Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/16/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re officially halfway through the work week and the weekend can’t get here soon enough. I’m headed on vacation to Boston this weekend to enjoy lobster rolls and good company. Call me crazy, but I’m also looking forward to reading a book with some coffee at the airport since it’s been some time since I’ve gone on a trip. But for now, I’m excited to bring you these links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Prepares for the LA Galaxy
After a 2-1 loss at home to FC Cincinnati, Orlando City heads west to take on the LA Galaxy this Saturday. The Galaxy are also coming off of a defeat, falling 3-2 on the road to the Seattle Sounders. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Douglas Costa both scored in that match and are dangerous threats in the Galaxy’s attack alongside 19-year-old midfielder Efrain Alvarez.
It will be the first meeting between these two teams since 2019, when the Galaxy came to Exploria Stadium and left with all three points in a 1-0 victory. The last time the Lions played the Galaxy in Los Angeles was in 2018, when they fell 4-3 in a game that featured a hat trick from Zlatan Ibrahimović. This will be the first of two consecutive road trips out west for the Lions as they face the Portland Timbers on March 27.
Orlando Pride Announce Opening Day Roster
The Orlando Pride return to competitive action this weekend and the team announced its 26-player roster. While the team experienced significant turnover during the off-season, 16 players are returning from the 2021 season. Marta, Sydney Leroux, and Erin McLeod are a few of the notable players back with the Pride this season. There are 10 new players on the roster, including defender Megan Montefusco, forward Darian Jenkins, and recent draft picks such as Mikayla Cluff and Caitlin Cosme. Also, Carrie Lawrence, Kaylie Collins, Kerry Abello, and Parker Roberts are all on the Pride’s Supplemental Roster and their salaries won’t count against the team’s salary cap.
NWSL Challenge Cup Begins This Weekend
SBNation’s All For Xi gave a breakdown of what to expect in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. The tournament kicks off this Friday as Racing Louisville hosts Kansas City before the Portland Thorns and OL Reign square off in Seattle. The Pride’s first game will be on Saturday in Exploria Stadium against the NWSL defending champion Washington Spirit. It’s a difficult group for the Pride as they will also have to play NJ/NY Gotham FC and the North Carolina Courage during the tournament.
The Pride are in a rebuilding stage and placed last in CBS Sports’ first NWSL power rankings of the year. While Orlando isn’t expected to compete for the top spot in the group, the tournament will still be a great chance for Head Coach Amanda Cromwell to see the players in competitive matches before the regular season. Austin David provided an update on which players participated in the Pride’s training.
Back out at #ORLPride training this morning.
Abi Kim is off to the side, as is Julie Doyle, who's been injured most of the preseason. Celia Jimenez, who has missed some time, is out there participating. pic.twitter.com/KmlmgHStSl
— Austin David (@AustinDavid22) March 15, 2022
MLS Clubs Aim for Champions League Semifinals
New York City FC advanced to the Concacaf Champions League semifinals by the skin of its teeth after a 4-2 loss in Guatemala against Comunicaciones FC. NYCFC took a 2-1 lead after a goal from Talles Magno in the 51st minute and Ronny Deila made four substitutions soon after. Comunicaciones then rallied for three goals, but NYCFC ended up advancing on aggregate due to scoring more away goals. It will face the winner between the Seattle Sounders and Club Leon. While NYCFC’s place in the next round is secured, the result was a warning sign for the other MLS clubs remaining in the tournament.
The New England Revolution have a 3-0 lead over Pumas UNAM. If the Revs score just one goal on the road, then Pumas will have to score at least five to advance. But New England Head Coach Bruce Arena is expecting a different kind of match tonight in Mexico than in the first leg.
“Weather conditions, last game was snowing and probably 30 degrees in Foxborough,” Arena said. “Here, it’ll probably be 65 degrees at kickoff on a good field and probably a good crowd, entirely different from the scene we saw in Foxborough. Their tactics are going to change. They’re down three goals in the competition, so they’ll be very aggressive and certainly in attack mode.”
CF Montreal is the only MLS side to fall in the first leg of its quarterfinal, although a 1-0 loss on the road against Cruz Azul is far from terrible. The Canadian club faced a similar deficit in the previous round against Santos Laguna before winning 3-0 at home to reach the quarterfinals. Montreal will hope for a similar reversal in tonight’s match.
