It wasn’t a perfect weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, but it was close. Orlando City, the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B went undefeated, and combined to take seven of the nine points available, which is hard to complain about. There’s no time to rest though, as the Lions will be back in action tomorrow at home against FC Dallas. As always, we have plenty to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Santos Strike Nominated for Goal of the Matchday

Rafael Santos opened the scoring in spectacular fashion during Orlando City’s 3-0 win over the New England Revolution, and his left-footed blast has been nominated for MLS Goal of the Matchday. With 22 minutes played, the Lions worked a short corner and Ivan Angulo found Santos free outside the box. The fullback took one touch to set the ball up before unleashing a dipping, curling effort that left a fully stretched Aljaz Ivacic with no chance. It was a special strike and a very worthy nomination. Make sure you go cast your vote for him to win it!

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

In addition to his Goal of the Matchday nomination, Santos was also named to the starting lineup of the MLS Team of the Matchday as one of three defenders, while Facundo Torres was included on the bench. Outside of his goal, Santos also recorded two tackles and two clearances while helping the defense keep a clean sheet. Torres converted his penalty kick with venom, had 94% passing accuracy, and generally looked dangerous. Marcus Mitchell awarded Santos a 7 out of 10 and Torres a 7.5 out of 10 and Man of the Match honors in his player grades from the match, so it’s nice to see the pair get some recognition on a larger scale. Here’s hoping the good work continues!

Stories to Watch in MLS

Some of the flashier teams in the league might grab headlines on a consistent basis, but there are plenty of other intriguing stories happening around MLS. For one, the Lions are on a 6-1-1 run that has them up to fifth in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand on the Red Bulls in fourth. Martin Ojeda playing through the middle and moving Facu back out wide is a big reason why. Then there are the Colorado Rapids, a team that has the second-largest points-per-game increase from last season to this one. At the other end of things you have Charlotte FC, which has won just once in its last eight games and is in danger of missing out on the playoffs altogether.

Mikey Varas Will Coach San Diego FC

San Diego FC has found its first head coach, as it named former United States Men’s National Team interim head coach Mikey Varas to the top job. Varas spent several years with U.S. Soccer, and also was an assistant coach at FC Dallas under Luchi Gonzalez for three seasons. Aside from being the head coach of the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team from 2021 to 2023, this will be his only other gig as a full time head coach. Now that San Diego has that vacancy filled, it can do some serious work on building its roster ahead of its inaugural MLS season next year.

Free Kicks

• The Orlando Pride held fast at the top spot of ESPN’s NWSL power rankings.
• Orlando City had a big jump, as the Lions moved up six spots to ninth in ESPN’s MLS power rankings.
• Former Orlando Pride coach Tom Sermanni has been named interim head coach of the Australian women’s national team.
• NJ/NY Gotham FC has played on every day of the week at least once during this season.

• Barcelona has extended the contract of women’s Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí until 2028.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. This week, I’ll be busy working Chicago Cubs games at Wrigley Field while picking up some extra hours at Under Armour. There’s plenty to cover today after a busy weekend of Orlando soccer, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Shut Out the New England Revolution at Home

On Saturday, Orlando City defeated the New England Revolution 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium. This is the first time the Lions have swept a season series against the Revolution in the club’s history. Rafael Santos, Facundo Torres, and Duncan McGuire all scored for the Lions, and this is the second consecutive match that the Lions have won 3-0 after beating Nashville SC by the same score on Aug. 31. Orlando City is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 40 points. It will be a quick turnaround for the Lions, with another home match against Charlotte FC set for Wednesday before traveling to face the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

Pride Draw Against the Kansas City Current

The Orlando Pride played to a scoreless draw against the Kansas City Current on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium and saw their six-match winning streak end. However, the result extended their unbeaten streak to 20 matches this season. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse put on a stellar performance in goal to earn her 11th clean sheet of the season and tie the NWSL record.

Orlando remains atop the NWSL table with 48 points, while the Washington Spirit are close behind in second with 44 points. The Pride will be on the road on Friday to face Bay FC at PayPal Park.

OCB Defeats New England Revolution II at Home

Orlando City B won 2-0 over the New England Revolution II at Osceola County Stadium on Sunday to move a step closer to clinching a playoff spot. After a scoreless first half, Alex Freeman and Jack Lynn scored for the Young Lions to seal the win at home. Orlando City B has now won three consecutive matches and Freeman has scored five goals in the last four games. OCB is third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference table with 43 points, and its next match is Sept. 23 at home against Chicago Fire II.

