Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/7/20

Published

on

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope everyone is well and staying safe as we enter the weekend. We get a little breather before Major League Soccer’s Decision Day tomorrow. Luckily for the Lions, they get to host a home playoff game soon and I can’t wait. Now, let’s get to the links.

Benji Michel Wins Goal of the Week

Orlando City forward Benji Michel’s game-winner in the 84th minute against Columbus Crew SC on Wednesday night won him MLS Goal of the Week. That goal not only sealed a crucial victory for the Lions, but also clinched a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference to host a playoff game at Exploria Stadium. It was Michel’s fifth goal of the season.

Coming in second place was San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski, who helped the Quakes make the playoffs and scored his 166th goal in MLS. In third place was Kellyn Acosta of the Colorado Rapids, whose goal sunk the Portland Timbers and clinched the Rapids a playoff spot. Don’t forget, Orlando City will play its final game of the regular season tomorrow against Nashville SC at 3:30 p.m. on FOX 35 Plus and ESPN+.

Lions Fined After Controversial Call

The MLS Disciplinary Committee fined Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja an undisclosed amount after finding the team in violation of the league’s mass confrontation policy following Nani’s red card. Speaking of the captain, he was also fined an undisclosed amount for failing to leave the field in a timely manner. The club still awaits to hear back regarding its appeal of the red card, which is not determined by MLS. That verdict from the independent panel should come some time today and will determine if Nani gets to play on Decision Day.

Matheus Aiás Fitting in With the Lions

The Brazilian forward shared how he is adjusting with the Lions by being prepared for the opportunity, learning new things, and feeling at home. He’s appeared in three games this season, but is still awaiting his first start as a Lion.

MLS Releases Upcoming Playoff Schedule

The league unveiled the schedule and TV information for the 2020 MLS Cup payoffs. We’ll have 17 knockout matches to watch over the next 22 days, with the action starting on Friday, Nov. 20. For the second consecutive season, the playoffs will feature single-elimination matches hosted by the higher seed from start to finish. The MLS Cup final is set to take place on Dec. 12.

For Orlando, its first playoff game will be on either Nov, 21, 22, or 24. There will be a couple of weeks to wait due to the international break, but I can’t wait to see the Lions in action again after Sunday. How are you guys feeling right now about them potentially bringing the MLS Cup home? Let me know in the comments below.

Americans Abroad

We have some exciting action in the Bundesliga today with two big games on ESPN+. At 9:30 a.m., RB Leipzig hosts Freiburg. Tyler Adams hasn’t played in RB Leipzig’s last two league matches, but he did return to action this past Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League. In that game, Adams came off the bench to help preserve a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Der Klassiker begins at 12:30 p.m. with Borussia Dortmund hosting Bayern Munich. Giovanni Reyna has been in good form lately and started in Dortmund’s Champions League game against Club Brugge, playing 77 minutes. Reyna and Dortmund will certainly have their hands full as Bayern Munich has won the last three matches between the two rivals by a combined score of 10-0. Dortmund will have to change that if it’s going to win the Bundesliga title this season. Tomorrow you’ll have to get up early at 6:30 to watch Weston McKennie and Juventus take on Lazio on ESPN 2.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s academy will be a part of MLS Next going forward. The new platform will further the growth of young Orlando players.

  • Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz gave a shout out to both Daryl Dike and the supportive sports community here in Orlando.

  • Former Lion Cyle Larin found the back of the net for Besiktas, equalizing things for his squad while a man down in what ended as a 3-1 loss against Gaziantep.


That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Take care of yourselves, enjoy your weekend, and I’ll see you next time.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/12/25

Leagues Cup Schedule released, Sams and Moorhouse called up, Champions League results, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s new home kit reveal day, so get ready to potentially spend some money. I may end up getting one regardless of how it looks. I’ve lost some weight, and while that is good, none of my jerseys fit anymore. I hope it’s a good one.

