Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/20

Published

5 years ago

on

Happy Sunday, everyone. We’re only a few days out from Christmas, and whether you celebrate that particular brand of holiday or one of the many others, such as Festivus, we here at The Mane Land wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. As the year winds down, we’re busy finishing up our 2020 Orlando City Season in Review series of player ratings from the worst year ever (except on the pitch) and preparing our list of the club’s top moments of 2020 to count down for you over the final 10 days of the calendar year.

This morning I’ll be recovering from my third late-night Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League doubleheader in a week, as the semifinals took place at Exploria Stadium last night (more on that below). While I sleep off last night’s soccer activities, you can read the news of the day, starting…now!

Tigres UANL and LAFC Advance to CCL Final

The 2020 Concacaf Champions League final is set after last night’s semifinal action at Exploria Stadium. Tigres UANL defeated Honduran side CD Olimpia 3-0 in the first game. Olimpia held firm in the opening half right up until the end, when an intentional handball gave Tigres a penalty and resulted in a sending off. Andre-Pierre Gignac converted the penalty. Tigres won another penalty in the second half on a much less intentional handball and Gignac again converted the spot kick. An Olimpia own goal capped the scoring.

In the nightcap, LAFC went down a goal in the first half and down a man on the edge of halftime, but stormed back to beat Club América out of Mexico’s Liga MX, 3-1. Carlos Vela scored two goals in the first two minutes of the second half to turn the game around and Latif Blessing put the game away deep in stoppage time.

Here is my full summary of last night’s matches at Exploria Stadium.

Former Orlando City Goalkeeper Lands in New England

Ex-OCSC goalkeeper Earl Edwards, Jr. was let go by D.C. United at the end of the 2020 MLS season but he already has a new job. The hated New England Revolution signed Edwards on Saturday and now he’ll be a backup goalkeeper for a team that plays in a giant football stadium on plastic grass. Edwards began his career in Orlando after he was selected by the Lions in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft with the No. 43 overall pick in the third round. He was used sparingly by the Lions for four seasons before being let go. He spent the last two years with D.C. United, where he was again a backup, making 16 appearances for the club’s USL Championship affiliate last year. Good luck to Earl, who is hopefully acting as OCSC’s Manchurian Candidate to destroy the Revs from within.

Former Lion Cam Lindley Lands in San Antonio

Ex-Orlando City midfielder Cam Lindley ultimately didn’t work out and landed in the USL Championship last season with Indy Eleven, where he created 11 scoring chances in 12 games in 2020. Lindley joined San Antonio FC on Saturday, pending league and federation approval.

“As a staff, we are delighted to add Cam to the SAFC family,” said SAFC Head Coach Alen Marcina. “Over his young playing career, he has demonstrated selfless leadership qualities and has also served as a team captain at the USL level. Cam is a very talented player with high potential and already meaningful playing experience at various U.S. national team levels, MLS and USL.”

Lindley made three appearances (all starts) with Orlando City in 2018 but hasn’t appeared in MLS since then. We wish good luck to Cam in the upcoming season.

Pride’s Morgan, Zadorsky See COVID-19 Cancellation in WSL

Orlando Pride stars Alex Morgan and Shelina Zadorsky were set to face Sam Kerr’s Chelsea side today but that match has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

The decision was agreed between both teams and the FA after a number of positive tests for Covid-19 were returned within the Chelsea FC Women’s team set-up after the last round of testing. Those affected immediately began a period of self-isolation in accordance with Public Health England and Government guidelines.

Chelsea’s men’s side was not affected by the outbreak, according to the team’s statement. Hopefully Morgan and Zadorsky are staying safe and they perform well in their next match.

Mewis Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

The U.S. Soccer Federation has named midfielder Sam Mewis the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year for 2020. Mewis played in eight of the nine USWNT matches in 2020 and scored four goals.

“It’s obviously a huge honor to be a part of the list of players that have won this award in the past,” said Mewis. “It should go without saying that it’s the team that does the work on the field and I just have so much respect for the other nominees this year and all my teammates. I’ve just loved playing with them on the U.S. Team, and with my teammates for the Courage and Man City. It’s still such an honor to even get called into a U.S. camp, to get playing time and to be able to score goals for my country. All that continues to be surreal to me. I owe so much to so many people who have helped me on my journey and any individual award is a credit to them.”

Free Kicks

That’s all my time for this morning. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and — if you have one — your holiday break.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

Published

2 hours ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 28, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/27/26

Lions and Pride lose, OCB draws Chicago Fire II, FA Cup semifinals recap, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 27, 2026

By

Image of the OCB squad before the team's game March 8, 2026 vs. Chicago Fire II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and looking forward to covering some high school soccer and lacrosse this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Late Lead in Defeat to D.C. United

Orlando City fell 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday at Audi Field. Jackson Hopkins scored the opener for D.C. United early in the first half. In the second half, Justin Ellis equalized for the Lions, and Tyrese Spicer added another goal to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. However, the Lions couldn’t hang on to the lead as D.C. United scored two late goals in six minutes to pull out a win at the death. It will be another busy week for the Lions with a road trip to New England to face the Revolution in a round-of-16 U.S. Open Cup match Wednesday, followed by another road match Saturday against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium.

Pride Fall to Racing Louisville on the Road

The Orlando Pride fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, continuing their winless streak in Kentucky. Louisville struck first with a goal from Lauren Milliet to take a 1-0 lead, but Barbra Banda buried the equalizer for the Pride to level the match before halftime. However, Louisville scored two early second-half goals to take a 3-1 lead before Banda pulled one back to make it 3-2 late in stoppage time, but Louisville held on to pick up its first win of the season. With that result, the Orlando Pride’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The Pride will look to bounce back Saturday, taking on the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B came from behind to draw 2-2 against Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium Sunday. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime, but in the second half, OCB got a break as Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt scored an own goal to pull the Young Lions within one. Late in stoppage time, Nicolas Lasheras scored the equalizer for OCB. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-2 to earn a second point. OCB’s next match will be at home against Crown Legacy Sunday.

FA Cup Semifinals Recap

The FA Cup final is set after the semifinals concluded over the weekend at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, after a scoreless first half, all the goals came in the second half as Finn Azaz scored the opener to give Southampton the lead, but Manchester City was able to overturn the deficit on goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez to seal a 2-1 win against Southampton to advance to the FA Cup final for the fourth consecutive time. On Sunday, Enzo Fernandez’s lone goal in the first half was enough to pull Chelsea to a 1-0 win against Leeds United to book a spot in the final to face Manchester City. The FA Cup final will take place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

Free Kicks

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

Continue Reading

Trending