Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/7/23
Orlando City returns home, Oscar Pareja earns recognition, Pride fall on the road, and more.
Happy Saturday, Mane Landers. My wife and I have friends visiting this weekend so I’m sure we will be busy showing them around our town. It is always great to catch up with those that we only see a couple times a year. Once again, I’ll be doing my due diligence and ensure Orlando City’s match is streaming on the television in the background to try and convert a couple more fans for us.
Orlando City Welcomes New England Revolution
Orlando City will face the New England Revolution tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Exploria Stadium. For the visitors, it will be a match in which they hope to bounce back after a 2-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew, which was the team’s first home loss of the season. New England dropped to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings but holds a game in hand over all other teams in the top six. As for your Lions, Orlando City enters the fixture in superb form with just one loss in their last 10 games (7-1-2). Orlando has climbed to second in the Eastern Conference. The Revolution hold a nine-match unbeaten streak against Orlando, winning five and drawing four in regular-season action since 2018. New England leads the all-time series, 7-2-7.
Upcoming Orlando City Milestones
With the regular season coming to a close, the Lions are approaching both team and personal milestones. As a group, the next goal scored will be the 51st of the MLS season, setting a new single-season high since Head Coach Oscar Pareja took over. Orlando’s single-season goals record was set at 55 total in 2016. Rodrigo Schlegel and Iván Angulo will both reach appearance milestones in their next matches, with Schlegel hitting 100 and Angulo 50. Angulo has played in every regular-season match this campaign.
Oscar Pareja Receives Consideration for Coach of the Year
Orlando’s run this season might have been possible by the players, but it is Pareja who puts all the game plans into motion. He’s earned the right to get into the running for MLS Coach of the Year, but let’s face it, that award is going to Pat Noonan or Bradley Carnell. Still, MLSSoccer.com pundits have been impressed with Papi’s performance. Pareja has put the team in a position to potentially finish with the second- or third-best record in the league. He made the decision to give rookie forward Duncan McGuire multiple starts that has helped him become a force to be reckoned with in MLS. McGuire himself is also in contention for being named the league’s Young Player of the Year.
Racing Louisville Defeats Orlando Pride
Last night, Racing Louisville defeated the Orlando Pride 3-2 at Lynn Family Stadium. Pride captain Marta was fouled in the box to earn an early penalty kick, which she converted. Kerry Abello bagged the second for Orlando. Unfortunately, the Pride gave up a penalty of their own right before halftime as Messiah Bright brought Savannah DeMelo down and Nadia Nadim scored from the spot. The hosts also converted in transition off a terribly placed cross-field pass and goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, who was just given a new two-year deal through 2025, punched a corner kick cross into her own goal to complete the meltdown. The Pride are on the outside looking in and have blown another opportunity to climb above the playoff line. They entered Friday controlling their own destiny, but now they need a win in the finale and some help to make the playoffs.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath has been relieved of his duties at Minnesota United, along with technical director and former OCSC assistant Mark Watson.
- New York Red Bulls midfielder Luquinhas has been fined for violating the league’s simulation-embellishment policy in the 85th minute of Wednesday’s match against FC Cincinnati.
- Goal of the Matchday 36 honors officially go to Charlotte FC’s Brecht Dejaegere for his scorpion kick against Toronto FC with 52.2% of the fan vote.
- USMNT defender Joe Scally scored a late goal from distance in a 2-2 draw for Borussia Mönchengladbach.
- The United States Women’s Deaf National Team defeated Turkey 3-0 to win its third Women’s World Deaf Championship.
- The United States Beach Soccer Men’s National Team will face Italy, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt in Group A at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
- Soccer legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken shots at players who joined the Saudi Pro League last summer.
- Juventus will ask shareholders for up to $212 million of fresh capital as the club posted another yearly loss.
That’s all I have for you folks. I hope you all enjoy your weekend and can make it out to the match. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/4/24
Luis Muriel named to the Team of the Matchday bench, Orlando City B and Alex Freeman earn recognition, Angel City FC disciplined, and more.
Happy Friday! All three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action this weekend and there’s plenty of reasons to watch them. It should be an exciting next few days to say the least, and it’s still kind of crazy to believe that the Orlando Pride could clinch the NWSL Shield on Sunday. Let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Luis Muriel Makes Team of the Matchday Bench
Orlando City forward Luis Muriel landed on the MLS Team of the Matchday bench for his role in the team’s 2-1 win at home against the Philadelphia Union. The 33-year-old came off the bench in the second half and assisted on both of Orlando’s goals in one of his best performances as a Lion. While it’s a bit disappointing that no Lions were named to the starting lineup of this Team of the Matchday after winning, it’s a testament to how the Lions have been able to find goals in a variety of ways as of late. Hopefully Muriel can keep this momentum rolling as the Lions finish out the rest of the season.
