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Lion Links: 12/3/22

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3 years ago

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Happy Saturday, Mane Landers. It seems like just yesterday that the World Cup was getting underway. Now, we wake to jitters and nervous optimism as the USMNT begins its knockout-stage run this morning. It might be a morning kickoff here in the United States, but I hope it doesn’t detract from you getting to a watch party or gathering with family. The breweries are open, the brunch spots have their TVs on, and/or your grandma is up cooking pancakes. No matter where you choose to catch the match, I hope you know and believe in your heart of hearts that we will win. I know I believe that we will win! Now, on to the links!

Favian Loyola Signs Homegrown Contract

Orlando City has added the club’s 13th all-time Homegrown Player. Midfielder Favian Loyola has been signed to a three-year contract through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027. That contract officially goes into effect this upcoming Jan. 1. At only 17 years old, Loyola has plenty of time to grow into a fan favorite for Lions’ supporters. Loyola began the year on an academy contract, but ultimately played his way to the 2022 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, in which he was named MVP. Signing with the first team is clearly the icing on the cake for a player who earned his minutes and accolades every step of the way.

“Favian is an exciting young talent that we’re happy to have been able to help grow throughout the course of the last few years,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “His development and impact in the last year with Orlando City B amplified his continued improvement at every step since joining our academy, and we look forward to seeing his continued growth with our first team.”

LA Galaxy Sanctioned for 2019 Salary Violations

Major League Soccer has imposed sanctions on the LA Galaxy for violating salary budget and roster guidelines during the 2019 season. The LA Galaxy entered into undisclosed agreements and made unaccounted payments in the calculation of Cristian Pavón’s salary budget and roster category. The undisclosed agreements and payments resulted in the improper classification of Pavón as a Targeted Allocation Money player in 2019, when he should have occupied a Designated Player slot. The sanctions for the Galaxy include a $1 million fine and a $1 million loss of available future General Allocation Money. Additionally, the Galaxy will be prohibited from registering a player who requires the receipt of an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from outside of the United States and Canada during the Secondary Transfer Window in 2023.

For his involvement in the agreements, Galaxy President Chris Klein has been suspended from any sporting-related responsibilities through the conclusion of the Primary Transfer Window in 2023. Additionally, former general manager Dennis te Kloese will be required to submit an application with the league should he wish to secure employment with any MLS club.

USMNT-Netherlands Preview

The United States Men’s National Team will kick off the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a Round of 16 clash against Netherlands today at 10 a.m. The team is coming off an undefeated run through the group stage, including a 1-0 victory against Iran to clinch its knockout-round berth. With a victory today, the USMNT would claim its first quarterfinal appearance since 2002. The Dutch are currently ranked eighth in the world and back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament. They enter the knockouts after going undefeated (2-0-1) and winning Group A.

Today marks the sixth meeting between the U.S. and the Netherlands all-time, with the Dutch holding a 4-1-0 advantage. However, it’s the two nations’ first meeting in official competition. The teams last met in a friendly match on June 5, 2015 in Amsterdam with the Americans walking away victorious, 4-3. After going down 3-1, the USMNT rallied to a comeback victory, with goals from John Brooks in the 70th minute, Danny Williams in the 89th, and Bobby Wood in the 90th. Current USMNT players Jordan Morris and DeAndre Yedlin both appeared in the match as second-half substitutes.

The news that everyone has eyes on since the USA-Iran match was that of injury status of star Christian Pulisic. We now all breathe a collective sign of relief, as Pulisic has been cleared to play.

Previewing the Round of 16

The 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage has come to a close. We now know which 16 teams will be moving on and have taken one final step closer to raising the greatest trophy in soccer. There are squads filled with world-beaters like Brazil, France, Argentina, and Spain. There are underdogs such as Japan, Australia, and Morocco. If you want to find a secondary team to support beyond the United States, all eight matches have something special to watch for. Following this morning’s match between the U.S. and the Netherlands, Argentina and Australia will kick off at 2 p.m. Tomorrow will see clashes between France and Poland followed by England and Senegal. In what could shape out to be an interesting affair, Japan will look to defeat Croatia on Monday morning, with Brazil likely to topple South Korea in the afternoon match. Finally, Morocco looks to continue its Cinderella story against Spain on Tuesday, while Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo are clear favorites against Switzerland.

Notable absentees from the knockout stage include Belgium, which finished in third place in its group. Germany and Uruguay, which were both heavily touted entering the group stage, also both failed to qualify for the Round of 16. Let us know in the comments below who you are most shocked did not reach the elimination stage. Also, who are you pulling for the rest of the way if the USMNT’s run comes to a close?

