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Lion Links: 2/29/24

Lions reportedly won’t play in U.S. Open Cup, Cavalry FC reflects on its defeat, gauging the USWNT’s panic meter, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Leap Day, Mane Landers! It’s the rarest day of the year, as we all lean into our procrastination a bit and collectively tell March that we’ll get to it tomorrow. It’s been a pretty busy week for me, but knowing the MLS season is in full swing has helped fuel me a bit. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Reportedly Won’t Play in 2024 U.S. Open Cup

The latest reports involving Major League Soccer’s participation in this year’s U.S. Open Cup indicate that Orlando City, along with a majority of MLS teams, won’t be playing their first teams in the tournament. According to ESPN‘s Jeff Carlisle, the Houston Dynamo and the seven best teams from last season that aren’t taking part in the Concacaf Champions Cup will have their first teams take part. The format will reportedly be announced soon and we’ll see if Orlando City B and other MLS NEXT Pro teams will be in the tournament.

It will be pretty disappointing if Orlando’s first team doesn’t end up playing. Even though the Lions suffered an early exit last year, they won in 2022 and Head Coach Oscar Pareja has a penchant for excelling in the U.S. Open Cup.

Cavalry FC Reflects on Loss to Orlando City

Although Cavalry FC lost in both legs against Orlando City in its first Concacaf Champions Cup campaign, the Canadian club can hold its head high. Cavalry Head Coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. spoke on the team’s tactics in the second leg in Orlando to overcome the hefty aggregate deficit.

β€œStrategically, we wanted to frustrate them in the first half with an extra defender, and often at times we were in a back five,” Wheeldon said. β€œAnd second half, we wanted to unleash with more attackers and have a go, because it was 0-0. We thought … one, we wanted to make history with our first goal, and two, we wanted to get a result here.”

That first goal did come with Myer Bevan making some history for his team to take back to Canada. All in all, Cavalry did pretty well as the underdog and it’s unfortunate it didn’t get a true home game in Calgary. Cavalry’s defense is the real deal and I doubt this is the last time it makes an appearance in the Champions Cup.

Assessing the Fallout From the USWNT’s Defeat

The United States Women’s National Team suffered a shocking defeat to Mexico earlier this week that’s brought on varying levels of panic. The clock is ticking before the Olympics and the USWNT struggled to bounce back after trailing in the first half and had difficulties on both sides of the ball. While the issues at center back will likely be solved once Naomi Girma and Tierna Davidson play, the midfield has plenty of question marks and a weird balance of youth and experience. It’s an awkward stage for the USWNT, as Emma Hayes doesn’t arrive until May and won’t have much time to get the team ready for Paris. Of course, the USWNT could still win this tournament and the return of Mallory Swanson may heal most wounds this summer, leaving this loss as just a minor blemish when the year is up. Only time will tell and the USWNT has plenty of opportunity to right the ship.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Are Set

It was a pretty wild day in the FA Cup, with some of England’s top teams fighting their way into the quarterfinals. Chelsea needed a late winner from Conor Gallagher to beat Leeds United 3-2 at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United’s match against Nottingham Forest also had a dramatic finish, as United’s Casemiro scored the game’s only goal in the 89th minute. Wolverhampton ousted Brighton thanks to an early goal, and Liverpool got the job done against Southampton.

In the quarterfinals, Newcastle will travel to take on Manchester City, Wolverhampton will host the second division’s Conventry City, Chelsea will take on Leicester City, and Manchester United will face off against Liverpool. All four matches will take place on March 16.

Free Kicks

  • After getting married, Orlando Pride defender Emily Madril will have a new name on the back of her jersey this season.
  • Former Pride midfielder Becky Edwards is an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee and shared details about her time as both a player and coach with the U.S. U-20 team.
  • Enjoy this captured moment of Orlando midfielder Wilder Cartagena being awesome.
  • LAFC forward Mateusz Bogusz’s strike against the Seattle Sounders won the first MLS Goal of the Matchday of the season, claiming 35.4% of the vote.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a pretty great Leap Day and that the rest of the week goes smoothly.

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.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

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 Burton’s 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 Kiwi’s 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 LiΓ¨ge 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 Women’s 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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/12/25

David Brekalo featured, the Orlando Pride’s season promotions, USMNT roster drop, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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.

From the 10th Season Kickoff to Fan Appreciation Night and everything in between, the 2025 theme night schedule has dropped ⬇️

Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-03-11T20:01:50.214Z

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


That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for this weekend’s matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/11/25

June friendlies announced for USMNT, Americans in midweek action, UEFA Champions League preview, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

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.
Image courtesy of @OCSCAcademy on the very broken platform formerly known as Twitter.

That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!

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