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Lion Links: 12/22/20

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Happy Tuesday, everyone. I’ll keep this quick as I haven’t wrapped a single Christmas present yet, but I hope you guys are doing well today. There’s plenty of news to discuss so let’s get right to it.

Alex Morgan Returning to U.S.

Tottenham Hotspur announced that Alex Morgan will be returning to the United States after the end of the first half of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League season. Morgan joined Spurs in September and has made five appearances since then, scoring a pair of goals in the WSL. This is excellent news for the Orlando Pride, who will be getting back one of their best players as the team looks to right the ship after a rough 2019 and almost non-existent 2020. It also wasn’t a foregone conclusion that she would be returning, as there’s a very real fear that higher profile USWNT stars may stay in Europe due to some uncertainty about an NWSL season in 2021.

MLS Transfer Happenings

The MLS transfer wheel stops for no one, and there are a couple notable pieces of news to cover from the league. First, the New England Revolution signed Christian Mafla from Atletico Nacional (Andres Perea’s former club). The 27-year-old Colombian defender has spent 10 years a professional in South America and made 78 appearances with Atletico Nacional after he joined the club in 2017.

Elsewhere, the Vancouver Whitecaps acquired a 2021 international roster slot from Nashville SC in exchange for $175,000 in 2021 General Allocation Money. At present the Whitecaps have 10 international slots and have eight international players.

Concacaf Issues Sanctions for Champions League Shenanigans

Saturday night’s chippy Concacaf Champions League semifinal between LAFC and Club América led to a red card to Eduard Atuesta of the MLS side and the ejection of Miguel Herrera from the Liga MX side. It all started with the referee ignoring a potential penalty for LAFC for a foul on Atuesta and then América goalkeeper Memo Ochoa baiting the ref into sending Atuesta off by simulating contact from a headbutt near the end of the first half. Herrera got into it with LAFC Assistant Coach Ante Razov and hands were raised in anger. Concacaf released a statement Monday stating that Herrera and Razov have been issued four-game suspensions for unsporting conduct, with Herrera getting an extra game for continuing to communicate with his team via walkie-talkie after his ejection.

Concacaf also stated that it will be implementing VAR starting in 2021 and that the pandemic interrupted opportunities to trial the technology and train officials. Finally, the confederation said there is no path forward to appeal Atuesta’s red card.

The regulations of the SCCL clearly state that referee decisions on the field are final. This is in line with FIFA regulations for their competitions and has been in place throughout the tournament. 

From an integrity perspective, the Confederation cannot change the rules at this late stage of the competition. For this reason, it is not possible to overturn red cards awarded in the 2020 SCCL.

To make matters worse for Herrera, he was sacked by Club América on Monday.

Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman Retires

Kyle Beckerman has announced his retirement from professional soccer. The longtime Real Salt Lake and United States Men’s National Team player will hang up his cleats after 21 seasons as a professional. He retires as the all-time leader in MLS regular-season games played, games started, and minutes played among outfield players. He won the MLS Cup in 2009, and scored 41 regular-season goals during his time in the league. Beckerman made the bulk of his appearances with Real Salt Lake after spending five years with the Colorado Rapids. He also made 58 appearances for the USMNT from 2007 to 2016, and was part of the 2014 World Cup squad. Beckerman was recently named one of MLS’ 25 greatest players and the league truly won’t be the same without him.

Premier League Rumor Mill

The Barclays Premier League has its fair share of transfer rumors, with one of the league’s biggest stars rumored to be on the move. There are rumblings that Mohamed Salah may be on the move away from Liverpool after hinting in an interview that Real Madrid or Barcelona could be destinations for him in the future. Its also thought that Liverpool may look to cash in on the Egyptian striker while he’s in his prime, as he would certainly fetch a high price if he were to be sold soon.

Additionally, Manchester United is rumored to be after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma, although Liverpool and Arsenal apparently also want the 24-year-old. With Paul Pogba seemingly on his way out of Manchester, the Red Devils may be looking for a replacement box-to-box midfielder and the Malian is seemingly at the top of their list. They could face strong competition from Liverpool though, since Georgino Wijnaldum looks likely to leave on a free transfer in the summer.

Free Kicks

  • Naomi Girma was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. Girma captained the U-20 team and attended her first full U.S. Women’s National Team camp. Look for her to make some waves for the USWNT in the near future.
  • Cobi Jones will be running for U.S. Soccer vice president.

  • Don’t cross Adrian Heath in head tennis.


That’ll be all for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/13/24

Orlando City’s international call-ups, Orlando Pride playoffs preview, NWSL Awards voting opens, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City might have to wait a week to continue its playoff journey, but the Orlando Pride do not. The Kansas City Current are coming to town this Sunday for the third meeting between these NWSL heavyweights this year, and I will be there. I hope you will make it to Inter&Co Stadium to show this Pride club how much we appreciate all they have done this season in their final home match of the season. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions on International Duty

Several Orlando City players received call-ups for this international break, including Facundo Torres for Uruguay. Additionally, the following also got the call: David Brekalo with Slovenia, Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena for Peru, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for Iceland, and Favian Loyola for Chile’s U-20 squad. All we can hope for is they all stay healthy and in form. Orlando City’s next opponent, Atlanta United, also had several players called up.

The NWSL Playoffs Continue

The Orlando Pride will face the fourth-place Kansas City Current this weekend after decimating the Chicago Red Stars Friday. There’s been a lot of drama between these two clubs, making this an intriguing semifinal match. The other match sees the second-place Washington Spirit take on third-place NJ/NY Gotham FC. While we get to enjoy seeing the Pride continue their NWSL playoff run, many clubs are now watching from home and working on next season’s campaign.

NWSL Award Voting Open

The NWSL has opened the “fans voting round” for its 2024 end-of-season awards. There are several Pride players who were named finalists, including Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, Kylie Strom, and Anna Moorhouse. Of course, Seb Hines is up for NWSL Coach of the Year in what should be a foregone conclusion. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and submit your vote here. This is your chance to make a difference for Hines and these Pride players who have given so much this season.

Pepi is Ready

The USMNT will play its first competitive match under Mauricio Pochettino against Jamaica Thursday night in the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series. The U.S. doesn’t have a ton of options at forward, meaning Ricardo Pepi will likely get the start. The PSV striker said he feels he’s “ready to be the man.” It’s been years since anyone locked down the starting role up top for the USMNT. Let’s hope that Pepi is indeed ready.

Free Kicks

  • In unsurprising news, Charlotte FC’s Kristijan Kahlina was named 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Orlando fans are all too familiar with how good Kahlina is in goal. Honestly, Khalina is a very deserving winner.
  • England’s squad will look very different this international window with eight players out due to injury, including Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
  • The UScpMNT match scheduled for today has been postponed due to inclement weather.
  • Coventry City has its eye on Frank Lampard as a possible replacement for Mark Robins as manager.
  • We have unfortunately seen the last of Memphis 901 FC. It is a sad day, as we’re unlikely to see such a cool name with whatever Santa Barbara comes up with.
  • We’re sad to share that FC Cincinnati’s Marco Angulo passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates.
  • Finally, I leave you with Ally Watt solving a Rubik’s Cube.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s playoff match against the Kansas City Current. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/12/24

Examining Orlando City’s playoff path, what to watch in the Concacaf Nations League, Lily Yohannes declares for the U.S., and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! The weekend couldn’t have gone much better for Orlando’s soccer teams, as both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride advanced after their respective playoff games, with the Pride dominating Chicago and the Lions getting a late, dramatic equalizer before winning the penalty shootout. The Pride will return to action Sunday against the Kansas City Current, while the Lions have a slightly longer layoff before they take on Atlanta United. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City’s Playoff Path

It was a wild weekend for the MLS playoffs as far as the Eastern Conference was concerned, and a slew of upsets suddenly means that the path to the MLS Cup final in the Eastern Conference goes through Orlando. The Lions are the highest remaining seed in the East, and not only will they host Atlanta Nov. 24, but they would also host the Eastern Conference final, should they come out victorious. Oscar Pareja spoke after the game about not wanting the victory over Charlotte FC to be the end of the playoff journey, and says the team intends to chase the MLS Cup. If Orlando does make it that far, the team wouldn’t be likely to host the match, as it would require Minnesota United to come out of the Western Conference in order for the final to be held in Orlando. Stranger things have happened though.

What to Watch For With the USMNT

It seems like we just had an international break, but here we are again with two more United States Men’s National Team games on the docket. These are two important games, as the USMNT squares off against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. Besides the obvious chance to advance to the semifinals, there are plenty of other storylines to keep an eye on. With Josh Sargent and Folarin Balogun both absent due to injury, can Ricardo Pepi seize an opportunity to lay claim to the starting striker role? What sort of impacts can Brendan Aaronson and Weston McKennie have in the midst of good starts to the season for their clubs? Last, but certainly not least, is Christian Pulisic, who has had a fantastic start to the season and will have many eyes on him in the first competitive matches under Mauricio Pochettino.

Lily Yohannes Chooses the United States

The United States Women’s National Team has landed a great young talent, as Lily Yohannes announced on Monday that she has chosen to represent the U.S. over the Netherlands. While she was born in Virginia, Yohannes has lived abroad since the age of 10, making her eligible to play for either country. However, she stated that with the United States being her country of birth, as well as where her extended family lives, she decided to commit to representing Emma Hayes’ team. Yohannes made her debut for Ajax’s senior side in November of last year, and has seven goals in 40 appearances for the Dutch team.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always, the transfer rumor mill continues to turn, which means we have plenty of things to catch up on. We start with Major League Soccer itself, where FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta has said he may have played his final game for the club. He cited frustration with falling short of silverware as a possible reason for wanting to move on, so he may change his mind once the sting has faded more. Moving to Spain, Barcelona is reportedly monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush as an option to replace the aging Robert Lewandowski. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be interested in Leroy Sane, and will pursue him hard if contract talks with Bayern Munich don’t progress well.

Free Kicks

  • NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman had some friendly words for the Orlando Pride.

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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