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That’s all I have for you today. I hope you find time this morning to cheer on the Yanks to victory. I have a feeling today is going to be a good day. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

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23 hours ago

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July 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

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Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

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Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/30/25

Lions fall to FC Cincinnati, USWNT beats Ireland, USMNT defeats Costa Rica in penalties, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 30, 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 been busy at work but got to catch up with friends at a Chicago White Sox game. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City midfielder Joran Gerbet, who turns 25 today. Our Lions were the only team in action over the weekend while the Pride and OCB were off. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall at Home to FC Cincinnati

Orlando City fell 2-1 to FC Cincinnati Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium, seeing its two-match winning streak end. The Lions trailed 2-0, with Evander scoring both goals for FC Cincinnati. Marco Pasalic pulled one back for Orlando, but it was not enough as FC Cincinnati claimed the three points and remain second in the Eastern Conference standings with 39 points. Orlando City is fifth with 33 points. The Lions will travel to face Charlotte FC Saturday at Bank of America Stadium.

Pride and Grace Chanda Exercise Mutual Option for 2026 Season

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced the club and Grace Chanda reached an agreement to exercise their mutual option for the 2026 season. Chanda joined Orlando last summer but was placed on the Season-Ending Injury list after sustaining an injury while playing for Zambia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Chanda made her debut earlier this season for the Pride on March 19 and came off the bench against the Washington Spirit in the second half. Chanda has made three appearances for the Pride during the 2025 season.

Pride Sign Zara Chavoshi to New Contract

The Orlando Pride also announced Friday the club has reached an agreement with defender Zara Chavoshi on a new contract. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a mutual option for 2028. Chavoshi joined the club ahead of the 2025 season and became the first player Orlando signed directly out of college, following the NWSL’s abolition of the draft as a mechanism for player acquisition last year. Chavoshi made her debut for the Pride on March 23 against NJ/NY Gotham FC and came off the bench. She made her first professional start on May 3 on the road against the Portland Thorns and played 90 minutes. Chavoshi has made four appearances for the Pride during the 2025 season. Also over the weekend, Chavoshi scored her first goal for the Canadian Women’s National Team in a 4-1 win over Costa Rica in an international friendly.

USWNT Defeats Ireland Again in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team beat Ireland 4-0 Sunday at TQL Stadium in an international friendly. It was the second win in a week over Ireland for the USWNT. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams started the match and played 90 minutes. Lynn Biyendolo scored the opener, while Izzy Rodriguez scored her first goal for the USWNT to extend the lead to 2-0 going into halftime. In the second half, Yazmeen Ryan and Alyssa Thompson each added a goal to seal another win for the USWNT. The USWNT has won four in a row, and the team’s next match will be against Canada Wednesday at Audi Field. Meanwhile, Gisele Thompson and Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello have left the U.S. women’s national team training camp due to hamstring injuries. Abello last played for the USWNT on June 3 against Jamaica in a friendly.

USMNT Defeats Costa Rica in Penalties in the Gold Cup

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Costa Rica 4-3 in penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. The USMNT trailed 1-0 early in the first half, and Malik Tillman missed a penalty that would have tied the match. However, Diego Luna scored the equalizer just before halftime. In the second half, the USMNT struck quickly with a goal from Max Arfsten to take a 2-1 lead. Costa Rica equalized late in the second half, and after 90 minutes, the game went to penalties. After three rounds, Orlando City fullback Alex Freeman buried his penalty past goalkeeper Keylor Navas to tie it 3-3. Goalkeeper Matt Freese made three saves, and in the sixth round, Damion Downs scored the winning goal to secure a spot for the USMNT in the semifinals. The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday at Energizer Park.

FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 Weekend Recap

The Round of 16 kicked off in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup over the weekend. On Saturday, Palmeiras beat Botafogo 1-0 after extra time, with Paulinho scoring the winning goal. Former Lion Facundo Torres came off the bench late in the second half and played 35 minutes. In another match that needed extra time, Chelsea beat 10-man Benfica 4-1 to advance. On Sunday, Joao Neves scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain crushed Inter Miami 4-0. Miami was the last MLS team remaining in the tournament and saw its run come to an end in the Round of 16. Bayern Munich defeated Flamengo 4-2 to advance, joining Palmeiras, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals. We have two more matches today, as Inter Milan faces Fluminense, while Manchester City takes on Al-Hilal in Orlando at Camping World Stadium.

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

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