Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/21/22
Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! It’s match week and I hope you are as excited as I am. The off-season has seemed incredibly short and all too long at the same time. I’m still debating whether or not to get the new jersey. I’ve never been a white jersey type of person, but I’m curious on your thoughts. What do you think of it, and are you getting one? Let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s Season Begins This Week
With the MLS season set to get started this weekend, it’s a good time to take a look at where Orlando City stands and how it got here. The departures of Nani, Chris Mueller, and Daryl Dike, as well as the arrivals of Ercan Kara, Facundo Torres, and César Araújo, means there are questions about how the Lions might do in 2022. The club is heading into its third season of the Óscar Pareja era. While the club has made the playoffs the past two years, the Lions are looking to make a longer run in the postseason.
Ranking the Best Kits in MLS
I’m certain you’ve seen Orlando City’s new Sunshine Kit, and the general consensus is positive for the Lions’ new away jersey. As our own Michael Citro put it, this jersey “will appeal to fans who are tired of the ‘plain, white t-shirt’ look of some of the past away jerseys.” The club did a great job with the reveal, dropping plenty of glimpses in the lead up to the unveiling, and pairing it with purple shorts completes the look. Orlando City supporters aren’t the only ones that think it’s a winner.
Think all the 2022 MLS kits have now been released. These are my top 3️⃣…
1. Orlando City
2. LAFC
3. Austin FC pic.twitter.com/ERvoGcmsCL— Graham Ruthven (@grahamruthven) February 20, 2022
You can submit your own rankings for all the new MLS kits to reward the bold and punish the bland.
USWNT Defeats New Zealand
New Zealand defender Meikayla Moore gave up three own goals in a 5-0 loss to the United States Women’s National Team in the SheBelieves Cup. A distraught Moore came off in the 40th minute shortly after the third own goal. Ashley Hatch gave the U.S. a goal in the 51st minute and Mallory Pugh added the fifth goal of the match in stoppage time. The U.S. will finish up the SheBelieves Cup this Wednesday at 9 p.m. against Iceland. Orlando Pride midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir came off the bench in Iceland’s 2-1 win against the Czech Republic. The USWNT must beat Iceland to win the 2022 SheBelieves Cup, while Iceland needs only a draw to secure the trophy.
Reyna Injured in Return to Action
After five months of recovery for a hamstring injury, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna suffered yet another leg injury in his first match back. The injury means Reyna may also miss the next round of World Cup qualifiers for the USMNT.
Meanwhile, fellow American Jordan Pefok scored in his third straight match for Young Boys in the Swiss Super League, reaching the 20-goal mark on the season. The American striker converted a penalty in the 53rd minute to give Young Boys a lead. Midfielder Brenden Aaronson scored in his second consecutive match as RB Salzburg won 2-0 against Wolfsberger AC. Tyler Adams came on as a substitute and had an assist in RB Leipzig’s 6-1 win over Hertha Berlin.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City B lost 5-2 to Miami FC in a preseason friendly. The Young Lions managed to score their goals in the 40th and 89th minutes.
FINAL | Miami FC defeats @OrlandoCityB 5-2 in preseason friendly. The goals came from @King_Nijah (2), Lamar Walker (2) and @Joshua_Perez26. pic.twitter.com/jzSeKfupXX
— Miami FC (@TheMiamiFC) February 20, 2022
- Former Lion Santiago Patino scored a brace for San Antonio FC as it defeated Houston Dynamo 2 by a score of 2-1.
- Houston Dynamo 2 signed Orlando City 2021 MLS SuperDraft pick Andrew Pannenberg and five other players to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts.
- The Houston Dynamo are reportedly making a play for Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera. An offer has been made for the Mexican International though there’s been no decision.
BREAKING: Houston Dynamo have made an offer to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder and Mexico in'l Hector Herrera, per sources. Offer is on the table, no decision either way yet 🇲🇽
Herrera, 31, has 93 caps with El Tri and has been with Atletico since 2019, winning La Liga last year. pic.twitter.com/kHD5BtsLUK
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) February 20, 2022
- The European leagues were full of drama this past weekend, with the biggest story being Manchester City’s loss to Tottenham. The result opened the door for Liverpool to close the gap at the top of the English Premier League standings Unfortunately, midfielder Phil Foden and his family were attacked after the loss. There is no excuse for such behavior.
