For those of us here in Florida, Hurricane Helene is here and dumping plenty of rainfall all over the state. If affected, don’t underestimate the storm, keep your wits about you, and err on the side of caution. Hopefully it’s a smooth next couple of days for you all as we get ready for a weekend filled with soccer. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Dallas

After a loss on the road to the Columbus Crew, Orlando City will aim to bounce back when it takes on FC Dallas in Texas on Saturday. The match presents a good opportunity for both clubs, as Orlando is fighting to host in the first round of the playoffs while Dallas is five points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. A win in Dallas guarantees a place in the playoffs for the Lions, although there are various scenarios in which the Lions can still clinch if they lose or draw. Head Coach Oscar Pareja, who coached FC Dallas for five years after stints there as an assistant coach, spoke on the team’s mentality heading into this match at his old stomping ground.

Alex Freeman Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek

Orlando City B clinched a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs after a 3-0 win over Chicago Fire FC II and right back Alex Freeman was honored as MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his role in the win. Although he didn’t score, Freeman assisted on OCB’s first and final goals of the match and helped the team secure its second consecutive shutout at home. The 20-year-old has been a major reason why the Young Lions have climbed the Eastern Conference standings, as he’s recorded five goals and four assists in their last six games.

Alyssa Naeher Will Stay in Chicago

The Chicago Red Stars have re-signed American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to a contract that will keep her with the club through the 2025 season. Naeher has been with the Red Stars since the 2016 season, after she was traded to the club from the Boston Breakers. The 36-year-old has started in 135 games for Chicago, and she’s the first NWSL goalkeeper to reach 50 wins with one club. At the international level, Naeher has excelled with the United States Women’s National Team and played every minute of the team’s winning campaign in this summer’s Olympics. Her contract was set to end after this season, so it’s a good move by Chicago to make sure she stays with the team.

Europa League Kicks Off

The Europa League is officially underway this week, with 36 teams participating in the revamped format. Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, who is on loan from Napoli, caused an own goal and had an assist in his team’s 3-1 victory against Greece’s PAOK. Manchester United was held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford by Dutch club FC Twente. Porto struck first against FC Bodø/Glimt but fell 3-2 to the Norwegian club despite playing a man up for the most of the second half. Lazio cruised to a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv, Real Sociedad and Nice battled to a 1-1 draw, and Anderlecht held on for a 2-1 win against Ferencváros of Hungary.

Some of the matches highlighting today’s action in the tournament include AS Roma hosting Athletic Bilbao, Lyon and Olympiacos squaring off in France, and an interesting matchup between Ajax and Besiktas.

Free Kicks

• OCB returned to the top 10 of the MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, placing eighth as one of the most in-form teams in the league.
• The Columbus Crew drew Club America in the Campeones Cup, but fell in the penalty shootout after the match. Liga MX won its third Campeones Cup title, tying MLS at 3-3 over the competition’s history.
• Portland Timbers midfielder Evander won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his strike from a free kick against Real Salt Lake.
• Kylian Mbappe will be out due to a hamstring injury according to Real Madrid, although a time frame on how long he’ll be sidelined was not provided.
• Center back Raphael Varane is retiring after a career that included winning the 2018 World Cup with France and four Champions League titles with Real Madrid. The 31-year-old signed with Como in July, but sustained an injury in his only appearance with the Serie A side.
• CBS Sports ranked the top five American strikers ahead of the United States Men’s National Team’s friendlies against Panama and Mexico next month. AS Monaco’s Folarin Balogun tops the list, with Haji Wright and Josh Sargent as other options up top for the USMNT in October.
• The draw for the Carabao Cup’s fourth round is complete and Tottenham Hotspur will host Manchester City. Other intriguing matchups include Manchester United’s match against Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion’s game with Liverpool, and a showdown between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
• Speaking of the Carabao Cup, Arsenal started 16-year-old Jack Porter in goal for the team’s 5-1 win against Bolton Wanderers, making him the youngest player to ever start for Arsenal’s first team.
• Wojciech Szczęsny’s retirement may only last a month, as the 34-year-old goalkeeper will reportedly sign with Barcelona just a month after announcing his retirement. He’ll help replace Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who could miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury.

That’s all I have for you all today. Stay safe out there and be neighborly. Have a great Thursday!

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Hopefully, most of you are not in the path of Helene like I am. Sure, it’s heading right towards Tallahassee as of this writing, but we’re as ready as we can be at Mane Land Studios North. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to get today’s links together for you before the storm arrives. Let’s get to it!

Orlando City Is Okay

If you’re like me, you were disappointed with Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Columbus Crew. However, keep in mind that the Lions made it close after looking like it was going to be a blowout. The team didn’t give up and took things to the final whistle. That is the type of fight you want from this club heading down the stretch, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Despite the loss, Orlando City is still at No. 10 in the MLS power rankings. The Crew are a very good club, so heads held high, and we go again this Saturday.

