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Lion Links: 7/19/20

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5 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. Orlando City has one more Group A match-up on Monday and it’ll be the toughest one yet, as the Philadelphia Union have improved by leaps and bounds over the last season and a half. But it’s nice knowing that regardless of the outcome, the Lions are assured of advancing to the knockout stage.

Hopefully you’re staying safe and sane and neither of those things is easy these days. Let’s jump into the news of the day.

Orlando City’s Goalkeepers Put in the Work

The toughest and most visible position in soccer is goalkeeper and it’s also a position where sharpness matters. It’s difficult for goalkeepers to stay sharp during a pandemic or even during the first couple stages of workouts. Orlando’s keepers were able to do so, and that paid off big for Pedro Gallese last week against New York City FC. Originally credited with seven saves, one of NYCFC’s shots was changed to off target, so he finished with six, but several of them were of the game-saving variety. El Pulpo said the coaching staff put together a good plan for the team’s goalkeepers to follow.

“It was difficult,” Gallese said through a translator. “It was a difficult time. But I think what the coaches were sending us and the plan that they laid out and what we were trying to do during that time really prepared us well for this tournament.”

Orlando Weather Continues to Be a Talking Point

Nobody knows better than Orlando residents that the weather here is ludicrous. I used to live in South Florida and thought that was hot and humid but at least down there we generally had a breeze blowing in off the ocean to move the air around. Here it’s oppressive and the air is so heavy that sometimes you feel like you need to chew it. This is what Orlando City has to deal with every single day, every single season. But folks like Frand de Boer and Jozy Altidore have whined about the conditions of the 9 a.m. games in MLS is Back. Of course, the Lions have to play at noon or slightly later in the afternoon multiple times each summer. Even they know the Central Florida heat index is not something one can fully ever get used to.

Orlando City defender João Moutinho said it’s hard to ever fully adjust to the conditions of playing in Central Florida.

…

“This is now my third season and I can tell you that it’s still really hard for me to acclimate to this heat,” said Orlando City striker Chris Mueller, who has managed to score three goals during the tournament. “It’s really hard for whoever it might be. It’s no joke.”

MLS is Back Group F Results

In the 8 p.m. match Saturday, the Portland Timbers knocked off the Houston Dynamo, 2-1. Jeremy Ebobisse put the Timbers ahead at the break with a powerful shot just inside the far post. The Dynamo had two excellent opportunities to equalize before halftime on shots by Oscar Boniek Garcia and Alberth Elis but both sizzled just wide of the far post. Elis in particular had a sitter but could not put his shot on target. Diego Valeri doubled the lead just past the hour mark. Elis scored on a penalty to cut the lead in half but he was sent off shortly thereafter on a dubious call for a hand to the face and Portland hung on, clinching a spot in the knockout round after the late result.

Chicharito (calf) missed his first shot at El Trafico in the late Group F game Saturday, but it was predictably unpredictable, as usual, before LAFC won it, 6-2. An LAFC own goal opened the scoring, then the teams traded penalties by Diego Rossi and Cristian Pavon. Rossi leveled the game again in first-half stoppage time off the rebound of a save of a Bradley Wright-Phillips shot that Daniel Steres whiffed on clearing. In the second half, Pavon thought he’d restored the lead but he was a step offside, then Wright-Phillips gave LAFC its first lead just moments later. Rossi completed his hat trick with just under a quarter of an hour remaining and former Lion Mohamed El-Munir added an insurance goal a few minutes later and Rossi added a fourth at the death as the Galaxy defense is a mess.

Sky Blue FC, Chicago Red Stars Advance in NWSL Challenge Cup

The semifinals are set for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup after Saturday’s two quarterfinal matches both went to penalty shootouts without a single goal during normal time. Sky Blue FC joined the Portland Thorns and Houston Dash in the semis with a penalty shootout win after a scoreless draw with the Washington Spirit.  Kailen Sheridan stopped Bayley Feist in the fifth round as Sky Blue won the shootout, 4-3. Former Orlando Pride goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe stopped a Domi Richardson attempt but Sheridan’s save, along with a shot off the crossbar, sunk the Spirit.

The final participant to enter the semifinals was Chicago after the third penalty shootout in four Challenge Cup quarterfinal matches. The Red Stars and OL Reign went scoreless and Chicago won the ensuing penalty shootout, 4-3. Former Orlando Pride forward Rachel Hill was one of the successful penalty takers for the Red Stars.

