Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/22/24
Orlando City beats Cavalry FC, Lions receive General Allocation Money for Junior Urso’s rights, USWNT gets ready for Argentina, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s nice to start the morning fresh off of a huge win and I’m hoping that becomes a regular occurrence this year. Hopefully the work week has been kind to you as we ride the high of the Concacaf Champions Cup into Orlando City’s first game of the MLS season this weekend. For now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world.
Lions Win in Concacaf Champions Cup Opener
Orlando City kicked off its Concacaf Champions Cup campaign with a solid 3-0 win against Cavalry FC in Canada. Some players did better playing on the turf of Starlight Stadium in British Columbia than others, but the Lions ultimately did well on the road to make things less stressful for themselves for the second leg on Tuesday in Orlando at 6 p.m. Orlando’s offense showed little rust and the defense did its part in its first competitive match of 2024. Before the match, Head Coach Oscar Pareja announced that Robin Jansson will serve as the team’s captain this year, so it’s nice to see his tenure start with a clean sheet.
Junior Urso Signs With Charlotte FC
Orlando City received $50,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money from Charlotte FC in exchange for Brazilian midfielder Junior Urso’s right of first refusal. This transaction cleared the way for Urso to sign with Charlotte, joining on a deal through 2024, with an option for 2025. The Bear became a Lion back in 2020 and was an integral part of Orlando’s transformation under Head Coach Oscar Pareja that included winning the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. The 34-year-old impressed as a trialist with Charlotte during the preseason and should give Dean Smith’s side a veteran presence both on and off the field. While it’s never fun seeing a fan favorite playing for another Eastern Conference foe, I wish nothing but the best for Urso and hope he gets a warm reception when Charlotte visits Orlando this season on Sept. 18.
MLS Coaching Changes for 2024
There was a considerable amount of coaching turnover in MLS since last season, adding some intriguing storylines for this year. After a rough time in Miami, Phil Neville has a chance at redemption with a Portland Timbers side that narrowly missed out on the playoffs last year. The Colorado Rapids’ Chris Armas, D.C. United’s Troy Lesesne, and the New England Revolution’s Caleb Porter are other familiar faces in new places who could impress. As for those new to the scene, Dean Smith joined Charlotte from England, while Sandro Schwarz is now at the helm of the New York Red Bulls after years in Germany and Russia. I’m also interested to see how long it takes for John Herdman to turn things around with Toronto FC.
Analyzing Argentina Ahead of USWNT Clash
After a dominant 5-0 win over the Dominican Republic, the United States Women’s National Team will take on Argentina tomorrow in the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s group stage. The U.S. has won the past four meetings between the past two nations, and Argentina is coming off of a scoreless draw with Mexico. The Orlando Pride’s Mariana Larroquette spearheads an Argentine attack that can be a bit inconsistent when it comes to creating chances. That being said, Vanina Preininger can pull strings from the midfield and Argentina has multiple players capable of scoring from distance. Laurina Oliveros will likely start in goal after her clean sheet in the opener, and the defense also includes Kansas City Current center back Sophia Braun.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride’s Rafaelle and Adriana both started in Brazil’s 1-0 win over Puerto Rico.
- The LA Galaxy signed Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil as their third Designated Player. The 26-year-old joins from Genk in Belgium and signed a contract with the Galaxy through 2027.
- The Revolution beat Panama’s Independiente 1-0 on the road in the Champions Cup opener for both teams.
- The new changes to MLS’ competitive rules, such as in-stadium VAR announcements and off-field treatments, have been postponed amid the league’s referee situation.
- The United Soccer League announced that all 47 of the teams under its umbrella will take part in this year’s U.S. Open Cup.
- Bayern Munich officially announced that Thomas Tuchel will leave once this season is over. Although Bayern is second in the Bundesliga standings, it’s lost its past three games, including a defeat to Lazio in the Champions League.
- Porto scored a stunning goal in stoppage time to shock Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League.
- Manchester United left back Luke Shaw may be done for the season due to a leg injury.
- In the Europa Conference League, Israeli club Maccabi Haifa secured a 1-1 draw with Belgium’s Gent to advance to the round of 16.
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: 3/13/25
Getting to know Robin Jansson, Orlando Pride announce 2025 season roster, Orlando City’s watch party schedule, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Soccer in the City Beautiful is back and in full swing, with another stacked weekend ahead of us. I’ve been spending most of the week working and getting some reading done before the rest of the month really gets busier for me. For those who like contemporary romance and are looking for a recommendation, First-Time Caller has been a fantastic read so far. But enough about what you should be reading, let’s get to the links!
Getting to Know Robin Jansson
Enjoy taking a stroll with Orlando City center back Robin Jansson, who detailed his role on the team and experience in Orlando. The 33-year-old has become an MLS veteran over the years and talked about how his game has developed since moving from Sweden to the U.S., notably how he’s able to play with the ball at his feet a bit more. As the team’s captain, Jansson provides leadership both on and off the pitch and discussed how he’s fit into the verbal and intense South American culture within the club. He also spoke on how he gives back to the community by visiting kids in the hospital to help them on their journeys.
Orlando Pride Announce Roster for 2025 Season
With the NWSL season only a few days away, the Orlando Pride announced their start-of-season roster. There aren’t too many changes from the team that won both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last year, although Adriana’s transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah FC is notable. New additions acquired this off-season include Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya, World Cup winner Oihane HernΓ‘ndez, and rookie defender Zara Chavoshi. Luana, Simone Charley, and Amanda Allen are the players on the season-ending injury list heading into the 2025 season as well.
Orlando City Reveals 2025 Watch Party Schedule
The schedule for this year’s Orlando City watch parties was announced and fans will be able to watch seven away games at different local pubs. The first will be Saturday at Burtonβs Thornton Park for Orlando’s road game against the New York Red Bulls. This should create a nice atmosphere for Orlando’s road rivalry games in May too, as the game against Inter Miami on May 18 will fittingly be watched at Rivals, while the watch party for the game against Atlanta United on May 28 will be at The Hideaway. Orlando’s Decision Day match with Toronto FC will be hosted at Kiwiβs Pub & Grill to close out the regular season. As part of the club’s partnership with the pubs, each one will have access to MLS Season Pass for all of the Lions’ games this year as well.
New NWSL Players to Watch in 2025
Pride fans are well aware that NWSL newcomers played a major role in the league last season, as Barbra Banda was a major reason behind the club’s historic year. This year’s new faces include many players who could impress in their first year in the NWSL, like aforementioned Pride defender Oihane Hernandez. The right back helped Spain win the 2023 Women’s World Cup and bronze at the 2024 Olympics and joined the Pride after two seasons with Real Madrid. She’s skilled on both sides of the ball and gives opponents another obstacle to overcome this season.
OCB Lands in MLS NEXT Pro’s Top 10
The first power rankings of the MLS NEXT Pro season are out and Orlando City B placed sixth. The Young Lions kicked off their season at home on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Columbus Crew 2. A late rally by Columbus nearly spoiled things, but OCB did well to hold onto its lead and secure all three points. Orlando’s next match will be Sunday at Osceola Heritage Park against Atlanta United 2, which lost 1-0 to New York Red Bulls II during the opening weekend.
Free Kicks
- Chicago Stars forward Mallory Swanson won’t be with the team when it takes on the Pride this Friday due to personal reasons.
- Although she’s focused on this NWSL season, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman stated that it’s just a matter of when in regards to her making the move to Europe.
- Seattle Sounders midfielder Paul Arriola was carted off due to a left knee injury during his team’s 4-1 loss to Cruz Azul. It’s tough news for Arriola, who tore his right ACL in 2020.
- Charlotte FC bolstered its defense by adding left back Souleyman Doumbia on loan from Standard Liège for the 2025 season.
- The Kansas City Current signed forward Flora Marta Lacho to a two-year contract, making her the first Angolan player in league history. She heads to the U.S. after helping TP Mazembe win the 2024 CAF Womenβs Champions League last year.
- The UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are set and each matchup looks to be a good one. Arsenal will take on Real Madrid, Bayern Munich will face Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund will play Barcelona, and Aston Villa will square off against Paris Saint-Germain.
- Bos Nation FC hired Amina Bulman as its chief revenue officer. Bulman led the Washington Commanders’ revamp as the NFL team’s chief brand and strategy officer, so a similar brand reset is hopefully on the horizon for the NWSL club.
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: 3/12/25
David Brekalo featured, the Orlando Pride’s season promotions, USMNT roster drop, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! With the weekend’s matches firmly in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to the next matches, starting with the Orlando Pride’s season opener at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. As you’ll see below, you definitely want to be there in person if you can.
We also want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando Pride attacker Ally Watt! We hope she has a wonderful day. Now, let’s get to the links.
Brekalo for Club and Country
Orlando City center back David Brekalo is ready to give his all for the Lions and with the Slovenian National Team in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with FIFA.com, Brekalo spoke about Orlando City, MLS, and his national team. It provides some excellent insight into his motivations for club and country.
Pride Promotions
Friday night, the Orlando Pride will raise the banners from the 2024 NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Championship. The ceremony will take place before the match against the Chicago Stars. Hopefully, these will be the first of many as Seb Hines and his team look to repeat the double.
The banners are just the start of a season’s worth of promotions the Pride will host this year. Other events include Pups of Pride, Kids Night Out, and others. These are some additional great reasons to go support the champs in 2025.
Banda and Marta Shine
Barbra Banda took the league by storm when she arrived last year, but she had some help adjusting to the NWSL from the club and her teammates. Repeating as champions won’t be easy, but Banda knows that she doesn’t have to do it alone. Marta is also coming off a great season, and is a player in the league to keep an eye on. Hopefully, the duo can lead the Pride back to the promised land.
USMNT Roster Announced
Mauricio Pochettino has selected the 23-player roster for the 2025 Concacaf Nations League. The big names are there, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, and Tyler Adams. The U.S. kicks things off against Panama in the first semifinal on March 20 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Given the names on this list, it is obvious that Pochettino is serious about trying to win a trophy.
Free Kicks
- Evidently, the Orlando Pride didn’t do enough to earn the top spot on ESPN’s “ambition” rankings. Perhaps it is because they didn’t need to do too much to improve the best team in the NWSL in 2024?
- Take some time to get to know Orlando City B goalkeeper Carlos Mercado. He might be the third-string keeper for the first team, but he’s number one on OCB’s list.
- Angelina gets some attention from outside of the Orlando community as a critical player for the Orlando Pride this coming season. To this point, we at The Mane Land say, “duh.”
- MLS and Audi are celebrating 10 years of partnership. Audi sponsors the MLS Golden Boot and MLS Cup each year and contributes funds to MLS Club Youth Academies through the Audi Goals Drive Progress program.
- Occasionally, we get to see something that actually makes America great. Well done, sir. The U.S. drew Trinidad & Tobago 2-2 but won the ensuing shootout.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for this weekend’s matches. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/11/25
June friendlies announced for USMNT, Americans in midweek action, UEFA Champions League preview, and more.

Good morning, everyone. It was a tough weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three squads to pick up a victory. Opportunities to bounce back will be just around the corner, so there’s no sense in spending too much time licking our wounds. Besides, we have plenty of news to discuss, so let’s jump into today’s links.
U.S. Men Announce June Friendlies
The United States Men’s National Team has announced a pair of friendlies in June against Turkey and Switzerland. The Yanks will play Turkey on June 7 at 3:30 p.m. in Hartford, CT, and will then face the Swiss on June 10 at 8 p.m. in Nashville, TN. It will be the last games the team plays before participating in the Concacaf Gold Cup later in the summer and is also a valuable chance to play against battle-tested European opposition.
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, so let’s run down a few of the big matches. Today sees the free-scoring Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on Sheffield Wednesday in Championship play, while Haji Wright and Coventry City face Derby County. Wednesday has Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund traveling to face Lille to try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit in the UEFA Champions League, while Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and PSV Eindhoven will have a much more difficult task in the same competition when they travel to Arsenal while in a 7-1 hole after the first leg. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Vitoria Guimares in the Europa League with the tie balanced at 2-2 after the first leg. Things then wrap up on Friday with Sargent and Norwich again in action as they travel to Bristol City in the Championship.
UEFA Champions League Preview
The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 wraps up this week, and while we’ve mentioned the games relevant to the American players near and dear to our hearts, there are other enticing ties we need to cover. Barcelona holds a slender 1-0 lead over Benfica but will be without Pau Cubarsi after he was sent off in the first leg. Liverpool likewise has a 1-0 advantage over Paris Saint-Germain, and while Liverpool leads the tie, PSG was desperately unlucky to not get anything from a first leg match that it dominated. The other tie with the most intrigue is Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid, as Real holds a 2-1 advantage but was given all it could handle by its bitter rivals in the first leg. Atletico will need to make home field advantage count to get past a Real side that has caused Atleti all sorts of agony in the Champions League in recent years.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
There are a number of transfer rumors to catch up on, and we’ll start with one that could affect Christian Pulisic. Rafael Leao’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is said to be keen on facilitating the Portuguese winger’s exit from AC Milan amid reported interest from Chelsea and Barcelona. As things stand, Leao leaving would make Pulisic the leading attacker in the team, and he’s already had a good 2024-2025 season. Speaking of Chelsea, the Blues are said to be interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland after missing out on signing his brother Jude when he was still at Birmingham City. Across London, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, and Thomas Partey are all reportedly expected to leave Arsenal in the summer in order to help the club build transfer funds.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped nine spots to No. 20 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- The Lion Cubs of Orlando City Development Academy had a good weekend.

- Mexico has released the squad that it will be bringing to the Concacaf Nations League semifinals.
- Inter Miami has signed midfielder Baltasar Rodriguez on loan from Argentine club Racing.
- Manchester City Women have fired head coach Gareth Taylor a mere five days before taking on Chelsea in the League Cup final.
That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!
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