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Lion Links: 8/30/19

Published

6 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? As we start to say farewell to the summer, it looks like we’re about to say hello to a whole bunch of rain. With a hurricane on the way, make sure to stock up on all of the essentials like gas and bottled water. I’m sure you all know the drill but keep an eye out for your neighbors too. Jot down their contact info and try to help out those who may have a hard time boarding windows or heading out to the store. Storms are never fun but they have a habit of bringing the best out of communities. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Match Rescheduled

With Hurricane Dorian expected to dump buckets starting late this holiday weekend, the Orlando Pride’s match with the Washington that was scheduled for tomorrow was postponed and rescheduled for Oct. 5. The game will still be held at Exploria Stadium and fans can exchange tickets for another Pride home game if the new date doesn’t work for their schedule. The move has little impact on the Pride with the playoffs well out of reach, although it does give the Spirit a huge break before their next match on Sept. 14.

Chioma Ubogagu Waived By Pride

The Orlando Pride waived forward Chioma Ubogagu in the first of what will will likely be many moves between now and the 2020 season as Head Coach Marc Skinner restructures the team and prepares for next year. The move comes as a shock as Ubogagu played well in Skinner’s system with other starters missing, tallying four goals and two assists in 17 appearances this season. The 26-year-old finishes her Pride career third in appearances (57) and goals (12), and thanked the club for her years in Orlando.

Although her destination isn’t certain, a move to Europe is likely with Real Madrid’s women’s team rumored as a landing spot. Wherever she decides to take her talents, we wish her the absolute best of luck in the future.

Santiago Patino Prepared to Step Up

One of the things Orlando City has not gotten enough credit for this year has been the performance of its younger players. Rookie defender Kamal Miller has started in 11 games this year and Homegrown Player Benji Michel has been a regular fixture in the offense this month. However, rookie forward Santiago Patino, who was selected third overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, hasn’t found his way onto the field since July 21.

That is likely to change in the coming games, with Orlando a bit shorthanded for its match with Los Angeles FC on Sept. 7. It hasn’t been a bad year for Patino by any means, with a pair of goals on the road for Orlando and his first call-up to the Colombian U-23 National Team. With chances to shine on the horizon, the 22-year-old is ready to help the team with the playoff push.

“Right now, I’m just focused on what’s next,” Patiño said. “Today, I’m just focused on having a good training, working my body hard and getting ready for our game. I take it day by day and I know good things will come with time.”

Marta Will Receive a Global Honor

Pride midfielder and global superstar Marta will receive one of the greatest awards in sports: the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award. To say Marta deserves the award would be an understatement as the 33-year-old has exemplified a lifetime of rising above adversity and doing exemplary work both on and off the field. Presented by the Women’s Sports Foundation, Marta will accept the award on Oct. 16 in New York City for the 40th Annual Salute to Women in Sports.

USWNT Rewards Huge Crowd with Four Goals

In front of a record crowd of nearly 50,000, the United States Women’s National Team dominated Portugal, 4-0 in Philadelphia. Part of the team’s Victory Tour after its World Cup victory this summer, the USWNT wasted no time showing why it is the world’s best. It took Tobin Heath four minutes to score the first goal of the match and Morgan Brian, Carli Lloyd, and Allie Long all added goals of their own.

Pride players Alex Morgan (concussion) and Ali Krieger (family emergency) were both away from the team while Ashlyn Harris sat on the bench with Adrianna Franch getting the start in goal.

Champions League Hopefuls Learn Their Fates

The UEFA Champions League is back and the 32 teams are officially drawn into their groups with action ready to begin next month. Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea all have relatively easy journeys ahead while the toughest group features FC Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Inter Milan.

Chelsea’s group also features some familiar faces if you follow American soccer with Christian Pulisic, Lille’s Tim Weah, and Ajax’s Sergino Dest all in action. The players aren’t the only Americans to keep an eye out for though; FC Salzburg Head Coach Jesse Marsch will become the first American to coach in the Champions League.

Free Kicks

  • It seems like Marta picked up an injury in her last match. Hopefully it is isn’t anything too serious and she will be able to play in the Pride’s road match with Reign FC on Sept. 7.

  • Orlando’s playoff hopes are still alive, but dwindling. Thankfully, the Lions have the ninth-easiest strength of schedule for their remaining games as the matches ease up after the next few weeks.
  • As for tomorrow’s clash with the San Jose Earthquakes, it looks like San Jose Head Coach Matias Almeyda won’t be in attendance.

That will do it from me for today’s links. I wish you all the best of luck in your hurricane preparations and please be safe out there this weekend and next week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Published

20 hours ago

on

May 21, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

Free Kicks

  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/20/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, preliminary Gold Cup rosters released, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Life always feels a little brighter after your team wins a soccer game, even more so when it’s against a hated rival, so I hope you’ve had as good a start to your week as I have. We have no time to rest on our laurels though, because Orlando City is straight back into action tomorrow with a U.S. Open Cup match at home against Nashville SC. Let’s get into today’s links.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

Several Orlando City players are getting some deserved plaudits following the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Pedro Gallese has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday, while Joran Gerbet is on the bench and Oscar Pareja is the coach of the side. Gallese made four saves while keeping a clean sheet and also assisted Luis Muriel on the first goal of the game. Gerbet did an excellent job of helping to minimize the impact of Lionel Messi, while Oscar Pareja was the man who who masterminded it all. Alex Freeman got some love as one of the standout young players of the matchday, and also had a nice piece written about him in The Athletic (paywall). All the Lions are deserving of their praise, and here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see them getting some love.

