Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/28/21
Happy Tuesday, everyone. There will be a quick turnaround for Orlando City this week, as the Lions take on Nashville SC tomorrow in Tennessee. Before we get to the news of the day, let’s take a moment to wish Orlando Pride midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir a happy 33rd birthday.
As usual, there’s a lot to talk about today, so let’s get into it.
Harris up for Save of the Week
The grass is still green, water is still wet, the Baltimore Orioles continue to be terrible year after year, and Ashlyn Harris has once again been nominated for the NWSL Save of the Week. I’ve long since lost count of the number of times Harris has been nominated for the award this season although the excellent stop she made this week was unfortunately in vain. In the 41st minute, with the Pride trailing 3-0, Harris made a flying stop across her goal to stonewall Rose Lavelle and keep the Pride’s misery from deepening further. Hopefully, Harris will keep doing her thing and Orlando will get back to winning ways soon.
The Fantastic 4⃣
Cast your vote for this week's @Verizon Save of the Week before voting closes on Tuesday ⤵️
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 27, 2021
Stam Fired by Cincy
FC Cincinnati has fired coach Jaap Stam, with the announcement made yesterday morning. Cincy fired general manager Gerard Nijkamp back in August, and Stam followed him out the door less than two months later. The team has lost six of its last seven games, has won once since early July, and is second-to-last in the Eastern Conference only thanks to a Toronto FC team that is marginally more woeful than FCC. Cincy has now had three head coaches since joining MLS in 2019. Its not totally clear where the team goes from here, but the first item has to be hiring a new general manager and then forging on from there.
MLS Team Observations
We have now completed 27 weeks of play in the 2021 MLS season, and some things have started to become clear as the end of the season approaches. For example, Inter Miami will need to be road warriors over the next few weeks if they want to keep winning and give themselves a chance to make the playoffs. CF Montreal is on the opposite side of the spectrum, with three straight home games to potentially take advantage of. As far as Orlando City is concerned, the Lions are the only team in the East above the playoff line with a negative goal differential and it’s no secret that things need to be tightened up if OCSC wants to survive its run of poor form and make the playoffs.
No Action Against Super League Trio
UEFA will not take legal action against the European Super League trio of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus after a Madrid court ruled that UEFA should not continue legal proceedings against them. The three teams are the last of the 12 clubs that were part of the Super League plans in April that have not disavowed the plans for the breakaway league. After the plans for the league collapsed shortly after their announcement, the governing body went out for blood from the 12 offending teams. Now though, UEFA will not ask for the “goodwill” payments that the nine teams who pulled out of the plans agreed to pay to UEFA to try and make amends.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped down to the 15th spot in ESPN’s MLS power rankings.
- Four years ago yesterday, Kaká scored a howitzer at the purple palace.
A stunner from the legend 💜@KAKA | #VamosOrlando https://t.co/S09psPGs2d
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) September 27, 2021
- Gyasi Zardes was named the MLS Player of the Week for week 27.
That’s all for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/16/25
Orlando City close to new goalkeeper, Michael Bradley lands big coaching job, MLS transfer news, and more.
Good morning, everyone. I have no idea how we’re just a little over a week away from Christmas, but somehow it’s right around the corner. Hell, the MLS SuperDraft is just two days away, and that frankly seems absurd. Nonetheless, we have an absolute glut of news to sort through today, so let’s jump into today’s links.
Orlando City Closing on Carlos Coronel
Orlando City will reportedly have its new starting goalkeeper soon. On Monday, Tom Bogert stated that the Lions ae finishing up a deal to sign free agent shot stopper Carlos Coronel, formerly of the New York Red Bulls. The 28-year-old Paraguayan international has been one of the best goalkeepers in the league during the last two seasons, and landing him is a great move on paper for OCSC. Mr. Scoops also noted that the team is still finishing up deals to sign Tiago and Luis Otavio.
New Coach for New York
The New York Red Bulls announced on Monday morning that the club has hired Michael Bradley to be its next head coach. Bradley had been the head coach of New York Red Bulls II for the last six months and now takes over the top job from Sandro Schwarz, who departed in October after the Red Bulls missed the playoffs. This will be the 38-year-old Bradley’s first senior head coaching job, although he did spend time with Norwegian side Stabaek as an assistant. The Red Bulls will need to sign a new starting goalkeeper and also have an open Designated Player slot, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting and Emil Forsbeg fill the other two DP positions.
