Lion Links: 7/7/23

It’s Friday! The Orlando Pride are in action tonight in the first of a slew of games to look forward to this weekend. It should be a nice couple of days, as the Pride, Orlando City, Orlando City B, the USWNT, and the USMNT all have games. Hopefully the weather plays nice for these games, given how many delays Orlando’s soccer teams have had to deal with lately. For now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Four Lions Land on MLS Team of the Matchday

Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo and defender Antonio Carlos both made the MLS Team of the Matchday after the league’s midweek games. Araujo was excellent, scoring his first MLS goal, providing an assist, and contributing in different ways all over the pitch. Carlos anchored Orlando’s back line from start to finish to help the Lions secure their seventh shutout of the season. Martin Ojeda, who came on in the second half and had an assist, made the Team of the Matchday bench. He’s joined there by Wilder Cartagena, who controlled the midfield alongside Araujo in another great performance from the Peruvian.

Orlando City Prepares for Real Salt Lake

After a pair of wins at home, the Lions will take their four-game unbeaten streak on the road for a match against Real Salt Lake tomorrow night at 9:30 p.m. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since a scoreless draw at Exploria Stadium in 2020. RSL is fourth in the Western Conference, but has only won two of its 10 home matches this season. However, reinforcements have arrived for RSL. Designated Player Cristian Arango will be available for the first time tomorrow, and the club added U22 Initiative player Nelson Palacio as well. We’ll see how they stack up against Orlando’s formidable defense. The Lions have not conceded a goal in the run of play in goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s past five matches, and he could earn his 30th clean sheet as a Lion tomorrow night.

Orlando Pride Sign Veteran Forward Mariana Larroquette

The Orlando Pride bolstered their offense by signing Argentine forward Mariana Larroquette to a contract that will keep her in the City Beautiful through the 2025 NWSL season. The 30-year-old will join the Pride following the World Cup this summer. Larroquette returns to the NWSL after playing in Kansas City in 2021, scoring two goals in 19 appearances. Since then, she’s played with Sporting CP in Portugal and Club Leon in Mexico. This season won’t be her first time playing in Orlando, as she scored in Argentina’s match against Brazil in the 2021 SheBelieves Cup. The winger joins an Orlando attack that’s only scored 14 goals this season.

Pride Take On OL Reign Tonight

The Orlando Pride will aim to carry their momentum from a 3-0 road win against the Washington Spirit into tonight’s match against OL Reign at Exploria Stadium. Both teams will be without key players due to the World Cup, with Orlando missing both Marta and Adriana. Meanwhile, the Reign will be without Americans Rose Lavelle, Megan Rapinoe, Emily Sonnett, Sofia Huerta, and Alana Cook. OL Reign has not lost a regular season game since June 3 and has only conceded five goals on the road this season. The Pride have done well against the top teams in the league this season, so hopefully that trend continues tonight.

Free Kicks

• The Orlando City Foundation’s annual “Stuff the Truck” campaign for school supplies donations has begun and will last until Aug. 4.

• The Orlando Pride partnered with pubs in Central Florida for fans to watch away games, with discounted Heineken on match days.
• Orlando City placed 15th in ESPN‘s MLS Watchability Rankings, losing points for having a good defense. St. Louis City topped the rankings for its dramatic matches in its inaugural MLS season.
• Cartagena was fined an undisclosed amount for embellishment on the foul that had Federico Bernardeschi receive a second yellow card in Orlando’s win over Toronto. Bernardeschi was also fined for failing to leave the field in a timely manner.
• MLS and Arsenal released their rosters for the MLS All-Star Game Skills Challenge. Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and American forward Folarin Balogun are a few of the notable names who will take part for Arsenal.
• Atlanta United added defensive midfielder Tristan Muyumba from Ligue 2’s EA Guingamp, signing him to a contract through the 2027 MLS season.
• Ismael Tajouri-Shradi is returning to MLS, signing with Minnesota United on a deal for the rest of the season, with options for 2024 and 2025 as well. After also adding Teemu Pukki last month, the Loons now have some added oomph in their attack for a playoff push.
• Bayer Leverkusen signed Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka to a five-year deal, with a reported $27.2 million fee paid to Arsenal for him.
• Cesar Azpilicueta has left Chelsea after 11 seasons to join Atletico Madrid.

That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend.