Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/23/22

Published

3 years ago

on

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Make sure to drink plenty of water today as this summer heat isn’t playing around. Even trips out to my mailbox and back feel like an expedition through a desert. I’ve been cooling off most nights with tiki drinks and just finished “Only Murders in the Building,” which was phenomenal. If you haven’t seen it yet and are a fan of mysteries, give it a try, as the second season drops next week. But for now, enjoy these links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Hits the Road

After a win at home last weekend, the Lions will now head to Ohio for a match tomorrow night against FC Cincinnati. This is the second meeting between the two clubs this season, with Cincinnati winning 2-1 in Exploria Stadium on March 12. Cincy forward Brandon Vazquez had a brace in that match and has been on a tear this season. The other Cincy player to keep an eye on is Nigerian defensive midfielder Obinna Nwobodo. Cincy added Nwobodo as a Designated Player last month and he was impressive in a 1-1 draw with the Philadelphia Union.

Orlando’s defense will certainly have its hands full, especially considering center back Robin Jansson won’t be available due to yellow card accumulation. However, there seems to be some good news on the horizon as Antonio Carlos continues to recover from his injury.

Erin McLeod Up for NWSL Save of the Week

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Erin McLeod was nominated for the NWSL Save of the Week for her amazing save against Becky Sauerbrunn this past weekend. Sauerbrunn was left unmarked in the box on a corner kick, but McLeod was able to stretch and the swat the ball away to keep the game level for the time being. McLeod faces stiff competition for the award as Alyssa Naeher, Bella Bixby, and DiDi Haracic also came up with impressive saves this past weekend.

MLS NEXT Cup Begins This Weekend

Orlando City’s U-15 and U-17 academy teams will both be in action this weekend as the MLS NEXT Cup kicks off in Frisco, TX. Over 20 matches across the four tournaments will be streamed on Twitch and YouTube, including the U-15 final on July 2 and the U-17 semifinal on July 3. Orlando’s U-17 side won the MLS NEXT Cup last year and will start this year’s edition against Inter Miami on Sunday at 10 a.m. If it wins, Orlando would then face either the Barca Residency Program or the Earthquakes on Monday. As for the U-15 team, it will take on the New York Red Bulls this Saturday at 10 a.m. in the first round. The winner of that match will then play on Sunday against the winner between New York City FC and the San Jose Earthquakes for a chance to reach the quarterfinals. I’m a sucker for anything involving a massive bracket, so I’m pretty excited to see how far the Young Lions can go.

Getting Ready for the Concacaf Women’s Championship

The 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship will start on the Fourth of July when the United States Women’s National Team plays against Haiti at 7 p.m. in Monterrey. You’ll be able to watch every match on Paramount+ and can check out the broadcast schedule below.

The tournament doubles as qualification for both the 2023 Women’s World Cup and 2024 Olympics and USWNT Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski called up a mix of young and veteran talent for this tournament. Former Pride player Taylor Kornieck is the only player on the roster who has yet to make an appearance with the USWNT. While her height is helpful on offense, it was her vision that helped catch Andonovski’s attention.

“I know she’s flashy when it comes down to her aerial challenges or physicality but what stood out to us is her ability to read the game and creativity,” Andonovski told reporters.

Whereas Kornieck is on the hunt for her first cap, OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe has 187 and is also headed to Mexico for the tournament. While injuries have limited her this NWSL season, Rapinoe will bring plenty of experience and a clinical touch to help the USWNT and be a mentor for younger players. The USWNT has a pair of friendlies against Colombia between now and the tournament, with the first taking place on Saturday.

Free Kicks

  • Voting is underway for the MLS All-Star Game and here is a list of which players have received the most votes after the first day, sorted by position. Center back Robin Jansson, left back Joao Moutinho, and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese are the only Lions listed at this time.
  • The Red Bulls beat NYCFC 3-0 and will face the winner between Orlando and Nashville SC in the Open Cup semifinals. Sporting Kansas City won 6-0 to end Union Omaha’s Cinderella run and will face Sacramento Republic FC in the other semifinal.
  • Ayo Akinola scored a brace as Toronto FC cruised to a 4-0 win over CF Montreal to reach the Canadian Championship final.
  • Atlanta United traded away $350,000 of 2023 General Allocation Money and a third-round 2023 MLS SuperDraft pick for a pair of international roster slots. Those will be handy for Atlanta after recently adding Mexican players Juan Jose Purata and Raul Gudino.
  • After a stellar season with Super Lig club Antalyaspor, American forward Haji Wright may stay in Turkey with a different club. Trabzonspor won the league last year and is reportedly interested in Wright. If this move comes to pass, Wright would get to take part in the Champions League right before the World Cup.
  • American midfielder Lynden Gooch helped Sunderland earn promotion to the EFL Championship and is sticking around after signing a two-year contract.
  • USWNT goalkeeping legend Brianna Scurry fielded questions about her upcoming memoir that delves into her career, brain injury, and family.
  • The Ukrainian Women’s National Team will play two World Cup qualifying matches in Poland over the next few days after the games were originally set for April.

That’s all I have for you today. It hurts a bit watching all of these Open Cup quarterfinals take place while having to wait for Orlando to take the field on Wednesday. Thankfully, there’s plenty of soccer to look forward to this weekend. Have a great Thursday!

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

10 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