Lion Links: 9/13/20

Happy Sunday, everyone! Your Lions are unbeaten in five games (3-0-2) and have established once again that Florida is Purple with last night’s win over Inter Miami. The Young Lions didn’t quite measure up against the Herons’ USL League One counterparts, but we’ll take the MLS win and be happy.

It’s a big weekend for me in terms of fixing our landscaping and I’m not stoked about being outside in the heat and humidity to plant flowers and shrubs and lay sod. That’s not my idea of fun, but it must be done. Hopefully we’ll get through it quickly and painlessly. Hey, at least I’ve already watched this week’s episode of Ted Lasso.

There’s plenty to talk about so let’s get to the news of the day.

Orlando City Wins Rubber Match vs. Inter Miami

After splitting the first two Tropic Thunder meetings, Orlando City seized the advantage with a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami last night at Exploria Stadium. Mauricio Pereyra played a role in both goals, delivering the free kick that led to an Andres Reyes own goal in the 34th minute and then scoring a nice game-winner in the 69th. Magic Mo was one of several Orlando players to have good outings against the Herons, who visited Exploria for the first time, only to leave with the bitter taste of defeat on their tongues.

Check back with The Mane Land later for our player grades and Man of the Match from Dave Rohe, our five takeaways from Scott Carnevale, and a photo gallery from Dan MacDonald.

Orlando Pride Release Fall Series Roster

The Orlando Pride announced the players who will be competing for the club during the 2020 NWSL Fall Series, which begins (for the Pride, anyway) on Sept. 19. There are a lot of new faces on short-term contracts. Defenders Julie King and Morgan Reid have still not been medically cleared to play.

One interesting nugget in the Pride’s release was the news that the club traded a second-round pick to the Chicago Red Stars earlier this year for an international slot, which expired on Sept. 1. Seems a high price to rent an international slot for such a short period and it’s a shame the team didn’t get to use it due to Orlando’s withdrawal from the NWSL Challenge Cup. Here’s the squad that will take the field for the Pride this fall:

Goalkeepers (2): Ashlyn Harris (FED-USA), Brittany Wilson.

Defenders (6): Ally Haran (STC), Ali Krieger (FED-USA), Carrie Lawrence (STC), Courtney Petersen, Konya Plummer (INTL-JAM), Toni Pressley.

Midfielders (7): Deneisha Blackwood (STC; INTL-JAM), Jordyn Listro (STC; INTL-CAN), Marta (INTL-BRA), Zandy Soree (STC), Savanah Uveges (STC), Marisa Viggiano, Chelsee Washington.

Forwards (4): Kristen Edmonds, Abby Elinsky, Kate Howarth (STC), Sydney Leroux.

FED: Federation Player
INTL: International Player
STC: Short-Term Contract Player

OCB Falls Again on Road

While Orlando City was beating Inter Miami, the Young Lions of OCB were in South Florida, where they lost 2-0 to Fort Lauderdale CF. The current road trip hasn’t been kind to OCB, who lost 1-0 at Omaha on Sept. 6 and followed that up with last night’s defeat at the hands (wings?) of the Young Herons. The Young Lions have one more match away from home against the Richmond Kickers next Saturday before returning to Kissimmee on Sept. 26 to play New England Revolution II.

Big Day for U.S. Players Abroad

Tyler Adams and Josh Sargent played big roles in their teams winning yesterday in DFP-Pokal first-round action in a day filled with U.S. players contributing overseas. Adams and Red Bull Leipzig won 3-0 over Nurnberg, while Sargent scored in Werder Bremen’s 2-0 victory against Carl Zeiss Jena. Both Adams and Sargent had Man of the Match outings. Here’s Sargent’s goal:

Meanwhile, Julian Green scored the game-winner in Greuther Furth’s 6-1 win over RSV Meinerzhagen. That sounds like a beatdown but Gruether Furth scored five (!) goals in stoppage time to bust open a tight game. Elsewhere, Tim Ream went 90 minutes for Fulham but Antonee Robinson didn’t make the match day roster in a 3-0 loss to Arsenal. Konrad de la Fuente featured for Barcelona in a friendly. Reggie Cannon scored a goal for Boavista FC in a 4-1 friendly win over Tondela.

Free Kicks

• Former Lion Brek Shea was a bit salty after last night’s video review first gave Miami a penalty and a second yellow to Rodrigo Schlegel but then further review revealed that the visitors were offside before the foul. Shea said the review took “15 minutes” but in actuality it was three. Sorry, Brek. Tell your boy to stay onside.
• If you’re one of those folks who plan ahead, here are some key dates for the USWNT in 2021:

• If you like it when Atlanta United loses, well, you’re in luck. The Five Stripes dropped their second game of the week last night in a 4-2 defeat at Nashville.
• New York City FC’s Maxi Moralez sustained another injury and had to be subbed out of his team’s 2-1 win over FC Cincinnati last night.
• Those born on this date include Mission: Impossible and Space: 1999 actress Barbara Bain (1931), former Chicago vocalist/bassist Peter Cetera (1944), Gimme a Break! star Nell Carter (1948), actress Jean Smart (1951), music producer Don Was (1952), photographer/designer Anne Geddes (1956), Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine (1961), comedian Jeff Ross (1965), Olympic track gold medalist Michael Johnson (1967), actor/director Tyler Perry (1969), Fiona Apple (1977), and Germany/Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Thomas Müller (1989).

That’s my time for today, folks. Be sure to check back throughout the day for more coverage of last night’s Orlando City win and enjoy what’s left of your weekend.