Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/12/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s Friday, which means we get to dress as casual as our jobs will allow and look forward to a weekend filled with soccer. So long as the weather plays nice, it should be a nice next couple of days. Let’s get this Friday started with today’s links!
Joao Moutinho Linked With More European Clubs
According to The Washington Post’s Steven Goff, Dutch clubs AZ Alkmaar and Twente, along with Czech club Slovan Liberec, are interested in adding Orlando City left back Joao Moutinho. The 24-year-old has struggled with injuries across four seasons with Orlando, but has started in 19 games this season and is fifth in the league with 40 tackles. His contract ends at the end of the year and he was also linked last month with a move to Toulouse in France.
AZ Alkmaar, Twente and Slovan Liberec have taken interest in João Moutinho, Orlando City's left back who is out of contract after this season, I'm told: 56 starts over four seasons, $220k base salary this year (MLSPA data). #mls
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 11, 2022
Nicholas Gioacchini Discusses His Move to Orlando
American forward Niko Gioacchini became a Lion during the summer transfer window and spoke about what led him to leave Europe to play in MLS. Gioacchini struggled to find his footing while on loan with Montpellier in France’s top flight and Orlando presents an opportunity for him to develop under Oscar Pareja, who helped develop fellow American forward Daryl Dike. While making the USMNT’s roster for the World Cup is a possibility, it was not the main reason behind Gioacchini’s move to Florida.
“I had backing, even more reason to consider the proposition and the project,” Gioacchini said. “Through the phone calls, I didn’t get the feeling that this was not something we would consider. It was really positivity. … I heard what I needed to hear, and that’s how my decision was made.”
The 22-year-old will need some time to adapt to his new teammates and Florida weather, but Orlando could certainly use the boost to its offense for a playoff push.
Orlando City Hits the Road This Weekend
The Lions have lost their past two games but will look to right the ship when they take on the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Red Bulls will have revenge on their minds after Orlando beat them 5-1 in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. The Red Bulls have struggled since that match as well, losing 5-4 at home to the Colorado Rapids before playing D.C. United to a scoreless draw on the road. While the Red Bulls sit in fourth in the Eastern Conference, they have also only won three of their 11 home games this season.
Orlando Pride Will Play Familiar Faces Tomorrow
After a 2-2 draw with Angel City FC last weekend, Orlando will take on another expansion team with many former Pride players. The Pride will play on the road late tomorrow night at 10:30 p.m. against a San Diego Wave FC team that features Alex Morgan, Taylor Kornieck, Emily van Egmond, and Jodie Taylor. Morgan has 11 goals this season — tied for the most in the league — but hasn’t found the back of the net for the Wave since June 19. San Diego is coming off of its first loss at home after falling 2-1 against the Kansas City Current last weekend. While the Pride will be familiar with some of the Wave’s attacking players, this will be the first meeting between the clubs.
Orlando City B Takes on NYCFC II Tonight
Tonight at 8 p.m., Orlando City B will play on the road against New York City FC II in an Eastern Conference showdown. This match will feature two of MLS NEXT Pro’s best scorers as Orlando’s Jack Lynn has 12 goals while New York’s John Denis has scored 13. NYCFC II boasts a strong offense that’s scored 42 goals this season, but it was shut out by Columbus Crew 2 this past Sunday. OCB has lost four of its last five matches and has struggled mightily on the road, losing seven away matches. The playoffs may be out of reach at this point for the Young Lions, but hopefully they can get a result on the road for momentum to finish the season strong.
Central Florida Crusaders Announce Coach and First Players
Tom Traxler was named as the Central Florida Crusaders’ head coach for the club’s inaugural season in the National Indoor Soccer League. Traxler previously coached the Orlando SeaWolves in the Major Arena Soccer League and has been at the helm of the Central Florida Panthers in the National Premier Soccer League. The Crusaders also announced the first four players signed, including former Lion Will Johnson. Indoor soccer veterans Rodolfo Lopez, Eduardo Cruz, and Maycon França will also play for the Crusaders.
U.S. Beats Ghana in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team started its World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win against Ghana. Captain Michelle Cooper got the scoring started for the U.S. in the 11th minute, with 18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson doubling the team’s lead later in the first half and Ally Sentnor adding a third in the second half. On Sunday, the U.S. will take on the Netherlands, which fell 1-0 to Japan.
Free Kicks
- Daryl Dike will miss at least two months due to his thigh injury, according to West Brom manager Steve Bruce.
