Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/12/19

Good morning, Mane Landers. I hope everyone is doing well. We are one day closer to the weekend, we can do this! Let’s go ahead and jump into the links.
Update on Orlando City and German Cano
We’ve shared the reports as they come in and it has been widely discussed that German Cano could be headed to Orlando. This report from MLSSoccer.com includes details that Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja shared with a Colombian radio show El Alargue that the club is interested in Cano, and there are ongoing conversations among all involved parties. Pareja didn’t disclose any further details.
Orlando Vies for FIFA World Cup Venue
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is seven years away, but cities are already in a heated competition to host some of the 80 matches. The details on how cities will be scored or ranked have yet to be released. Orlando is competing with U.S. cities Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Although the competition is fierce, Orlando has some things in its favor.
“Continuing to position our community for the opportunity is a round-the-clock task and is something we have been engaging in with the community. We are going to be addressing a handful of needs with the $60 million upgrade to Camping World in this phase going on right now, and we will continue to have conversation with leadership about additional enhancements to Camping World if that presents an opportunity for us to enhance the bid,” said Jason Siegel. CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
A host city has the potential to generate at least $400 million to the local community.
Claire Emslie Prepares for first Melbourne Derby
Orlando Pride’s Claire Emslie is set to play in a Melbourne derby for the first time representing Melbourne City as it takes on Victory in the W-League clash of the round. She’s only been in the country for a couple of weeks and is still getting used to the league.
“I have just been here for two and a half weeks. It takes a bit of time to get over the jet lag and into the time zone, and I have had to get to know my teammates and the system they are playing.”
TIME’s Athelete of the Year
TIME has named the magazine’s athlete of the year — the entire U.S. Women’s National Team. The women of the USWNT are making headlines not only for their talent and dominating performance at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but in the fight for equal pay. Their success has brought more support to the NWSL as a trend I hope to see continue through 2020. On the topic of achievements for the USWNT, Megan Rapinoe was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year. Lastly, while we’re talking about empowering women, and in case you hadn’t heard, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old activist, has been named TIME’s Person of the year.
Free Kicks
- Sacha Kljestan has officially signed with the LA Galaxy.
- In the league-wide breast cancer fundraiser for Libby’s Legacy, as chosen by Toni Pressley, the Pride and the Chicago Red Stars announced they successfully raised over $45,000.
- Miami FC is headed to the USL Championship and will return to FIU’s Riccardo Silva Stadium.
- The NWSL shared a highlight reel from the 2019 season.
What a year it was!
Highlight reel from the 2019 #NWSL season. pic.twitter.com/TEZ7AefHz6
— NWSL (@NWSL) December 11, 2019
- Toronto FC re-signed Michael Bradley on a TAM deal. No details on terms have been released.
- Carlos Vela could be headed to FC Barcelona.
Carlos Vela could be on the move to Camp Nou 👀 pic.twitter.com/VXkoLlhy3R
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 11, 2019
- Player’s Tribune, which produced the Bad as a Mother series starring Sydney Leroux, shared that a new, eight-part series will be coming out soon featuring amazing, female athletes including the Pride’s very own Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris.
8-part real real 🎥 series with these incredible @WNBA, @USWNT, @NWSL and @usatf female athletes coming soon on @PlayersTribune w/ @breannastewart, @Nnemkadi30, @Ashlyn_Harris, @alikrieger and @DHarp100mH pic.twitter.com/ifVSt0Lb38
— Jessica Robertson (@jesscribe) December 11, 2019
- Possible Charlotte MLS team trademarks have been applied for.
It appears David Tepper may have applied for potential Charlotte MLS team trademarks last week.
H/t @tweetsfromseth pic.twitter.com/x34BQNea53— Neil Morris (@ByNeilMorris) December 11, 2019
- Former Lion Johnathan Spector is playing a big role with Atlanta United in signing players.
- Gennaro Gattuso was named manager of Napoli.
- A cool time-lapse video of the world’s highest paid athletes from 1990-2019.
The world’s highest paid athletes (1990-2019) pic.twitter.com/E1q1pM7d7j
— Kendall Baker (@TheKendallBaker) December 10, 2019
- Male Player of the Year will be announced this morning at 9:30 a.m.
🚨| A bit of news:
The 2019 @ussoccer Male Player of the Year will be unveiled tomorrow at 9:30am ET on @SportsCenter on ESPN2! pic.twitter.com/vSeHVb63pk
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) December 12, 2019
That’ll do it for me today, Mane Landers! Have a great rest of the week and stay safe out there.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/24/25
Orlando City’s upward aspirations, Tim Weah reportedly set for transfer, Club World Cup roundup, and more.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We’ve got a busy week ahead of us with the Club World Cup approaching the end of the group stage, OCB at home on Wednesday, and Orlando City back in action with a pair of games. That means we have plenty to talk about, so let’s get straight into today’s links.
Orlando City’s Lofty Goals
Kyle Smith took some time after training on Monday to speak to the media and shed some light on where OCSC is at right now. The utility player was candid in saying he believes this year’s team is the best one he’s seen since he’s been with the club, and that’s saying something considering he’s the longest-tenured player on the team. Smith said the team is focused on climbing higher in the standings and that the two recent breaks will help the team do just that. He emphasized the importance of handling extra time off between games the right way by making sure the players are taking care of their bodies, getting in the gym, and recovering afterwards. That sort of professionalism paid off in the 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, so hopefully the same is true of Wednesday’s game against St. Louis City.