That will do it for today. Keep checking back for coverage of the upcoming match against CF Montreal this Sunday.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/13/24
Orlando City reportedly interested in Luis Palma, Facundo Torres transfer update, Europa League roundup, and more.
Happy Friday the 13th! It’s supposedly an unlucky day, but it’s hard not to just brush superstitions aside as we get ready for the weekend during a busy month. I’ll be spending the next few days shopping with friends, prying gift ideas from my family members who are hard to shop for, and hopefully starting a book or two that I’ve been meaning to read. But for now, let’s get to today’s links!
Orlando City Linked With Luis Palma
The rumor mill is in full swing and Orlando City is reportedly interested in Honduran winger Luis Palma, who currently plays for Celtic in Scotland. According to 67 Hail Hail, which covers Celtic transfer news, Orlando and Atlanta United have the 24-year-old on their radars. Palma is under contract with Celtic until 2028, but hasn’t been receiving much playing time under Brendan Rodgers. Orlando reportedly hasn’t contacted Celtic for a deal. In my opinion, this may just be the kind of interest that could be said of many players Orlando likely keeps tabs on abroad. Palma is talented, but he would be an awkward fit for an Orlando side that has open U22 Initiative slots and could be freeing up a Designated Player slot as well.
Facundo Torres Transfer Saga Rolls On
Would it be an Orlando off-season without some uncertainty over a prominent attacker? Orlando forward Facundo Torres’s potential departure has been the subject of reports this week, with Palmeiras and Cruz Azul as the leading contenders to sign him. According to Fabrizio Romano, Cruz Azul has now submitted a bid to Orlando for the 24-year-old, with Torres accepting the move as well.
But while Romano reports that Orlando is expected to accept the bid, Tom Bogert of Give Me Sport reports that Orlando is keeping its word to Palmeiras after accepting the Brazilian club’s offer.
If these reports are to be believed, it’s smart for Orlando to sit back while Palmeiras tries to work things out with Torres and Cruz Azul waits in the wings if it falls apart. There’s also still a chance Torres winds up staying in Orlando despite all of this. It’s a fluid situation and I’m curious how it will all shake out.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
While most of the excitement of MLS free agency is seeing which players wind up in new places, clubs are also focused on keeping important players around as well. LAFC has locked down defender Aaron Long, re-signing him to a deal through 2027. FC Dallas winger Alan Velasco signed a contract extension through 2028 with the club and will still be a Young Designated Player. Atlanta United re-signed forward Jamal Thiare, who had a brace in Atlanta’s win against Inter Miami in the playoffs.
San Diego FC also officially added center back Andres Reyes from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $800,000 in General Allocation Money. Reyes should be a great anchor for San Diego’s defense as it prepares for its inaugural season in 2025.
Keeping Up With Europa League
The Europa League wrapped up another round of matches Thursday, and it’s a bit clearer on where each team stands heading into the tail end of the group stage. Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench and scored twice to lead Manchester United’s comeback in a 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen in Czechia. Tottenham went to Glasgow and salvaged a point in a 1-1 draw thanks to a goal from Dejan Kulusevski. As for the two teams atop the standings, Lazio beat Ajax 3-1 in Amsterdam and Athletic Club won 2-0 against Fenerbahce. Galatasaray had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Malmo after Sergio Peña scored for the Swedish club in stoppage time. While no club has outright earned a spot in the round of 16 just yet, seven teams are assured of at least the knockout phase now, including Manchester United, Anderlecht, and Lyon.
Free Kicks
- CF Montreal and Toronto FC will square off in the first round of next year’s Canadian Championship. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Whitecaps have a bye into the next round.
- Dax McCarty, who retired following this past season, posted on Instagram that he will join the MLS Season Pass crew starting next season.
- Along with the great Champions League goal Weston McKennie and Tim Weah combined for, the returns of Johnny Cardoso and Giovanni Reyna were bright spots from Americans abroad this week.
- FIFA officially announced that the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil will start on June 24 and end on July 25.
