Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/22/21

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was a good weekend as Orlando soccer teams took four points from the available six and the Orlando Pride stayed undefeated. There’s plenty more soccer to come before the weekend though, with Orlando City playing tonight, the Pride playing tomorrow, and then OCSC playing again on Friday. As usual, we have more than enough to discuss today, so let’s jump on in.
Akindele Named to MLS Team of the Wek
Tesho Akindele had himself a game against Toronto on Saturday night. The Canadian opened the scoring just a minute into the game, and also had the assist on the second goal of the game. Our own Topher Adams named him as the Man of the Match with a grade of 8.5 out of 10. He was rightfully included as one of two starting strikers in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Week. He now has three goals and three assists in his last six games, and is in a fine run of form to say the least. The Canadian also became just the third player in MLS history to score goals in the first minute of two different games in the same season, joining Steve Rammel of D.C. United in 1996 and Allan Cruz of FC Cincinnati in 2019. Tesho’s first first-minute goal this year came on May 1 vs. Cincinnati. Congrats, Tesho, and keep it up!
Lions Relishing the Return of Full Capacity
Today will be the first full capacity Orlando City game at Exploria Stadium since last year’s home opener all the way back in February of 2020. Needless to say, the Lions are looking forward to it. The team doesn’t expect it to be easy, with Kyle Smith noting that the opposition has veteran players and a good attack, and the Lions want to get back to defensive excellence after conceding two goals against Toronto FC over the weekend. Brandon Austin made his OCSC debut in that game, and spoke about how important it will be to have the stadium at full capacity again.
It’s gonna mean a lot, especially to have full capacity of the fans and have them back in the stadium, which we haven’t had since COVID started. That’s just gonna give us the extra boost, the extra energy to get through the game and give our best performance.”
MLS Launches New League
Major League Soccer has announced the creation of a new professional league that will start play in 2022. The new league will serve as a stepping stone from MLS NEXT, the league’s youth development platform, to MLS itself. The league’s calendar will mimic that of MLS, beginning in March and concluding in December. 20 Major League Soccer clubs will field teams during the inaugural season, with independently owned teams potentially able to join as well. The league’s name and logo have yet to be released, as have the participating teams and the application process for expansion clubs.
USMNT Gold Cup Questions
The Gold Cup is a funny little competition. Pretty much all other continental championships carry significant weight, with the European Championships, Copa America, and African Cup of Nations all very important tournaments. The same can’t really be said for the Gold Cup though, with the region’s strongest teams often not sending first-choice rosters due to how uncompetitive it’s become — only one team has won it that isn’t the U.S. or Mexico in the last 15 iterations of the tournament. While the USMNT will not send its strongest roster to this summer’s competition, we should still be able to glean plenty of important info from the tournament. Foremost in Orlando City fans’ minds may well be who is the team’s best number nine, with Daryl Dike in contention for the spot. Another question is who the backup is to Tyler Adams, since no one has really emerged yet. With any luck, this summer will provide some clarity.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
Transfer season never stops and there are no shortage of interesting rumors to sift through. For one, Manchester City is said to be preparing a £100 million offer in an effort to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham. It likely won’t be enough though, with Daniel Levy valuing the 27-year-old at £150 million and the fact that the Spurs boss doesn’t want to sell him to begin with.
Elsewhere, Manchester United wants to sign Villareal defender Pau Torres after getting a look at him up close during the Europa league final. The Red Devils want to strengthen their defense and were repelled by Real Madrid when asking after Raphael Varane.
Finally, Paris Saint-Germain is reportedly in pole position to sign Varane’s former Real Madrid teammate, Sergio Ramos, on a free transfer. The Parisians are apparently offering more money than other suitors and are also willing to give him a two-year contract.
Free Kicks
- Sydney Leroux has an…interesting player card.
Whoever chose this photo for my player card… if you don’t like me just say that. 😂😂🤣🤣😭 #yadidmedirty pic.twitter.com/fj0YgHPSoV
— Sydney Leroux (@sydneyleroux) June 22, 2021
- Pedro Gallese hit a milestone for Peru.
Pedro Gallese is the first goalkeeper in the history of Perú that reaches 70 matches!!!
Bien ahí 🐙 @pedrogallese! 👏🏽 🧤
Info via @Eduardo_Combe #ArribaPerú #CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/ohy3OY1I2k
— Diego Montalvan (@DMontalvan) June 21, 2021
- Orlando City is up to fifth in ESPN’s MLS Power Rankings.
