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Lion Links: 10/6/22

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4 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? If you watched last night’s game, it’s probably a rough morning. All we can do is take a breath, shake it off, and get excited about Orlando’s home game on Sunday. I’ve been pretty busy this week, so I’m glad it’s already Thursday at least. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Crushed in Fort Lauderdale

The Lions went on the road and had a rough time in a crucial game against Inter Miami. The Herons struck early and Orlando fell 4-1 in a loss that included a rotated line-up, poor defending, and a lack of scoring chances. What’s worse is that center back Antonio Carlos picked up a yellow card and won’t be able to play in Orlando’s game on Sunday against the Columbus Crew.

The good news is that Orlando still controls its own destiny. A win over the Crew at Exploria Stadium on Sunday would book Orlando a ticket to the postseason. However, a draw won’t be enough unless FC Cincinnati falls to D.C. United. The objective is at least clear for the Lions on Sunday: win.

Orlando City and Orlando Pride Hire Executives

New faces are joining Orlando City SC’s front office as Kelly Hyne was hired as senior vice president of brand alliances and Chris Kamke will be chief strategy officer. Hyne has over two decades of experience with the Ladies Professional Golf Association and will be tasked with adding new partners to the club’s network. Kamke will lead Orlando’s efforts to expand and increase the number of projects to generate revenue and he brings a wealth of experience from his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning to the club.

“A little over a year ago when the Wilf Family purchased our clubs, they immediately made a commitment to building a world-class organization, on and off the pitch. In order to do that we need to recruit, develop, and retain world-class talent,” said Jarrod Dillon, president of business operations for Orlando City and Orlando Pride. “In adding two industry respected leaders in Chris Kamke and Kelly Hyne, as well as a number of recent promotions and new position investments, we have taken massive steps in assembling a world-class executive team and front office.”

England Will Be a Tough Test for the USWNT

The United States Women’s National Team is in Europe this week for a pair of friendlies. The first will take place tomorrow as the USWNT faces England, which is currently ranked fourth in FIFA’s world rankings. Since Sarina Wiegman’s appointment as manager in August of 2020, England has been undefeated across 24 matches and won the Euros this past summer. The Houston Dash’s Ebony Salmon is the lone NWSL player on England’s 24-player roster and could spearhead an offense that also features Beth Mead, Fran Kirby, and Lauren Hemp. England also boasts a formidable back line with defenders such as Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, and Rachel Daly. In the midfield, Manchester City’s Keira Walsh is the straw that stirs the drink for the Lionesses and the USWNT will have to find a way to disrupt the momentum she can build.

Fallout From Abuse Investigation Continues

The Portland Timbers and Thorns announced that they have relieved President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson and President of Business Mike Golub of their duties for both clubs following the findings of an investigation into systemic abuse in women’s soccer. You’ll need to get past the paywall for the full details, but The Athletic tweeted that Wilkinson signed a contract extension earlier this year that included morals clauses.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Red Stars board of directors is reportedly voting owner Arnim Whisler out as chairman.

Former Orlando City head coach and current Racing Louisville FC president James O’Connor released a statement in response to the club’s decision to hire Christy Holly, who has sexual assault allegations against him. The investigation also found that Sky Blue executive Mary Smoot was shocked that O’Connor told the media he received a “glowing review” of Holly from Sky Blue’s ownership. At the USL Championship match between Louisville City and Detroit City, fans held a silent protest.

Stars Shine in the Champions League

Some of the biggest names in Europe made an impact in the latest Champions League matches. Erling Haaland netted a brace as Manchester City cruised to a 5-0 win at home over Copenhagen. Angel Di Maria had a trio of assists in Juventus’ 3-1 win over Maccabi Haifa. After goals from Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior in the first half, Real Madrid held on for a 2-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk. Lionel Messi gave Paris Saint-Germain a lead, but Benfica salvaged a 1-1 draw. Christopher Nkunku had a goal in the first half and Andre Silva scored twice in the second to lift RB Leipzig to a 3-1 win over Celtic. Christian Pulisic stayed on the bench as Chelsea won 3-0 against Sergino Dest and AC Milan.

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  • Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and the Orlando City Foundation are teaming up with Special Olympics Florida to support its Race for Inclusion event.

