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Lion Links: 10/25/21

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5 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! On this day in 2010, the USL announced that Orlando City would join the league for the 2011 season. That, and a result against the New England Revolution, is reason enough to celebrate this Monday morning. Yes, it might feel like points were lost (and they were), but if I told you that Orlando City would get a draw against the top team in MLS, you’d have most likely been happy with that prediction. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Draws With New England

The Lions went up 2-0 against the Revolution before conceding two late goals in a 2-2 draw. A header from Nani and a successful penalty kick from Daryl Dike put Orlando City exactly where it wanted to be against the Supporters Shield winners. But with 10 minutes left in the match, it all went sideways. The Lions were unable to stop Adam Buksa, as the Polish footballer scored a brace to give the Revs a point in Exploria Stadium. While it is one of those draws that feels like a loss, a result against the league’s best is nothing to scoff at.

Michael Citro has your match recap. Check back later today for Sean Rollins’ five takeaways from the match and Marcus Mitchell’s player grades and Man of the Match.

OCSC Owners Believe in Club Leadership

Since the arrival of Head Coach Oscar Pareja, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi, and Director of Scouting Ricardo Moreira, Orlando City has created a winning attitude and club culture. This resulted in the Lions making a deep run in the MLS is Back Tournament and earning a playoff spot for the first time in 2020. The trio signed Nani and Pedro Gallese while also drafting Daryl Dike. Muzzi and Moreira’s contracts are up at the end of this year, with Pareja’s ending in 2022. While new contracts need to be negotiated, co-owner Mark Wilf is keen on supporting the club’s leadership to keep the success going.

“We have a lot of confidence in our soccer staff at City,” Wilf said. “I think that’s pretty much what’s going to take us through the offseason. That’s the theme. We believe in this entire management side of City and that’s who we’re going to work with toward building the team next year.”

It will also be interesting to see how the team addresses its third Designated Player slot during this off-season, as well as if Nani and Mauricio Pereyra will be with the team next year as their contracts end after this season.

Orlando Pride Players Abroad

The Orlando Pride might be out of playoff contention, but several of their players are in action during the international break. Ali Riley’s New Zealand squad may have lost 5-1 to Canada, but the Ferns captain kept the result in perspective.

“I think there were a lot of positives that we can take from this game, actually. I know the scoreline is obviously disappointing, but I think the confidence we had playing out of the back, some of the spells of possession we had, some of the combinations, I don’t know if that’s something that we’ve seen a lot from the Ferns before – especially playing one of the top teams in the world.”

Erin McLeod was an unused substitute for Canada in the match. Elsewhere, two Pride players went head-to-head as Australia and Brazil met for a friendly. Emily van Egmond had an assist and then put the final goal in the net as Australia came away with a 3-1 win. Marta came on for Brazil in the 70th minute but couldn’t spark a comeback.

Hat Tricks Highlight EPL Weekend

It was quite a weekend in the English Premier League. The most eye-catching result was Liverpool’s 5-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Mo Salah scored a hat trick for Liverpool, bringing his total to 10 goals from the first nine matches this season and making him the top-scoring African player in EPL history. Nothing is for certain, but Solskjaer’s time at Old Trafford might be limited if things don’t change soon.

However, that wasn’t the largest margin of victory from this weekend as Chelsea defeated Norwich City, 7-0. Chelsea was without Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, and Christian Pulisic due to injury, but still dominated thanks to a hat trick from Mason Mount. Everton blew a 2-1 lead by allowing four late goals to Watford in a 5-2 loss at Goodison Park. Watford’s Joshua King earned his first hat trick in EPL against his former team. In a weekend filled with goals, the best one might have been from Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson to equalize in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Free Kicks

  • American midfielder Gianluca Busio picked up a knock in Venezia FC’s 3-1 road defeat to Sassuolo. Busio was subbed off at halftime and the undisclosed injury is worth keeping an eye on in coming weeks with the USMNT’s World Cup qualifiers continuing next month.
  • In El Clasico, Real Madrid came out victorious in a 2-1 win against FC Barcelona as David Alaba scored his first goal for Madrid. Elsewhere in La Liga, Luis Suarez had a brace in the second half to salvage a point for Atletico Madrid in a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad.
  • AS Roma ended Napoli’s eight-game win streak in Serie A after a 0-0 draw that saw José Mourinho receive a second yellow card in the 81st minute for arguing with an official.
  • Somehow, no red card was given to Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia for his takedown of Cristian Roldan in his side’s 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders. Even former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had an opinion on this one.

There’s no way I’m going to try to top the Rock, so let’s just end it here. Don’t forget that the USWNT plays Korea tomorrow night in Carli Lloyd’s final international match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

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4 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/27/26

Lions and Pride lose, OCB draws Chicago Fire II, FA Cup semifinals recap, and more.

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2 days ago

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April 27, 2026

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Image of the OCB squad before the team's game March 8, 2026 vs. Chicago Fire II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and looking forward to covering some high school soccer and lacrosse this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Late Lead in Defeat to D.C. United

Orlando City fell 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday at Audi Field. Jackson Hopkins scored the opener for D.C. United early in the first half. In the second half, Justin Ellis equalized for the Lions, and Tyrese Spicer added another goal to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. However, the Lions couldn’t hang on to the lead as D.C. United scored two late goals in six minutes to pull out a win at the death. It will be another busy week for the Lions with a road trip to New England to face the Revolution in a round-of-16 U.S. Open Cup match Wednesday, followed by another road match Saturday against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium.

Pride Fall to Racing Louisville on the Road

The Orlando Pride fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, continuing their winless streak in Kentucky. Louisville struck first with a goal from Lauren Milliet to take a 1-0 lead, but Barbra Banda buried the equalizer for the Pride to level the match before halftime. However, Louisville scored two early second-half goals to take a 3-1 lead before Banda pulled one back to make it 3-2 late in stoppage time, but Louisville held on to pick up its first win of the season. With that result, the Orlando Pride’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The Pride will look to bounce back Saturday, taking on the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B came from behind to draw 2-2 against Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium Sunday. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime, but in the second half, OCB got a break as Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt scored an own goal to pull the Young Lions within one. Late in stoppage time, Nicolas Lasheras scored the equalizer for OCB. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-2 to earn a second point. OCB’s next match will be at home against Crown Legacy Sunday.

FA Cup Semifinals Recap

The FA Cup final is set after the semifinals concluded over the weekend at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, after a scoreless first half, all the goals came in the second half as Finn Azaz scored the opener to give Southampton the lead, but Manchester City was able to overturn the deficit on goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez to seal a 2-1 win against Southampton to advance to the FA Cup final for the fourth consecutive time. On Sunday, Enzo Fernandez’s lone goal in the first half was enough to pull Chelsea to a 1-0 win against Leeds United to book a spot in the final to face Manchester City. The FA Cup final will take place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

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

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