Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/22/22
What’s up, Mane Landers? My week was wild, busy, and exhausting. Hopefully, you are doing a little bit better than me at this point. I am looking forward to watching a little bit of soccer abroad and kicking back this afternoon on the couch. I will probably catch the Chelsea and Manchester United match today and follow that up with Tottenham and Newcastle tomorrow. Let me know what matches you are most looking forward to down in the comments below. For now, let’s enjoy these links from around the soccer world.
MLS Playoffs Continue Tomorrow
USMNT striker Jesús Ferreira will be looking to continue his 2022 Young Player of the Year form tomorrow as FC Dallas takes on Austin FC in a Western Confernce semifinal match. In what is beginning to bud into a fierce cross-state rivalry, FC Dallas has yet to lose to Austin FC, having won all three meetings in 2021 and drawing both 2022 matches. If the streak is to continue, it will surely be due to Ferreira’s tenacity in front of goal. This season, Ferreira scored 18 goals and added six assists across his 33 games, 29 of which he started.
On the east coast, CF Montréal will try to continue the winning streak after having knocked Orlando City out of the playoffs in their last outing. Tomorrow, Stade Saputo will host New York City FC. Earlier this season in March, NYCFC defeated CF Montréal 4-1. Later in July, the two clubs played to a scoreless draw. For this meeting, NYCFC will be without the services of Alfredo Morales, as the experienced midfielder is still nursing a lower leg issue.
U.S. Eliminated From U-17 Women’s World Cup
The U-17 U.S. Women’s National Team’s has been eliminated from the the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The match went the distance and finished 1-1 in regulation but ultimately Nigeria moved on after a 4-3 penalty kick shootout.
While the United States were the protagonists for long stretches of the match, even outshooting the Flamingoes 27-8, the young Americans only put three shots on goal. To add to the shot count, the team also and piled up 15 corner kicks but still showed lack of efficiency in front of goal. Nigeria scored the opening goal on a penalty kick after a highly questionable video review. American forward Amalia Villarreal equalized just before halftime, but the U.S. could not find the go-ahead finisher despite numerous quality chances, and the match went straight to penalties.
Yunus Musah Thriving at Valencia
USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah is learning a lot under Valencia Head Coach Gennaro Gattuso. Gattuso is a legendary player who was part of a golden era of an AC Milan midfield that boasted Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, and Kaká — who later became Orlando City’s inaugural captain. As a former midfielder himself, he is truly making an impression on young Musah.
“When he came in, I did think this is an ex-midfielder coming in to help us, so it has been a natural transition [back to central midfield] because I spent my whole youth playing in the middle. Obviously, whenever I go to the [U.S.] national team I play in the middle as well, so it’s been a good transition and it helps the style of play in the team as well.”
While Musah is currently taking his soccer week to week in league play, he is already looking forward to the 2022 FIFA World Cup — especially the match against England.
“This game is going to be really special for me. I played for England and I lived there. So that match is special because I have to win that match, you know. I know some people from the team, Saka and Bellingham, so I am going to have to go toe-to-toe with them in that match and smash them, really, because it’s pride, you know! I told some of my friends back home as well that if we win that match, they have to celebrate, in the English pubs and everything they have to celebrate, that would be nice.”
Weston McKennie Off The Mark
USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie has found the back of the net just in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. McKennie’s goal was his first in the league this season for Juventus and came as most of his do — via a quality header.
WESTON MCKENNIE LOVES A HEADER! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/uKVxdHbbvm
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 21, 2022
While USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter will not be leaning heavily on McKennie to lead the team in goals, it is always reassuring to see players find the back of the net prior to a major tournament. The goal will surely boost McKennie’s confidence and show other unlikely goal-scorers that they too have a chance to put one away on crucial set pieces.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City winger Facundo Torres and midfielder César Araújo have been named to the preliminary 56-man roster for Uruguay prior to the World Cup.
📋 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗦
Lista de jugadores 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬 por Diego Alonso para el 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫.
🇶🇦 @FIFAWorldCup #ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/EiXNlqoRKr
— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) October 21, 2022
- Orlando City’s eMLS Amateur Cup qualifier has its winner. Congrats, Youssef Aboyoussef!
Number One in Orlando ☝️@yaboyoussef_ wins @OrlandoCitySC's Amateur Cup qualifier and will represent #DaleMiAmor at eMLS Amateur Cup 🎟 pic.twitter.com/f6BSvHNsh2
— 🎮 Major League Soccer | #eMLS (@eMLS) October 21, 2022
- New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara has signed a contract extension through the 2024 season with an option for 2025.
