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Lion Links: 11/1/21

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Unmerry Monday morning, Mane Landers. I know I’m normally a cheery guy to start the week, but that was some Grade A horse hockey in yesterday’s match and I refuse to sugarcoat it. The Professional Referee Organization will provide its explanation, but it is hard for me not to don a second tin foil hat. Ugh. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Gets PRO’d

To be clear, there were plenty of chances for the Lions against Nashville SC that they didn’t finish in a 1-1 draw. Orlando City did well in the match, although it only put two of its 14 shots on target. That doesn’t excuse the call made by referee Allen Chapman to pull back Orlando City’s winning goal in stoppage time. Alexandre Pato put a near perfect free kick into the crossbar and Andres Perea finished it off to give the Lions the lead, only to have it taken away due to a foul by Daryl Dike after video review. Judge for yourself.

Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja and Nashville Head Coach Gary Smith had differing opinions on the call to say the least. It seems to many, including myself, that a striker like Daryl Dike is more likely to try scoring rather than trying to stop the defender from clearing it right at the line.

Check back today for Topher Adams’ player grades and Man of the Match, as well as Marcus Mitchell’s five takeaways.

NWSL Regular Season Comes to a Close

I know the Orlando Pride’s slide out of playoff contention might still feel a little fresh, but the rest of the National Women’s Soccer League season moves on. The Houston Dash’s playoff hopes came to an end after losing 1-0 to the Washington Spirit and the postseason schedule is set. The Portland Thorns and OL Reign have earned byes to avoid the first round of the postseason that begins this Sunday. NJ/NY Gotham FC will travel to take on the Chicago Red Stars and then the Washington Spirit will host the North Carolina Courage. The semifinals will take place on Nov. 14 and then the final is set for Nov. 20 in Louisville. You should still watch the playoff games as future Pride players may be on those other teams as Orlando makes plans for the off-season. After a five-game losing streak to end the season, the Pride finished eighth in the league.

U.S. Players Doing Well Abroad

A few Yanks got in on the scoring in Europe this weekend. Christian Cappis came off the bench to score the winner for Brøndby IF in the Danish Superliga. It was the 22-year-old midfielder’s second game-winning goal in his past three league matches.

Weston McKennie scored yet again in Juventus’ 2-1 loss to Verona as he is in a good run of form. RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson had an assist in a 2-2 draw with Ried and Joe Scally delivered a great cross in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 2-1 win over VfL Bochum 1848 for an assist.

It’s that type of play that gives Scally an argument for making the next USMNT camp. On the defensive side of things, Fulham’s Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson did well in a 2-0 win while John Brooks helped Wolfsburg hold onto a 2-0 victory. More Americans will be in action this week with the UEFA Champions League and Europa League returning this week.

Europe’s Biggest Clubs in Action This Past Weekend

Manchester United bounced back from its loss to Liverpool in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo worked well with one another on offense, both scoring in the match. Crystal Palace had a strong 2-0 win against Manchester City, with Wilfried Zaha scoring and making life difficult for the opposition. Arsenal, West Ham United, and Chelsea all had notable wins as well, while Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion battled to a 2-2 draw.

Atletico Madrid had a strong 3-0 win over Real Betis while FC Barcelona could only manage a 1-1 draw with Alaves despite a good match from Memphis Depay. In other games across Europe, Bayern Munich returned to its winning ways, Villarreal struggled in a 2-0 loss to Valencia, and Paris Saint-Germain won 2-1 against Lille despite Lionel Messi’s struggles.

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  • Kansas City announced the new club name and logo for its NWSL side. Say hello to the Kansas City Current. I have to say, it’s a solid name given their new stadium will be close to the Missouri River. It’s an original and relevant name, and I like it. Of course, I want the Orlando Pride to beat them next year, but still…well done.
  • Jordan Morris is expected to be available for the Seattle Sounders in tonight’s match against the LA Galaxy. Morris tore his ACL eight months ago, but can make an impact during the postseason.
  • Barcelona forward Sergio Aguero exited the team’s game for a cardiac exam after experiencing chest pain.
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic did exactly what he does when taunted by opposing fans. He scored a goal. Seriously? Even I know not to poke Zlatan.

Welcome to November. Hopefully, all the scary stuff is done now that Halloween is over, and we can look forward to some feasts instead. Vamos Orlando!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/25

Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC

The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.

Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings

Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.

MLS Deadline Day Transfer News

The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.

The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.

Sources: Minnesota United in advanced talks to acquire Julian Gressel from Inter Miami.Nothing done yet. Still details to figure out. Optimism something gets done, but not there yet.

Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T00:25:26.971Z

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.

In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.

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That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Bad Pride, Good Pride

It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.

The (OCSC) Academy Awards

Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.

Pochettino Prepares

The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.

MLS Transfer News

The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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

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