Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/25/24
Orlando Pride sign Simone Charley, Pride preseason begins, Seattle Sounders add Pedro de la Vega, and much more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m pretty glad that the usual warm temperatures are back, as the cold was starting to get a bit unbearable with the heat in my apartment out. I was at least able to get plenty of reading done while going through the throes of winter rot. Let’s get this Thursday started with some links from around the soccer world.
Simone Charley Signs With the Orlando Pride
The Orlando Pride have officially signed American forward Simone Charley, who was initially noted as a non-roster invitee on the Pride’s preseason roster. The 28-year-old went undrafted in the 2018 NWSL Draft, but earned a spot on the Portland Thorns’ roster in 2019 and did well while there. Although an Achilles injury derailed her season with Angel City FC last year, she should be able to give the Pride’s offense some valuable depth this year. Charley can play up front or out wide, which is the kind of versatility that frees up other members of Orlando’s attack to play other positions as well. If she hasn’t lost a step due to injury and can put away the chances this Pride offense generates, it should be a solid signing by Orlando.
Orlando Pride Kick Off Their Preseason
The Orlando Pride’s preseason is in full swing at their training ground at Sylvan Lake Park to prepare for the upcoming season. There’s a solid amount of returning talent, which should help the new faces find their footing sooner rather than later. The Pride had a slow start last season, losing their first four games, so Head Coach Seb Hines knows that getting the team ready to excel right out of the gate this year is important. The Pride narrowly missed out on making the playoffs last year and forward Ally Watt spoke on how that’s galvanized the team this preseason.
“I think it is fueling us,” Watt said. “Coming off that field against Houston and realizing that we didn’t make playoffs by a single goal, we knew that we had it. It was super close, and the results just didn’t go our way. But I think that we’re very determined this year — that’s all we talk about still to this day — so we’re really determined, and I think that’s going to fuel us and push us forward.”
Make sure to check out the gallery of the players in action at training as well.
Seattle Sounders Sign Argentine Winger Pedro de la Vega
The Seattle Sounders made a splash by signing winger Pedro de la Vega as a Young Designated Player. The 22-year-old joins from Lanus in Argentina’s top flight on a reported transfer fee of $7.5 million, which would be a Sounders record. He’s garnered plenty of interest from European clubs over the years, but an ACL injury in 2022 cooled things down and allowed the Sounders to add a player who could already be the frontrunner for MLS Newcomer of the Year. He’s a skilled dribbler, passer, and can score in a variety of ways. While I would love it if he was playing in purple this season, at least he won’t be playing for an Eastern Conference team.
Giants Fall as Africa Cup of Nations Group Stage Ends
After a scoreless draw against South Africa, Tunisia is the latest team to make a surprising exit in the group stage of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations. It’s been a tournament filled with upsets so far. Ghana fired Chris Hughton as head coach after failing to make the knockout stage. The Black Stars fell 2-1 to an underrated Cape Verde team in their opener and allowed a pair of late goals in a 2-2 draw with Mozambique earlier this week. Algeria is also on the hunt for a new head coach, with Djamel Belmadi resigning after Algeria finished last in its group for the second-straight Africa Cup of Nations.
The Ivory Coast let go of Jean-Louis Gasset as head coach as well, despite qualifying for the knockout stage following the announcement of his exit. The host nation made the decision after a 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea and survived the group stage by the skin of its teeth. Emerse Faé will now serve as the interim head coach.
The bracket for the rest of the tournament is now set. Nigeria’s clash with Cameroon and the Ivory Coast’s match with Senegal headline the round of 16 action, but I think Mali’s game with Burkina Faso will be one to watch as well.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City’s preseason match with Flamengo on Saturday will be streamed on the club’s website.
- Moises Tablante, who was signed by FC Cincinnati 2 last week after years with Orlando City B, was noted as a player to watch with a new team this MLS NEXT Pro season.
- Nicholas Gioacchini, who briefly played for Orlando City in 2022, was officially transferred from St. Louis City to Como 1907 in Italy’s second division. The reported fee is $2 million, but that could become $4 million due to add-ons.
- Former Pride player Chioma Ubogagu was one of many non-roster invitees named to Bay FC’s preseason roster.
