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Lion Links: 9/22/22

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all are doing well as we make our way through the work week. My parents are paying me a visit this weekend, so I’m looking forward to relaxing a bit and enjoying their company. For now, let’s get this Thursday started with some links from around the soccer world.

Orlando Pride Lose Fourth Consecutive Match

The Orlando Pride suffered a 3-0 loss at home to the North Carolina Courage in their penultimate home match of 2022. It was a tough night for the Pride as they conceded early and then again right before halftime. A third goal from the Courage put the nail in the coffin as the Pride were unable to mount a comeback. They had their chances, but the Pride couldn’t find the back of the net and were shut out for the third straight game. A bright spot though was that Maltese forward Haley Bugeja made her Pride debut, coming on as a substitute in the second half. The Pride’s next match will be this Sunday at 7 p.m. against San Diego Wave FC in the final home game of the season.

Facundo Torres Named U.S. Open Cup Player of the Round

With the U.S. Open Cup done and dusted, Orlando City winger Facundo Torres was voted Player of the Round for his performance in the final. Torres scored twice and also assisted on Orlando’s third goal in a 3-0 win over Sacramento Republic FC. That win capped off a stellar tournament by the young Uruguayan. Torres scored the equalizer in extra time against Inter Miami in the round of 16, and then contributed a goal and an assist in the 5-1 semifinal win over the New York Red Bulls. The 22-year-old was brought to Orlando to put trophies in the club’s coffer and has done that. He’ll have an opportunity to add more if the Lions can clinch a spot in the MLS playoffs and in next year’s Concacaf Champions League.

Young Lions Making an International Impact

Orlando City B’s Favian Loyola and Alex Freeman provided a spark off the bench in the U.S. U-19 Men’s National Team’s 5-0 win over Malta in the Slovenia Nations Cup. Both players had assists in the second half before combining on the team’s final goal, with Freeman scoring off of an assist from Loyola. Orlando defender Thomas Williams started in the match as well, helping the team earn a shutout. The team is back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Croatia.

Meanwhile, the U-20 team won 3-1 over Peru in the Revelations Cup in Mexico. It was the team’s first match since winning the Concacaf U-20 Championship earlier this summer. The U.S. will look to keep that winning momentum rolling when it faces Mexico this Saturday.

Tesho Akindele Uses Platform to Address Housing Issues

Orlando City forward Tesho Akindele aims to help Orlando both on and off the field. The Canadian is using his platform as a professional athlete to bring awareness to the affordable housing crisis in the community. Utilizing social media and his connection with Orlando City supporters, Akindele is able to heighten the voices of local advocates who wish to end exclusionary zoning to better provide safe and affordable places to live.

USMNT Plays Japan Tomorrow Morning

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Japan at 8:26 a.m. tomorrow in Germany in a friendly. It is only the third meeting between the two nations and should help them prepare for the World Cup later this year. Of the 30 players Hajime Moriyasu called up for these friendlies, 22 currently play in Europe. Arsenal center back Takehiro Tomiyasu anchors a defense that also includes veteran players Maya Yoshido and Yuto Nagatomo. In the midfield, Takefusa Kubo is in good form with Real Sociedad and could make an impact today. Monaco winger Takumi Minamino does well applying pressure and will be an attacking player to watch, along with Cercle Brugge striker Ayasa Ueda. All in all, Japan should be a tough test for the USMNT. The Americans will be back in action on Tuesday to play Saudi Arabia in Spain.

Central Florida Crusaders Add Another Familiar Face

The signings continue to pour in for the Central Florida Crusaders as they added midfielder Duda Pavão to the team. While you may recognize Pavão for her work as the Orlando Pride’s social media manager, she was also a forward for Stetson University and coaches a youth team, FC Highland. She was Stetson’s captain during her senior year and played over 50 matches for the Hatters during her time there. The National Indoor Soccer League will have both a men’s and women’s division and it should be a fun way to catch some soccer and see some familiar faces during the MLS and NWSL off-seasons.

