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Lion Links: 9/7/22

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all of you are doing well and are excited for tonight’s U.S. Open Cup final against Sacramento Republic FC. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Host Sacramento in U.S. Open Cup Final

Orlando City SC will take on Sacramento tonight at a sold-out Exploria Stadium in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final. The Lions will aim for its first major trophy since the club moved to MLS in 2015, while the Republic will try to become the first lower-division side to win the cup since the Rochester Rhinos won it back in 1999. Tonight’s match kicks off at 8 p.m., and you can watch the match on ESPN+. What’s also at stake tonight is a spot in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League, which would be a first trip for either team. The road for the Sacramento Republic to get to the final was impressive, defeating three straight MLS opponents, including a dramatic penalty kick shootout win against Sporting Kansas City in the semifinals. The Lions’ path included back-to-back penalty shootout wins against Inter Miami and Nashville SC before a 5-1 win in their semifinal against the New York Red Bulls.

There is some unfortunate news surrounding the final though, as the United States Soccer Federation is looking into an Orlando City staffer allegedly spying on Sacramento’s training and refusing to leave for 30 minutes. ESPN’s Taylor Twellman first reported the news and The Athletic ($) reported on the matter as well.

Sacramento, which plays in the second-division USL Championship, was training in a public park in the Orlando area and spotted an Orlando City employee watching the practice session, sources with knowledge of the incident who were not authorized to speak publicly due to the ongoing investigation told The Athletic. Sacramento staff asked the Orlando City employee to leave and that employee refused to do so for 30-45 minutes, sources said.

Facundo Torres Recognized as a Top Young Player

Orlando City midfielder Facundo Torres was mentioned as one of the top young performers during Weeks 28 and 29 in league play. The Uruguayan winger put on a stellar performance for the Lions last week. Torres came on at halftime in the second half and engineered a comeback for the Lions after they were down 2-0 to the Seattle Sounders at halftime. Torres scored his sixth goal of the season and added an assist on Kyle Smith’s winner to help Orlando take all three points.

USWNT Gets Another Win Against Nigeria

The United States Women’s National Team won 2-1 against Nigeria for its 13th straight victory, although its nine-match shutout streak came to an end. The USWNT got an own goal early in the first half to lead 1-0 going into halftime. In the second half, Uchenna Kanu scored the equalizer for Nigeria to tie the match at 1-1 in the 50th minute. Rose Lavelle got the last word in, scoring the game-winning goal after a nice cross from Megan Rapinoe to seal the win for the USWNT in this second friendly against Nigeria. The victory also extended the USWNT’s unbeaten streak on American soil to 71 matches. The next match-up for the USWNT will be on Oct. 7 when it takes on England.

UEFA Champions League Returns

The UEFA Champions League kicked off yesterday, and there was plenty of drama in Europe’s top club competition. The marquee match-up was between Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, with Kylian Mbappe scoring two goals for PSG in the first half. American midfielder Weston McKennie added one in the second half for Juve, but it wasn’t enough, as PSG won 2-1 at home. Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk went on the road and won 4-1 against RB Leipzig. In Croatia, Chelsea started its campaign with a 1-0 defeat on the road, with Mislav Orsic scoring the lone goal for Dinamo Zagreb. American midfielder Giovanni Reyna added two assists for Borussia Dortmund as the German club cruised to a 3-0 victory against FC Copenhagen. Elsewhere in Europe, RB Salzburg and AC Milan split the points in a 1-1 draw, while Manchester City and Real Madrid had shutout wins against Sevilla and Celtic, respectively. Today’s notable match-ups will see Inter Milan host Bayern Munich, Tottenham face off against Marseille, and Napoli take on Liverpool.

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  • Orlando City and the Sacramento Republic joined forces to set up gardens in the community.

  • Looks like we have a bet on our hands between the mayors of Sacramento and Orlando for tonight’s match.