- MLS has reportedly stopped a huge move between FC Dallas and Russian club Spartak Moscow for forward Jesus Ferreira.
- Former Lion Cyle Larin scored in Mallorca’s 3-2 win over Girona to help his team reach the Copa del Rey semifinals. Barcelona was ousted after Athletic Club scored twice in extra time to win 4-2. Atletico Madrid faces Sevilla today in the last remaining quarterfinal, with the draw for the semifinals set for tomorrow.
- The Seattle Reign have signed South Korean midfielder Ji So-yun. She has spent the past two years with Suwon FC and made over 200 appearances for Chelsea during her time in England.
- A 1-1 draw with Liverpool wasn’t enough for Antonee Robinson and Fulham to reach the Carabao Cup final, losing on aggregate. Liverpool will take on Chelsea on Feb. 25 at Wembley Stadium.
- Union Berlin’s head coach, Nenad Bjelica, was shown a red card for shoving Leroy Sane in the face in his team’s 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.
- Manchester United forward Anthony Martial is expected to miss the next 10 weeks after undergoing successful groin surgery. The 28-year-old’s contract will end this summer and he has not played for United since Dec. 9.
- Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez officially returned to Chivas to play for his boyhood club once more.
- We end our links with the Lions reacting to Duncan McGuire’s new look. I like to think that when the hairdresser asked him what color he wanted he just pointed at Orlando’s crest.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/11/24
Orlando City’s protected players, Orlando Pride roster update, the USMNT is returning to Inter&Co Stadium, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The season might be over, but there’s still plenty of news to be found. I’m glad that we have all the movies and specials to watch since there are no MLS or NWSL matches. There are quite a few that my family watch each year including Elf, Scrooged, and of course, Die Hard. Let me know your favorites in the comments below. Let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Protected List Released
The addition of San Diego SC to MLS means another expansion draft this off-season. Yesterday, Orlando City released its protected players list. There are a total of 19 players on the list, though seven of those are automatically protected due to either Homegrown or Generation Adidas status. San Diego will be able to pick up to five players from across the league, but only one from any given club. There aren’t many surprises in which players Orlando City chose to protect.
Pride End-of-Season Roster Update
Following a historic season that saw the club win both the NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Cup, the Pride have released their end of season roster update. We already knew that Celia, Carrie Lawrence, and Megan Montefusco retired. Given how the club works its contracts, often re-signing players during the season, there weren’t a lot of surprises. Marta and Evelina Duljan were the two players out of contract, and we now know that Duljan won’t be returning, while the club is negotiating a deal that would keep Marta in Orlando.
USMNT Returning to Inter&Co Stadium
The USMNT is heading back to the City Beautiful, as the team will play Costa Rica Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff for the match will be 7 p.m., allowing fans in the Orlando area to make it after work. It will be the second match in Florida, as the Americans will take on Venezuela Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Pre-sale tickets went on sale Tuesday, and ticket sales for the general public start Friday.
USWNT vs. Brazil
If you were hoping for a rematch of the 2024 Women’s World Cup final between the USWNT and the Brazilian Women’s National Team, you are in luck. The two teams will square off on April 5 and April 8, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and at PayPal Park in San Jose, respectively. The match at SoFi Stadium will be the first soccer match played in the venue, which will also host matches for the 2026 World Cup.
Free Kicks
- It’s no surprise to those of us who work with the Pride regularly that Jackie Maynard, Lucas Medeiros, and the rest of Orlando’s comms staff was named the first-ever NWSL Communications Team of the Year winner. We congratulate Jackie and her team and look forward to continuing to work with a great group of professionals.
- Take a trip down memory lane with this compilation of Facundo Torres’ goals from 2024.
- Today, FIFA will award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The circumstances leading up to this “decision” are exactly as forthright, transparent, and without any hint of shenanigans as one expects from FIFA. Give me a minute, my eyes got stuck in the back of my head because of how hard I rolled them.
- In related news, Norway plans to protest the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia and will abstain on the basis that not enough has been done to protect human rights at the event.
- Orlando City wasn’t the only team to drop its list of protected rosters. Here are the lists for every MLS club.
