Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/15/20
Happy Sunday, everyone. You may find it odd that I’m writing this column today but your usual Sunday author has departed from the TML staff. So you might be stuck with me for a while, although we have discussed limiting our Lion Links columns to weekdays only. We’ll keep you posted on that.
It’s a weird time for all of us, but we’ll get through this coronavirus-affected time together. We just need to have a dialogue about what is going on, how we’re all coping, and what you need from our site during this odd hiatus in our sports lives.
On Friday, I finally picked up a book I got for Christmas and plowed through the first 100 pages and then I pushed past the 250-page mark Saturday. It’s been a while since I had time to read like that between my TML duties, my real job, dad/husband/household stuff, etc., and it was kind of nice to cover so much ground for a change. I’ve also smashed through Hunters on Amazon Prime Video and The Outsider on HBO in recent days and found both enjoyable. What has replaced that sports gap in your life? It’s strange that now that I have time to take my family to various places, many of them are closed.
Before I dive into the news of the day, I want to wish a happy birthday to Orlando City midfielder Mauricio Pereyra. Magic Mo (let me just throw that out there as a nickname) turns 30 today and I can’t wait to see what he can do out there when games resume and Nani and Dom Dwyer are both available.
Lions Dealing with Odd Circumstances
Obviously, fans aren’t the only ones dealing with the sudden halt to normal sporting activities. Orlando City players Brian Rowe and Tesho Akindele weighed in on the unusual circumstances they find themselves in as there is a ban on team training and no word on when games might resume.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, in the league or in life, that has affected us as greatly as this,” said Rowe, who is playing in his eighth year in the league. “There isn’t really a manual or a rule book on how to deal with this.”
“It’s a really crazy feeling, obviously, because nobody has ever experienced that before,” Akindele said. “It’s a really weird feeling. Obviously we all wish we could be out there, but we understand the decision from the league and the union because it’s a public safety issue. But it’s a tough time.”
Indeed, life is strange at the moment. Hopefully we can return to normalcy soon.
Orlando Pride Players to Compete for W-League Title
Orlando Pride international stars Claire Emslie and Emily van Egmond starred last night for Melbourne City, helping their W-League club advance to the Grand Final with a 5-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers. Emslie opened the scoring and assisted on the second goal with a good cross for Kyah Simon to head home. A van Egmond cross was misplayed by goalkeeper Abby Smith and fell for Rebekah Stott to finish on the third Melbourne City goal and the team just rolled from there. Emslie and van Egmond will face Pride teammate Alanna Kennedy and her Sydney FC teammates in the Grand Final next weekend. Here’s a look at Emslie’s goal:
We've got the opener! 🔥 @CarpenterEllie picks out @Emslie22 following a brilliant run from the fullback.
📹 @FOXFOOTBALL #4history #MCYvWSW pic.twitter.com/1yxuvmy3nE
— Melbourne City FC 🏙️ (@MelbourneCity) March 15, 2020
Not Everything is Shut Down
While most leagues around the world are shut down, there are some still playing — for now, anyway. Liga MX in Mexico and the A-League and W-League in Australia are among those still operating, while leagues in Hungary, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine all held matches yesterday. But that may not last much longer, as teams are starting to ask for measures to be taken in response to COVID-19.
Club America has postponed its press conference today. Will be rescheduled “probably tomorrow,” according to the club. The Coyoacán municipality (where the Azteca is located) has asked tomorrow’s game vs. Cruz Azul to be played behind closed doors or postponed. #ligamxeng
— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) March 14, 2020
Though Mexico has relatively few reported cases, making it seem somewhat OK for their leagues to continue playing, it’s important to keep in mind that the availability of tests, reporting standards, lack of data transmitted to the media, and willingness of citizens to get tested may all be skewing the numbers.
Ronaldinho’s Prison Team Dominates
Speaking of interesting times, Ronaldinho playing soccer in jail is one of the strangest stories of the year. We previously told you about the Brazilian’s arrest for inexplicably using a fake pass to sneak into Paraguay. The former Brazil star had a big day, reportedly, with five goals and six assists in a lopsided 11-2 affair.
🇧🇷 The first picture of Ronaldinho playing football in a Paraguayan jail has been released. I still can't believe it. His team won the game 11-2. Ronaldinho scored 5 goals & assisted 6.
Iconic. 👑 pic.twitter.com/IPN4AErAw1
— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) March 14, 2020
Italian Football Could Face Strike if Players Rushed Back
Italy has been hit hard by the coronavirus and Serie A was one of the first sports leagues — if not the very first — to be affected by the pandemic, starting with games without fans and then a full shutdown. Things have gotten so bad in that country that Catholic churches nationwide are holding virtual services in lieu of attending mass. Serie A players and club medical staffs are threatening to take action if the league pushes for normal training to resume too soon.
“Considering the serious evolution of the COVID-19 infection around the world, the emerging spread of contagion within football and its staff, Serie A medics express their strong concern about protecting the health of club employees should training and other group assemblies be resumed soon.
