Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/27/20

Published

on

Good morning, Mane Landers! I hope this Thursday morning finds you all well. I’m in for another day of testing, but first, let’s get to the links.

Óscar Pareja’s Bond with Luiz Muzzi

Loyalty is at the top of the list for what’s important to Pareja, from marrying his childhood sweetheart to remaining close with his childhood friends, something that extends to the pitch.

“It’s something particular to me that I believed throughout my life,” Pareja said. “The people who work with me work with me forever.”

Luiz Muzzi and Pareja spent a lot of time together carefully curating FC Dallas from the ground up to become a winning environment.

“It’s important that relation you have with people, especially when you spent many years with them,” Pareja said. “With Luiz, we’ve known each other for many years. We’ve had many moments together, some with joy and others with difficulties. That makes our relationship stronger. He knows me and I know him and I think we’re very comfortable in the way we do things.”

Now the duo will try to build the Lions into a strong franchise together. Let’s hope that 2020 is where that begins.

Dom Dwyer to Miss Opener

We’ve been speculating since news of his injury that Dom Dwyer would miss the home opener along with Nani. Reports indicate his timetable for his return will be a couple of weeks.

“We’re not going to come with Dom for this Saturday,” Pareja said on Wednesday. 

As for what the starting lineup could look like, Pareja says he has an idea, but it’s normal for him to wait until the last day to decide.

City Players Make Provisional List

Concacaf revealed yesterday the the preliminary lists submitted by the eight participating member associations for the confederation’s 2020 men’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Orlando City’s Kamal Miller and Benji Michel have made the 50-player provisional rosters. The whittled down 20-player rosters are due March 10.

What to Watch this Season

With the season officially kicking off in only two days, there are plenty of things to watch. One of those is how new coaches will fare, including Orlando City’s Óscar Pareja as he rejoins MLS. In preseason, Pareja’s Lions are thought to have been one of five teams to “win” preseason, with MLSSoccer.com’s Tom Bogert stating that with Pareja and Muzzi at the head of the club’s rebuild, optimism is abundant.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride midfielder/defender Jo Boyles announced her retirement due to a back injury.

View this post on Instagram

Those who know me, know how much I love the game of soccer, which makes this the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. After an unexpected back injury, I’ve decided to step away from the game I love so much. I want to have a healthy, happy, and pain free future and stepping away now helps to guarantee that. After overcoming injuries in the past, my body just can’t do it anymore. The past 21 years, soccer has provided me with best friends, taken me across the world, and helped shape me into the person I am today. I’d like to thank my family, friends, teammates, and coaches who have all been with me on this roller coaster of a journey. I’m excited to see what the future holds as this chapter of my career closes so suddenly. Soccer will always be a huge part of my life and I will be forever grateful for what it has taught me. I promise I will pay it forward.

A post shared by Joanna (Boyles) Fennema (@joannafennema) on

  • MLS has a new anthem, from the mind of legendary composer Hans Zimmer.
  • Former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s 22-page diary has been leaked attacking Hertha Berlin’s leadership.
  • The U-20 USWNT did pretty well against Honduras. The U.S. won Group C with a 3-0-0 record, scoring 24 goals, conceding none, and finishing with a +24 goal differential. The Yanks will play Saint Lucia in the Round of 16 on Saturday.


That’s going to do it for me this morning, Mane Landers. Have a great week and stay safe!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

Free Kicks


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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

Free Kicks

  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending