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Lion Links: 7/24/20

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5 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope your work week is going well as we shift gears into the weekend and more Orlando City soccer. Actually, there is a lot of soccer across the board these next few days, with plenty to watch both in the U.S. and in Europe. Now, let’s get down to business with these links from around the soccer world.

Lions Facing New-Look Impact

Tomorrow, Orlando City will start the MLS is Back Tournament’s knockout round with a match against the Montreal Impact. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since over a year ago when the Lions won 3-0 in Canada. Plenty has changed for both teams since then, with Thierry Henry taking over as head coach for the Impact and injecting European talent across the roster. The biggest difference though may be the absence of striker Ignacio Piatti, who left the Impact after last season and was notorious for scoring against the Lions.

As for Orlando, the team should be near its full strength despite forward Dom Dwyer sitting out Monday with quad tightness and midfielder Junior Urso exiting early in Orlando’s last game. The Lions are keeping a close eye on their fitness levels, but aren’t afraid to take risks and press high tomorrow night.

Orlando enters the match with no losses in the group stage while Montreal only won once to secure third place. However, Montreal defender Rod Fanni likes the position his team is in with the pressure on the Lions.

Luiz Muzzi Pleased With Orlando’s Performance

Hired by OCSC near the end of 2018, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi is watching his vision for the club become a reality during this tournament as fans start to see the fruits of his labor. After having Oscar Pareja take over as head coach and adding talented players such as midfielder Mauricio Pereyra and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, Muzzi has built a system that allows its players to play with confidence.

Orlando forward Chris Mueller has shined under Muzzi and Pareja’s system so far. With clear vision in place and a driving motivation for the team to make the playoffs, Mueller noticed a change in mentality for the Lions this year.

“This year’s different because the team has confidence in the other players who are playing,” attacker Chris Mueller said Thursday during a conference call. ”I think that we have an identity as to how we’re going to play on the field. And also the coach is good and has good ideas for the entire team. And for this reason I think the team is different and we have a different way of thinking on the pitch.”

Round of 16 Field Finalized

Only 16 teams remain in the MLS is Back Tournament with the group stage finished and the knockout stage starts tomorrow. The Vancouver Whitecaps booked their spot after a 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire. The morning game featured a weather delay in the second half with both teams level and Vancouver Head Coach Marc dos Santos gave a pep talk to help his team score twice and advance.

Darwin Quintero gave the Houston Dynamo an early lead that they would hold onto all the way until stoppage time. The Dynamo gave up a late penalty that the LA Galaxy’s Cristian Pavon converted to end the game in a 1-1 draw. The result sunk both teams’ chances at claiming a third-place spot, with New York City FC advancing from Group A. Meanwhile, the Portland Timbers took on LAFC and drew 2-2 with a late header to win the group and secure a match with FC Cincinnati in the next round.

The entire bracket is now filled in, with each team learning its path forward. If Orlando beats Montreal then it will face the victor between the Seattle Sounders and LAFC. The other names on the Lions’ side of the bracket include the San Jose Earthquakes, Real Salt Lake, Columbus Crew, and Minnesota United.

National Women’s Soccer League Players Eye Europe

Sam Mewis reportedly signed with Manchester City in the Women’s Soccer League. The North Carolina Courage midfielder’s season is over after the club’s early exit in the NWSL Challenge Cup and Washington Spirit star Rose Lavelle could be headed to Manchester City as well.

The contract offer for both Americans is only for one year and I believe they won’t be the only ones making a move to Europe in the coming months. The NWSL Challenge Cup final between the Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars is Sunday, but the rest of the season is uncertain. Pride defender Ali Riley was loaned to FC Rosengård earlier this summer and NWSL players could follow suit with their seasons possibly over.

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  • Relive the Lions’ successful journey in the bubble and through the group stage.

  • You may not be able to head into Exploria Stadium for a game right now, but the club has a gift bundle that is a pretty good deal considering it includes a $20 gift card to Publix.

  • The Orlando Pride are bringing back the Golden Swans, so be ready to vote.

  • United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter is eager to bring 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Giovanni Reyna into the fold when able to do so.
  • A day after Charlotte FC’s reveal, the NFL’s Washington Football Team was announced as the temporary name for the team while the organization works on a more permanent brand. However, the team’s jersey reveal took a little more inspiration from soccer than just a generic name.

  • The one team that absolutely nailed its logo and name was the NHL’s expansion team from Seattle, which even made a cinematic intro video.

  • Arrests were made after fans gathered a little too closely together to celebrate Liverpool’s English Premier League title and Leeds United’s promotion.
  • Before the two square off Sunday with a spot in the Champions League on the line, Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel defended Manchester United’s David de Gea against criticism over errors in the FA Cup.

That’s going to be it for today, Mane Landers. Have a great Friday and an even greater weekend!

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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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3 days ago

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April 18, 2025

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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: 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.

Published

4 days ago

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April 17, 2025

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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.

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  • 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 4/16/25

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

Published

5 days ago

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April 16, 2025

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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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