Lion Links: 10/5/23

It may be Thursday, but it feels a bit like Friday after Orlando’s big win last night. It’s definitely the kind of positive result that takes some of the sting out of what has been a grueling work week. I’ll be spending most of the day getting my ducks in a row before moving tomorrow morning. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Beats Nashville On the Road

The Lions are returning to Orlando with three points after winning 1-0 against Nashville SC in an Eastern Conference showdown. A goal right before halftime was enough, as the Lions survived despite Nashville’s potent attackers and an absurd amount of stoppage time. No team in the league has won more road games than Orlando’s eight. Orlando’s win further cemented its spot in second in the Eastern Conference. The Lions will play their penultimate match of the regular season on Saturday against the New England Revolution.

Messiah Bright Part of Upcoming NWSL Written Series

The National Women’s Soccer League announced a new written series that will give a platform to six players to share more about their life on and off the field while covering topics such as mental health and motherhood. Orlando Pride forward Messiah Bright was one of the six selected and will give her perspective during her first year in the league. Veteran Jess Fishlock, NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder Sinead Farrelly, and 2022 NWSL Rookie of the Year Naomi Girma are a few of the other players who will share their stories. The series kicked off with Chicago Red Stars defender Casey Krueger writing about her pregnancies and return to soccer.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Takes Shape

Things have been tight in the Eastern Conference standings for quite some time, but this round of midweek matches added some clarity to where each team stands heading into the final few games. The Lions are three points above the third-place Philadelphia Union, which won 3-2 against Atlanta United. The Columbus Crew are in fourth after leapfrogging over the New England Revolution following a 2-1 win at Gillette Stadium.

As for the teams still fighting for a playoff spot, the Chicago Fire picked up a massive three points by beating Inter Miami 4-1 at home. The New York Red Bulls revived their playoff hopes with a surprising 2-1 win on the road against FC Cincinnati, while Charlotte FC is back in the thick of things after winning 3-0 against Toronto FC in a match that included a nice goal from Brecht Dejaegere.

FIFA Announces 2030 World Cup Hosts

The 2030 World Cup will be unlike any other as FIFA announced that six countries across three continents will host the centennial edition of the tournament. Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will all host games and automatically qualify for the 2030 World Cup. The opening match will take place in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, which is where the inaugural World Cup’s final took place in 1930. I’m curious how the logistics of this will affect fans, as some may need to travel across continents to support their team. The bidding for the 2034 World Cup has also begun, with both Saudi Arabia and Australia throwing their hats into the ring.

Keeping Up With the Champions League

Newcastle United came up with a huge win in the Champions League group stage, beating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 at home. The English club now sits at the top of a competitive Group F after AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund played to a scoreless draw in Germany. Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, and Barcelona also claimed victory. Shakhtar Donetsk may have had the most exciting win though, as the Ukrainian club battled back from a 2-0 deficit to Antwerp to win 3-2. Antwerp had a chance to equalize with the final kick of the game, but defender Toby Alderweireld missed his penalty.

Free Kicks

• Cucho Hernandez was named MLS Player of the Month after recording eight goals and an assist for the Columbus Crew in September.
• D.C. United’s Mateusz Klich won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his equalizer against the Vancouver Whitecaps. I’m not a huge fan of it winning due to how much of a role the deflection played into winding up in the net, but it was a good strike regardless.

• Rob Page, the manager of the Welsh national team, stated that Wrexham forward Paul Mullin is a step away from joining Wales.
• Many Americans struggled in Champions League action, but forward Haji Wright scored a winner in Coventry City’s 1-0 result against Blackburn Rovers in the English Football League Championship.

I hope you all enjoyed today’s links! It’s a little bittersweet as domestic soccer seasons are winding down, so let’s all make sure to enjoy the beautiful game while it’s here. Have a great Thursday!