Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/6/20

Published

4 years ago

on

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high after Orlando City’s huge win to secure a playoff game in Exploria Stadium. There’s plenty of soccer to look forward to this weekend as Major League Soccer closes out its regular season. But for now, let’s hop into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Lions Make MLS Team of the Week

Mauricio Pereyra’s performance in Orlando’s 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew landed him a starting spot in the MLS Team of the Week. The Uruguayan midfielder assisted on both of Orlando’s goals and is healthy at just the right time as the Lions eye a deep postseason run. Chris Mueller also found himself on the Team of the Week bench. He scored his 10th goal of the season to give Orlando a lead and influenced Orlando’s early dominance in the first half.

Benji Michel was the other Lion to find the back of the net. Although he didn’t earn a spot on the Team of the Week, he was nominated for Goal of the Week after his effort to beat defenders and put Orlando ahead while a man down.

Orlando City Will Appeal Nani’s Red Card

Not only did the referee’s decision to give Nani a red card drastically change the match, but it means he won’t be able to play in Orlando’s match against Nashville SC this Sunday. OCSC will appeal the decision and it will be reviewed by a panel to determine if the send-off punishment will be rescinded so Nani can play on Decision Day. The Lions will also be without Pereyra, who picked up a yellow card in the match and will miss the game due to accumulation.

As far as what’s at stake this Sunday, Orlando can’t finish any higher than its current third-place ranking and secures that standing if the club wins or draws. If the playoffs started now, Orlando would play the sixth-place New England Revolution in Exploria Stadium. But there are still scenarios where Orlando finishes fourth and could face the Crew again or New York City FC.

The Orlando Pride’s Protected Players

With the 2020 National Women’s Soccer League Expansion Draft right around the corner, the Pride announced the 11 players who will be protected from selection. Marta, Claire Emslie, and Sydney Leroux were predicted selections, but the Pride could only protect two of their USWNT-allocated players. Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner went with Alex Morgan and Emily Sonnett, leaving the married Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger unprotected. It’s a strategic move by Skinner as Racing Louisville FC can’t select both of them and is unlikely to split them apart.

“I look at Ash and Ali and, for me, they’re the most important people for the Orlando Pride,” Skinner said. “I love them to bits and they’re my captains for a reason. But if you look at where they’re at in their lives and where they’re at in their careers and what they still want to achieve and so on, then, you know, I’d hope that Louisville would look at that and go, ‘It’s not really a viable option for us to take those players.’”

It sounds as though Skinner will work with Louisville to ensure that Krieger and Harris will stay in the City Beautiful.

Skinner said he spoke with Louisville coach Christy Holly ahead of the submission deadline for protected lists in the hopes of understanding his process and potential needs in the draft. He also said he’ll create an “attractive offer” to further prevent Louisville from taking either Harris or Krieger away from Orlando.

The other unprotected players Louisville could snag from the Pride are Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, Shelina Zadorsky, Camila, Carson Pickett, Toni Pressley, Kristen Edmonds, Konya Plummer, Erin McLeod, Chelsee Washington, and Brittany Wilson. The expansion draft will take place on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.

Josh Sargent Will Miss Out on USMNT Fun

Bundesliga club Werder Bremen declined releasing Sargent for a pair of United States Men’s National Team friendlies this month, citing quarantine restrictions in Germany. As a result, USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter called up LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget to replace the forward. Lletget will be the only MLS player on the 24-man roster, able to join now that the Galaxy are eliminated from playoff contention. He now becomes part of a USMNT packed with young talent. Sargent’s absence opens the door for inexperienced forwards and it will be interesting to see how it all comes together under Berhalter this month.

Free Kicks

  • Here’s an interesting stat for you to check out. I’m not sure what it is about the 84th minute that makes players want to score. Last weekend, four Eastern Conference teams all scored in the 84th minute and also won.

  • This should make you feel a bit better about Daryl Dike after he missed Wednesday’s game due to illness.

  • In the Extra Time podcast, there was some discussion about this year’s Best XI and both Mueller and Pereyra got a few mentions. But so did center back Antonio Carlos, who has quietly excelled in his first year as a Lion.
  • MLSsoccer.com’s Steve Zakuani had high praise for Pareja after Orlando’s win. There has certainly been a transformation in Orlando with Pareja at the helm and he is a frontrunner for MLS Coach of the Year.
  • UEFA reached out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request an adjustment in how handballs are handled. I’m not proud of that pun. But I am interested to see if anything comes of this, particularly after some questionable referee decisions regarding handballs in Orlando’s win.

That’s going to do it for me today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stay safe out there. Go Lions!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

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

Published

15 hours ago

on

April 2, 2025

By

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.

Free Kicks

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

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

Published

2 days ago

on

April 1, 2025

By

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.

Free Kicks

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

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

Published

3 days ago

on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending