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Lion Links: 1/26/20

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6 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers. For the first time in my life, after my club team’s preseason scrimmage (Vamos Orlando United!), I’ll be at the NFL Pro Bowl today in Camping World Stadium. Shout out to Luka, Dani, and Steph for making it happen! I know it’s only the Pro Bowl, but the prospect of watching some of my favorite athletes ply their trade in the casual atmosphere of beautiful, sunny Florida? I mean, c’mon, it’s going to be a blast. Maybe not as exciting (or depressing) as catching a City match, but it will certainly be a good time.

I’m interested in experiencing the difference between this and an MLS All-Star Game. I anticipate the intensity will be much lower, as football — American football that is — is much more prone to injuries on any given play. We’ll see, but if you’re going, drop a comment at the end and let’s meet up! I got some major love for our Mane Land family.

All right, I’m rambling, right? Let’s do this thing. Here’s your Sunday serving of Links. Bon appétit.

Júnior Urso: Inked with Purpose

Newly acquired midfielder Júnior Urso is covered in tattoos. For a professional athlete, this is actually quite common. What’s unique to Urso’s ink, however, is that it all has meaning. The midfielder is right-footed and reserves his right leg for only the most influential and important figures in his life. His mother, father, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr. are just a few that garnish the new Lion’s leg. Why? Urso has been the victim of blatant racism in the world of soccer throughout his entire career. In the Bear’s own words:

“Things like that motivate me,” Urso said. “Together we can accomplish something that has never happened before.”

You see, Urso has been through the ringer when it comes to his profession and experiencing the dark realm of racism. It’s nothing new to him, but his desire to power through and not let these horrid events affect him is powerful, and is instrumental to his identity. We’re lucky to have you, Urso, and we can’t wait to see you take the pitch donning the famous purple kit.

(Mostly Young) Lions Start 2020 the Right Way

The Lions faced Stetson University yesterday, putting in a strong performance and walking away with not only a win, but a clean sheet to boot. A team stacked with young Lions took down Stetson, 3-0, and new Lion Daryl Dike got his name on the score sheet. Check out his goal in the video below, as well as some excellent technical skills shown by others. The result and general feel around the match is entirely positive. I can only hope that this means they put on a show and avoided any serious injuries. As I’ve always said, the future is purple.

Nani Enjoying Himself but 100% Focused

What can I say? I just love me some Nani. The man himself tweeted out yesterday that he’s having fun at work, but more importantly that he’s 100% focused on the new MLS season. I wrongly predicted the Lions breaking into the MLS playoff picture last year, so I won’t do that again, but damn, with a new No. 1 in between the sticks, a new midfielder with loads of experience, and the growth of players like Ruan, Chris Mueller, and Benji Michel? I’d be hard pressed not to beaming with optimism headed into the 2020 season. That said, I don’t want to curse the lads. Perhaps I should predict that they won’t win a single match. Sure, let’s try that and see what happens.

Berhalter Names his 22-Man Roster for Costa Rica

The list is out. Following a few weeks of training here in Florida, Gregg Berhalter is confident in his squad and expects a strong result to get 2020 off to a good start.

“It’s been a good few weeks in Florida. The guys have worked hard and have made progress in all aspects of our game model,” Berhalter said. “We’d like to thank Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes for their collaboration in releasing their players and wish them success at the start of their campaigns. We now turn our focus to preparing for Costa Rica and encouraging the players to take advantage of the opportunity and finish off the month with a positive result.”

The squad, unsurprisingly, does not include a single player from Orlando City, but it does contain exciting players like Ulysses Llanez of Germany’s Wolfsburg and Paul Arriola of D.C. United. While the squad doesn’t include the most notable players such as Christian Pulisic and DeAndre Yedlin, it certainly looks good on paper. Time will tell, but I have faith in this group, and even more so in Berhalter himself. 2020 will be a great year for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The Yanks face regional rival Costa Rica in the team’s opening match of 2020 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.