MLS Transfer Roundup
The MLS news doesn’t stop there though, because we have a couple items of MLS transfer business to go over. We begin with Inter Miami, as the Herons have announced the signing of free agent fullback Sergio Reguilon. The Spanish defender joins the team on a deal through 2027 with an option year for 2028. We then move to the Western Conference, where FC Dallas has signed Ran Binyamin from Hapoel Tel Aviv. The 21-year-old is under contract through the 2028-2029 season and has options for the 2029-2030, and 2030-2031 seasons. We then move to the Vancouver Whitecaps, as the MLS Cup runners-up signed defender Nikola Djordjevic from Vancouver Whitecaps 2. The 23-year-old fullback has a deal through the 2026 season, with option years for 2027 and 2028. We finish with the LA Galaxy, which acquired Jakob Glesnes and homegrown priority for Jamir Johnson from the Philadelphia Union. In exchange, the Galaxy sent the Union $1.1 million in guaranteed General Allocation Money with up to another $1.1 million in conditional GAM going to Philly if certain incentives are hit.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of American players taking part in matches during the working week, and domestic cup action is the prevailing theme. Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest, and PSV Eindhoven host GVVV Veenedaal in the second round of the KNVB Cup on Tuesday, while Antonee Robinson and Fulham travel to face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. Thursday sees Christian Pulisic and AC Milan take on Napoli in the Italian SuperCup semifinals, before things finish on Friday with Gio Reyna, Joe Scally, and Borussia Monchengladbach playing Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga action.
Free Kicks
- The installation of new grass has been completed at Inter&Co Stadium.
- Tyler Adams suffered a possible MCL injury during Bournemouth’s wild 4-4 draw with Manchester United on Monday.
- The Seattle Sounders have re-signed goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
- Brenner has returned to Udinese after the expiration of his loan with FC Cincinnati.
- St. Louis City is reportedly close to naming a new head coach.
- Patrick Agyemang scored twice in Derby County’s 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
- Boston Legacy has signed goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/15/25
Former Lion Mauricio Pereyra retires, Orlando City assistant coach Fabian Bazan departs the club, Americans abroad, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you in Florida. I’ve been busy at work as we get close to Christmas and covered some high school bowling and basketball over the past week. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Mauricio Pereyra Retires
Orlando City posted on social media over the weekend that former Orlando City captain and midfielder Mauricio Pereyra has retired from professional soccer.
Pereyra spent five seasons with Orlando City after joining the club from FC Krasnodar in 2019, scoring seven goals and adding 29 assists in 136 appearances across all competitions. The 35-year-old recently played for his former club, Nacional, in Uruguay. He also spent time at Lanus, and we here at The Mane Land wish him all the best in his retirement.
Orlando City Assistant Coach Fabian Bazan Departs After Six Seasons
Orlando City and Assistant Coach of Fitness and Performance Fabian Bazan have mutually agreed to part ways after six seasons. Orlando City announced the news Saturday. Bazan joined Head Coach Oscar Pareja’s coaching staff prior to the 2020 season after working with him at previous clubs since 2015. During his tenure, Bazan was part of Orlando City’s coaching staff during its successful run, winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, qualifying for two Concacaf Champions Cup tournaments, and making six consecutive MLS Cup playoff appearances.
Americans Abroad
Plenty of Americans were in action in Europe over the weekend. Christian Pulisic played 73 minutes for AC Milan in a 2-2 draw against Sassuolo, while Weston McKennie played a full 90 minutes as Juventus beat Bologna 1-0. Antonee Robinson made his return to the starting XI for Fulham and played a full 90 minutes as his side defeated Burnley 3-1 on the road. Two Americans squared off in Ligue 1 as Tim Weah and Marseille faced Folarin Balogun and AS Monaco Sunday. Both players played a full 90 minutes as Marseille edged Monaco 1-0. Ricardo Pepi became the first USMNT player to score in four straight appearances in all competitions in the Eredivisie since Aron Johannsson did it in 2013-2014, as PSV Eindhoven defeated Heracles Almelo 4-3. Tyler Adams and AFC Bournemouth will face Manchester United in Premier League action later today.
