Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/17/22

Happy Saturday, Mane Landers! After a less-than-ideal Friday night fixture for the Orlando Pride, I hope you are all ready for another night with the Lions in Exploria Stadium. With the club only four points back from a home playoff game, I’m sure they will be giving everything they can tonight to secure all three points. Before we get to the news of the day, let’s wish Orlando Pride defender/winger Kerry Abello a happy 23rd birthday! Now scroll on down and check out today’s links.
Racing Louisville Defeats Orlando Pride
The Orlando Pride fell 2-0 to Racing Louisville on the road Friday night at Lynn Family Stadium. Nadia Nadim opened the scoring in the first half. The Pride wasted a multiple golden chances to score and early in the second half Savannah DeMelo added an insurance goal. Orlando were able to put half their shots on goal but ultimately not into the back of the net. The Pride return to action next Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they will face the North Carolina Courage.
Forward Jack Lynn Loaned to San Antonio
The Orlando City front office has sent forward Jack Lynn out on loan to San Antonio FC for the remainder of the 2022 season. Lynn has been electric for the Young Lions of OCB this season in MLS NEXT Pro. With the loan, he will be receiving a bump up from his usual competition as he heads to a USL Championship side within the nation’s second division and hopefully earns some much-needed developmental minutes.
“Jack has done really well with us this season and has shown us a nose for goal, high potential, and a strong work ethic,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “We’re excited about the opportunities of this loan for Jack to get even more competitive minutes and experiences in this last portion of the 2022 season.”
Orlando Pride Debut Fundraising Clothing Line
The Orlando Pride and goalkeeper Erin McLeod unveiled a new clothing line benefitting the Zebra Coalition, an Orlando-based non-profit that aids LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness, bullying, and much more.
Introducing: “The Futures Collection”, a Mission-Driven Clothing Collaboration with @erinmcleod18 👑#PrideOfOrlando
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 16, 2022
“Fashion is always a way to express yourself, but then also express your views openly and outwardly. So I think this collection, what I want it to be, is really about my personal evolution. Recognizing that Title IX and the Voting Rights Act, and so many things helped give more opportunity and more say to more people, but also realizing that we have a long way to go,” McLeod said. “I hope that people can feel liberated when they’re wearing this line and recognizing that we are whatever we want to be.”
All items in the collection — which includes a t-shirt, shorts, button-down, and bucket hat — are made from upcycled scrap materials. This eliminates the need for fabric milling and reduces the climate impact from production. All items are also designed with non-binary sizing.
USMNT September Camp Update
With the latest international break and World Cup tune-up nearing, Valencia Head Coach Gennaro Gattuso has revealed that USMNT midfielder Yunas Musah has not trained for a few days and will not play in their La Liga clash at Celta Vigo on Saturday as he suffered a groin injury.
“He has a little discomfort. It is not a big thing. He has not trained today. I have to talk to the doctor after the press conference because he has a small injury. I don’t know if he will be able to play in the game, but he has not trained today,” Gattuso said.
Furthermore, Valencia will not be releasing Musah for the international break, as he will stay with the club to recover from his injury. Musah has been in great form for Valencia at the start of this season and started all five of the team’s league games. While there is still ample time for Musah to recover, this was the last chance for USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter to see him play alongside Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams to iron out any kinks as the trio are likely to start together in the World Cup. The USMNT has now called up Johnny Cardoso of Brazilian first division club Internacional.
Free Kicks
- OL Reign forward Tobin Heath has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury list after undergoing successful surgery on her left knee.
- USMNT defender Sergino Dest has said his move to Serie A’s AC Milan will help him become a more “complete” defender.
- The United States announced the 20-player roster that will compete this month in the 2022 Revelations Cup in Mexico City.
- Canada will be the only team at the 2022 World Cup to play in old kits.
- Speaking of Canada, three former Lions — Cyle Larin, Kamal Miller, and Richie Laryea — have been called up for two international friendlies in Europe later this month.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers and Mexico international forward Raul Jimenez hasn’t recovered from a groin injury and will miss out on his country’s upcoming friendlies.
- Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has said he would love to see a Premier League All-Star “north versus south game” which was suggested by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly.
- AFC Bournemouth’s owner Maxim Demin is in advanced talks to sell the club to a group led by Bill Foley, owner of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
- Player ratings are in for FIFA 23! Leading the way for MLS are LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini and Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne — both with an 84 overall.
- The FIFA Appeal Committee has passed its decision on the potential ineligibility of Byron David Castillo Segura with regard to his participation for Ecuador in eight qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup.
- Former Paris Saint-Germain player Aminata Diallo has been charged with aggravated violence by French prosecutors in connection with an attack on one of her former teammates.
That’s a wrap on today’s links, folks. It’s purple jersey time! You know what to do from here. Gather up those tailgating supplies and head on over to Exploria Stadium. As always, be loud and help the Lions grab all three points. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/24/25
Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC
The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.
Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings
Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.
MLS Deadline Day Transfer News
The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.
The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.
In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.
Free Kicks
- German legend Thomas Muller, who is set to leave Bayern Munich this summer, reportedly rejected an offer from FC Cincinnati and Fiorentina.
- Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his volleyed strike against Atlanta. Seeing Atlanta get scored on really makes the goal that much sweeter to watch.
- Marcus Rashford is reportedly aiming to join a Champions League team after this season. The 27-year-old is on loan with Aston Villa from Manchester United and should be an interesting name to keep an eye on this summer.
- Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace kept a few champagne bottles corked, as Liverpool would have won the league title if Arsenal lost. Liverpool now just needs a point when it faces Tottenham at home on Sunday.
- Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0, but it came at the cost of injuries to both David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga. The Spanish club may now have a crisis at left back ahead of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.
That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/23/25
The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.
Bad Pride, Good Pride
It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.
The (OCSC) Academy Awards
Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.
Pochettino Prepares
The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.
MLS Transfer News
The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped a spot to No. 12 in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. Three 0-0 draws in a row will do that.
- Michael Buxbaum is suing the U.S. Soccer Federation for $100 million because the USWNT didn’t try to win the SheBelieves Cup. I wasn’t happy with the result either, but this is the definition of frivolous.
- Nani and Ali Krieger are both participating in The Soccer Tournament on seven-on-seven soccer teams. The matchups for the $1 million tournament have been set.
- Speaking of Krieger, she is settling in at her new gig at ESPN as an analyst for NWSL matches and co-host of “FutbolW.”
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/22/25
Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.
Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition
Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.
English Promotion Update
Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped three spots to no. 15 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- The Orlando Pride dropped all the way to no. 3 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Monday’s four scheduled Serie A matches were postponed following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, with the games set to be played Wednesday instead.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
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