- Plenty of teams were in action in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool won its sixth consecutive first round match 1-0 over Girona, and Mbappe scored and got injured in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atalanta.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in for our Season in Review pieces for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/10/24
Facundo Torres linked with move to Palmeiras, Pride players in FIFPRO Women’s World 11, Amanda Allen suffers injury, and more.
Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope your week is getting off to a good start and that you’re on top of any Christmas shopping that you still need to do, because I’m just now realizing that I’ve done exactly zero of mine. Alas, the only way out is through. As usual, we have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Facundo Torres Linked With Palmeiras
Tom Bogert reported on Monday evening that Orlando City has agreed to a deal with Brazilian club Palmeiras for the transfer of Facundo Torres. While Bogert says the two clubs have reached an agreement, the transfer is still pending as Torres and Palmeiras still need to agree on personal terms. While no price tag was given, the fee would reportedly eclipse the $9.5 million fee that West Bromwich Albion paid for Daryl Dike, which is OCSC’s current outbound transfer record. Torres is the club’s record signing, as he joined from Penarol for roughly $7.5 million, and has been central to the team’s success ever since. We will bring you more from this story as it develops.
Familiar Faces in FIFPRO Women’s World 11
FIFA announced the 2024 FIFPRO Women’s World 11 on Monday and there are two familiar faces in the lineup, as Marta and Barbra Banda were named to the team. This is the third time in Marta’s career that she has been chosen for the award, which is the only global player award decided exclusively by the players themselves. Banda is included in the team for the first time, with this also being the very first time that an African player has made the team. Both players had incredible seasons for the Orlando Pride and were instrumental in the team winning its first two pieces of silverware. Congratulations to both for all their hard work and justified recognition!
Amanda Allen Suffers Injury
The Orlando Pride announced on Monday that forward Amanda Allen has suffered a torn labrum in her right shoulder and will undergo surgery to repair it. As a result, Allen’s loan with USL Super League team Lexington Sporting Club has been terminated, and she has been placed on the season-ending injury list. It’s a tough break for Allen, who became the youngest player to debut for the team back during the 2023 season, as she was getting good minutes and experience on loan. We wish her all the best and hope to see her back on the field soon!
Christian Pulisic Injury News
AC Milan announced on Monday that United States Men’s National Team forward Christian Pulisic has torn a muscle in his right calf, and will spend time on the sideline. The winger went off injured during the team’s game on Friday, and Milan has said that he could be on the shelf until January. While the USMNT won’t play a competitive game until March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinals, the timing is a tough blow for Pulisic, who has had an excellent start to the season with eight goal contributions in Serie A and three UEFA Champions League goals. Here’s hoping that he makes a speedy recovery.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans who will take part in games this week, so make sure you get everything marked down on your calendar. Things get started later today as Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Celtic take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Malik Tillman, and PSV Eindhoven face Brest in the same competition. Tomorrow has Yunus Musah and AC Milan hosting Crvena Zvezda in the Champions League, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus welcome Manchester City to Allianz Stadium. Things then finish up on Friday as Mark McKenzie and Toulouse host St-Etienne in Ligue 1 play.
MLS Transfer Happenings
We have a lot of MLS transfer moves and roster changes to cover this morning. Cruzeiro has declined the purchase option on FC Cincinnati winger Alvaro Barreal, meaning he has returned to the club following the conclusion of his loan. Expansion side San Diego FC has acquired Tomas Angel and a second-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft from LAFC in exchange for $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). Austin FC also bought out Gyasi Zardes’ contract, making the 10th-highest scorer in MLS history a free agent.
The Colorado Rapids signed center backs Ian Murphy and Chidozie Awaziem from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money. Tom Bogert is also reporting that Bournemouth is finalizing a deal to sign American center back Matai Akinmboni from D.C. United in a deal worth up to $2.5 million. Finally, in the wildest piece of MLS transfer news I’ve seen in awhile, I simply present the following tweet.
Free Kicks
- Check out this very interesting and informative article detailing how Pedro Araujo, Orlando City’s SVP of Marketing and Brand, sells and markets the Lions and Pride to the club’s fanbases.
- In MLS NEXT Fest action, Orlando City’s U-15 team beat Real Salt Lake 5-0 but the U-16 team fell 3-2 to LAFC.
