Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/29/20
Happy Sunday and conference semifinal match day, everyone. The Lions and Revolution will meet this afternoon in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Please pregame accordingly, but do so responsibly.
It seems like this is at least the fourth in a series of “biggest game in club history” matches in 2020. While this has been an interminably long and difficult year, the Lions have been a bright spot thus far, and hopefully that can continue for at least another week. We’ll find out more about that this afternoon. For now, let’s get to the news of the day.
“Never Tell Me the Odds!”
The folks over at FiveThirtyEight give Orlando City only a 14% chance to win MLS Cup, with two Western Conference teams atop the predictions, at 23% apiece. One of those teams with the best odds, per FiveThirtyEight, is Sporting Kansas City — a team Orlando beat on its own home field on Sept. 23. That win took place without Antonio Carlos, and with Chris Mueller, Mauricio Pereyra, and Daryl Dike starting on the bench. The best odds given to an Eastern Conference team is 17% to the Columbus Crew — these odds came out before the Ohio club reported four six seven players positive with COVID-19. You might recall the Lions beat the Crew 2-1 just 25 days ago while a man down for the final 40 minutes, after Nani was sent off in the 52nd minute.
You might think, “Well, to have lower odds than two teams Orlando has already proven it can beat, despite overcoming some obstacles, FiveThirtyEight must really think highly of New England.” Actually, they gave the Revs just a 7% chance to win MLS Cup, so…I don’t know what to make of how they arrived at their conclusions. For my money, Seattle looks like the team to beat on either side of the bracket with its postseason experience and trio of stars all playing in top form at the right time.
Seltzer Predicts Orlando City Win — Is That Bad?
If you’re like me, you never trust the writers at MLSSoccer.com to say nice things about Orlando City. I mean, we’re not used to it after the last six years and I’ve come to mistrust it. So, it makes me extremely nervous that Greg Seltzer picked Orlando City in his conference semifinal MLS playoff predictions.
With the Revs playing their third game in 10 days, I reckon it will be Daryl Dike, Chris Mueller and Nani who spell the slim difference in this one. A 2-1 Orlando City triumph extends their magical season a little longer.
I don’t trust this. I don’t trust it at all. Is it a jinx? Is there such a thing as a jinx? I don’t know, honestly, but I’m not sure I’m ready for the folks who write for the MLS website to be jumping on the team purple bandwagon. It’s Orlando vs. everyone that feels more comfortable and, well, normal.
Pressing Questions Surrounding Orlando City vs. New England
In more normal coverage from the MLS website, Andrew Wiebe raises questions about today’s match. While the biggest one surrounds Orlando’s chances of moving on without Pedro Gallese and Ruan, Wiebe is curious to know whether Chris Mueller and Daryl Dike can rise to the occasion today. It’s a big moment for the two young players, and one that I contemplated on this week’s PawedCast. Neither Mueller nor Dike played like themselves last Saturday vs. New York City FC and it could be first-time MLS playoff jitters. With a match under their belts, will they shake off those jitters and perform against the Revs? On the other side of the ledger, Wiebe’s pressing question about New England is whether Adam Buksa and Gustavo Bou can benefit from the “Carles Gil effect.” We’re hoping, well, no.
Vanderbilt Goalkeeper Sarah Fuller Makes History
While Sarah Fuller is an outstanding soccer player, she made history in another sport on Saturday. Fuller became the first woman to appear in a Power 5 college football game as the placekicker for the Vanderbilt Commodores in a Southeastern Conference game against the Missouri Tigers. Vanderbilt’s special teams were decimated by COVID-19 positive tests, so coach Derek Mason reached out to the school’s soccer team for help. Fuller, who wore “Play Like A Girl” on the back of her helmet, entered the game officially at the start of the second half to handle the kickoff.
Making history. #PlayLikeAGirl | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/57ffStmje9
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) November 28, 2020
With what must have been an insane amount of nerves, and with her team trailing 21-0, she went out and did her job. Unfortunately, her team was so awful it couldn’t get into scoring position all day against a team that entered at 3-3 on the season, so she wasn’t able to attempt a scoring kick. Still, Fuller seemed upbeat after the game and had advice for young girls watching:
“I just want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to.” – Sarah Fuller pic.twitter.com/e0Fcjl5Yh4
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 28, 2020
Free Kicks
- Miggy sets the stage for today (and I’m always here for Anchorman clips.
