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Lion Links: 11/20/20

Published

6 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? The postseason is officially here and Orlando City takes the field tomorrow at noon against New York City FC in its first MLS playoff game. I’ve been a bundle of anxiety and excitement all week and I’m glad there’s only day left to wait. So for now, let’s just enjoy these links from around the soccer world.

Pedro Gallese Expected to Play for Orlando

The Orlando City goalkeeper took a charter flight to Orlando after his World Cup qualifying match with Peru and is expected to be available for tomorrow’s playoff game. Gallese started for Peru this past Tuesday in a 2-0 loss against Argentina, but Major League Soccer pushed for South American players to be chartered to the U.S. so that they can play in the MLS postseason this weekend.

However, Orlando midfielder Sebas Mendez won’t be available for the Lions tomorrow. Unable to take a charter flight due to an Ecuadorian teammate’s positive test for the coronavirus, Mendez took a commercial flight and will have to undergo a nine-day quarantine.

Robin Jansson and Antonio Carlos Lead the Defense

It’s hard to believe this is Carlos’ first year with Orlando considering just how well he paired up with Jansson this season. The center back pairing has anchored an Orlando defense that only allowed 25 goals in 22 games. Although they don’t share a language, their connection has secured results for Orlando. Head Coach Oscar Pareja not only praised them, but the defense as a whole ahead of a tough battle against the surging NYCFC offense.

“Antonio [Carlos] has been a great company for Robin [Jansson]. All of our defenders have upgraded their game and the most important is that they have been working together. They are gelling together, they’re getting more connections and understanding more their responsibility as a group,” Pareja said of the connections at the back. “Understanding is a big part of our games that they have that solidness and they have that balance. It’s about us just growing in those relationships and they’re doing a great job indeed.

Mauricio Pereyra is Rested and Ready for the Playoffs

Orlando’s success in the playoffs may hinge on Pereyra’s performance considering he brings out the best of the team while pulling strings in the midfield. The Uruguayan wasn’t able to play in Orlando’s final regular season game after yellow card accumulation, but will be more than ready for tomorrow’s match.

With his family currently in Uruguay, Pereyra has been focused entirely on soccer and keeps up with watching the past teams he’s played for. After spending seven seasons with FC Krosnodar in Russia, he has taken full advantage of the patience he’s able to have with the ball in MLS and continues to build a strong rapport with Nani.

Chris Mueller’s Impact for the Lions

With 10 goals and seven assists in a shortened season, Mueller is having a breakout season in his third year in Orlando. Selected in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft with the sixth overall pick, Mueller’s taken his game to the next level in Pareja’s system and is the sixth Lion in the MLS era to finish a season with double-digit goals, joining Cyle Larin (three times), Kevin Molino, Dom Dwyer, Nani, and Tesho Akindele. Mueller did well in the MLS is Back Tournament, including scoring a brace against NYCFC in the group stage.

MLS Postseason Begins Tonight

While we have to wait for Orlando’s game, the Eastern Conference play-in games start tonight. At 6:30 p.m., the New England Revolution host the Montreal Impact in a match highlighted by its coaches. Bruce Arena had high praise for Thierry Henry, who led the Impact to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 in his first year at the helm. This is the fifth meeting between the two sides this year and the shorthanded Impact will need to be at their best if they want to advance.

Later tonight, at 9 p.m., Nashville SC takes on Inter Miami in a battle between 2020’s expansion clubs. Nashville General Manager Mike Jacobs is fine with having his side underestimated against a star-studded Miami team and the match is certainly heating up. Nashville has been a defensive force to be reckoned with this season, with only 22 conceded goals and MLS Defensive Player of the Year Walker Zimmerman on the back line. That defense will have its hands full against Gonzalo Higuain and Rodalfo Pizarro, who is available for the match after catching a charter flight.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride’s Ali Krieger broke down Orlando City’s keys to victory tomorrow.

  • Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic are ready to roll for the Lions’ first postseason appearance.

That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Lions!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/25/26

Lions fall to FC Cincinnati, Pride and OCB win, USMNT World Cup roster leaked, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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May 25, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda fighting for the ball against LAFC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Memorial Day, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work over the holiday weekend, covering high school lacrosse playoff games. The Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend, and the World Cup is less than three weeks away. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get into the links.

Lions Suffer Heavy Defeat at FC Cincinnati

Orlando City fell 6-2 to FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium Saturday in another embarrassing road display. Martin Ojeda scored the opener for the Lions in the first half before Cincinnati scored twice to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. Ojeda equalized for Orlando early in the second half. However, it was all Cincinnati from that point as Evander scored his second goal of the match and added three assists as Orlando suffered a heavy defeat on the road for the fourth time this season. The loss snapped the Lions’ three-match unbeaten streak. Orlando City will be off until late July due to the MLS World Cup break. The Lions’ next match will be on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park on July 22.

Payne’s Goal Lifts Pride over San Diego Wave

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 1-0 at Snapdragon Stadium Sunday and snapped their two-match losing streak. Nicole Payne scored the lone goal in the match for Orlando, which moved above the Seattle Reign on goal difference to eighth in the NWSL table with 14 points. The Pride will return home Friday to take on Bay FC at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Beats Inter Miami II

Orlando City B defeated Inter Miami II 4-1 at Osceola County Stadium on Sunday. The Young Lions got off to a flying start in the first half as Ignacio Gomez scored the opening goal. Bernardo Rhein added another, and OCB got an own goal by Miami defender Daniel Sumalla to take a 3-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Zakaria Taifi scored for OCB and Miami pulled one back, but the Young Lions had the match wrapped up by then. OCB will take on Chattanooga FC Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

USMNT World Cup Roster Leaked

According to Jeff Rueter and Pablo Maurer at The Guardian, the full 26-man U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was leaked over the weekend, just days before the official announcement. Former Lion Alex Freeman, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Tim Weah were notable mentions, while other players reportedly making the cut include Alejandro Zendejas, Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, Brenden Aaronson, Mark Mackenzie, and goalkeeper Matt Turner. Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, and Aidan Morris were left out of the squad. The U.S. Soccer Federation will officially announce the USMNT roster Tuesday, while the final deadline to submit the roster to FIFA for the World Cup is June 1.

Free Kicks

  • Wilfried Zaha will reportedly depart from Charlotte FC this summer when his loan deal expires.
  • Josef Martinez will reportedly become a free agent after reaching an agreement to part ways with Liga MX side Tijuana.

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: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

Free Kicks

  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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