Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/23/20

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all are hanging in there as October drones on. I’m still trying to get all my ducks in a row before a busy November and the holiday season. Thankfully, we have both Orlando City and Orlando City B action tomorrow afternoon to look forward to. Before we get started on today’s links, let’s wish a happy 23rd birthday to forward Benji Michel!
Daryl Dike Named to MLS 22 Under 22 List
While Michel turns 23 today, fellow Orlando forward Daryl Dike is 20 years old and has done well enough in his rookie season to land on the MLS 22 under 22 list. Ranking at number 10 on the list, Dike’s physicality and finishing ability has made him a strong contender for MLS Rookie of the Year and he’s done well for Orlando with four goals and three assists this year.
One of the top prospects heading into the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, Dike fell to Orlando with the fifth pick and has become a good fit in the center forward position. A season-ending injury to Dom Dwyer earlier this year and a knock to Tesho Akindele opened the door for Dike after he impressed both Oscar Pareja and Luiz Muzzi in training. With five games left this regular season and the playoffs on the horizon, there’s plenty of opportunity for Dike to continue his growth as a Lion.
Lions Near Debuts and Returns
Orlando supporters may get their first look at Matheus Aias tomorrow. After a long wait, the Brazilian forward is finally available for the Lions according to Pareja. Ecuadorian winger Alexander Alvarado is also up for selection, although he likely won’t play tomorrow as he’ll need some time to train under Pareja’s system.
Pareja on Alex Alvarado: "We need just to adapt him a little bit on the the team, the idea, and the way we do things here. We're trying to accelerate the process."
— x – The Clinched Land, an MLS Playoff Blog (@TheManeLand) October 22, 2020
They won’t be the only reinforcements for Orlando. The quarantines for both goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and midfielder Sebas Mendez are in their final day today, giving Pareja some needed help as the team jockeys for playoff position.
Battle for Florida Heats Up
Orlando City will take on Inter Miami tomorrow in the fourth match between the two sides this season and there is plenty to watch for. The Lions beat Miami 2-1 in Exploria Stadium on Sept. 12, but fell to the Herons on the road back on Aug. 22 in their only loss since the MLS is Back Tournament. Orlando will travel to Miami again this weekend, except Miami supporters will be allowed in the stands this time around.
The match is important for both sides as the playoffs near. With injuries and players gone for international duty, Orlando’s center back pairing of Robin Jansson and Antonia Carlos has held it down in defense as one of the more underrated units in MLS. As for Miami’s defense, center back Andres Reyes is ready to return after undergoing surgery for a facial injury earlier this season. I must admit, Reyes looks pretty darn cool with the mask he’ll be wearing in the match if he plays.
Andrés Reyes is back in training! 🦇#InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/hEVs2AUvii
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) October 22, 2020
Crystal Dunn Traded to the Portland Thorns
With the National Women’s Soccer League season over, Crystal Dunn is heading west to join the Portland Thorns after a three-team trade. Formerly with the North Carolina Courage, Dunn was initially traded to OL Reign for goalkeeper Casey Murphy and $140,000 in allocation money. Then the Thorns acquired Dunn in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, $200,000 in allocation money, and an international roster spot. The move was sparked by Dunn’s desire to be with her husband, the head athletic trainer for the Thorns. Dunn will also reunite with Thorns Head Coach Mark Parsons, who coached Dunn during her MVP season with the Washington Spirit in 2015.
The NWSL Broke Records in 2020
Despite all of the challenges that come from playing during a pandemic, the NWSL had a remarkable season. It was the first U.S. professional team sport to return this summer and the first to successfully play in a ‘bubble’ situation. In addition, the 2020 Challenge Cup did well during an uncertain time for sports. The league also signed a great broadcast and streaming contract with CBS and Twitch for the Fall Series. All seven of the games broadcast on CBS were the seven most-watched games in NWSL history. On top of that, NWSL mentions on social media skyrocketed by 152% and the league received more media coverage as well. Add in the growing excitement for Racing Louisville FC and Angel City FC, and it all shapes up to be an exciting future for the league.
Free Kicks
- The Columbus Crew and center back Jonathan Mensah agreed to a multi-year contract extension. The Ghanaian defender has had a great season so far and is a leading candidate for MLS Defensive Player of the Year.
- Given concerns about the coronavirus, Australia will no longer be making the trip to Europe next month for friendlies and training camps, including a planned friendly against the United States Men’s National Team.
- Changes were made to the United States Hall of Fame election process to help keep the focus on who made each year’s class rather than who did not. Committees were made to aid in both the screening and voting process, and each class will feature two players, a veteran, and a builder.
- MLS is collaborating with Girls Academy, a youth soccer platform with over 7,500 players across the U.S., to help develop young players for careers in the sport.
- Phoenix Rising reinstated head coach Rick Schantz ahead of the team’s USL Championship playoff game tomorrow night. Schantz was placed on administrative leave for being dismissive after the incident involving San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin being called an anti-gay slur during a match. After receiving an apology from Schantz, Martin urged for the coach’s reinstatement.
That’s going to do it for today, folks. I hope you all have a great Friday and a fantastic weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/19/25
Halliday and Lodeiro are out, Cartagena’s season is over, the SheBelieves Cup starts tomorrow, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City continues to see more departures than arrivals to the roster with the season opener looming this weekend. Sure would be cool if the Lions added an experienced MLS striker this week. Alas, I feel it’s not in the cards. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
In better news, it’s Marta’s 39th birthday! Happy nirthday to the captain from all of us here at The Mane Land. Let’s get to the links.
Lions Say Goodbye to Halliday, Lodeiro
Both Michael Halliday and Nico Lodeiro have departed Orlando City. Halliday was traded to the Houston Dynamo for a first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. With Dagur Dan Thorhallsson starting at right back and Alex Freeman moving into the number two spot behind him, it made sense for Halliday to try to get minutes elsewhere.
Nico Lodeiro mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club. Lodeiro’s departure will free up $800,000 salary for the club and allow Lodeiro to pursue more playing time at another club. According to Tom Bogert, that club may also be the Houston Dynamo. Given Lodeiro’s role off the bench for Orlando City, this is a move that makes sense for both the player and the club.
Cartagena Out for the Season
While the news was expected, Orlando City officially placed Wilder Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The midfielder suffered the injury in the preseason match against Atletico Mineiro. The surgery on his left Achilles tendon was successful, but he will still be out for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, the Lions brought in Eduard Atuesta to shore up the midfield. While Orlando City may even be better with Atuesta on the pitch, losing Cartagena still hurts the team depth.
Orlando City in the Top 10?
The off-season was not as long as usual, thanks to Orlando City’s run to the Eastern Conference final. Despite the shorter time frame, I had forgotten how useless, dumb, and yet fun power rankings can be. I’d warn you against spoilers, but these rankings mean absolutely nothing — especially before a match has been played — so I’ll just tell you that the Lions came in at number nine. However, I won’t spoil why they made the top 10, nor which Ft. Lauderdale based club is in the top spot.
SheBelieves Cup Starts Thursday
The USWNT plays its first match of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup Thursday at 8 p.m. The match will take place at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Unless you plan on traveling to Texas, you’ll have to watch it on TV or streaming. The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams is on the squad and will hopefully see some minutes for Emma Hayes.
Free Kicks
- The Philadelphia Union signed striker Bruno Damiani from Uruguayan club Nacional. At least one team playing at Inter&Co Stadium this weekend signed a striker.
- Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah are out of the UEFA Champions League thanks to AC Milan’s 2-1 aggregate loss to Feyenoord.
- In the “I can’t relate to that level of money but I still feel sorry for the guy” category, LAFC striker Olivier Giroud had approximately $500,000 worth of jewelry stolen when his Los Angeles home was burglarized.