- The Orlando Pride don’t just do good things on the soccer pitch. They also do good things away from the field, such as bringing a little joy to local area hospital patients.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/12/24
Orlando City loses Heine Gikling Bruseth, Facundo Torres now linked with Cruz Azul, Orlando Pride sign goalkeeper Kat Asman, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? December is flying by and the clock is ticking to get things squared away before the holidays are fully upon us. I still have some shopping I need to knock out and then need to decide what I’m baking for when I visit my family in a couple of weeks. Let’s dive into today’s links.
Lions Lose Heine Gikling Bruseth in Expansion Draft
Midfielder Heine Gikling Bruseth is no longer a Lion after San Diego FC selected him in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft. Orlando City signed the 20-year-old from Norwegian side Kristiansund BK in August as a U22 Initiative player, and he has yet to play in an MLS game. We won’t get a chance to see what impact Bruseth can have here in Orlando and he’s now part of San Diego’s plans on the other side of the country. Bruseth joins Kamal Miller, Nicholas Gioacchini, and Mikey Ambrose on the list of Lions taken in the MLS Expansion Draft, as Orlando just can’t seem to catch a break in these events.
San Diego also selected Colorado Rapids midfielder Jasper Loffelsend and Charlotte FC defender Hamady Diop as well. New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade was selected and promptly traded to Toronto FC. St. Louis City midfielder Hosei Kijima is on the move as well after being selected and traded to D.C. United.
Cruz Azul Joins Hunt for Facundo Torres
Orlando City forward Facundo Torres, who was linked with a move to Palmeiras earlier this week, is reportedly being courted by Cruz Azul of Liga MX as well. While Orlando and Palmeiras have reportedly agreed to terms on what would be a club-record deal, Cruz Azul has not yet submitted a bid to Orlando. If Torres does leave the club this winter, I’d personally rather see him head to Palmeiras in Brazil instead of Cruz Azul. The idea of the Lions going up against Torres in the Leagues Cup or another competition makes me sick to my stomach.
Orlando Pride Sign Kat Asman
The Orlando Pride are already making moves this off-season, signing goalkeeper Kat Asman to a two-year contract. Asman was drafted with the 39th overall pick by the Portland Thorns last year but didn’t make any appearances as a rookie. She now joins a Pride goalkeeping group that currently includes Anna Moorhouse, McKinley Crone, and Sofia Manner. While Asman may not make much of an impact next year, she’ll have the opportunity to grow her game and push the players ahead of her on the depth chart.
MLS Free Agency Opens Today
The MLS off-season is in full swing and the free agency officially kicks off today. There is plenty of talent across all positions available, which should make for an exciting flurry of wheeling and dealing as clubs prepare for 2025. It will also be interesting to see where former Lions wind up, as Ruan, Junior Urso, and Benji Michel are all free agents. As for other notable players to keep an eye out for, forwards like Josef Martinez and Jeremy Ebobisse could give clubs some additional firepower. Goalkeeper Tim Melia, center back Jack Elliott, and journeyman striker Kei Kamara are a few of the other interesting players out there.
Champions League Roundup
The latest round of Champions League matches wrapped up, but the standings remain a murky mess where only three points separate the team in third and team in 19th. The heavyweight match of the day Wednesday was between Juventus and Manchester City in Italy, with Juventus putting in a great defensive performance to win 2-0. Americans Weston McKennie and Tim Weah linked up for Juventus’ second goal after coming off the bench.
Atletico Madrid won its third straight Champions League match, beating Slovan Bratislava 3-1, thanks to a brace from Antoine Griezmann. Arsenal cruised past Monaco 3-0 to stay near the top of the standings, Ferran Torres scored twice in Barcelona’s 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund, and Benfica and Bologna battled to a scoreless draw in Portugal.
Free Kicks
- Curt Johnson has resigned as the North Carolina Courage’s chief soccer officer after 14 years with the club in order to pursue other opportunities.
- San Diego FC sent up to $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to D.C. United in order to sign defender Christopher McVey, inking him to a contract through 2026. San Diego is also reportedly set to sign New York Red Bulls center back Andres Reyes for a hefty amount of GAM.
