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Lion Links: 8/11/19

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Greetings, Mane Landers! We’ve got a bevy of content to dive into today, thanks in part to the Lions and the Pride both taking the field last night. As you read this, I’ll be taking the field too!

My club team, Orlando United FC, has various scrimmages slated for today as we prepare for the 2019 spring season in the Central Florida Soccer League. I’ve been an attacker for the majority of my playing career, but I now play center back and wing back. Weird how things change over time, right?

Let me not drone on about stuff you don’t care about. In fact, let me drone on about stuff you do care about. Let’s do it. Here’s your Sunday serving of Lion Links, folks. Bon appétit.

Lions Travel to Toronto, Draw 1-1

The Lions (8-11-6, 30 points) pounced first in this one, courtesy of substitute Benji Michel, but the dreaded BMO Field curse continued as a lucky bounce from a set piece fell perfectly for the Reds, who equalized in a 1-1 road draw. Michel came off the bench to give the boys in purple a 1-0 lead in the 69th minute (and hope to all of us supporters watching), but Patrick Mullins scored from a set piece just under 10 minutes later and Orlando made up no ground on Toronto (9-10-6, 33 points) in the MLS playoff race. I remain optimistic.

And be sure to keep an eye out for our Bearded Guy’s five takeaways, slated to release later today!

Pride Host the Dash — It Goes Poorly

The Pride played host to the Dash last night as team captain Ashlyn Harris earned her 100th NWSL cap — an impressive accolade that Harris can now add to her trophy cabinet. Unfortunately for the Pride, they fell to a Rachel Daly penalty kick in the waning minutes of the match to lose at home, 1-0. Marta and Julie King were both sent off in this one, so they’ll both miss next week’s game against Utah. Scott Carnevale was on hand to provide our recap and later today we’ll have a photo gallery from Dan MacDonald.

The officiating was a talking point in the game, with two red cards and a penalty. Ali Krieger didn’t blame the loss on the referee, but did point out what we’ve all been thinking — the quality of officiating in the NWSL must get better.

El Paso Locomotive FC Turns Tragedy into Action

The mass shooting inside of an El Paso Walmart just a week ago still has me shook, and it should have you shook too. Twenty-two innocent lives were lost and a world is left asking “why?” We won’t dive into the details of the tragedy, but we will dive into the incredible and inspiring actions that the community of El Paso and the surrounding areas took to mourn the lives lost, console the friends and families of the victims, and ultimately raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in just seven days.

A group of Arsenal supporters started a GoFundMe for Paso del Norte that had raised over $24,000 as of Friday morning. The club, together with the El Paso Chihuahuas and the MountainStar Sports Group, pledged to donate $150,000 to the victims. Another GoFundMe page has been set up by the South Texas Youth Soccer Association. That page has raised close to $19,000. The influx of money to support the families is amazing, and should be held up as a model to the rest of the world. A theme prevailed through the senseless tragedy — make sure the affected youth still have the beautiful game available to them as an outlet as a method of escaping the harsh reality of the dangerous world we live in today.

“We wanted to make sure that the kids that are in El Paso can play,” Jennifer Davis, the executive director of South Texas Youth Soccer said. “We’ve seen that when kids who have been in tragedies get on the field, they forget all that. It helps them escape for a while and feel normal to just play soccer again. We want them to get back on the field so they can play the game that they love and feel that passion again.”

El Paso’s Sebastián Velasquez’s perspective is borderline profound despite the simplicity behind his message. We’re all in this together folks. Remember that.

“I don’t want my kids to grow up in this situation and I don’t want to sit at work while my kid is at school and think if something bad is going to happen,” he said. “That’s not what this country is about. This country is diverse and soccer players are diverse. You have 26 players on a team all from different places, you go to America and it’s made up of millions of people from different places and you have to figure out how to live as one and be as safe as you can. It’s the same situation with a soccer team and when times get hard you have to make change with action.”

Neymar Will Miss PSG Opener, but Why?

