Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/22

Published

3 years ago

on

Good morning, Mane Landers! I’m not sure about you, but I know it is harder for me to get out of bed after Orlando City fails to get a result. The weekend isn’t over yet though for Orlando sports fans as the Pride take on Washington Spirit today at 4 p.m. and OCB hosts New York City FC II at 6 p.m. It would help lessen the blow for fans if they can finally add to the win column.

Before we head on to the links, let’s take a moment to wish our very own center back and fourth string goalkeeper Rodrigo Schlegel a happy birthday!

Lions Fall 4-2 to LAFC

It was a very rainy and wet night in Orlando as the Lions hosted LAFC. City lost its second straight home game 4-2, but it was not for a lack of effort. With 13 shots and 62% of possession, it seemed to be Orlando in control for most of the night. Unfortunately, LAFC was able to score on all four of the shots it put on target. We will have to wait and see about the severity of a first-half injury to Antonio Carlos, as he was carried off on a stretcher clutching his left hamstring. We’ll have more coverage of the match today with our five takeaways and player grades.

Pride Visit Spirit Today

The Pride opened the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup with a scoreless match against the Washington Spirit. The Spirit have been trading goals with opponents since that first match though. Their second game was 1-1 and their third finished 2-2. From the Spirit fan’s perspective, the club played their worst half of soccer under manager Kris Ward on Wednesday against the North Carolina Courage.

It’s also worth noting that the solution wasn’t a fire and brimstone halftime speech by a coach, but rather the players taking it upon themselves to increase their intensity levels and get on the same page as a team. “By the time I got in there at halftime,” manager Kris Ward said, “the players said they’d already had a conversation.”

When the Pride kick off this afternoon, they have to be ready to match the intensity of a team that is going to come out firing and attempt to right the ship from its last performance.

Goals, Goals, and More MLS Goals

If you’re a fan of end-to-end action, yesterday was your day. Aside from the high-scoring Orlando and LAFC game, FC Cincinnati and CF Montreal finished the first half of their match with five goals and later added two more in the second half as Montreal beat Cincinnati 4-3.

NYCFC fell 2-1 at BMO Field against Toronto FC but went down swinging in stoppage time with a powerful Heber header to keep Alex Bono from what would have been a well-deserved shutout.

The crosses kept coming all day as Nashville SC also scored early against Columbus Crew with a quality Alex Muyl header.

Other scores from around the league include: San Jose and Austin drawing 2-2. Atlanta United defeated D.C. United with a 94th-minute goal. The New York Red Bulls defeated the New England Revolution 1-0. Charlotte ended its win streak by falling 2-0 to the Philadelphia Union. The Seattle Sounders conceded a late penalty to Minnesota but still held on for a 2-1 victory. Sporting Kansas City was unable to find the back of the net as Vancouver won 1-0. For full highlights and results around the league, head over to MLSsoccer.com.

USMNT Already Eyeing World Cup Match-ups

It might be many months away, but Walker Zimmerman already knows who he is ready to square off against — Harry Kane.

“He’s a player who’s been in top form for years now and has kind of evolved into that leader of that team. He’s certainly a talent that scores a lot of goals, provides a lot of different ways that he can hurt you, whether it’s with his final pass, his production in the box, his size, physicality. Obviously he’s an excellent finisher, so that’s someone that we’ll be aware of in the back and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

Zimmerman also mentioned the group chat is already active and starting to scout and work towards the match. He credits the fact that the USMNT having players in the EPL and UEFA Champions League has the team feeling comfortable at this early time.

“Having guys that have played against them multiple times, played in the same league as them, it’s going to be beneficial for us and I know that everyone will be helping each other out as much as possible in terms of scouting and preparation and habits and mentality.”

While there still might be more than 235 days until the match and the roster is yet to be set in stone, one thing is certain — Walker Zimmerman is going to do whatever it takes to ensure he and Miles Robinson continue their partnership through the World Cup.

“And now speaking with him the challenge is: Hey, it doesn’t matter what we’ve done, we have to continue our form, play well at the club level if we want to get a shot at this.”

Free Kicks

Saturday’s game might not have been the result we were looking for, but the Lions continue to show they have what it takes to find the back of the net. For today, we hope the Pride can do the same. Go Pride! Let’s get that W.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

January 21, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Continue Reading

Trending