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Lion Links: 4/22/23

Orlando City players approaching key milestones as Lions brace for D.C., Pride set for Kansas City trip, U-20 World Cup groups set, and more.

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3 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

It’s another weekend full of Orlando soccer, Mane Landers! Tonight, Orlando City is back at home in Exploria Stadium for the return match against D.C. United. Then on Sunday, we have the Pride traveling to Children’s Mercy Park for a match with the Kansas City Current at 5 p.m. Finally, we get to round out the weekend with a Sunday nightcap with the Young Lions’ match at Osceola Heritage Park against NYCFC II.

With all that soccer in one weekend, it really begs the question: which jersey should you wear? Do you start with your favorite City jersey on Saturday and keep it on until someone loses? Did you even wash it after last week? Superstitions in sports always fascinate me. Heck, I was the guy on the team who went 14 straight matches without washing his socks in high school because I kept finding goals and assists during one streak. I would like to think that I have changed in my old age, but I probably have not. I’ll be wearing the same shirt as last week. Like they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City’s first MLS captain and club legend Kaká!

Orlando City Adjusts for D.C. United

Orlando City is back at home against D.C. United to settle the score. On March 11, the two clubs finished in a 1-1 draw at Audi Field. The Lions are coming back from stealing a late win against Minnesota United, while D.C. defeated CF Montréal in its last outing. For Orlando City captain Mauricio Pereyra, he thinks both teams will play each other a little differently this time around and even hinted at moving forward with the 3-4-3 formation change from last week.

“From the beginning of the preseason, we started to train in that way and now we have two kinds of formation,” Pereyra said. “One of them is what we usually used to use in the last three years but now this formation is giving us a little more confidence and more people in front and I think that with Gastón [González] and Iván [Angulo] and the people around them. We have covered the spaces wider in the field. We feel comfortable with that.”

Club Records in Reach for Orlando City Players

Orlando City center back Robin Jansson is probably the first name Head Coach Oscar Pareja writes on the white board each week. And with an appearance against D.C. United, Jansson will reach 127 all-time appearances in the MLS era, passing Chris Mueller for the club record. While Mueller was holding on to the appearance record, Jansson already holds the club’s all-time minutes lead and is only five games away from matching Mueller for the most MLS appearances with the Lions.

Another milestone watch will be for goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. He will match Joe Bendik for the most appearances by an Orlando City goalkeeper at 92 should he be selected. Gallese won his 40th game for the Lions in Minnesota and holds the club records for goalkeeper wins and clean sheets.

Pride Prepare for Kansas City Current

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines and forward Ally Watt are looking towards their match against a team that recently shook up its coaching staff. On Wednesday, Matt Potter was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Kansas City Current, and the team went on to win its first group stage match of the NWSL Challenge Cup. For the Pride though, self-focus remains the main principle towards finding its own success.

“They’re going through [a coaching] change. They’re all also looking to win a game of football like ourselves, so it should be a really good, interesting game. It’s nice to go away from home, different environment. Obviously they’re building something there in terms of their fans and stadium up-and-coming, but we have to focus on ourselves. We want to bounce back from the last couple of results and really, again, reinforce our message of being difficult to beat and being threatening in the attack.”

The Pride is also a team full of new faces. With a tournament like the Challenge Cup, it allows players minutes who might not otherwise see much playing time. It can foster growth and chemistry among the squad. As Watt said:

“Just confidence that every single player in each game are growing. I feel that for myself, and you can see along with the backline. Emily Madril had an amazing game, she has so much confidence going into it, as she should. Carly Nelson getting her first start with us and she has all that confidence as well, Messiah [Bright] is gaining confidence. And I think that’s what we need, is to be believing in ourselves and each other more. But honestly, just realize that we can hang in the league and we just have to execute at the end.”

U.S. Learns Draw for Under-20 FIFA World Cup

A tournament that was originally planned for Indonesia will now be played in Argentina from May 20-June 11. After a final draw, the United States now knows that it will be in Group B at the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. The goup rounds out with Ecuador, Fiji, and Slovakia. The tournament features 24 countries split into six groups of four teams. Each of the top two finishers per group, as well as the four best third-place teams, will advance to the Round of 16 and knockout format. The Young Yanks are the only team to reach the quarterfinals of the last three FIFA U-20 World Cups and are one of only three to qualify to the last five U-20 World Cups alongside New Zealand and Uruguay. In the latest U-20 tuneup camp, Orlando City was represented by three players — Michael Halliday, Thomas Williams, and Alex Freeman.