- U.S. Soccer has reached an agreement with Westwood One Sports for the network to serve as their new domestic English-language audio partner.
- In the “isn’t that mildly interesting” category, Pete Mangione will appear for FC Cincinnati.
- When Chase Adams scored 10 goals in the U-17 USMNT’s 22-0 victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands in the 2025 Concacaf U-17 qualifiers, he broke Erling Haaland’s international goal-scoring record. That’s just icing on the top of the 22-goal cake.
That will do it for today. Check back everyday as we get you ready for the season opener on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/18/25
Orlando City signs Joran Gerbet, two Lions reportedly heading out the door, Orlando Pride celebrate 10th year of play, and more.

Happy Tuesday and happy Orlando City matchweek everyone! The season opener is almost upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited to get back into Inter&Co Stadium with all of you wonderful people. I’ll keep this brief because we have a whole glut of news to get to this morning. Let’s dive into these links.
Orlando City Signs Joran Gerbet
Orlando City announced Monday that the team has signed Joran Gerbet through the 2025 MLS season, with options for the next three seasons. The central midfielder was the team’s first-round selection in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, and he’s done some good stuff during OCSC’s preseason preparations. The arrival of Eduard Atuesta means that Gerbet will be able to work his way into the team slowly without any undue pressure, although he’s shown enough during the preseason to expect him to start getting minutes from the bench much sooner rather than later. That will especially be the case if our next news item proves to be a reliable one.
Two Lions Reportedly on the Move
A pair of Lions could be on their way out the door very soon, as Tom Bogert is reporting that the Houston Dynamo are on the verge of signing Nico Lodeiro and Michael Halliday. He adds that the terms for Halliday’s signings are set, while the Lodeiro deal is likely to go through but is not quite done yet. There is no word yet on what Orlando will receive in return, but as Bogert doesn’t mention any players coming over in exchange, it’s likely that it’ll involve General Allocation Money, cash, a draft pick, an international slot, or some combination of those. We will bring you more on this story as it develops, so keep your eyes peeled.
Orlando Pride Celebrate 10th Year of Play
The 2025 season will be the 10th of the Orlando Pride’s existence, and the club will celebrate that fact for the duration of the upcoming campaign. Things will kick off on March 2 with the 10 Years of Pride Kickoff Party and continue from there with Pints With Pride, and the NWSL Challenge Cup. Pride Season Ticket Members will get a complimentary 2025 replica jersey as part of their STM package, and there will be numerous events hosted by the club throughout the season to celebrate the Pride’s 10th year.
Americans in Midweek Action
Plenty of Americans will take part in games during the working week, and UEFA Champions League play once again features heavily. Things start later today when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Feyenoord. They’ll be followed by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic as they try to likewise come back from a 2-1 first leg deficit against Bayern Munich. Wednesday sees Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund host Sporting CP, which holds a commanding 3-0 lead after the first leg, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus have a more precarious 2-1 lead against PSV Eindhoven and its quartet of injured Americans.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday saw some big transfers completed in Major League Soccer, so let’s get all caught up. FC Cincinnati set an MLS trade record by sending $12 million in cash, and $150,000 in incentives to the Portland Timbers in exchange for Evander, who joins FCC as a Designated Player. In order to replace the outgoing Brazilian, Portland signed David Da Costa from Ligue 1 side Lens. The fee is said to be in the region of $6 million and he’ll join the Timbers as a DP on a four-year deal. The Vancouver Whitecaps completed the signing of striker Daniel Rios on loan from Chivas de Guadalajara for the duration of the 2025 season, with the deal also including a purchase option. Finally, the Columbus Crew signed goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to a contract extension through the 2027 season with an additional option year for 2028.
Free Kicks
- It’s matchweek and the boys are happy to be back.
- In case you forgot, Seb Hines is still that dude.
