Lion Links: 9/15/19

Howdy Mane Landers, and happy Sunday. I hope you’re all recovering well from last night’s heart-attack-inducing comeback from the Cardiac Cats. What a time to take over a match, Nani. Wow. There’s not much else to say.

Anyway, before we get started, we here at The Mane Land would like to wish Orlando Pride star and former Seminole Carson Pickett a very special happy birthday! Be sure to show her some love today.

All right, let’s dive right in. Here’s your Sunday serving of Lion Links. Enjoy!

Lions Earn a Point Against the Revs, 3-3

Whew. Everyone can take a deep breath now, as the Cardiac Cats played to their nickname in a comeback draw, 3-3. It was Tesho Akindele who put his name on the scoresheet first. Unfortunately, he put it in the wrong net. Cristian Penilla and Gustavo Bou both scored for the New England Revolution, but Dom Dwyer finally got his own name on the scoresheet and helped spark a comeback as Nani led the way. Nani, sensing that the match could be grabbed by the scruff of its neck, did just that, scoring a brace and earning the Lions a point at home against strong opposition. The lads in purple showed character in earning the draw, but I’m sure they left the field thinking that they could have taken all three points, which would have been a massive step in the right direction if the club has any intention of breaking into the MLS playoffs for the first time in club history.

• Michael Citro has your match recap.
• The view from the other side comes to us from The Bent Musket.

Check back later today for Jenn Glasheen’s player grades and Marcus Mitchell’s five takeaways and we may even have a photo gallery for you. You never know.

Pride Take a 6-1 Thumping in North Carolina

Another day, another Orlando Pride loss. This one was harsh, too, as the women in purple went toe to toe with one of the strongest clubs in NWSL history, the North Carolina Courage. The good news? I guess Rachel Hill scoring a consolation goal in the dying minutes of the match is cool. The bad? The Pride conceded six times — one even coming from a Kristen Edmonds own goal. The Pride are in dire straits, there’s no way around it. The season is obviously a wash, so it’ll be interesting to see what changes can be made to a squad that, arguably, should be performing much better than it is in 2019.

Carlos Vela, Josef Martinez, and…Lionel Messi?

With Los Angeles FC and Mexico striker Carlos Vela in ridiculous form this season, he’s actually set to make history. Vela now has a total of 28 goals in 27 matches on the season, a total that has him on track to challenge the single-season record of 31 goals set by Atlanta United FC’s Josef Martinez. It’s certainly a tally to keep an eye on. But on the other side of that coin is Martinez’s scintillating form on the season. Martinez’s name has now reached lofty enough heights to be included in conversations about record-setting goal streaks with the likes of FC Barcelona and Argentina’s talisman; Lionel Messi. Martinez is sitting on a 14-match scoring streak. Messi scored in 21 consecutive league games for FC Barcelona in 2013 and 2014, which is currently the world record. Obviously the two aren’t even from the same planet, and the competition is vastly superior in La Liga, but it’s still an impressive feat for the Venezuelan.

Free Kicks

• New management? No problem, at least for the Chicago Fire, who blew past FC Dallas with four goals in the opening 40 minutes.
• Good riddance (but I don’t hope this individual doesn’t have the time of their life).

• Norwich pulled off a shocker yesterday, upsetting defending Premier League champions Manchester City in an exciting 3-2 win. That pushed Liverpool five points clear at the top of the table. Pep’s take? Something to the tune of “you can’t win ‘em all.”
• Know of Ansu Fati? If not, you will soon. The kid’s in the process of taking over La Liga with FC Barcelona at the tender age of 16. But don’t get too excited, or at least that’s what his coach would tell you, as Ernesto Valverde wants to shield his young star from the hype.
• PSG star Neymar was incessantly jeered during his return to the lineup this weekend at home for his club in Paris. That said, he scored a world beater of a winning goal in stoppage time to beat Strasbourg, 1-0.
• And as always, keep in touch with results from around the league.

All right Mane Landers, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Before I head out, check out this recent release from Rex Orange County! Personally, I’d give it a 10/10 (hooray for awful dad jokes).