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Lion Links: 11/19/22

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3 years ago

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Happy Saturday, Mane Landers. Did you know that on this day in 2013 Orlando City was announced as the 21st MLS club? While that might feel light years away now, the World Cup is not — it is finally upon us.

The news keeps coming down the pipeline. Some of it is good, and some of it is bad. The drama of the world’s greatest tournament is primed to start on Thanksgiving week (tomorrow, actually), and for that I am truly grateful. Soon, you will find me sitting on the couch with a plate of turkey and dressing and enjoying the beautiful game along with a delicious meal. Maybe it is too soon to say, but I might be more inclined for a Thanksgiving World Cup viewing than traditional Thanksgiving football.

Now that you are all salivating and dreaming of the perfect Thanksgiving meal, it’s on to the links!

Sebas Méndez Prepares for World Cup

Former Orlando City defensive midfielder Sebas Méndez was traded mid-season to LAFC. As Méndez struggled to earn back his starting spot from newcomer César Araújo, the club moved him on to LAFC for $300,000 in General Allocation Money. With a new club, Méndez began to find minutes on the pitch and eventually an MLS Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup, and 2022 FIFA World Cup call-up.

Méndez played an important role in Ecuador’s qualification for the World Cup. The move to LAFC rekindled his form and helped land him an official spot on Ecuador’s final World Cup roster. He will be part of the third-youngest roster in Qatar with an average age of 25.6 years. Only Ghana and the United States have a younger average age. According to Méndez, the squad’s youth compared to other teams at the tournament will be an advantage rather than a handicap.

“I think that in the beginning, no one trusted maybe that such a young team could do what we did,” the 25-year-old midfielder said. “But there is a very important factor named Profe Alfaro. From that moment, to have the confidence of a new coach who didn’t care how old you were and played you, I think we realized that we could put together a good group.”

While having the weight of a whole country on your shoulders can be a large task, Méndez knows that trips to the World Cup can come few and far between. He intends to relish every moment of it and make the most of the opportunity.

“We have to enjoy this with the responsibility that comes with representing your country,” said Méndez. “We have something very beautiful to face and we hope to do it the best way possible.”

USMNT Welcomes Special Guests

During its first week of training ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team has turned Al Gharafa Stadium into its home base. On Tuesday night, eight USMNT players and two coaches hosted 20 migrant workers who helped build the infrastructure behind the World Cup for some fun on the field. The next day, the team welcomed nearly 1,000 United States military and embassy staff based in Qatar to the team’s training session for a special experience.

The match event was organized by the Q22 Worker’s Welfare Department, with the players being chosen based on their success in participating in previous Worker’s Cup soccer tournaments held in Qatar. For the following day’s training session, USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter and the team wanted to show their appreciation to all those serving the United States in Qatar and extended an invitation for them to watch Wednesday’s training session. Berhalter addressed the crowd at the start of training and thanked them for their service before midfielder Weston McKennie spoke. McKennie’s father is a United States serviceman, and he himself met USMNT legends Carlos Bocanegra and Landon Donovan when the team visited Ramstein Air Base in Germany ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Now 16 years later, he will compete on the global stage himself.

MLS Coaches’ USMNT Predictions

We are just a day away from the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Soccer fans and experts all over the world are anxiously awaiting the first whistle and making bold predictions at how the whole tournament will play out. MLSsoccer.com spoke with MLS coaches to see if they had any insight on the United States Men’s National Team players and odds.

Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes thinks Borussia Dortmund attacker Giovanni Reyna, a one-time New York City FC academy star, will be the USMNT’s X-factor. He even went so far as comparing him to USMNT legend Landon Donovan in 2002. Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson noted the previous success of former USMNT goalkeepers as a usual strength for the Americans. He mentioned that a difference maker could be Arsenal backup goalkeeper Matt Turner, who joined the Premier League leaders from the New England Revolution this summer.

Hendrickson also laid out a clear path to the Round of 16. If the USMNT does not beat Wales, the Americans’ odds of moving on will be much less likely. He thinks the match on Monday is definitely the one to watch.

“If the assumption is England will win the group, then it means you must beat Wales,” he said. “If you don’t win it, then it becomes a little sketchy going forward. If you win that game and you go into England with three points in the bag, then maybe you tie and you’re likely looking at at least second place going into the Round of 16. But if you don’t come out with points in the Wales game, it can be a very, very difficult task to now try and get four more points after and get out of the group.”

Who do you think is going to be the most crucial player for the USMNT this tournament? What match are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.

Qatar Reverses Course, Bans Beer

The 2022 World Cup host nation of Qatar has once again found itself in the media in a negative light. Aside from the deaths of migrant workers, moving the event to winter (due to the obvious failure to get air conditioning technology that didn’t exist into outdoor stadiums), the questionable tracking app, shipping container lodging, and overpriced food, the country’s government has now decided to disallow beer sales on site and at stadium perimeters during the World Cup. Qatar, like many Muslim countries, has very strict laws prohibiting alcohol.

Since the nation bid to host the tournament, many questioned how alcohol sales — among other things — would work with an event like the World Cup. Initially, a compromise was made in which fans could still purchase alcohol in designated fan areas, bars, and in areas outside of stadiums. This was a mend designed to bend the rules for foreigners, while keeping them intact for locals. However, FIFA has now announced Qatar’s backslide on the policy while trying to keep the peace with one of its major sponsors, Budweiser.

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  • Spezia Calcio is reportedly in talks to sign defender Joao Moutinho from Orlando City, though the Lions announced they are in talks to bring him back. His return likely depends on what kinds of offers the fullback gets from Europe.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have an awesome weekend. If you’re traveling early for Thanksgiving, please drive safely and share the road. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/9/25

Lions on international duty, Duncan McGuire undergoes shoulder surgery, Pride and OCB win, and more.

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3 hours ago

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June 9, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve had a busy week covering sports around the Chicago area. Before we get started, let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride midfielder Prisca Chilufya, who turned 26 on Sunday. Our Lions were off this weekend, but the Pride and OCB picked up wins. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions on International Duty

Several Lions were in action over the weekend on international duty. Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese earned a clean sheet for Peru in a scoreless draw against Colombia Friday in a Conmebol World Cup qualifying match. Peru will face Ecuador on Tuesday.

Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic delivered a nice assist to set up Ivan Perisic’s goal in his country’s 7-0 win over Gibraltar in UEFA World Cup qualifying Friday. Croatia will face the Czech Republic later today.

Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time for the U-18 U.S. Men’s National Team to beat Australia 3-2 in the UEFA Friendship Cup and remain undefeated in the group stage.

Duncan McGuire Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

Orlando City announced Friday that striker Duncan McGuire had undergone arthroscopic surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder. McGuire will be out for a considerable amount of time, and the club has not provided a timeline for the striker’s recovery. He had played in 12 matches, started three, and scored one goal in the regular season, adding an assist. The striker position was already thin for Orlando, and with McGuire sidelined, Oscar Pareja will have to make adjustments. We’ll have to wait and see if Orlando City decides to add another striker when the MLS Secondary Transfer Window rolls around on July 24. We at The Mane Land wish McGuire a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the pitch soon.

Pride Blank Houston Dash at Home on Late Goal

The Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 1-0 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. The match went down to the last second as Cori Dyke scored her first professional goal for the Pride at the death to seal the win. Orlando has won back-to-back matches and is second in the NWSL table with 22 points. The Pride will begin a two-match road trip starting Friday, taking on Bay FC.

OCB Stuns Huntsville City FC on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Huntsville City FC 3-2 Friday at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium. After a scoreless first half, the Young Lions struck first as Hayden Sargis scored the opener. Huntsville City FC answered with two goals to take a 2-1 lead. OCB overcame a 2-1 deficit and scored two late goals from Jhon Solis and Dyson Clapier to take home the three points. The win lifted the Young Lions to third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings with 20 points. OCB has won two straight and will be back on the road Wednesday to take on Carolina Core FC.

Despite Early Goal, USMNT Falls to Turkey in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Turkey Saturday at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT in a friendly. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman made his debut for the USMNT, starting the match and playing 90 minutes. Jack McGlynn scored the opening goal in 59 seconds to give the USMNT the early lead. However, Turkey scored back-to-back goals later in the first half to take a 2-1 lead — the first on a howler of a mistake by Johnny Cardoso — and held on for the win. It’s the third straight defeat for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad as we’re nearly a year away from kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The USMNT will look to bounce back with another friendly Tuesday against Switzerland in Nashville. The USMNT’s first match in the Concacaf Gold Cup is June 15 against Trinidad & Tobago.

Portugal Wins Second UEFA Nations League Title

Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw to win a second UEFA Nations League title. Portugal was down 2-1 in the second half before Cristiano Ronaldo scored the equalizer. It was Ronaldo’s 138th career international goal. After no goals in extra time, the match went to penalties. Tied 3-3 after three rounds, Nuno Mendes converted from the spot for Portugal, while Alvaro Morata of Spain saw his shot saved in the fourth round. Ruben Neves put it away in the final round of penalties to claim the UEFA Nations League trophy.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nani and his Nani FC side fell 2-1 to Concafa SC in the quarterfinals of The Soccer Tournament Saturday. Another former Lion, Brek Shea, scored the winning goal for Concafa SC to book a spot in the semifinals.
  • The National Women’s Soccer League announced its Best XI for May and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was honored on the squad after scoring the Pride’s first-ever hat trick against the Utah Royals on May 23.
  • Chelsea forward Mia Fishel is reportedly in discussions with multiple NWSL clubs as she seeks a summer transfer move. Fishel was drafted by the Orlando Pride in 2022 but didn’t sign with the club at the time, instead signing with Tigres in Mexico.
  • Luciano Spalletti announced during a press conference Sunday that he has been fired as manager of the Italian National Team. Italy began its 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-0 loss to Norway over the weekend.
  • France defeated Germany 2-0 to win the third-place match in the UEFA Nations League.
  • Major League Soccer and its players union have been unable to come to an agreement as talks continue over the Club World Cup prize money and player compensation.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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

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