Lion Links: 2/12/20

Good morning, Mane Landers! I hope this mid-week link update finds you all well. We have more Orlando City preseason action ahead of us tonight, so let’s jump right into the links.

Orlando Pride Sign Draft Choice Taylor Kornieck

The third overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft, Taylor Kornieck, has officially signed a one-year deal with the Pride with an option for an additional year.

“We are very happy to come to terms with Taylor before the start of the season,” Orlando Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck said in a club press release. “Taylor is obviously a player we rate very highly, having traded up to get her in this year’s draft, and we are optimistic about the new dimension she will bring to the Pride midfield. We’re excited to sign a young, dynamic player like Taylor that has the ability to instantly contribute to building the future of our club.”

Emily van Egmond Scores Hat Trick

Australia took on Thailand Monday in Olympic qualifying and Pride midfielder Emily van Egmond was named Player of the Match. Not only did she net a hat trick, she also had an assist, seven shots on goal, eight created chances, 15 crosses, and 60 passes in 91 touches. Van Egmond now leads the Westfield Matildas’ assist count and is Australia’s top scorer alongside Caitlin Foord in the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Camila Out for W-League Season

Pride and Canberra United midfielder Camila injured her MCL in training and is out for the rest of the W-League season. She is expected to undergo six weeks of recovery and that will likely interfere with her preseason training with the Pride next month. This is the latest in a concerning history of knee injuries for Camila and hopefully she will be able to find her form again with the Pride this upcoming season.

Ali Riley’s Return to the U.S.

After almost 10 years spent away from the U.S., New Zealand defender Ali Riley returns to the U.S. to play with the Orlando Pride. She spoke about her move to Orlando with justwomenssports.com:

When asked if Sweden still feels like home, “Oh, yeah. I bought an apartment here. I met my partner. We want to settle down in Malmö, build our home here. We have a dog. I know Swedish. But as I was becoming more sure that Sweden is where I want to be in the future, I also started realizing that I don’t have a lot of time to see my family and friends in the US. So when Orlando said they were interested, it was such amazing timing. It’s a fresh start for me at a club that wants to have a fresh start after coming last in the league last year. And there are faces that I’m very familiar with, both on the team and around the league. It just feels like it was meant to be,” Riley told Just Women’s Sports.

Orlando City Announces Student Pass

In a huge step toward access, Orlando City announced the Student Pass presented by Orlando Health. College students can sign up for the pass using their university email addresses and have access to last-minute tickets for only $17. Make sure to read up on how to sign up and get tickets to games all season long.

Free Kicks

• Walker Zimmerman was officially traded by LAFC to Nashville SC.
• Hertha Berlin Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann left the team after less than three months at the helm.
• Ezzeldin Bahader aims to be the world’s oldest professional soccer player at 75.
• Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli apologized for a video he posted on Snapchat that seemingly mocked a man with the coronavirus.

That’s going to do it for me this morning, Mane Landers. Be sure to check back in for any news that leaks out of the closed-door preseason match as OCSC takes on the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Exploria Stadium.