Tim Weah Reportedly on the Move
Nottingham Forest has reportedly agreed a deal with Juventus to sign Tim Weah and fellow Juve player Samuel Mbangula for roughly €22 million. That being said, personal terms have not yet been agreed upon with Weah, and that will likely take some time, since he’s playing for them at the Club World Cup, and the Italian side is probably keen to minimize outside distractions. Weah broke out with Lille during a four-season spell with the French side, earning a move to Juventus in 2023 as a result.
Club World Cup Roundup
The Club World Cup continues to roll on, as the tournament entered its final round of group stage games on Monday. Atletico Madrid became the first big name to exit the competition, as it beat Botafogo 1-0 to finish level with the Brazilians on six points but will be going home due to having worse goal difference. Atletico needed to win by at least three in order to overtake Botafogo in the standings and might have managed it if not for some poor finishing. In Group B’s other game, Paris Saint-Germain took down the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to finish top of the group. Seattle was given a brutal draw and accounted itself as well as can be expected, but ultimately, the Sounders exit the competition without picking up a point.
Club World Cup Takeaways
Speaking of the Club World Cup, what are some of the impressions so far of the expanded tournament? There have been plenty of good things, as teams have been taking it seriously with strong lineups, and barring the outlier that is Auckland City, no one team has been consistently getting shelled. On the other hand, making the jump from six teams to 32 simply feels like too much too soon, and that’s probably contributed to fluctuating levels of interest from local fans. High ticket prices and games starting in the heat of the day haven’t helped much either, as weather conditions have been a recurring concern among both fans and players. The competition is still a net positive overall, but there are certainly some things to learn from and improve upon next time around.
Free Kicks
- Check out some of the scenes from the Lions’ training session on Monday.
- The Orlando Pride slid down to fifth in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Three people are dead while a further 81 have been injured following the collapse of a stand at an Algerian soccer match.
- Manchester United has reportedly submitted an improved offer for Bryan Mbuemo.
- Manchester City’s Rico Lewis has had his Club World Cup ban extended for two additional matches.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/23/25
Pride fall to Racing Louisville, Seb Hines and Giles Barnes share insight on path to success in Orlando, USMNT defeats Haiti, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy working and catching up with friends over the past week. Before we get started, let’s wish a belated happy birthday to Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter, who turned 41 on Saturday. The Pride was the lone team in action over the weekend, while the Lions and OCB were off. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Pride Fall at Racing Louisville
The Orlando Pride fell to Racing Louisville 2-0 Friday at Lynn Family Stadium. Arin Wright scored the opening goal in the first half, and former Pride midfielder Taylor Flint converted a penalty kick for Racing Louisville. The Pride struggled offensively and failed to capitalize on their scoring chances. Orlando’s struggles in Louisville continue, as the club is winless in five matches at Lynn Family Stadium. The Pride will be on a long break, and their next match will be Aug. 3, taking on the Utah Royals at Inter&Co Stadium.
Seb Hines, Giles Barnes Share Insight on Path to Success in Orlando
Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines and Assistant Coach Giles Barnes were featured in an interview in The Guardian. Both Hines and Barnes shared insight into their longtime friendship, which began with playing in English youth international camps, their different paths to playing in Major League Soccer, and how they became involved in coaching. Hines discussed his time as interim manager of the Pride in 2022 and how he brought in Barnes to help change the club’s culture. Hines and Barnes helped change the perception of the club and led the Pride to winning both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last season.
USMNT Defeats Haiti to Win Group D in Gold Cup
The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Haiti 2-1 Sunday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, in their final match in the group stage of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The USMNT finished atop its group with three wins and nine points. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman made his third consecutive start and played 90 minutes.
Malik Tillman scored the opening goal 10 minutes into the match to give the USMNT the early lead. Haiti tied the match not long after Tillman’s goal. In the second half, Patrick Agyemang pulled the USMNT back in front. The USMNT advances to the quarterfinals as the group winner and will play its next match Sunday against the Group A runner-up which was the late game Sunday night and had yet to conclude as of this writing.
Club World Cup Weekend Recap
Another weekend of matches from the FIFA Club World Cup is in the books. On Friday, Benfica crushed Auckland City FC 6-0, while Flamengo beat Chelsea 3-1. LAFC was eliminated from advancing to the knockout round after a 1-0 defeat to ES Tunis. Bayern Munich edged Boca Juniors 2-1. On Saturday, Borussia Dortmund defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3. Inter Milan needed a late stoppage-time winning goal from Valentin Carboni to edge Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1. Fluminense beat Ulsan HD 4-2, and River Plate and Monterrey ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, Juventus cruised to a 4-1 win over Wydad Casablanca. Xabi Alonso secured his first win as manager of Real Madrid with a 3-1 victory against Pachuca. Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Hilal played to a scoreless draw, with Manchester City playing Al-Ain in the late match Sunday. Today’s matches feature Atletico Madrid facing Botafogo, the Seattle Sounders hosting Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto vs. Al Ahly, and Inter Miami taking on Palmeiras.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos and forward Simone Jackson have been called-up to the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team. The U-23 camp will be led by Orlando Pride Assistant Coach Yolanda Thomas.
USL Championship side San Antonio FC has signed former Orlando City defender Abdi Salim to a 25-day contract.
San Diego Wave winger Maria Sanchez has reportedly reach an agreement to return to her former club, Tigres of Liga MX Femenil, on a four-year contract.
Paul Pogba is reportedly set to return to playing soccer and has signed a two-year contract with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
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.

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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