Free Kicks

  • This is bigger news than I think people will give credit to, but the Montreal Impact completed a signing yesterday, permanently acquiring Canadian international Zachary Brault-Guillard from Lyon, following a successful loan spell in 2019. The defender should continue to provide defensive support for the Impact, who will look to rebound following a lackluster 2019 campaign.
  • You’re not reading this, but I have a few (censored) words for the trash who were hurling racist chants at Bilbao’s Inaki Williams during a match. This needs to end. I have no words left. I’m sorry, Inaki. Not everyone on this beautiful planet are awful human beings.
  • Chelsea survived a scare against Hull City yesterday to keep their FA Cup run alive. They’ll want to keep that going, too, with the way the Reds have been looking. C’mon you Reds, you’ll never walk alone!
  • Meanwhile, Arsenal is reportedly close to securing the services of Spanish defender Pablo Mari from Brazilian side Flamengo. I’m not sure this is the signing that’ll turn the fortunes in London for Mikel Arteta, but adding a strong defender who is in his prime can’t hurt, right?
  • To end: Hala Madrid! Barcelona are in some trouble and they don’t have much time to turn things around under new manager Seiten. The Catalonian powerhouse side lost to Valencia yesterday, 2-0. Ah, how the mighty have, well, how the mighty can occasionally fall.

And we leave you today with some more good news from the academy side.

All right folks, that’s it from me for today. Like I mentioned previously, I’ll be at the Pro Bowl today. I mean it, drop me a comment, add me on your social media of choice, and let me buy you a drink. You deserve it.

Cheers!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/1/26

Pride and OCB win, Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau called up, USMNT beats Senegal, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

on

June 1, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work and just wrapped up covering high school spring season sports for the school year up here in Chicago. We had the Pride, OCB, and the USMNT all in action, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Beat Bay FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. Barbra Banda scored the opener early in the first half for Orlando, but Bay FC’s Caroline Conti scored the equalizer. In the second half, Banda scored her second goal of the night and added an assist on Cori Dyke’s goal in the 55th minute. Banda went down with an injury late in the match and had to leave the pitch. Since Orlando had already used all its substitutions, the team had to play the final 15 minutes of the match, including stoppage time, down to 10 players, but the Pride held on for the win. Banda has been called up to the Zambia Women’s National Team for the Four Nations Tournament, with the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations set to kick off next month in Morocco.

The Pride will be off until early July due to the NWSL World Cup break. Their next match will be on the road at BMO Stadium against Angel City FC on July 3.

OCB Defeats Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 5-2 at Osceola County Stadium Sunday. Ignacio Gomez scored for the Young Lions six minutes into the match. Chattanooga FC responded with two goals later in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. In the second half, it was all OCB as Pedro Leao, Harvey Sarajian, and Justin Hylton each added a goal to extend the Young Lions’ lead to 4-2. Leao added a penalty kick goal as OCB secured back-to-back wins in league play and moved to fourth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference table with 22 points. OCB will face Carolina Core FC Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau Called Up

Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau have been called up to their respective national teams. Reid-Brown will be joining the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for upcoming friendlies against Georgia and North Macedonia in Bulgaria.

Crepeau will be with the Canadian Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Canada has two international friendlies this week, facing Uzbekistan today and taking on Ireland Friday. Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach Jesse Marsch stated that he has not yet decided which goalkeeper will start in his team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, but Crepeau and Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair will split time in goal against Uzbekistan.

