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Lion Links: 7/23/21

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4 years ago

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Welcome to Friday, Mane Landers! Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for as Ted Lasso is back in our living rooms for another season. On top of that, the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics is today and will be followed by plenty of events. Make sure to get as much rest as you can to reduce the strain on your eyes because the rest of July is going to spent watching plenty of sports. Now, let’s get this fantastic Friday started with some links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Beats the Philadelphia Union

The Lions returned to their winning ways after a huge 2-1 win against the Union at Exploria Stadium. Benji Michel got the scoring started early in the 10th minute with an assist from Mauricio Pereyra. In the 59th minute, Nani found Andres Perea’s head to double Orlando’s lead. But the game dramatically shifted after Union forward Kacper Przyblko scored in the 68th minute, with Orlando spending the rest of the match trying to hold on. Late defensive heroics, including a heart-stopping, goal-line save from Kyle Smith’s face, secured all three points and a return to second in the Eastern Conference.

Check back later today for your player grades and Man of the Match from Topher Adams and my five takeaways from the match.

Marc Skinner Edges Closer to Joining Manchester United

Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner and Manchester United have reportedly agreed to terms for him to take over as manager. Skinner is under contract with the Pride through 2021 so the two clubs will need to reach an agreement of their own before anything becomes official. The Women’s Super League begins on Sept. 3, so the clock is already ticking for United to get Skinner there as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Pride may need to rely on an interim manager unless they can find someone quickly. After a hot start to the season, the Pride haven’t won in their past four games as they hunt for a spot in the NWSL postseason.

Chris Mueller Will Join Hibernian FC

Scottish Premiership’s Hibernian announced that Orlando winger Chris Mueller will join the club starting in January. It’s a surprising move for Mueller, who will surely get playing time with Hibernian but it’s not exactly the high-profile move we were expecting. The Scottish Premiership is dominated by Celtic and Rangers, although Hibernian placed third on the table last season. Celtic had one of its worst seasons in recent history and still finished 14 points above Hibs and Rangers finished nearly 40 points ahead. Hibernian is currently in the qualifying stages for the new Europa Conference League, so Mueller may have a chance to make a splash during that tournament. If Mueller manages to manufacture enough goals to lift Hibernian over Celtic or Rangers for one of the coveted Champions League qualifying spots, then the rest of Europe will take notice. But that’s a tall task to say the least.

Former Lion Earns Praise From Atlanta United Players

After the firing of Gabriel Heinze, Atlanta United appointed Rob Valentino as interim head coach. Valentino was an assistant coach for Orlando City B in 2015 and played for Orlando City during its USL days, captaining the squad after an inaugural 2011 season in which he was named USL Defender of the Year. Since joining Atlanta in 2019, he’s survived two head coach firings and received praise from his players after his first game at the helm, a 1-1 draw at home against FC Cincinnati.

“He is a guy we really want to fight for,” said goalkeeper Alec Kann. “He is a good guy that has a lot of relationships with the guys in the locker room that are preexisting for a of couple years. He is a guy that we respect, and we know how he works, how hard he works, how much he cares about us.

“That is the kind of manager you want to go to war for.”

Valentino and the Five Stripes will face off against the Lions when they come to Exploria Stadium on July 30.

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  • In the Olympics, the Orlando Pride’s Alex Morgan and the United States Women’s National Team will play Ali Riley and New Zealand tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. It’s a crucial game for both sides after they lost their opening matches.
  • Daryl Dike and the United States Men’s National Team will take on Jamaica in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Here’s a great breakdown of that match, as well a look at the other knockout stage match-ups in the tournament.
  • Speaking of the USMNT and Jamaica, the World Cup qualifying match between the two on Oct. 7 will be played at Q2 Stadium in Austin.
  • El Salvador’s request to play World Cup qualifying matches in the U.S. was denied by FIFA.

  • French midfielder Paul Pogba reportedly rejected an offer from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain is eager to add him to its arsenal.
  • Tottenham Hotspur may have gotten some inspiration from the Pride when designing its new space-themed jersey.

That’s going to be it for today. There’s plenty of soccer to look forward to this weekend so make sure to stay hydrated and all that jazz. Have a great Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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13 hours ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

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  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

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: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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