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Lion Links: 7/2/22

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4 years ago

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Who doesn’t love a long holiday weekend? July 4 is my favorite holiday, so I’m gearing up for some pool time, grilling, and fireworks. Speaking of fireworks, let me know what your favorite one is in the comments below. I love a large willow effect slowly streaming down from the sky. This year the holiday will be even better as Orlando City looks for its second straight win in all competitions at Exploria Stadium when D.C. United visits.

There is a whole slew of Orlando and soccer news today, starting with the unfortunate news that the Orlando City U-17 team’s run is over. The squad fought to a 0-0 draw with the Columbus Crew’s academy kids but lost the ensuing shootout, 4-3.

Before we dive in, we want to wish a happy birthday to OCB players Brandon Hackenberg and Tahir Reid-Brown. Now, let’s get to today’s links.

Van der Water Transfers Home

Silvester van der Water has signed a three-year deal with an option year with SC Cambuur in the Eredivisie, the Dutch top flight. A promising talent on the wings, van der Water spent most of his time with Orlando City injured or integrating into the squad via late substitutions from the bench. In what has been a rather short spell with the Lions, van der Water was initially signed on Feb. 23, 2021 to a three-year deal with a club option. The transfer seems like an honest move to get the player back to his home of the Netherlands as he struggles to find minutes in MLS.

Van der Water appeared in 31 MLS games during his two seasons with the Lions, starting only 12 times for a total of 1,011 minutes. He leaves the club having scored three goals and added three assists. By transferring van der Water, Orlando City frees up an international slot and cap space that could be used to bolster the team.

Orlando Pride Add Haley Bugeja

The Pride have added to the attack with the signing of Maltese international forward Haley Bugeja through the 2023 NWSL season. As the Pride continue to rebuild this year, the 18-year-old fills a gap of need at striker.

Bugeja brings Serie A experience to the Pride. She finished in the top five goal scorers in the league during her first season and was named Best Young Player for the 2020-2021 season. Bugeja was in form with 15 goals in 36 games for Sassuolo before sustaining a long-term injury. She has also represented Malta 14 times and was recently involved in the team’s UEFA European qualifying campaign.

Orlando Pride Host Louisville in Daytona

The Orlando Pride will call the infield of the Daytona International Speedway home tomorrow night as they host Racing Louisville. The match is part of a one-of-a-kind, two-day festival that also features a freestyle soccer show, a men’s legends game, and performance from Chance the Rapper. Orlando Interim Head Coach Seb Hines has spoken on what the match and festival can bring for the Orlando Pride and NWSL as a whole.

“I think it’s great. It’s an opportunity for us to come out of our comfort zone a little bit … being the headline game can only help the league and women’s soccer move forward and bring bigger crowds to stadiums. It’s coming out of our comfort zone and really showing the world what we can do as a league.”

When preparing for a match that will be played next to a NASCAR pit row, Hines reiterated the difficulty of replicating such an environment. The players have also taken a week off to reflect after their latest loss of 6-0 to the Portland Thorns and find a mentality to bounce back.

“There’s been a different mindset in training sessions. Our fundamentals need to be better, but the players have shown this since coming back from the break. I’m really excited for the game; it’s going to be a great event for everyone and looking to get three points and technically get our first win at home.”

For those who can’t make the drive over to Daytona, the match will be kicking off at 8 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network. Here’s a look at the pitch:

U-20 USMNT Qualifies for Olympics

Orlando City’s Michael Halliday started again for the U-20 USMNT at right back as the team defeated host Honduras 3-0 in Estadio Francisco Morazán. Having already secured a FIFA U-20 World Cup berth, the team was able to additionally make claim to a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. With the win, the United States will have reached its is first appearance at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament since Beijing 2008 and now has the opportunity to win its third-straight Concacaf U-20 Championship. The United States will take on Dominican Republic tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the final.

Rapinoe to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Joe Biden has chosen USWNT and OL Reign captain Megan Rapinoe to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed in the United States. The award is given out by the President to recognize individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. Rapinoe is the first soccer player to be so honored.

“In that moment I spoke to the President, I was, and still am, totally overwhelmed,” said Rapinoe. “I just think of all the people who I feel deserve a part of this medal, from my family to current and former teammates, all the women of the U.S. Women’s National Team throughout our history, to Colin Kaepernick, the three woman who founded Black Lives Matter – Opal, Alicia and Patrisse – to Marsha P, Sylvia and Billie Jean, the Williams sisters, of course my fiancé Sue Bird, and so many more. I am humbled and truly honored to be chosen for this award by President Biden and feel as inspired and motivated as ever to continue this long history of fighting for the freedoms of all people. To quote Emma Lazarus, ‘Until we are all free, we are none of us free.’”