"LET'S GOOOOO" – @migallardo01 @ExploriaResorts | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/Q0HeK60hwB
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) November 28, 2020
- U.S. midfielder Duane Holmes scored his first goal of the season for Derby County on Saturday. It turned out to be the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Wycombe.
This is Duane Holmes as his best. Quick, lethal movement in the box. Nice goal. He needed this pic.twitter.com/HdOH4disaG
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) November 28, 2020
- The Columbus Crew have confirmed seven total players have tested positive for COVID-19, and while they aren’t going to name those players, there are seven names on the “not medically cleared to play” list.
#Crew96’s players who are not medically cleared to play against Nashville SC: Waylon Francis, Sebastian Berhalter, Miguel Berry, Derrick Etienne, Jon Kempin, Eloy Room and Vito Wormgoor.
— Patrick Murphy (@_Pat_Murphy) November 29, 2020
- Apparently tired of taking beatings at the hands of the USWNT, England is planning its own version of the SheBelieves Cup.
Exclusive: England Women are planning to host their own version of the SheBelieves Cup in February due to lack of international fixtures and are in talks to get three national teams to join themhttps://t.co/VTMvp63Kl5
— Katie Whyatt (@KatieWhyatt) November 28, 2020
- Those born on this date include novelists Louisa May Alcott (1832), C.S. Lewis (1898), and Madeleine L’Engle (1918), sportscaster Vin Scully (1927), legendary blues musician John Mayall (1933), Montrose founder and guitarist Ronnie Montrose (1947), wrestling commentator Jerry “The King” Lawler (1949), Gary Shandling (1949), original Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau (1951), actor Jeff Fahey (1952), director Joel Coen of Coen Brothers fame (1954), Howie Mandel (1955), 1980 U.S. hockey gold medalist Neal Broten (1959), “Brat Pack” actor Andrew McCarthy (1962), Don Cheadle (1964), U.S. soccer legend Kasey Keller (1969), baseball’s Mariano Rivera (1969), Ryan Giggs (1973), recently deceased Chadwick Boseman (1976), Anna Faris (1976), and American football’s Russell Wilson (1988) and Stefon Diggs (1993).
That’s all for me this morning. I’ll be back throughout the day with full coverage of Orlando City vs. the New England Revolution. If you’re going to the match, please be safe and wear a mask.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced
MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.
Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.
Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.
The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.
GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club
MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
- Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/19/24
Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft
The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.
Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.
MLS Transfer Roundup
After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.
EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set
The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.
- The Columbus Crew announced that they will play Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field rather than its home stadium next season. The “home” game is a good two-hour drive north and reportedly has no opt-out option for season ticket holders, so this decision has not gone over well with some Crew fans.
- Forward Lynn Williams is reportedly expected to be traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC to the Seattle Reign so that she can close out her career on her home coast.
- We now know the eight quarterfinalists for the Women’s Champions League, with the draw set for Feb. 7. The usual suspects like Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and Lyon all made it, which should make for an exciting knockout stage.
- Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup, giving Carlo Ancelotti his 15th title with the club.
- Here’s a look at the absurd amount of minutes players like Federico Valverde and Jules Kounde have logged this year. Just seeing those numbers makes my legs tired.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/18/24
Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.
Torres Deal Done?
WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
Marta Wins Marta Award
In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.
The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.
Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.
USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires
Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.
NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand
The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.
MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.
Free Kicks
- Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.
- Vitor Pereira will be the new coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers following the departure of former boss Gary O’Neil. Pereira will have his work cut out for him getting Wolves out of the relegation zone.
- Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in a recent drug test. Mudryk stated he has never knowingly used such substances, and hopes an investigation will clear up the matter.
- The Washington Spirit have signed free agent midfielder Narumi Miura to a two-year contract. Miura spent the last two years with the North Carolina Courage.
- The Columbus Crew re-signed goalkeeper Evan Bush through the 2025 season.
- New name, same idea. The European Super League is back as the “Unity League.” A proposal has been submitted to UEFA and FIFA.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2024 NWSL Season
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Orlando City1 week ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Facundo Torres
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Mason Stajduhar
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Podcasts2 weeks ago
PawedCast Episode 459: Orlando City Roster Decisions and Facundo Torres Gone?
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Orlando Pride5 days ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Sams
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Ally Watt
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Podcasts5 days ago
PawedCast Episode 460: Facundo Torres, Orlando City and OCB News, and More