Lion Links: 11/19/19

Happy Tuesday, Mane Landers. It was another successful outing for the USMNT at Exploria Stadium, with the team now holding a 3-0 record at the purple palace after Friday’s 4-1 drubbing of Canada. Always nice to see the Yanks win close to home, and hopefully the good vibes continue against Cuba tonight.

If today feels a little more special than a normal Tuesday it’s probably because this is the sixth anniversary of the day that Major League Soccer officially named Orlando City as the league’s 21st franchise. That day back in 2013 was a dream come true even though the Lions haven’t yet left their mark on the league.

There’s lots to cover today so let’s hop in.

Harris Says Lawsuit Needs MNT Support

The Orlando Pride’s Ashlyn Harris did not pull any punches when recently asked about the United States Women’s National Team’s lawsuit against U.S. Soccer regarding equal pay. Harris believes that support from the United States Men’s National team is key to not only the USWNT’s lawsuit gaining traction, but for change to happen within the U.S. Soccer Federation. She directly called out members of the men’s team, saying, “How often do you see the men’s national team saying, ‘You know what? That is f**ked up. These are the best players in the world.” While the USMNT Players’ Association released a statement in support of their female counterparts, individual players for the USMNT haven’t been overly vocal when it comes to the issue of equal pay.

U.S. Soccer Expansions & Departures

The soccer landscape in the United States is constantly shifting, with new teams and leagues popping up everywhere and just as many teams and leagues shutting up shop. Luckily, the good people over at E Pluribus Loonum have made it easier to keep track of all the team and league comings and goings that are taking place in American soccer. Notable on this list are the additions of Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF to Major League Soccer; as well as the additions of USL League 1 teams for Inter Miami and the New England Revolution. It’s a pretty comprehensive list, so if you’re ever wondering about the state of a particular team or league be sure to go check it out.

Sky Blue Partners with New York Red Bulls

The New York Red Bulls and Sky Blue FC have reached an agreement that will see Sky Blue play all of its 2020 home matches at Red Bull Arena. This comes after the NWSL side played two games in the stadium during the 2019 season — something that the Washington Spirit also did at D.C. United’s Audi Field. Sky Blue previously played home games at Rutgers University’s Yurcak Field, and the move represents a good step both for the team and the NWSL as a whole. It’s unclear if postseason games would also take place at Red Bull Arena should the team make the 2020 NWSL playoffs.

MLS Roster Happenings

The wheels of the MLS off-season continue to turn, with a couple noteworthy transactions taking place yesterday. First up, Inter Miami CF signed Jerome Kiesewetter from El Paso Locomotive FC. The 26-year-old striker has previously spent time with Fortuna Dusseldorf and VFB Stuttgart in the German top flight, and will look to make his mark in MLS after spending last year in the USL Championship. Next up, the LA Galaxy have extended their loan for Cristian Pavon, keeping him with the club through the 2020 MLS regular season. Pavon recorded three goals and eight assists in only 11 games last year for the Galaxy, so extending his loan looks to be a very smart piece of business.

Free Kicks

• With the NCAA men’s soccer tournament about to start, local team UCF will enter the fray as a No. 9 seed with a first round bye, while North Carolina State (home to a whole host of Orlando City academy products) faces off against Coastal Carolina in the first round.
• Southampton have reportedly been offered the chance to sign USMNT and Red Bulls defender Aaron Long.
• Emily van Egmond has been nominated for the Goal of Round 1 in the W-League.

• Fiorentina apparently is looking at signing Sporting Kansas City’s Gianluca Busio.

• Congratulations to the U.S. U-16 squad!

That’ll be all for me today. Don’t forget that the USMNT plays Cuba tonight in the final game of Concacaf Nations League group play. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm from the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in the Cayman Islands. Y’all stay safe out there.