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Lion Links: 1/3/21

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6 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. A couple of days ago I told you how exhausting 2020 was and how we are a bit shorthanded in terms of both numbers and the commitment the staff writers we have can make for the site. As such, one of the first changes that might be coming soon is the elimination of Sunday Lion Links and possibly both weekend days. I’d like to keep them, so I’m not making a definitive decision on that yet, but if you don’t see this column on future Sunday mornings, you’ll know why.

So let’s get to the news of the day.

Key Soccer Dates for 2021

If you’re like me, you try to stay organized and plan things out. So it’s always good to know when things are going to happen well in advance, such as this helpful list of key soccer dates for the calendar year. Included within are:

  • NWSL Draft (Jan. 13)
  • MLS SuperDraft (Jan. 21)
  • FIFA Club World Cup (Feb. 1-11)
  • SheBelieves Cup (Feb. 8-25)
  • UEFA Champions League Final (May 20)
  • Concacaf Gold Cup (July 2 – Aug. 1)
  • Olympic soccer tournament (July 23 – Aug. 8)

A lot of these are still TBA, but it’s a good guide. I hope you find it as helpful as I did.

COVID-19’s Effect on the Upcoming NWSL Draft

The National Women’s Soccer League’s annual draft will be a strange one, as the pandemic has thrown a lot of uncertainty into the proceedings. The NCAA has allowed players to retain college eligibility while declaring for the draft but they have until a week after the draft to tell the teams drafting them whether or not they’ll forego that eligibility.

“I haven’t dealt with this before,” Red Stars coach Rory Dames said. “I think the fact that college players don’t have to let us know [if they’ll immediately forgo their college eligibility] until a week after the draft is a little bit backward, if I’m being honest. I’m not sure how much value the draft has this year because of that.”

Drafted players must decide by Jan. 22 if they’ll report to their team immediately or at the end of their spring college season (assuming it’s held). Dames said he thinks this could lead to players who dislike where they’ve been drafted choosing to re-enter the draft next year.

It will be an interesting winter and spring for the NWSL and for the Orlando Pride.

Soccer Putting Revenue Ahead of Safety

Speaking of the pandemic, Yahoo! Sports soccer writer Leander Schaerlaeckens says that soccer leagues (along with other sports leagues) are putting money ahead of more important issues.

The English Premier League, and every other major league for that matter, is taking the money. And it is doing so at the expense of its own competition. 

…

But in spite of these issues and indiscretions, the Premier League is determined to forge ahead, even as calls grow to interrupt the season while the United Kingdom deals with the worst of its second outbreak, with much of the country on strict lockdown. West Brom manager Sam Allardyce said publicly that he would back such a break. “I am 66 years old and the last thing I want to do is catch COVID,” he told Sky Sports. “I’m very concerned for myself and football in general.”

Still the league presses on. Just like all the other leagues.

While he’s not wrong, there are complications on how much revenue clubs and leagues can lose and survive, which of course affects the livelihoods of a lot of people who don’t make as much as the players and managers do. As usual, sports is a microcosm of society, and many of us have been dealing with these types of issues in our jobs and lives. We want to be safe and alive. We need money to secure food, shelter, and clothing. Sometimes those two conditions are at odds and there’s no easy choice.

Schalke Threatens Bundesliga Streak

It’s been 30 league games without a win for Schalke 04 and that’s just one shy of the Bundesliga record. You wouldn’t think a club would want such a mark, but fans of the current record holders, Tasmania Berlin, would like to see Schalke win to preserve the record.

Placards reading “That is our record! Ra-Ra-Ra Tasmania (The Original)” and “Save the record for Tas!” were laid out in front of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium before Schalke’s 3-0 defeat to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Schalke is on its fourth head coach of the season already. Meanwhile, Tasmania Berlin finds itself in the fifth division of German soccer.

Free Kicks

  • Sarah Rendell of NewsChain called Alex Morgan one of the top eight signings of the WSL season, even though the Orlando Pride star didn’t see a lot of game action with Spurs.
  • As has long been reported, PSG finally made it official and hired Mauricio Pochettino as head coach.
  • We probably drop too much Christian Pulisic info in these columns, but this one is a fun piece of fluff, where the USMNT and Chelsea star talks about things like his favorite Pennsylvanian gas station, his love for country music, and why he got rid of his beard.
  • Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier’s 10-week suspension for a betting violation has been put on hold by FIFA.
  • Angel City FC updated fans on the club’s plans for 2021.
  • Those born on this date include Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892), “fifth Beatle” George Martin (1926), Robert Loggia (1930), hockey’s Bobby Hull (1939), Stephen Stills (1945), Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones (1946), Victoria Principal (1950), basketball’s Cheryl Miller (1964), Formula One racing legend Michael Schumacher (1969), television producer Dan Harmon (1973), football’s Eli Manning (1981), and Greta Thunberg (2003).

That’s all my time for this morning. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and/or holiday break.

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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.

Published

3 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

4 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

5 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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