  • Charlotte FC’s playoff push came to an end despite a valiant effort to claw back from two goals down for a 2-2 draw against the Crew. The game also features a Goal of the Year candidate. Lucas Zelarayan is a notorious free kick specialist, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Ukraine was added to Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to host the World Cup in 2030. While it’s not clear how many games would be played in Ukraine, the distance between matches there and in the Iberian peninsula wouldn’t be too different from the distances in the 2026 World Cup in North America.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/15/26

Orlando City concedes late in draw with Toronto FC, Justin Ellis earns praise, U.S. Soccer announces Crest Cup for women’s soccer, and more.

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5 hours ago

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October 15, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann and Justin Ellis celebrating a goal against Real Salt Lake.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How are you feeling after last night’s Orlando City game? I don’t think my thoughts have ever been as mixed, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles at times when supporting the Cardiac Cats. It could’ve gone worse though, and being able to watch Antoine Griezmann work his magic is always a treat. Today marks nine years since Kaká’s final game with Orlando City, and I’ve loved being able to see world class players like him, Griezmann, Nani, and more over the years in Orlando. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Lead Late in Dramatic Draw

Orlando City went on the road to Canada and played to a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC in a rollercoaster of a match. The Lions clawed their way back to equalize twice and managed to take the lead late in the match, but couldn’t close things out despite another solid performance by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau behind a leaky defense. Make sure to check out our match recap of what was an exciting, yet frustrating, match that at least featured a couple of great Orlando goals.

Justin Ellis Earns Praise During Breakout Season

The Athletic‘s Tom Bogert ranked his top 22 MLS players under the age of 22 and Orlando City forward Justin Ellis ranked eighth on his list. The 19-year-old has 10 assists and a goal to his name this season, thriving in the attack with an intriguing combination of creativity, strength, and positioning. He’s also already scored for the United States Men’s National Team, doing so in Orlando last month against Peru. Bogert predictably has Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan at the top of his list and Julian Hall in second. We’ll see if Ellis lands a bit higher than eighth when the annual MLS 22 Under 22 list is unveiled later this year.

U.S. Soccer Announces Crest Cup

A new club tournament is coming to women’s soccer. U.S. Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup for women’s soccer teams across the country to compete against each other in a single-elimination format. Official details such as when this will take place and which teams will be allowed to participate haven’t been unveiled at this point, but it does seem like it will at least include teams from both the NWSL and USL Super League. The winner of the Crest Cup will receive $1.1 million and qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Toothpaste jokes aside regarding the name, I’m excited for a tournament that puts a spotlight on more women’s soccer teams.

Takeaways From USWNT Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team may not have beaten Spain in either of its two friendlies against the European powerhouse, but it at least finished strong by rallying to a 2-2 draw in the second meeting. Not many of the problems the USWNT faced were unexpected either. Naomi Girma’s absence was felt on defense, neither Claudia Dickey nor Phallon Tullis-Joyce emerged as the clear starter in goal, and the midfield looked suboptimal against the best team in the world. Head Coach Emma Hayes has multiple decisions to make before the Women’s World Cup next summer, with the USWNT’s next match coming on Nov. 27 against El Salvador in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League returned this week and there were plenty of good games across Europe. In one of the bigger matchups of this round, Paris Saint-Germain went to England and beat Manchester City 4-2 to move to the top of the table. Elsewhere, Real Madrid mounted a late comeback to beat AS Roma 4-3 in Italy, Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LAK Linz, and Bodo/Glimt won 1-0 in Norway against Borussia Dortmund. The teams will play again on Tuesday and Wednesday, with PSG going up against Barcelona and Bayern Munich hosting Arsenal as two of the heavyweight showdowns.

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  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride newlyweds Rafaelle and Hailie Mace on tying the knot!

That’s all I have for you this time around. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/14/26

Orlando City plays Toronto FC, Orlando Pride prepare for Houston, the USWNT draws Spain, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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October 14, 2026

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Image of Iago passing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. As the regular season winds down, the tension ramps up. The Lions are currently above the playoff line, but it’s a precarious perch. With two matches this week, earning crucial points will be even more difficult. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Visits Toronto FC Tonight

Orlando City travels to the Great White North tonight for a match against Eastern Conference opponent Toronto FC. Points are at a premium as both teams chase a playoff appearance. Rest assured that Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman is making sure the team is prepared and taking it one match at a time. It is a double match week so we’ll see how Perelman rotates the starting lineup.

