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Lion Links: 4/14/23

Orlando City prepares for Minnesota United, Orlando Pride face NJ/NY Gotham FC tomorrow night, Dante Vanzeir suspended, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Taylor Swift is in town over here in Tampa for the weekend, which means traffic is insane and any restaurant is going to have crazy wait times. For better or for worse, I don’t have many plans this weekend beyond a trip to the theater to watch the Mario movie. Hopefully you have some nice days awaiting you as we all get psyched over more Orlando soccer to enjoy. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Gets Ready for Minnesota United

It’s been two weeks since Orlando City lost 2-0 to Nashville SC and the Lions will aim to bounce back on the road tomorrow night against Minnesota United. The Lions have yet to win against the Loons at Allianz Field and this will be their first match there since a 1-1 draw in August of 2019. While Minnesota is still searching for its first home win of the season, Orlando remains undefeated on the road this year. Designated Player Martin Ojeda’s 26 shots are the second-most in the league and he has two goals and an assist to his name this year. Orlando will need him and the team’s other playmakers to step up against a Minnesota defense that’s only conceded five goals in six games this season.

Orlando Pride Host NJ/NY Gotham FC Tomorrow Night

The Orlando Pride are also coming off of a break as they gear up for tomorrow night’s match against NJ/NY Gotham FC at Exploria Stadium. The last time these two teams squared off was last year on Aug. 20. Playing on the road, Ally Watt made her debut off the bench and scored soon after in a 2-1 win for the Pride. Although the Pride are still looking for their first win of the season, they scored and created good chances in a 2-1 loss to Angel City FC on April 2. Pride rookie Messiah Bright scored the first goal of her professional career in that match and spoke on how the team is preparing for tomorrow night.

Orlando City Announces Watch Party Schedule

Starting next month, Orlando City fans can watch their favorite Lions play on the road from local pubs as part of this season’s series of watch parties. Six venues were chosen to host a watch party this year. Kiwi’s Pub & Grill, one of three returning pubs alongside Hooch and Hammered Lamb this year, will host the first event on May 6 when the Lions take on CF Montreal in Canada. Clermont’s Wolfhound Irish Pub and downtown Orlando’s The Game Room and Fixtion are the other locations in this year’s lineup. As part of the partnership, the six pubs will have access to MLS Season Pass this season for fans to watch matches and there will be discounts on Heineken as well.

Prize Pool Increased for NWSL Challenge Cup

NWSL Challenge Cup sponsor UKG announced that the prize money for the tournament has increased to $1 million. The league joined forces last year with UKG, a human resources and workforce management company. The partnership led to a tenfold increase in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup’s prize pool compared to 2021 and this decision to increase it again shows a continued effort towards pay equity in professional sports. The $1 million prize money is similar to the amount that MLS Cup and the MLS is Back Tournament had. The NWSL Challenge Cup kicks off next week, with the Pride hosting the North Carolina Courage on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Dante Vanzeir Suspended for Six MLS Matches

MLS suspended New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir for six matches and fined him an undisclosed amount for racist language used towards Jeremy Ebobisse in his team’s match with the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend. Until the suspension is served in full, Vanzeir is prohibited from playing in the U.S. Open Cup or MLS NEXT Pro. He is also required to complete additional training and education sessions. Red Bulls Head Coach Gerhard Struber, who did not sub Vanzeir out until well after the incident, was not suspended or fined. Empire Supporters Club made its feelings on the suspension clear.

Free Kicks

  • Austin FC left back Zan Kolmanic is out for the season after tearing his ACL in training. The 23-year-old has started in all six of Austin’s games this season.
  • The Portland Thorns have added Canadian forward Adriana Leon on loan from Manchester United through June. We’ll see what impact she can bring to a Thorns offense that’s already scored eight goals in two games.
  • Check out this dive into former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter’s odyssey of sorts immediately following the World Cup.
  • Manchester United got off to a hot start in its Europa League match against Sevilla, with Marcel Sabitzer scoring a brace within the first 21 minutes. But a pair of late own goals resulted in a 2-2 draw and defenders Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez had to leave the game due to injuries.
  • Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane was fined and banned for a game by the club. This news comes after reports that he punched teammate Leroy Sane following his club’s loss to Manchester City.
  • Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez was released by Olympiakos following the club’s elimination in the Greek Cup.
  • Rangers Women Head Coach Craig McPherson was banned for six games after headbutting Celtic’s coach.

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/17/25

Orlando City falls apart at home, Orlando Pride players in action abroad, Charlotte will host 2026 MLS All-Star Game, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Sometimes the Cardiac Cats are fun to watch, and other times they really do just stomp your heart into pieces. We’re unfortunately in the aftermath of the latter after Orlando City’s rough defeat last night. The good news is that the Lions can’t lose today as well. Let’s jump right into today’s links.

Orlando City Beaten by New York City FC

The Lions’ summer struggles continued with a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to New York City FC. Robin Jansson scored his first goal of the season, but Orlando collapsed late at home yet again, suffering from an own goal and a winner from Alonso Martinez in stoppage time. Orlando City is now winless in its past four games and has not won at home since May 24. There’s not much time to shake off this loss, as the Lions are back in action on Saturday for a tough road match against the New England Revolution.

Keeping Up With the Pride Players Abroad

Marta came off the bench and provided a pair of assists in Brazil’s dominant 6-0 win over Bolivia in the Copa America Femenina’s group stage. Kerolin had a hat trick and the result keeps Brazil at the top of its group for the time being. The Brazilians will be back in action on Tuesday to face Paraguay.

The CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals kick off on Friday with a great matchup between Zambia and Nigeria. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji have each scored three goals this tournament and both were named to the Best XI of the group stage. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse likely won’t play, but England takes on Sweden today in the Women’s European Championship quarterfinals.

Charlotte Will Host 2026 MLS All-Star Game

MLS announced that Charlotte will serve as the host of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, the 30th in the league’s history. Charlotte FC joined the league in 2022 and this will be the first time the event is held in Charlotte. It’s always nice to see a smaller market receive its day in the sun, and Charlotte has really embraced soccer over the years. But if Sir Minty doesn’t take part in the skills challenge next year, then what are we even doing?

D.C. United Hires Rene Weiler

Rene Weiler is officially the next head coach of D.C. United and will take over once he receives a U.S. work permit. The 51-year-old brings plenty of European experience to the nation’s capital and won the Swiss Cup with Servette FC last year. He replaces Troy Lesesne, who was fired by the club after its exit from the U.S. Open Cup earlier this month. It’s a new era for one of the league’s older clubs, and it will be interesting to see how aggressive D.C. will be to bring in talent during the upcoming transfer window.

Free Kicks

  • Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has reportedly agreed to terms with Inter Miami and could be with the club in time for the Leagues Cup. He also reportedly won’t need to take up a Designated Player spot this year, because of course.

That’s all I have for you this time around, Mane Landers. Stay hydrated and have a great Thursday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/16/25

Orlando City faces NYCFC, Marco Pasalic is an All-Star, OCB’s Jhon Solis transfers out, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful as Orlando City hosts New York City FC in a crucial Eastern Conference bout. I know I’m in the minority, but I love Wednesday matches since I’m off work on Thursdays. That being said, if you have the opportunity, you should definitely head down to the match tonight. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions Host the Pigeons

Orlando City welcomes New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The midweek match comes after a short turnaround following Saturday’s draw against CF Montreal. The Lions will need to get the offense back in gear to take all three points from NYCFC. Our own Ben Miller joined Hudson River Blue to answer questions for the opposition. Check back later today for our detailed preview of the match.

Pasalic is an All-Star

Marco Pasalic was named to the MLS All-Star squad by coach Nico Estévez. Pasalic joins Alex Freeman as the second Lion to represent Orlando City in the match. The MLS All-Stars will play a team of All-Stars from Liga MX. Pasalic is tied with Martin Ojeda for the team’s goal-scoring lead with 10. He also has four assists for the Lions. Pasalic is a worthy addition to the MLS All-Star Team, but it does beg the question why Ojeda didn’t also get an invitation.

So Long, Solis

Orlando City B has transferred midfielder Jhon Solis to Fortaleza C.E.I.F. of Liga BetPlay Dimayor — Colombia’s top tier. Solis made 70 appearances for the Young Lions since joining prior to the 2023 season. As a native of Medellín, Colombia, the 26-year-old is returning to his home country to continue his career. Solis wasn’t able to make the jump to Orlando City’s first team, but he was a consistent starter for OCB.

U.S. National Team News

Fresh off his appearances in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Patrick Agyemang has been transferred from Charlotte FC to Derby County in the English Championship. In sadder news, Aaron Long is out for the season after having surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles.

On the women’s side, USWNT coach Emma Hayes has great praise for Sam Coffey and her presence in the U.S. midfield.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back later as we prepare you for tonight’s match, and don’t forget to follow The Mane Land on Bluesky to get match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/15/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, United States Men’s National Team announces friendlies, talking points about the women’s Euros, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Good morning, everyone. I write to you all from the great state of South Carolina, as I continue my summer of frequent and widespread traveling. We have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B’s Tristan Himes and get into today’s links!

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

A pair of Orlando City players have earned some recognition for their contributions during the Lions’ 1-1 draw with CF Montreal on Saturday. First up is Martin Ojeda, who garnered a nomination for the MLS Goal of the Matchday for this pinpoint, low free kick he scored which gave Orlando a lead in the first half.

We also can’t forget about Alex Freeman, who got a shoutout as a well-performing young player due to another solid performance at right back. Here’s hoping both men keep up the good work!

USMNT Announces October Friendlies

The United States Men’s National Team has announced that it will play friendlies against Ecuador and Australia during the October international window. The USMNT will face Ecuador on Oct. 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX, before playing Australia at Dick’s Sporting Good Park in Commerce City, CO. Both opponents are ranked in the top 25 in the world, and have already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The games are exactly the sort of contests that the U.S. should be scheduling in the buildup to the tournament, and it’ll be interesting to see the performances of whatever roster Mauricio Pochettino chooses to deploy.

Women’s Euro Talking Points

The group stage of the women’s European Championship has come to an end, and there are plenty of things to talk about while we wait for the knockout stages to start later this week. Teams like Italy and Sweden have exceeded the expectations that many people had for them ahead of the tournament starting, while others like the Netherlands and Denmark had poor showings compared to what was expected of them. Alexia Putellas has unsurprisingly shone, and the quarterfinal matchup between France and Germany is the one that many people will have circled on their calendars.

Club World Cup Takeaways

Now that the Club World Cup has come to a conclusion, what did we learn from the tournament? For one, the quality of play was mostly good, as teams certainly took the competition seriously. Lessons need to be learned when it comes to pricing tickets appropriately and not kicking games off in the middle of the day during the heat of summer, but if the right adjustments are made, it could grow into a really fun competition to look forward to. Brazilian fans were one of the highlights of the tournament, while extremely low attendance numbers for some games were more of a blemish. Overall, the tournament is probably a net positive, but there are absolutely things that can and must be improved upon if it’s going to continue in this form.

Free Kicks

  • Martin Ojeda has now gone seven straight matches with a goal contribution, which is a new club record!

That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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