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Lion Links: 9/19/20

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6 years ago

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope everyone had a good week as we approach another Orlando City game day. Tonight, we get a break from our southeastern rivals and take on the Chicago Fire for the first time in 2020. The Orlando Pride finally get their season started today as well. We have much to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando Takes on the Fire Tonight

We get a fresh new opponent tonight as the Lions host the Chicago Fire tonight at 7:30 p.m. You can watch the match locally on My 35 Plus and out of market on ESPN+. The Fire have only won once in their last six matches since the MLS is Back Tournament and have struggled defensively. But the Lions have faltered on defense as well, with no shutouts in Phase 1 and a back line that has seen a few injuries. Orlando is also seeking consistency throughout a match, as the four conceded goals in the past four matches all came in the second half.

Offensively, six different Lions have found the back of the net for a total of 11 scored goals during Phase 1. However, the Lions haven’t scored more than once in the past three games. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja has been tinkering with the lineup and shared his thoughts on the challenge of balancing the roster with so many games in such a short time.

“We had tried first to go with the first initial team that we had, which is trying to be consistent with the group until we have a good development of the model of the idea of the game. And I think we have accomplished that,” Pareja said. “Sometimes we want to do everything at once, have consistency, have the regular lineup, we can have a good memory of what we want [on] the field.

“At the same time, you want to rotate players and keep them healthy. And sometimes you cannot do all of them at [the same] time. You have to choose one or another.”

The Orlando Pride begin the NWSL Fall Series

The Orlando Pride begin their 2020 season today as they travel to take on the North Carolina Courage. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and you can watch this match on CBS. This will be the first time the Pride take the field in almost a year. Their last match was on Oct. 12 against Reign FC to end the 2019 season and the club withdrew from the NWSL Challenge Cup earlier this year due to the coronavirus. The roster will look vastly different from a year ago, with a mixture of veterans and younger players. Despite having many players on loan, there will still be some familiar faces on the squad. Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger and Sydney Leroux will be available, along with six-time FIFA Player of the Year Marta. We’ll also see Toni Pressley and Kristen Edmonds return to the team. We could also see some of the club’s 2020 NWSL College Draft picks as Courtney Petersen, Konya Plummer, and Chelsee Washington could make their debuts today. The North Carolina Courage defeated the Houston Dash 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller last week.

Orlando City B Match Postponed

Orlando City B had a match scheduled today as the Young Lions were set to visit the Richmond Kickers, but the match was postponed. The decision to postpone the USL League One match was made following a positive COVID-19 test from someone in the Orlando City B organization. The league has not announced a rescheduled date just yet, but it will be determined at a later time.

Kei Kamara on the Move Again

Minnesota United will reportedly acquire MLS veteran Kei Kamara in exchange for allocation money and a draft pick from the Colorado Rapids. Kamara was in good form for the Rapids with three goals this season, but with a young rebuilding squad, the 36-year-old was deemed expendable. For Minnesota, this move could give Orlando City’s old boss, Adrian Heath, needed depth at the forward position to pair with Luis Amarilla (who is currently out due to injury) and Mason Toye. The Rapids were shopping Kamara around for awhile and he will be well rested after not playing the past two matches. This will be Kamara’s eighth MLS team and he is currently fifth on the all-time MLS goal-scoring list with 129 goals.

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  • Who’s ready for the juggle challenge? Let me know in the comments below if you feel you can do it.

  • The Orlando Pride launched an initiative to continue the conversations against racism and police brutality. Black players will wear warm-up shirts featuring the names of people who have been killed by police or due to their race while the rest of the team will wear the message, “Say their names.”

  • Alex Morgan completed her first day of training with Tottenham Hotspur.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your weekend, stay safe, and go Lions!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/19/26

Lions set for international duty, lessons from MLS matchday 14, Austin FC makes changes at the top, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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May 19, 2026

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Image of Marco Pasalic saluting the fans.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! It wasn’t a particularly successful weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, but we don’t have time to dwell on the past. Orlando City is set for a big U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against Atlanta United tonight, and all three teams will be back in action over the weekend. We’ve got a whole host of things to talk about today, so let’s jump straight into the links.