Free Kicks

  • MLS match analysist and former Orlando City Lion Jamie Watson checks in with 96.9 The Game and promises more is yet to come from the club.
  • Orlando Pride rookies Messiah Bright and Emily Madril appear to be bringing back Heelys. Hopefully, they will slide the ball in the next this weekend as easily as they slide around in those shoes.

That’s all I have for you today, folks. I hope you enjoy the fixtures this weekend. If you are headed to the stadium, remember to drive safely, be courteous to the stadium staff, and always drink plenty of water. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/30/26

Orlando City advances in U.S. Open Cup, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines earns praise, NWSL sticks with current calendar, and more.

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14 hours ago

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April 30, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

For the third Thursday morning in a row, we are all basking in the triumph of a midweek win by Orlando City. It feels good, to say the least, and I’m a bit sad that there’s not another Wednesday match next week. Regardless, there’s plenty of Orlando soccer ahead this weekend to look forward to. Now that we have a little optimism to get us through the rest of the week, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Wins U.S. Open Cup Thriller

Orlando City has reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after winning 4-3 on the road against the New England Revolution in the round of 16. It was truly a back-and-forth affair and Orlando didn’t have the lead at any point of the match until scoring the winner in stoppage time. Just like in the previous round against FC Naples, it wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but all that matters is advancing, and the Lions are through to the quarterfinals. The draw for the rest of the bracket will take place this morning starting at 9:30 a.m.

Seb Hines Receives High Praise

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines placed eighth in ESPN‘s rankings of the top 20 women’s club soccer coaches in the world. Orlando’s transformation with him at the helm has been historic, as he coached the Pride to winning both the NWSL Championship and the Shield in 2024. The only other current NWSL coaches above him on the list are Angel City FC’s Alex Straus and Gotham FC’s Juan Carlos Amoros. Jonatan Giraldez, who left the Washington Spirit for OL Lyonnes last summer, tops the list, while former Pride head coach Marc Skinner missed the cut.

NWSL Will Stick With Current Calendar For Now

In a league statement, the National Women’s Soccer League announced that it will continue with its spring-to-fall schedule through 2030. This news comes after evaluation by the league of making a similar move as MLS and switching to a calendar that aligns with European leagues.

An update from the NWSL on the competition calendar.

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-04-29T15:01:48.017Z

This should give all parties a decent amount of time to explore long-term options. It also means we will get to enjoy domestic soccer all year long for at least a couple of years once MLS makes the switch in 2027. We’ll see what happens in the NWSL in 2031, which is also when the U.S. will cohost the Women’s World Cup that summer.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

European soccer is winding down and many American players will aim to finish strongly after struggling a bit this season. Fulham defender Antonee Robinson only has one assist this season, while Christian Pulisic has recorded just one goal contribution in 2026. In more positive news, former Lion Alex Freeman played every minute of Villarreal’s 2-1 win over Celta Vigo and hopefully more minutes are ahead of him to close out the season. Forward Folarin Balogun was named AS Monaco’s Player of the Month after scoring in three of his four appearances this month. Another star-spangled storyline to keep an eye on is in the EFL Championship as Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough fight for promotion.

Free Kicks

  • New York City FC’s Maxi Moralez had three assists in his team’s 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls in the U.S. Open Cup, with all three of NYCFC’s goals coming from corner kicks.
  • Nashville SC forward Ahmed Qasam won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his strike against Charlotte FC. I’m still not sure how Tyrese Spicer’s goal wasn’t nominated.
  • Atletico Madrid and Arsenal each scored a penalty in a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup. Antoine Griezmann, who will join Orlando this summer, hit the crossbar in what was likely his final Champions League game at the Metropolitano.
  • Afghan Women United, a women’s soccer team of Afghan refugees, has been allowed by FIFA to take part in international competitions.
  • FIFA is in talks over implementing a rule that would require soccer teams to field a young Homegrown player during games. The idea would make more sense to me if players didn’t already have options available to get playing time through loans or tournaments outside of league play.
  • English defender Millie Bright announced her retirement from professional soccer. The 32-year-old has played for Chelsea since 2014, but injuries have plagued her over the years and she will continue to be part of the club in the future.
  • Paris Saint-Germain right back Achraf Hakimi is out for the next few weeks due to a thigh injury sustained in the club’s wild 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

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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Lion Links: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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April 28, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

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

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