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Lion Links: 7/2/21

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all are staying dry after a pretty rainy week. It’s definitely a great time to be a sports fan with so many events going on and with even more slated for later this month. Before we jump into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride forward Alex Morgan and Orlando City SuperDraft pick Brandon Hackenberg!

Orlando City Linked With Argentinian Left Back

Reports surfaced that the Lions are on the hunt for River Plate left back Nahuel Gallardo, although The Mane Land’s sources don’t indicate any truth to the rumors. The 23-year-old hasn’t played for River Plate since 2019 and his loan with Defensa y Justicia ended on June 30. The Lions could certainly use another left back on the roster, considering injury issues with Joao Moutinho. Kyle Smith has done well filling in at both fullback positions, but it will be interesting to see how the Lions address the needed depth in the future.

Daryl Dike Called Up for Gold Cup

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter named his 23-man roster for the Concacaf Gold Cup this month and Orlando forward Daryl Dike was selected. Dike’s inclusion doesn’t come as much of a shock and the tournament will give him a great opportunity to make his case for the starting spot during World Cup qualifying later this year. The other center forwards on the roster include Gyasi Zardes, Matthew Hoppe, and Nicholas Gioacchini.

Of the 23 players, 19 are from MLS clubs as Berhalter will use the Gold Cup to get a better look at players other than the usual starters on the first team. Orlando’s Andres Perea and Chris Mueller were both named to the preliminary roster, but neither made the cut. Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids both have three players on the roster, while New York City FC and D.C. United have two each. Notable names to keep an eye on apart from Dike include Sporting Kansas City’s Gianluca Busio, NYCFC’s James Sands, and the New England Revolution’s Matt Turner.

Orlando Pride Players Named to NWSL Team of the Month

Marta and Courtney Petersen were both selected for the NWSL’s Team of the Month after their impressive performances throughout June. Marta had three assists in the Pride’s four matches in June and now leads the league in assists, alongside former Pride player Carson Pickett. She also scored a stunning goal from range in the Pride’s 3-1 road win against Kansas City. Petersen also scored for the Pride last month, doing so in dramatic fashion late against NJ/NY Gotham FC to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw. While the Pride didn’t have any clean sheets in June, Petersen anchored the defense during a tough month that included three road games.

Sydney Leroux scored twice in the Pride’s win over Kansas City, but was beaten out by the Washington Spirit’s Trinity Rodman and the North Carolina Courage’s Lynn Williams. With four goals and an assist in June, Williams was also named NWSL Player of the Month.

Young Lions Advance to MLS NEXT Cup Final

Orlando’s U-17 squad won 2-1 against Sacramento Republic FC to book its place in the MLS NEXT Cup final. Ethan Subachan scored Orlando’s first goal in the 23rd minute and then assisted on Gonzalo Agustoni-Chagas’ goal in the 29th. Sacramento scored in the 38th minute to close the gap but the Lions held on for the win even though Orlando City Homegrown Player Thomas Williams was sent off in the 75th minute for a soft second yellow card. Williams won’t be available for the final tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. against Players Development Academy and fellow center back Quembol Gaudalupe limped through the final stages of the match, so we will see if he can play.

USWNT Wins Over Mexico in Send-Off Series

The United States Women’s National Team won 4-0 against Mexico in the first of two matches as part of a Send-Off Series before the Olympics. In the 21st minute, Kristie Mewis found her sister Sam Mewis in front of goal, with the latter then burying the ball into the bottom right corner to get the scoring started. Christen Press then scored in the 39th minute with an assist from Megan Rapinoe to double the USWNT’s lead.

In the 74th minute, Morgan made a great assist after pouncing on a loose ball and Tobin Heath delivered a pinpoint strike from distance to score her first goal of 2021.

Morgan was subbed off in the 78th minute and Press scored again in the 85th to complete her brace. The two teams will play again on Monday night in the USWNT’s final match before heading to Tokyo.

Free Kicks

  • The Philadelphia Union’s Quinn Sullivan won MLS Goal of the Week for his great bicycle kick against the Chicago Fire. The 17-year-old received 42.8% of the vote, narrowly surpassing Nani’s 38.7% of the vote after his game-winning goal against Inter Miami.
  • In a puzzling decision, Carles Gil was named MLS Player of the Month for June after logging five assists in three matches. While Gil is certainly a great player, it’s bizarre that he received the distinction when Nani had three goals and three assists in June. One could argue that the Revolution faced tougher opponents in wins over NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls, but they also lost to FC Dallas while Orlando won all three of its games.
  • The Copa America quarterfinals start today with Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and Peru squaring off against Paraguay at 5 p.m., before Brazil plays Chile at 8 p.m. Tomorrow, Uruguay and Colombia will play at 6 p.m. and then Orlando’s Sebas Mendez and Ecuador will take on Lionel Messi and Argentina at 9 p.m.
  • Canada also named its Gold Cup roster, with 13 MLS players chosen. Former Lions Richie Laryea, Kamal Miller, and Cyle Larin are all on the roster. It’s worth noting that Toronto FC will be without Laryea, Ayo Akinola, and Jonathan Osorio when it plays Orlando on July 17.
  • The 2020 Euros continue today, with Switzerland taking on Spain at noon before a heavyweight match-up between Belgium and Italy at 3 p.m.
  • The NWSL is working on a rebrand to its visual identity that will be revealed later this year. The rebrand is being led by Soulsight, an agency based in Chicago with clients that include the Tennessee Titans, the NBA, and Gatorade.

