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Lion Links: 8/27/20

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6 years ago

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Happy Thursday, Lionesses and Lions, as ever I sincerely hope you overcame your hump day with ease. Orlando City made its return to the Exploria Stadium in front of a sparse, socially distanced, yet present crowd with a win against Nashville SC. Because of that, this hump day was much easier than the past weekend was for fans of Orlando soccer.

Along with the Orlando City win, there was also a great deal of news that occurred as well. With that, let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Cruises Past Nashville SC in Exploria Return

Orlando City managed it’s first win of the, well, as close to “regular” as it can be MLS season, beating Nashville SC, 3-1. The Lions played very well, dictating possession in the protagonistic way which Oscar Pareja prefers and the young Americans — Chris Mueller and Daryl Dike — were responsible for the three goals. Mueller forced in an equalizing header in the 21st minute and Dike scored the second and third, which saw the Lions across the line. Orlando City will be full of confidence going into the next game against Southern rivals, Atlanta United, away from home come Saturday.

Check back at TML later today for Dave Rohe’s five takeaways from the match and Michael Citro’s player grades and Man of the Match.

Weston McKennie is Reportedly Juventus Bound

Schalke and USMNT midfielder Weston Mckennie looks set to move to Juventus. The ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano reported the news and it appears as if the American midfielder is Turin bound. While some have reservations over the switch from the Bundesliga to Serie A, for the American and America as a whole, the move is one of gigantic proportions. I Bianconeri has won the Scudetto nine times running and it would be safe to bet on the side winning again next season as well. McKennie would be the first ever American to win the Serie A league title if Juventus bags the trophy again. 

It is reported that the side now managed by Andrea Pirlo will be bringing the 21-year-old in on loan for one-year and an €18 million Euro ($21 million) option to buy will be attached to the Texan Schalke midfielder.

Lionel Messi May be En Route to MLS

CBS Soccer has reported that Manchester City is weighing up an offer for superstar and face of Barcelona, Lionel Messi. The report states that Manchester City may sign the Argentine on a three-year deal that would then see Messi move to partner club, NYCFC, after the 36-month tenure in England comes to an end. Even at the ripe age of what will be 36, it would be a massive coup for MLS. However, with this link coming to light there is also still a great deal of clubs interested in Messi’s signature — Juventus, PSG, Manchester United, and basically everybody else as well, also seem to be interested in signing the 33-year-old who has been playing for Barcelona for 20 years. 

Olympique Lyon Feminin Reach Fifth Consecutive UEFA Women’s Cup Final

Captain Wendie Renard scored to book Olympique Lyon Feminin a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League final with a thunderous header, knocking out PSG. With Lyon on to the final, if the French side win, it will be it’s fifth consecutive UEFA Women’s cup title and seventh overall, which is the most out of any other side. Lyon is the favorite to win going into the trophy decider against Wolfsburg come Sunday. The previous final between the two sides in the final this season was during the 2017-2018 season. On that day Lyon emphatically prevailed by a margin of 4-1.

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  • An unnamed Orlando CIty player has returned an inconclusive COVID-19 test. The club mentioned a statement stating so and that the player was isolate from the rest of the squad while he awaits results from a second test. The anonymous individual was the only person who saw a test come back inconclusive. Those who didn’t appear on the team sheet last night include Antonio Carlos, Tesho Akindele, Joey DeZart, and David Loera, if you want to speculate (we don’t).
  • Orlando City supporters will be able to watch Lions’ loanee Santiago Patino at Cimarrones de Sonora on TUDN this season, starting today. Patino may not be settled in there yet, so he may not play against Cancun F.C. at 9:55 p.m., but it’ll be handy to watch him when he is ready to go.

  • FC Cincinnati has shown interest in English midfielder Marcus Maddison. The 26-year-old attacker is currently a free agent after his contract with Peterborough United expired after making 249 appearances with the club. He spent the last half of the season on loan at Hull City and only made seven appearances.
  • Yesterday was National Women’s Equality Day, and Pride supporters can enter to win a pair of tickets for the 2021 season. The link to enter remains available until Friday and the link can be found here.
  • The MLS Twitter page voiced it’s support for equality upon the horrifying Jacob Blake shooting. Aside than Orlando City’s match vs. Nashville, none of the other scheduled MLS games too place.

That’ll do, pig. That is all for today’s set of links. As always, I’ll catch you on the flip side.

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Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

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17 hours ago

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October 23, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

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  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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

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Lion Links: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

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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: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

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

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