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Lion Links: 5/3/20

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5 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. The weirdest spring ever is still underway and although optimism reigns supreme with governors across the country starting to loosen some of the restrictions, it’s probably best that we take a very patient wait-and-see approach rather than get our hopes up for a return to how things were just a few months ago (has it really only been a few months?). We all want soccer back, but we might have to settle for watching it on TV for a while before we can start going to games again.

How are you coping? My latest activities include a full rewatch of the Marvel Comics Universe movies (I started yesterday with the original Iron Man) and trying to figure out a solution for our daughter’s day care. She previously attended before- and after-school care at her elementary school but that’s closed and my job has called us all back to the office starting a week from tomorrow. My wife’s office will also be ramping back up so it seems like it’s going to be tricky to figure out how our child will be supervised during weekdays.

But I can’t solve that right now because I’ve got to bring you the soccer news of the day.

Moutinho a Rising Star

Chris Smith of World Football Index picked a rising star from each team in the MLS Eastern Conference and making the grade for Orlando City was 22-year-old left back Joao Moutinho.

Moutinho is intelligent with his position and generally strong in the tackle. He could play a key role in Orlando finally ending their wait for a play-off spot.

Despite also boasting young talent like Benji Michel and Ruan, it’s hard to argue that Moutinho isn’t Orlando City’s best young, up-and-coming player with his high soccer IQ, ability to read the play, and excellent left foot.

Orlando City’s Larin Among Most Efficient MLS Goal Scorers

A lot of people forget just how good Canadian striker Cyle Larin was for Orlando City. That’s partly to do with the team’s poor showing in the standings and partially because of the acrimonious split between the player and the club, for which there was sufficient blame to place on Larin, his agent, Besiktas, and even Orlando City. Jonathan Sigal of MLSsoccer.com dove into the data, paying attention to players who scored at least 40 goals throughout their career, with their conversion rate expressed as goals/shots on goal. Sigal’s findings show (unsurprisingly) that Josef Martinez is the most efficient, with a 55.8% conversion rate. Larin is sixth on the list, with his 45.74% conversion rate across his three MLS seasons — surprisingly ahead of such players as Zlatan Ibrahimovic (45.61%) and Robbie Keane (43.92%). It’s a shame we never got to see Larin with a stronger MLS side behind him.

Nani Named One of Most Skilled MLS Players

Sticking with the theme of Orlando City players appearing on lists recently, Greg Seltzer of MLSSoccer.com named his top 12 current MLS players with the most pure skill. While not able to base such a column on data the way Sigal did with his most efficient scorers, Seltzer relied on the eye test to determine the most technically adept players in the league and it’s no surprise that Orlando captain Nani made the cut.

The Orlando City winger has long been known as one of the world’s fanciest technical players. From his beginnings at Sporting CP and Manchester United to later days in MLS, Nani has constantly dazzled with his dribbling, crossing and shooting skills. Then, the veteran put an exclamation point on his reputation with a buzzer-beating crossbar ding from midfield to win last year’s All-Star Game Skills Challenge.

Weird Graduation for Pride’s Konya Plummer

I can’t imagine what life is like for this year’s graduating seniors — high school or college. I have vivid and happy memories of walking the stadium to get both my high school diploma and college degree. That’s not the case for new Orlando Pride defender Konya Plummer. Her graduation from UCF is a virtual one and that’s as sad as it is strange, but at least she accomplished her goal. The NWSL rookie has yet to play a match for the Pride, but you have to be encouraged to see a player who was once called “young Marta,” even if she is a center back. Julia Poe of ProSoccerUSA.com talked to Plummer and you can read more about her soccer background, including how she slept with the ball her mom gave her.

Free Kicks

  • In the midst of recent controversy and accusations, presidential candidate Joe Biden vowed to hold U.S. Soccer accountable for equal treatment of the USWNT. (Please note that there is nothing political in the preceding sentence. The existence of controversy and accusations is not in dispute, regardless of your opinion.)

  • RSL General Manager Elliot Fall discussed what upcoming individual workouts in MLS might consist of.
  • Houston’s Christian Ramirez says that an MLS-Liga MX Super League would “take over the world.” I think it could, but only if player spending limits were removed. The reason the world’s best players are mainly in Europe is because that’s where the money is.
  • Those born on this date include former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (1898), Bing Crosby (1903), boxing’s Sugar Ray Robinson (1921), James Brown (1933), Frankie Valli (1934), baseball’s Davey Lopes (1945), sportscaster Greg Gumbel (1946), Christopher Cross (1951), REO Speedwagon bassist Bruce Hall (1953), hockey’s Ron Hextall (1964), D.C. United manager Ben Olsen (1977), and Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins (1997).

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and please be safe when integrating back into businesses that are reopening.

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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.

