Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/10/23
Lions want consistency, Alejandro Granados earns short-term contract, Pride welcome Thorns, and more.
Welcome to the weekend, Mane Landers. It’s a great Saturday to wake up because the Lions are back home tonight at 7:30 p.m. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing the team continue to build attacking momentum as the pieces have started to gel together. The pace of Ivan Angulo has been electric, and I’m hopeful Facundo Torres has finally turned the page he needed to this season. Aside from Orlando City today, we also have soccer in town on Sunday, with OCB taking on Cincinnati 2 and the Orlando Pride hosting the Portland Thorns. So, let’s dig right into it all in the links!
Orlando City’s Momentum and Consistency
Orlando City returns home tonight to take on the Colorado Rapids after a decisive 3-0 victory at Red Bull Arena. With the latest victory, the Lions are now unbeaten in their previous five league matches. Orlando City aims to keep up the consistency in its performances as the Lions gear up for the 13th-ranked team in the Western Conference, and the Rapids are desperate for points.
“They’re gonna come in to try and leave the position that they’re in right now,” Lions goalkeeper Pedro Gallese said. “They’re going to try and come in and take points from us in our home. We know that they’re going to come in strong, but we have to do the same and we’ve got to continue the form that we’ve had during this run that we’re on right now.”
Alejandro Granados Earns First-Team Deal
Orlando City has called up the services of midfielder Alejandro Granados from Orlando City B on a short-term agreement and will be available for selection today as the Lions take on the Colorado Rapids. The 17-year-old has six appearances for Orlando City B this season in MLS NEXT Pro. On the global stage, Granados recently featured for Spain at the U-17 European Championship. He appeared five times in the tournament as La Roja reached the semifinals. He even scored a goal in the quarterfinal round against Ireland that also qualified the side for the U-17 World Cup later this year.
Orlando Pride Host Portland Thorns
The Pride are back in town following a midweek Challenge Cup postponement against NJ/NY Gotham FC due to measures taken to prioritize player health and safety in the face of terrible air quality as a result of the Canadian wildfires. Sunday’s match is set to begin at 7 p.m. against the Portland Thorns. It will be the Pride’s first home match in 22 days, however, the team won the last two matches played at Exploria Stadium. One thing to watch for in the match will be set pieces. Four of Orlando’s last six goals in regular season play have been scored from a set piece, with three being corners. For the Pride, it will be a chance to begin to shift the history between the two clubs, as the Thorns have won 13 of their 17 all-time meetings with Orlando, including the last three in a row by a combined score of 12-0.
Orlando City Academy Boasts Nine D-1 Athletes
The Young Lions of the Orlando City Development Academy have wrapped up their studies for the year and are on their way to penning the next chapter in their lives. Nine graduates have committed to Division 1 programs across the United States. Five of the graduates were products of the 2021 U-17 MLS NEXT Cup champion team. Another notable mention is Orlando City B forward Chase Vazquez, who came off the bench in this year’s preseason matchup against Stetson University to score a hat trick.
Free Kicks
- You will need Google Translate, but former Pride midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir recaps her soccer journey and early times in the United States.
- LA Galaxy striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández suffered a torn right ACL in their midweek U.S. Open Cup defeat at Real Salt Lake.
- The Columbus Crew acquired Ukrainian center back Yevhen Cheberko from Croatian top-flight side NK Osijek through the 2026 MLS season.
- LAFC penned a Homegrown contract for 16-year-old midfielder Bajung Darboe.
- The USWNT has launched its new #WeBelieve campaign to gather personal messages from the fans.
- Former Inter Miami head coach Phil Neville has made a quick turnaround to join the Canadian Men’s National Team’s coaching staff.
- United States forward Catarina Macario has joined Chelsea on a free transfer from Lyon.
- Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has reached an agreement to sell his stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises.
- Al Ahli are willing to offer Riyad Mahrez a contract worth €100 million plus bonuses to leave Manchester City.
- Ben Foster has signed a new one-year contract at Wrexham AFC.
That’s all I have for you today. Have a safe two days at Exploria Stadium. Remember to hydrate and look out for your friends. It is starting to feel a lot like summer out here. Vamos Orlando!