Free Kicks
- No team fell further in this week’s MLS power rankings than Orlando City, which dropped eight spots to 19th.
- Former Orlando Pride defender Ally Haran was named Canberra United’s Player of the Year.
Ally Haran!!
Crucial for Canberra up back, Ally Haran is your 2021/22 Player of the Year!#UnitedAlways pic.twitter.com/V9uvcpW6lo
— Canberra United (@CanberraUnited) March 12, 2022
- The Columbus Crew are reportedly open to trading forward Gyasi Zardes. The Designated Player hasn’t started in any of the Crew’s three games this season.
- Manchester United was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League after a 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Benfica was able to hold on for a 1-0 win against Ajax to reach the quarterfinals.
- United’s loss means Ronaldo will end a season without a club trophy for the first time since 2010. The Portuguese forward also became the player with the most minutes played in the Champions League.
⌚️ – MINUTE 4⃣7⃣: Cristiano Ronaldo🇵🇹 (15,909) has surpassed Iker Casillas🇪🇸 (15,908) as the player to have played the most minutes in the @ChampionsLeague. #UCL #MANATL pic.twitter.com/SF09Bedj8i
— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) March 15, 2022
- Christian Eriksen was called up by Denmark for the first time since suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. Denmark has already qualified for the 2022 World Cup and will take on the Netherlands and Serbia in friendlies later this month.
- The USL Super League season will run on a fall-to-summer schedule that aligns with the international women’s calendar. The league will begin in August of 2023 following the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
- Chelsea requested that its FA Cup quarterfinal on the road against Middlesbrough be played behind closed doors due to limits on selling tickets. Middlesbrough released a statement calling the request “bizarre, without any merit whatsoever” and Chelsea later withdrew its request.
- The Court of Arbitration of Sport upheld the ban on Russian national and club teams from participating in FIFA and UEFA competitions.
- FC Barcelona partnered with Spotify and its stadium will now be called Spotify Camp Nou.
That’s all I have for you today. Have a wonderful rest of your week and stay safe out there. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.
Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.
Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.
“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”
Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.
Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year
Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.
Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves
FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.
Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.
Free Kicks
- In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
- ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
- Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
- Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
- The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
- Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/21/24
Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship
There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.
Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.
Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year
Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.
2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled
The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach
FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.
Free Kicks
- District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.
- Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino, who was an Orlando City B assistant coach in 2015 and played for the USL Lions, spoke on Atlanta’s Cinderella run this postseason ahead of his team’s clash with Orlando City on Sunday.
- CF Montreal signed Canadian center back Joel Waterman to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2027 with an option for 2028 as well.
- D.C. United signed goalkeeper Jordan Farr from the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a two-year deal. Farr had 11 shutouts with the Rowdies this year and joins a D.C. side that declined the contract options for both Tyler Miller and Alex Bono last month.
- American forward Catarina Macario had an assist for Chelsea in a 3-0 win against Celtic in the Women’s Champions League.
- Spanish midfielder Juan Mata joined San Diego FC’s ownership group ahead of the club’s inaugural MLS season next year.
- Costa Rican club Alajuelense, which is the highest-ranked team in Central America, has hired a legal firm regarding FIFA allowing both Pachuca and Club Leon to take part in the 2025 Club World Cup despite having the same owner.
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: 11/20/24
Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.
Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!
Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons
Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.
Seb Hines Wins Major Award
The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:
Internationals Take The Pitch
Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.
Record MLS Signing Reported
FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.
Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup
Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.
Free Kicks
- Gerardo “Tata” Martino will address the media in a final news conference on Friday along with Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas as he is expected to step down from his head coach position for personal reasons.
- Instantly linked to the managerial vacancy at Inter Miami is former FC Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernández.
- Nashville SC acquired 23-year-old former Norway youth international midfielder Edvard Tagseth from Rosenborg BK through 2026 with an option for 2027.
- Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang is set to donate $30 million dollars to U.S. Soccer’s women and girls programs over the next five years.
- The United Soccer League announced that USL Dallas, North Texas’ newest professional soccer team, will join the USL Championship for the 2027 season.
- Manchester United is offering €30 million and a struggling player in a swap deal to gain the services of Victor Osimhen.
- Patrick Vieira is likely to step into the managerial role at Genoa after Alberto Gilardino was unexpectedly fired.
- Miami FC and a professional women’s team could be getting a new 10,000-seat stadium in Homestead.
That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!
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