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Lion Links: 11/11/21

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For the first time in an eternity, Wednesday was pretty quiet! We’re in the middle of a FIFA international window meaning no MLS, no Champions League and relatively little around the world. With that being said, we’ve still got plenty of links to share with you this morning.

Daryl Dike Among Top Young Players on Decision Day

Orlando City striker Daryl Dike, who scored a goal in the club’s 2-0 victory over CF Montreal on Sunday, was listed among the top young players in the league for Week 35. Aside from just praising Dike’s performance, Charles Boehm of MLSSoccer.com stirred the Dike rumor mill pot again.

While USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter has somewhat mysteriously decided that there’s nothing at all Dike can offer his squad in this month’s World Cup qualifiers vs. Mexico and Jamaica, a multitude of European clubs have reached the opposite conclusion and you can expect the transfer chatter to simmer feverishly in the coming months. What price will be sufficient for OCSC to let go of their crown jewel?

Aside from Dike, Atlanta’s Ezequiel Barco and Colorado’s Cole Bassett were recognized.

Benji Michel in Continental Q&A

Orlando City Homegrown winger Benji Michel is one of the better personalities on Orlando’s roster, and he flashed that in a Q&A video for Continental Tire. Ideally, we’d just embed the video, but we can’t seem to do that, but you can click on the link and then on the video with Benji.

Michel is probably the best product of the Orlando City Development Academy to date, playing over 70 games in three seasons with the first team and earning a call-up to the United States roster for Concacaf Olympic qualifying.

U.S. U-20s Thumped 4-0 by Brazil

While the senior United States Men’s National Team preps for a showdown with Mexico Friday, the U-20 national team played its first match in 18 months. The team met Brazil in the opener of the Revelations Cup, a U-20 tournament featuring the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, and it did not go well, ending in a 4-0 Brazil victory.

The U.S. side, highlighted by San Jose’s Cade Cowell, New York’s Caden Clark, and Seattle’s Danny Leyva, barely practiced before the match and hired head coach Mikey Vargas just five days ago. It’s an undeniably talented team, but the situation certainly wasn’t conducive to success.

Sporting Kansas City/USMNT Center Back Matt Besler Announces Retirement

It’s officially the end of an era in Major League Soccer. Days after the league’s all-time leading goal scorer Chris Wondolowski announced his retirement, one of the best center backs in league history and fellow 2014 World Cup veteran, Matt Besler, announced he’d be stepping away from the game as well.

Besler played 12 seasons in Kansas City, serving as club captain for his hometown team, and also spent this past year playing for Austin FC. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and was a five-time All-Star. The Notre Dame alum also made 47 appearances for the national team.

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  • The Orlando Pride released a vlog with Goalkeeping Coach Lloyd Yaxley.

  • A truly wild, Tonya Harding-esque story out of France between two teammates on PSG’s women’s team.
  • Former Liverpool captain and current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is allegedly close to joining Premier League side Aston Villa.
  • The minor league soccer scene in Charlotte, a city which will be receiving an MLS team next season, is in turmoil over issues with the Charlotte Independence.

That’s it for this Thursday. Have a great rest of your day.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/3/24

Orlando City wins at home, Eastern Conference playoff picture update, USMNT roster announced, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

One of the best parts about Orlando City winning a midweek MLS match is that it makes the rest of the week feel much less like a slog. Having all three of Orlando’s soccer teams performing well is both unfamiliar and pretty great. Let’s dive right into Orlando’s win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Beats the Philadelphia Union

Orlando City hosted the Philadelphia Union and claimed all three points in a 2-1 win. Luis Muriel came off the bench and changed the game after a scoreless first half, continuing his strong run of form as of late. The Union pulled one back, but the Lions held on for their sixth straight win at home in league play. The Lions remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with two games to go. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday with a tough road match against FC Cincinnati.