“Therefore, unanimously, the medics advise that we do not resume training until a clear improvement of the emergency situation.”
Medical personnel and players could strike if pushed to return sooner than they deem safe.
Free Kicks
- As someone who has a normal grocery day approaching and [/does quick inventory] four remaining rolls of toilet paper in the house, I got a kick out of this sign.
Best “sold out” sign ever
(pic via @Kamilkhan30) #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/3n8xpkzHy8
— CoronaVirus Memes (@TheCoronaMemes) March 14, 2020
- Send Paul Shaw your training video after watching this tip:
Let’s see you have a go. @OCYouthSoccer @VerumAcademy @OrlandoCitySC pic.twitter.com/WMF1XotiMe
— Paul Shaw (@paul10shaw) March 14, 2020
- Antonio Nocerino showing off his skills.
- I always felt like Ole Gunnar Solskjær was probably a good dude. Now we have even more confirmation of that.
What a fantastic start to the weekend, pulled up at my local Costa and saw this man in his car, he could see I was on crutches so went and parked his car came back and had his photo with me. Top bloke 👍 pic.twitter.com/UtcRgCCDZI
— Kevin Shepherd 🎯 (@Kevshep180) March 14, 2020
- I can’t decide what’s better here — the goal or the celly.
Hold my juice box while I show the lads how it’s done. 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/CyWcIPFGi9
— Hold my Juice Box (@HoldOnesJuice) March 14, 2020
- In addition to Pereyra, those born on this date include former U.S. president Andrew Jackson (1767); American blues man Lightnin’ Hopkins (1912); football’s Norm Van Brocklin (1926); Ruth Bader Ginsberg (1933); Taxi star Judd Hirsch (1935); Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh (1940); Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love (1941); wrestling’s The Iron Sheik (1942); horror filmmaking legend David Cronenberg (1943); soul/funk icon Sly Stone (1943); baseball’s Bobby Bonds (1946); Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider (1955); baseball’s Mike Pagliarulo (1960); singers Terence Trent D’Arby, (1962), Bret Michaels (1962), Rockwell (1964), and Mark McGrath (1968), Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (1972); actress Eva Longoria (1975); and France/Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba (1993).
That’s all my time for this morning. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, stay safe, and keep checking The Mane Land for updates. And let us know what you’re binge watching during this sports-less segment of our existence.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.
Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.
Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.
“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”
Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.
Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year
Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.
Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves
FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.
Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.
Free Kicks
- In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
- ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
- Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
- Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
- The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
- Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/21/24
Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship
There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.
Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.
Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year
Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.
2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled
The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach
FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.
Free Kicks
- District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.
- Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino, who was an Orlando City B assistant coach in 2015 and played for the USL Lions, spoke on Atlanta’s Cinderella run this postseason ahead of his team’s clash with Orlando City on Sunday.
- CF Montreal signed Canadian center back Joel Waterman to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2027 with an option for 2028 as well.
- D.C. United signed goalkeeper Jordan Farr from the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a two-year deal. Farr had 11 shutouts with the Rowdies this year and joins a D.C. side that declined the contract options for both Tyler Miller and Alex Bono last month.
- American forward Catarina Macario had an assist for Chelsea in a 3-0 win against Celtic in the Women’s Champions League.
- Spanish midfielder Juan Mata joined San Diego FC’s ownership group ahead of the club’s inaugural MLS season next year.
- Costa Rican club Alajuelense, which is the highest-ranked team in Central America, has hired a legal firm regarding FIFA allowing both Pachuca and Club Leon to take part in the 2025 Club World Cup despite having the same owner.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/20/24
Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.
Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!
Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons
Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.
Seb Hines Wins Major Award
The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:
Internationals Take The Pitch
Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.
Record MLS Signing Reported
FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.
Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup
Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.
Free Kicks
- Gerardo “Tata” Martino will address the media in a final news conference on Friday along with Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas as he is expected to step down from his head coach position for personal reasons.
- Instantly linked to the managerial vacancy at Inter Miami is former FC Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernández.
- Nashville SC acquired 23-year-old former Norway youth international midfielder Edvard Tagseth from Rosenborg BK through 2026 with an option for 2027.
- Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang is set to donate $30 million dollars to U.S. Soccer’s women and girls programs over the next five years.
- The United Soccer League announced that USL Dallas, North Texas’ newest professional soccer team, will join the USL Championship for the 2027 season.
- Manchester United is offering €30 million and a struggling player in a swap deal to gain the services of Victor Osimhen.
- Patrick Vieira is likely to step into the managerial role at Genoa after Alberto Gilardino was unexpectedly fired.
- Miami FC and a professional women’s team could be getting a new 10,000-seat stadium in Homestead.
That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!
-
Lion Links2 days ago
Lion Links: 11/20/24
-
Orlando Pride5 days ago
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 4-1 as Barbra Banda Brace Lifts Pride to First-Ever Playoff Win
-
Orlando Pride5 days ago
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Advance to NWSL Championship
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City22 hours ago
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Five Takeaways
-
Orlando City20 hours ago
How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively