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Lion Links: 10/30/20

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4 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? October is nearly over and then we just have two months to go until this year ends, so hang in there folks. I’m still reveling in Orlando City’s win over Atlanta earlier this week and am looking forward to even more soccer this weekend. Before we jump into today’s links, let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride and New Zealand defender Ali Riley!

Daryl Dike and Chris Mueller Earn Recognition

After a dominant performance in Orlando’s win, Dike was named as a starter on the MLS Team of the Week for the first time. The rookie had a goal and assist, but really shined in his hold-up play and tenacity both with and without the ball at his feet. Although he wasn’t able to edge out Chris Wondolowski for Player of the Week, Dike finished third in the voting with a nice share of support with fans.

Mueller didn’t make the Team of the Week, but he was nominated for Goal of the Week thanks to his goal right before halftime off of a free kick.

The curling strike gave Orlando some breathing room in the match and kept Mueller in the discussion for the Golden Boot with nine goals, although it would take a serious run of form in the last three games to overtake Diego Rossi’s 13.

Lions Build Momentum Before Postseason

Orlando’s win came at just the right time for the club, ending a rough four-game skid and winning the season series against Atlanta United. It was Head Coach Oscar Pareja’s 112th win in MLS, tying him with Steve Nicol at ninth on the all-time list and just a win away from tying Ben Olsen.

The result also kept Orlando’s unbeaten home record intact and the Lions’ last two games of the season will be in Exploria Stadium. But before that, Orlando must travel to New Jersey to take on the Montreal Impact on Sunday. The last time the two sides met was in the MLS is Back Tournament when Orlando won 1-0 in the knockout round. The Lions will try to maintain momentum and stay near the top of the Eastern Conference standings while the Impact fight to claim one of the two playoff spots left.

Breaking Down Dike’s Goal

Orlando’s first goal against Atlanta was a team effort and former Lion Miguel Gallardo picked out the key moments in its buildup. From Nani’s positioning to Tesho Akindele’s run to peel a defender and open up space for Dike to spin and score, the goal showcased what’s made Orlando so lethal this season.

Orlando Pride Waive Three Players

Abby Elinsky, Julie King, and Morgan Reid were all waived by the Pride as the team makes changes before the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League Season. Defenders King and Reid were often injured and struggled to find a spot on the Pride’s back line. Elinsky played in all four of the team’s games during the Fall Series, starting in three of them, and had an assist on Sydney Leroux’s goal against the Houston Dash. All three waived players are available on the Re-Entry Wire, and expansion side Racing Louisville FC has first dibs to claim them.

Orlando City B Releases a Dozen Players

The USL League One season is over. After multiple positive tests for COVID-19 from Union Omaha, the USL League One final that was set to take place today is now cancelled. Greenville Triumph SC was declared champion after finishing the season more points per game than Omaha.

With the end of the season, OCB announced changes to its roster and released 12 players. Of those let go, the most notable are 2020 MLS SuperDraft picks Austin Aviza and Nicholas O’Callaghan, as well as Austin Amer, who played with OCB in both of the teams season’s in USL League One. As for the players who weren’t released, midfielder Raul Aguilera will begin training with the first team and others will join him in the future.

MLS Standings Format Shifts as Playoffs Near

In an MLS season unlike any other, all MLS teams won’t finish the season with the same amount of games played. Because of this, the final standings will be decided by points per game rather than total points. While this may not have an impact in the Eastern Conference as all teams are on pace to play all 23 games, it’s a big change to the Western Conference standings. This is largely due to the Colorado Rapids, who are now in a playoff position with only 15 games played while the Vancouver Whitecaps are on the outside looking in. The season will officially end on Decision Day on Nov. 8, with six postponed games now cancelled.

I personally would’ve liked to see a play-in game between the teams that wind up in eighth and ninth just to ensure the better team moves forward. What do you think? Did MLS get it right with this decision? Let me know in the comments below.

Free Kicks

  • Guillermo Barros Schelotto was fired as head coach of the LA Galaxy after a 5-2 loss against the Portland Timbers. Dominic Kinnear will take the reins of the Galaxy for the rest of what has been a difficult season.
  • In other MLS coaching news, Jill Ellis reportedly met with D.C. United for an informal interview about the head coaching job.
  • Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake injured his hand in the team’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire. The extent of the injury is still unknown, but former Lion Joe Bendik may have to step up in the Union’s game against the Columbus Crew on Sunday.
  • There’s certainly been a buzz around both Mueller and Dike as potential options for Gregg Berhalter to consider for United States Men’s National Team training camps. But there are also other players who can step up and score for the U.S.
  • We’ll end our links with some sound advice from Zlatan Ibrahimovic about the pandemic.

That’s going to do it for me, folks. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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16 hours ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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March 31, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.
  • That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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