Lion Links: 10/10/22

Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! How is your blood pressure? Are you recovered from celebrating the win? Orlando City is headed to the MLS playoffs for the third year in a row, and I’m wondering where the crowd that wanted Head Coach Oscar Pareja out has gone. To be fair, they’ve been pretty quiet since the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup. It is a great morning, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Makes the Playoffs

It was simple, win and you’re in. Struggling Orlando City needed to win the match against the Columbus Crew to make the playoffs. There was a scenario where if D.C. United defeated FC Cincinnati, the Lions could get in with a draw, but Cincy scored four goals in the first half to take that option off the table. Things looked bad when Orlando City went down 1-0 before halftime. Frankly, Orlando City didn’t look very good until Junior Urso got the equalizer in the second half. Facundo Torres’ penalty kick to put the Lions ahead was all that Orlando City needed to punch its ticket.

• Michael Citro has your match recap.
• You can check out the view from the other side over at Massive Report.
• Make sure to check back later today for Ben Miller’s player grades and Man of the Match, as well as Sean Rollins’s five takeaways from the match.

Orlando finished the season seventh in the Eastern Conference and will travel to take on CF Montreal on Sunday at 8 p.m. The Lions will be on the road for every match of the playoffs unless they meet Real Salt Lake in the final.

USMNT Players Score Abroad

It was a good weekend for some USMNT players across Europe. Things at Chelsea haven’t been great for Christian Pulisic. Now, with Thomas Tuchel gone and Graham Potter in, Pulisic received his first start for his new manager, and scored his first goal of the season in a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton.

In the EFL Championship, Josh Sargent scored his seventh goal of the season for Norwich City. Sargent scored in the second minute of the match, but Norwich City fell 3-2 to Preston North End at home in the club’s first loss in nine matches.

Auston Trusty is also in the EFL Championship with Birmingham City. He decided that his first goal with Birmingham wasn’t enough, so he scored two in a 3-0 win over Bristol City. A brace for a defender is always a thing to celebrate.

Carson Pickett Joins the USWNT

Former Orlando Pride player Carson Pickett was called up to the United States Women’s National Team for tomorrow’s match against Spain. The opportunity comes due to Emily Fox being in concussion protocol after leaving Friday’s match against England. Pickett’s first appearance with the USWNT came this past summer in a friendly against Colombia on June 28.

The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team will also be in action tomorrow, kicking off the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India. The first match will be against the host at 10:30 a.m. and the U.S. is in Group A with India, Brazil, and Morocco. The U.S. will take on Brazil on Friday morning before closing out its group play on Oct. 17 against Morocco.

More Abuse Allegations Reported

More allegations of abuse in the NWSL have come to light according to U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. At least three more cases have been reported since the findings of an investigation into systemic abuse were released. No details have been released, but the cases have been referred to the Congress-backed U.S. Center for SafeSport, an organization that looks to prevent abuse in sports. It is good that players are feeling more comfortable coming forward with allegations and systemic change is needed in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

• FC Cincinnati didn’t do Orlando City any favors by defeating D.C. United 5-2 to punch its ticket to the playoffs for the first time.
• The Philadelphia Union secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference and a first-round bye by defeating Toronto FC 4-0. Daniel Gazdag led the Union with a hat trick.
• Orlando City’s playoff opponent, CF Montréal, jumped all over Inter Miami, scoring two goals in the first eight minutes before going on to win 3-1.
• Atlanta United’s Santiago Sosa was fined and suspended for three matches for using a homophobic slur. Sosa missed out on the club’s season finale and will miss the first two games of the 2023 season as well. This type of thing simply needs to stop.
• So, Caleb Porter’s house is now a hostel for traveling Orlando City fans, right?

• Following Orlando’s win thanks to Torres’s goal, crows paid their respect to El Cuervo.

That will do it for today. Check back for our upcoming coverage of Orlando City’s playoff match against CF Montréal. Vamos Orlando!