Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/13/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? This time last week, we were in anguish over Orlando City’s loss to Inter Miami. Now, we’re gearing up for Orlando’s playoff match this Sunday. That’s just the kind of season it’s been for the Lions, and hopefully we have more to be happy about come next Thursday. For now though, let’s enjoy these links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Will Play a Tough CF Montreal Team
The Lions are in the playoffs for the third straight year and will face one of the league’s best teams on Sunday when they travel to Canada to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian club has not lost since Aug. 31 and has won eight of its past 10 matches. These two teams last faced off on May 7, with Orlando falling 4-1 on the road. However, Orlando won 2-0 in its season opener against Montreal back in February and also beat Montreal on Decision Day last year to clinch a playoff spot. Orlando’s defense will have to find a way to stop a potent Montreal attack led by Kei Kamara, Romell Quioto, and Djordje Mihailovic. While the Lions will be underdogs in this match, they’ve found ways to win important games throughout this year.
Gallese Up for MLS Save of the Year, Kara Up for Top Goal
The recognition doesn’t end there for Orlando players. Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s save on the road against Dom Dwyer was nominated for MLS Save of the Year. El Pulpo made a full extension to deny Dwyer from scoring against his former team, helping the Lions secure a crucial result on the road against their rival. Gallese’s save faces stiff competition from the other excellent goalkeepers in the league, such as Andre Blake, Joe Willis, and Dayne St. Clair.
Who you got for Save of the Year? 🤔
VOTE ➡️ https://t.co/HbJZvZIcmM pic.twitter.com/4w5QkpA1DR
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 12, 2022
Orlando also had a player nominated for MLS Goal of the Year in the form of Ercan Kara. The Austrian Designated Player is up for the award due to his silky smooth team goal back on April 16 in a 2-0 win at Columbus. If you don’t want to watch all of the nominees, you can just watch Kara’s below.
This sequence from @OrlandoCitySC. 🤯
Ercan Kara with a beautiful turn & finish makes it 2-0. pic.twitter.com/mU5rXwtdTe
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 17, 2022
Getting Ready for the MLS Playoffs
While we’re all understandably focused on Orlando’s match on Sunday, there’s plenty of playoff soccer worth checking out this weekend. Here’s a nice refresher on the playoff format, the schedule, and how yellow card accumulation will work. Half of the teams in this year’s playoffs didn’t qualify last year and only three of the teams have ever won the MLS Cup before. LAFC and the Philadelphia Union are the favorites to win it all, but there are plenty of dark horses in this race.
If Orlando beats Montreal, it will face the winner between New York City FC and Inter Miami. After some uncertainty on where the Pigeons would play, NYCFC will host Miami at Citi Field on Monday at 7 p.m. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati’s red-hot offense heads to Red Bull Arena to face the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at noon. It should be an exciting match to get the playoffs started.
More Clubs Reach the Champions League Knockout Stage
Napoli advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League after a 4-2 win at home against Ajax. The Italian club has won all four of its matches so far, scoring an impressive 17 goals while only conceding four. Belgium’s Club Brugge clinched a spot in the knockout stage for the first time following its scoreless draw with Atletico Madrid. Club Brugge is undefeated in the group stage and has yet to concede a goal. Bayern Munich also secured its spot in the knockout round, beating Viktoria Plzen 4-2.
The most dramatic match was a 3-3 draw between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan. Barcelona struck first, but needed Robert Lewandowski to equalize twice late in the match to keep the Spanish club’s hopes of making it out of the group stage. Despite the result, Inter only needs a win over Viktoria Plzen to advance and send Barcelona to the Europa League. Mo Salah scored a hat trick in just a little over six minutes after coming off the bench in Liverpool’s 7-1 win over Rangers. Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min had a brace in his club’s 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Free Kicks
- Cincy forward Brenner was named MLS Player of the Month for the months of September and October after scoring nine goals and adding two assists in the club’s final five games. Brenner also won MLS Goal of the Week for his nice goal on Decision Day.
- Although the Orlando Pride won’t be participating, there is still NWSL playoff soccer to look forward to this Sunday. The Houston Dash will host the Kansas City Current at 5 p.m. Later, at 10 p.m., former Pride forward Alex Morgan and San Diego Wave FC will welcome the Chicago Red Stars to Snapdragon Stadium.
- While controversy surrounds the Portland Thorns organization, goalkeeper Bella Bixby asked that fans attend the team’s playoff match on Oct. 23 to support the players. Bixby also spoke about the complexity of this issue and that she understands the decision by some fans not to attend.
Dear Portland🌹 pic.twitter.com/kABGAJznme
— Bella Bixby (@bellageist) October 12, 2022
- Former Pride head coach Marc Skinner spoke about the need for women’s soccer to adapt and improve so that it can better protect players.
- Following the USWNT’s pair of losses in Europe, All For XI’s Kudzi Musarurwa dived into if a change in formation and tactics is needed and how the team’s inflexibility could be a weakness.
- UEFA wants an explanation on why Sunil Gulati, the former president of the United States Soccer Federation, ignored claims of abuse in the NWSL according to the Yates Report. Gulati is currently the chairman of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body.
I hope you enjoyed today’s links! We have a weekend filled with soccer ahead of us, so that should help get us through the next couple of work days. Have a great Thursday!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced
MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.
Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.
Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.
The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.
GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club
MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
- Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/19/24
Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft
The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.
Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.
MLS Transfer Roundup
After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.
EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set
The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.
- The Columbus Crew announced that they will play Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field rather than its home stadium next season. The “home” game is a good two-hour drive north and reportedly has no opt-out option for season ticket holders, so this decision has not gone over well with some Crew fans.
- Forward Lynn Williams is reportedly expected to be traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC to the Seattle Reign so that she can close out her career on her home coast.
- We now know the eight quarterfinalists for the Women’s Champions League, with the draw set for Feb. 7. The usual suspects like Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and Lyon all made it, which should make for an exciting knockout stage.
- Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup, giving Carlo Ancelotti his 15th title with the club.
- Here’s a look at the absurd amount of minutes players like Federico Valverde and Jules Kounde have logged this year. Just seeing those numbers makes my legs tired.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/18/24
Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.
Torres Deal Done?
WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
Marta Wins Marta Award
In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.
The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.
Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.
USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires
Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.
NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand
The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.
MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.
Free Kicks
- Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.
- Vitor Pereira will be the new coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers following the departure of former boss Gary O’Neil. Pereira will have his work cut out for him getting Wolves out of the relegation zone.
- Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in a recent drug test. Mudryk stated he has never knowingly used such substances, and hopes an investigation will clear up the matter.
- The Washington Spirit have signed free agent midfielder Narumi Miura to a two-year contract. Miura spent the last two years with the North Carolina Courage.
- The Columbus Crew re-signed goalkeeper Evan Bush through the 2025 season.
- New name, same idea. The European Super League is back as the “Unity League.” A proposal has been submitted to UEFA and FIFA.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!
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