We had one goal in four quarterfinal matches in the NWSL Challenge Cup, which is not great. Portland will face Houston and Chicago will take on Sky Blue Wednesday in the semifinals.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City vs. Philadelphia is one of three games that ESPN has added to the network’s MLS is Back Tournament coverage. You can now watch the Lions against the Union either on TUDN or ESPN.
  • If you ever thought to yourself, “you know, I’d really love to watch former Orlando City goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh cook,” now you can.
  • MLS reported zero new positive COVID-19 tests in the latest round of testing. More than 1,300 tests were administered to 1,100+ people. Clearly the bubble is safer than the rest of Florida.
  • USWNT and Utah Royals defender Kelley O’Hara is hosting the Just Women’s Sports Podcast. The first show will drop Tuesday and will feature Orlando Pride forward Alex Morgan in her first interview since giving birth to daughter Charlie. For the record, The Mane Land PawedCast asked for Alex about nine weeks ago in preparation for our 200th episode. Maybe we were just too early.
  • Your obligatory Christian Pulisic link for the day.
  • Those born on this date include Lizzie Borden (1860), Queen guitarist Brian May (1947), late Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins (1952), actor/producer Anthony Edwards (1962), and Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch (1976).

That’s all my time this morning, folks. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend. Today’s MLS is Back matches include the Chicago Fire vs. San Jose Earthquakes at 8 p.m. and the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps at 10:30 p.m. The NWSL Challenge Cup is off until Wednesday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/9/25

Orlando City’s next U.S. Open Cup match date revealed, MLS matches to watch, top soccer club valuations, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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May 9, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Friday! I hope the week has treated you well as we get ready for a Mother’s Day weekend packed with soccer. Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are both in action at the same time on Saturday, so make sure to plan accordingly depending on how you want to enjoy the action. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Will Face Nashville in USOC on May 21

Orlando City will officially host Nashville SC on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 16. That match is sandwiched between a road game against Inter Miami on May 18 and a home game against the Portland Timbers May 24, so at least there won’t be much travel during that week during an already jam-packed month. The Lions reached this stage of the tournament after beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 5-0 Wednesday, while Nashville won 1-0 against the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Tuesday.

What to Watch In MLS This Weekend

We’ll all be tuned in for Orlando City’s match on Saturday against the New England Revolution, but there’s plenty more MLS action to look forward to as well. Before Orlando’s match, Inter Miami will head to St. Paul to take on a Minnesota United team that leads the league with six clean sheets this season. Another notable match this weekend is a clash between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings when the Philadelphia Union host the Columbus Crew. That game has Daniel Gazdag written all over it. Sunday night’s match should be a doozy between two heavyweight Western Conference teams, as LAFC will hit the road to take on the league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps.

MLS Clubs Listed Among World’s Most Valuable

Sportico announced the valuations for the top 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world, and a whopping 19 MLS teams made the list. The Lions aren’t included, but it’s still neat to see some clubs like Minnesota, Sporting Kansas City, and Charlotte FC listed. LAFC is the highest listed MLS side, coming in at 16th with a $1.28 billion valuation. Real Madrid tops the list at $6.53 billion, and six of the top 10 are from the English Premier League. While valuations aren’t exactly hard evidence of success or influence, I think this is a testament to the growth and parity of MLS through an international lens.

English Clubs Reach Europa League Final

This year’s Europa League final will feature a pair of EPL teams as Manchester United and Tottenham breezed through the semifinals. United overcame a shaky first half to beat Athletic Club 4-1 at Old Trafford, with Mason Mount scoring two of the team’s four goals in the second half. Tottenham avoided an upset in Norway by winning 2-0 against Bodo/Glimt. The final will take place on May 21 in Spain, and there’s both a trophy and Champions League qualification on the line. Both United and Tottenham struggled this season and are respectively 15th and 16th in the league standings, but winning the Europa League is all that matters now.

Free Kicks

  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso played every minute of Real Betis’ 2-2 result against Fiorentina to advance to the Europa Conference League final, where the Spanish club will face Chelsea on May 28. Enjoy this goal from Antony to help his side prevail.
  • In honor of Mother’s Day, AC Milan players will wear their mothers’ last names on the back of their jerseys in today’s match against Bologna. I love this idea and hope more clubs follow suit moving forward.
  • An ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville acquired Salford City of England’s League Two.
  • Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra’s MMA debut will have to wait, as the 43-year-old’s fight set for May 23 in Paris was postponed.
  • We’ll end our links with what looks to be some unexpected Orlando Pride representation in Vatican City!

That’s all I have for you this time around. Have a fantastic Friday and enjoy the holiday weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/8/25

Orlando City steamrolls the Tampa Bay Rowdies in I-4 Derby, Orlando Pride aim to bounce back, U.S. Open Cup results, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 8, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s not often we get to celebrate an Orlando City victory in the middle of the week these days, but hopefully it’s a habit we get used to. The Lions took care of business in my neck of the woods, and it’s given some nice optimism to finish this week strongly. Let’s dive into the big win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Trounces Tampa Bay Rowdies

Take a bow, Gustavo Caraballo! The 16-year-old was the star of the show in Orlando City’s dominant 5-0 U.S. Open Cup win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, scoring twice to jumpstart Orlando’s attack and making history along the way. There’s plenty of scoring to enjoy, so be sure to check out our full recap!

Hopefully this game was a nice shot in the arm for Orlando’s offense and something to build on in league play. It’s always nice to take down the Rowdies and the Lions are now the last Floridian team standing in the tournament. They’ll host Nashville SC in the round of 16 later this month in what should be a good game in the City Beautiful.

