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Lion Links: 1/13/23

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3 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m feeling pretty good as we start to get ready for the weekend. It’s been a busy week, but cocktails and sports await us in what should be a nice next few days. Before we dive right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Cesar Baena, Orlando City’s goalkeeper coach!

Orlando Pride Draft Emily Madril and Four More Players

With the third overall pick in the NWSL Draft, the Orlando Pride selected center back Emily Madril. The 23-year-old did not play her final year of eligibility with Florida State. Instead, she signed a contract with the NWSL and played on loan in Sweden. She should certainly help shore up a Pride defense that allowed 45 goals in 22 games last season.

In the second round, the Pride drafted TCU forward Messiah Bright with the 21st overall pick. Bright scored 49 goals in 102 collegiate games for the Horned Frogs, including 10 goals last season. She was also called up to the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team last summer and will hopefully give the Pride a needed scoring threat. The Pride decided to take another center back to start the third round, selecting Tori Hansen out of North Carolina. Hansen was an integral player in North Carolina’s stalwart defense last season, starting all 26 games.

The Pride then did what they do best and acquired $75,000 in allocation money by trading away the 29th and 34th overall picks to the Washington Spirit. From atop their Smaug-like pile of cash, the Pride selected attacking midfielder Summer Yates out of Washington and UCF forward Kristen Scott in the fourth round. Give a warm welcome to the Pride’s 2023 draft class!

Meggie Dougherty Howard Heads to San Diego

Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard became a free agent following the Pride’s 2022 season and has signed with San Diego Wave FC on a two-year deal. She contributed three goals and three assists in 36 matches across her past two seasons with the Pride. A source confirmed that the Pride made an offer for her to stay in Orlando, but she will instead be joining former Pride players Alex Morgan and Taylor Kornieck in San Diego. Her departure should provide more minutes for Viviana Villacorta, although the Pride might still need to add some depth to their midfield.

Lions Making the Most of the Preseason

Orlando City won the U.S. Open Cup last year, but the team is not resting on its laurels as it prepares for the upcoming season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the team is hungry for more silverware and using this preseason to set the tone of the season early. Opportunity certainly knocks for the Lions this year, with their first taste of Concacaf Champions League action coming in March. Orlando brought in multiple players to help the team reach the next level. Designated Player Martin Ojeda, left back Luca Petrasso, and veteran midfielder Felipe Martin have all been training with the team this week. It will take some time for the new Lions to jell with their teammates, but Ojeda spoke on how there are a few familiar faces that should ease the process.

“Rodrigo (Schlegel) and I were together at Racing (Club) during our time down there and we started a few games together. I know Wilder (Cartagena) from the little time that I’ve gotten to spend with him as a teammate, and I know that we’ve got some other teammates and countrymen of mine that I’ve still got to meet. So, it’ll make the adaption a lot easier, and I’m excited to get started.”

Alyssa Thompson Taken First Overall in NWSL Draft

Angel City FC predictably selected Alyssa Thompson with the first overall pick in the draft, making her the youngest player drafted in NWSL history. The 18-year-old has reportedly signed a three-year deal with Angel City that is fully guaranteed.

After trading with the Pride for the second overall pick earlier this month, NJ/NY Gotham FC then traded it away to the Kansas City Current in exchange for forward Lynn Williams. The Current then selected MAC Hermann Award winner Michelle Cooper with that second pick. Before the draft got started, Gotham traded with Racing Louisville FC for the fourth pick and chose Florida State’s Jenna Nighswonger. The Portland Thorns rounded out the top five by drafting Alabama defender Reyna Reyes. The North Carolina Courage traded Diana Ordonez and the 30th overall pick to the Houston Dash in exchange for two first-round picks and more. As a result, the Courage had a whopping four picks in the back half of the first round, selecting Olivia Wingate, Sydney Collins, Clara Robbins, and Haley Hopkins. You can check out how the entire draft shook out.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Emily Sonnett was traded from the Washington Spirit to OL Reign for a first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 draft.
  • Former Orlando City B player Ates Diouf was signed by Lexington SC after helping San Antonio FC claim a USL Championship title last year.
  • Right back Jonathan Dean, who was selected by Orlando in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, was signed by the Chicago Fire. Dean has spent the past three years with the Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship.
  • Serie A’s Udinese is reportedly interested in FC Cincinnati forward Brenner and has made an offer for the Brazilian.
  • Toronto FC signed Norwegian forward Adama Diomande on a two-year contract. Diomande reunited with Toronto Head Coach Bob Bradley after stints together in Norway and LAFC.
  • Sporting Kansas City added German left back Tim Leibold, signing the 23-year-old to a three-year contract.
  • NWSL games may look a bit better this season due to the increase in cameras for VAR.

  • In his first match in the English Premier League, Chelsea’s Joao Felix was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge in the 58th minute. Americans Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson both started as Fulham beat Chelsea 2-1.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

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2 hours ago

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May 20, 2026

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Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/19/26

Lions set for international duty, lessons from MLS matchday 14, Austin FC makes changes at the top, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 19, 2026

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Image of Marco Pasalic saluting the fans.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! It wasn’t a particularly successful weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, but we don’t have time to dwell on the past. Orlando City is set for a big U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against Atlanta United tonight, and all three teams will be back in action over the weekend. We’ve got a whole host of things to talk about today, so let’s jump straight into the links.