PSG’s Brazilian icon Neymar Jr., is set to miss his club’s Ligue 1 opener today for, well, I’m not entirely sure what the true reason is. On one hand, reports indicate that the striker is in “advanced” talks to rejoin his former club, Barcelona. On the other hand, reports indicate that the club’s No. 10 is nursing an injury. You decide what you want to believe.

Free Kicks

  • This one warms the heart…the Orlando City Foundation took action, supplying the Callahan Neighborhood Center with purple backpacks to prepare young students for the back-to-school rush. If you see a purple backpack, please make sure you compliment the wearer!

  • More on wind: Fortunately for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, nobody became dust in the wind. Strong wings caused the club’s home ground’s roof to collapse. Luckily, the club wasn’t playing a match.


All right folks, that’s it for today. Enjoy the countless fixtures on the day, make the most out of your Sunday, and have a kick ass week. Maybe this catchy little tune will help. Cheers!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/29/24

Lions brace for the Red Bulls, Pride take on Chicago, OCB will play Inter Miami II in Bradenton, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Today marks one year since we here at The Mane Land published our first story here at our new independent home. It’s a bit hard to believe that it’s already been a year. Thank you all for sticking with us or checking us out since our move. That kind of support goes farther than you might think. I joined the team back in October of 2016 as an editor and it’s only just now hitting me that I’ve been here for nearly a quarter of my entire life. Here’s hoping for another great year of independence and Orlando soccer!

Orlando City Set to Host New York Red Bulls

Orlando City’s match at home Saturday night against the New York Red Bulls was noted as one of the top matches in the league this weekend. The Lions earned their first win of the MLS season last weekend and will look to build on that momentum heading into tomorrow. The Lions will also get a boost from players returning from international duty, with Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, David Brekalo, and Peruvian duo Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena back. They’ll have their hands full against a New York team that’s coming off of a 4-0 win over Inter Miami. Lewis Morgan had a hat trick in that match and Orlando’s defense will have to find a way to keep him and the rest of the Red Bulls from running rampant.

Orlando Pride Take On Chicago Tonight

The Orlando Pride’s third match of the NWSL season kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. when they host the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride enter this match following a gritty 1-1 draw against Angel City FC, with Brazilians Angelina and Marta linking up on a corner kick for a late equalizer. One thing to keep an eye on in tonight’s match will be how the Pride’s shorthanded defense can limit Chicago’s attack. The Pride have targeted versatile players while rebuilding, and that proved to be worth it last week as multiple players stepped up to fortify the back line. The last time these two sides squared off in Orlando was in August of last year, with the Pride coming up with a big 5-0 win. Hopefully we get to see a similar result tonight.

OCB Match Will Be Part of Generation Adidas Cup

Tuesday’s MLS NEXT Pro match between Orlando City B and Inter Miami II will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton and will be part of this year’s Generation Adidas Cup. The participating teams of the tournament were invited to attend the match, along with their families, and fans can watch the match for free on the league website. The match will be broadcast in English, but a new AI dubbing platform will be used to instantly translate it into Spanish, French, and Portuguese. It will supposedly maintain voice and tone, so I’m morbidly curious to hear just how artificial it will sound.

Generations Adidas Cup Kicks Off Tomorrow

Speaking of the Generation Adidas Cup, the youth tournament kicks off tomorrow. All MLS academy teams will compete alongside some of the top youth teams from around the world in both the U-15 and U-17 age groups. Orlando City’s U-15 side was noted as one to watch after a strong run of form this year. Caleb Trombino has been solid defensively and Jakob Garcia has the attacking talent to light it up in this tournament. The team can make a statement when it takes on Arsenal’s U-15 squad at 10 a.m. this Sunday. That match, along with 27 others, will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass.

Free Kicks

  • The Lions received some special visitors for their training.
  • Somehow, the Seattle Reign’s Ji So-Yun beat Marta to win NWSL Goal of the Week.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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