Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/7/20
Good morning, Mane Landers and happy Sunday! There was some scary weather in metro Orlando yesterday with tornado and thunderstorm warnings. I hope everyone is okay out there. As for the soccer world, I couldn’t be happier that most of the leagues are slowly returning! I feel pretty similar to Orlando City’s Robin Jansson.
Yeees, let’s go! 👊😈 pic.twitter.com/EvYEZmINj5
— Robin Jansson (@RJANSSON24) June 6, 2020
Here are today’s links:
Claire Emslie Returns
The Orlando Pride are without a few key players right now. Jade Moore and Alanna Kennedy are both out of the country, but Scottish winger Claire Emslie has returned to Orlando. She cannot join the team for another week due to quarantine protocols, but at least the Pride will have her back for the NWSL Challenge Cup at the end of the month!
Orlando Pride midfielder Claire Emslie is back in Florida after spending the season suspension home in Scotland. Per the NWSL protocol, she’ll need to complete seven days of self-isolation and two rounds of COVID-19 testing, then she’ll be able to rejoin team training on June 13.
— Julia Poe (@jpoe24601) June 6, 2020
Orlando Soccer Players Join Protests
There were a handful of Orlando Pride players at yesterday’s protests in downtown Orlando, including Toni Pressley, Sydney Leroux, Carson Pickett, Ali Krieger, Kristen Edmonds, Marisa Viggiano, Erin McLeod, Erin Greening, Ali Riley, and Shelina Zadorsky. The Pride players always seem to be standing up for what they believe in and this is no different. Greening was in a walking boot but it was for “precautionary” reasons.
Orlando City’s Kamal Miller was also downtown.
All we want is to be equal ‼️ That’s all we’ve ever asked for. Our voices are now being heard all around the world. This is just the beginning 🙏🏾🖤 #BLM pic.twitter.com/TKo3mc2VrK
— Kamal Miller (@KMillz_00) June 6, 2020
Tyler Adams Excels Against Paderborn
Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig took on bottom of the table Paderborn on Saturday. Leipzig led for 89 minutes but could not handle Paderborn’s constant pressure at the end of the match at allowed a 90th-minute goal. Adams was a constant thorn to the opposition and played a simple, yet effective, match. He had to play right back for half the match after center back Dayotchanculle Upamecano got a second yellow card. He finished the game with the most touches and a 74% passing accuracy.
Mario Balotelli Cut
It’s amazing how someone with so much talent could screw up this many times. In the Italian’s latest chapter, he failed to show up to training. He is claiming that he has been sick but it apparently was too much for Brescia.
So what’s next for Super Mario? While some may want him to make a move to MLS, Eric Wynalda is not having it. His tweet has since been deleted but the screenshot is below. As for me, I hope he stays away from the U.S. Wherever he goes, there is always drama and complications.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando Pride assistant coach Khano Smith wrote an open letter and is worth a read. He states, “As a black man, a United States citizen, a person who now proudly calls this country my home, all I ask is to be treated as equally and fairly as everyone else.”
- Real Madrid have agreed on a transfers fee for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek. However Madrid are struggling financially at the moment and have not completed the deal. Manchester United is now trying step in and steal the 23-year-old away.
- You’ve heard about Adams. Here is how the rest of the U.S. exports did in the Bundesliga on match day 30.
That’s it for today. If you’re looking for something to do, you can drag out your FIFA game and play Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City to make up for last night’s scheduled match that was wiped out by the pandemic. Stay safe out there.