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Lion Links: 12/6/20

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6 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. It’s been a week without Orlando City soccer and it feels like a month. Part of that is just the way 2020 is, but it was more fun when the Lions were playing. The USMNT will play Wednesday night and there’s a chance we could see one or more of our guys on the field against El Salvador. I’m not going to get my hopes up, but it could happen.

I put up our Christmas tree yesterday, because it’s December and because I’m not an insane person who puts up their decorations in November — or an even more insane person who leaves their decorations up all year. I am not sure if I dislike putting the decorations up more than putting them away or vice versa. While I ponder that question, let’s get to the news of the day.

Tottenham Coach Wants to Discuss Morgan’s Future with Spurs ASAP

Alex Morgan has a new coach at Tottenham and Rehanne Skinner said she wants to discuss the Orlando Pride star’s future with Spurs as soon as possible.

“I have not been with the team for long but those are conversations that need to be had as soon as possible,” the head coach said, facing the media for the first time in her new role. But we have to get this game up and running this weekend and start the league in the right way. Then, we will assess where we are with Alex, look at the future and see what that looks like for her with the club moving forward.

“She is obviously a fantastic character to have in the environment with her experience and she is definitely moving in the right direction now.”

Morgan is not expected to be with Tottenham beyond the 2020-2021 season and the Pride are expecting her back for next season, protecting the striker in the recent NWSL Expansion Draft.

Americans Can’t Stop Scoring in Europe

It was a big day for Yanks abroad Saturday as national teamers kept finding the net. It was the first time in 15 years that three different Americans scored goals on the same day in the world’s top five leagues. Let’s take a look at some of them.

  • Christian Pulisic became just the fourth U.S. player to score 10 Premier League goals when he scored against Leeds United. Pulisic entered the game when it was 1-1 and put the game away in the 93rd minute in a 3-1 win.

  • Gio Reyna scored a banger on Saturday for Dortmund in a 2-2 draw against Frankfurt.

  • Weston McKennie scored his first with Juventus to make it 1-1 and his team went on to beat Torino, 2-1.

Meanwhile, Yunus Musah has inked an extension that will keep him with Valencia through the 2025-2026 season.

Sebastian Soto Added to USMNT Camp

Speaking of Americans, Gregg Berhalter added Telstar forward Sebastian Soto to his USMNT roster on Saturday. Soto, who is the sixth forward on the current squad, is trying to build on his last performance, in which he scored a brace on his USMNT debut against Panama. In that 6-2 win, Soto became just the fifth USMNT player to score a brace on his debut and only the second to do it off the bench.

Utah Royals Reportedly Moving to Kansas City

According to reports, Utah Royals FC is on the cusp of moving to Kansas City. The club was founded nearly three years ago, back on Dec. 17, 2017, when Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen purchased an expansion franchise and FC Kansas City folded, with FCKC player contracts transferring to the new Utah side. Now, after two seasons of not making the NWSL playoffs, the Royals appear to be on their way to Kansas City. Utah players were told of the plan to move the club, although the deal is not yet complete. Both RSL and Utah Royals FC have been for sale since August.

Marta’s Brazil Teammate Says Women’s Soccer Growing in Brazil

Brazilian international Tamires had a Q&A with FIFA.com, Brazil, where she addressed a number of topics, including the popularity of the women’s game in her country. Tamires said the sport’s jump can be traced back to last year’s World Cup, which included the passionate and heartfelt appeal from Marta after Brazil’s exit.

I think the Women’s World Cup last year gave a big boom to women’s football. We went from having one reporter covering our matches to having this immense visibility. That was another wow moment. It’s helped rocket the popularity of women’s football in Brazil, but it’s important that we continue growing the sport year by year.

Free Kicks

  • In case you were wondering if Ali Riley planned to return to the Orlando Pride:

  • Columbus Crew goalkeeper Eloy Room is questionable for today’s Eastern Conference final against the New England Revolution at 3 p.m.
  • Reports say that Atlanta United will hire Gabriel Heinze as the club’s third head coach. He most recently managed Velez Sarsfield from 2017-2020, stepping down voluntarily after last season.
  • Just days after failing to put away chances in a 3-1 Champions League loss to PSG, Manchester United put more of those opportunities away, coming from behind to beat West Ham, 3-1. It was the first EPL match played in front of fans since the pandemic shutdown, and it was United’s ninth straight league win away from home.
  • Those born on this date include Bewitched star Agnes Moorehead (1900), notorious gangster Baby Face Nelson (1908), football legend Otto Graham (1921), actress JoBeth Williams (1948), Animal House and Amadeus star Tom Hulce (1953), comedian Steven Wright (1955), R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck (1956), former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads (1956), filmmaker Judd Apatow (1967), former Australia/Everton/New York Red Bulls forward Tim Cahill (1979), and former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel (1992).

That’s all my time for today. Please enjoy what’s left of your weekend and let’s hope some of our Lions get on the field Wednesday night for the USMNT.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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