USMNT Defeats Senegal in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Senegal 3-2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, Sunday in an international friendly. Former Lion Alex Freeman started the match and played 45 minutes. Sergino Dest struck first to give the Yanks an early lead, and Christian Pulisic scored his first international goal since November 2024 for the U.S. to take a 2-0 lead in the first half. Sadio Mane pulled one back for Senegal to make it 2-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Mane added another goal to level the match, but Folarin Balogun came off the bench and scored the final goal of the match to seal the win for the Americans. The USMNT will face Germany Saturday in another international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL, before opening the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, taking on Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Paris Saint-Germain Repeats as UEFA Champions League Winner in Penalties

Paris Saint-Germain edged Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, to win the UEFA Champions League title for the second time in a row. Kai Havertz scored the first goal six minutes into the match to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. However, in the second half, Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, resulting in a penalty for Paris Saint-Germain. Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot to tie the match. After 120 minutes of play, the match went to penalties, where Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made one save, but Paris Saint-Germain still scored four goals. In the final round, Arsenal defender Gabriel sailed his shot over the net, and Paris Saint-Germain became just the second team to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the modern era, since 1992. The other club was Real Madrid, which won three consecutive titles from 2015-2016 through 2017-2018.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando City Academy U-14 squad defeated Inter Miami 3-1 Sunday to win the MLS Next Cup.
  • According to Sportico, Major League Soccer viewership has risen significantly in the first three months of the season.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links: 5/29/26

Orlando Pride host Bay FC tonight, Justin Ellis and Colin Guske called up, Ally Lemos joins U.S. U-23 team, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 29, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s hard to believe we’re already close to being done with May, but I’m hardly complaining. The World Cup is closer than ever and we still have Orlando soccer to look forward to tonight and later this weekend. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines. Hopefully he can celebrate with a win tonight.

Orlando Pride Host Bay FC Tonight

After three road games in a row, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful for a match tonight against Bay FC. The Pride have not played at home since a 1-0 win against the North Carolina Courage on May 8, and this will be their last match before the summer break. Although the Pride are coming off of a 1-0 win last week against the San Diego Wave, they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Defender Zara Chavoshi spoke on the importance of the team maintaining a winning mindset.

“Three points is the standard for us,” Chavoshi added. “If we come into the next game the way we came into this last game, with belief and assurance, and the trust that if we do everything to 100% that’s what the outcome is going to be, then we need to keep doing that.”

Justin Ellis and Colin Guske Will Head to U.S. Camp

Orlando City forward Justin Ellis and midfielder Colin Guske were both called up for the United States U-19 Men’s National Team’s training camp at the new training center in Georgia. As part of the training camp, the U.S. will play against Japan to help prepare for this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship. Both players were also part of the U-19 team’s 20-player roster in March for a camp in Spain, so it’s nice to see that they’ve done enough to remain in Head Coach Gonzalo Segares’ plans. They’ve each started games this year for the first team, with Ellis recording a goal and two assists so far this season.

Ally Lemos Called Up By U.S. U-23 Team

Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos was called up for international duty as well and will head to Brazil for the United States U-23 Women’s National Team’s training camp. The team will play two matches against SC Corinthians Paulista, which beat Gotham FC and finished second in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup earlier this year. Lemos has been part of the U-23 team’s previous two camps this year as well, and she’s one of eight players called up who placed third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Storylines Ahead of USMNT Friendlies

The United States Men’s National Team roster was announced and now all eyes turn to how the team does in a friendly against Senegal on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Charlotte. It should be a great test for the USMNT against one of Africa’s top teams, as well as a chance for some of the Americans to make a splash. Christian Pulisic has been stuck in neutral for most of this year and the starting striker position may come down to which player gets hot over the next week. Other things to keep an eye out for include defender Chris Richards’ availability, the goalkeeping battle between Matt Turner and Matt Freese, and the impact Giovanni Reyna and Alex Zendejas can bring to the attack.

Free kicks

  • Orlando City and Orlando Health teamed up once again to celebrate Orange Center Elementary School students for getting good grades, giving each achieving student a jersey.
  • Tom Bogert of The Athletic reported that the rumors linking Orlando City with French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac are false. Welcome to the summer edition of silly season.