- There are always plenty of Americans abroad each weekend. This weekend though, Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams square off with Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream in the Premier League.
- Erling Haaland’s agent has claimed the Manchester City striker could become the world’s first £1 billion player.
- Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has joked he might be forced to play as his team faces an injury crisis. Part of me actually wants to see him play — a very small part.
- Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham.
- Former Bayern Munich and France winger Franck Ribery announced his retirement at the age of 39 on social media, following persistent knee problems.
That’s all I have for you today as far as links go. But, I would like to challenge you with something else. Heck, I’ll even let you choose from the list: Call a loved one today, smile at the car beside you at the red light, hold the door for someone at the store, Google a way to volunteer in your local area. Above all, try to make someone’s day and be a good human. The world could use an extra smile today. As always, Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/11/24
Orlando City and Orlando Pride advance in playoffs, MLS and NWSL playoff roundups, USMNT roster announced, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you in Florida. Happy Veteran’s Day to all those who have served or are currently serving in the military. I’ve been busy working at Under Armour during the holiday weekend. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Advance to Eastern Conference Semifinals
Orlando City defeated Charlotte FC 4-1 on penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight year. The Lions were down 1-0 late in the match, with their run in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs about to end. However, Duncan McGuire was pulled down in the box and Orlando was awarded a penalty kick deep into stoppage time. Facundo Torres had his penalty kick saved but scored on the rebound to tie the game at 1-1. In the penalty shootout, Pedro Gallese came up with big saves and every Lion converted their kick to book Orlando’s ticket into the next round. It took three matches, but the Lions are through and will face Atlanta United at home on Nov. 24.
Pride Secure First Playoff Win Against the Chicago Red Stars
The Orlando Pride defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to secure their first-ever NWSL playoff win. Barbra Banda scored twice, and Haley McCutcheon and Marta each added one as well for Orlando. The Red Stars pulled one back with a goal from Jameese Joseph, but the Pride dominated the match from start to finish and advanced to the semifinals. The Pride will face the Kansas City Current at home on Sunday with a spot in the NWSL Championship on the line.
First Round of MLS Playoffs Wraps Up
It was a wild weekend to conclude the first round of the 2024 MLS playoffs, with plenty of Game 3 drama. Let’s start with a big upset in South Florida, as Atlanta United got two goals from Jamal Thiare and held on for a 3-2 win against Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami. New York City FC defeated FC Cincinnati 6-5 on penalties after a scoreless draw and will move on to face the New York Red Bulls in a playoff edition of the Hudson River Derby in the next round. Inter Miami, Columbus Crew, and FC Cincinnati were the three highest seed teams in the Eastern Conference and all three were eliminated after the first round. Out west, LAFC secured a 1-0 over the Vancouver Whitecaps, with Mateusz Bogusz scoring the lone goal to advance. LAFC will take on the Seattle Sounders, while the LA Galaxy will face Minnesota United in the Western Conference semifinals.
NWSL Playoff Quarterfinals Roundup
The first round of the 2024 NWSL Playoffs is also in the books. The Current defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 on Saturday. Temwa Chawinga scored for the Current and extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches. There were two more matches on Sunday, and the Washington Spirit fought back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Bay FC 2-1 to advance. NJ/NY Gotham FC edged past the Portland Thorns 2-1, with Rose Lavelle scoring the winning goal late into stoppage time. Gotham and the Spirit will square off on Saturday at Audi Field.
USMNT Roster Announced for Nations League
United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announced the 25-man roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Jamaica. Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream, and Chris Richards are a few of the defenders called up, while the midfield includes Brenden Aaronson, Weston McKennie, and Yunus Musah. Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah, and Brandon Vazquez are some of the attackers to keep an eye on as well. Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Zack Steffen were called up alongside Patrick Schulte and Diego Kochen. Orlando City’s Duncan McGuire was not called up, and Real Salt Lake forward Diego Luna is another notable player who wasn’t selected. The USMNT will face Jamaica in a two-legged series this week, with the first match in Kingston on Thursday followed by the second leg on Monday at City Park in St. Louis.
Free Kicks
- In case you missed it, check out this video of Facundo Torres’s equalizer on Orlando City’s social media page to secure his 20th goal of the year.
- The Orlando Pride honored Brazilian midfielder Luana before their playoff win on Friday.
- FC Cincinnati is reportedly close to a club-record deal to sign forward Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge.
- Bayern Munich has reportedly signed U.S. youth international forward Bajung Darboe from LAFC.
