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Lion Links: 9/27/24

Miguel Gallardo recounts Orlando City history, Americans who can impress, Europa League action, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I made it through the hurricane fairly unscathed over here in Tampa but plan on helping some friends closer to the gulf with yard cleanup. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City/OCB goalkeeper Carlos Mercado!

Reliving Orlando City History With Miguel Gallardo

As part of the series highlighting the people who have had a hand in Orlando City’s history over the past 13 years, the spotlight deservedly landed on Miguel Gallardo. The former Lion spoke on his decision to follow the team to Orlando after the final Austin Aztex season in 2010.

“It was a big decision for me because in Austin I had a business and my family there,” he said. “It was not an easy decision for me, but soccer was always attractive to me, and I felt like I could do better than the way I did in the academy when I was starting out playing in Mexico. Eight of the guys were going to be moving with the team, so I felt like there was a little family there, so after a lot of thought, I decided to come, and it was really special right from the get-go.”

Gallardo was a major part of Orlando’s time in the USL Pro as the team’s goalkeeper and detailed his experience in the 2011 USL Pro championship and in a friendly against Newcastle United. He’s been a part of the Orlando soccer community since retiring as well, climbing the ranks of broadcasting and coaching in the area as well.

New Opportunities Arise for Americans Players

A new United States Men’s National Team head coach in Mauricio Pochettino means plenty of new opportunities for Americans on the fringes of the player pool to get a look. Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was noted as one such player who deserves some consideration from Pochettino. Although he wasn’t able to take the Olympics by storm this past summer, McGuire has done well at the club level and could give the USMNT another option up top. If Pochettino can elevate McGuire’s game, it would be a boon for the Lions as well.

Young attackers like Diego Luna, Luca Koleosha, and Rokas Pukstas could flourish from Pochettino’s coaching as well. Richie Ledezma, who has been playing at right back for PSV Eindhoven, is also a player to keep an eye on while Sergino Dest recovers from injury.

Kei Kamara Speaks On Importance of U.S. Open Cup

LAFC beat Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup final Wednesday night, with striker Kei Kamara helping his team lift the trophy. There’s a great deal of uncertainty for the tournament moving forward, as not every MLS team played in it this year. Following the win, Kamara discussed how the league shouldn’t stop participating in the historic tournament and stated that MLS Commissioner Don Garber “better not take this away.” It’s Kamara’s second time winning the U.S. Open Cup, claiming the title with Kansas City in 2012, and he’s second on the league’s all-time scoring list. It’s great to hear a veteran like Kamara speak so openly about wanting the U.S. Open Cup to stay a part of MLS history.

“We go through the systems of everything that’s happened. They told us to go to school, play soccer in school, go to college, play soccer in college, get drafted, go through the system, and that’s what we’ve done. That’s why I give so much credit to Chris Wondolowski because we’ve done the same things. That’s the American dream that we wanted to do and we made it here so you can’t take away from our history. That’s just my opinion. Don’t take away our history.”

Europa League’s Opening Round Wraps Up

The first round of matches in this year’s revamped Europa League is over and done with and multiple clubs got their campaigns started off on the right foot. Tottenham played a majority of its match against Qarabag a man down, but still managed to win 3-0 at home. Ajax cruised to a 4-0 win against Besiktas, Rangers won 2-0 over Malmo in Sweden, and Lyon beat Olympiacos 2-0 at home. AS Roma had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao after conceding in the 85th minute. Eintracht Frankfurt also couldn’t hold onto its lead, allowing two late goals to draw 3-3 at home to Viktoria Plzeň.

Free Kicks

  • Former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter is reportedly a finalist to become the Chicago Fire’s sporting director, but it could be a hybrid role that has him as head coach as well. FC Dallas interim head coach Peter Luccin is reportedly the frontrunner for the permanent gig, and Bruce Arena is in the mix for the San Jose Earthquakes opening.
  • Trinity Rodman will miss the Washington Spirit’s match tonight against Angel City FC due to her back injury. We’ll see if she’s ready to roll when the Spirit visit Orlando to face the Pride on Oct. 6.
  • AC Milan is reportedly interested in signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  •  Luis Ruiz was suspended for three months for his violent tackle on Christian Bermudez in Mexico’s second division earlier this month. Bermudez suffered a double fracture in his right leg as a result.
  • USL Super League team Fort Lauderdale United FC has rescheduled its upcoming home game due to delays in construction at its stadium.

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: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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