Lions Called Up for International Duty

A busy summer break from MLS is almost upon us, and that means that the international call-ups are starting to roll in. Gustavo Caraballo will be joining Venezuela’s U-20 outfit as it gets ready for an upcoming youth tournament.

In addition, Marco Pasalic has been named to Croatia’s World Cup squad, so Orlando City will be represented on the biggest stage.

Congrats to both players!

Lessons from Matchday 14

Matchday 14 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so let’s take a look at what we learned from the weekend’s action. For one thing, despite a slightly slow start to the season by his high standards, Hany Mukhtar’s hat trick against LAFC proved that he should still be considered among the league’s elite. Marco Reus flashed his versatility in the LA Galaxy’s 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, as he played striker and got an assist on LA’s first goal. Finally, while its too early to say things are definitely turned around for Sporting Kansas City, back-to-back wins means that there’s at least something to get excited about, and that’s very welcome in a season that’s been difficult for the most part. The spine of Sporting’s midfield looked improved on Saturday, and having Dejan Jovelic up top is never going to hurt a team’s chances.

Austin FC Makes Personnel Changes

Austin FC followed in the footsteps of the Columbus Crew by announcing the firing of head coach Nico Estevez on Monday. Where Austin went a step further was by also firing sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. The team has begun searches for permanent appointments to both positions immediately, while naming Davy Arnaud as interim manager in what will be his second stint in that role with the club. Austin has endured a difficult start to the season and is currently 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 3-6-5 and 14 points from 14 matches. The 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday seems to have been the final straw, and Austin will now be seeking its third permanent head coach since becoming an MLS club.

Americans in Midweek Action

Most major European seasons have already wrapped up or will be doing so shortly, but there’s still a number of Americans who will be competing during the working week. Things get started later today when Tyler Adams and Bournemouth play host to Manchester City in Premier League action. The stakes ratchet up considerably on Thursday when Kevin Paredes and Wolfsburg play Paderborn in the first leg of the Bundesliga’s promotion/relegation tie. Things then finish up on Friday when Yunus Musah and Atalanta travel to take on Fiorentina in Serie A.

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That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/18/26

Lions draw Atlanta United, Pride and OCB lose, Americans abroad, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 18, 2026

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Image of Griffin Dorsey playing against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve had a busy week covering high school playoff water polo and soccer. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw Atlanta United

Orlando City drew Atlanta United 1-1 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Griffin Dorsey scored the opener for the Lions in the first half. Orlando was moments away from securing back-to-back wins. However, the Lions could not hold onto the lead, as Jay Fortune scored a late equalizer for Atlanta, and both teams ended up with a point. It will be a busy week for Orlando City, facing Atlanta United again Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup at home, followed by a road trip to take on FC Cincinnati Saturday at TQL Stadium.

Pride Fall to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride fell 3-1 in their first road match against Denver Summit FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday. It’s the second consecutive match in a week the Pride have lost to a 2026 NWSL expansion team on the road, following a defeat to Boston Legacy FC on Tuesday. Orlando conceded the first goal and trailed 1-0 at halftime. In the second half, Janine Sonis scored a penalty kick goal to give Denver a 2-0 lead. Angelina was sent off with a red card before Barbra Banda pulled one back, but Sonis added her second goal immediately after the Pride scored to put away Denver’s first-ever home win. The Pride will look to bounce back on the road, taking on the San Diego Wave Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium.

