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Lion Links: 11/15/21

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4 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! I was camping this weekend and didn’t get to watch the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Mexico live. I’ve seen it since, and I’ll happily go camping every time the USMNT plays El Tri if it ends like that. There’s not a ton of Orlando news today, but let’s all wish a happy 30th birthday to Orlando center back Robin Jansson! Now, let’s get to the links.

USMNT Prepares for Trip to Jamaica

I know we’re all still basking in the glory of another USMNT dos a cero victory over Mexico, but there is another World Cup qualifier tomorrow against Jamaica. The match will be played in Jamaica at National Stadium Independence Park at 5 p.m. The U.S. defeated Jamaica 2-0 in their last meeting back in October, but Jamaica has been undefeated in the three qualifiers since. The U.S. sits atop the Concacaf standings but needs to keep on winning to stay there. Thanks to Weston McKennie’s yellow card accumulation and Miles Robinson’s red card from the match against Mexico, both are suspended for the game against Jamaica and USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter called up New York City FC’s James Sands for the next match.

Jamaica is not completely out of contention for a World Cup spot and will be hungry for points at home. The Reggae Boyz can be a tough opponent with the very good Andre Blake in goal and talented players on offense such as Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey and West Ham United’s Michail Antonio. This will be the USMNT’s last qualifier of 2021, although the team has a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec. 18.

A Tale of Two Wingers

The USMNT’s Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah were important players in the win over Mexico, but for different reasons. Pulisic got the headlines with his goal in the 74th minute and his cheeky celebration in response to comments made by Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa before the match. The Chelsea player missed the three qualifiers in October due to an ankle injury and came on as a substitute as he eases back into action. Pulisic returned as the team’s star player in a memorable win for the USMNT against its biggest rival.

Tim Weah played nearly every minute and did everything expected from a winger and more. He assisted on Pulisic’s goal and delivered the pass that led to Weston McKennie’s insurance goal. He harassed Mexico all night and played as well as he ever has for the U.S. Oh, and it turns out that he and DeAndre Yedlin were behind the message under Pulisic’s jersey as well. He didn’t get as much press, but Berhalter had high praise for the 21-year-old.

“With Tim it’s about mentality. When he has it in his mind and he’s set, he can execute all day. And it’s just about him focusing on how he’s going to perform,” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said after the match. “He got the coaches’ man of the match [award] today, just because he didn’t stop. He didn’t stop working, he was causing them fits on that side of the field.”

The NWSL Final is Set

It’s not often that both the top seeds in a tournament are bounced right before the final, but that was the case this weekend in the NWSL. The Washington Spirit upset OL Reign 2-1 at Cheney Stadium. Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez scored for the Spirit to complete a comeback after Eugénie Le Sommer provided an early goal for the Reign.

The other Cascadian club also lost as the Chicago Red Stars defeated the Portland Thorns 2-0 in Providence Park. Katie Johnson gave the Red Stars a lead and Sarah Woldmoe’s second-half goal sealed it for the visitors. Following the match, Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby shared that her father committed suicide during the week before the semifinal. Our thoughts are with her and her family. The Red Stars and Spirit will face off this Saturday at noon in Louisville.

Other World Cup Qualifiers

Spain, Serbia, and Croatia all secured spots in the World Cup after coming up with crucial wins in their final group games. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are headed to the playoff round after falling 2-1 in an upset against Serbia. Sweden, Russia, and North Macedonia are also all headed to the playoff. Two more teams will book their tickets to the World Cup after today’s action as England just needs a result against San Marino, while Italy and Switzerland play different opponents to see which nation finishes at the top of the group.

South Africa won’t be making the World Cup following its 1-0 loss to Ghana in African qualifiers. Ghana joins the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, and Senegal as teams advancing in the tournament. The remaining four nations that will make the next round will be determined tomorrow, including a showdown between Cameroon and the Ivory Coast where the loser is eliminated.

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That will do it for today. There are USMNT and Orlando City matches coming up, so get your lucky jerseys ready.

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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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2 days 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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3 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: 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.

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4 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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