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Lion Links: 12/22/22

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2 years ago

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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!

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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.

Published

55 minutes 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

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.

Published

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.

Free Kicks

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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