Lion Links: 5/18/23

Last night’s draw feels much different than Orlando’s draw this past weekend. Dropping points at home is never ideal and my coffee this morning tastes a little more bitter than usual. However, there’s plenty of soccer left to enjoy this season, so we’ll just have to shake off that result and look ahead to two upcoming rivalry matches to close out this month. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 18th birthday to Orlando City Homegrown Player Favian Loyola!

Orlando City Draws With New York City FC

Playing at home for the first time since April, the Lions split the points with NYCFC in a 1-1 draw. Orlando scored an early goal with some nice combination play, but never doubled its lead and paid the price late in the match as NYCFC found an equalizer. It was Orlando’s third draw at home this season — second in league play — and the Lions are still on the hunt for their first win of a busy May. Michael Citro has your match recap and make sure to keep an eye out later today for Ben Miller’s five takeaways from the match and my player grades and Man of the Match. Orlando’s next match will be on the road Saturday against rival Inter Miami.

Amanda Allen Called Up By Canada

Orlando Pride forward Amanda Allen was named to Canada’s roster for the Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship later this month. It’s been a busy couple of months for Allen, who was signed by the Pride in early April. The 18-year-old was called up by the senior team for a friendly with France on April 11 and featured in this tournament’s qualifiers, scoring twice against El Salvador. Canada will kick off this year’s tournament next Wednesday against Jamaica, and then take on Panama and the United States later in the group stage.

Orlando Pride Making Headway This Season

We’re nearly a third of the way into the NWSL season and there are a few surprises when you look at the standings. ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how each NWSL team is doing compared to expectations before the season began. There were fairly low expectations for the Pride entering this season as they continue to rebuild. Although currently in 10th, the Pride are showing encouraging signs. Young players like Messiah Bright and Viviana Villacorta have shown plenty of their potential, and newcomer Adriana has proven she can be an attacking threat in this league. There’s still plenty of soccer left this season, but the Pride are making forward progress.

Elsewhere in the league, the Portland Thorns, OL Reign, and San Diego Wave FC are predictably in the top half of the standings. But the first-place Washington Spirit and third-place NJ/NY Gotham FC are outperforming projections. Meanwhile, the Chicago Red Stars and Kansas City Current are struggling at the bottom of the table after an off-season full of buzz.

Manchester City Reaches Champions League Final

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Manchester City came out on top at home in a 4-0 win against Real Madrid to book its spot in the Champions League final. Bernardo Silva was dominant from start to finish, scoring twice in the first half to put City ahead. Eder Militao had an own goal in the 76th minute put the nail in Real Madrid’s coffin and Julian Alvarez hammered it in further with a goal in stoppage time. It was the first time in this year’s tournament that Madrid didn’t score and the Spanish club had lapses on defense as well. Manchester City will take on Inter Milan in the final on June 10 in Istanbul.

Free Kicks

• The release date rules for this summer’s Women’s World Cup have been changed and players who have finished their domestic seasons can be released four weeks before the tournament. The NWSL will release its players on June 26 to give them plenty of time to prepare as well.

• Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who has scored 20 goals this season, was suspended for eight months and fined after admitting to 232 breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules.
• The NWSL fined Angel City FC co-owner and president Julie Uhrman an undisclosed amount for approaching referees following the club’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit. The Spirit won in stoppage time on a penalty kick after a handball was called on Angel City defender Mary Vignola.
• American goalkeeper Zack Steffen and Middlesbrough fell 1-0 to Coventry in the EFL Championship playoff semifinals. Coventry will face Ethan Horvath’s Luton Town on May 27, with promotion to the English Premier League on the line.
• Portland Timbers midfielder Evander won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his spin move and strike against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

• High school graduate Joey Martin shared her story of recovery following a brain tumor to play the game she loves again and make the U.S. Women’s Paralympic National Team.
• Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci announced he will retire in July of 2024 when his contract with Juventus expires. The 36-year-old made his 500th appearance for Juventus earlier this month.
• Gabriel Martinelli will miss Arsenal’s final two matches of the English Premier League season due to an ankle injury.
• Liverpool announced that Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, and Naby Keita will leave the club this summer.
• South Korean midfielder Son Jun-ho was arrested in China for allegedly accepting bribes.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!