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Lion Links: 12/22/22

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a busy week for Orlando City and a busy week for me as well as I try to knock out all of the shopping I have left. I’m definitely looking forward to this weekend’s festivities, so that I can kick back, enjoy some sugar, and relax. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Ruan Traded to D.C. United

Before the 2023 MLS SuperDraft took place, Orlando City traded right back Ruan to D.C. United in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. It was a surprising move, considering Ruan has held down the starting job at right back for the Lions since joining the team in 2019. Although his crossing has been lackluster, his speed was one of Orlando’s best weapons when attacking and this will likely change how the Lions hunt for goals in the future. He recorded four goals and 15 assists across four seasons with the Lions and now joins a D.C. United side coached by Wayne Rooney. Personally, I think this was a good move, as Orlando has Homegrown Players Mikey Halliday and Alex Freeman waiting in the wings behind Kyle Smith. However, I will miss the energy and personality Ruan brought to the team, especially considering Junior Urso won’t be in Orlando next year either.

Orlando City Drafts Two Forwards, Two Defenders

As a result of the aforementioned trade, the Lions had three picks in the first round of this year’s draft. With the second overall pick, Orlando chose forward Shakur Mohammed, one of the top prospects in this year’s draft. While Ruan is a hefty price to pay, and Mohamed will require an international spot, the Duke forward is a Generation Adidas player and has enough talent and versatility to make an impact sooner rather than later for the first team. He’s also already given his greetings to Orlando fans and I can’t wait to see what he can do in purple.

Orlando continued to bolster its attack a few picks later, choosing Creighton forward Duncan McGuire with the sixth overall pick. This was a bit of a surprise considering the lack of depth at fullback, but McGuire scored 23 goals during an impressive campaign this past season that included a trip to the College Cup.

The Lions then addressed their back line with the 17th overall pick, selecting defender Abdi Salim out of Syracuse. He’s 6-foot-1, right-footed, and reportedly capable of playing at fullback or center back. He’s apparently also ready to enjoy some warmer weather in Orlando.

A busy draft day for the Lions ended in the second round when they chose German center back Luis Grassow. He has spent the past four seasons with Kentucky and may end up providing some relief to the defense depending on his development.

Reports Link Orlando City with Martin Ojeda

Multiple reports surfaced indicating that Argentine winger Martin Ojeda is set to become Orlando City’s third Designated Player. In Argentina’s top flight, the 24-year-old has scored 23 goals in 56 games since 2020 for Godoy Cruz. If this move comes to fruition, it will be interesting to see how another young South American winger would fit into Orlando’s offense alongside Facundo Torres, Gaston Gonzalez, and Ivan Angulo. Ojeda’s inclusion would certainly elevate Orlando’s offense and give Head Coach Oscar Pareja plenty of options to work with throughout the season.

Marta Re-Signs With the Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride re-signed Brazilian legend Marta to a two-year contract, keeping her in purple through 2024. The 36-year-old has been with the club since 2017 and missed the majority of the Pride’s 2022 campaign due to a knee injury in the NWSL Challenge Cup. She provides plenty of experience, leadership, and technical ability to help guide a young Pride team that is in the midst of a rebuild. It will be interesting to see how Marta performs over the next two years, as she still has the vision and skill on the ball to bring an opposing defense to its knees.

Orlando City Announces Community Events in February

Orlando City will host events in the lead-up to the Lions’ 2023 season opener, including the unveiling of the team’s new primary jersey on Feb. 18 at Exploria Stadium. More details on that reveal will be provided in the future and I’m sure we’ll get a few teases and clues before the event takes place. OCSC will also welcome students to Exploria Stadium on Feb. 4 for the Orlando Regional Spelling Bee, hosting the event for the second-straight year. Registration is also open for the eighth-annual edition of the Purple Pride 5K on Feb. 11, with a new course planned for the runners.

Trades Made for a Wild MLS Draft Day

Phones were ringing off the hook during the MLS SuperDraft as clubs made trades and fielded calls. St. Louis City traded away the No. 1 overall pick in the draft to Charlotte FC in exchange for the No. 20 pick and $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Charlotte then selected Clemson defender Hamady Diop with the top pick to strengthen its back line. After the Colorado Rapids chose defender Moise Bombito with the third pick, the New England Revolution traded up to take midfielder Joshua Bolma with the fourth pick. The Vancouver Whitecaps then moved up in the draft order to select midfielder J.C. Ngando. St. Louis made its first draft pick in franchise history by trading for the ninth overall pick and selecting Owen O’Malley.

CF Montreal Hires Hernan Losada as Head Coach

Following the departure of Wilfried Nancy, CF Montreal has brought in Hernan Losada as the club’s next head coach. Losada was fired as D.C. United’s head coach early into this past season, lasting just 15 months as the helm. Known for his high-pressing style, Losada’s preferred formation of three in the back lines up with what Montreal used during a strong 2022 season. Montreal has undergone plenty of change this off-season, so only time will tell if Losada will be able to replicate that success.

Free Kicks

  • It looks like Lionel Messi isn’t headed to Miami anytime soon, which is pretty good news for Orlando and the other Eastern Conference teams.

  • Enjoy these leaks of Atlanta United, Inter Miami, and LAFC jerseys for the upcoming season.
  • A scoreless draw against Juventus was enough for Lyon to advance to the next round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
  • Manchester United reached the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup after winning 2-0 against Burnley, with Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford finding the back of the net.
  • Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is reportedly in Italy and set to sign with Serie A’s Salernitana.


That’s going to be all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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

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