, Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg, France’s Amandine Henry and Wendie Renard, Australia’s Sam Kerr, and the Netherlands’ Vivianne Miedema. Make sure to go here to cast your vote for Morgan.
On the men’s side, the list is somewhat familiar, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, and my personal favorite, Eden Hazard, receiving nominations. Many of the names up for Best Men’s Coach won’t come as a surprise either. Jill Ellis, who confirmed that she would be stepping down as coach of the USWNT on Tuesday, is of course nominated for Best Women’s Coach. Here’s where you can cast your vote to show Ellis some love.
In other news, the FIFA Council has officially approved the proposal to expand the Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32 teams, effective as of the 2023 tournament.
Free Kicks
- Good vibes only time. Not only is Charlotte fantastic for doing what she did, Orlando City responded in an amazing way.
We love this. 👏
Next time you’re on holiday in Orlando and we have a match, your ticket is on us @KirbyHazard! Just DM us and we got you. #FaceOfCity https://t.co/moFoimK5N0
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) July 31, 2019
- I already know and love Cash Mueller. It’s definitely time for everyone else to appreciate him as much as Orlando City supporters are appreciative of him.
- Rookie Orlando City striker Santiago Patino has been called up to the Colombia Under-23 squad.
- Pierre Da Silva, who’s been out on loan to Club Athletico Paranaense since the beginning of this season, is no longer a Lion, as the club and player have parted ways.
- The Special Olympics hosted its Unified Sports All-Star Match prior to the MLS All-Star game on Wednesday afternoon.
- Adam Grinwis is a superhero. Didn’t we all know that already?
- Apparently, MLS players are prepared to strike over a new collective bargaining agreement if needed.
- Here are five potential replacements for Ellis as coach of the USWNT. Rumored new USWNT General Manager, 99er Kate Markgraf, might have something to say about it though.
- ESPN+ appears close to adding the Bundesliga to its soccer lineup.
- I have to share these two awesome Chelsea clips even if it’s not Chelsea update day. Christian Pulisic netted his first goal as a Blue, on his way to scoring a brace, with this nutmeg. Pedro, not to be outdone by the young guy, added a goal with this ridiculous back-heel volley.
- Finally for VfL Wolfsburg day, here are some shots of the squad’s practice leading up to the last preseason friendly this Saturday. Oh, and there was also this.
Less than one hour to go! 🇺🇸
A huge shoutout to our US partner club @OrlandoCitySC as they host this year's #MLSAllStar game!
A special congratulations to Orlando coach James O'Connor (who will be coaching the all-star squad today) and @luisnani who was selected for the team! https://t.co/4zNofIJczU
— VfL Wolfsburg US (@VfLWolfsburg_US) July 31, 2019
That’s a wrap on a busy day in the soccer universe. Go City!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/22/25
Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.
Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition
Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.
English Promotion Update
Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped three spots to no. 15 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- The Orlando Pride dropped all the way to no. 3 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Monday’s four scheduled Serie A matches were postponed following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, with the games set to be played Wednesday instead.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/21/25
Another scoreless draw for Orlando City, a home loss for the Pride, a championship for the OCSC U-18 squad, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I managed to watch a few soccer games while work kept me busy. Our Lions picked up another draw for the third week in a row, the Pride lost, and OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Draw CF Montreal on the Road
Orlando City and CF Montreal split the points in a scoreless draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive week that the Lions could not get a win with another scoreless draw. It’s the second straight match that Orlando had to play down a man as Rafael Santos was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Still, the Lions extended their unbeaten run to six matches and are seventh in the Eastern Conference table with 13 points. After the match, Major League Soccer issued a statement after being informed a fan used discriminatory language towards a player during the match.
Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on Atlanta United.
Orlando City Signs Two Players to Short-Term Deals
Before Saturday’s match against CF Montreal, Orlando City announced the club had signed defender Zakaria Taifi and midfielder Riyon Tori to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Tori did not play, but Taifi came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut. Tori has played with OCB and has made three appearances. Taifi has made 42 appearances, starting 21 matches for OCB, scoring one goal and adding three assists.
Orlando City Signs Four Assistant Coaches to New Contracts
Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has renewed the contracts of First Assistant Coach Diego Torres, Second Assistant Coach Martin Perelman, Goalkeeper Coach Cesar Baena, and Fitness & Performance Coach Fabian Bazan. This news comes just days after the club announced that Head Coach Oscar Pareja will remain with the Lions under a new three-year contract through the 2028 MLS season. Together, the coaching staff has played a key part in the recent success of the Lions over the last five seasons, making five consecutive MLS Playoff appearances, two appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Lions also set club records for wins and points, scoring 308 goals across all competitions with a plus-44 goal differential in 202 competitive matches.
Pride Fall to Washington Spirit at Home
The Orlando Pride fell to the Washington Spirit 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to suffer their first loss of the season. The Pride dominated most of the match, but in the 63rd minute, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball away in front of the goal, and Gift Monday capitalized to score the winning goal for the Spirit. Late in the second half, it looked like the Pride had scored the equalizer; however, after video review, it was determined that Kylie Nadaner backed into Aubrey Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball, and the tying goal was waved off. With the Kansas City Current’s win over the Houston Dash over the weekend, Orlando drops to second in the NWSL table. The Pride will return to action Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to face Angel City FC.
Orlando City U-18 Team Wins Generation Adidas Cup Championship
The Orlando City U-18 and U-16 squads played over the weekend in playoff matches in the Generation Adidas Cup at IMG Academy. In the quarterfinals on Friday, Omar Robbana scored the lone goal in the U-18 squad’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
The U-18 squad followed that up by defeating Santos Laguna 3-0 in the semifinals. Justin Ellis scored twice and Gustavo Caraballo added a goal.
On Sunday, Caraballo scored the winning goal in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the U-18 Championship final.
On Friday, the U-16 team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
The U-16 squad defeated the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinals on Saturday.
The U-16 squad’s run for a championship trophy came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Inter Miami in the U-16 Championship final on Sunday.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Youth Soccer Network announced the integration of the Orlando Pride into its network and plans to launch 11 Orlando Pride soccer schools across Central Florida.
- Inter Miami has acquired an international roster spot from the Portland Timbers for the 2025 season in exchange for $270,000 in General Allocation Money.
- David Blitzer and Ryan Smith’s Smith Entertainment Group have reached an agreement to sell the Utah Royals and Real Salt Lake to former Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller and Miller Sports & Entertainment for $600 million.
- LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo announced over the weekend that he will step down from his role with the club at the end of the 2025 MLS season.
- The San Jose Earthquakes have reached an agreement to acquire left back DeJuan Jones from the Columbus Crew; however, the deal still needs to be finalized.
- Leicester City became the second club to be relegated from the Premier League this season after a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/18/25
Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents
Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals
Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.
The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.
Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus
Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.
Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion
Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.
There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf suspended Jesse Marsch for an additional game for arguing with the referee in Canada’s Nations League match against the U.S. As a result, he’ll miss Canada’s first two matches of this summer’s Gold Cup.
- Check out the host city posters for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. I like the synergy of Mexico’s entries, but Boston’s poster featuring a giant lobster as a goalkeeper is my favorite by far.
- Cece Kizer and NJ/NY Gotham FC agreed to terminate her contract for the forward to pursue other opportunities.
- Defender Virgil Van Dijk signed a two-year deal with Liverpool, extending his stay until 2027. The 33-year-old has been at Liverpool since joining from Southampton in 2018.
- Neymar had to exit just 34 minutes into his return for Santos in Brazil due to a thigh injury.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
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