OCB Concedes Late in 1-0 Road Loss to New England Revolution II

Orlando City B fell 1-0 to New England Revolution II on the road Sunday at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI. Both teams struggled to score throughout the match, and it looked like the match was heading to a 0-0 draw and a shootout. However, Judah Siqueira scored a winner for New England in the dying moments of the match for the hosts. The result ends the Young Lions’ four-match points streak. OCB will return home to face Inter Miami II Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Americans Abroad

Auston Trusty played a full 90 minutes and helped Celtic overturn a 1-0 deficit to complete the comeback and defeat Hearts 3-1 to secure the club’s fifth straight Scottish Premiership title. Antonee Robinson scored his first Premier League goal for Fulham in a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Chris Richards came off the bench and played 29 minutes for Crystal Palace in a 2-2 draw against Brentford but suffered an ankle injury toward the end of the match. Christian Pulisic made his return to AC Milan after being sidelined with a lower back injury and came off the bench in the second half in a 2-1 win against Genoa. Ricardo Pepi scored for PSV Eindhoven in a 5-1 win against FC Twente. George Bello and Sam Adeniran helped LASK capture its first Austrian Bundesliga title since 1965, defeating Austria Vienna 3-0 and booking a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League playoff round.

Manchester City Defeats Chelsea to Win FA Cup

Manchester City defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium Saturday to win the English FA Cup. After a scoreless first half, Antoine Semenyo’s lone goal in the second half was enough to pull Manchester City to victory and keep the club’s domestic treble hopes alive. It’s Manchester City’s second FA Cup trophy in four years.

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  • Orlando City midfielder Gustavo Caraballo has been called up to the Venezuela U-20 Men’s National Team for the upcoming Maurice Revello Tournament in France.
  • Orlando Pride defender Kylie Nadaner gave birth to her first child over the weekend.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/15/26

Martin Ojeda earns recognition, Orlando City prepares for Atlanta United, Orlando Pride set to face the Denver Summit, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s plenty of soccer ahead of us to look forward to this weekend, including a pair of games on Saturday. Apart from the soccer, I’ll be spending the next few days tearing my way through some mystery novels for a book club and trying out a new cinnamon roll pancake recipe. Cooking tends to either go swimmingly or horribly for me, so keep any spare fingers crossed for me. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Earns Praise After Winning Goal

Orlando City star Martin Ojeda’s diving header secured a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Union was chosen as the MLS Moment of the Matchday. Given how a league-record 58 goals were scored during Wednesday’s slate of games, it’s an impressive honor for Ojeda to receive. That winner was Ojeda’s second goal of the game and he has now scored 10 game-winning goals in his time as a Lion. The 27-year-old also made the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday for his role in the win.

Orlando City Prepares for Atlanta United

The Lions will look to keep the good times rolling on Saturday when they play Atlanta United in a rivalry game at home. While its defense has been a sieve all season, Orlando’s offense is finding its footing and should benefit from Marco Pasalic’s return from injury. Following this match, the two teams will turn right back around and face each other at Inter&Co Stadium again on Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. It will be interesting to see what kind of lineup each coach opts for on Saturday given the short time between the matches.

Orlando Pride Face the Denver Summit on Saturday

The Orlando Pride are also in action on Saturday and will play the Denver Summit in the club’s first-ever road game against the expansion side. The Pride are coming off of a frustrating 2-1 loss on the road to the Boston Legacy on Tuesday, while the Summit’s last game was on Saturday, when they thrashed the Houston Dash 4-1. While Barbra Banda leads the league with eight goals so far this season, Denver’s Natasha Flint has scored in three consecutive games and the Pride will need to find a way to stop her from extending that streak on Saturday. Other notable NWSL games to watch this weekend include the Washington Spirit putting their five-game win streak on the line tonight against the San Diego Wave and Sunday’s matchup between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC.

Sam Kerr Officially Exiting Chelsea

Australian striker Sam Kerr announced that she’s leaving Chelsea once her contract is up following this Women’s Super League season. She’s played for Chelsea for the past six years, scoring 115 goals across all competitions and winning the league title five times and the Golden Boot twice. The 32-year-old has been linked with a return to the NWSL to join the Denver Summit earlier this year, so we’ll see if that comes to pass. If so, I’m glad the Pride would already have both of their matches against the Summit out of the way by the time of her arrival.

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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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