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Lion Links: 7/20/20

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5 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! I have to admit that my interest in the NWSL Challenge Cup lessened when the Pride made the decision not to attend. I was also skeptical of the Orlando Pride marketing team changing their Twitter account to a “stan” account.

For those that are not familiar with the term, a “stan” is a super fan. It’s a reference to the Eminem song by the same name, though that song is a bit darker in nature. As I said, I was skeptical, but then I saw the quality of the GIFs, and the push back from other clubs and their fans, as the Pride seemingly cursed every team they decided to back. Indeed the curse took down four out of four clubs over the weekend, including the tournament favorite North Carolina Courage. Frankly, it was some of the best stuff on Twitter and I urge you to go back and check out the drama. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Culture Shifts for Orlando City

The start of the Óscar Pareja era has been one of the most difficult a coach could imagine. Things seemed to be on the right path with the off-season training in Mexico, and even into the start of the regular season despite one draw and one loss. Then COVID-19 threw the world into chaos, and all of Pareja’s plans were out the window. To the credit of Pareja and his staff, they have adapted, improvised. and overcome the circumstances to have the players ready for the MLS is Back Tournament. This is the change in culture Pareja wants to instill in his players, and it seems to be working. The club talked about the confidence the coaches and players had going into the tournament, and it’s being backed up on the pitch. Now, Orlando City has the opportunity to win Group A with either a win or a draw.

Lions Make Team of the Week

A strong showing from Orlando City manifested in MLS Team of the Week honors for Chris Mueller and Pedro Gallese. Uri Rosell managed to make the MLS Team of the Week bench, and Óscar Pareja was also named Coach of the Week. Former Lion Richie Laryea, Mauricio Pineda, and Mensah were all named to the defense. Darlington Nagbe, Alejandro Pozuelo, and Brenden Aaronson joined Mueller in the midfield.  Diego Rossi, Jeremy Ebobisse, and Ayo Akinola rounded out the selections. It is nice to see some Lions make the squad.

Mueller Fueled by His Passion for Soccer

Speaking of Mueller, Orlando City supporters are very familiar with his attitude, drive, and tenacity. His performance so far in the MLS is Back Tournament has brought the attention of the rest of the league. Orlando City has played with a different mentality so far, and it is producing results on the pitch. As mentioned above, Pareja has a philosophy for how he wants this club to play and Mueller is the poster boy for that philosophy. Of course, Mueller is also doing it for his own reasons. Last season, he only started one of the last 12 matches, and saw limited time as a sub. His time on the bench motivated him to work even harder to get back in the starting lineup. That effort is paying off with goals, the respect of his teammates, and attention from the media.

MLS is Back Tournament Results

In the first match Sunday night, the Chicago Fire fell to the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0. Cristian Espinoza scored the first goal of the match in the 56th minute to give San Jose the lead. In the 82nd minute, the 37-year-old Chris Wondolowski entered the match and waited all of one minute before extending San Jose’s lead on a perfect header. With the victory, San Jose wins Group B, and moves on to the knockout rounds.

The late match featured the Seattle Sounders against the Vancouver Whitecaps, with the Sounders cruising to a 3-0 win. Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, and Raul Ruidiaz all found the back of the net as the Sounders secured a spot in the knockout round as well.

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  • Chelsea, Leicester City, and Manchester United are all vying for the last two remaining Champions League spots from the English Premier League. EPL Champions Liverpool and second place Manchester City are already locked in, but this week will have plenty of action to keep an eye on.
  • Goalkeepers have been the highlight of the NWSL Challenge Cup. In fact, the Budweiser woman of the match was awarded to each of the winning keepers in the quarterfinals.
  • La Liga finished its season on Sunday with Real Madrid as champions and Lionel Messi setting another record, this time for assists. While Messi will certainly be a prime candidate for the Ballon d’Or, it will be of little solace as Barcelona finished five points behind the champs.
  • FIFA announced the schedule for the 2022 Men’s World Cup.

That will do it for today. Check back for how to watch tonight’s Orlando City match against the Philadelphia Union. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/30/25

Orlando City players called up, Orlando Pride sign Simone Jackson, USWNT gets ready to play China, and more.

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2 days ago

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May 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a brutal week, but we’ve made it through. Our reward is an exciting weekend of soccer to enjoy to close out the month. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working, but it should still be a nice next few days. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Lions Called Up For International Duty

Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was predictably called up for Peru’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. Peru is ninth in the standings and will take on Colombia June 6 before hosting Ecuador on June 10.

Defender David Brekalo was called up by Slovenian for a pair of friendlies against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These matches will help prepare Slovenia for World Cup qualifying this fall against Sweden, Switzerland, and Kosovo.

A few Young Lions are also heading to Europe for the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland. The U.S. will represent Concacaf at the U-18 tournament, and OCB players Justin Ellis, Colin Guske, and Jackson Platts were called up for it.

Orlando Pride Sign Simone Jackson

The Orlando Pride signed forward Simone Jackson to a contract through the 2028 season. Jackson played at the University of Southern California for four years, recording 22 goals and 13 assists in 75 games, and trained with the Pride during the preseason. Internationally, she’s represented the U.S. at various youth levels and scored a goal in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The 22-year-old gives Orlando some helpful depth up front and can develop her game learning from some of the best attackers in the sport as well.

USWNT Prepares For Friendly Against China

The United States Women’s National Team will take on China Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in the first of two friendlies during this international window. Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to join a young roster as the team builds a foundation before the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Goalkeeper will continue to be a position to watch, as opportunity knocks for Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Mandy McGlynn, and Claudia Dickey to stake a claim as the team’s starter. Following this match, the USWNT will take on Jamaica in St. Louis on Tuesday before a pair of friendlies against Ireland later in June.