- Orlando received a “C-” grade in ESPN’s All-Star break report card. Personally, I think the grade is a bit low for a team that has a chance at silverware next month.
- Scott Parkinson is no longer the head coach for NJ/NY Gotham FC, as the two sides have parted ways. Despite bringing in Kristie Mewis and former Pride players Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger, it’s been a rough year for Gotham as it sits in 11th in the NWSL standings.
𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 pic.twitter.com/g9C3Crc7tb
— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) August 11, 2022
- An independent review determined that the Vancouver Whitecaps responded appropriately to allegations of misconduct brought forth against former Whitecaps women’s coaches Bob Birarda and Hubert Busby Jr.
- LAFC’s Gareth Bale won MLS Goal of the Week for sprinting past defenders and beating Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath.
- American winger Konrad de la Fuente is reportedly close to joining Olympiakos on loan. The Greek club is one of many that have shown interest in the 21-year-old over the past few weeks.
- The 2022 FIFA World Cup will officially start a day earlier, with Qatar and Ecuador set to play on Nov. 20.
- Paris Saint-Germain is reportedly interested in signing forward Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.
- Morocco has fired Vahid Halilhodžić as its head coach just a few months before the World Cup. It’s déjà vu for Halilhodžić, who was fired by the Ivory Coast in 2010 and Japan in 2018 despite helping those nations qualify for the World Cup as well.
That’s all I have for you for now. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/17/24
MLSPA releases player salaries, Duncan McGuire discusses move to Blackburn, Orlando Pride prepare for the Seattle Reign, and more.
Happy Friday! The weekend is nearly here, with plenty of soccer both here in the domestic leagues and abroad. I have a pretty packed weekend but am looking forward to watching Orlando City and the Orlando Pride in action. It should be a nice next few days, so let’s get it started with today’s links!
MLSPA Releases Player Salaries
The Major League Soccer Players Association unveiled the base salary and guaranteed compensation information for every player under contract with the league as of April 25 — except Wilder Cartagena, apparently. Luis Muriel is the highest-paid Orlando City player, and his $4.3 million in guaranteed compensation is the 12th most in the league, while his base salary is just over $2.83. As for other Orlando newcomers, Nico Lodeiro’s compensation is $800,000 and David Brekalo’s is $683,000.
Lionel Messi predictably tops the list of all players with $20.4 million guaranteed for playing with Inter Miami. To put that number into perspective, it’s more than the compensation of every team in the league except his own team (Miami), Toronto FC, Nashville SC, and the Chicago Fire. Orlando City is 22nd in the league in compensation, clocking in at $15.07 million.
Duncan McGuire Weighs In on Moving to Blackburn
Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire had a hurricane of an off-season due to a transfer saga that nearly saw him join Blackburn Rovers in England. An administration error by Blackburn prevented the move from going through, and McGuire ultimately returned to Orlando. In the time since, there have been reports that Orlando offered him a new contract and that Blackburn still wants him to join in the summer. McGuire spoke about whether he is still interested in a move to Blackburn after the difficult experience.
“It’s tough to say,” McGuire told GOAL.”That was a pretty bad mistake, a pretty bad mistake by them. I’d be open to maybe having a conversation but it would have to be a lot to get me to go back there. On the plane ride back, I just felt like my tail was between my legs. I asked my agent how often this happens and he was like ‘This doesn’t happen’.
“I didn’t burn bridges with my teammates or have it be like ‘Oh you wanted to leave and now you’re back’. When I got back, it was like I never left.”
Orlando Pride Prepare for the Seattle Reign
The Orlando Pride will take their six-game win streak on the road for a match against the Seattle Reign Sunday night. The Reign are coming off of a 4-0 loss to the Portland Thorns in their sixth defeat of the season, but Pride Head Coach Seb Hines discussed how the Reign played better in that match than the score suggests. The Pride have also never won in Washington, and the turf and atmosphere of Lumen Field could give Orlando some trouble after a long trip. Injuries, particularly to the midfield, have made things difficult for the Pride, but midfielder Morgan Gautrat detailed how the team’s chemistry has helped them get results despite the adversity.
Nashville SC Fires Gary Smith
Nashville SC has parted ways with Gary Smith, who had been the club’s only head coach while in MLS. Smith joined Nashville back in 2018, coaching the team for two seasons in the USL Championship before. With a defensive style, Smith led the team to MLS playoff appearances in all four years but couldn’t put together a deep run. Nashville is currently 10th in the Eastern Conference and Rumba Munthali will serve as the club’s interim head coach while the club searches for a new permanent coach.
Charlotte FC Transfers Enzo Copetti Out
Another Designated Player is leaving Charlotte FC, as the club transferred Enzo Copetti to Rosario Central in Argentina’s top flight. The forward recorded eight goals and three assists across all competitions while with Charlotte, and has played less than 500 minutes this season. Copetti is the latest Designated Player transferred out since Dean Smith took over as Charlotte’s head coach, with Kamil Jozwiak sent to Granada and Karol Swiderski loaned to Hellas Verona. Despite the turnover, Charlotte sits fifth in the Eastern Conference and could make some noise this season if it brings in the right players in the summer transfer window.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Miguel Gallardo spoke with the folks over at The Blazing Musket about the New England Revolution and the art of goalkeeping.
- Our condolences go out to the friends and family of Derek Sanderson, who played for many teams across many leagues back in the 1980s, including the American Soccer League’s Orlando Lions.
- Hugo Lloris, Walker Zimmerman, and Sebastian Driussi were a few of the notable names on the MLS Team of the Matchday for Wednesday’s matches. No Orlando City or Inter Miami players made the cut after a scoreless draw in the City Beautiful.
- Detroit City FC acquired land to build a soccer-specific stadium, with plans for it to open by the club’s 2027 season.
- Josh Sargent and Norwich City’s bid for promotion came to an end after a 4-0 loss to Leeds United.
- It didn’t take long for American midfielder Johnny Cardoso to settle in with Real Betis, and it will be interesting to see where he fits in the United States Men’s National Team’s plans this summer.
- CONMEBOL confirmed that rosters for the upcoming Copa America have been increased from 23 players to 26.
- Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson will miss out on the final game of the Premier League season this Sunday and the FA Cup final on May 25 due to an eye injury.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/16/24
Orlando City draws with Inter Miami, Orlando City B loses in Ohio, Austin awarded 2025 MLS All-Star Game, and more.
I hope you’re all having a nice and easy start to your Thursday morning. Orlando City’s match Wednesday night could’ve gone worse, but could’ve gone better as well. As far as rivalry games go, it probably won’t be all too memorable, but I still hope you enjoyed yourself if you went to the game. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Orlando City Draws Inter Miami at Home
The Lions hosted rival Inter Miami and had to settle for a scoreless draw that featured solid chances for both sides. Orlando remains shorthanded defensively, but Pedro Gallese and the back line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Wilder Cartagena, and David Brekalo did well to get a clean sheet against a Miami side that leads the league in goals by a wide margin. Familiar attacking struggles plagued the Lions though with many chances going unfinished. The Lions will now turn their attention to a trip across the country for a match with the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
Orlando City B Falls On the Road
After earning its first home win last week, Orlando City B was handed its first road defeat of the season in a 4-3 loss against Columbus Crew 2. OCB was without Yutaro Tsukada, who made his debut with the first team, but the team still did well generating chances on offense. The Young Lions took the lead on two different occasions in the match, but they ultimately couldn’t hold on for a result in a rollercoaster of a match. There’s plenty of time for Head Coach Manuel Goldberg to get his team ready for its next match, which is set to take place at Osceola County Stadium on May 26 against Huntsville City FC.
Orlando City Fined After Match in Philadelphia
Following Orlando City’s win over the Philadelphia Union, the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have been issued fines by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for the team violating the mass confrontation policy for the second time this season. The violation took place in the 86th minute at Philadelphia, when the Union were awarded their second penalty of the game. Gallese, Nicolas Lodeiro, Ivan Angulo, and Duncan McGuire were issued fines for their role in things as well.
Luis Muriel was also fined an undisclosed amount for embellishment during an incident with Damion Lowe in the 81st minute of the match. You can judge for yourself if the MLS Disciplinary Committee got it right, but what’s not up for debate is that the Lions got the job done on the road and survived an obscene amount of stoppage time.
Austin Will Host 2025 MLS All-Star Game
MLS announced that next year’s MLS All-Star Game will take place at Q2 Stadium in Austin. It will be the first time the event is held there and the first time Texas has hosted it since Houston had it back in 2010. The official date, along with what team the MLS All-Stars will play against, will be announced at a later time. Austin FC entered the league in 2021 and every game played at Q2 Stadium has sold out. There is a strong soccer community there, and I’m glad it will get a chance to show the league what it is all about. I also really like the graphic promoting the event and feel it captures Austin fairly well.
Free Kicks
- It’s been proposed that the first Women’s Club World Cup be held during January and February of 2026. Not many other details are known at this time, but I’m pretty excited regardless, especially with how the Orlando Pride have been playing.
- Juventus beat Atalanta 1-0 to lift the Italian Cup with Dusan Vlahovic scoring the game’s only goal. American midfielder Weston McKennie played every minute of the match, while Timothy Weah came off the bench late.
- American defender Cameron Carter-Vickers also helped his club secure some silverware with Celtic beating Kilmarnock 5-0 to clinch the Scottish Premiership title.
- Former New York City FC head coach Dome Torrent was appointed as the new head coach of San Luis in Liga MX. Orlando City is set to host San Luis on Aug. 4 as part of the Leagues Cup group stage.
- Everett Palache was named as the head coach of the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team and he will prepare the team for the 2024 Deaf Pan American Games in Brazil this November.
- A hat trick by Antoine Griezmann gave Atletico Madrid a 3-0 win over Getafe and a spot in next year’s Champions League.
- Pep Lijnders, who has been an assistant coach with Liverpool since 2018, will be RB Salzburg’s manager after signing a three-year contract with the Austrian club.
- We end our links with a special guest at the match between the Union and NYCFC, as a raccoon was the latest visitor to run rampant at Subaru Park.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/15/24
Tropic Thunder is tonight, OCB plays away today, Americans playing abroad, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday Mane Landers. The next installment of the Tropic Thunder rivalry between the good guys (Orlando City) and the bad guys (Inter Miami) is tonight. I hope you can make it out to the match since there will probably be a bunch of Lionel Messi fans there and more purple in the stands is needed. To get ready for the match, you can listen to the latest edition of The Mane Land PawedCast, and check out our match preview later today . For now, let’s get to the links.
Lions Host Tropic Thunder Tonight
I don’t know why others insist on calling matches between Orlando City and Inter Miami the “Florida Derby.” Our name for the match — Tropic Thunder — is just so much better. Regardless, the Lions host the Herons tonight at Inter&Co Stadium looking to avenge the 5-0 loss from earlier in the season. The spotlight might be on Miami, but the pressure is on Orlando City. The Lions surprised me with their win over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Let’s hope the club can keep the momentum going.
Miami May Be Without Messi Today
While I never want anyone to get seriously injured, I’m not sorry to hear that there is a chance Messi will be unavailable for tonight’s match. It seems that Miami’s magician picked up a minor knee injury in the match against CF Montreal on Saturday. Say what you want, but he is a competitor and could still take the field tonight. Hopefully, he remembers the welcome Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena gave him when he joined the league and decides it’s not worth aggravating the knee.
OCB Back in Action On the Road
The senior squad isn’t the only team playing today as Orlando City B is in Ohio to take on Columbus Crew II at Lower.com Field. You’ll need to take a long lunch to watch this one because kickoff is set for noon. There will be plenty to watch since the two clubs are only separated by one point in the standings, with OCB sitting in sixth place (3-2-3, 13 points) and Crew II in eighth place (3-3-2, 12 points).
Keeping Up With Americans Abroad
Most of us know that Christian Pulisic had a great season with AC Milan after moving to the Serie A club from Chelsea. What I did not know is that Pulisic is the first AC Milan midfielder to score more than 10 goals in a season since former Orlando City star Kaká did it when he was there.
Things are not as bright for Giovanni Reyna at Nottingham Forest. He hasn’t played a ton of minutes for the Premier League side and hasn’t done much when he has played. It was a loan without a purchase option, but Forest is reportedly not interested in making an offer for him regardless.
Free Kicks
- Let’s all give a big congratulations to Orlando City Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira. He was accepted into the third edition of the FIFA Diploma in Club Management.
- We believe once a Lion, always a Lion, but I didn’t know MLS thought the same thing. Richie Laryea getting the biggest suspension is on brand for anyone related to Orlando City.
- MLSsoccer.com decided that the Lions should be 22nd in its latest power rankings after a road win against the Philadelphia Union. Power rankings are dumb.
- Olivier Giroud has officially signed with LAFC, where he will join former France teammate Hugo Lloris. Perhaps some current Orlando City players could convince their international teammates to come to the City Beautiful. I’m just saying, Facundo Torres plays with Darwin Núñez.
- Wrexham AFC’s men’s and women’s squads are coming to America for the “Wrex Coast Tour” this summer. It’s the women’s team’s first trip to the U.S. Of course, if you want to see either of the teams, you will need to travel to the West Coast to do so.
That will do it for today. Let’s hope that the Lions can get a second win in a row. Vamos Orlando!
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