- Steve Zakuani highlighted the Lions’ character in winning after giving up a two-goal lead.
That does it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/17/25
Orlando City falls apart at home, Orlando Pride players in action abroad, Charlotte will host 2026 MLS All-Star Game, and more.

Sometimes the Cardiac Cats are fun to watch, and other times they really do just stomp your heart into pieces. We’re unfortunately in the aftermath of the latter after Orlando City’s rough defeat last night. The good news is that the Lions can’t lose today as well. Let’s jump right into today’s links.
Orlando City Beaten by New York City FC
The Lions’ summer struggles continued with a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to New York City FC. Robin Jansson scored his first goal of the season, but Orlando collapsed late at home yet again, suffering from an own goal and a winner from Alonso Martinez in stoppage time. Orlando City is now winless in its past four games and has not won at home since May 24. There’s not much time to shake off this loss, as the Lions are back in action on Saturday for a tough road match against the New England Revolution.
Keeping Up With the Pride Players Abroad
Marta came off the bench and provided a pair of assists in Brazil’s dominant 6-0 win over Bolivia in the Copa America Femenina’s group stage. Kerolin had a hat trick and the result keeps Brazil at the top of its group for the time being. The Brazilians will be back in action on Tuesday to face Paraguay.
The CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals kick off on Friday with a great matchup between Zambia and Nigeria. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji have each scored three goals this tournament and both were named to the Best XI of the group stage. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse likely won’t play, but England takes on Sweden today in the Women’s European Championship quarterfinals.
Charlotte Will Host 2026 MLS All-Star Game
MLS announced that Charlotte will serve as the host of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, the 30th in the league’s history. Charlotte FC joined the league in 2022 and this will be the first time the event is held in Charlotte. It’s always nice to see a smaller market receive its day in the sun, and Charlotte has really embraced soccer over the years. But if Sir Minty doesn’t take part in the skills challenge next year, then what are we even doing?
D.C. United Hires Rene Weiler
Rene Weiler is officially the next head coach of D.C. United and will take over once he receives a U.S. work permit. The 51-year-old brings plenty of European experience to the nation’s capital and won the Swiss Cup with Servette FC last year. He replaces Troy Lesesne, who was fired by the club after its exit from the U.S. Open Cup earlier this month. It’s a new era for one of the league’s older clubs, and it will be interesting to see how aggressive D.C. will be to bring in talent during the upcoming transfer window.
Free Kicks
- Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has reportedly agreed to terms with Inter Miami and could be with the club in time for the Leagues Cup. He also reportedly won’t need to take up a Designated Player spot this year, because of course.
- Tierna Davidson signed a contract extension with NJ/NY Gotham FC that will keep her at the club through 2027.
- FC Dallas is reportedly finalizing a deal for Haitian winger Louicius Don Deedson, who recorded seven goals and nine assists for Odense BK in Denmark’s second division this past year.
- American midfielder Johnny Cardoso officially made the move to Atletico Madrid, joining the Spanish club on a five-year contract.
- Cristiani Girelli scored the late winner for Italy in a 2-1 victory against Norway to claim a spot in the Women’s European Championship semifinals. Girelli had a brace in the match, while Ada Hegerberg scored Norway’s lone goal.
- Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham underwent surgery for a nagging shoulder injury and may miss the next two or three months.
- After an investigation into alleged match fixing, UEFA banned Montenegrin club Arsenal Tivat from European competitions for 10 years. Tivat player Nikola Celebic was banned from activities relating to soccer for life, along with the club’s sporting director, Ranko Krgovic.
That’s all I have for you this time around, Mane Landers. Stay hydrated and have a great Thursday!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/16/25
Orlando City faces NYCFC, Marco Pasalic is an All-Star, OCB’s Jhon Solis transfers out, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful as Orlando City hosts New York City FC in a crucial Eastern Conference bout. I know I’m in the minority, but I love Wednesday matches since I’m off work on Thursdays. That being said, if you have the opportunity, you should definitely head down to the match tonight. For now, let’s get to the links.
Lions Host the Pigeons
Orlando City welcomes New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The midweek match comes after a short turnaround following Saturday’s draw against CF Montreal. The Lions will need to get the offense back in gear to take all three points from NYCFC. Our own Ben Miller joined Hudson River Blue to answer questions for the opposition. Check back later today for our detailed preview of the match.
