Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/29/19

Published

6 years ago

on

Happy Sunday, Mane Landers, and most importantly, happy double match day! The Lions visit MLS newcomers FC Cincinnati, while the Pride travel to New Jersey for a date with Sky Blue FC. The playoff hopeful in me hasn’t quite thrown in the towel as, technically speaking, the Lions are still in the hunt. Unfortunately, as we’re all well aware, it would be nothing short of a miracle for several results to fall in the Lions’ favor, allowing them to sneak into the MLS playoffs. Hope is one hell of a drug.

Regardless of the dire straits that the Lions (and Pride for that matter) find themselves in, we’re still here with a bevy of content to get through. Hopefully it holds you over until the matches kick off today. Let’s do it. Without further ado, here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links. Bon appétit.

Livin’ on a Prayer: The Cardiac Cats

Please don’t sue me, Bon Jovi, but Orlando City SC and its fervent supporters are literally praying for not only back-to-back wins from the Lions, but for losses by the New England Revolution, the Montreal Impact, and the Chicago Fire in their final matches. For now, Head Coach James O’Connor is focused solely on the task at hand; FC Cincinnati.

“They have a lot of pace,” O’Connor said. “Again it’s managing the transition moments because they have a lot of pace on their team. When we’re attacking we need to make sure that we’re very careful of how quickly they can transition into attack.”

Defender Kamal Miller put it best.

“We approached [this week] harder than ever,” defender Kamal Miller said. “We know that these last two games are so important. We know that if we can get these three points, we can put pressure on other teams.”

I’m not religious, but if you are, I propose that you keep your preferred book close to you today. We’re really going to need it.

Pride Look to Finish Strong in Final Away Match

Whew. This season has really flown by, but in the worst way possible. The Pride will be facing New Jersey’s Sky Blue FC today at 11 a.m. in their final away match of the 2019 campaign. The Pride have had the better of Sky Blue this season, going 2-0 against the New Jersey side prior to today’s clash. Hopefully, the women in purple can rebound from the 6-1 thrashing the Courage put on them during their previous league appearance. Luckily, the Pride will be bolstered by the returns of Marta, Sydney Leroux, and Toni Pressley (we’ll see if/how they’re deployed, though). Head Coach Marc Skinner seems to have a good understanding of how he wants to approach this one from a tactical perspective.

“They play a diamond shape and they’re very aggressive. We have to exploit that and make sure that the more we’re in possession, the less they can counter-attack and we need to stop that counter-attack, shore it up and make sure that we are effective with the ball,” Head Coach Marc Skinner said. “Then we’ll have the best chance, regardless of the individuals that they put in. They have a very organized backline, a very good, young goalkeeper so it’ll be tough but we’re looking forward for our players to show exactly who they are and take on the opportunity.”

Carli Lloyd has been on a bit of a streak for Sky Blue, scoring the club’s last four goals. Lloyd leads Sky Blue with six goals this season despite missing almost three months for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Stopping Carli will be of utmost importance if the Pride want to take home three points and finish with a win in their final road appearance of the season.

Josh Sargent Makes His Mark

The young American striker has been handed extended minutes this season — unfortunately thanks to injuries to those ahead of him in the pecking order — but that hasn’t held Sargent back from making the most of his opportunity. In a recent clash with Bundesliga giants Dortmund, Sargent was the difference between an away loss and an important and well-deserved point in one of the most difficult venues to play in; Signal Iduna Park.

“It was a good point for us,” Sargent said after the game. “It was a set-piece, and I kinda acted like I was going to go front post, but then I went back post and Marco was there to score.”

Sargent was pivotal in the final touches before his club, Werder Bremen, notched an equalizing goal against the title contending Dortmund side, and his coach had (almost) nothing but praise for his young attacker.

“It was no mistake that Sargent was there to make this play happen,” Werder Bremen head coach Florian Kohfeldt said after the game. “His movement ahead of the second goal was fantastic. Overall, he was very good. Perhaps in the first half he was trying to do too much—you had the feeling he was almost surprised by how much ground he covered. But that is normal for a young player.” 

Keep it up, Josh. We’re all rooting for you (even though I’m a Bayern Munich supporter).

Kick it Forward Miami

Ethan Wenger (no relation to Arsène that I could find), of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, is one hell of a young man, and he’s still only at the tender age of 17. I’ll just open with a quote from him and let him speak for himself:

“After a few years of playing soccer and seeing how quickly I grew out of my soccer uniforms and cleats, my family and I realized that we could gather and donate this still relatively new equipment to children who could not afford to buy their own,”

Now, that’s a profound realization for a youngster – one that I can happily and proudly share with young Ethan, as I also donated my gear when it no longer fit me. The difference between young Ethan and I is stark, though. This young man created a program that enables others to do what we see as logical and simply the right thing to do.

“Initially, my sister helped with the project as she is three years older and together we began an organization called ‘Kick it Forward Miami.’ The idea of the organization was to reach out to other families who similarly had equipment that they no longer needed and donate this to local organizations,” he said. “Over the years, we have donated cleats, sneakers, entire uniforms, jerseys, socks, etc., to various agencies, including schools, a group that taught children with autism to play soccer, and to the Chapman Partnership,”

Fortunately, Orlando has the Orlando City Foundation, but not every metropolitan area has such a valuable resource. Keep up the great work, Ethan. We all applaud your efforts!

Free Kicks

  • I hate to see this, and I hate even more to share it, but it appears American sensation Christian Pulisic is frustrated with his lack of playing time with his new club Chelsea.
  • Remember that time the U.S. Women’s National Team scored 13 on Thailand in a World Cup match and caught flak? Well, what do you think about a scoreline of 56-0? That’s exactly what Flamengo’s women’s side did to Greminho. Yikes.
  • Olivier Renard has been appointed as the Montreal Impact’s newest sporting director. He comes with experience, too, as Renard was sporting director of Standard Liege and KV Mechelen in his native Belgium. Recently, Renard was a sporting consultant at fellow Belgian club Royal Antwerp FC.
  • Fellow Liverpool supporters; let’s hope this doesn’t screw the club’s run at this season's Carabao Cup, but apparently Pedro Chirivella required a new clearance after returning from a loan spell in order to be fielded by the Reds (which they did not obtain). Chirivellas was brought on in during the 63rd minute of the Reds’ recent 2-0 third-round victory.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today folks. Do your best to keep the positivity flowing for the Lions. They sure do need it. Enjoy the matches on the day and have a great week, Mane Landers.

Oh…and, well, here.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

Published

5 hours ago

on

April 3, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a terrific Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 2, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 1, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending