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Lion Links: 8/3/22

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all of you are doing well down in Florida. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s jump right into today’s links!

Lions Add Wilder Cartagena on Loan

Orlando City SC announced that Peruvian defensive midfielder Wilder Cartagena will join the club on loan from Al-Ittihad Kalba SC in the United Arab Emirates’ top flight, with an option to extend the loan into next season. Over the course of his 10-year career, the 27-year-old has appeared in 238 competitive matches. Cartagena has previously played with clubs such as CD Godoy Cruz in Argentina, Alianza Lima and Universidad San Martin in Peru, and Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz in Mexico. He’s also made appearances with the Peruvian National Team, playing alongside Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. This move gives the Lions some depth in the midfield after trading Sebas Mendez to LAFC last month.

Orlando Pride Players Earn Recognition

For the first time this season, an Orlando Pride player made Just Women’s Sports’ monthly NWSL Best XI. Pride defender Kylie Strom made the team’s back line, along with former Pride player Kristen Edmonds. Strom scored in the Pride’s comeback draw against Racing Louisville FC in Daytona on July 3 and also played a part in causing an own goal in a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash on July 8.

Pride midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir was also announced as one of 12 NWSL players chosen as a 2022 Nationwide Ambassador. NWSL players that were selected not only excelled on the field, but also gave back to make an impact with their local communities.

Former Pride players were also selected, as Angel City FC’s Jasmyne Spencer and Chicago Red Stars forward Rachel Hill were both chosen as ambassadors.

Orlando City Purchases Land Near Exploria Stadium

According to the Orlando Business Journal ($), Orlando City SC has purchased land adjacent to Exploria Stadium that features a church and parking space. With this addition, the club will own the entire block of 15 acres. Orlando City SC spokesperson Jackie Maynard discussed how there are no immediate plans for the space but that it could be used to improve game day experiences for fans in the future.

USWNT Will Play a Friendly Against England

The United States Women’s National Team will play England in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 7. This match will take place so long as England qualifies for the World Cup in September rather than having to enter the playoffs that will take place in October. England defeated Germany 2-1 after extra time on Sunday to win the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro, with Chloe Kelly scoring the game-winning goal to give England its first Euro title. This will be the first time the USWNT will play England at Wembley Stadium. The last time the USWNT played at Wembley Stadium was when it defeated Japan 2-1 in the gold medal game of the 2012 Olympics.

Free Kicks

  • The Lions moved up one spot to 15th in the MLS power rankings after a week that included a triumphant 5-1 win over the New York Red Bulls and a 2-1 loss to D.C. United.
  • Gallese’s save on D.C.’s Taxiarchis Fountas was one of many great stops from this past weekend.

  • Enjoy these photos of the newest Lions as they train for Saturday’s match against the New England Revolution.

  • USL League One side Union Omaha added former Lion Corey Hertzog to its roster. Hertzog had previously played with USL Championship side Hartford Athletic.
  • The Colorado Rapids won their first road game of the year after beating the Red Bulls 5-4 in a wild game.
  • The Philadelphia Union signed defensive midfielder Richard Odada from Red Star Belgrade on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
  • Atlanta United defender George Campbell will be out for a few weeks after sustaining an adductor injury in a scoreless draw against the Chicago Fire this past weekend.
  • Chelsea FC completed the signing of Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina on a six-year contract with the Blues. He’ll remain with the Fire on loan until the end of the season.
  • Toronto FC agreed to loan winger Jacob Shaffelburg to Nashville SC through the 2022 season. The Reds will get $225,000 in 2022 General Allocation Money, while Nashville SC has the option to buy Shaffelburg and also received a 2022 international roster slot.
  • Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies plans to donate all of his earnings from playing with Canada at the World Cup to charity.
  • The 2022 Leagues Cup showcase kicks off tonight as MLS clubs take on teams from Liga MX. A doubleheader will be played at SoFi Stadium as the LA Galaxy will play host Chivas de Guadalajara before LAFC takes on Club America.

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.

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

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