Pasalic is an All-Star
Marco Pasalic was named to the MLS All-Star squad by coach Nico Estévez. Pasalic joins Alex Freeman as the second Lion to represent Orlando City in the match. The MLS All-Stars will play a team of All-Stars from Liga MX. Pasalic is tied with Martin Ojeda for the team’s goal-scoring lead with 10. He also has four assists for the Lions. Pasalic is a worthy addition to the MLS All-Star Team, but it does beg the question why Ojeda didn’t also get an invitation.
So Long, Solis
Orlando City B has transferred midfielder Jhon Solis to Fortaleza C.E.I.F. of Liga BetPlay Dimayor — Colombia’s top tier. Solis made 70 appearances for the Young Lions since joining prior to the 2023 season. As a native of Medellín, Colombia, the 26-year-old is returning to his home country to continue his career. Solis wasn’t able to make the jump to Orlando City’s first team, but he was a consistent starter for OCB.
U.S. National Team News
Fresh off his appearances in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Patrick Agyemang has been transferred from Charlotte FC to Derby County in the English Championship. In sadder news, Aaron Long is out for the season after having surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles.
On the women’s side, USWNT coach Emma Hayes has great praise for Sam Coffey and her presence in the U.S. midfield.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando Pride midfielder Taylor Flint (nee Kornieck) has signed a new contract with Racing Louisville through the 2028 season.
- Pasalic wasn’t the only player added to the MLS All-Star squad. Five other players were added to represent MLS.
- Bay FC has acquired Forward Onyeka Gamero from FC Barcelona B on a contract running through the 2028 season.
- Denver’s 2026 NWSL expansion team is reportedly close to signing Nick Cushing as the club’s first head coach from Manchester City Women.
- FIFA has announced the ticketing process for the 2026 World Cup. The tickets will be sold in phases due to expected high demand. I’m trying to figure out if I’ll be able to go see a match some when the time comes.
That will do it for today. Check back later as we prepare you for tonight’s match, and don’t forget to follow The Mane Land on Bluesky to get match updates. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/15/25
Lions earn weekly recognition, United States Men’s National Team announces friendlies, talking points about the women’s Euros, and more.

Good morning, everyone. I write to you all from the great state of South Carolina, as I continue my summer of frequent and widespread traveling. We have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B’s Tristan Himes and get into today’s links!
Lions Earn Weekly Recognition
A pair of Orlando City players have earned some recognition for their contributions during the Lions’ 1-1 draw with CF Montreal on Saturday. First up is Martin Ojeda, who garnered a nomination for the MLS Goal of the Matchday for this pinpoint, low free kick he scored which gave Orlando a lead in the first half.
We also can’t forget about Alex Freeman, who got a shoutout as a well-performing young player due to another solid performance at right back. Here’s hoping both men keep up the good work!
USMNT Announces October Friendlies
The United States Men’s National Team has announced that it will play friendlies against Ecuador and Australia during the October international window. The USMNT will face Ecuador on Oct. 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX, before playing Australia at Dick’s Sporting Good Park in Commerce City, CO. Both opponents are ranked in the top 25 in the world, and have already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The games are exactly the sort of contests that the U.S. should be scheduling in the buildup to the tournament, and it’ll be interesting to see the performances of whatever roster Mauricio Pochettino chooses to deploy.
Women’s Euro Talking Points
The group stage of the women’s European Championship has come to an end, and there are plenty of things to talk about while we wait for the knockout stages to start later this week. Teams like Italy and Sweden have exceeded the expectations that many people had for them ahead of the tournament starting, while others like the Netherlands and Denmark had poor showings compared to what was expected of them. Alexia Putellas has unsurprisingly shone, and the quarterfinal matchup between France and Germany is the one that many people will have circled on their calendars.
Club World Cup Takeaways
Now that the Club World Cup has come to a conclusion, what did we learn from the tournament? For one, the quality of play was mostly good, as teams certainly took the competition seriously. Lessons need to be learned when it comes to pricing tickets appropriately and not kicking games off in the middle of the day during the heat of summer, but if the right adjustments are made, it could grow into a really fun competition to look forward to. Brazilian fans were one of the highlights of the tournament, while extremely low attendance numbers for some games were more of a blemish. Overall, the tournament is probably a net positive, but there are absolutely things that can and must be improved upon if it’s going to continue in this form.
Free Kicks
- Martin Ojeda has now gone seven straight matches with a goal contribution, which is a new club record!
- Orlando City dropped one spot to no. 11 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Newcastle United is close to completing a $93.3 million move for Hugo Ekitike.
- Real Madrid has signed left back Alvaro Carreras from Benfica.
- Luka Modric has signed a one-year deal with AC Milan.
That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!
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