  • Former Lion and current Indy Eleven player Stefano Pinho was named USL Championship Player of the week and made the Team of the Week after his brace this past weekend. Former Lion Cam Lindley also made the team of the week for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
  • Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson was arrested in Cobb County this past Saturday on a charge of misdemeanor theft.
  • Liverpool supporters in Naples for today’s UEFA Champions League match have been warned to stay in their hotel rooms and not to wear team colors when traveling to avoid being targeted.
  • Mbappe has reportedly said that French president Emmanuel Macron told him to stay with PSG rather than join Real Madrid this past summer.
  • French midfielder Paul Pogba could miss out on the World Cup in Qatar as he’ll need knee surgery after damaging his meniscus in training.
  • La Liga announced a deal to increase engagement with fans and help compete with the English Premier League by increasing its presence in the Middle East, North Africa, and India.

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/30/25

Orlando City players called up, Orlando Pride sign Simone Jackson, USWNT gets ready to play China, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a brutal week, but we’ve made it through. Our reward is an exciting weekend of soccer to enjoy to close out the month. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working, but it should still be a nice next few days. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Lions Called Up For International Duty

Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was predictably called up for Peru’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. Peru is ninth in the standings and will take on Colombia June 6 before hosting Ecuador on June 10.

Defender David Brekalo was called up by Slovenian for a pair of friendlies against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These matches will help prepare Slovenia for World Cup qualifying this fall against Sweden, Switzerland, and Kosovo.

A few Young Lions are also heading to Europe for the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland. The U.S. will represent Concacaf at the U-18 tournament, and OCB players Justin Ellis, Colin Guske, and Jackson Platts were called up for it.

Orlando Pride Sign Simone Jackson

The Orlando Pride signed forward Simone Jackson to a contract through the 2028 season. Jackson played at the University of Southern California for four years, recording 22 goals and 13 assists in 75 games, and trained with the Pride during the preseason. Internationally, she’s represented the U.S. at various youth levels and scored a goal in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The 22-year-old gives Orlando some helpful depth up front and can develop her game learning from some of the best attackers in the sport as well.

USWNT Prepares For Friendly Against China

The United States Women’s National Team will take on China Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in the first of two friendlies during this international window. Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to join a young roster as the team builds a foundation before the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Goalkeeper will continue to be a position to watch, as opportunity knocks for Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Mandy McGlynn, and Claudia Dickey to stake a claim as the team’s starter. Following this match, the USWNT will take on Jamaica in St. Louis on Tuesday before a pair of friendlies against Ireland later in June.

Denver’s NWSL Team Hires First General Manager

Denver’s NWSL team hired Curt Johnson to serve as the club’s first general manager. He will have the opportunity to build the team’s roster and staff from the ground up before the team takes the field as an expansion side in 2026. Johnson left the North Carolina Courage in December and was the chief soccer officer when the club dominated the league in 2018 and 2019. It looks like a solid hire in my opinion and I’m interested to see what kind of team he puts together in Denver.

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That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/29/25

Orlando City loses rivalry game, MLS All-Star voting opens, Antonee Robinson undergoes knee surgery, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, Mane Landers. The bad news is that Orlando City lost last night. There’s not much good news, unless you count how I probably lost some weight pacing around my apartment for a few hours annoyed at how the game went. But today is a new day, and with it comes the fact that there’s no soccer to fret over. Before we dive in, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride Head Coach and former Lion Seb Hines a happy birthday! OK, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Falls in Atlanta

The Lions went on the road and lost 3-2 to Atlanta United in a frustrating result that snapped the team’s 12-game unbeaten streak in league play. A solid first half by the Lions was spoiled by a red card to Cesar Araujo late in the second, with Atlanta scoring twice while the Lions were a man down. Head Coach Oscar Pareja was sent off as well, and Orlando was deprived of a great chance to move up in the standings. Orlando will have to shake this off or use it as motivation as it gets set to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday. A much-needed break in the schedule is awaiting the Lions after that match following a busy May.

MLS All-Star Voting Begins

The voting for who will play in this year’s MLS All-Star Game is underway, and a few Lions may have a shot at being selected. Right back Alex Freeman’s case to be an All-Star is backed by statistics, as he’s done well creating chances for others and has three goals himself during his breakout season. Former MLS player Dax McCarty has Freeman on his list of players who deserve selection this year, along with midfielder Martin Ojeda. The 26-year-old Argentine’s eight goals so far are already twice as many goals as he had last season and he’s right up there with some of the league’s best playmakers. McCarty also gave honorable mentions to goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and winger Marco Pasalic. Voting will last through June 11 and the All-Star Game is set to take place on July 23 against Liga MX’s All-Stars in Austin.

Antonee Robinson Undergoes Surgery

Fulham announced that American left back Antonee Robinson underwent successful knee surgery and is expected to be ready for the English club’s next season. The 27-year-old started in 35 of Fulham’s 38 games this past season and did not take part in the Concacaf Nations League. He’ll miss out on this summer’s Gold Cup, but hopefully he has a smooth recovery and benefits from some time off the field before things start up again in Europe.

Chelsea Wins Europa Conference League

Chelsea beat Real Betis 4-1 to win the Europa Conference League, becoming the first club to win all five of UEFA’s men’s club competitions. Real Betis scored first, but Chelsea mounted a comeback and scored four goals in the second half to win. Cole Palmer had a pair of assists to spark the turnaround and Enzo Fernandez had a goal and an assist. It’s a brutal end to Real Betis’ tournament as its wait for its first major trophy continues. The Spanish club is at least bound for the Europa League regardless after placing sixth in the La Liga standings.

Free Kicks

  • Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady was called up by the USMNT to replace Patrick Schulte, who is dealing with an oblique injury. Brady joins a crowded goalkeeping unit that includes Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, and Matt Freese.
  • Welcome to Wrexham was renewed for a fifth season, and only time will tell if another happy ending is in store for the Welsh club when it plays in the EFL Championship.

That’s all I have for you today. This month of ups and downs as an Orlando soccer fan is almost over and there’s some international soccer to obsess over on the horizon. Have a wonderful Thursday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/28/25

Orlando City set to face Atlanta, Banda and Sams recognized, USMNT news, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day against the rivals from Georgia. Lions against…a common clothing pattern? Needless to say, I’m always ready for a rivalry match, and tonight is no exception. Orlando City is in a good run of form, hopefully that holds true in Atlanta. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads North

Orlando City takes on rival Atlanta United tonight in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s a place where a lot of people can watch soccer played on turf, making it a sub-standard venue. Just in case you are wondering, here is what the opposition feels Atlanta needs to do to win at home. The Lions climbed up to third in MLSsoccer.com’s Power Rankings following the win over the Portland Timbers. We will have your match preview later today, and you can follow The Mane Land Bluesky account for match updates.

Banda and Sams Recognized

A first-half hat trick from Barbra Banda was enough to earn her a spot on the NWSL Team of the Week at CBS.com. Emily Sams also made the Best XI. In fact, there is still time to vote for Banda for NWSL Player of the Week for the aforementioned hat trick performance. You know what to do.

Orlando Pride Power

The Orlando Pride victory over the Utah Royals wasn’t a marquee matchup, but it still garnered plenty of attention. As such, the Pride held onto the third spot in the All for XI Power Rankings. The club was also third in the Goal.com Power Rankings heading into the international break. You know what I think about power rankings, but I’ll accept recognition for my club when it is presented.

Freeman and the USMNT

It didn’t take long after Orlando City defender Alex Freeman received an undervalued offer from Serie A club Parma for the rumors to start up. Freeman’s services are reportedly wanted by teams being promoted to the English Premier League. Perhaps this is a good time for Luiz Muzzi to sign the young defender to a new contract?

Several Americans made waves in Europe, with excellent performances last season from Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Antonee Robinson, and others. Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis face Chelsea in the Europa Conference League final today at 3 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Make sure you check back later as we prepare you for tonight’s match. Vamos Orlando!

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