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Lion Links: 5/21/21

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5 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week wasn’t too rough on you as we head into another soccer-filled weekend. Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are both in action at 7 p.m. tomorrow night. Leagues across Europe will also reach their conclusions over the next few days, so there’s plenty of soccer to look forward to. But for now, enjoy today’s links!

Orlando City Takes On Toronto FC Tomorrow

After a 1-0 road win against D.C. United last week, the Lions return to Exploria Stadium to face Toronto. The Lions have been a defensive powerhouse so far this season by only conceding two goals, a giveaway pounced on by Sporting Kansas City’s Gianluca Busio and a penalty kick from New York City FC’s Valentin Castellanos. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese already has three clean sheets to his name, most in the league alongside Nashville SC’s Joe Willis, and center back Antonio Carlos anchors a back line that is excelling despite injuries.

It will be the first time Orlando has played Toronto since August of 2019, when the two sides drew 1-1. Jozy Altidore, who has scored six goals against the Lions over the years, got his first start of the season last week in Toronto’s 1-1 draw with NYCFC and should feature in this one as well. Former Lion Dom Dwyer also made his season debut in that match and tomorrow could be his return to Exploria Stadium.

Andres Perea Reflects on His Journey to Orlando

In his first year as a Lion in 2020, Perea found plenty of playing time due to his versatility in the midfield. Capable of playing well both offensively and defensively, Perea can fill most roles asked of him by Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja. Perea’s father, who played for Colombia’s Atletico Nacional and later coached its U-20 team, has encouraged him over the course of his career to gain the needed skills to excel as a midfielder.

“He was able to teach me the things that I would need for the future in that position and make sure that I knew everything that I had going,” Perea said. “We always said that football runs through our blood.”

When watching him now as a Lion, you can easily spot his unselfishness and awareness once the ball is at his feet. Although he’s only started once this year, Perea has featured in all five of the Lions’ games, usually as a substitute to shift the game in Orlando’s favor. He’s become a great weapon for Pareja this way, given the coach’s penchant for changing the team’s shape or tactics at will. As he gets more opportunity at both the club and national levels, Perea will only improve further as a midfielder.

The Orlando Pride Prepare for the North Carolina Courage

The Pride’s first road game of the season will take place tomorrow as they take on the North Carolina Courage. The past three meetings between the two teams have been draws, including a scoreless one on May 1 in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup. Sam Mewis is returning to the Courage, but won’t be available for this match. Debinha and Jessica McDonald are the two Courage players who could give the Pride’s defense the most trouble.

It will be a tough task for Pride center back Phoebe McClernon, who has started in all of the Pride’s games so far. However, McClernon has improved each match and is getting better at communicating with teammates as she finds her footing with the team. Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner had high praise for McClernon and her confident style of play.

“She’s super competitive,” Skinner said. “She knows who she is. She’s authentic. When you have that, when you step into an arena where you have to make decisions, you are able to kind of sit in your own head with that. … I’ve seen so many brilliant players not be able to take the pressure on, and she can take the pressure.”

Members of OCSC Staff Announced as Award Finalists

The Greater Orlando Sports Commission released the 52 finalists for the 2021 SPORTYS, awards aimed at recognizing sports business professionals throughout the region. Orlando City CEO Alex Leitao was nominated for Executive of the Year, Pedro Araujo was nominated for Best in Marketing, Chris Spano for Best in Sales, and Marcos Peres for Best in Sports media. The Pride’s Ad Astra jersey launch, where they literally sent a jersey into space, was nominated for Sponsorship Activation of the Year. The winners of each of the 12 categories will be revealed on June 19.

Daryl Dike Called Up to USMNT

Orlando forward Daryl Dike was one of 27 players called up for the United States Men’s National Team training camp ahead of its friendly with Switzerland on May 30. That game will be the last tune-up for Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT before the Nations League semifinal with Honduras on June 3. With this news, it looks like Dike won’t play for the Lions on May 29 against the New York Red Bulls, which was a possibility if Barnsley FC lost on aggregate against Swansea City tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.

Weston McKennie, John Brooks, Sergino Dest, Giovanni Reyna, and Josh Sargent are some of the bigger names also called up for the camp. Forward Matthew Hoppe, goalkeeper David Ochoa, and defender Justin Che will all have a shot at earning their first appearances for the USMNT as well. Galatasaray defender DeAndre Yedlin also earned a call-up, his first since November of 2019.

Free Kicks

  • As a way to raise awareness regarding plastic waste in our oceans, MLS revealed PRIMEBLUE jerseys made from recycled plastics. While I think the jersey would look better with white rather than the orange, it still looks good on Orlando forward Alexandre Pato. If you’re planning on buying one, we urge you to visit the store through this link, which is something that costs you nothing extra and can help us a little.

That’s going to be it for today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/26

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

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3 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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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!

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Lion Links: 4/28/26

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

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2026

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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!

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Lion Links: 4/27/26

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

Published

2 days ago

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April 27, 2026

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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.

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

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