Orlando Pride News and Notes

Yolanda Thomas is getting the Orlando Pride ready for Sunday’s road match against the Houston Dash. Of course, there are several players on international duty before then. Oihane got the start for Spain against the USWNT (see below) on Tuesday night. Barbra Banda scored a brace for Zambia in a 4-1 win over Uganda in an Olympic qualifier. Ally Lemos contributed two assists in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team’s 5-0 dismantling of the Dominican Republic.

USWNT Comes from Behind to Draw Spain

The USWNT played its second friendly against top-ranked Spain Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. Much like the previous match, Spain was able to build a 2-0 lead before the end of the first half. Unlike last time, the U.S. was able to score two goals to draw Spain. Ashley Sanchez scored in the 49th minute in her first USWNT start in nearly two years, and Mallory Swanson added the second goal in the 86th minute. Unfortunately, the USWNT wasn’t able to get a third, but a 2-2 draw is still a better result than last time and coming back from two goals down made it feel more like a win in the end.

USMNT Players in Club Action

Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman came on in the 63rd minute of Villarreal’s 3-1 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. Johnny Cardoso played all 90 minutes for Atletico Madrid in his club’s 2-0 win over Manchester United. He almost scored a goal, but it was disallowed after video review. Sergino Dest’s PSV lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig. Dest is Top 10 when it comes to Champions League appearances by U.S. players. There are a few more USMNT players making appearances in the matches today.

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That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/13/26

Orlando City players named to MLS Team of the Matchday, USWNT takes on Spain tonight, Americans in action this week, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 13, 2026

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Image of Ivan Angulo playing against D.C. United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a bit of a pep in my step so far this week after Orlando City’s win this weekend. Hopefully, the soccer we have ahead of us tonight and Wednesday night doesn’t end up dimming that enthusiasm. Let’s go ahead and dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Lions Make MLS Team of the Matchday

Orlando City players Maxime Crepeau and Ivan Angulo were both named to the MLS Team of the Matchday, with Antoine Griezmann landing on the bench. Crepeau was immense in Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew, recording a club-record 12 saves. Angulo also excelled with a goal and an assist, with his late winner landing a spot on Sports Illustrated‘s top five goals of the week as well. Griezmann also chipped in a goal and an assist. There are a couple of familiar faces on the bench with Griezmann, with former Orlando goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. earning the honor after making nine saves for the San Jose Earthquakes and former Lion Shak Mohammed recording a goal and an assist in Nashville’s win.

USWNT Aims to Bounce Back Against Spain Tonight

After a 2-0 loss to Spain on Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team will play the top team in the world again tonight. It will be interesting to see what lineup changes Head Coach Emma Hayes makes following the loss, particularly with regard to the defense to help stop Spain’s potent attack. Spain got off to a hot start in Saturday’s match, but the team’s physicality likely won’t catch the U.S. by surprise this time around. Orlando Pride defender Oihane, who is with Spain for these friendlies, said she expects the U.S. to be more aggressive in this rematch.

Spain's Oihane Hernández on what she expects from the #USWNT in Tuesday's rematch:"I honestly expect like a really more physical game. I think they're gonna be more aggressive."(I would expect the same.)

— Jeff Kassouf (@jeffkassouf.bsky.social) 2026-10-12T15:37:35.556Z

Americans in Action Abroad This Week

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League return this week and there are many Americans to keep an eye out for across Europe. Former Lion Alex Freeman, who earned plenty of praise for his performance against Real Madrid on Saturday, could start in his first UEFA Champions League game today when Villarreal hosts Napoli. We may also see more of 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert when Borussia Dortmund plays Bodo/Glimt as he continues to impress at such a young age. Sergino Dest and Johnny Cardoso are other Americans who could play in the Champions League, while Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, and Tim Weah may suit up for Europa League play.

U.S. Soccer Announces Referee Development Program

U.S. Soccer unveiled a new program aimed at improving referee development and making the pathway for aspiring officials more consistent. Named R90+, the program will give referees access to mentors and coaches for them to improve across multiple aspects of officiating, such as game management, physical preparation, and tactical awareness. The first edition of this program will take place in the South, with 10 of the 60 officials coming from Florida. Hopefully this investment in officiating improves things for everyone involved.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

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