Eastern Conference Playoff Races Tighten

Although the regular season nears its end, the MLS playoff picture didn’t get much clearer after the midweek matches across the league. New York City FC beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 and the New York Red Bulls won 4-1 against Toronto FC, meaning both teams are still just two points behind the Lions in the standings. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte FC clinched a spot in the playoffs after winning 4-3 against the Chicago Fire. Inter Miami also won the Supporters’ Shield with a 3-2 road win over the Columbus Crew. D.C. United’s Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to lift his team to a dramatic 4-3 win over Nashville.

Mauricio Pochettino Names His First USMNT Roster

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino called up 25 players for his first training camp at the helm. The roster includes plenty of familiar faces, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Ream. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in the fold, joining Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, and Ethan Horvath. Midfielder Giancarlo Busio was also called up for the first time this year. The USMNT will host Panama in a friendly on Oct. 12 in Pocchettino’s first game in charge before a friendly with Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara.

Keeping Up With Champions League Action

The second round of matches in the Champions League wrapped up and there were some interesting results to enjoy. Despite a red card to goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 59th minute, Juventus mounted a comeback to win 3-2 on the road against RB Leipzig. Mo Salah had a goal and an assist in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Bologna. In the heavyweight match between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, Jhon Duran beat Manuel Neuer from distance to give Aston Villa the 1-0 win. It was a rough day for the Spanish clubs, as Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Lille, Atletico Madrid fell 4-0 to Benfica, and Girona was beaten 3-2 by Feyenoord.

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  • The NWSL unveiled the redesigned NWSL Shield and MVP trophies, which were handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. Hopefully, the Pride can secure some of this brand new silverware on Sunday, because it is gorgeous.
  • The live show where MLS NEXT Pro playoff teams choose their opponents will take place on Monday. Orlando City B has already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but Decision Day on Sunday will determine if the Young Lions will get to pick which team they’ll face in the first round. The top three teams in each conference get to choose an opponent, with the fourth-place team facing whichever club is left over.
  • Ahead of his team’s clash with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez stated that he won’t have a player take the field until they are “100% available.” Spirit forward Trinity Rodman may miss Sunday’s game due to the back injury she suffered last month.
  • Former Portland Timbers defender Modou Jadama has unfortunately passed away. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all affected.
  • Senegal sacked Aliou Cisse as its head coach, with the federation citing a government request not to renew his contract. In his time as head coach, Cisse helped Senegal win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the past two World Cups.
  • A section of Atletico Madrid’s stadium will be closed for three games due to fan behavior in the club’s derby match against Real Madrid.
  • Brentford has been off to a hot start in each of its past three English Premier League matches, scoring in under 40 seconds each time out. Although Brentford didn’t end up winning any of those games, it’s still an impressive feat. Someone should tell the Bees they’re allowed to score after the first minute.

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: 10/2/24

Orlando City ready for the Union, Julie Doyle’s new contract, Champions League results, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful, and I will be joining all of you lovely supporters at the stadium this evening. I know it’s a midweek match, but why not come on out and bring some friends or family? That’s what I will be doing, as my nieces and nephews from the area are coming with me. There’s still time to get tickets, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Lions Welcome the Union

Orlando City hosts the Philadelphia Union tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The Union need results as they currently sit ninth in the standings and in the final play-in match position for the playoffs. As such, they still control their own destiny. The Lions are looking to maintain their fourth position and home field advantage to start the playoffs. It should be a hard-fought match.

Doyle’s New Contract

The Orlando Pride signed midfielder Julie Doyle to a new contract through the 2026 NWSL season. Doyle adds depth and energy to the Pride’s attack. The three-year deal is exactly the type of business that Haley Carter and the club are becoming known for — locking in players with new contracts before the current contract is up. The strategy has been integral in building the Pride into the successful club we see today.