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6 hours ago

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June 4, 2025

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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.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

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

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1 day ago

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June 3, 2025

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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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/2/25

Lions fall to Chicago Fire, Pride players in action during international break, OCB beats Chattanooga FC, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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June 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work and will cover high school lacrosse and softball this week. Our beloved Lions lost, but OCB picked up a big win, while the Pride were off over the weekend. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Falls to Chicago Fire at Home

Orlando City fell 3-1 to the Chicago Fire Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions trailed 3-0 in the first half before Alex Freeman pulled one back for Orlando just before halftime. It was not enough to spark a late comeback, as the Lions have now lost back-to-back matches within the past week. The Lions played the match without Head Coach Oscar Pareja, who was serving a one-match suspension after receiving a red card in the match against Atlanta United on Wednesday. Orlando City Assistant Coach Diego Torres was on the sidelines for this match. The Lions are off this weekend, with their next match on the road on June 14 against the Colorado Rapids.

Pride Players on International Duty

Multiple Orlando Pride players were in action over the weekend, representing their countries while away on international duty. Angelina captained the Brazil Women’s National Team, while Marta started on the bench and played in the second half as Brazil defeated Japan 3-1 in a friendly.

Barbra Banda scored for Zambia in a 1-1 friendly draw against Botswana. Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya also started in the match.

Pride defender Zara Chavoshi was on the bench for the Canadian Women’s National Team but did not play as Canada beat Haiti 4-1 in a friendly.

Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench as England defeated Portugal 6-0 in a UEFA Women’s Nations League matchup.

OCB Defeats Eastern Conference Leader Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 2-1 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium. Shak Mohammed scored the opening goal early in the first half for the Young Lions. Chattanooga FC found an equalizer just before halftime. In the second half, we had to wait all the way until stoppage time for another goal as Noah Levis scored the winner for OCB. The Young Lions are ninth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points. OCB will be on the road to take on Huntsville City FC Friday.

USWNT Beats China in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated China 3-0 Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in a friendly. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams came off the bench in the second half and played 21 minutes. Fellow Pride defender Kerry Abello was on the bench but did not play. Defender Naomi Girma made her first appearance for the USWNT this year after dealing with injuries. The USWNT dominated from the start as Catarina Macario scored the opening goal in the match. Sam Coffey made it 2-0 lead just before halftime. In the second half, Lindsey Heaps scored the final goal of the match. The USWNT will be back in action Tuesday night against Jamaica at Energizer Park in St. Louis.

LAFC Defeats Club America to Qualify for FIFA Club World Cup

LAFC overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Club America 2-1 in extra time in a play-in game Saturday at BMO Stadium and booked its spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. LAFC trailed 1-0 through much of the match, but late in the second half, Igor Jesus scored the equalizer just before stoppage time. In extra time, Denis Bouanga scored the winning goal. LAFC will join fellow MLS sides Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders in the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament begins on June 14, and LAFC will face Chelsea, Flamengo, and ES Tunis in the group stage.

Paris Saint-Germain and Cruz Azul Win Continental Titles

Paris Saint-Germain finally won its first UEFA Champions League trophy, beating Inter Milan 5-0 Saturday in Munich. Desire Doue scored twice and added an assist. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu also contributed goals. Paris Saint-Germain completed the treble, winning Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the Champions League this season. Luis Enrique became the second manager to win a treble with two different clubs, joining Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. Paris Saint-Germain also became only the second French club to win the Champions League title, with Marseille lifting the trophy back in 1993. For Inter Milan, it was the second time in three years the club lost the final, falling to Manchester City two years ago. Inter suffered the biggest defeat in UEFA Champions League final history.

Sunday in Mexico, Cruz Azul routed the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-0 Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario to win the Concacaf Champions Cup. Angel Sepulveda scored two goals as Cruz Azul dominated the matchup. The Whitecaps were unable to record a shot on target. It’s the third straight final that an MLS side has lost to a Liga MX side since 2022, when the Seattle Sounders lifted the trophy. With the win, Cruz Azul has qualified for the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport.com shared his insight on which MLS players to watch during the summer transfer window for potential moves. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was mentioned, as well as Charlotte FC’s Patrick Agyemang and the Chicago Fire’s Brian Gutierrez.
  • Former Orlando Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni reflected on his time with the club. He provided insight into his journey from coaching the Pride as an expansion team, including the early challenges, Orlando’s first NWSL playoff appearance, mentoring young coaches such as Khano Smith and Seb Hines, and more.
  • Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez is reportedly set to become the next manager at OL Lyonnes and will join the club in June. Assistant Coach Adrian Gonzalez will be promoted to head coach for the Spirit.
  • U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has added Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson to the roster to replace DeJuan Jones, Sean Zawadzki, and Folarin Balogun, who are all out due to injuries. The USMNT will play friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.
  • The LA Galaxy finally snapped their record 16-match winless streak on Saturday, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0.

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

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