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Lion Links: 9/29/19

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6 years ago

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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.

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Lion Links: 6/20/25

Orlando Pride take on Racing Louisville FC tonight, Orlando Pride players called up by Zambia, USMNT beats Saudi Arabia, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! June continues to fly by as we enjoy the buffet of soccer here in the U.S. this month. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working, but I am hoping to get some reading done after being gifted some books for my birthday. But enough about me, let’s jump right into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Face Racing Louisville Tonight

The Orlando Pride are on the road tonight for a match against Racing Louisville FC at 8 p.m. in the final game before a league break until August. Going into the break with four straight wins would be nice for the Pride, but they’ve struggled at Lynn Family Stadium over the years. Louisville enters this match following a 4-2 loss to the league-leading Kansas City Current and has scored eight goals over the past three games. Orlando’s defense has been phenomenal this year, conceding just eight goals this season and only one during this win streak. Midfielder Cori Dyke spoke on how the team is finding its groove and shutting out opponents.

Zambia Calls Up Orlando Pride Trio

Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were all called up for Zambia’s CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations roster ahead of this summer’s tournament. Banda has eight goals this season with the Pride and had four goals at last year’s Olympics, including a hat trick against Australia. The Copper Queens claimed third place in the 2022 edition of this tournament, and they’ll need to be at their best to win this summer against tough opponents like South Africa and Nigeria. Zambia’s tournament campaign will kick off on July 5 against the host nation, Morocco.

USMNT Beats Saudi Arabia to Qualify for Quarterfinals

The United States Men’s National Team won 1-0 against Saudi Arabia to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals of this year’s Concacaf Gold Cup. After a scoreless first half, the Yanks broke through in the 63rd minute thanks to a free kick. Sebastian Berhalter served the ball on a silver platter to Chris Richards, who buried it for the crucial goal. The defense did well to secure its second shutout of the tournament, with Orlando City’s Alex Freeman starting at right back yet again. The USMNT will play Haiti on Sunday and should be able to win the group for a smoother path in the knockout stage.

FIFA Club World Cup Roundup

An MLS club finally won a game during this year’s FIFA Club World Cup, with Inter Miami beating Porto 2-1 in Atlanta. Lionel Messi scored the winner from a free kick to complete the comeback after conceding an early goal. The Seattle Sounders had a rougher day, falling 3-1 to Atletico Madrid, with Pablo Barrios scoring a brace. Former Lion Facundo Torres started for Palmeiras in the Brazilian club’s 2-0 win over Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Today’s action features more soccer at Inter&Co Stadium, with Benfica and Auckland City squaring off in the City Beautiful. Our Michael Citro will be on hand to report on it. Elsewhere in the U.S., Chelsea will take on Flamengo, LAFC will face ES Tunis, and Bayern Munich will play Boca Juniors.

Free Kicks

  • Canada Head Coach Jesse Marsch, who is already serving a suspension for misconduct during the Nations League, is under investigation by Concacaf for incidents during this Gold Cup. Reports detail that Marsch disregarded regulations and used offensive language toward match officials.
  • Kylian Mbappe was discharged from the hospital after suffering from a case of gastroenteritis. It’s unclear if or when he’ll play for Real Madrid during the Club World Cup.
  • Carlos Cuesta was hired as Parma’s next head coach after five years with Arsenal as an assistant coach. The 29-year-old becomes the second-youngest coach in Serie A history.
  • Manchester City was fined over $1 million by the English Premier League for repeated delays regarding kickoff times.

That’s all I have for you all today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links: 6/19/25

Alex Freeman details his soccer journey, Orlando Pride players called up, Orlando City’s U-19 team advances to semifinals, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Happy Juneteenth, Mane Landers! I hope everyone has a nice holiday as we commemorate the anniversary of the end of slavery in the U.S. There’s plenty of soccer going on, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the Club World Cup and Gold Cup here and there when not working. Let’s go ahead and dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Alex Freeman Details His Path to Pro Soccer

Orlando City right back Alex Freeman has been getting plenty of buzz during this breakout year, but an interview with Goal gave some great insight into how he reached this point. He made the bold decision to head to Orlando at 16 years old to chase his dream, and he detailed some of the difficulties of that move that may get overlooked as his career blooms.

“I remember my 16th birthday, it was the first birthday I ever spent without my family,” Freeman says. “It was the day after I moved to Orlando. I’ve never really talked about this, but, at first, it really took a toll on me. At 16, you really just want your family around for those important moments, and I felt like I was balancing so much without my family being there with me. I did so much of this in Orlando without my family. It’s hard for people to comprehend that.”

Freeman also talked about the pace of his development within Orlando’s organization, along with what it was like to play against Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz in his recent international debut. There are also some great quotes from Oscar Pareja and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino worth checking out.

Orlando Pride Players Called Up by USWNT

Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up for the United States Women’s National Team’s training camp roster ahead of friendlies against Ireland and Canada later this June. Both players were on the USWNT roster for recent friendlies, with Abello making her international debut on June 3 against Jamaica. The only player outside the NWSL who was called up for this roster is Naomi Girma. Rose Lavelle was called up for the first time this year, and 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune is also back in the fold. Jordyn Bugg, Lilly Reale, Izzy Rodriguez, and Sam Meza were all called up for the first time, as Head Coach Emma Hayes continues to grow the player pool.

Orlando City Makes MLS NEXT Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-19 team continues to impress this year and advanced to the semifinals of this year’s MLS NEXT Cup. Forward Justin Ellis was named Player of the Day for scoring twice in a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC, with Orlando coming out on top in the ensuing penalty shootout.

