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Lion Links: 12/19/20

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope you all had a good week as some of you will be on holiday break. I will be busy working at Disney Springs during my break from school but will find time to relax and catch up on plenty of shows. Don’t forget, we have two semifinal match-ups in the Concacaf Champions League tonight at Exploria Stadium. Now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Present and Future Share Strong Connection

Training at the same facility as the first team is paying off well for Orlando’s academy. Young players can see where they want to end up with the club in person, with first team players training in plain sight for inspiration. Orlando City B Head Coach Marcelo Neveleff has a strong connection with Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja and that trust leads to better integration between the two sides of the club. Both David Loera and Jordan Bender made professional debuts with the Lions and Neveleff detailed how his young players found success this past year.

“You can see our academy players walking by and watching Nani and Chris Mueller practicing. Our young players relate to their younger players mostly and they see that and they feel ‘Ok, I am this close,’ but realizing that the step to be on the first team is a big step to take. It was great because that situation reminded the players every day that they have to keep working hard to make it.”

Atlanta United Appoints Gabriel Heinze as New Head Coach

After a five-month coaching search, Atlanta United announced Gabriel Heinze as its next head coach. Heinze was in charge of Argentine club Velez Sarsfield for three years and hasn’t coached since the end of the 2019-2020 season. He led Velez to Copa Sudamericana qualification two years in a row. Atlanta United President Darren Eales shared his thoughts on why Heinze was the perfect fit for Atlanta.

“This is a milestone moment in Atlanta United history, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Gabriel as our next head coach,” club president Darren Eales said in a team release. “We cast the net widely for this important hire, and Gabriel quickly emerged as the No. 1 candidate. Gabriel is one of the top coaches in South American soccer and we are delighted that he chose Atlanta United. Whilst his resume speaks for itself, Gabriel’s playing philosophy and commitment to youth development closely align with our ideas at Atlanta United, and we are happy to welcome him as we move into our club’s next chapter.”

Heinze will take over a team that missed the playoffs in 2020 but won’t be short on any talent. Josef Martinez will return after he suffered a season-ending injury in the team’s first match of the year, and will play alongside Designated Players Ezequiel Barco and Marcelino Moreno as the Five Stripes look to bounce back in 2021.

Weston McKennie Wins U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

United States Men’s National Team and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie was named 2020 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. McKennie is in his first season with Juventus after joining the Serie A club on loan from FC Schalke 04. He is the third American to score in Serie A and became a regular starter under Andrea Pirlo at Juventus. The 22-year-old had 29 appearances combined at both clubs this year, along with four goals and two assists. McKennie shared his thoughts on the moment.

“I want to thank everyone for this huge honor. It’s been a journey, especially through these difficult times during the pandemic,” the 22-year-old said in a release. “Our fans have stuck with us throughout and we really appreciate it. Hopefully in 2021 we can have many more memories together.”

McKennie was one of six finalists for the award and earned 44% of the vote, followed by Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic with 27%, and FC Barcelona outside back Sergiño Dest with 14%.

Americans in Action This Weekend

We have plenty of matches featuring Americans to keep an eye on today. In the Bundesliga at 9:30 a.m., Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig face Koln as they try to extend their win streak to three matches. Josh Sargent will try to snap Werder Bremen’s four-game losing streak against Mainz 05. In the afternoon match, we may see Chris Richards play in Bayern Munich’s game against Bayer Leverkusen at 12:30 p.m.

In La Liga, two USMNT players face off as Dest and Barcelona look to climb the table against Yunus Musah and Valencia at 10:15 a.m. on beIN Sports. McKennie looks to keep Juventus soaring in Serie A as the team travels to play 14th place Parma. Tomorrow’s big game will be in Ligue 1 as Timothy Weah’s Lille side tries to stay in first place on the road against Paris Saint-Germain at 3p.m.

OL Reign Denies Plans to Relocate Club

Former NBA player Tony Parker, who has a minority stake in OL Reign, expressed his desire to move the club to Miami in the future. However, Olympique Lyonnais released a statement denying reports that it’s considering relocating the team from the area.

Even though the club did confirm some of its executive members have projects in the Miami area, the statement clarified that those projects will not impact future plans for OL Reign in Tacoma.

Free Kicks

  • The new, as-yet-unnamed NWSL team in Kansas City announced its roster for the upcoming 2021 campaign. It will be a homecoming of sorts for six players who previously played for FC Kansas City.
  • Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko made history in the Bundesliga yesterday by scoring in his team’s 2-1 loss to Union Berlin.

  • Charlotte FC acquired Brandt Bronico from the Chicago Fire. The former UNC-Charlotte standout will be Charlotte FC’s third player to join the club.

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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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

Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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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Lion Links

Lion Links 4/16/25

Orlando Pride on top, OCB falls to Inter Miami II, USMNT eyes Gold Cup, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I know I’ve said it before, but I love that I can always find soccer to watch. Whether it’s UEFA Champions League or the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, or anything in between, I love it. I’m willing to bet you love it too. Speaking of love, we want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City Designated Player Luis Muriel. Let’s get to the links.

All the Rankings

With the win over the Seattle Reign, the Orlando Pride stayed perfect on the season. It was enough for the Pride to remain on top of the standings and also at the top of numerous power rankings. All for XI kept the Pride at No. 1 with a shoutout to Anna Moorhouse, SI.com did the same, while noting Summer Yates’ injury, and Goal.com completed the sweep. The Pride also landed at No. 8 in Opta’s global power rankings for women’s clubs. Strangely, the Kansas City Current were two spots above on that particular list.

OCB Falls to Inter Miami II

Orlando City B traveled to IMG Academy to take on Inter Miami II Tuesday night. The Young Lions went down early on the road, but were able to equalize thanks to a goal from Tahir Reid-Brown. Unfortunately, Inter Miami scored two more goals before a penalty in second-half stoppage time gave OCB a slight lifeline. It was not enough as the team fell 3-2 to their in-state foes.

Generation Adidas Cup Matchups

Orlando City Academy’s U-18 squad won Group J in the Generation Adidas Cup. Now the team will face St. Louis City SC 2 in the Round of 16. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the younger generations of players in Orlando City’s system, here is your opportunity.

U.S. Eyes Gold Cup

We’re about two months out from the start of the Concacaf Gold Cup and it feels like a must-win for the USMNT given recent results. Winning an eighth Gold Cup title will not come easily. Naturally, all eyes fall on Christian Pulisic to lead the squad, though not everyone thinks he should be the pick for captain. Tyler Adams is looking for more belief from his teammates heading into the competition.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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