Orlando City B Named MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month
After winning all four of its games in September, Orlando City B was deservedly chosen as the MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month. The Young Lions did well on both sides of the ball last month, outscoring opponents 11-2 in that four-game stretch. Forward Jack Lynn scored three goals in September, but right back Alex Freeman was the star of the show and was named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month. The 20-year-old contributed to seven of the team’s 11 goals last month with four goals and three assists.
“It’s an honor to be Player of the Month and I’m glad I could showcase my talent in this league, but more importantly help my team succeed and gain momentum going into the playoffs,” Freeman said. “Vamos Orlando!”
MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day Looms
The final matches of the MLS NEXT Pro regular season will all take place on Sunday afternoon as teams aim to qualify for the playoffs and jockey for positioning. OCB can’t finish any higher than third in the Eastern Conference, but it can secure hosting in the first round and the right to choose its opponent when it takes on FC Cincinnati 2. Nearly every game between Eastern Conference teams on Sunday can also impact OCB’s path forward. There are still five playoff spots up for grabs, so it should be an exciting day. The Western Conference has one playoff spot still to be claimed and five teams in contention, with none of them facing each other.
Angel City FC Disciplined For Salary Cap Violation
The NWSL has imposed disciplinary actions after an investigation into a salary cap violation by Angel City FC. The club has been docked three points this season and fined $200,000 for five side letters with players that weren’t disclosed to the league and affected multi-year agreements. As a result, Angel City exceeded the salary cap by approximately $50,000 for four weeks this season. President Julie Uhrman and General Manager Angela Hucles Mangano were also suspended from conduct related to player transactions for the rest of the year. It’s a strong statement by the league and Angel City is now 12th in the standings with 19 points.
USWNT Will Take On the Netherlands Abroad
The United States Women’s National Team will play its final game of 2024 in the Netherlands when it takes on the Dutch on Dec. 3. The last time these two sides faced off was in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup, with Lindsey Horan equalizing in the second half of a 1-1 draw. This match will come three days after the USWNT plays against England at Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30. Both of these friendlies are against strong European opponents who were not at the Olympics this summer. We’ll see if Head Coach Emma Hayes can keep the USWNT firing on all cylinders to close out the year.
Free Kicks
- Congratulations to Orlando Pride midfielder Luana on completing her chemotherapy!
- Orlando City’s Heine Gikling Bruseth and Michael Halliday are the only Lions eligible for this year’s 22 Under 22 list. We’ll find out if either made the cut when the list is unveiled on Wednesday, although I would be surprised to see either player on it.
- Orlando duo Colin Guske and Tahir Reid-Brown were called up for the U-19 U.S. Men’s National Team’s training camp that includes friendlies against Sweden and Japan in Spain later this month.
- Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga was named NWSL Player of the Month after scoring four goals in five games in September. NWSL Rookie of the Month honors went to San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley, who helped her team win twice last month.
- Clubs participating in the 2025 Club World Cup won’t be required to release players for international duty during the tournament. As a result, the U.S. could be without some of its best players for the Concacaf Gold Cup.
- Lazio, Tottenham, and Lyon remain perfect in the Europa League after winning their second games. An equalizer by Harry Maguire salvaged a 3-3 draw for Manchester United against Porto in a match that included a red card to Bruno Fernandes.
- Kylian Mbappe, who came off the bench for Real Madrid earlier this week, was left off of France’s roster for its upcoming Nations League matches to help him recover from injury.
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: 10/3/24
Orlando City wins at home, Eastern Conference playoff picture update, USMNT roster announced, and more.
One of the best parts about Orlando City winning a midweek MLS match is that it makes the rest of the week feel much less like a slog. Having all three of Orlando’s soccer teams performing well is both unfamiliar and pretty great. Let’s dive right into Orlando’s win and more in today’s links!
Orlando City Beats the Philadelphia Union
Orlando City hosted the Philadelphia Union and claimed all three points in a 2-1 win. Luis Muriel came off the bench and changed the game after a scoreless first half, continuing his strong run of form as of late. The Union pulled one back, but the Lions held on for their sixth straight win at home in league play. The Lions remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with two games to go. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday with a tough road match against FC Cincinnati.
Eastern Conference Playoff Races Tighten
Although the regular season nears its end, the MLS playoff picture didn’t get much clearer after the midweek matches across the league. New York City FC beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 and the New York Red Bulls won 4-1 against Toronto FC, meaning both teams are still just two points behind the Lions in the standings. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Charlotte FC clinched a spot in the playoffs after winning 4-3 against the Chicago Fire. Inter Miami also won the Supporters’ Shield with a 3-2 road win over the Columbus Crew. D.C. United’s Gabriel Pirani scored twice in stoppage time to lift his team to a dramatic 4-3 win over Nashville.
