Lion Links: 5/12/23

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy preparing for my coverage of the IHSA playoff water polo match over in Naperville, IL, tomorrow afternoon. Besides that, I’ll try to watch some soccer matches once I finish up my highlight video packages at the news station. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Prepare for the Columbus Crew

After losing 1-0 in the Round of 32 of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday to Charlotte FC, Orlando City will look to bounce back as its road trip continues this Saturday against the Columbus Crew. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Lower.com Field and you can watch the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+. It will be the Lions’ third straight road match in eight days. The Lions won both matchups against the Crew last season, including a 2-0 win at Lower.com Field last April and a 2-1 victory at Exploria Stadium last October on Decision Day.

OCB Takes on Columbus Crew 2 on the Road Sunday

Orlando City B will be on the road to take on Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday at Historic Crew Stadium. Crew 2 is in second place, while OCB is in third place in the Eastern Conference as both teams have 14 points. The Young Lions lost a second-half lead on the road last weekend that would have pushed them into first in the Eastern Conference. Forward Moises Tablante has scored in each of his last two matches.

Orlando City Academy U-17 and U-15 Squads in Action this Weekend

This weekend the MLS NEXT Flex tournament will kick off at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, MD. The U-17 squad will play three matches from Saturday to Tuesday. Its first match tomorrow will be against CF Montreal. The next match will be on Sunday against Albion SC, and the final match will be on Tuesday against Sockers FC. The U-15 squad will participate in the same tournament this weekend. It will play SC Del Sol Saturday, followed with a Sunday match against CF Montreal, and wrap up the tournament on Tuesday with a match against FC Dallas. Following the tournament, both the U-17 and U-15 squads will return to league play on May 20 against Atlanta United.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Fixtures Set

The 2023 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 is set with 14 MLS and two USL Championship sides remaining in the competition. The Round of 16 will kick off May 23-24. There are some great matchups, highlighted by an El Trafico clash between LAFC and the LA Galaxy. Rocky Mountain rivals Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids will also meet in the next round. Other matches include: Austin FC hosting the Chicago Fire, the Houston Dynamo against Minnesota United, the New York Red Bulls face FC Cincinnati, the Columbus Crew vs. the USL Championship’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Birmingham Legion against Charlotte FC, and Inter Miami hosting Nashville SC.

Free Kicks

• Former Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger shared insight on the difficulties of dealing with going 18 months without a call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team before the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, overcoming it, and focusing on her mental health.
• USMNT captain Tyler Adams will miss Leeds United’s final three English Premier League matches as he recovers from hamstring surgery.
• The Colorado Rapids have suspended Max Alves while Major League Soccer investigates his connection to unlawful sports gambling in Brazil.
• AS Roma edged out Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinals with a second-half goal from Edoardo Bove.
• In the other UEFA Europa League semifinal, Juventus needed a late, stoppage time goal from Federico Gatti to get the equalizer against Sevilla to end a thrilling, first-leg match with a 1-1 draw.
• The 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship will kick off later today featuring an intriguing quarterfinal matchup between the two-time champion United States and two-time finalist Costa Rica.
• Marcelo Bielsa has reached an agreement to become the Head Coach of Uruguay’s National Team through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• FC Barcelona women’s historic 62 consecutive league wins in Liga F has ended after its 1-1 draw against Sevilla. Barcelona last lost a league match in June 2021.

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