- The United States Women’s National Team has scheduled a pair of friendlies against Brazil on April 5 and April 8 out in California.
- Former Orlando City goalkeeping coach Tim Mulqueen has been named the men’s soccer coach at his alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University.
- MLS is reportedly considering adding an internal trade market that would let MLS clubs make trades with real money rather than allocation money.
- Angel City FC has parted ways with head coach Becki Tweed.
- The Houston Dash have hired Angela Hucles Mangano as its president of women’s soccer.
That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/9/24
Former Lion Nani announces retirement, OCSC U-19 team winning at MLS NEXT Fest, FIFA Club World Cup schedule revealed, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I had a busy week at Under Armour and watched a Chicago Blackhawks game with friends. Besides that, I’ll be working the Christmas Winterland Event at Wrigley Field later this week. We have plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.
Nani Announces His Retirement
Former Orlando City captain Nani announced his retirement from professional soccer on Sunday after a stellar career. The 38-year-old left a heartfelt message on social media to announce the news.
The Portuguese star spent three seasons with Orlando City after joining the club from Sporting Lisbon in 2019, scoring 31 goals across all competitions. Nani recently played for his hometown club, Estrela da Amadora, in Portugal. He also spent time with Manchester United, Valencia, Fenerbahce, and many other clubs over the span of his career. At the international level, Nani made 112 appearances for Portugal, scoring 24 goals and helping the team win Euro 2016 in France. We here at The Mane Land wish him all the best in his retirement.
OCSC U-19 Team Beats LAFC and FC Cincinnati
MLS NEXT Fest kicked off this weekend and Orlando City’s U-19 team has been on fire. Orlando beat LAFC 7-4 in its first game of the event, with Jack Basinet and Gustavo Caraballo each scoring two goals.
The team followed that up with a 4-0 win against FC Cincinnati on Saturday. The U-19 academy team will be back in action later today to face the LA Galaxy.
Orlando Matches Set for FIFA Club World Cup
The full schedule for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was unveiled and we’ve learned which games will be held in Orlando’s two venues for the tournament.
Inter&Co Stadium will host two matches, with Ulsan HD of South Korea playing against South African club Mamelodi Sundowns on June 17 before Benfica takes on Auckland City on June 20. Camping World Stadium will host four matches. The first will be June 24 between Club Leon and Flamengo, and Juventus will play Manchester City on June 26. Camping World Stadium’s third match will be a round-of-16 matchup on June 30, while the fourth match will be a quarterfinal on July 4. MetLife Stadium will host nine matches, including the semifinals and final.
LA Galaxy Defeat the Red Bulls to Win MLS Cup
The LA Galaxy beat the New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win the MLS Cup at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday. It’s the sixth time that the Galaxy have won the MLS Cup. Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic put the Galaxy ahead 2-0 before the Red Bulls pulled one back in the first half with a goal by Sean Nealis. Despite missing their star player, Riqui Puig, the Galaxy held onto their lead in the second half to secure the win. The Galaxy snapped their title drought that had lasted since 2014, and Head Coach Greg Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two MLS clubs. Gaston Brugman won the MVP honors for the match for his role orchestrating things in the midfield.
Free Kicks
- The Guardian named its 100 best female footballers in the world for 2024. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was seventh, while Marta was 27th on the list. FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati took the top spot.
- Christian Pulisic left the pitch in the first half of AC Milan’s 2-1 defeat to Atalanta on Friday due to a calf injury. However, AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca stated after the match that the injury doesn’t look too serious.
- The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly in talks to acquire Monterrey forward Brandon Vazquez.
- Here are the 10 MLS clubs that have qualified for the 2025 Champions Cup.
- Botafogo defeated Sao Paulo 2-1 on Sunday to win its first Brazilian league title since 1995. It secured 78 points and finished six points ahead of runner-up Palmeiras.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City6 days ago
Orlando City Announces Roster Decisions Following 2024 Season
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Five Takeaways
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Lions Fall at Home
-
Lion Links1 week ago
Lion Links: 12/4/24
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Have Built Something Special and Sustainable
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
-
Photo Galleries2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Photo Gallery