Rumors suggesting Orlando City are about to sign Tigres legend Andre-Pierre Gignac (40) are completely false, sources say

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T12:53:00.739Z
  • Charlotte FC is reportedly in talks to sign winger Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. It’s a move that would make sense for Charlotte considering Wilfried Zaha’s recent exit.
  • Atalanta reportedly chose not to exercise the option to buy on American midfielder Yunus Musah’s loan from AC Milan. It’s unclear what’s next for the 23-year-old, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him as a Lion one bit.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your week. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/28/26

U.S. Open Cup semifinal dates revealed, Andre-Pierre Gignac linked with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for Bay FC, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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May 28, 2026

By

Image of Marta showing off the Pride's new Unity Kit.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a bit of a hectic week, but things are finally settling down a bit for me as we get ready for a weekend filled with soccer. The World Cup may not be here just yet, but we do have international soccer to enjoy as teams get in their final preparations. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Date Unveiled

The date and time for Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Columbus Crew were announced, with the Lions set to play at 7 p.m. on Sept. 16 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Ohio. Following wins against FC Naples and the New England Revolution in earlier rounds, Orlando City reached the semifinals after a convincing 4-1 win over Atlanta United in the quarterfinals earlier this month. Now the Lions are just two wins away from lifting the trophy for the second time in the past five years. They should also have Antoine Griezmann available to tip the scales after he arrives this summer. If the Lions advance then they will host either the Colorado Rapids or St. Louis City in the final on Oct. 21.

Andre-Pierre Gignac Linked With Orlando City

It’s not much more than a rumor at this point, but French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac is reportedly close to leaving Tigres to sign with Orlando City according to journalist Diego Armando Medina on the RG La Deportiva radio show. Gignac has spent the past decade with Tigres in Mexico and is the club’s all-time leading scorer. That being said, he’s also 40 years old and the move wouldn’t necessarily line up with the team’s efforts to develop young players like Justin Ellis. Only time will tell if this rumor has legs or if big names in French soccer will continue to be linked with the Lions due to Griezmann’s impending arrival. Either way, I don’t think an aging striker is going to keep the ball out of Orlando’s net.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Bay FC

The Orlando Pride are back in action on Friday with a home game against Bay FC in their final game before the summer break. The Pride closed out a string of road games with a 1-0 win against the San Diego Wave and will face a Bay team that has only scored eight goals this season. Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and defender Aldana Cometti both received red cards in their previous match, while Pride midfielder Angelina will miss this match after being handed an additional suspension from the NWSL Disciplinary Committee. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team is preparing for this home game after a long road trip.

Pride Trio Called Up By Brazil

Orlando Pride players Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle were all called up for Brazil’s pair of friendlies next month against the United States. Both matches will take place in Brazil as the two nations prepare for next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil. Marta and Angelina were both part of Brazil’s winning team in last year’s Copa America Femenina, with Angelina scoring once and Marta twice in the final against Colombia.

USWNT Roster Announced for Brazil Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team roster for these friendlies was also announced, with Head Coach Emma Hayes calling up 26 players for the team’s training camp. Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson were all called up together for the first time since dominating the 2024 Summer Olympics. While Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario, and Sam Coffey aren’t available due to injury, goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and midfielders Croix Bethune and Riley Jackson are back in the mix. The USWNT will first take on Brazil on June 6 in Sao Paulo before a second match on June 9 in Fortaleza.

Philadelphia Union Part Ways With Bradley Carnell

Bradley Carnell’s time as the Philadelphia Union’s head coach has come to a close, with the two sides parting ways after only winning one game so far this season. Carnell was named MLS Coach of the Year last year after helping the Union win Supporters’ Shield, but the team has struggled mightily this year. Philadelphia also named John Scheer as its sporting director, removing the interim tag, and he will begin the hunt for a new head coach. Until then, Philadelphia Union II Head Coach Ryan Richter will serve as the first team’s interim head coach.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero was called up by Venezuela for friendlies against Turkey and Iraq.

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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