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Lion Links: 7/11/22

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3 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! It was a pretty good weekend for the club, though not perfect. Orlando City’s last-minute win and the Orlando Pride’s first win at home this year felt pretty good. I needed the good news considering our air conditioning unit is on the fritz and we’re dealing with some portable units to keep cool. Nothing reminds you it’s summer in Florida better than having the A/C go out. Fortunately, I have these links to keep me cool.

Orlando City B Suffers Loss to Inter Miami II

The Young Lions were unable to make it three for three for the club this weekend after falling 3-1 to Inter Miami II. Surprisingly, it was not Jack Lynn who scored the club’s only goal. OCB didn’t catch any breaks in the Subtropic Thunder rivalry match. Our Sean Rollins has your match recap. The Young Lions now sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 14 points from 14 matches. OCB’s next match will take place this Sunday at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL against Chicago Fire II.

USWNT Closes Out Group Play Tonight

The United States Women’s National Team plays Mexico in its final group stage match of the Concacaf W Championship tonight. The U.S. has already qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but only the winner of the tournament will directly qualify for the Olympics in 2024. Obviously, beating Mexico is always a priority, but that’s not the only reason for the USWNT to play to win. Our friends at Stars and Stripes FC have all the details to prepare you for the match tonight.

Wayne Rooney Reportedly Set to Coach D.C. United

According to the Washington Post, Wayne Rooney has agreed to terms to become D.C. United’s next head coach. This would be Rooney’s second coaching job since retiring as a player in 2021. D.C. United is coming off of a lopsided 7-0 loss to Philadelphia Union and sits at the bottom of the MLS standings. If the reported move comes to fruition, Rooney’s star power could bring in some talented players from Europe to fill the club’s open Designated Player spots and help turn things around. The 36-year-old is already in the U.S., although the visa process may mean it will take a few weeks before he’s on the sidelines coaching his former club.

Women’s Soccer Roundup

If you weren’t watching women’s soccer this Sunday, you missed some great matches. France’s 5-1 victory over Italy in the UEFA Women’s Euro featured five first-half goals from the French, including a record hat-trick by Grace Geyoro.

The Pride’s Gunny Jónsdóttir started for Iceland in a 1-1 draw against Belgium. It was an interesting match with a pair of penalty kicks and another that was called back due to an offside call. All four teams will be in action again on Thursday, with Iceland playing Italy and Belgium playing France.

The NWSL rolled on with three matches on Sunday. The North Carolina Courage and the Chicago Red Stars played to a 2-2 draw in Chicago. OL Reign hosted the Portland Thorns with a 2-2 result as well, and the Kansas City Current defeated the Washington Spirit, 1-0.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

Sergino Dest might be on the way out of Barcelona as the club looks to sell several players to help with its financial woes. The La Liga giants have debts totaling €1.35 billion. Barcelona is asking €20 million for the American defender to help deal with the financial crisis. Giovanni Reyna returned to training with Borussia Dortmund following an injury-plagued season. The midfielder missed the start of preseason, but will work his way back into the starting lineup. Supporters of the club and the USMNT are hoping his injury problems are in the past.

Sebastian Soto doesn’t seem to be in Dean Smith’s plans at Norwich City. As such, the striker was on trial with Barnsley over the weekend. Soto played 30 minutes in the match against Crewe Alexandra. Soto had been on loan with Livingston from Norwich since January.

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  • D.C. United’s Brad Smith tore his ACL during the match against the Philadelphia Union. The Australian defender will miss the rest of the season, the World Cup, and potentially part of next season.
  • Josef Martinez called out Atlanta United’s front office and his teammates following the club’s 3-0 loss to Austin FC in Atlanta.
  • Here is a list of the 14 teams that have qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, including the United States.
  • There is a long list of reasons why Qatar is not my destination of choice, despite the World Cup later this year. One of those reasons is that I like beer, and Qatar is a relatively dry country. FIFA is still working on a solution with Qatar to make an exception for the World Cup, though it will be regulated.
  • Valour FC’s William Akio became the textbook example of why players shouldn’t celebrate too soon. At least his side went on to win the match.

That will do it for today. Go USWNT!

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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14 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

Free Kicks

  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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