We want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Jhon Solis. Additionally, I want to wish my son Chris a very happy birthday. Now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Fixtures Revealed

The official Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One schedule dropped Tuesday, meaning we now know Orlando City’s first three matches of the competition. All three matches will be played at Inter&Co Stadium against Liga MX squads. The Lions will face Pumas UNAM in the first match on July 30, followed by Atlas FC on Aug. 2, and then Necaxa on Aug. 6. Phase One of the competition is effectively a group stage. If Orlando City can advance out of Phase One, the Lions will head to the knockout rounds.

Pride International Call Ups

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse received call-ups for the USWNT and the England Women’s National Team, respectively. USWNT Coach Emma Hayes included Sams on her 23-player roster for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The U.S. will play matches against Japan, Australia, and Colombia.

Moorhouse was selected by Lioness coach Sarina Wiegman for the UEFA Women’s Nations League. England’s first two matches are against Portugal on Feb. 21 and against Spain on Feb. 26. After that, the competition continues in April.

MLS Transfer Round Up

With Orlando City finally signing some new players, other MLS clubs continue to make moves in the off-season. Former Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso signed with the Houston Dynamo through 2025 with an option for 2026. Houston is the Bear’s third MLS club.

French second-division side Amiens SC is in a selling mood. The club sent defender Osaze Urhoghide to FC Dallas. Minnesota United FC signed midfielder Owen Gene from Amiens SC to an MLS U22 Initiative contract.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Union signed Homegrown forward Eddy Davis III, and D.C. United signed midfielder Brandon Servania. Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes have signed goalkeeper Daniel to a contract extension, and Nashville SC signed midfielder Matthew Corcoran from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.

Champions League Results

UEFA Champions League continued Tuesday, with Paris Saint-Germain getting things going with a 3-0 win over Brest. Ousmane Dembélé scored a brace in the match to cement the victory. Borussia Dortmund also managed a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. All three goals came in the second half, including Serhou Guirassy’s 10th in the competition to equal Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

Real Madrid scored two goals to come from behind and defeat Manchester City 3-2. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. Weston McKennie got things going for Juventus in its 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Samuel Mbangula scored the winning goal.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the new kit. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/11/25

Orlando City signs Eduard Atuesta, MLS news roundup, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, gang! It was a long weekend for me but an interesting one, as I attended an event at St. Louis City’s Energizer Stadium on Saturday night. It was a fun time, but personally I prefer Orlando City’s home digs. We have plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Signs Eduard Atuesta

Orlando City has found its replacement for the injured Wilder Cartagena, as the club announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras on Monday. Atuesta’s deal runs through the end of the 2025 season and also contains a club option for 2026. While the Lions still have some depth issues that need to be addressed at various positions, Atuesta will pair alongside Cesar Araujo in midfield, and if his previous numbers in Major League Soccer are any indication, he may even provide more goal scoring and creation from the position than Cartagena usually did.

MLS News Roundup

With the start of the MLS season under two weeks away, the off-season news is still flying thick and fast. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from D.C. United in exchange for up to $1.4 million in cash, with United also maintaining a sell-on percentage in the player. The trade was executed using the league’s cash-based trade system, with Colorado becoming the latest team to make use of the new mechanism. Up next, San Diego FC has signed defender Willy Kumado from Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga. The right back joins on a two-year deal that also contains option years for 2027 and 2028. Finally, Tom Bogert is reporting that Joseph Paintsil is expected to be out of action for over a month after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps.

Americans in Midweek Action

As always, there are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and there’s a heavy emphasis on UEFA Champions League play. Things get started later today, as Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus face a PSV Eindhoven side that has all four of Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and Malik Tillman injured. Meanwhile, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund will travel to face Sporting CP. Wednesday has Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah traveling with AC Milan to take on Feyenoord, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic will be sorely tested at home against Bayern Munich. Thursday will wrap up European play with Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis squaring off against Gent in the Conference League.

