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Lion Links: 1/13/23

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m feeling pretty good as we start to get ready for the weekend. It’s been a busy week, but cocktails and sports await us in what should be a nice next few days. Before we dive right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Cesar Baena, Orlando City’s goalkeeper coach!

Orlando Pride Draft Emily Madril and Four More Players

With the third overall pick in the NWSL Draft, the Orlando Pride selected center back Emily Madril. The 23-year-old did not play her final year of eligibility with Florida State. Instead, she signed a contract with the NWSL and played on loan in Sweden. She should certainly help shore up a Pride defense that allowed 45 goals in 22 games last season.

In the second round, the Pride drafted TCU forward Messiah Bright with the 21st overall pick. Bright scored 49 goals in 102 collegiate games for the Horned Frogs, including 10 goals last season. She was also called up to the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team last summer and will hopefully give the Pride a needed scoring threat. The Pride decided to take another center back to start the third round, selecting Tori Hansen out of North Carolina. Hansen was an integral player in North Carolina’s stalwart defense last season, starting all 26 games.

The Pride then did what they do best and acquired $75,000 in allocation money by trading away the 29th and 34th overall picks to the Washington Spirit. From atop their Smaug-like pile of cash, the Pride selected attacking midfielder Summer Yates out of Washington and UCF forward Kristen Scott in the fourth round. Give a warm welcome to the Pride’s 2023 draft class!

Meggie Dougherty Howard Heads to San Diego

Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard became a free agent following the Pride’s 2022 season and has signed with San Diego Wave FC on a two-year deal. She contributed three goals and three assists in 36 matches across her past two seasons with the Pride. A source confirmed that the Pride made an offer for her to stay in Orlando, but she will instead be joining former Pride players Alex Morgan and Taylor Kornieck in San Diego. Her departure should provide more minutes for Viviana Villacorta, although the Pride might still need to add some depth to their midfield.

Lions Making the Most of the Preseason

Orlando City won the U.S. Open Cup last year, but the team is not resting on its laurels as it prepares for the upcoming season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the team is hungry for more silverware and using this preseason to set the tone of the season early. Opportunity certainly knocks for the Lions this year, with their first taste of Concacaf Champions League action coming in March. Orlando brought in multiple players to help the team reach the next level. Designated Player Martin Ojeda, left back Luca Petrasso, and veteran midfielder Felipe Martin have all been training with the team this week. It will take some time for the new Lions to jell with their teammates, but Ojeda spoke on how there are a few familiar faces that should ease the process.

“Rodrigo (Schlegel) and I were together at Racing (Club) during our time down there and we started a few games together. I know Wilder (Cartagena) from the little time that I’ve gotten to spend with him as a teammate, and I know that we’ve got some other teammates and countrymen of mine that I’ve still got to meet. So, it’ll make the adaption a lot easier, and I’m excited to get started.”

Alyssa Thompson Taken First Overall in NWSL Draft

Angel City FC predictably selected Alyssa Thompson with the first overall pick in the draft, making her the youngest player drafted in NWSL history. The 18-year-old has reportedly signed a three-year deal with Angel City that is fully guaranteed.

After trading with the Pride for the second overall pick earlier this month, NJ/NY Gotham FC then traded it away to the Kansas City Current in exchange for forward Lynn Williams. The Current then selected MAC Hermann Award winner Michelle Cooper with that second pick. Before the draft got started, Gotham traded with Racing Louisville FC for the fourth pick and chose Florida State’s Jenna Nighswonger. The Portland Thorns rounded out the top five by drafting Alabama defender Reyna Reyes. The North Carolina Courage traded Diana Ordonez and the 30th overall pick to the Houston Dash in exchange for two first-round picks and more. As a result, the Courage had a whopping four picks in the back half of the first round, selecting Olivia Wingate, Sydney Collins, Clara Robbins, and Haley Hopkins. You can check out how the entire draft shook out.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Emily Sonnett was traded from the Washington Spirit to OL Reign for a first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 draft.
  • Former Orlando City B player Ates Diouf was signed by Lexington SC after helping San Antonio FC claim a USL Championship title last year.
  • Right back Jonathan Dean, who was selected by Orlando in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, was signed by the Chicago Fire. Dean has spent the past three years with the Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship.
  • Serie A’s Udinese is reportedly interested in FC Cincinnati forward Brenner and has made an offer for the Brazilian.
  • Toronto FC signed Norwegian forward Adama Diomande on a two-year contract. Diomande reunited with Toronto Head Coach Bob Bradley after stints together in Norway and LAFC.
  • Sporting Kansas City added German left back Tim Leibold, signing the 23-year-old to a three-year contract.
  • NWSL games may look a bit better this season due to the increase in cameras for VAR.

  • In his first match in the English Premier League, Chelsea’s Joao Felix was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge in the 58th minute. Americans Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson both started as Fulham beat Chelsea 2-1.

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/4/25

Orlando City gets ready for the Philadelphia Union, OCSC partners with Footy Access, USWNT prepares for Brazil, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday! It may feel a bit like the calm before the storm today, as Orlando City, Orlando City B, and the United States Women’s National Team are all in action on Saturday. It all makes for a fun next few days and I’m looking forward to it and also watching some kart racing on Sunday. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Gets Ready For the Philadelphia Union

The Lions are back in action Saturday with an away game against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Orlando has won its past two games and leads the league with 15 goals this season. The Union remain near the top of the Eastern Conference, but have lost two of their past three games. Duncan McGuire detailed how healthy competition and a willingness to defend has the offense firing on all cylinders heading into this match.

This will also be a rematch of the season opener on Feb. 22 when the Union won 4-2 at Inter&Co Stadium. Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell spoke on how Orlando is a different team compared to that match due to changes on offense and center back Robin Jansson’s recovery from a knock.

Orlando City Partners With Footy Access

With the Generation Adidas Cup set to take place later this month, Orlando City has partnered with Footy Access, which is a media company focused on youth soccer. This collaboration means fans will be able to enjoy highlights and interviews from Orlando’s academy as it progresses through the tournament. I’m pretty excited about being able to see how well Orlando’s academy is doing.

MLS NEXT also announced that new rankings focused on development rather than results will be used for its U-13 and U-14 age groups. These rankings will use an analytical formula that measures game play and the caliber of offensive and defensive actions. There will also be encouragement for teams to have their own identities on how they want to play.

USWNT Prepares to Face Brazil in Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team will take on Brazil on Saturday in the first of two friendlies this international break, with the second match set for Tuesday. These friendlies will be rematches of last year’s Olympic gold medal match, which the U.S. won 1-0. Marta has retired from international soccer, but Pride midfielder Angelina was called up for these friendlies, along with former Pride forward Adriana. Lorena, who has only conceded one goal in three games for the Kansas City Current this season, will likely get the start in goal for Brazil behind a talented back line anchored by Tarciane. The USWNT will need to find ways to limit attacking threats like Kerolin and Gabi Portilho as well. These should be matches, with familiar faces on both sides for Orlando fans.

U.S. Set to Host 2031 Women’s World Cup

It looks like the 2031 Women’s World Cup will be held in the U.S., as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the only bid came from the U.S. and potentially other Concacaf nations. The U.S., which withdrew from hosting the 2027 World Cup, would be the first country to host the tournament three times and last hosted it in 2007. The United Kingdom was also revealed as the lone valid bid to host the 2035 World Cup and it would be the first time the tournament is hosted there.

Free Kicks

  • Shout out to Orlando City’s U-19 team for its title win and securing a spot in the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs.

That’s all for this fine Friday, I hope you all have a fantastic day and a relaxing weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks


That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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