- The Concacaf Champions Cup match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami has been postponed to Feb. 19 due to anticipated adverse weather.
- Real Valladolid has fired manager Diego Cocca after eight games in charge.
That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/17/25
Lions draw in Tampa vs. Inter Miami in final preseason match, Pride sign Cori Dyke to a new contract and add Oihane Hernandez, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy President’s Day! I hope you all are doing well down in Florida over the holiday weekend. I’ve been covering high school playoff basketball and hockey over the past week. Orlando City’s home opener is coming up Saturday, and like many of you, I look forward to seeing what the Lions can do during the 2025 MLS season. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Draw Inter Miami 2-2 in Final Preseason Match
In its final preseason match, Orlando City could not hold onto the lead and got out of Tampa with a 2-2 draw against rival Inter Miami Friday at Raymond James Stadium. The Lions were up 2-1 with goals from Martin Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique, but Fafa Picault scored the equalizer in stoppage time. Orlando finishes its 2025 preseason without a win for the first time in club history. The 2025 MLS season will kick off this weekend as Orlando City will face the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium.
Orlando Pride Add Defender Oihane Hernandez
On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced a new addition as the club signed defender Oihane Hernandez from Real Madrid Femenil for an undisclosed transfer fee. The contract is a two-year deal through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027. The 24-year-old right back played two seasons with Real Madrid Femenil, notching two assists in 31 appearances. Hernandez also brings international experience playing with the Spanish Women’s National Team and was part of the squad that won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Hernandez’s joins a growing right back position group, which includes Brianna Martinez and…
Orlando Pride Sign Cori Dyke to Contract Extension
The Orlando Pride extended the contract of defender Cori Dyke after a stellar rookie year last season. Dyke’s new contract is through the 2027 season. The 24-year-old defender made 26 appearances, started 21 matches, logged 1,095 minutes, and stepped up to play right back to help Orlando win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last season. It’s the third contract she has signed with the club in less than a year. Dyke’s role with the club for 2025 remains to be seen, but she has proven to be a versatile player.
MLS Transfer Roundup
We are four days away from kicking off of the 2025 MLS season, and there are still some notable transfer moves happening across the league. The Colorado Rapids have reportedly acquired midfielder Josh Atencio from the Seattle Sounders in exchange for $1.3 million in General Allocation Money plus add-ons. Atencio will be an MLS U22 Initiative player on the Rapids roster. Meanwhile, Brazilian side Botafogo is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Santi Rodriguez from New York City FC.
Toronto FC has signed forward Ola Brynhildsen on loan for the 2025 season from Danish side FC Midtjylland, which includes a purchase option. LAFC has transferred forward Cristian Olivera to Gremio in Brazil for a reported $4.5 million, which includes a sell-on fee. Lastly, Palmeiras is reportedly finalizing a deal with the Houston Dynamo to sign center back Micael for a club record fee.
Free Kicks
- The District Press released its 2025 MLS jersey rankings, and Orlando City was ranked 19th on their lists.
- Former Lion Daryl Dike returned to the pitch for West Brom over the weekend, coming off the bench in the second half against Millwall after being sidelined for over a year dealing with multiple injuries. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
- Former Orlando Pride defender Carrie Lawrence has found a new role after retiring from professional soccer at the end of last season. She was named the director of global women’s soccer recruitment for Young Money APAA Sports.
- Check out this article from Goal.com on how Orlando has established itself as a soccer city over the years.
- Bay FC goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland announced her retirement from professional soccer after a 10-year career in which she won four NWSL championship titles.
- Manchester United forward Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury while training and will likely be out for the remainder of the season.
- New York City FC midfielder James Sands, who is on loan at St. Pauli, underwent surgery on Sunday to repair a serious right ankle injury he suffered during their match on Friday against Freiburg that will keep him sidelined indefinitely. No timetable is set for his return.
- The U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Cuba 2-0 to wrap up Group F play and has qualified for the U-17 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in November in Qatar.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
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