Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/5/24
Orlando City picking up momentum, Orlando Pride gear up for big match, Euro quarterfinals begin today, and more.

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July as we shift gears and get ready for a weekend filled with Orlando soccer. For those of you that took today off as well to parlay the holiday into a four-day weekend, know that I envy you but do wish you a relaxing next few days. Let’s get this Friday started with today’s links!
Orlando City Picks Up Momentum in Midweek Win
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for Orlando City so far, but the Lions are riding high after a crucial win on the road against Toronto FC. Designated Player Martin Ojeda bagged his third goal of the season and the defense overcame an early disaster to secure victory. Last year, July was the start of a stretch that included 11 wins in the final 15 games of the season. While there seems to be a few more wrinkles to iron out before a similar finish can be expected, Wednesday’s win is a step in the right direction. The next step will be getting a win Saturday against a D.C. United side that is winless in its past 10 games.
Orlando Pride Prepare for Showdown in Kansas City
In arguably the most anticipated match of the NWSL season so far, the Orlando Pride will take on the Kansas City Current Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are undefeated through 15 games and tied at the top of the table in both points and goal difference. The Current lead the league with 39 goals, while the Pride’s 11 conceded goals are the fewest in the league. While the NWSL Shield implications are obvious in this one, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team isn’t letting the attention on this match distract from preparations. He also talked about how the Pride will need to do well in transition against Kansas City and about Anna Moorhouse’s performance in goal this season.
African Players Excelling in the NWSL
One of the biggest storylines of the recent NWSL off-season was the addition of many talented African players to the league, and they’ve made an incredible impact so far this season. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga have been major reasons why their teams are undefeated this season, and they’re tied for the NWSL Golden Boot lead on 11 goals each. Chawinga currently has the tiebreaker with one more assist, but Banda has played in four fewer games.
Elsewhere, Bay FC forwards Racheal Kundananji and Asisat Oshoala have been helping the club turn its season around before they depart for the Olympics. Princess Marfo has also played a part in Bay FC’s rise up the table, and Houston Dash defender Michelle Alozie was also noted as one of the top African women’s soccer players in the world.
Euro 2024 Quarterfinals Kick Off Today
Only eight teams remain in this year’s Euros and today’s action features the kind of matchups that make this tournament so much fun to watch. The quarterfinals start with a heavyweight bout between Spain and Germany, arguably the two best teams of the tournament up to this point. The match also features some of the game’s youngest stars, as the Spanish trio of Pedri, Nico Williams, and 16-year-old phenom Lamine Yasal goes up against Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.
The later game will be between France and Portugal, with plenty of attention on Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo. Neither star, nor their respective teams, have been playing at their best this tournament, which makes today’s match an opportunity for either side to find its rhythm before the semifinals.
Free Kicks
- The Current will be without forward Alex Pfeiffer for the rest of the 2024 season after suffering an ACL injury.
- D.C. United made a pair of moves, adding Austrian defender David Schnegg from SK Sturm Graz and signing free agent striker Dominique Badji.
- Tab Ramos dove into what should change with the USMNT before the 2026 World Cup. I definitely suggest checking out his take on the past few years, as it’s a bit fairer than the usual reactionary blame game following a tournament exit.
- Manchester United extended Erik Ten Hag’s contract through June of 2026 after triggering the one-year option.
- Newcastle United named Paul Mitchell as its next sporting director to replace Dan Ashworth. Mitchell has previously been with other English clubs like Tottenham and Southampton, as well as previously serving as Monaco’s sporting director.
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: 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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