The U-19 team is the last Orlando academy team still playing across the tournament’s age groups. It will take on Cedar Stars Academy in the semifinals on Friday with a spot in Sunday’s final on the line. Enjoy watching the youngsters celebrate clinching a spot in the next round.

Upcoming NWSL Action Before League Break

We have another weekend of NWSL soccer to look forward to before the league pauses until August due to various international tournaments. The Pride will look to make it four straight wins when they face Racing Louisville FC on the road Friday night. Louisville has allowed 22 goals this season, so hopefully Barbra Banda and the rest of Orlando’s offense can get things going after close wins in the past two games.

Elsewhere in the league, I think Saturday’s match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Bay FC will be an interesting showdown. Gotham forward Esther González leads the league with nine goals this season, but it’s ultimately a close Golden Boot race at this point. Sunday’s match between the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit pits two of the league’s top four teams against each other, making it a great way to close out the weekend before the break.

USMNT Takes On Saudi Arabia Tonight

The Yanks are back in action tonight for a Concacaf Gold Cup group game against Saudi Arabia, the guest nation of this year’s tournament. After a 5-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. can claim the top spot in the group and all but guarantee a place in the next round with a win over Saudi Arabia. There are still some question marks regarding who will rise to the occasion in the midfield and at forward, but the USMNT has the talent to get the job done tonight at Q2 Stadium in Austin. The U.S. will then close out group play on Sunday against Haiti in Arlington, TX.

Free Kicks

  • Sams, Banda, Anna Moorhouse, and Cori Dyke were all named to CBS Sports‘ NWSL Team of the Week after the Pride’s 1-0 win over Bay FC.
  • Joao Klauss won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his lethal strike on the volley from a tight angle. The goal equalized things in stoppage time against the LA Galaxy and completed Klauss’ hat trick in the 3-3 draw.
  • USWNT and Portland Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg has officially retired from professional soccer. She won two NWSL Shields, two NWSL Championships, and the 2015 Women’s World Cup, while also making an impact off the field speaking up for equality.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have begun the process of selling a controlling interest in the club.
  • Xabi Alonso’s tenure as Real Madrid’s new manager began with a 1-1 draw against Al Hilal at the Club World Cup. Federico Valverde had a chance to win it in stoppage time from the penalty stop, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou came up with the critical save.
  • Chris Wilder and Sheffield United have parted ways less than a month after the club fell 2-1 to Sunderland in the playoff final for promotion to the English Premier League. Ruben Selles, who was dismissed as Hull City’s manager last month, was named as Wilder’s replacement.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Juneteenth and rest of your week!

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Lion Links: 6/18/25

Scouting Saudi Arabia, Club World Cup summary, MLS midseason superlatives, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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June 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. I’m pretty worn out after doing some traveling for most of the last two weeks, and I’m happy to be back home in Tampa for a bit before heading out on the road again. The soccer world has not paused during my time out on the road, and if anything its only picked up in intensity. That means we have a lot to talk about, but before we get into today’s links, let’s wish Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle a happy birthday.

Scouting Saudi Arabia

The United States Men’s National Team will continue its 2025 Gold Cup campaign on Thursday when it takes on Saudi Arabia in Austin, TX. That means this is a good time to familiarize ourselves with Arabian Falcons. They’re coached by Herve Renard, who deployed the team in a 4-2-3-1 in a 1-0 victory over Haiti in the team’s first game of the tournament. He isn’t married to that formation though, and will use a variety of tactical setups depending on the situation. Across all of them, Saudi Arabia plays with an emphasis on pressing in specific areas and quickly breaking in transition once winning the ball. Like the USMNT, the Saudis are missing a few first-choice players, and the midfield battle should be a particularly interesting area to keep an eye on.

Club World Cup Roundup

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup continued on Wednesday, so let’s take a look at the action. Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund got things started as they battled to a scoreless draw at MetLife Stadium. The Brazilian team had the better of the game overall, but Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made five saves to preserve a point for his team. The second game of the day was much livelier, as River Plate dispatched Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 in Seattle. The Argentinians scored after just 12 minutes and never looked back despite Urawa making it a 2-1 game with a 58th-minute penalty. The third match took place at Inter&Co Stadium, and saw Mamelodi Sundowns beat Ulsan HD 1-0. While the scoreline didn’t reflect it, the South African team mostly dominated proceedings and finished with 68% possession and 718 passes to 325 for the South Korean side. However, it was a free-flowing game that offered both sides to take more from the match. Our Michael Citro was there to recap it for you at the link above.

Midseason MLS Superlatives

As much as it seems like the 2025 Major League Soccer season just started, we’re actually just past the halfway point of the campaign, and that means it’s a good time to look at some league superlatives. In a category that will be music to the ears of Orlando City fans, Bradley Wright-Phillips named fullback the most overlooked position and specifically took some time to praise Alex Freeman. BWP previously coached against Freeman with New York Red Bulls II when Alex was still with Orlando City B, so it’s interesting to hear his input from that additional aspect. It’s no surprise that the Vancouver Whitecaps got a lot of love, as they were named biggest surprise, and Jesper Sorensen was named best coach.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer season is in full swing, so here are some of the big rumors currently flying around. Manchester United is reportedly interesting in signing Callum Hudson-Odoi from Nottingham Forest, but the Red Devils face competition from Roma and Napoli. Arsenal might hit a snag in searching for a striker, as the Gunners are balking at paying the asking prices for either Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, because they consider those numbers to be too high. Three different teams from the Saudi Pro League have reportedly shown interest in signing Son Heung-Min from Tottenham Hotspur, as he only has 12 months left on his current contract.

Free Kicks

  • Get a peek at the Orlando Pride putting in work on the training ground.

And that’s it for me today. Have a great rest of your week. Vamos, Orlando!

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