Denver’s NWSL Team Hires First General Manager

Denver’s NWSL team hired Curt Johnson to serve as the club’s first general manager. He will have the opportunity to build the team’s roster and staff from the ground up before the team takes the field as an expansion side in 2026. Johnson left the North Carolina Courage in December and was the chief soccer officer when the club dominated the league in 2018 and 2019. It looks like a solid hire in my opinion and I’m interested to see what kind of team he puts together in Denver.

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That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/29/25

Orlando City loses rivalry game, MLS All-Star voting opens, Antonee Robinson undergoes knee surgery, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, Mane Landers. The bad news is that Orlando City lost last night. There’s not much good news, unless you count how I probably lost some weight pacing around my apartment for a few hours annoyed at how the game went. But today is a new day, and with it comes the fact that there’s no soccer to fret over. Before we dive in, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride Head Coach and former Lion Seb Hines a happy birthday! OK, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Falls in Atlanta

The Lions went on the road and lost 3-2 to Atlanta United in a frustrating result that snapped the team’s 12-game unbeaten streak in league play. A solid first half by the Lions was spoiled by a red card to Cesar Araujo late in the second, with Atlanta scoring twice while the Lions were a man down. Head Coach Oscar Pareja was sent off as well, and Orlando was deprived of a great chance to move up in the standings. Orlando will have to shake this off or use it as motivation as it gets set to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday. A much-needed break in the schedule is awaiting the Lions after that match following a busy May.

MLS All-Star Voting Begins

The voting for who will play in this year’s MLS All-Star Game is underway, and a few Lions may have a shot at being selected. Right back Alex Freeman’s case to be an All-Star is backed by statistics, as he’s done well creating chances for others and has three goals himself during his breakout season. Former MLS player Dax McCarty has Freeman on his list of players who deserve selection this year, along with midfielder Martin Ojeda. The 26-year-old Argentine’s eight goals so far are already twice as many goals as he had last season and he’s right up there with some of the league’s best playmakers. McCarty also gave honorable mentions to goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and winger Marco Pasalic. Voting will last through June 11 and the All-Star Game is set to take place on July 23 against Liga MX’s All-Stars in Austin.

Antonee Robinson Undergoes Surgery

Fulham announced that American left back Antonee Robinson underwent successful knee surgery and is expected to be ready for the English club’s next season. The 27-year-old started in 35 of Fulham’s 38 games this past season and did not take part in the Concacaf Nations League. He’ll miss out on this summer’s Gold Cup, but hopefully he has a smooth recovery and benefits from some time off the field before things start up again in Europe.

Chelsea Wins Europa Conference League

Chelsea beat Real Betis 4-1 to win the Europa Conference League, becoming the first club to win all five of UEFA’s men’s club competitions. Real Betis scored first, but Chelsea mounted a comeback and scored four goals in the second half to win. Cole Palmer had a pair of assists to spark the turnaround and Enzo Fernandez had a goal and an assist. It’s a brutal end to Real Betis’ tournament as its wait for its first major trophy continues. The Spanish club is at least bound for the Europa League regardless after placing sixth in the La Liga standings.

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  • Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady was called up by the USMNT to replace Patrick Schulte, who is dealing with an oblique injury. Brady joins a crowded goalkeeping unit that includes Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, and Matt Freese.
  • Welcome to Wrexham was renewed for a fifth season, and only time will tell if another happy ending is in store for the Welsh club when it plays in the EFL Championship.

That’s all I have for you today. This month of ups and downs as an Orlando soccer fan is almost over and there’s some international soccer to obsess over on the horizon. Have a wonderful Thursday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/28/25

Orlando City set to face Atlanta, Banda and Sams recognized, USMNT news, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 28, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day against the rivals from Georgia. Lions against…a common clothing pattern? Needless to say, I’m always ready for a rivalry match, and tonight is no exception. Orlando City is in a good run of form, hopefully that holds true in Atlanta. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads North

Orlando City takes on rival Atlanta United tonight in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s a place where a lot of people can watch soccer played on turf, making it a sub-standard venue. Just in case you are wondering, here is what the opposition feels Atlanta needs to do to win at home. The Lions climbed up to third in MLSsoccer.com’s Power Rankings following the win over the Portland Timbers. We will have your match preview later today, and you can follow The Mane Land Bluesky account for match updates.

Banda and Sams Recognized

A first-half hat trick from Barbra Banda was enough to earn her a spot on the NWSL Team of the Week at CBS.com. Emily Sams also made the Best XI. In fact, there is still time to vote for Banda for NWSL Player of the Week for the aforementioned hat trick performance. You know what to do.

Orlando Pride Power

The Orlando Pride victory over the Utah Royals wasn’t a marquee matchup, but it still garnered plenty of attention. As such, the Pride held onto the third spot in the All for XI Power Rankings. The club was also third in the Goal.com Power Rankings heading into the international break. You know what I think about power rankings, but I’ll accept recognition for my club when it is presented.

Freeman and the USMNT

It didn’t take long after Orlando City defender Alex Freeman received an undervalued offer from Serie A club Parma for the rumors to start up. Freeman’s services are reportedly wanted by teams being promoted to the English Premier League. Perhaps this is a good time for Luiz Muzzi to sign the young defender to a new contract?

Several Americans made waves in Europe, with excellent performances last season from Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Antonee Robinson, and others. Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis face Chelsea in the Europa Conference League final today at 3 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Make sure you check back later as we prepare you for tonight’s match. Vamos Orlando!

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