Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/8/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ll confess that I’ve been able to get so much more done each morning during this brief break in World Cup action. This has also been nice for the needed holiday shopping I need to get done as we sprint through December. I still miss the daily dose of soccer though, so it’s a good thing the quarterfinals start tomorrow. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Orlando Pride Re-Sign Viviana Villacorta
Viviana Villacorta will be back with the Orlando Pride next season after re-signing a new two-year contract. This move keeps a talented, young player with the team while it continues to rebuild. Villacorta was drafted by the Pride with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, but the pandemic and a torn ACL resulted in her not making her Pride debut until this past season. The 23-year-old didn’t have a goal or an assist in her 15 appearances with the Pride, but she passed the ball well and was solid on the defensive side of things in the midfield.
MLS College Showcase Invites 44 College Players
The third-ever MLS College Showcase will begin tomorrow in Raleigh and run through Monday as 44 invitees will aim to impress MLS technical staffs through training sessions, interviews, and more. It is a closed-door event and will give MLS clubs a chance to scout players ahead of the MLS SuperDraft on Dec. 21. Three University of Central Florida players were invited — senior winger Gino Vivi, junior forward Lucca Dourado, and sophomore left back Anderson Rosa. Orlando City has two picks in the first round of this year’s draft, including the sixth overall pick courtesy of the Chicago Fire.
Discussions Reportedly Begin Over Gregg Berhalter’s Contract
Preliminary talks are reportedly set to begin between Gregg Berhalter and the U.S. Soccer Federation in regards to a new contract as his existing deal expires at the end of the year. Berhalter led the United States Men’s National Team to the Round of 16 in the World Cup before falling 3-1 to the Netherlands. Although the road to qualifying for this World Cup included some bumps along the way, Berhalter’s time at the helm included wins over Mexico to win the 2021 Gold Cup and the Concacaf Nations League. Berhalter is reportedly interested in coaching opportunities in Europe, and these discussions should help both sides find a satisfying solution as the U.S. starts preparing for the 2026 World Cup.
Looking Ahead to the World Cup Quarterfinals
The World Cup quarterfinals kick off tomorrow and every remaining team has a decent case for winning the whole thing. This tournament has featured plenty of upsets, but the favorites still loom large over the knockout stage. Brazil was unstoppable in its 4-1 win over South Korea, but faces a Croatian team that knows how to manage a game and advance. Those two nations will square off tomorrow at 10 a.m., with Argentina taking on the Netherlands later at 2 p.m. in what should also be a great match. On Saturday, Portugal’s explosive offense will battle against a formidable Moroccan defense that’s only allowed one goal so far. But the match I’m most looking forward to is Saturday’s heavyweight clash between England and France at 2 p.m. to close out the quarterfinals.
Free Kicks
- Following a strong showing at the World Cup, American midfielder Yunus Musah is reportedly garnering interest from a trio of English Premier League teams. A bidding war could break out between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea over the 20-year-old, whose contract with Valencia doesn’t expire until 2026.
- D.C. United signed left back Mohanad Jeahze to a three-year deal through 2025, with an option for 2026. Jeahze joins D.C. after three seasons with Hammarby IF, contributing five goals and 19 assists in 89 appearances with the Swedish club.
- Rumors are swirling about the United States participating in the 2024 Copa America, but the U.S. may end up hosting the tournament as well.
The 2024 Copa América is looking like it will be in the USA!! This, after the resignation of Ecuador as host country.
United States, Mexico and Canada have agreed to play. There will be invites to 3 other nations from CONCACAF.
Info via @FOXSportsMX pic.twitter.com/EaGIl9w4sd— Diego Montalvan (@DMontalvan) December 7, 2022
- The Kansas City Current signed veteran midfielders Morgan Gautrat and Vanessa DiBernardo to two-year contracts. Both players join the Current as free agents after years of playing together with the Chicago Red Stars.
- The Houston Dynamo signed former Toronto FC forward Ifunanyachi Achara for the 2023 season, with an option for 2024 as well. Achara was selected by the Dynamo in the second stage of the MLS Re-Entry Draft and could give the team a needed boost on offense.
- Here’s a list of remaining MLS free agents who can make an impact next season. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing veteran forward Kei Kamara or midfielder Memo Rodriguez in purple next year. Goalkeepers Sean Johnson and James Pantemis are other free agents to keep an eye on depending on how talks shake out with Pedro Gallese.
- Eden Hazard has played his last game for Belgium. The 31-year-old retired from the international team after Belgium’s exit from the World Cup in the group stage.
- Despite Germany’s exit from the World Cup, Hansi Flick will stick around as head coach to lead the team through the 2024 European Championship, which Germany will host.
- You’ll be able to watch more Wrexham games now that an agreement was made allowing National League matches to be streamed. Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds has been pushing for this to happen, and it’s nice that the streaming deal will benefit all 72 teams involved.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.
Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.
Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.
“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”
Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.
Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year
Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.
Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves
FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.
Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.
Free Kicks
- In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
- ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
- Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
- Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
- The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
- Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/21/24
Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship
There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.
Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.
Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year
Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.
2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled
The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach
FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.
Free Kicks
- District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.
- Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino, who was an Orlando City B assistant coach in 2015 and played for the USL Lions, spoke on Atlanta’s Cinderella run this postseason ahead of his team’s clash with Orlando City on Sunday.
- CF Montreal signed Canadian center back Joel Waterman to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2027 with an option for 2028 as well.
- D.C. United signed goalkeeper Jordan Farr from the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a two-year deal. Farr had 11 shutouts with the Rowdies this year and joins a D.C. side that declined the contract options for both Tyler Miller and Alex Bono last month.
- American forward Catarina Macario had an assist for Chelsea in a 3-0 win against Celtic in the Women’s Champions League.
- Spanish midfielder Juan Mata joined San Diego FC’s ownership group ahead of the club’s inaugural MLS season next year.
- Costa Rican club Alajuelense, which is the highest-ranked team in Central America, has hired a legal firm regarding FIFA allowing both Pachuca and Club Leon to take part in the 2025 Club World Cup despite having the same owner.
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: 11/20/24
Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.
Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!
Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons
Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.
Seb Hines Wins Major Award
The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:
Internationals Take The Pitch
Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.
Record MLS Signing Reported
FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.
Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup
Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.
Free Kicks
- Gerardo “Tata” Martino will address the media in a final news conference on Friday along with Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas as he is expected to step down from his head coach position for personal reasons.
- Instantly linked to the managerial vacancy at Inter Miami is former FC Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernández.
- Nashville SC acquired 23-year-old former Norway youth international midfielder Edvard Tagseth from Rosenborg BK through 2026 with an option for 2027.
- Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang is set to donate $30 million dollars to U.S. Soccer’s women and girls programs over the next five years.
- The United Soccer League announced that USL Dallas, North Texas’ newest professional soccer team, will join the USL Championship for the 2027 season.
- Manchester United is offering €30 million and a struggling player in a swap deal to gain the services of Victor Osimhen.
- Patrick Vieira is likely to step into the managerial role at Genoa after Alberto Gilardino was unexpectedly fired.
- Miami FC and a professional women’s team could be getting a new 10,000-seat stadium in Homestead.
That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!
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