Mauricio Pochettino Names His First USMNT Roster
United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino called up 25 players for his first training camp at the helm. The roster includes plenty of familiar faces, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Ream. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in the fold, joining Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, and Ethan Horvath. Midfielder Giancarlo Busio was also called up for the first time this year. The USMNT will host Panama in a friendly on Oct. 12 in Pocchettino’s first game in charge before a friendly with Mexico on Oct. 15 in Guadalajara.
Keeping Up With Champions League Action
The second round of matches in the Champions League wrapped up and there were some interesting results to enjoy. Despite a red card to goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 59th minute, Juventus mounted a comeback to win 3-2 on the road against RB Leipzig. Mo Salah had a goal and an assist in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Bologna. In the heavyweight match between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, Jhon Duran beat Manuel Neuer from distance to give Aston Villa the 1-0 win. It was a rough day for the Spanish clubs, as Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Lille, Atletico Madrid fell 4-0 to Benfica, and Girona was beaten 3-2 by Feyenoord.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL unveiled the redesigned NWSL Shield and MVP trophies, which were handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. Hopefully, the Pride can secure some of this brand new silverware on Sunday, because it is gorgeous.
- The live show where MLS NEXT Pro playoff teams choose their opponents will take place on Monday. Orlando City B has already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but Decision Day on Sunday will determine if the Young Lions will get to pick which team they’ll face in the first round. The top three teams in each conference get to choose an opponent, with the fourth-place team facing whichever club is left over.
- Ahead of his team’s clash with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez stated that he won’t have a player take the field until they are “100% available.” Spirit forward Trinity Rodman may miss Sunday’s game due to the back injury she suffered last month.
- Former Portland Timbers defender Modou Jadama has unfortunately passed away. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all affected.
- Senegal sacked Aliou Cisse as its head coach, with the federation citing a government request not to renew his contract. In his time as head coach, Cisse helped Senegal win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the past two World Cups.
- A section of Atletico Madrid’s stadium will be closed for three games due to fan behavior in the club’s derby match against Real Madrid.
- Brentford has been off to a hot start in each of its past three English Premier League matches, scoring in under 40 seconds each time out. Although Brentford didn’t end up winning any of those games, it’s still an impressive feat. Someone should tell the Bees they’re allowed to score after the first minute.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/2/24
Orlando City ready for the Union, Julie Doyle’s new contract, Champions League results, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful, and I will be joining all of you lovely supporters at the stadium this evening. I know it’s a midweek match, but why not come on out and bring some friends or family? That’s what I will be doing, as my nieces and nephews from the area are coming with me. There’s still time to get tickets, but for now, let’s get to the links.
Lions Welcome the Union
Orlando City hosts the Philadelphia Union tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The Union need results as they currently sit ninth in the standings and in the final play-in match position for the playoffs. As such, they still control their own destiny. The Lions are looking to maintain their fourth position and home field advantage to start the playoffs. It should be a hard-fought match.
Doyle’s New Contract
The Orlando Pride signed midfielder Julie Doyle to a new contract through the 2026 NWSL season. Doyle adds depth and energy to the Pride’s attack. The three-year deal is exactly the type of business that Haley Carter and the club are becoming known for — locking in players with new contracts before the current contract is up. The strategy has been integral in building the Pride into the successful club we see today.
Marta’s Resurgence
At 38 years old, no one should expect Marta to be doing as well as she is this season, especially after coming back from injury last year. However, the Pride captain has seven goals and looks better than she has in years. While she isn’t the same player she was in the past, she is an integral part of Orlando’s success this season. Her leadership, play, and heart show in every match as the Pride continue to take on every challenge put in front of the team.
Champions League Results
The Champions League is underway. Arsenal defeated PSG 2-0 thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Fellow English Premier League side Manchester City utterly dominated Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Honestly, it’s lucky it was that close. You can check out all of the other results here. The Champions League continues today. Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday’s matches.
Free Kicks
- Emma Hayes has brought the fun back to the USWNT, according to the players. So far, the results are pretty good.
- The WSL will look to avoid any further postponements while scheduling around the Women’s Champions League after having to do so with the match between Chelsea and Manchester United.
- The Houston Dash have officially parted ways with Fran Alonso. Alonso has been absent since June with Ricky Clarke acting as Houston’s interim head coach. Clarke will continue in that role through the end of the season.
- Bruno Fernandez will be available for Manchester United’s next three matches after successfully appealing his sending off against Tottenham Hotspur.
That will do it for today. Check back after the match for our match recap, players grades, and five takeaways. Vamos Orlando!
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