- With Manchester City’s 2-1 loss to Brighton over the weekend, the club has now lost four consecutive matches across all competitions, which is the first time this has happened since 2006.
- Ruben Amorim is reportedly facing a delay in starting work as manager of Manchester United because the club is awaiting confirmation of his work visa.
- AS Roma has fired its second manager of the season, Ivan Juric, following its 3-2 loss to Bologna on Sunday.
- North Texas SC won the MLS NEXT Pro Cup after trailing 2-0 and completing the comeback to defeat Philadelphia Union II 3-2 and claim its first league title.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/8/24
Barbra Banda’s soccer journey, Celia will retire after 2024 season, NWSL playoffs begin tonight, and much more.
Congratulations on making it to Friday. It’s been a long week, but we’re rewarded with Orlando playoff soccer both today and tomorrow. Before we dive into today’s jam-packed links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B defender Manuel Cocca!
Barbra Banda Shares Her Soccer Journey
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda sat down with The Athletic ($) to talk about her time playing soccer both as a young girl in Zambia and in her first season in the City Beautiful. She also discussed her upbringing, including her mother’s initial disapproval in her playing soccer until she joined Bauleni United Sports Academy in Lusaka. Now one of the best players in the world, Banda has lived up to the lofty expectations set since joining Orlando and has excelled at both the club and international level this year. Banda also spoke about her friendship with teammate Grace Chanda, the differences in her playstyle since joining the Pride from Shanghai Shengli, and what it’s like playing alongside Marta in Orlando.
Celia Announces Her Retirement
Pride right back Celia announced that she will retire following the end of the 2024 season. The 29-year-old joined the Pride before the 2022 season as part of a trade with the club then known as OL Reign, and she’s appeared in 37 matches with the Pride. She was also the Pride’s nominee for the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award for her work with SpaceKids Global. Celia will hang up her cleats after a playing career that’s also included stints with European clubs and trips to the World Cup with Spain in 2015 and 2019. We wish her the best of luck in whatever path she takes moving forward!
NWSL Playoffs Kick Off Tonight
This year’s NWSL playoffs will get started in Orlando tonight when the Pride host the Chicago Red Stars. Although the Red Stars will be without forward Ludmila due to suspension, they should still be a tough opponent for the Pride. Temwa Chawinga’s availability looms over Saturday’s clash between the Kansas City Current and the North Carolina Courage, as the Golden Boot winner did not play in the Current’s season finale. Sunday’s slate includes the Washington Spirit hosting Bay FC before NJ/NY Gotham FC squares off against the Portland Thorns.
San Jose Earthquakes Hire Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is back in MLS, as the San Jose Earthquakes have hired him as the club’s head coach and sporting director. The 73-year-old has a stellar coaching career that’s included success at the collegiate, club, and international levels. He’s the winningest coach in both MLS and United States Men’s National Team history and was named to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. He returns to MLS after resigning as the New England Revolution’s head coach in 2023 while on administrative leave amid a league investigation into allegations of insensitive remarks made by him. While he’s had successful rebuilds in the past with the LA Galaxy and the Revolution, Arena has his work cut out for him with a San Jose team that finished last in the league this season and conceded a record 78 goals.
Jim Curtin and Philadelphia Union Part Ways
The MLS coaching carousel is in full swing as Jim Curtin is no longer the head coach of the Philadelphia Union. Curtin has been with the Union since 2014 and was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022. While the Supporters’ Shield in 2020 may be the only silverware Curtin put in the Union’s trophy case, the team reached the U.S. Open Cup final three times, the MLS Cup final once, and the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals twice in his tenure. Philadelphia finished 14th in the Eastern Conference and missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2017. With a rebuild looming, it makes sense for both Curtin and the Union to part ways. It will still be admittedly weird seeing Curtin coaching anywhere but Philadelphia.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City and Pride owners the Wilf family applied to develop parts of the Osceola Heritage Park complex. While the land that encompasses Osceola County Stadium or Silver Spurs Arena isn’t included, the former Johnson University campus is available.
- United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will be in Orlando this weekend for the Lions’ playoff match against Charlotte.
- Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna was named MLS Young Player of the Year after recording eight goals and 12 assists. The 21-year-old narrowly beat out Inter Miami’s Diego Gomez in the voting to win the award.
- University of Texas forward Trinity Byars became the first active NCAA player to sign with an NWSL team since the NWSL Draft was removed. She signed with the San Diego Wave on a deal through the 2025 season and is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in September.
