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Lion Links: 8/20/19

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7 years ago

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It was another tough weekend for Orlando soccer fans, with only one point claimed out of nine that were available to Orlando City SC, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B. The silver lining is that the Lions are now tied on points with Montreal, which sits in the seventh and final playoff spot, but they’ll still need to keep getting results if they want to play in the postseason for the first time. There’s an absolute smorgasbord of news today, so let’s get cracking.

Pereyra Shows Potential in Orlando City Debut

Mauricio Pereyra made his Orlando City debut this past weekend at Minnesota, and while he still has some work to do to reach optimal fitness, the DP signing showed flashes of his immense potential in the second half of the 1-1 draw.

“I thought he did a good job at keeping the ball,” Orlando City coach James O’Connor said. “That’s what he’s good at. It’s gonna take him a little time to get used to the style of the play, but we’ve signed a good player in Mauricio.”

O’Connor has not rushed to throw Pereyra into the lineup since his arrival in The City Beautiful, and hopefully that patience will pay off as the Lions hit the stretch run toward what could be their first MLS postseason. Lions fans can only hope to see more of Pereyra as he acclimates to the heat and humidity of Orlando and sees more minutes.

Lion in MLS Team of the Week

Brian Rowe made the bench of the most recent MLS Team of the Week following his exploits in the draw with Minnesota. Chief among what he did were two excellent saves, both at close range, to deny almost certain goals. For the first save, he dived away to his right and got two strong fists to a sharp drive from Darwin Quintero, while on the the second he again dived to his right and got a hand on a goal-bound shot that he must have seen very late. Rowe was named The Mane Land’s Man of the Match by yours truly, and without his contributions the team wouldn’t have been in a position to even take one point out of their trip to St. Paul.

Morgan Makes Shortlist for The Best FIFA Women’s Player

The shortlist has been released for the rather awkwardly named The Best FIFA Women’s Player award, and it contains some familiar faces. Four Americans have made the shortlist, including the Orlando Pride’s own Alex Morgan. She’s not all though, with Julie Ertz, Megan Rapinoe, and Rose Lavelle also in contention to be named the best women’s soccer player in the world. Personally, my money is on Lavelle or Rapinoe, who both had excellent campaigns during the United States’ defense of its Women’s World Cup title over the summer.

St. Louis Expansion To Be Announced

It would seem that St. Louis will be announced shortly as the newest expansion team in Major League Soccer, with “a special announcement” set to be made by Don Garber in St. Louis this afternoon. He will also be joined by leadership from the #MLS4TheLou ownership group as well as the St. Louis mayor. Given all of those players in attendance and the location of the announcement, it seems a forgone conclusion that St. Louis will be the next city to get an MLS team, unless Garber has some sort of very unexpected prank planned. St. Louis will become MLS’ 28th team, with Inter Miami and Nashville SC set to begin play in 2020, while Austin will play as the 27th team starting in the 2021 campaign. 

MLS and Political Displays

MLS and politics have certainly been in the news lately, beginning with Alejandro Bedoya’s recent plea for congress to find a solution to stop gun violence. More recently, however, there is further news on the subject with the revelation that the Portland Timbers have banned the display of the Iron Front symbol on a banner or larger display at the stadium on game day. The front office released a statement on the banning of the symbol on banners and large displays and why it was done, while also speaking about the tricky question of what constitutes a political statement. If you want to read more about the juncture MLS finds itself at in regards to political statements on game day, you should check out this article over at Inside Hook.

Free Kicks

  • Here you can find a collection of solid quotes from Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner and various Pride players regarding the team’s loss over the weekend.
  • Wayne Rooney had words with the fourth official following D.C. United’s 1-0 loss to Vancouver on Saturday, and then took aim at the admittedly rather taxing MLS travel schedule.
  • The shortlist for the 2019 Puskas Award has been announced.
  • The Pride had a visitor at training.

  • Nani takes you behind the scenes at MLS All-Star Week.

  • Forward Madison FC has very strong game when it comes to promotion nights.

For your soccer viewing pleasure this week, the Pride play Chicago Red Stars tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET on the road before going to our nation’s capital to play the Washington Spirit on Saturday at the same aforementioned time. Orlando City will take on Atlanta at home on Friday at 8 p.m., and Orlando City B hits the road to take on Tucson on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Y’all stay safe out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

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17 hours ago

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October 23, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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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Lion Links: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

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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

Lion Links: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

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

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