Orlando Pride Aim to Bounce Back in North Carolina

After a 1-0 loss on the road to the Portland Thorns, the Orlando Pride will look to return to their winning ways when they face the North Carolina Courage on Saturday. It’s going to be another tough environment for the Pride to play in, although the Courage have lost two of their three home games so far this season. Pride defender Emily Sams spoke on the team’s mentality heading into this match and how the team can raise its level after a disappointing loss in Portland.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 Wraps Up

MLS teams mostly cruised in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32, but it was still an exciting round of soccer filled with drama. In a vintage “cupset,” the Pittsburgh Riverhounds beat New York City FC 1-0 thanks to a goal in stoppage time from Orlando native Beto Ydrach. Indy Eleven nearly took down the Philadelphia Union, but the MLS side converted all five kicks in the penalty shootout to advance after a 1-1 draw.

The New England Revolution escaped Pawtucket with a 2-1 road win against Rhode Island FC, with 17-year-old Cristiano Oliveira scoring a late winner. Minnesota United squeezed past Louisville City 1-0, the Chicago Fire put Detroit City to the sword in a 4-0 win, and FC Dallas won 3-1 against USL League One side AV Alta FC.

UEFA Champions League Final Set

Paris Saint-Germain did everything it needed to and more at home against Arsenal, winning 2-1 to advance to the UEFA Champions League final. Great saves by Gianluigi Donnarumma and goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi propelled PSG to victory, with Bukayo Saka providing Arsenal’s only goal of the two-leg series. PSG will take on Inter Milan in the final on May 31 and it should be an interesting matchup at Allianz Arena to close out the tournament. Will PSG lift its first Champions League trophy only a year after Kylian Mbappe left the club, or will Inter come out on top after finishing as runner-up in 2023? I can’t wait to find out.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to United States Women’s National Team star Mallory Swanson and her husband Dansby Swanson, as the couple announced that they’re expecting their first child!
  • Racing Louisville announced that goalkeeper Katie Lund and midfielder Maddie Pokorny will both miss the remainder of the season due to hip injuries. Jordyn Bloomer, who had five saves in Friday’s win over the Houston Dash, will serve as the team’s goalkeeper in Lund’s stead.
  • The Columbus Crew signed Daniel Gazdag to a contract extension through 2027, with a club option for 2028 as well.
  • Arsene Wenger proposed a change to the offside rule so that attacking players are onside so long as any part of their body is lined up with the last defender. We’ll see if anything comes of this, but it could lead to more goals in the future.
  • Here’s what to watch for in the second legs of the Europa League semifinals. Manchester United will host Athletic Club with a three-goal lead in aggregate, while Tottenham will aim to defend its two-goal advantage in Norway against a Bodo/Glimt side that has key players returning from suspension.
  • Tottenham will be without James Maddison, who is out for the rest of the season after a knee injury sustained in the first leg against Bodo/Glimt.

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

Lion Links 5/7/25

Orlando City takes on the Rowdies, sponsors like MLS, the NWSL is growing, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 7, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day as the Lions begin their 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. I’ve repeatedly said on The Mane Land PawedCast that I want Oscar Pareja to focus on this competition more than another one (*cough* Leagues Cup *cough*). That all starts tonight, and I hope you’re as excited as I am. Let’s get to the links.

I-4 Derby Tonight

Orlando City enters the 2025 U.S. Open Cup tonight against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions make the perilous 112-mile trip along I-4 — which feels approximately like flying to Seattle — to take on an old geographical rival. We’re likely to see a rotated lineup for this match, but Pareja said he has confidence in the younger players to get the job done. If you’re not making the trip to Tampa here is how you can watch the match. We will have our normal match coverage for you tonight.

Nobody Likes Nil-Nil

You know something is going on when Orlando City attracts the attention of the national media. Unfortunately, that thing is the overabundance of 0-0 draws in four out of the last five matches. The theory is that the Lions aren’t getting enough service out of the midfield for the players up top. It may be as simple as players getting healthy for Orlando City to reignite the offense. For the sake of a certain The Mane Land editor’s sanity, I hope that is the case.

MLS News and Notes

Soccer’s popularity is growing in the United States. Are decades of being America’s next big sport finally paying off? It seems to actually be the case, at least when it comes to the sponsors. With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, brands are investing in MLS and soccer in America. EA Sports is in on the action, partnering with MLS and Apple TV to show four live matches within the EA FC mobile gaming app this season

NWSL Keeps Growing

Big things are also happening in the NWSL. The growth has prompted the league to move its headquarters from one New York office to a bigger New York office. Part of that growth comes from owners like the Washington Spirit’s Michelle Kang. The billionaire is investing in the NWSL, U.S. Soccer, and other leagues and countries throughout the world. On a slightly different scale, Mikaela Shiffrin — the most decorated alpine skier of all time — has invested in the Denver NWSL expansion side.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of tonight’s match as well as the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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