Lion Links: 6/14/23

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It’s been a busy week for me working at Wrigley Field and Under Armour, but I’m trying to catch some soccer whenever I can. There is plenty to get to today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Falls in Latest MLS Power Rankings

Orlando City moved down one spot to 11th in the latest MLS power rankings. A 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids this past Saturday at Exploria Stadium couldn’t keep the Lions in 10th, as the San Jose Earthquakes leapfrogged them and FC Dallas after a win over the Philadelphia Union. Facundo Torres and Ramiro Enrique scored both goals for the Lions to extend their unbeaten run to six matches. The Lions will now prepare for a challenging stretch of games that starts this weekend against the New England Revolution, with matches against the Union and Seattle Sounders later this month. All three of those opponents are currently in the top 10 of the power rankings.

Orlando Pride Finding Success Against the NWSL’s Top Teams

The Orlando Pride snapped their two-match losing streak this past weekend by beating the Portland Thorns 3-1 at Exploria Stadium. Adriana scored twice and Messiah Bright added a third to put the match away for the Pride and avenge a 4-0 loss to the Thorns in the season opener back on Mar. 26. This was the Pride’s fourth win this season, with three of those victories against teams that were once at the top of the NWSL standings. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the Pride are turning things around after a rough start to the season and beating a few of the best teams in the league.

“Everyone wrote us off early on the season, said we’re not good enough, and now, we’re trying to change people’s perception of what this team looks like. We’ve got a lot of young players here, but you can see the commitment, you can see they’re all bought in and there’s a real togetherness here. Ultimately, the team won the game because they’re so tightly bonded.”

The Pride will look to build on that winning momentum on the road this Saturday when they take on the North Carolina Courage.

USMNT Prepares for Mexico

The United States Men’s National Team is getting ready for its Concacaf Nations League semifinal tomorrow against Mexico, as it looks to defend its title. This will also be the first match with B.J. Callaghan in charge as interim head coach after the departure of Anthony Hudson. It will also be the second match between these two rivals in the past three months. Stars and Stripes FC shared a detailed scouting report on Mexico and what to keep an eye on. Diego Cocca prefers a defensive style that uses a three-player back line and quick wingers to go on the attack. Guillermo Ochoa will likely be in goal after helping Salernitana avoid relegation in Serie A and can still make big saves to keep El Tri in matches. Leading Mexico’s attack is Henry Martin, who had 27 goals and 11 assists in 42 appearances for Club America in Liga MX this season.

Trinidad & Tobago Replaces Nicaragua in Concacaf Gold Cup

Trinidad & Tobago will replace Nicaragua in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and will be placed in Group A with the USMNT, Jamaica, and a qualifying team from the preliminary round. Nicaragua was removed from the competition due to fielding an ineligible player in eight matches. Richard Rodriguez, who was born in Uruguay and has made 19 appearances for Nicaragua, is reportedly the player in question. In addition, Nicaragua will also be relegated to League B for the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League, with Trinidad & Tobago taking its spot in League A. This result also means that Antigua & Barbuda will take Trinidad & Tobago’s spot in the Gold Cup’s preliminary round.

Free Kicks

• In case you missed it, check out the sights and sounds from Orlando’s victory over the Rapids at Exploria Stadium.

• Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. will be at Exploria Stadium later this month to participate in The Beautiful Game legends match at Exploria Stadium.

• FC Cincinnati officially acquired forward Aaron Boupendza from Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab FC. Boupendza will be a Designated Player and signed a contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 and 2027.
• U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker has reportedly spoken to more than 10 candidates for the vacant USMNT job.
• Former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter has reportedly been approached for the vacant managerial openings at Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam and Liga MX side Club America.
• Inter Miami has reportedly reached out to Jordi Alba, who is now a free agent after ending his contract with FC Barcelona.
• Real Madrid plans to submit a bid to Paris Saint-Germain this summer to acquire French superstar Kylian Mbappe rather than wait until his contract expires next summer.
• Lionel Messi announced that he has no plans to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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