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Lion Links: 4/20/22

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. The Lions will be in action tonight in their U.S. Open Cup third-round match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies and I’m looking forward to it. There is plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Takes On the Rowdies Tonight

The third round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup continues at Exploria Stadium tonight as the Lions host the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the I-4 Derby. This will be the first competitive game between the two rivals since 2014. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. and you can watch it on ESPN+. The Rowdies are coming into tonight’s match in good form after defeating FC Tulsa 3-1 this past weekend in the USL Championship, and they are in third place in the USL Eastern Conference with 12 points. One player to keep an eye on is Jake LaCava, who is on loan from the New York Red Bulls and is the Rowdies’ leading scorer with three goals. Orlando City has not lost to the Rowdies going back to 2013. The last time the U.S. Open Cup was played back in 2019, the Lions made it all the way to the semifinals before falling to Atlanta United. If Mauricio Pereyra gets an assist tonight, it will give him the all-time club record across all competitions for Orlando City.

Orlando City to Host Arsenal This Summer in Friendly

Orlando City announced that the club will play a midseason friendly against English Premier League club Arsenal in July. The match will be on July 20 at Exploria Stadium and this will be the first meeting between these two clubs. The last time the Lions faced an English Premier League opponent in a friendly was back in 2016 when the Lions hosted Stoke City in Melbourne. This match will be part of the “FC Series,” which is a national expansion of the Florida Cup, featuring clubs from around the globe. The other match fans in Orlando can check out will be the London Derby on July 23 when Arsenal takes on Chelsea at Camping World Stadium as part of the Florida Cup.

Gaston Gonzalez Injures Knee

You will need a translation for the full details as 20-year-old Argentine winger Gaston Gonzalez injured his knee in Union Santa Fe’s game against San Lorenzo and had to exit the match on a stretcher. This news comes after reports that Orlando City signed the winger as a U22 Initiative signing and that he would join the Lions in early May following discussions between Orlando and Union Santa Fe dating back to December. Medical tests will be conducted to determine the full extent of his injury and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Third Round U.S. Open Cup Action Begins

The third round of the U.S. Open Cup kicked off last night with 11 matches as MLS teams entered the tournament. Union Omaha became the first USL League One team to oust an MLS side in the Open Cup after winning a penalty shootout against the Chicago Fire. The Columbus Crew were also eliminated after Detroit City FC came back from a goal down to win 2-1. All other MLS sides survived their matches though. Inter Miami advanced past Miami FC thanks to a late goal from Leonardo Campana, DC United won 3-0 over Flower City Union, and FC Cincinnati needed extra time to defeat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-0. In Texas, FC Dallas beat FC Tulsa 2-1 while Houston Dynamo left back Sam Junqua scored in stoppage time to help his team win 2-1 against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. In California, the San Jose Earthquakes cruised to a 5-0 win over Bay Cities FC and the LA Galaxy held on for a 1-0 victory against Landon Donovan’s San Diego Loyal SC.

USWNT Learns Its Group for Concacaf Women’s Championship

The United States Women’s National Team now knows its opponents for the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship in Monterrey this summer. The USWNT was drawn into Group A and will face Mexico, Jamaica, and Haiti in the group stage that will begin on either July 4 or July 5. Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago were drawn into Group B. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semifinals and also qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The third-place teams in each group will go to a World Cup playoff that will take place next February. The winner of this tournament will qualify directly to the 2024 Olympics as well.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City remained in seventh place this week in the latest MLS power rankings after winning 2-0 against the Columbus Crew on the road.
  • Orlando forward Tesho Akindele was noted as a player who can make an impact in the U.S. Open Cup.
  • MLSSoccer.com gave a breakdown on which goalkeepers are helping or hurting their MLS teams through seven weeks of the 2022 MLS season. Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese is ranked third among those helping after a strong start to the year.
  • Orlando City winger Facundo Torres was recognized as one of the top young players from this past weekend in MLS.
  • The Attacking Third podcast released its latest NWSL power rankings, placing the Orlando Pride at 11th. Let me know in the comments below if you agree.

  • Former Lion Will Johnson will return to Central Florida Panthers SC for the upcoming 2022 National Premier Soccer League season.

  • U.S. Soccer has appointed former Reading and Chicago Fire assistant coach Marko Mitrović as its new manager of the U.S. U-19 Men’s Youth National Team.
  • Former Lion and current Atlanta United chief scout Jonathan Spector was in Spain to watch Mallorca as Atlanta reportedly aims to acquire USMNT winger Matthew Hoppe.
  • Manchester United and Liverpool fans united to pay tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo following the death of his newborn son. In the seventh minute of their match, supporters sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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