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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: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

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5 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/27/26

Lions and Pride lose, OCB draws Chicago Fire II, FA Cup semifinals recap, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 27, 2026

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Image of the OCB squad before the team's game March 8, 2026 vs. Chicago Fire II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and looking forward to covering some high school soccer and lacrosse this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Late Lead in Defeat to D.C. United

Orlando City fell 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday at Audi Field. Jackson Hopkins scored the opener for D.C. United early in the first half. In the second half, Justin Ellis equalized for the Lions, and Tyrese Spicer added another goal to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. However, the Lions couldn’t hang on to the lead as D.C. United scored two late goals in six minutes to pull out a win at the death. It will be another busy week for the Lions with a road trip to New England to face the Revolution in a round-of-16 U.S. Open Cup match Wednesday, followed by another road match Saturday against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium.

Pride Fall to Racing Louisville on the Road

The Orlando Pride fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, continuing their winless streak in Kentucky. Louisville struck first with a goal from Lauren Milliet to take a 1-0 lead, but Barbra Banda buried the equalizer for the Pride to level the match before halftime. However, Louisville scored two early second-half goals to take a 3-1 lead before Banda pulled one back to make it 3-2 late in stoppage time, but Louisville held on to pick up its first win of the season. With that result, the Orlando Pride’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The Pride will look to bounce back Saturday, taking on the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B came from behind to draw 2-2 against Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium Sunday. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime, but in the second half, OCB got a break as Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt scored an own goal to pull the Young Lions within one. Late in stoppage time, Nicolas Lasheras scored the equalizer for OCB. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-2 to earn a second point. OCB’s next match will be at home against Crown Legacy Sunday.

FA Cup Semifinals Recap

The FA Cup final is set after the semifinals concluded over the weekend at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, after a scoreless first half, all the goals came in the second half as Finn Azaz scored the opener to give Southampton the lead, but Manchester City was able to overturn the deficit on goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez to seal a 2-1 win against Southampton to advance to the FA Cup final for the fourth consecutive time. On Sunday, Enzo Fernandez’s lone goal in the first half was enough to pull Chelsea to a 1-0 win against Leeds United to book a spot in the final to face Manchester City. The FA Cup final will take place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

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

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