That’s going to be it for today. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and rest of your weekend. Make sure to get plenty of rest and to hydrate when you can. Go Orlando!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/13/25

Getting to know Robin Jansson, Orlando Pride announce 2025 season roster, Orlando City’s watch party schedule, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Soccer in the City Beautiful is back and in full swing, with another stacked weekend ahead of us. I’ve been spending most of the week working and getting some reading done before the rest of the month really gets busier for me. For those who like contemporary romance and are looking for a recommendation, First-Time Caller has been a fantastic read so far. But enough about what you should be reading, let’s get to the links!

Getting to Know Robin Jansson

Enjoy taking a stroll with Orlando City center back Robin Jansson, who detailed his role on the team and experience in Orlando. The 33-year-old has become an MLS veteran over the years and talked about how his game has developed since moving from Sweden to the U.S., notably how he’s able to play with the ball at his feet a bit more. As the team’s captain, Jansson provides leadership both on and off the pitch and discussed how he’s fit into the verbal and intense South American culture within the club. He also spoke on how he gives back to the community by visiting kids in the hospital to help them on their journeys.

Orlando Pride Announce Roster for 2025 Season

With the NWSL season only a few days away, the Orlando Pride announced their start-of-season roster. There aren’t too many changes from the team that won both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last year, although Adriana’s transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah FC is notable. New additions acquired this off-season include Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya, World Cup winner Oihane Hernández, and rookie defender Zara Chavoshi. Luana, Simone Charley, and Amanda Allen are the players on the season-ending injury list heading into the 2025 season as well.

Orlando City Reveals 2025 Watch Party Schedule

The schedule for this year’s Orlando City watch parties was announced and fans will be able to watch seven away games at different local pubs. The first will be Saturday at Burton’s Thornton Park for Orlando’s road game against the New York Red Bulls. This should create a nice atmosphere for Orlando’s road rivalry games in May too, as the game against Inter Miami on May 18 will fittingly be watched at Rivals, while the watch party for the game against Atlanta United on May 28 will be at The Hideaway. Orlando’s Decision Day match with Toronto FC will be hosted at Kiwi’s Pub & Grill to close out the regular season. As part of the club’s partnership with the pubs, each one will have access to MLS Season Pass for all of the Lions’ games this year as well.

New NWSL Players to Watch in 2025

Pride fans are well aware that NWSL newcomers played a major role in the league last season, as Barbra Banda was a major reason behind the club’s historic year. This year’s new faces include many players who could impress in their first year in the NWSL, like aforementioned Pride defender Oihane Hernandez. The right back helped Spain win the 2023 Women’s World Cup and bronze at the 2024 Olympics and joined the Pride after two seasons with Real Madrid. She’s skilled on both sides of the ball and gives opponents another obstacle to overcome this season.

OCB Lands in MLS NEXT Pro’s Top 10

The first power rankings of the MLS NEXT Pro season are out and Orlando City B placed sixth. The Young Lions kicked off their season at home on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Columbus Crew 2. A late rally by Columbus nearly spoiled things, but OCB did well to hold onto its lead and secure all three points. Orlando’s next match will be Sunday at Osceola Heritage Park against Atlanta United 2, which lost 1-0 to New York Red Bulls II during the opening weekend.

Free Kicks

  • Chicago Stars forward Mallory Swanson won’t be with the team when it takes on the Pride this Friday due to personal reasons.
  • Although she’s focused on this NWSL season, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman stated that it’s just a matter of when in regards to her making the move to Europe.
  • Seattle Sounders midfielder Paul Arriola was carted off due to a left knee injury during his team’s 4-1 loss to Cruz Azul. It’s tough news for Arriola, who tore his right ACL in 2020.
  • Charlotte FC bolstered its defense by adding left back Souleyman Doumbia on loan from Standard Liège for the 2025 season.
  • The Kansas City Current signed forward Flora Marta Lacho to a two-year contract, making her the first Angolan player in league history. She heads to the U.S. after helping TP Mazembe win the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League last year.
  • The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are set and each matchup looks to be a good one. Arsenal will take on Real Madrid, Bayern Munich will face Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund will play Barcelona, and Aston Villa will square off against Paris Saint-Germain.
  • Bos Nation FC hired Amina Bulman as its chief revenue officer. Bulman led the Washington Commanders’ revamp as the NFL team’s chief brand and strategy officer, so a similar brand reset is hopefully on the horizon for the NWSL club.

