Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.

Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery

Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.

USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.

Other Lions on International Duty

Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.

• Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
• The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.

• Arsenal will reportedly not move forward with plans to expand the Emirates Stadium beyond its current capacity and will instead focus on improving hospitality, retail, and the fan matchday experience.

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

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Sports are in full swing this time of year and we have plenty of soccer to look forward to over the next few days. Apart from working and enjoying the upcoming games, I plan on heading to the movie theater to check out the Primetime movie, as I’ve heard nothing but great things. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take on San Diego Tonight

The Orlando Pride host the San Diego Wave tonight in a crucial home game as the season winds down. While the Pride are fighting to remain in the playoff hunt, the Wave will aim to close the gap with Gotham FC in the NWSL Shield race. Orlando enters this match on a short turnaround after traveling back from its 3-1 win against Bay FC on Sunday on the other side of the country. Interim head coach Yolanda Thomas spoke on the team’s preparations to deal with San Diego’s pressure and energy ahead of tonight’s home game.

Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Heads to England

Charles Raycroft is leaving Orlando City as its director of equipment operations after 11 years with the club to become Liverpool’s Head of Kit Operations. He’s been with Orlando since 2016 and the club sent him off in style with a jersey and plenty of thanks for his time in the City Beautiful. With Raycroft heading across the pond, Chafik Tounzit was promoted to become the club’s new director of equipment operations. We wish both the best of luck in their new roles!

Analyzing Mexico Ahead of USMNT Match

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Mexico on Saturday in the first match between the two rivals since the World Cup. It will also be the first time Rafael Marquez will take on the U.S. as Mexico’s head coach rather than as a player. Many eyes will be on 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora, who has already scored once this window, but Luis Romo and Erik Lira are other players the Yanks will need to keep from creating too many chances. MLS players Chucky Lozano and Germán Berterame are attacking options at Mexico’s disposal as well.

Naomi Girma Will Miss U.S. Friendlies

Center back Naomi Girma will be unavailable for the United States Women’s National Team’s matches against Spain this month after sustaining a muscle injury with Chelsea. The injury bug continues to bite Girma, who has yet to play for Chelsea this season. Hopefully she’ll be able to get back to full fitness before the USWNT’s match against El Salvador in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals on Nov. 27. Girma’s replacement on the current roster will be named at a later time, so we’ll see if this opens the door for former Pride defender Emily Sams to join the team after not being initially called up.

Free Kicks

• The Orlando Pride moved up a spot to 11th in All For XI‘s NWSL power rankings after winning 3-1 against Bay FC.
• American defender Jordyn Bugg signed a new contract with the Seattle Reign that will last through the 2030 season.
• Ashley Sanchez was named NWSL Player of the Month for the second month in a row after scoring five goals in four games for the North Carolina Courage in September. She now has 20 goals this season, tying the league record.
• Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 in the UEFA Nations League without Cristiano Ronaldo and Head Coach Jorge Jesus spoke on how one player is not bigger than the national team.

• We’ll end today’s links with an incredible goal from Detroit City’s Kobe Hernandez-Foster deep in his own half. While it was scored on an empty net, it’s no small feat to get that much accuracy and power on a shot from that far out.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Welcome to October, Mane Landers! September had its fair share of bumps and bruises for Orlando’s soccer teams, so hopefully October goes a bit differently as playoff pushes are in full force. Before we jump into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Zakaria Taifi and Orlando Pride forward Solai Washington!

Ally Lemos Called Up for U.S. U-23 Camp

Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos was one of 24 players called up for the United States Women’s National Team training camp this month. The 22-year-old is no stranger to representing the U.S. at youth levels and she was on the U.S. roster that finished third in the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup. The team will play the Dominican Republic’s U-23 team on Oct. 9 and Oct. 13 to close out the camp.

Sights and Sounds From Orlando Pride Victory

The Orlando Pride unveiled a video showcasing the sights and sounds from their 3-1 road win against Bay FC. The video includes a look at the huddle talks by Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas before and after the Pride’s victory. It’s also nice to relive the goals, including Jacquie Ovalle’s strike at the top of the box to seal the deal. While the Pride remain a longshot to make the playoffs this season, this was a nice result on the road as the team rallies to finish the year strongly.

USMNT Prepares for Mexico

Following wins against Peru and Chile, the United States Men’s National Team will be back in action on Saturday with a friendly against Mexico in Arizona. The Yanks have scored eight goals across the past two games and it will be interesting to see who starts up top between Orlando City forward Justin Ellis and New York Red Bulls striker Julian Hall. Mexico enters this match after 1-1 draws against both Colombia and Peru in its first matches under Head Coach Rafael Marquez. A storyline to watch for in the latest edition of this rivalry will be the potential showdown between 17-year-old rising stars Cavan Sullivan and Gilberto Mora.

Philadelphia Union Sign Mark McKenzie

American defender Mark McKenzie will return to the Philadelphia Union as a Designated Player, signing a contract that starts in January and lasts through the 2029-2030 season. During his previous time in Philadelphia, he helped the club win the Supporters’ Shield in 2020. He then left the Union in 2021 for Genk in Belgium and has spent the past two seasons with Toulouse in France. The 27-year-old center back was also part of the USMNT’s World Cup roster this summer.

Free Kicks

• United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes spoke on how she remains focused on player development while the team prepares for the World Cup next summer.
• Cavan Sullivan was named MLS Player of the Month after recording four goals and five assists in September. He’s the youngest player to earn the honor since Orlando City’s Daryl Dike did it back in 2020.
• Savannah DeMelo has re-signed with Racing Louisville on a contract through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028. This decision comes amid DeMelo suing the team’s outgoing medical partner for not diagnosing the heart condition that led to her suffering cardiac arrest during a match last year.
• Barcelona, Juventus, and Bayern Munich all enjoyed shutout wins in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Elsewhere, Arsenal drew 2-2 against Paris FC after a dramatic comeback by the French side, while OL Lyonnes and Chelsea battled to a scoreless draw in France.
• Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after Head Coach Jorge Jesus stated he was not planning on starting him in today’s game.

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