- Speaking of the Red Bulls, they announced a 13-year partnership with Sports Illustrated Tickets and their stadium will now be named Sports Illustrated Stadium. Starting in 2026, Sports Illustrated Tickets will also be the official ticketing partner for events at the stadium, including Red Bull and NJ/NY Gotham FC home matches.
- MLS announced the 44 players invited to take part in this year’s MLS College Showcase. The closed-door scouting event will take place over the next few days, with the MLS SuperDraft set for 3 p.m. Dec. 20.
- There will be two matches between MLS teams in the first round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, with Sporting Kansas City facing Inter Miami and LAFC taking on the Colorado Rapids. The Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy won’t join the fun until the round of 16 after earning byes.
- 2024 MLS NEXT Pro MVP David Poreba will be joining the big leagues, with the Chicago Fire signing the 22-year-old to a contract that will run through 2025, with options for 2026, 2027, and 2028.
- Wolfsburg forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir came off the bench and put on a show, scoring four goals to help her team beat AS Roma in the Women’s Champions League.
- It’s official, Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. FIFA also confirmed that the 2030 edition of the tournament will have matches in six different countries.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/11/24
Orlando City’s protected players, Orlando Pride roster update, the USMNT is returning to Inter&Co Stadium, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The season might be over, but there’s still plenty of news to be found. I’m glad that we have all the movies and specials to watch since there are no MLS or NWSL matches. There are quite a few that my family watch each year including Elf, Scrooged, and of course, Die Hard. Let me know your favorites in the comments below. Let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Protected List Released
The addition of San Diego SC to MLS means another expansion draft this off-season. Yesterday, Orlando City released its protected players list. There are a total of 19 players on the list, though seven of those are automatically protected due to either Homegrown or Generation Adidas status. San Diego will be able to pick up to five players from across the league, but only one from any given club. There aren’t many surprises in which players Orlando City chose to protect.
Pride End-of-Season Roster Update
Following a historic season that saw the club win both the NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Cup, the Pride have released their end of season roster update. We already knew that Celia, Carrie Lawrence, and Megan Montefusco retired. Given how the club works its contracts, often re-signing players during the season, there weren’t a lot of surprises. Marta and Evelina Duljan were the two players out of contract, and we now know that Duljan won’t be returning, while the club is negotiating a deal that would keep Marta in Orlando.
USMNT Returning to Inter&Co Stadium
The USMNT is heading back to the City Beautiful, as the team will play Costa Rica Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff for the match will be 7 p.m., allowing fans in the Orlando area to make it after work. It will be the second match in Florida, as the Americans will take on Venezuela Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Pre-sale tickets went on sale Tuesday, and ticket sales for the general public start Friday.
USWNT vs. Brazil
If you were hoping for a rematch of the 2024 Women’s World Cup final between the USWNT and the Brazilian Women’s National Team, you are in luck. The two teams will square off on April 5 and April 8, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and at PayPal Park in San Jose, respectively. The match at SoFi Stadium will be the first soccer match played in the venue, which will also host matches for the 2026 World Cup.
Free Kicks
- It’s no surprise to those of us who work with the Pride regularly that Jackie Maynard, Lucas Medeiros, and the rest of Orlando’s comms staff was named the first-ever NWSL Communications Team of the Year winner. We congratulate Jackie and her team and look forward to continuing to work with a great group of professionals.
- Take a trip down memory lane with this compilation of Facundo Torres’ goals from 2024.
- Today, FIFA will award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The circumstances leading up to this “decision” are exactly as forthright, transparent, and without any hint of shenanigans as one expects from FIFA. Give me a minute, my eyes got stuck in the back of my head because of how hard I rolled them.
- In related news, Norway plans to protest the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia and will abstain on the basis that not enough has been done to protect human rights at the event.
- Orlando City wasn’t the only team to drop its list of protected rosters. Here are the lists for every MLS club.
- Plenty of teams were in action in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool won its sixth consecutive first round match 1-0 over Girona, and Mbappe scored and got injured in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atalanta.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in for our Season in Review pieces for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Vamos Orlando!
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City Announces Roster Decisions Following 2024 Season
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Five Takeaways
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Lions Fall at Home
-
Orlando Pride4 days ago
Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2024 NWSL Season
-
Lion Links1 week ago
Lion Links: 12/4/24
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
-
Orlando City1 week ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Alex Freeman