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Lion Links: 7/16/21

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3 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? Thank gosh it’s Friday so we can start shifting gears from the work week to the weekend. I personally don’t have much planned this weekend, but it will be nice to relax and enjoy Orlando City and the Orlando Pride in action. The Olympics are also only a week away now, although the United States Women’s National Team will play before the opening ceremony as its first game is against Sweden on July 21. But for now, enjoy today’s links from around the soccer world.

Daryl Dike Scores Brace in U.S. Win Against Martinique

Orlando forward Daryl Dike scored twice in the United States Men’s National Team’s 5-1 win over Martinique in the Concacaf Gold Cup. In the 14th minute, Matthew Hoppe delivered a nice cross from the left side and Dike headed it in to give the U.S. an early lead.

Later, in the 23rd minute, Hoppe pounced on a loose ball in the box and made a nice backheel pass to a wide open Gianluca Busio, whose shot hit the crossbar. Dike got to the rebound first with his head and Martinique defender Samuel Camille couldn’t keep it out. There was some debate on if Dike would be credited with the goal, but it was ultimately decided to be an own goal. Regardless, Dike ended up getting his brace anyway in the 59th minute after a give-and-go with Cristian Roldan. While powering past defenders, Dike made three perfect touches on the ball to become the second-youngest USMNT player to score two goals in a Gold Cup game.

Center back Miles Robinson, forward Gyasi Zardes, and Nicholas Gioacchini scored the USMNT’s other three goals. Hoppe, Eryk Williamson, Roldan, and Gianluca Busio all earned their first assists with the USMNT as well. However, midfielder Kellyn Acosta conceded a penalty, which Martinique converted, and although the U.S. leveled Canada in goal difference, the Canadians still own the goals scored tiebreaker. The U.S. can only win the group with a win on Sunday but is through to the quarterfinals regardless.

Speaking of Canada, it secured its spot in the next round after winning 4-1 against Haiti. Former Lion Cyle Larin scored a brace and leads the tournament with three goals so far. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see a showdown between Dike and Larin.

In the quarterfinals, the U.S. and Canada will take on the top two teams from Group C. You can see those nations in action tonight at Exploria Stadium as Jamaica plays Guadeloupe at 6:30 p.m. and Costa Rica takes on Suriname at 8:30 p.m. The Mane Land will be out there providing coverage.

Orlando City Faces Toronto FC Tomorrow Night

For the first time since 2019, the Lions are headed to Canada for a game against Toronto FC tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. This is the third time the two sides meet this season, with Orlando winning both of the previous matches played at Exploria Stadium. Although the two teams are on opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings, the Lions are on a two-game losing streak while Toronto is coming off of a big 3-2 win against the New England Revolution. Toronto is missing five players due to the Gold Cup, including forward Ayo Akinola and former Lion Richie Laryea. But the Canadian club will still have Designated Players Alejandro Pozuelo, Yeferson Soteldo, and Jozy Altidore available for tomorrow’s match.

Those players will certainly test an Orlando defense that has conceded five goals in its past two matches. The defense is focused on returning to the strong defensive play that Orlando started the season with.

“We need to work on it and try to just get back to the winning feeling,” center back Robin Jansson said. “It’s going back to the base of our way to play and keeping the team together and just starting from the ground and doing the basic stuff.”

Orlando will also benefit from the returns of defensive midfielder Sebas Mendez and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and fullbacks Joao Moutinho and Ruan could see some minutes tomorrow as well.

Orlando Pride Face the Portland Thorns This Sunday

The Lions aren’t the only ones taking a long-distance trip this weekend. The Pride will head west for a match-up against the Portland Thorns at 10:30 p.m. this Sunday night. Both teams are tied with the North Carolina Courage for first place in the NWSL standings so there is plenty to play for. The Pride came out on top in the most recent meeting between the two, winning 2-1 at Exploria Stadium. After starting the season with seven straight games without a loss, the Pride are winless in their last three and face a Thorns defense that has shut out its last two opponents. Like the Pride, the Thorns are without some of the better players due to the Olympics, as Crystal Dunn, Christine Sinclair, Lindsey Horan, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Adrianna Franch are all in Tokyo.

With Alex Morgan at the Olympics, the Pride’s other forwards will need to step up to take some of the load off of Sydney Leroux. Forward Jodie Taylor was signed by the Pride last week and discussed how she is settling in with the team.

Americans Are Becoming the Popular Kids

FC Dallas Homegrown Player Tanner Tessmann was signed by Serie A club Venezia FC. The 19-year-old midfielder is the latest young American player to head abroad as more European clubs look to the U.S. for potential talent. The Colorado Rapids are in the final stages of an agreement with Belgian club Royal Antwerp for left back Sam Vines, who is currently with the USMNT for the Gold Cup. D.C. United Homegrown Players Kevin Paredes and Moses Nyeman are reportedly generating some interest from Europe as well. In Orlando, Dike and Chris Mueller have both attracted attention from overseas this year. Gregg Berhalter weighed in on how a spotlight is starting to fall on young Americans in MLS.