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: 3/12/25

David Brekalo featured, the Orlando Pride’s season promotions, USMNT roster drop, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! With the weekend’s matches firmly in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to the next matches, starting with the Orlando Pride’s season opener at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. As you’ll see below, you definitely want to be there in person if you can.

We also want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando Pride attacker Ally Watt! We hope she has a wonderful day. Now, let’s get to the links.

Brekalo for Club and Country

Orlando City center back David Brekalo is ready to give his all for the Lions and with the Slovenian National Team in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with FIFA.com, Brekalo spoke about Orlando City, MLS, and his national team. It provides some excellent insight into his motivations for club and country.

Pride Promotions

Friday night, the Orlando Pride will raise the banners from the 2024 NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Championship. The ceremony will take place before the match against the Chicago Stars. Hopefully, these will be the first of many as Seb Hines and his team look to repeat the double.

The banners are just the start of a season’s worth of promotions the Pride will host this year. Other events include Pups of Pride, Kids Night Out, and others. These are some additional great reasons to go support the champs in 2025.

From the 10th Season Kickoff to Fan Appreciation Night and everything in between, the 2025 theme night schedule has dropped ⬇️

Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-03-11T20:01:50.214Z

Banda and Marta Shine

Barbra Banda took the league by storm when she arrived last year, but she had some help adjusting to the NWSL from the club and her teammates. Repeating as champions won’t be easy, but Banda knows that she doesn’t have to do it alone. Marta is also coming off a great season, and is a player in the league to keep an eye on. Hopefully, the duo can lead the Pride back to the promised land.

USMNT Roster Announced

Mauricio Pochettino has selected the 23-player roster for the 2025 Concacaf Nations League. The big names are there, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, and Tyler Adams. The U.S. kicks things off against Panama in the first semifinal on March 20 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Given the names on this list, it is obvious that Pochettino is serious about trying to win a trophy.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for this weekend’s matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/11/25

June friendlies announced for USMNT, Americans in midweek action, UEFA Champions League preview, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a tough weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three squads to pick up a victory. Opportunities to bounce back will be just around the corner, so there’s no sense in spending too much time licking our wounds. Besides, we have plenty of news to discuss, so let’s jump into today’s links.

U.S. Men Announce June Friendlies

The United States Men’s National Team has announced a pair of friendlies in June against Turkey and Switzerland. The Yanks will play Turkey on June 7 at 3:30 p.m. in Hartford, CT, and will then face the Swiss on June 10 at 8 p.m. in Nashville, TN. It will be the last games the team plays before participating in the Concacaf Gold Cup later in the summer and is also a valuable chance to play against battle-tested European opposition.

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, so let’s run down a few of the big matches. Today sees the free-scoring Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on Sheffield Wednesday in Championship play, while Haji Wright and Coventry City face Derby County. Wednesday has Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund traveling to face Lille to try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit in the UEFA Champions League, while Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and PSV Eindhoven will have a much more difficult task in the same competition when they travel to Arsenal while in a 7-1 hole after the first leg. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Vitoria Guimares in the Europa League with the tie balanced at 2-2 after the first leg. Things then wrap up on Friday with Sargent and Norwich again in action as they travel to Bristol City in the Championship.

UEFA Champions League Preview

The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 wraps up this week, and while we’ve mentioned the games relevant to the American players near and dear to our hearts, there are other enticing ties we need to cover. Barcelona holds a slender 1-0 lead over Benfica but will be without Pau Cubarsi after he was sent off in the first leg. Liverpool likewise has a 1-0 advantage over Paris Saint-Germain, and while Liverpool leads the tie, PSG was desperately unlucky to not get anything from a first leg match that it dominated. The other tie with the most intrigue is Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid, as Real holds a 2-1 advantage but was given all it could handle by its bitter rivals in the first leg. Atletico will need to make home field advantage count to get past a Real side that has caused Atleti all sorts of agony in the Champions League in recent years.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

There are a number of transfer rumors to catch up on, and we’ll start with one that could affect Christian Pulisic. Rafael Leao’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is said to be keen on facilitating the Portuguese winger’s exit from AC Milan amid reported interest from Chelsea and Barcelona. As things stand, Leao leaving would make Pulisic the leading attacker in the team, and he’s already had a good 2024-2025 season. Speaking of Chelsea, the Blues are said to be interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland after missing out on signing his brother Jude when he was still at Birmingham City. Across London, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, and Thomas Partey are all reportedly expected to leave Arsenal in the summer in order to help the club build transfer funds.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City dropped nine spots to No. 20 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
  • The Lion Cubs of Orlando City Development Academy had a good weekend.
Image courtesy of @OCSCAcademy on the very broken platform formerly known as Twitter.

That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!

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