Lion Links: 5/6/24

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It was another mixed weekend for our teams as the Lions lost, the Pride won, and OCB drew. As for me, I’ve been busy managing the broadcast operations for the NISA league’s matches this weekend and also got a chance to cover high school soccer, softball, and badminton. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose at Home to FC Cincinnati

Orlando City lost at home for the second straight weekend with a 1-0 defeat to FC Cincinnati at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Luciano Acosta scored the lone goal for Cincinnati just seconds into the match. Orlando City went down to 10 men when defender Rodrigo Schlegel received a red card in the first half. The Lions had some chances to get back in this one, including a free kick opportunity in the second half when Wilder Cartagena scored what would have been the equalizer, but Facundo Torres was ruled offside, and the goal was waved off. Cincinnati also dropped to 10 men late in the second half as defender Bret Halsey received his second yellow for a foul on Ivan Angulo and knocked the ball out to waste time. Still, FC Cincinnati found a way to hang on for the victory, securing its third win in a row. Orlando City will look to rebound on Saturday as it takes on the Philadelphia Union at Suburu Park.  

Orlando Pride Win at Home Against Racing Louisville FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Racing Louisville FC on Sunday, 1-0, at Inter&Co Stadium, winning their fifth straight game. Barbra Banda scored the lone goal of the match and now has four goals for the Pride this season. The Pride remain undefeated in league play, keeping their unbeaten streak alive at eight matches (5-0-3). Orlando also moved up to first in the NWSL table with 18 points. The Pride will be back home on Saturday to face Bay FC. 

OCB Draws Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B drew 1-1 on the road against Chattanooga FC on Saturday. The Young Lions trailed early in the first half as Mehdi Ouamri put Chattanooga FC in front 1-0. Later in the first half, OCB got an equalizer, with forward Shak Mohammed finding the back of the net to score his second goal of the season. The match went to penalties after 90 minutes of action, where Chattanooga FC won the extra point with a 5-4 win over OCB. Despite not getting the extra point in penalties, the Young Lions still keep their road unbeaten streak alive at five. OCB will have a quick turnaround with its next match at Osceola County Stadium on Wednesday against New York Red Bulls II.

European Soccer Roundup

Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title on Saturday, defeating Cadiz 3-0, while their rivals Barcelona dropped points in a 4-2 loss to Girona over the weekend. Madrid has now won La Liga for the 36th time and still has a shot of adding another trophy if it gets past Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday to reach the final next month. Elsewhere, we had plenty of drama in England. Let’s start in the EFL Championship, where Ipswich Town joined Leicester City, getting promoted to the Premier League after a 2-0 victory against Huddersfield Town. Leeds United, Southhampton, West Brom, and Norwich City will go to the playoffs to determine the third club to secure promotion. Arsenal won 3-0 over Bournemouth, while Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 win over Wolves to keep the EPL title race tight. Arsenal is in first with 83 points, with two matches remaining, while Manchester City is just behind in second with 82 points and three matches left to play.

Free Kicks

• Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos gave insight on her first NWSL start for the Pride after their match against Racing Louisville FC on Sunday.

• PSV Eindhoven clinched the Eredivisie title on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Sparta Rotterdam. American Malik Tillman played for 90 minutes, while Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and added an assist. 

• USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic put on a solid performance and contributed an assist for AC Milan in a 3-3 draw against Genoa on Saturday.

• USWNT forward Catarina Macario came off the bench for Chelsea in the second half and made WSL history by adding two assists in 10 minutes in an 8-0 win over Bristol City.

• Despite their manager Xabi Alonso being in the stands serving a suspension due to yellow card accumulation, Bayer Leverkusen dominated Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 and extended its unbeaten streak to 48 matches.
• Wrexham is reportedly targeting Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy. His contract expires with the Premier League-bound club at the end of June.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.