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  • Mexico Head Coach Tata Martino confirmed that LAFC’s Carlos Vela and the LA Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez will not be headed to Qatar for the World Cup.
  • Speaking of the World Cup, take a look at how the other teams in the USMNT’s group are spending the international break. England and Wales both have touch matches in the UEFA Nations League today. Iran will take on Uruguay tomorrow and then Senegal on Tuesday.
  • Here are a few things to keep an eye out for in today’s Nations League action.
  • Eight of the European nations headed to the World Cup requested that FIFA allow their team captains to wear “One Love” armbands, which have a rainbow heart design as a stand against discrimination.
  • The English Premier League agreed to ban supporters for a minimum of a year if they invade the pitch or use smoke bombs or pyrotechnics.
  • We’ll end our links with some pretty cool news. AFC Richmond, the fictional team from Ted Lasso, will be playable in FIFA 23. I haven’t played in a while, but seeing Ted and Coach Beard on the sidelines was pretty great.


That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/25

Orlando City gets ready for Atlanta United, Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira promoted, NWSL MVP candidates, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! Today starts three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. It was a fairly fast week for me, and I was able to read three books somehow. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy 21st birthday to Orlando City winger Nicolas Rodriguez!

Orlando City Gets Ready for Rivalry Match

The Lions are back in action Saturday night against rival Atlanta United in what should be one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend. Both teams are looking for answers on offense heading into this match, as Orlando is coming off of three straight scoreless draws and Atlanta hasn’t won since March. Taking on a rival at home could be just what’s needed for the Lions to jumpstart their attack and return to the form they had earlier this season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how it’s an important game to win for Orlando, as well as how the offense needs to exercise some calmness to finish its chances.

Orlando City Promotes Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira

Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira were both promoted by Orlando City, with Moreira taking over as the club’s general manager and sporting director and Muzzi becoming senior advisor to ownership, global soccer ventures. It’s a natural step up for Moreira, who joined the club in 2018 and has helped build a competitive roster that’s made the playoffs for the past five seasons. Muzzi’s new role is a bit of a mouthful, but he’ll be taking on an advisory role focused on the growth of the club while working closely with ownership.

“I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as Orlando City Soccer Club’s EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager for seven seasons, and I am excited to continue my journey with the club in this new role,” said Luiz Muzzi. “I look forward to working alongside the Wilf family and the leadership team to help shape the future of the club and its continued success, both on and off the field, and I know Orlando City’s Soccer Operations will be in great hands under Ricardo’s leadership.”

Orlando Pride Players in the NWSL MVP Hunt

Now that we’re over a month into the NWSL season, ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf highlighted the league’s early MVP candidates, and there are a couple of familiar faces in his rankings. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is predictably in the mix in sixth on the list, as she has three goals and an assist to her name so far. But a surprise inclusion is midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who has impressed on both sides of the ball to earn ninth place in the rankings. While I think the MVP race will ultimately be between scorers like Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Ashley Hatch, and Debinha, it’s pretty great to see McCutcheon receive deserved praise for her performance this year.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The transfer deadline may be over for MLS clubs, but deals that crossed the finish line are still coming in. The Columbus Crew added yet another forward by sending up to $1.2 million to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Aliyu Ibrahim. The 23-year-old will maintain his U22 Initiative Player status in Columbus and recorded 12 goals and nine assists across 90 appearances for Houston. LAFC signed 26-year-old midfielder Ryan Raposo, who spent the past five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps and was a free agent this year. St. Louis City also made things official with Simon Becher by making his loan move a permanent one so that he stays with the club.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. Mother’s Day is less than a month away, just as a warning. If the mothers in your life like romance books and you’re looking for a gift, I can’t recommend The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center enough. Have a great Friday!

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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.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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.

Sources: Minnesota United in advanced talks to acquire Julian Gressel from Inter Miami.Nothing done yet. Still details to figure out. Optimism something gets done, but not there yet.

Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T00:25:26.971Z

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.

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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.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

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.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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