Pochettino Barks Back

There’s been quite a bit of talk around Mauricio Pochettino’s plan to bring success to the USMNT in the 2026 World Cup. Some are questioning whether he can transform the often-dubbed “golden generation” into a World Cup contender. There are those who think the only reason he took the job is because the U.S. is a host in 2026 with an automatic bid. Can he get the players to adapt to his philosophy and style of play? Pochettino took issue with such a suggestion. Hopefully, he can bring a winning mentality to the team, and secure a result that will make U.S. supporters happy.

USWNT Coaching Updates

U.S. Women’s National Team Assistant Coach Twila Kilgore is leaving to pursue other coaching opportunities. Kilgore was the longest-serving interim coach in USWNT history. She does not have a new coaching destination as of now, but her resume is impressive. She effectively bridged the gap between Vlatko Andonovski and Emma Hayes, even winning the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2024.

Speaking of Hayes, the USWNT head coach is back in the news, thanks to Pochettino. When Hayes was hired, her base salary matched that of then-head coach Gregg Berhalter at $1.6 million per year. Now, she is making significantly less than Pochettino, who will earn an estimated $6 million per year. Given the fight for equality between the men’s and women’s teams, questions are being asked about the discrepancy in salary. Alexi Lalas tried to bring it up with U.S. Soccer CEO J.T. Batson. Ultimately, Batson didn’t give a straight answer, but take a look for yourself.

The U.S. Open Cup Final is Tonight

LAFC and Sporting Kansas City meet tonight in the final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Orlando City fans are well-versed on how important this competition is to supporters, despite Don Garber doing everything he can to steal the spotlight for the Leagues Cup. Two former USMNT players will face off, with Steve Cherundolo in charge of LAFC and Peter Vermes in charge of Kansas City. If you want to watch, you’ll need to stay up late, as it has a 10:30 p.m. start time.

Free Kicks

• Bay City FC is building a permanent training facility.

• UEFA has reopened bidding for the 2027 Champions League final after taking it away from AC Milan when officials couldn’t convince UEFA that planned redevelopment work wouldn’t interfere with the event.
• If you’re still confused by the NWSL’s new collective bargaining agreement, then look no further than this link for the clarification you need.
• I love when Haley Carter calls out examples of the Orlando Pride being ignored when they shouldn’t be ignored.

• Kyle Smith gave his rankings of some of the Orlando City jerseys over the years. See if you agree with him, and can we get that for all of us to rank as well?

That will do it for today. Everyone stay safe, and check back as we get you ready for the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was a mixed bag of results for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend as the Orlando Pride won but Orlando City lost. The Lions still had a good showing on the road against one of the best teams in the league. Regardless of the results, life goes on, and that means we have plenty to talk about this morning. Let’s get into the links.

Orlando City B Wins to Claim Playoff Spot

Orlando City B cruised to a 3-0 victory over Chicago Fire FC II on Monday night, with the Young Lions clinching a playoff spot as a result. The first half was scoreless, but things blossomed for Orlando after halftime. Jack Lynn got things started in the 61st minute when he latched onto a header from Alex Freeman. Yutaro Tsukada doubled the lead 10 minutes later, and Favian Loyola finished things off with a great strike from distance to put the game well and truly out of reach. OCB now gets some time off before its final match of the regular season when it will face FC Cincinnati 2 on the road on Oct. 6.

U.S. Soccer Names Nations League Quarterfinal Venue

U.S. Soccer has announced that the United States Men’s National Team will play the home leg of its upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal in St. Louis at CityPark , the home of St. Louis City FC. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. on Nov. 18, and it will be new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s first competitive home game with the USMNT. We won’t know the Yanks’ opponent until the conclusion of the October international window, but the USMNT has a strong track record when playing in St. Louis regardless.

Americans in Midweek Action

Speaking of the USMNT, there are a number of American players who will be taking part in games this week. Patrick Schulte earned his first minutes with the team during the last international window, and he and the Columbus Crew will face Club America in the Campeones Cup tomorrow. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis in La Liga action against Las Palmas, while Tanner Tessmann and Lyon will face Olympiacos in Europa League action. Things wrap up on Friday as Christian Pulisic will try continuing his torrid run of form as he, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Lecce in Serie A play.

Everton Set for Takeover

Everton’s ownership is set to change, with the club announcing on Monday that the Friedkin Group will take over Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% controlling stake in the team. It will be the consortium’s second foray into soccer club ownership, as it also has a controlling stake in Roma. The news will almost certainly come as a massive relief to Everton fans, who have watched their club struggle increasingly after Moshiri first bought stakes back in 2016. The team has barely escaped relegation on several occasions during recent seasons, and is currently 19th with one point in five matches.

Free Kicks

• The Orlando Pride unsurprisingly retained the top spot in the most recent edition of ESPN’s NWSL power rankings.
• Meanwhile, Orlando City slipped one spot to 10th in the same outlet’s latest MLS power rankings.

• Bob Bradley has left his position with Norwegian club Stabaek after a third straight defeat left the team in seventh with seven games to play.
• Rodri reportedly suffered an ACL tear in his left knee during Sunday’s match with Arsenal, and will likely miss the rest of the season.

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