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Lion Links: 7/12/22

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3 years ago

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Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando soccer, as the ladies and gentlemen in purple took six of the nine points on offer. Unfortunately, things aren’t always perfect, but we’ll take what we can get. There’s lots of stuff to talk through today, so let’s get to it.

Cesar Araujo Makes Team of the Week

Following his performance in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over Inter Miami on Saturday, Cesar Araujo has been named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Week. Frankly, a place on the bench seems a little harsh considering he had a mildly absurd eight tackles while also drawing nine fouls. In general, Araujo was the best player on the field for either team, and only a goal or an assist would have improved what was already an excellent performance. Regardless, it’s nice to see him recognized in some way. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work.

Orlando Pride Partner With Special Olympics

The Orlando Pride have partnered with Special Olympics Florida as part of the 2022 Nationwide Community Impact Program. Gunny Jónsdóttir will serve as the Pride’s ambassador for the program. The club has already held events as part of that partnership, as Exploria Stadium hosted last month’s opening ceremony of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. The Pride also welcomed Orlando’s OUC Eagles at last Friday’s victory over the Houston Dash. The Eagles won the 7-v-7 Division 1 Unified Soccer event, and were honored at halftime of the Pride’s win as a result.

USWNT Squeaks Past Mexico, Wins Group A

In the final match of the Concacaf W Championship, the United States Women’s National Team struggled in the offensive end against Mexico and needed an extremely late goal from Kristie Mewis to defeat the host nation, 1-0. The United States moves on to the semifinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. with plenty to improve on after struggling to put away Mexico — even after the hosts had a player sent off with about 20 minutes remaining. Still, the Yanks found a way to get the result and made it through the group without conceding a goal.

Meanwhile, Ashley Hatch’s tournament is over for the USWNT, as the Washington Spirit forward picked up an injury and was replaced by Sam Coffey.

Gabriel Slonina Set for Chelsea Deal

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea has reached a verbal agreement with the Chicago Fire for the transfer of goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina. The transfer guru notes that the deal will be for $10 million, not including add-ons, and that Chelsea will submit an official bid later this week to confirm the deal. Slonina will then be loaned back to the Fire, although it’s unclear for how long. Current Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is 30 years old, and likely still has a decent amount of time at the peak of his powers. It’s possible that Chelsea could look to duplicate what the club did with Thibaut Courtois — signing the Belgian in 2011 but sending him on loan deals until the 2014-2015 season, when he took over the starting job from Petr Cech.

Landon Donovan Reportedly a Finalist for San Jose Job

Landon Donovan is reportedly one of six finalists to become the new head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose fired Matias Almeyda back in April, with Alex Covelo managing the team as interim head coach ever since. Donovan has reportedly made it to the final round of the interview process, and if he gets the job he will return to the team where he won two MLS Cups before joining the in-state rival LA Galaxy. Donovan is in his third season as the head coach of the USL Championship’s San Diego Loyal, and he led the team to the playoffs last year. If he gets the job, Donovan will join fellow United States Men’s National Team players Steve Cherundolo and Pablo Maestroni as U.S. internationals coaching in MLS.

Luis Suarez Speaks On MLS Offers

Luis Suarez said he has received offers from several Major League Soccer clubs, and that he has not closed the door on anything. However, he also said that he wants to be in the best possible shape for November’s World Cup, and that if a team fails to qualify for the playoffs and his season ends in October, he doesn’t like the idea of not playing for a month. He also noted that some of the interested parties don’t have “slots” (either Designated Player, international, or both) open at the moment, meaning any deal would need to wait until after the 2022 MLS season. Suarez also shot down rumors that he and Lionel Messi have plans to end their careers together at Inter Miami — something that will be welcome news to the ears of Orlando City fans. Although, I suppose he’d hardly come out and tell the world if that really was their plan, would he?

Free Kicks

  • A rumor no longer, former Orlando City captain Nani has signed in the A-League with the Melbourne Victory for two years.
  • The United States Women’s National Team will reportedly play a game at Audi Field during the August/September international window.

  • Premier League teams have spent more than $850 million so far this window, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester City accounting for almost half that number.
  • Someone locked down an Irish flag for Jake Mulraney.

  • The Iranian national team has fired its manager, Dragan Skokic, just four months before the start of the World Cup. The news should prick the ears of USMNT fans, with the Yanks set to take on Iran in their final group stage match of the 2022 World Cup.

That does it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

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9 hours ago

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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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

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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!

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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

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January 20, 2025

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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.

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