Josh Sargent’s Opportunity

Josh Sargent had a difficult end to 2024, as he spent several months on the sideline while recovering from a groin injury that eventually required surgery. There were some natural moments of wondering what he’d be like when he made his return, but he’s hit the ground running since his first game back on Jan. 25, as he has four goals in three games for Norwich City. Not only is he getting his chance at the club level, but with Pepi and Folarin Balogun both currently injured, Sargent looks almost certain to lead the line for the United States Men’s National Team for March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal matches. Sometimes timing is everything, and right now Sargent’s timing is pretty damn good.

Free Kicks


That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/10/25

Orlando City falls to CF Montreal in preseason scrimmage, latest OCSC transfer rumblings, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Under Armour has been keeping me busy, and I’ve been covering some high school basketball. We are less than two weeks away from the 2025 MLS season kicking off, with the Lions’ home opener on Feb. 22 against the Philadelphia Union. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links. Before we do, we want to thank subscriber Dave Shine for upgrading to a Designated Player support level. We appreciate all of our supporters, and to see if one of our three levels of support is right for you, please visit our Buy Me a Coffee page.

Orlando City Falls to CF Montreal in Preseason Scrimmage

Orlando City suffered a preseason loss on Saturday, falling 2-1 to CF Montreal in a 120-minute friendly scrimmage at Inter&Co Stadium. The match remained scoreless after 90 minutes of play, and the two clubs played an extra 30-minute session. CF Montreal took a 2-0 lead before Nico Lodeiro scored a late free-kick goal for the Lions to make it 2-1. The Lions’ next preseason match will be Tuesday against USL Championship side Rhode Island FC in a closed-door scrimmage. Orlando will conclude its preseason friendly schedule on Friday in Tampa against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium.

Latest Orlando City Transfer Reports

The Lions have been busy as we get close to their home opener in 12 days. Midfielder Eduard Atuesta reportedly had his medical exam with Orlando City on Friday, but nothing is official until it’s official. Atuesta reportedly terminated his contract with Palmeiras two years before it expired, and the Brazilian club will keep 20% of any future sale as Orlando works towards finalizing the deal.

Meanwhile, the Lions have also reportedly submitted a transfer bid to Bolivian club Always Ready midfielder Moises Paniagua. Per the source post from Twitter, the bid was lower than the club is expecting for Paniagua.

Lastly, defender Noham Abdellaoui of Serie A side Genoa has reportedly signed a one-year contract to join Orlando City. This seems like more of a move the club would make to stock OCB than the first team, but we’ll wait to see if it becomes official.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Major League Soccer had another busy weekend with some notable transfer moves. CF Montreal added a pair of defenders, signing former Lion Luca Petrasso through the 2025 season with options for 2026 and 2027. He played against Orlando City on Saturday. Montreal also signed defender Brandan Craig through the 2025 season with options for 2026, 2027, and 2028. New York Red Bulls forward Lewis Morgan has reached an agreement on a new contract, extending his deal through 2026 with options for 2027 and 2028. The Chicago Fire have signed defender Omar Gonzalez on a contract for the 2025 season with a club option for 2026.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

We had another busy weekend featuring Americans in action in Europe. Norwich City forward Josh Sargent continues his stellar form as he scored in his third consecutive match in a 1-1 draw against Derby County on Saturday. Sargent has scored four goals in his last three appearances for the EFL Championship side. Christian Pulisic came off the bench for AC Milan in the second half and notched two assists as AC Milan defeated Empoli 2-0 and moved to seventh in the Serie A table. Cardiff City goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made three clutch saves in an FA Cup match against Stoke City. One was in the penalty shootout as Cardiff City defeated Stoke City 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw and move on to the Round of 16.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena tweeted that he recently had surgery at the end of January. We here at The Mane Land wish Wilder a speedy recovery.
  • Former Lion Alexandre Pato visited his former teammates during preseason training last week.
  • Orlando City announced its theme night calendar for the 2025 season, featuring wrestling night, pride in our city night, and a video game night.
  • Plymouth Argyle defeated Liverpool 1-0 on Sunday to knock out the Reds in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
  • After multiple delays, the popular mobile game Football Manager 25 has been canceled just weeks before its March release. Sports Interactive issued the following statement on social media.

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

Continue Reading

Trending