Lions Called Up for International Duty

A busy summer break from MLS is almost upon us, and that means that the international call-ups are starting to roll in. Gustavo Caraballo will be joining Venezuela’s U-20 outfit as it gets ready for an upcoming youth tournament.

In addition, Marco Pasalic has been named to Croatia’s World Cup squad, so Orlando City will be represented on the biggest stage.

Congrats to both players!

Lessons from Matchday 14

Matchday 14 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so let’s take a look at what we learned from the weekend’s action. For one thing, despite a slightly slow start to the season by his high standards, Hany Mukhtar’s hat trick against LAFC proved that he should still be considered among the league’s elite. Marco Reus flashed his versatility in the LA Galaxy’s 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, as he played striker and got an assist on LA’s first goal. Finally, while its too early to say things are definitely turned around for Sporting Kansas City, back-to-back wins means that there’s at least something to get excited about, and that’s very welcome in a season that’s been difficult for the most part. The spine of Sporting’s midfield looked improved on Saturday, and having Dejan Jovelic up top is never going to hurt a team’s chances.

Austin FC Makes Personnel Changes

Austin FC followed in the footsteps of the Columbus Crew by announcing the firing of head coach Nico Estevez on Monday. Where Austin went a step further was by also firing sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. The team has begun searches for permanent appointments to both positions immediately, while naming Davy Arnaud as interim manager in what will be his second stint in that role with the club. Austin has endured a difficult start to the season and is currently 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 3-6-5 and 14 points from 14 matches. The 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday seems to have been the final straw, and Austin will now be seeking its third permanent head coach since becoming an MLS club.

Americans in Midweek Action

Most major European seasons have already wrapped up or will be doing so shortly, but there’s still a number of Americans who will be competing during the working week. Things get started later today when Tyler Adams and Bournemouth play host to Manchester City in Premier League action. The stakes ratchet up considerably on Thursday when Kevin Paredes and Wolfsburg play Paderborn in the first leg of the Bundesliga’s promotion/relegation tie. Things then finish up on Friday when Yunus Musah and Atalanta travel to take on Fiorentina in Serie A.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links: 5/18/26

Lions draw Atlanta United, Pride and OCB lose, Americans abroad, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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Image of Griffin Dorsey playing against Nashville.
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 high school playoff water polo and soccer. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw Atlanta United

Orlando City drew Atlanta United 1-1 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Griffin Dorsey scored the opener for the Lions in the first half. Orlando was moments away from securing back-to-back wins. However, the Lions could not hold onto the lead, as Jay Fortune scored a late equalizer for Atlanta, and both teams ended up with a point. It will be a busy week for Orlando City, facing Atlanta United again Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup at home, followed by a road trip to take on FC Cincinnati Saturday at TQL Stadium.

Pride Fall to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride fell 3-1 in their first road match against Denver Summit FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday. It’s the second consecutive match in a week the Pride have lost to a 2026 NWSL expansion team on the road, following a defeat to Boston Legacy FC on Tuesday. Orlando conceded the first goal and trailed 1-0 at halftime. In the second half, Janine Sonis scored a penalty kick goal to give Denver a 2-0 lead. Angelina was sent off with a red card before Barbra Banda pulled one back, but Sonis added her second goal immediately after the Pride scored to put away Denver’s first-ever home win. The Pride will look to bounce back on the road, taking on the San Diego Wave Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium.

OCB Concedes Late in 1-0 Road Loss to New England Revolution II

Orlando City B fell 1-0 to New England Revolution II on the road Sunday at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI. Both teams struggled to score throughout the match, and it looked like the match was heading to a 0-0 draw and a shootout. However, Judah Siqueira scored a winner for New England in the dying moments of the match for the hosts. The result ends the Young Lions’ four-match points streak. OCB will return home to face Inter Miami II Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Americans Abroad

Auston Trusty played a full 90 minutes and helped Celtic overturn a 1-0 deficit to complete the comeback and defeat Hearts 3-1 to secure the club’s fifth straight Scottish Premiership title. Antonee Robinson scored his first Premier League goal for Fulham in a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Chris Richards came off the bench and played 29 minutes for Crystal Palace in a 2-2 draw against Brentford but suffered an ankle injury toward the end of the match. Christian Pulisic made his return to AC Milan after being sidelined with a lower back injury and came off the bench in the second half in a 2-1 win against Genoa. Ricardo Pepi scored for PSV Eindhoven in a 5-1 win against FC Twente. George Bello and Sam Adeniran helped LASK capture its first Austrian Bundesliga title since 1965, defeating Austria Vienna 3-0 and booking a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League playoff round.

Manchester City Defeats Chelsea to Win FA Cup

Manchester City defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium Saturday to win the English FA Cup. After a scoreless first half, Antoine Semenyo’s lone goal in the second half was enough to pull Manchester City to victory and keep the club’s domestic treble hopes alive. It’s Manchester City’s second FA Cup trophy in four years.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City midfielder Gustavo Caraballo has been called up to the Venezuela U-20 Men’s National Team for the upcoming Maurice Revello Tournament in France.
  • Orlando Pride defender Kylie Nadaner gave birth to her first child over the weekend.

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

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