Rapinoe is among 17 others to be honored at the ceremony. Prior to this year, just 647 people have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the past 59 years since the award was first given out in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy.

OCB Falls 3-2 at Rochester

The Young Lions of Orlando City B could not overcome a three-goal deficit against Rochester New York FC. Jack Lynn once again found the net and Neicer Acosta added to the tally, but it was not enough as the final whistle blew at 3-2. The starting lineup had a splash of senior squad players as the club continues to try to find minutes for those looking to break into the lineup and garner competitive experience. Orlando City senior squad and backup keeper Adam Grinwis found another start with OCB, as did Thomas Williams and Joey DeZart. Our Sean Rollins has your match recap.

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Well, that’s a wrap. There is no Orlando soccer today, but don’t forget to head over to Daytona tomorrow as the Pride play at “home.” Have a safe holiday weekend. Look out for each other, drink plenty of water, and don’t let children shoot fireworks. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/11/26

Maxime Crepeau fined, NWSL season approaches, USMNT news and notes, and more.

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5 hours ago

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March 11, 2026

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Image of Robin Jansson accepting a pass in a match against Nashville SC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The Orlando Pride are finally back in action this weekend, and we’ll get to watch it — unlike the preseason. It’s a good thing too, since Orlando City has been hard to watch. Speaking of the Pride, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride Podcast and our special guest. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Trio of Missing Lions

Crepeau, Jansson & Gerbet sounds like a law firm specializing in personal injury cases. That is definitely the case when it comes to Robin Jansson and Joran Gerbet, as the two work back from their respective injuries. Fortunately, there’s some progress on that. Both are training off to the side. Hopefully, their recoveries go well and they can return to help Orlando City.

Some #OrlandoCity developments over on the injury front — Robin Jansson (fractured foot) and Joran Gerbet (ACL) seen getting some more involvement on the ball. Told they’re still in recovery.

— Mike Gramajo (@mikegramajo.bsky.social) 2026-03-10T14:04:35.223Z

Maxime Crepeau will be absent from Orlando City’s next match thanks to the red card he earned against New York City FC Saturday afternoon. He was also fined by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for not leaving the field in a timely manner. I’d like to say he had a good argument against the sending off, but I can’t, and I’m not the only one.

NWSL Season Approaches

We are days away from the Orlando Pride season opener — and the rest of the NWSL will kick off over the weekend as well. That means it’s time for speculation about the various clubs and how ambitious each was based on its off-season moves. The Pride were not very ambitious, but perhaps the club did not need to be. Despite the supposed lack of ambition, the Pride are still a team to watch, even if others don’t consider the club “must watch” tv.

U.S. National Team Player News & Notes

The fact that there are USMNT players competing in the Champions League is great news in a World Cup year. Johnny Cardoso’s Atletico Madrid beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-2 with some help from a guy name Antoine Griezmann. Mauricio Pochettino said he also respects MLS players like Sebastian Berhalter. Speaking of Berhalters, former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said the USMNT is poised for success in the World Cup. We know the team won’t be wearing the denim kit despite Adidas bringing it back.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/10/26

MLS hands out two lifetime bans for gambling, Americans in midweek action, Sergino Dest injury update, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 10, 2026

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Image of Duncan McGuire reacting to his goal against Toronto FC.
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 took a brutal beating on the baseball diamond at Yankee Stadium, while Orlando City B knocked off Chicago Fire II at home to pick up its first win of the young season. We’ve got a busy week ahead of us, as the Young Lions take on Carolina Core on Saturday afternoon, OCSC is at home against CF Montreal later that night, and the Orlando Pride kick off the season against the Seattle Reign on Sunday. We’ve got a lot to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

MLS Bans Two Players for Life

Major League Soccer has given lifetime bans to Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah for violating the league’s gambling policy. The pair “engaged in extensive gambling on soccer,” with the kicker being that they placed bets on games in which their own teams were involved. The bets took place during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with a particular instance highlighted in the Columbus Crew’s 3-2 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Oct. 19, 2024, in which both players bet on Jones to be given a yellow card, which he received in the 35th minute. Neither player is currently under contract with an MLS team.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing matches during the working week, and the knockout rounds of continental competitions are once again in the spotlight. Things get going this afternoon when Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, while Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid play Tottenham Hotspur in the same competition. Wednesday has Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen playing Arsenal in the UCL, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom take on Southampton in the Championship. Thursday sees Tanner Tessman and Lyon travel to play Celta Vigo in the Europa League, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on AEK Larnaca in the Conference League. Things conclude on Friday when Alex Freeman will hope to break a streak of four games as an unused substitute when Villarreal travels to Deportivo Alaves in La Liga.

Sergino Dest Injury Update

Sergino Dest went down in the 55th minute of PSV Eindhoven’s league win over AZ Alkmaar on Saturday and had to be helped off the field while putting minimal weight on his left leg. PSV coach Peter Bosz confirmed that it was a hamstring injury, and while the club has made no official statement about how much time he might miss, the fullback said in a statement that he is confident he’ll be fit again near the end of the season. His injury means that the right back situation for the USMNT is suddenly a more interesting one, as Freeman hasn’t been playing much with Villarreal, and guys like Joe Scally will be keen on seizing any potential opportunities.

Iranian Soccer Players Granted Asylum

Five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team have been granted humanitarian visas to remain in Australia after they escaped from the people assigned to keep an eye on them following the team’s final match in the Women’s Asian Cup. The group, which includes team captain Zahra Ghanbari, had been in contact with Australian officials for a number of days, who made it clear that the remaining members of the team would also be welcomed by the country if they chose to stay. The five players that chose to leave are now protected by the Australian Federal Police and consented to have their names and faces published. It is not currently known when the remainder of the team is set to depart from Australia.

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  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to represent Croatia.

Getting ready for the World Cup 🇭🇷Marco has been called up by Croatia for World Cup preparation matches against Colombia and Brazil in Orlando on March 27 and 31 👏

— Orlando City SC (@orlandocitysc.com) 2026-03-09T18:57:23.294Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/9/26

Lions fall to New York City FC, Pride beat Fort Lauderdale United in final preseason match, OCB beats Chicago Fire II, and more.

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2 days ago

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March 9, 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 busy at work. It was a rough weekend for our beloved Lions, but OCB got a win over the weekend. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando City defender Nolan Miller, who turned 22 Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Suffer Heavy Defeat at New York City FC

Orlando City fell 5-0 to New York City FC on the road Saturday at Yankee Stadium. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau received a red card early in the first half. New York capitalized on the man advantage and the Lions trailed 3-0 at halftime. Keaton Parks scored twice in the second half as New York City FC secured its second straight win, while Orlando remains winless after three matches to start the season. The Lions were shut out for the first time in 25 matches. Orlando City will face CF Montreal at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday. Before the match, Orlando City announced it had signed midfielder Dylan Judelson to a short-term contract as Colin Guske was suspended after picking up two yellow cards against Inter Miami.

Orlando Pride Beat Fort Lauderdale United in Preseason Finale

In their final preseason match, the Orlando Pride beat USL Super League side Fort Lauderdale United 2-1 Saturday at Beyond Bancard Field in Fort Lauderdale. Seven Castain scored the opener in the first half, and Summer Yates added another from outside the box in the second half. Fort Lauderdale United pulled one back, but Orlando held on for the win.

The 2026 NWSL season will kick off this weekend as the Pride hosts the Seattle Reign Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride also announced that goalkeeper McKinley Crone, who was on loan with Fort Lauderdale United, has returned to the club by mutual consent.

OCB Beats Chicago Fire FC II

Orlando City B defeated Chicago Fire FC II 2-1 at Osceola County Stadium Sunday to secure its first win of the season in MLS NEXT Pro. Pedro Leao scored the opener for the Young Lions, however, Chicago equalized just before halftime. In the second half, Justin Ellis scored to give OCB the lead and the Young Lions held on for all three points. OCB’s next match will be on the road, taking on Carolina Core FC Saturday at Truist Point Stadium.

USWNT Wins SheBelieves Cup

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Colombia 1-0 to win the 2026 SheBelieves Cup Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ. Alyssa Thompson scored the lone goal for the U.S. and was named the SheBelieves Cup MVP. With the win, the USWNT claimed its eighth title in the competition, went undefeated in the tournament, secured an eighth straight shutout, and finished atop the group with nine points. Canada finished second with five points after defeating Argentina 3-2 on penalties following a scoreless draw. Colombia finished third and Argentina came in last.

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

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