Americans Abroad in Europe

There were some USMNT players in action in Europe over the weekend after the conclusion of the recent international break. Brenden Aaronson started and played 68 minutes for Leeds United but ended up losing 1-0 to Burnley in the EFL Championship. Christian Pulisic scored a penalty kick and added an assist for AC Milan in a 4-0 win over Venezia in Serie A action. It was Pulisic’s second goal in four matches for AC Milan this season. Teammate Yunus Musah came off the bench in the second half to see out the win. Fellow American Gianluca Busio returned for Venezia, starting and playing 79 minutes. Tanner Tessmann came off the bench to make his Ligue 1 debut for Lyon Sunday against Lens late in the second half, but the match ended in a scoreless draw.

Free Kicks

• Pride midfielder Ally Lemos started for the U.S. Women’s U-20 National Team in the U-20 Women’s World Cup quarterfinal match against Germany. She assisted on the first of two late goals by the U.S. to help send the game to extra time in an incredible comeback. Lemos was subbed off before the penalty shootout, which the U.S. won to advance to the semifinals.

• The Orlando Pride set another club record after their draw against the Current, securing their fourth consecutive clean sheet.

• Carlos Vela and LAFC reportedly agreed to a new contract before the MLS roster freeze deadline on Friday.

• Ashley Hatch scored twice to secure the 50th goal in her NWSL career, as the Washington Spirit cruised to a 3-0 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday.
• Marseille has reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign former Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

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

It’s Friday the 13th, so make sure to stay away from black cats and broken mirrors. I’ll be a bit festive today and grab some early Halloween decorations and a costume for my cat that he will definitely despise me for. Let’s jump into today’s links!

Orlando City Gets Ready for New England

After getting last weekend off, Orlando City is back in action Saturday with a home game against the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. The Lions are coming off of a dominant 3-0 win over Nashville SC and are seventh in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Revolution played during the international break and had to settle for a 2-2 draw against St. Louis City. Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the Lions have been trying to maintain momentum during the break to get another win against the Revolution this season.

Morgan Gautrat Signs New Contract

Orlando Pride midfielder Morgan Gautrat has signed a new deal with the club that will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The Pride traded for Gautrat in January of this year and she’s made 14 appearances across all competitions so far. The 31-year-old has provided important depth for the Pride’s midfield, filling in when needed to cover for injuries and international absences. She’s the latest player to sign a new deal with the club, as Orlando aims to keep most of its roster for next year.

Orlando Pride Game Headlines NWSL Slate

Although tonight’s match between the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current won’t be a battle of undefeated teams like the last time they squared off in July, it’s still a heavyweight matchup. The Current will likely have revenge on their minds, as they have an opportunity to do what the Pride did earlier this year and snap their opponent’s unbeaten streak. It will also be another duel between two of the league’s top scorers in Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga.

Elsewhere in the league this weekend, the North Carolina Courage will host Bay FC in an intriguing match as both teams jockey for playoff position. Pride fans will also likely be keeping an eye on the Washington Spirit’s match Sunday against the Houston Dash. The Spirit are currently six points behind the Pride with just six games left this season.

Gauging the MLS Playoff Race

The MLS playoff picture is becoming clearer and clearer each week, and Andrew Wiebe assessed where each team stands. Orlando was grouped alongside the New York Red Bulls, New York City FC, and Charlotte FC as Eastern Conference sides who should qualify for the playoffs and have a chance at hosting in the first round. Another strong summer by the Lions has put a gap between them and a playoff bubble that includes teams that have underperformed but have the talent to make some noise this postseason.

As for the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers have established themselves as a potential dark horse amid a strong run of form, while FC Dallas, Minnesota United, and Austin FC are poised to fight for the last playoff spot. It should all make for an exciting final stretch of the season.

Free Kicks

• The cooking competition between Nico Lodeiro and Morgan Gautrat continued with a pair of chicken dishes. The video also includes handy recipes in case you want to try making them yourself.

• Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract with Arsenal that will keep him at the club through 2027. He’s done well since taking over in December of 2019, with Arsenal finishing second in the league for the past two seasons.
• The Seattle Reign loaned defender Sofia Huerta to Olympique Lyonnais for the French club’s season. While it’s a great opportunity for Huerta, it’s a tough blow to Seattle’s playoff aspirations.
• Paris Saint-Germain was ordered by the French league’s legal commission to pay Kylian Mbappe $61 million in unpaid wages. However, PSG reportedly stated that it does not owe Mbappe and plans to take further legal action.
• Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was charged by the Football Association for his racially charged comments regarding teammate Son Heung-min in June.
• EA Sports FC 25 ratings are out and Luis Muriel is the Lion with the highest rating, likely due to his time with Atalanta. As for NWSL players, the Pride’s Ally Lemos was tied for eighth among U-21 players.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a smooth Friday the 13th!