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Lion Links: 4/27/23

Orlando City’s transfer window grade, U.S. Open Cup’s third round concludes, Brenner transferred to Udinese, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a pretty busy week for me, but I’ve also had reason to celebrate since my car is officially paid off! It’s a pretty good feeling and I’m looking forward to using some of that money for a few more trips to Exploria Stadium each season. But enough about me, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Earns Decent Grade for Transfer Window

With the primary transfer window over and done with, MLSsoccer.com‘s Jonathan Sigal handed out grades for how each MLS team fared. Orlando City was one of 15 teams to receive a B grade. Acquiring Martin Ojeda as a Designated Player and drafting Duncan McGuire has already paid dividends for Orlando, as those two have a combined five goals and three assists this season. Keeping Pedro Gallese in purple was also a crucial move for the Lions. However, fullbacks Joao Moutinho and Ruan are no longer in Orlando and their replacements are still finding their footing. St. Louis City and LAFC received top marks for their moves, while CF Montreal, Sporting Kansas City, and the New York Red Bulls received the lowest grades.

U.S. Open Cup’s Third Round Wraps Up

The final matches of the U.S. Open Cup’s third round were packed with drama in the south. In Florida, Miami FC scored early and Inter Miami struck late in a thrilling contest that needed more than 90 minutes to decide a winner. After an own goal from DeAndre Yedlin in extra time, Inter Miami found another equalizer to send the game into penalty kicks. Former Lion Kamal Miller converted the winning spot kick as Inter Miami advanced. Orlando’s other rivals weren’t so fortunate. Atlanta fell 2-1 to Memphis 901 FC, which scored off of a penalty kick in stoppage time and won with another goal in extra time. It was the earliest the Five Stripes have been eliminated from the tournament. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rowdies lost 1-0 to the visiting Houston Dynamo.

Other MLS clubs survived by close margins, with FC Cincinnati, D.C. United, Nashville SC, and the Columbus Crew all beating their lower-division opponents in 1-0 results. Orlando City joins the fray in the next round, with the draw for that set to take place today at 2 p.m.

Brenner Officially Transferred to Serie A’s Udinese

In a move that was first reported earlier this month by CBS‘s Roger Gonzalez, FC Cincinnati has officially transferred Brazilian forward Brenner to Udinese for a reported transfer fee of $10 million. That fee would be a club record for Cincinnati, which acquired Brenner from São Paulo FC in 2021. Brenner has scored 27 goals in 72 appearances across all competitions for Cincy, including six game-winning goals. The 23-year-old’s last match with Cincinnati before heading to Italy will be on July 1 at TQL Stadium.

Manchester City Takes Control of EPL Title Race

In a pivotal English Premier League match, Manchester City beat Arsenal 4-1 to put itself in the driver’s seat of the title race. Kevin De Bruyne had two goals in the match, with Erling Haaland assisting on both before he scored in stoppage time. Although Arsenal still sits atop the table, Manchester City is now just two points behind with two games in hand.

Liverpool won 2-1 against West Ham to keep hope alive that it can claim a spot in next year’s Champions League or Europa League. Chelsea’s woes continued in a 2-0 defeat to Brentford. The Blues have lost all five games with Frank Lampard at the helm so far. Near the bottom of the table, Nottingham Forest beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 to climb out of the relegation zone for now. There are more matches today, including a showdown between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

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  • Enjoy these photos of high-flying Lions as they get ready for this weekend’s home match against the LA Galaxy.
  • In the Concacaf Champions League semifinals, the Philadelphia Union and LAFC played to a 1-1 draw at Subaru Park. A handball on Kellyn Acosta gave the Union a late penalty kick, which Daniel Gazdag buried. Acosta responded in stoppage time by pouncing on a loose ball and making a nice run into the box to score a crucial away goal. The second leg is on Tuesday at BMO Stadium.
  • AC Milan is reportedly interested in signing American midfielder Tyler Adams, who is currently injured while Leeds United fights to avoid relegation.
  • Charlotte FC forward Karol Swiderski won Goal of the Matchday for his game-winning strike against the Columbus Crew.
  • St. Louis City named Diego Gigliani as its president and general manager. Gigliani has spent the past 10 years with City Football Group and will join the MLS club this summer.
  • Inter Milan booked its spot in the Coppa Italia final after beating Juventus 1-0. Federico Dimarco scored the game’s only goal. In next month’s final, Inter will take on whichever club advances between Fiorentina and Cremonese.
  • Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas could make her return from injury in Barcelona’s Champions League semifinal match today against Chelsea. Barcelona won 1-0 in the first leg, and Chelsea will be without English defender Lucy Bronze due to a knee injury.
  • Sheffield United secured promotion to the English Premier League after a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.
  • Fortuna Dusseldorf, which plays in Germany’s second division, has plans to make home games free for fans next season.

That’s all I have for you today. I’ve been enjoying the flurry of sports this week and am looking forward to seeing Orlando’s soccer teams in action this weekend as well.

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.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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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 been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.

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

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