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Lion Links: 7/13/20

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4 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! I didn’t take the time to go see how long it has been since I wrote Lions Links following an Orlando City victory, but it’s been quite a while. It feels good, doesn’t it? It was a great distraction from all the other things going on in the world and in our state. Fortunately, we only have one more day to wait until the Lions play New York City FC tomorrow at 8 p.m. Let’s get to the links!

MLS Match Postponed After Positive Tests

Toronto FC and D.C. United were supposed to play in the MLS is Back Tournament yesterday morning, however the match was postponed and then rescheduled for this morning at 9 a.m. One D.C. United player tested positive for COVID-19 and a Toronto FC player tested inconclusive on Saturday. MLS protocol is to test each player every other day, and on the day before a match. This is the second time the match was rescheduled after Toronto’s delayed arrival in Orlando moved the match from Friday to Sunday.

As teams are withdrawn and matches postponed, there are concerns about the tournament’s future. However, MLS is keeping a close eye on the tournament and it will continue. Orlando City defender João Moutinho weighed in on how he is feeling regarding the postponed match and the tournament itself.

“I feel good, to be honest,” defender João Moutinho said Sunday afternoon. “We’re all here, we stay in our rooms, we go to training, we come back. So I know that the likelihood of one of us getting infected is really, really slim. I think we’re even more protected here than if we were to stay at home. So I feel good, I feel confident. That’s something that I really don’t think much about. I’m just happy to be here and I’m happy that we get to play the tournament.”

MLS is Back Tournament Weekend Results

In the matches that were played this weekend, Saturday featured the New York Red Bulls defeating Atlanta United 1-0. The defeat marked the first time in 27 matches that Atlanta failed to score a goal. As satisfying as that result might be, it wasn’t the wildest match of the day. That honor went to the 4-0 drubbing the Columbus Crew gave FC Cincinnati. Lucas Zelarayán started the scoring for the Crew, Gyasi Zardes added a brace, and Youness Mokhtar finished it off. Cincinnati was completely outclassed and that doesn’t bode well for the club going forward in the tournament.

Even though the early match on Sunday was postponed, the two late matches did proceed as planned. In its match against Minnesota United last night, Sporting Kansas City was without Andreu Fontas due to a quad strain, midfielder Felipe Gutierrez thanks to season-ending knee surgery, and an unidentified player, who tested positive Thursday and is in quarantine.

The actual match was a bit of a wild affair, with SKC going up at the end of the first half after a Khiry Shelton goal. SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia was shown red in the 74th minute and it took Minnesota until stoppage time to score. After an own goal by Shelton, Kevin Molino scored in the dying moments of the match for the Loons to win 2-1.

In the late night match, Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids squared off. Albert Rusnak scored in the 27th minute and Damir Kreilach doubled the lead in the 76th minute in a dominant 2-0 win for Real Salt Lake.

In addition to the rescheduled Toronto FC and D.C. United match, the tournament continues tonight with LAFC taking on the Houston Dynamo at 8 p.m., and the LA Galaxy against the Portland Timbers in the 10:30 p.m. match.

NWSL Challenge Cup Results

The NWSL Challenge Cup continued Sunday as the Washington Spirit defeated the Houston Dash 1-0 after an early goal by Bayley Feist. The win lifted the Spirit into second place, though there are still other matches that will determine the standings heading into the quarterfinals. The second match of the day saw the Chicago Red Stars defeat the Utah Royals 1-0, with Casey Short scoring late to give the Red Stars their first win of 2020.

The final two matches of the qualification round are today and will have the Portland Thorns and OL Reign squaring off at 12:30 p.m. and Sky Blue FC facing the North Carolina Courage at 10 p.m.

Players and Fans Adapting to Tournament

While not a surprise to us, it’s very hot in Orlando. Toronto forward Jozy Altidore even tweeted about it. I’m not sure what you call it when someone whines in a tweet, but he’s not enjoying the warm welcome to Florida.

Of course, it’s not just the heat that teams are adapting to. As Jozy mentioned, there are the 9 a.m. matches as well. As professional athletes, players have sleep and meal schedules, and particular ways to prepare before matches. All of that has been thrown out the window for these early matches. It hasn’t been easy on supporters either. While we don’t have to get up too early to watch here in Orlando, others across the country have to get up before breakfast just to watch their team play.

Free Kicks

  • If you somehow haven’t seen what getting tested for COVID-19 looks like, here’s a closer look from the Orlando Pride’s Ali Riley.

  • We bid a sad farewell to England and Leeds United legend Jack Charlton, who passed away at the age of 85 years old. Charlton had 35 caps for England, including a victory in the 1966 World Cup. He also made a club record 773 appearances for Leeds over his 23-year career.
  • In a bit of good news, Andrés Reyes should be ready to play in Inter Miami’s next game following the injury he sustained in the match against Orlando City.
  • The hits keep coming for Inter Miami CF, as Chelsea’s Willian declined a three-year offer to play in South Florida.
  • It’s tough being an Orlando Pride supporter while the rest of the NWSL plays in the Challenge Cup. It’s also tough being the teams the club is rallying behind in each match, as the support is becoming a curse of sorts in matches.

I must say, it’s a bit weird writing about all this soccer stuff. It’s also very nice, so let’s keep things going by everybody being safe and wearing masks. Go City!

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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.

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1 day ago

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November 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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!

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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.

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2 days ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

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.

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

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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.

Published

3 days ago

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November 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

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

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!

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