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Lion Links: 12/17/19

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6 years ago

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Happy Tuesday, everyone! We’re now just eight days away from Christmas and I should probably start shopping now. But don’t judge me, I got my Christmas cards out early this year. They went out this morning. I really mean to stop my holiday procrastinating but every year I put it off. Oh well.

You probably came here to find out some stuff about soccer, so here goes:

Exploria Stadium’s Football Makover Continues

Last week we showed you picture of Exploria Stadium set up for (American) football with yard lines and goal posts. Well, this is what it looks like now after the end zones were hit with a heavy dose of pink paint for the upcoming Cure Bowl. Personally, I’m glad the club is finding ways to make use of the stadium but I’d rather not have the field torn up in quite this manner. I want more concerts, but only from artists that I like. Hey, I’m just particular that way. Anyway, the club is making the most of the occasion with special swag that you can buy (or even win).

MLS to Announce Charlotte Today

Don Garber will be in Charlotte for what the league is calling a “special announcement” today at 10 a.m. Everyone else is calling it the announcement that Charlotte will become the 30th franchise in MLS. With Miami and Nashville already entering in 2020 and Charlotte on the way, someone really needs to get moving on a regional trophy that includes games between those three newbies against Orlando City and Atlanta United.

Tis the Season for Year-End Awards

The U.S. Soccer awards for 2019 keep rolling in and one of the team’s newest players earned a biggie. Fullback Sergino Dest won Young Male Player of the Year, just weeks after choosing the USMNT over the Netherlands. Also scooping up hardware were Brianna Pinto (Young Female Player of the Year), and Nick Mayhugh (Player of the Year with a Disability). Dest earned his first three USMNT caps in 2019 and would have gotten into a couple more if he hadn’t still been deciding which country to choose to represent. Pinto helped lead the University of North Carolina to the NCAA Women’s College Cup final and also played a pivotal role with the U-20 USWNT this year. Mayhugh led the U.S. Para 7-a-Side National Team to its highest ever world ranking. Well done by all three.

Toia Re-Signs with RSL

Real Salt Lake was seemingly done with former Orlando City fullback Donny Toia after 2019 but the Utah-based club is bringing him back for 2020. Toia scored a goal and added an assist for RSL last season, which is a rare offensive outburst from him. That’s not me being snarky, that’s just a fact. In 133 career MLS games, Toia has scored two goals and notched seven assists. Four of his seven career assists came during his 34 games with the Lions.

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  • Former Orlando City USL affiliate Louisville City has changed its branding entering 2020 and I am not the biggest fan. The club apparently now will be known as “Lou City” and I’m pretty sure that’s a used tire store in Trenton run by a guy named — you guessed it — Lou.
  • Diego Valeri signed a multi-year extension with the Portland Timbers. That’s a shame. He’d look great in purple.
  • The Vancouver Whitecaps introduced newly signed Lucas Cavallini yesterday on a deal that Vancouver Sporting Director Axel Schuster said was in the “eight digits.” I’m assuming all of those digits are left of the decimal point. Good grief.
  • The Red Bulls are taking a page out of Orlando’s playbook as the New Jersey-based side will introduce a safe standing section to Red Bull Arena.
  • Those born on this date include The Partridge Family actor Dave Madden (1931 — d. 2014), Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations (1939 — d. 1992), Ghostbusters actor Ernie Hudson (1945), Eugene Levy (1946), Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers (1949), Bill Pullman (1953), R.E.M.’s Mike Mills (1958), St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube (1965), mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell (1969), The Last Jedi and Knives Out director Rian Johnson (1973), boxer Manny Pacquiao (1978), baseball’s Chase Utley (1978), and 2014 Indianapolis 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay (1980).

That’s all my time for this morning, folks. Enjoy the rest of your day and your week. Get your shopping done if you haven’t done so. And, if you like to talk about soccer, you might also like to write about it. Here’s how you can join the staff here at The Mane Land.

Before I go, I just want to add that the holidays are a time of joy for many, but a time of suffering for others. Reach out to friends you haven’t heard from in a while, especially if they’re the kind of people you’ve been avoiding because you’re tired of their shenanigans or fed up with their behavior. If you’re feeling lost or alone, reach out to others. I remind you of this because 18 years ago yesterday, in 2001, we lost one of my favorite musicians, Stuart Adamson, a once-reformed heavy drinker who fell off the wagon and was found hanging in the closet of his hotel room. Adamson was a talented singer/guitarist/songwriter and it just goes to show you that it can happen to anyone.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 22, 2026

By

Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

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  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

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That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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