Freeman Named to USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

The preliminary rosters have been announced for the 16 teams set to participate in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Most of the usual suspects are present for the United States Men’s National Team, with the exceptions of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna, whose teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Of note for Orlando City fans is Alex Freeman’s inclusion on the preliminary roster. That being said, this early list contains 60 names and will need to be cut down to 26 by June 4. With Sergino Dest and Joe Scally both on the 60-man list, Freeman is probably an outside shot to be included, but you never know.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their penultimate Premier League game later today, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth do the same against Manchester City. Wednesday has Jordan Pefok and Reims visiting Metz in a playoff to decide which team will play in Ligue 1 next season. Alex Zendejas and Club America take on Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura final on Thursday, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Valencia in La Liga play on Friday.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so let’s take a look at what the transfer rumor mill is saying these days. Manchester United is said to be on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal. Man City has reportedly ended its interest in signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and has instead turned the club’s attention to Barcelona’s Dani Olmo. Finally, Rodrygo is reportedly considering leaving Real Madrid in the summer, with some outlets saying that he “has one foot out of Real Madrid”.

Free Kicks

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/19/25

Lions defeat Inter Miami, Pride fall to Kansas City Current, OCB wins, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Over the weekend, I was catching up with my former coworkers during Chicago House AC’s home opener against Czarni Jaslo in Midwest Premier League action. Let’s wish Orlando Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman, who turns 26 today, a happy birthday. The Pride lost, but OCB and our Lions picked up wins over the weekend. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Defeats Inter Miami on the Road

Orlando City defeated Inter Miami 3-0 on the road Sunday at Chase Stadium and extended its unbeaten run to 11 league matches. Luis Muriel scored to put the Lions in front just before halftime. In the second half, Marco Pasalic scored and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson added the final goal for the Lions in stoppage time to seal the 3-0 win against their in-state rivals. Orlando moved ahead of Miami in the Eastern Conference standings into fifth with 24 points, while Miami drops to sixth, albeit with a game in hand. Miami has lost five out of its last seven matches. It will be a quick turnaround for Orlando City with a home match on Wednesday as Nashville SC visits Inter&Co Stadium.

Lions Sign Defender Zakaria Taifi to First Team Contract

Orlando City announced Saturday the club has signed Orlando City B defender Zakaria Taifi to a first-team contract as a Homegrown Player. The deal is through the 2026 season with club options for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons. Taifi has made 44 appearances for OCB in MLS NEXT Pro. He has started 23 matches, scored one goal, and added three assists. Taifi was also part of the Orlando City Academy U-17 team that won the MLS NEXT Cup in 2021. Taifi made his first-team debut with Orlando City last month in a scoreless draw against CF Montreal. He also played in the Lions’ 5-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Round of 32 in the U.S. Open Cup.

Pride Fall to Kansas City Current at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 1-0 to the Kansas City Current Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. Temwa Chawinga scored the lone goal in the second half to seal the win for Kansas City. The Current have won two in a row, while the Pride have lost their second match at home this season. Orlando is on a three-match winless streak. The Current stayed atop the NWSL table with 21 points, while the Pride dropped to third with 16 points. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Friday at the Utah Royals.

OCB Defeats Inter Miami II at Home

Orlando City B defeated Inter Miami II 3-0 Saturday at Osceola County Stadium. Gustavo Caraballo, Shak Mohammed, and Justin Ellis all got on the scoresheet for the Young Lions. Ellis also added two assists in this match. The win also snapped OCB’s five-match winless streak against Inter Miami II, and now the Young Lions are seventh in the Eastern Conference standings with 14 points. OCB will be on the road to take on Atlanta United 2 Friday.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City defender Alex Freeman has been in stellar form so far this season for Orlando, scoring three goals in 15 matches with one assist across all competitions.
  • The U.S. Soccer Federation and Major League Soccer have reached an agreement on a 10-day transfer window beginning June 1. This window will only be for MLS clubs participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.
  • Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 Saturday to win the FA Cup and lift its first-ever major trophy in club history. Defender Chris Richards and goalkeeper Matt Turner became the first Americans to win the FA Cup since goalkeeper Tim Howard won it in 2004.
  • Chelsea beat Manchester United 3-0 to win the Women’s FA Cup. USWNT midfielder Catarina Macario scored, and Sandy Baltimore netted two goals and added an assist to seal Chelsea’s domestic treble this season.
  • Jamie Vardy scored his 200th goal for Leicester City in his final appearance for the club, helping his side beat Ipswich Town 2-0 in the final home match of the season.
  • Angel City FC shared an update on social media, announcing defender Savy King was discharged from the hospital Saturday following her collapse on the pitch over a week ago during an NWSL match against the Utah Royals.

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

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