Lion Links: 3/8/22

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Saturday’s result might have been a little…frustrating for Orlando City, but at the end of the day the Lions stayed undefeated in the young season and you can’t ask for much more than that. There’s lots to discuss today, so let’s get right into it.

Pride’s Kerry Abello Sees Daily Growth

The Orlando Pride are due to kick off the 2022 season in a little under two weeks time when the team faces the Washington Spirit in its opening game of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. 2020 NWSL Draftee Kerry Abello spoke about how she sees the team continuing to grow each day in the leadup to the season. Abello, who signed with the team in January of this year, highlighted the leadership of older veterans like Marta, Sydney Leroux and Gunny Jonnsdotir and spoke about how the team is ready to follow them as the season draws closer.

USMNT Midweek Viewing Guide

A number of United States Men’s National Team players will be taking part in midweek action this week. Some of the highlights include Brenden Aaronson and Red Bull Salzburg taking on Bayern Munich in a delicately balanced UEFA Champions League tie and a Premier League battle between Christian Pulisic’s Chelsea and Josh Sargent’s Norwich City. Elsewhere, Sergino Dest and Barcelona face Galatasaray in the Europa League, and Zack Steffen might start Manchester City’s second leg Champions League tie against Sporting CP with City leading 5-0 in the tie.

Five Mexican Officials Suspended

Five Mexican officials have been suspended following the violent scenes at the Liga MX match between Queretaro and Atlas over the weekend. The officials involved are made up of police and civil defense employees, as well as three individuals involved in the preparations for the match. Guadalupe Murguía, the interior secretary of the state of Queretaro, also said that the private company responsible for security at the event would have its contract canceled, and that once released from the hospital, some of the men involved in the violence will receive a police escort to the state line.

Prem Interest in Cameron Carter-Vickers

Cameron Carter-Vickers is reportedly attracting interest from a number of English clubs, some of which are in the Premier League. Carter-Vickers’ parent club Tottenham has reportedly been contacted by Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and others in regards to signing the center back. The 23-year-old has been excellent for Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic this season, starting 33 games and notching three goals and an assist in the league. The defender nearly made it to the Premier League last year while on loan with AFC Bournemouth, before the team fell to Swansea City in the promotion playoffs.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City fell four points to fourteenth in ESPN’s latest edition of MLS power rankings.
• Delta has signed on as the official airline of the National Women’s Soccer League.
• New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is reportedly readying a bid to buy Chelsea.
• FIFA has ruled that foreign players signed to Russian and Ukrainian clubs can temporarily sign for new teams outside the countries as free agents.

That does it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.