Marta’s Resurgence

At 38 years old, no one should expect Marta to be doing as well as she is this season, especially after coming back from injury last year. However, the Pride captain has seven goals and looks better than she has in years. While she isn’t the same player she was in the past, she is an integral part of Orlando’s success this season. Her leadership, play, and heart show in every match as the Pride continue to take on every challenge put in front of the team.

Champions League Results

The Champions League is underway. Arsenal defeated PSG 2-0 thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Fellow English Premier League side Manchester City utterly dominated Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Honestly, it’s lucky it was that close. You can check out all of the other results here. The Champions League continues today. Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday’s matches.

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  • Emma Hayes has brought the fun back to the USWNT, according to the players. So far, the results are pretty good.
  • The WSL will look to avoid any further postponements while scheduling around the Women’s Champions League after having to do so with the match between Chelsea and Manchester United.
  • The Houston Dash have officially parted ways with Fran Alonso. Alonso has been absent since June with Ricky Clarke acting as Houston’s interim head coach. Clarke will continue in that role through the end of the season.

That will do it for today. Check back after the match for our match recap, players grades, and five takeaways. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 10/1/24

Lions earn weekly recognition, Angelina up for NWSL Goal of the Week, MLS stock watch, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. All three of Orlando’s soccer teams have made the playoffs for the first time ever. With Orlando City back in action tomorrow we don’t have any time to rest on our laurels. Before we get into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B defender Zakaria Taifi.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

A pair of Lions were rewarded for their performances in Saturday’s 3-1 win over FC Dallas with starting spots in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Rodrigo Schlegel gets the start on the left side of a back three, while Ramiro Enrique gets the nod as the right midfielder. Enrique nabbed the game’s first goal with an outstanding flicked header from a Rafael Santos cross despite being one of the shortest players on the field, and he also stole the ball and provided the assist for Facundo Torres’s goal. Schlegel scored the game’s second goal with another header from a corner, beating Dallas defenders to send the ball home. Andrew DeSalvo gave Schlegel an 8 out of 10 and Ramiro an 8.5 out of 10 and Man of the Match honors in his player grades, so it’s nice to see them get some more widespread recognition as well. Keep it up, boys!

Angelina Up for Goal of the Week

Continuing the theme of Orlando players being recognized for their performances over the weekend, Angelina’s strike against the Houston Dash has been nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week. With the Pride leading the game in the 51st minute, the ball fell to Angelina on the edge of the area. She took a couple touches to set herself before firing her shot past Jane Campbell and into the net. It’s a worthy contender for NWSL Goal of the Week so make sure you go cast your vote for her!

MLS Stock Watch

With just a handful of games left in the MLS regular season, form matters now more than ever, and that makes this a good time to check in on which way various teams are trending. LAFC won the U.S. Open Cup and then beat FC Cincinnati on the road all in the span of a few days, so it’s definitely going in the right direction. So too are the Seattle Sounders, who are 10-2-2 in their last 14 league games, and Orlando City, which sits in fourth in the Eastern Conference and will need to keep winning in order to stay there. The same can’t be said for the Chicago Fire, Sporting Kansas City, and St. Louis City SC, as all three have been eliminated from postseason contention. The plights of those teams pale in comparison to the San Jose Earthquakes though, as not only are they locked in as the team that will receive the Wooden Spoon, but they’re also in real danger of setting some unfortunate league records in the process.

Americans in Midweek Action

It’s a busy time of year when it comes to the soccer calendar, and that means there are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the week. Things kick off in the Champions League today, as Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Bayer Leverkusen, while Malik Tillman, Richie Ledezma, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV Eindhoven face Sporting CP. Wednesday features Folarin Balogun and Monaco facing off against Dinamo Zagreb, while Weston McKennie and Juventus will take on Red Bull Leipzig. Things finish on Friday with Joe Scally and Borussia Mönchengladbach in action against Augsburg, and Gianluca Busio’s Venezia traveling to play Hellas Verona.

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That’s all for me this morning, vamos Orlando!

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