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Lion Links: 8/26/19

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7 years ago

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Happy Monday, Mane Landers. If last weekend was rough on Orlando fans then the last few days were even rougher with all three teams in purple failing to take a single point from the weekend’s games. As always though, life must go on. So let’s jump into today’s links.

Disappointed Skinner Speaks Up

Although Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner has urged fans to be patient throughout the season, he couldn’t hide his disappointment in the team’s 2-1 road loss against the Washington Spirit.

“For me, I think they just didn’t execute the game plan well enough tonight,” Skinner said after the loss. “We told them how to beat Washington, we’d worked on it and they knew how to do it.”

It has been a rough season for Skinner and the Pride as they sit last in the league standings, but the 36-year-old is focused on an important off-season where he can shape the team to his liking. This team will likely look very different in 2020, with familiar faces expected to depart while new ones take their place as Skinner makes his mark on the organization. But until then, the Pride have six games left to try clawing out from the bottom of the standings.

Harris Reaches 400 Saves

Ashlyn Harris has notched an important milestone in her professional career. During the Orlando Pride’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Spirit, Harris made her 400th career save. It was a game where Harris did her utmost to help salvage at least a point for the Pride despite making a critical error. She made five saves on the night but the Pride ultimately came up short. The 33-year-old Harris has been with the Pride since 2016, meaning a good number of those 400 saves have come during her tenure with Orlando. Congratulations Ashlyn!

Colorado Hires Fraser

The Colorado Rapids have hired a new coach in the form of a familiar face, with former player Robin Fraser taking over. Fraser joins the Rapids as their ninth permanent head coach and brings a wealth of experience with him to his new post. After starting his coaching career with Real Salt Lake as an assistant, he managed the now defunct Chivas USA for a year in his only head coaching gig before being brought in to do the job for Colorado.

He did serve as an assistant with Toronto FC during the season the team won the domestic treble. Outside of coaching, Fraser played soccer from 1988 to 2005 and spent two years with the Rapids during that time. While the playoffs are likely out of reach for the Rapids, Fraser will look to guide the team out of the Western Conference basement.

Loons Ready for Cup Match

Minnesota United FC will play in its very first cup final as an MLS team on Tuesday when the Loons square off against Atlanta United tomorrow in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final. Former Orlando City and current Loons Head Coach Adrian Heath gave key players time to rest over the weekend to try to ensure that the likes of Darwin Quintero and Ozzie Alonso are in good shape when they take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Heath was very blunt (and also correct) in his assessment about cup final:

“People go, ‘We’re going to enjoy it.’ Trust me, you only enjoy it when you win and that’s what we’re going to have to try and do.”

While Minnesota was disappointed with a 1-0 loss last week to Sporting Kansas City, it certainly seems that the letdown will be well and truly erased with a win over Atlanta in a day’s time.

Earthquakes Set Record Against Vancouver

Orlando’s next opponents are the San Jose Earthquakes and the Lions will travel to Avaya Stadium Saturday for their annual meeting with the California team. Hopefully the Earthquakes experience a dramatic dip in form and fortune after a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps over the weekend that saw San Jose take a whopping 43 shots, putting 19 of those on goal.

Those 43 shots are an MLS record and the statistical domination didn’t stop there. The Earthquakes also had 75% of the ball and took 16 corner kicks to Vancouver’s one. While the Whitecaps are currently at the bottom of the Western Conference on 27 points, those kind of numbers are still nothing to disregard. The Lions will need to be at the top of their game if they want to keep pace in the race to finish above the line in the Eastern Conference.

Free Kicks

  • The Pride’s game against the Spirit led the week in attendance. Despite the loss, Pride players praised the energy of the match and the sellout crowd.

  • Sinisa Mihajlovic led Bologna to a draw against Hellas Verona despite his battle with leukemia.
  • Sergio Aguero hit a different milestone involving the number 400 over the weekend.

  • Ansu Fati became the youngest player to suit up and take the field for Barcelona since 1941.
  • Las Vegas Lights FC had a fun way to beat the Nevada heat with a massive water balloon fight that had over 1,000 participants.

That’ll do it for me today. As always, be sure to check back for all your Orlando soccer needs. Stay safe out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 22, 2026

By

Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

Free Kicks

  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

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: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

Free Kicks

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

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