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Lion Links: 6/16/22

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4 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re another day closer to the weekend and finally over the hump of this week. I hope you all enjoyed the return of Orlando City soccer last night and if you missed the match then at least you won’t have to wait long for the next match. But for now, enjoy these links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Draws With the New England Revolution

On the road at Gillette Stadium, Orlando took on the New England Revolution and both sides had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw. It’s a decent result on the road against a Revolution side that hasn’t lost a league match since April 23. The Lions certainly held their own and created some good chances throughout the match. Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese started in goal for the Lions, just a couple of days after a tough penalty shootout loss against Australia.

  • Michael Citro has your match recap.
  • You can check out the view from the other side courtesy of Sam Minton over at The Bent Musket.
  • Make sure to check back later today for Ben Miller’s player grades and Man of the Match, as well as David Rohe’s five takeaways from the result on the road.

Javier Otero Signed to Short-Term Contract

In a decision that was likely just a precaution in case Gallese wasn’t able to suit up in New England, Orlando City B goalkeeper Javier Otero was signed to a short-term contract with the first team. The signing made him available for the team’s road match in case Adam Grinwis started and needed a backup, but Otero ultimately didn’t make the line-up. Still, it’s nice to know the club has Otero as an option in the event of a goalkeeping emergency. The 19-year-old is no slouch between the sticks, leading MLS NEXT Pro with 58 saves this season. If you haven’t seen him in action, make sure to check out OCB’s game this Sunday at 2 p.m. against Columbus Crew 2, as he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the league.

Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Mikayla Cluff and Kerry Abello were both called up for the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team’s pair of friendlies later this month in Sweden. The U.S. will play India on June 25 and then take on Sweden on June 28 as part of the Women’s U-23 Three-Nations Tournament. Cluff and Abello are two of six NWSL players on the roster and these friendlies will take place during an international break so they likely won’t miss any matches for the Pride. It should be a valuable experience for both young players as they continue to develop.

Orlando City B Players Prepare for Tournament

The Concacaf U-20 Championship kicks off this weekend and many MLS NEXT Pro players will be in action. Orlando City B midfielders Wilfredo Rivera and Ian Silva will both represent Puerto Rico in the tournament, although they won’t play until June 26, as Puerto Rico has already qualified for the knockout stage. Rivera has shown plenty of promise with OCB this season, contributing three assists and a goal across eight starts. Orlando’s Michael Halliday will be with the United States for the group stage this weekend. The first U.S.match will be against St. Kitts & Nevis at 8:30 p.m. this Saturday.

MLS Unveils Juneteenth Initiatives

When the Lions host the Houston Dynamo this Saturday, you’ll notice that the numbers on their jerseys will look a bit different. For Juneteenth, the numbers on the jerseys are hand-drawn designs featuring vibrant reds, yellows, and greens. The game-worn jerseys will then be auctioned, with proceeds benefiting organizations local to each specific club. Orlando’s beneficiary is My Brother’s Keeper, which helps mentor young people in disadvantaged communities, so that they can reach their full potential.

There are also new pre-match tops available that are designed to showcase the diversity and unity throughout the league. Orlando forward Tesho Akindele and the folks at black-owned diner Nikki’s Place showed off the design and I’m a huge fan. They seem perfect for the summer and the purple and yellow certainly helps it go with any Lions gear you’d wear.

Free Kicks

  • American forward Timothy Weah was linked with a loan move from Lille OSC in France to Valencia in Spain. If this move comes to fruition, it will be interesting to see Weah play alongside fellow American Yunus Musah in La Liga.
  • Today at 5 p.m., FIFA will announce which North American cities will host matches for the 2026 World Cup. Orlando is viewed as a bit of a longshot, so make sure to keep your fingers crossed throughout the day.
  • Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly sacked Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s manager. There’s plenty of intrigue regarding who will fill the vacancy, but I’m curious about where Pochettino winds up considering he was previously linked with the Manchester United job that is now filled.
  • Paul Pogba’s return to Juventus is reportedly a done deal, with the move expected to be officially announced in July.
  • Brazilian right back Dani Alves will leave FC Barcelona once his contract expires this summer. The 39-year-old did well in his return to Camp Nou last season, contributing a goal and three assists to help Xavi Hernandez turn things around.

That’s all I have for you today. If you’re looking for a new book to read, I’ve recently finished Book Lovers by Emily Henry and, well, loved it. It was funny, smart, and has a strong emotional core holding all of the banter and romance together. I’ve been trying to read more this year, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments below. Have a wonderful Thursday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

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3 hours ago

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April 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 28, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/27/26

Lions and Pride lose, OCB draws Chicago Fire II, FA Cup semifinals recap, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 27, 2026

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Image of the OCB squad before the team's game March 8, 2026 vs. Chicago Fire II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and looking forward to covering some high school soccer and lacrosse this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Late Lead in Defeat to D.C. United

Orlando City fell 3-2 to D.C. United Saturday at Audi Field. Jackson Hopkins scored the opener for D.C. United early in the first half. In the second half, Justin Ellis equalized for the Lions, and Tyrese Spicer added another goal to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. However, the Lions couldn’t hang on to the lead as D.C. United scored two late goals in six minutes to pull out a win at the death. It will be another busy week for the Lions with a road trip to New England to face the Revolution in a round-of-16 U.S. Open Cup match Wednesday, followed by another road match Saturday against Inter Miami at Nu Stadium.

Pride Fall to Racing Louisville on the Road

The Orlando Pride fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC Friday at Lynn Family Stadium, continuing their winless streak in Kentucky. Louisville struck first with a goal from Lauren Milliet to take a 1-0 lead, but Barbra Banda buried the equalizer for the Pride to level the match before halftime. However, Louisville scored two early second-half goals to take a 3-1 lead before Banda pulled one back to make it 3-2 late in stoppage time, but Louisville held on to pick up its first win of the season. With that result, the Orlando Pride’s four-match unbeaten streak came to an end. The Pride will look to bounce back Saturday, taking on the Washington Spirit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B came from behind to draw 2-2 against Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium Sunday. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime, but in the second half, OCB got a break as Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt scored an own goal to pull the Young Lions within one. Late in stoppage time, Nicolas Lasheras scored the equalizer for OCB. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-2 to earn a second point. OCB’s next match will be at home against Crown Legacy Sunday.

FA Cup Semifinals Recap

The FA Cup final is set after the semifinals concluded over the weekend at Wembley Stadium. On Saturday, after a scoreless first half, all the goals came in the second half as Finn Azaz scored the opener to give Southampton the lead, but Manchester City was able to overturn the deficit on goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez to seal a 2-1 win against Southampton to advance to the FA Cup final for the fourth consecutive time. On Sunday, Enzo Fernandez’s lone goal in the first half was enough to pull Chelsea to a 1-0 win against Leeds United to book a spot in the final to face Manchester City. The FA Cup final will take place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

Free Kicks

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

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