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Lion Links: 10/27/19

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6 years ago

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Howdy Mane Landers, and happy Sunday! With the USL and MLS playoffs in full swing, it sure does hurt to be an Orlando soccer fan, huh? The “what ifs” have really set in for me, but I suggest you don’t fall down that rabbit hole because it sucks having to climb back out of it. Trust me. Regardless, there’s still some quality soccer being played around the States that warrants coverage, alongside some noteworthy news, so let’s dive right in.

You know the deal. Here’s your Sunday serving. Bon appétit.

Vlatko Andonovski Wins NWSL Coach of the Year

The Macedonian-born Andonovski is the first coach to take home the National Women’s Soccer League accolade with two different clubs — first bringing home the honor during his time steering FC Kansas City in 2013, and now this year with Reign FC. Andonovski won with about 53% of the vote, while the North Carolina Courage’s Paul Riley snagged around 27%, and the Washington Spirit’s Richie Burke received about 20% of the vote.

“It was an emotional and challenging year for our team,” said Andonovski. “But also a very satisfying year in that we dealt with a lot of adversity and many of our players performed at their best and gave their best efforts, which is all we can ask as coaches. Success is a team effort and individual awards are of course a reflection of the players and theentire organization, so I thank them, as well as our assistant coaches, our ownership and all the staff.”

An additional interesting tidbit to this award is that Andonovski is set to become Jill Ellis’s successor at the helm of one of the greatest national teams, men or women, of all time: the U.S. Women’s National Team. It appears that the program will be in good hands. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table for our defending World Cup champions.

Also be sure to catch the NWSL final today between the North Carolina Courage and the Chicago Red Stars at 3:30 p.m. ET. Will Chicago’s Sam Kerr capture her first NWSL crown? I think not. My money’s on the Courage (as per usual).

Christian Pulisic Shines in London

Things started shaky, and I fully anticipate there to be ups, downs, and bumps in the road, but it appears that American phenom and Chelsea starlet Christian Pulisic has finally begun to settle in to his new home in London. Facing off against a stout Burnley side that’s just outside of the top 10 in the Premier League, Chelsea ran rampant thanks to Pulisic’s perfect hat trick (left foot, right foot, header). He’s the second American to ever notch three goals in a single Premier League match. Clint Dempsey holds the honors as the first. The feat had him so excited that he almost forgot to bring the match ball home with him. Something tells me he’ll remember next time.

The USL Championship Playoff Update

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks (or you just don’t care, which is fair I suppose), the 2019 USL Championship season has ended and we’re now in the midst of the playoffs. Yesterday was chock full of USL action, with a total of eight matches being played to narrow the field down to four teams. Here’s what the slate looked like, and how those matches turned out.

The Eastern Conference

  • Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Birmingham Legion FC: (7-0 Riverhounds)
  • Louisville City FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies: (2-1 Louisville)
  • Indy Eleven vs. New York Red Bulls II: (1-0 Indy)
  • Nashville SC vs. Charleston Battery: (3-1 Nashville)

The Western Conference

  • Real Monarchs SLC vs. Orange County SC: (6-2 Real)
  • Reno 1868 FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC: (3-1 Sacramento)
  • Phoenix Rising FC vs. Austin Bold FC: (0 (8)-0 (7) Phoenix on penalties)
  • Fresno FC vs. El Paso Locomotive FC: (3-2 El Paso)

Next up, the USL conference finals and then the big dance. Who do you see taking home silverware?

What’s Happened to Miguel Almiron?

Okay, so I stole Kristen Henage’s headline, but I mean, is there a more accurate headline? What’s happened to Almiron since his move from that team in Georgia to Newcastle United, and how has it gone so wrong? MLS received approximately $27 million from Newcastle to secure the midfielder’s services, which is quite the pretty penny for anyone, let alone a young and inexperienced midfielder coming from MLS. The once-highly touted Almiron has seen his share of successes and setbacks so far in England. Notably, injuries hampered his debut season and then the man who brought him over to Newcastle, former manager Rafa Benitiz, left the club following an impasse with the controversial owner. These two factors are the most likely culprits in Almiron’s decline in form, exposure, and overall public perception.

The man who replaced Benitez hasn’t done Almiron any favors, either, deploying him as a striker or a winger, instead of his preferred position in the middle of the park. I’ll be honest. I’ve always liked Almiron, even when he wore red and black. When you compare his behavior and professionalism with that of players like Ezequiel Barco (See: courting your teammate’s girlfriend), he’s pure class. Couple that with his deft touch and skill on the ball – the dude’s likable. I hope he finds a home that suits him well, or finds a way to succeed with Newcastle.

Free Kicks

  • Here’s your official MLS guide to the potential MLS Cup finals. Spoiler: The Lions aren’t tipped to make it very far. You couldn’t hear it, but I groaned out loud as I typed that.
  • Will Zlatan stay in Los Angeles? I don’t know, you probably don’t know, and I bet these guys don’t either.
  • Stay up to date on the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup and the current standings! The young Americans will be seeing Japan, Senegal, and the Netherlands in the group stage — quite a difficult group to emerge from. Also, here’s the schedule (because that’s also important).
  • It appears the Galaxy’s Uriel Antuna is generating interest overseas, with Benfica reportedly tracking the 22-year-old’s progress. Keep an eye on the Galaxy this off-season. There’s bound to be a lot of change.
  • Check out this absolute gem of a golden goal, scored by Providence University’s Paulo Lima in the 98th minute of extra time.

All right folks, I’m out. Have a great 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

17 hours ago

on

May 21, 2025

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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

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

By

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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