- Amid reports linking him with the coaching job at Arsenal’s women’s team, New York City FC Head Coach Nick Cushing confirmed that he will be with NYCFC next season.
- U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Gonzalo Segares called up 24 players for the team’s training camp in West Palm Beach to prepare for Concacaf qualifiers in February.
- Victor Osimhen had a brace in Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester United beat PAOK Salonika 2-0 thanks to a brace from Amad Diallo that included a worldie for the second goal.
- Kylian Mbappe was not called up for France’s UEFA Nations League games this month against Israel and Italy.
- Let’s wrap things up with a moment of zen courtesy of Orlando right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.
That’s all I have for you on this fine Friday. I hope you all have a fantastic day and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/7/24
Orlando Pride prepare for the playoffs, Lewis Morgan named MLS Comeback Player of the Year, Champions League roundup, and more.
Welcome to Thursday, Mane Landers. Playoff soccer looms here in the City Beautiful, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both host games in which defeat means elimination. I’ll unfortunately be spending the next few days working but am still looking forward to following along when I can. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Orlando Pride Focus On Playoff Game
A historic season for the Orlando Pride will continue Friday when they host the Chicago Red Stars in their first playoff game at home. Preparing for the postseason is unfamiliar territory of sorts for this Pride team, but NWSL veterans like Morgan Gautrat and Carson Pickett can help the team get in the playoff mindset. Emily Sams, who is in just her second year with the Pride but has experience winning an NCAA championship with Florida State, spoke on how the team is focused on its goal of winning the championship that’s driven the team forward this year.
“We’ve come back to that at different points in the season and reminded ourselves that our big goals are to win the shield and to win the championship,” Sams said after training. “We know that it’s very serious and that if we don’t perform well, we could possibly go home. But also knowing that Chicago’s in the same boat, they’re coming to our environment, they’re in front of our fans, where we can control things and just know that we’re the better team and that we can, if we play our best and play up to the standard that we want to, that we’ll be the ones happy at the end of the game.”
Lewis Morgan Named MLS Comeback Player of the Year
New York Red Bulls midfielder Lewis Morgan was voted 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year for his performance this season after undergoing hip surgery in September of last year. The 28-year-old led his team with 13 goals and also had seven assists to help the Red Bulls clinch a spot in the playoffs. Morgan was also called up by Scotland for the Euros and UEFA Nations League. Injuries kept him out for most of the 2023 season and there were concerns over whether he would be able to return to form this year. He received 37.69% of the vote to win the award over Robin Lod and Maxi Moralez.
Hector Herrera Not Returning to Houston
The Houston Dynamo declined the option on captain Hector Herrera’s contract for next year. Herrera joined the Dynamo from Atletico Madrid in the middle of the 2022 season and helped the club win the 2023 U.S. Open Cup and make the playoffs the past two years. He had five goals and 21 assists over 62 regular-season matches and was named an MLS All-Star twice. It will be interesting to see what the Dynamo do with the now open Designated Player spot. Only two Western Conference teams scored fewer goals than the Dynamo’s 47 this season, so we’ll see how they add some firepower to the attack heading into next year. Houston is also in discussions with five players regarding returning for next year, including goalkeeper Steve Clark and midfielder Latif Blessing.
Champions League Reaches Midway Point
The fourth round of the UEFA Champions League wrapped up and there were plenty of great games held across Europe. Atletico Madrid went to France and left with all three points after a win against Paris Saint-Germain that included a winner in stoppage time from Angel Correa. A penalty kick right before halftime was the difference in Inter Milan’s 1-0 win at home against Arsenal. Aston Villa was handed its first loss of its campaign in a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge due to Tyrone Mings picking up the ball in his own box. Barcelona, Atalanta, and Bayern Munich all won, while RB Salzburg got its first win of the tournament by beating Feyenoord on the road.
Free Kicks
- Verizon was named an official partner of both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. As part of this, fans can meet Jeorgio Kocevski and Jack Lynn at a Verizon store in Kissimmee today.
- Tottenham Hotspur’s clash against Victor Osimhen and the rest of Galatasaray highlights what should be an exciting day of soccer in the Europa League.
- Here’s a nice breakdown of the biggest conference tournaments in women’s college soccer heading into this weekend. Florida State is in the ACC semifinals and will square off against Wake Forest today at 5:30 p.m.
- Bayern Munich is reportedly interested in Burnley winger Luca Koleosho, who is eligible to play internationally for the U.S. along with three other national teams.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a great Thursday and rest of your week.
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