“It seems like, from my experience in Europe, my experience in MLS,” said USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter in a Wednesday night media availability, “we’ve gotten to a point where there is critical mass. And what I mean by that is, we’ve had enough American players that have been successful overseas in Europe that now clubs are looking at the United States as a market.”

Free Kicks

  • Check out some footage of recently acquired left back Emmanuel Mas training with the squad.

That’s going to be all I have for you today. Make sure to stay safe and hydrated out there during this hot summer. Enjoy all of the soccer this weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/23/24

Orlando City sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras, Lions draft four players, latest MLS transfer moves, and more.

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4 hours ago

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December 23, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. My weekend has been busy working at Under Armour, with Christmas just two days away. I also covered high school hockey and went to a Chicago Bulls game. Besides that, I finally got all my Christmas shopping done. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Announces Facundo Torres Transfer to Palmeiras

Orlando City announced on Friday that forward Facundo Torres has been sold to Palmeiras for a club-record fee. Torres leaves Orlando as the Lions all-time goal-scoring leader. He had 123 appearances across all competitions, scored 47 goals, and added 25 assists in three seasons in Orlando. Torres made a big impact as a Lion, helping the club reach the playoffs the last three years and winning the 2022 U.S. Open Cup title.

The Lions will have an open Designated Player spot to fill during the off-season. Their home opener against the Philadelphia Union is less than two months away.

Lions Select Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The Lions made four selections during the 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Friday. With the 27th overall pick, they chose midfielder Joran Gerbet out of Clemson. Gerbet had a solid collegiate career, recording 12 goals and 15 assists, and he led Clemson to the 2023 National Championship title as well. In the second round, the Lions added another Clemson Tiger by selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. with the 46th overall pick. Sandy played in 48 matches, logging 2,520 minutes, and was also part of the 2023 National Championship team. Later in the same round, the Lions picked forward Collins Oduro out of Indiana. Oduro made 44 appearances for the Hoosiers, scoring eight goals to go with seven assists. The Lions concluded their 2025 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in the third round with the 87th overall pick. MLSSoccer.com unveiled its draft grades for each club, and Orlando City received an A- as its grade.

NJ/NY Gotham FC Trades Lynn Williams to the Seattle Reign

We had a trade that went down in the National Women’s Soccer League as NJ/NY Gotham FC traded forward Lynn Williams and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to the Seattle Reign. In exchange, the Seattle Reign acquired midfielder Jaelin Howell, an international roster slot, and $70,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Williams spent two seasons with Gotham FC, recording 17 goals and seven assists. She made 75 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team and was part of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Miller began the 2024 NWSL season as the number one goalkeeper for Gotham but was moved to a backup role once the club acquired Ann-Katrin Berger. Howell made eight appearances for the Reign this season after being acquired from Racing Louisville FC in August.

Latest Transfer Moves in MLS

We have some MLS transfer news to catch you up on from over the weekend. Real Salt Lake acquired forward Elias Manoel and four MLS SuperDraft picks from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $700,000 in GAM. The Red Bulls maintain a sell-on percentage for Manoel as well. Atlanta United also made a trade, acquiring midfielder Mateusz Klich from D.C. United in exchange for Atlanta’s first round 2025 MLS SuperDraft Pick and up to $50,000 in conditional GAM if Atlanta re-signs Klich. The New England Revolution signed goalkeeper Alex Bono to a contract through the 2026 season. Bono spent the previous two seasons with D.C. United. The Revolution also added defender Tanner Beason, who previously played five seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes. Beason’s deal is through the 2026 season, with an option for 2027.

Premier League Weekend Roundup

We had plenty of action in the Premier League over the weekend. Manchester City fell 2-1 to Aston Villa on Saturday and has lost nine out of its last 12 matches across all competitions. Arsenal cruised past Crystal Palace 5-1, Newcastle United defeated Ipswich Town 4-0 with Alexander Isak getting a hat trick, and Nottingham Forest won 2-0 against Brentford. West Ham United and Brighton fought to a 1-1 draw. On Sunday, Manchester United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth. Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 6-3, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice. Vitor Pereira won his first match as Wolverhampton’s manager, as his side beat Leicester City 3-0. The Everton and Chelsea and Fulham and Southampton matches ended in a scoreless draw.

Free Kicks

  • In an interview with Fast Company, former Orlando Pride player Alex Morgan gave insight into her next chapter since retiring from pro soccer. Morgan discussed how she’s navigating through her post-playing career, investing in other sports, and continuing to support current and future generations of female athletes.
  • Atlanta United named Ronny Deila as its next head coach. Deila previously coached Standard Liege, New York City FC, Celtic, and Club Brugge.
  • FIFA and Netflix signed an agreement for exclusive broadcast rights in the United States for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
  • In another coaching move, USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC announced former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Neill Collins as its next head coach after activating his release clause at Raith Rovers.
  • Weston McKennie scored a goal in the first half to help Juventus snap its run of four consecutive draws in league play with a 2-1 win against Monza on Sunday.
  • Jesus Navas played his final match for Sevilla as his side lost 4-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday. Navas will retire from professional soccer after his contract ends this month after a stellar 21-year career.

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

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Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

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4 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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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