Free Kicks
- A biopic film focusing on Orlando Pride forward Marta’s soccer journey is reportedly in development.
- In local college soccer news, the Rollins College Tars fell 2-0 to Midwestern State in the NCAA Division II men’s soccer national championship. Meanwhile, the Florida Tech Panthers defeated Franklin Pierce 3-0 to win the NCAA Division II women’s soccer national championship over the weekend.
- The Agnelli family, owners of Juventus, have rejected a $1.2 billion buyout bid from cryptocurrency firm Tether.
- Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona defeated Osasuna 2-0 to extend its lead at the top of the La Liga table over Real Madrid by five points.
- Harry Kane scored his 50th career goal for Bayern Munich in a 2-2 draw against Mainz Sunday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/12/25
NWSL reportedly approves new roster mechanism, USMNT will play Senegal in May, USWNT second in FIFA rankings, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Counting today, there are just 20 days left of 2025. This year has felt like forever, but I also can’t seem to wrap my head around 2026 being just around the corner. I’m hoping to knock out a majority of my errands over the next few days to help ease into the coming weeks. Let’s get to the links!
NWSL Reportedly Approves New Roster Mechanism
The biggest storyline of the NWSL off-season so far is where Trinity Rodman will be playing next year, making the salary cap a notable talking point. The league’s NWSL Board of Governors reportedly approved a roster mechanism that would allow clubs to pay certain star players beyond the current salary cap. Clubs would be able to pay “High Impact Players” up to $1 million over the salary cap, with only a portion of that salary being a cap hit.
In order for players to qualify as a High Impact Player, they would have to meet commercial and sporting benchmarks. It’s a similar concept to Designated Players in MLS, with the limit to how much NWSL clubs can go over the cap being the biggest difference. All in all, this would help NWSL clubs compete with offers from clubs abroad for the league’s top players.
USMNT Will Face Senegal in May
The United States Men’s National Team will host Senegal on May 31 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte for its penultimate game before the World Cup. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations and it should be a good match between the U.S. and one of the top African teams. Senegal is currently ranked 19th in the FIFA men’s rankings and went undefeated in World Cup qualifying, winning seven games. Following this match, the USMNT will take on Germany in Chicago on June 6 for its send-off match before the tournament.
USWNT Remains Second in FIFA Rankings
The latest FIFA women’s rankings were released and the United States Women’s National Team maintained its spot in second place, although the gap between it and first-place Spain has widened. The U.S. won four of its five games this past window, but still lost points due to its 2-1 defeat to Portugal on Oct. 22. Spain benefitted from beating Sweden and Germany en route to winning the UEFA Nations League. Brazil, which beat England, Italy, and Portugal, moved up a spot to sixth in the rankings. Meanwhile, Canada fell to 10th after losing all four of its games.
Europa League Roundup
The latest round of Europa League action wrapped up and six teams have secured a spot in at least the knockout stage. Lyon, Midtjylland, and Aston Villa all won and are tied at the top with 15 points, while Real Betis, Freiburg, and Ferencvaros were victorious to remain unbeaten and claim spots in the next round as well. Roma edged closer to qualifying by beating Celtic 3-0, and Nottingham Forest also picked up three points after winning 2-1 against Utrecht in the Netherlands. Only two matchdays remain in the league phase and things are still far from certain for most clubs, which should set up for a fun finish next month.
Free Kicks
- Goalkeeper Evan Bush re-signed with the Columbus Crew for the 2026 season. The 39-year-old was out of contract following this past season, but it looks like he’ll continue to serve as Patrick Schulte’s backup in Columbus.
- Boston Legacy FC signed Japanese goalkeeper Hannah Stambaugh to a two-year contract. The 26-year-old became a free agent after two years with Angel City FC.
- The Denver Summit signed defender Camryn Biegalski to a one-year contract as the expansion club continues to build its roster for 2026.
- Vancouver and the Vancouver Whitecaps have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exclusive negotiations next year in regards to building a new stadium.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!
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