Lion Links: 9/30/24

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I finished working all the Chicago Cubs baseball games at Wrigley Field for the season and will cover some high school girls volleyball later this week. Over the weekend, Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, while OCB was off. Before we get into today’s links, let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City midfielder Felipe.

Lions Win On the Road Against FC Dallas

Orlando City went on the road and got a 3-1 win over FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Saturday. That was Orlando’s first-ever road win against FC Dallas, and it also clinched a playoff spot for the fifth straight year. Ramiro Enrique, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Facundo Torres all scored for the Lions in the match. That was Orlando’s fourth win in its last five matches. Orlando City is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points, just two points ahead of New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have a quick turnaround with a midweek matchup at home on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union.

Pride Defeat the Houston Dash to Extend Unbeaten Run

The Orlando Pride extended their unbeaten run with a 3-1 victory against the Houston Dash in front of a record crowd at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Carson Pickett scored the opener for the Pride to go up 1-0 in the first half. Angelina’s goal extended Orlando’s lead early in the second half. The Houston Dash pulled one back, but Marta put the match away with a goal in stoppage time to seal the win for the Pride. The win extends the club’s unbeaten streak to 23 matches dating back to last season, and Orlando stays atop the NWSL standings with 54 points. The Pride will return to Inter&Co Stadium on Sunday to face the Washington Spirit and have a chance to clinch the NWSL Shield with a win.

Orlando to Host FIFA Club World Cup Matches

Camping World Stadium and Inter&Co Stadium were announced over the weekend as two of the twelve venues that will host matches in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup next summer. Orlando is the only city chosen to have two venues hosting matches. Below are the other cities and stadiums selected by FIFA to host matches throughout the tournament.

The tournament, which will feature 32 clubs from around the world, will kick off in June and run through July. The draw will be in December, and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the final.

Americans Abroad in Europe

It was a good weekend for many Americans in action over in Europe. Christian Pulisic continued his stellar form, scoring another goal for AC Milan for the fourth straight match. AC Milan defeated Lecce 3-0 in Serie A league play. Josh Sargent added two assists for Norwich City over the weekend as his side beat Derby County 3-2 on the road in EFL Championship action. Folarin Balogun played 90 minutes and scored a goal for his side, AS Monaco, to edge past Montpellier 2-1 in Ligue 1. Ricardo Pepi made a rare start and took advantage, scoring two goals for PSV Eindhoven to defeat Willem II 2-0 and remain atop the Eredivisie.

Free Kicks

• During Saturday’s match, the Orlando Pride celebrated defender Celia Jimenez’s nomination for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for her work in the community with Spacekids Global.

• On Friday, Portland Thorns forward Christine Sinclair announced that she will retire from playing professional soccer at the end of the 2024 NWSL season.

• The UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage draw was announced on Friday. Barcelona has Manchester City in its group, Chelsea has Real Madrid, and Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Arsenal are all in the same group.
• The Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid ended in a 1-1 draw. The match was temporarily suspended for 20 minutes due to fans throwing lighters and plastic bottles on the pitch.
• Osasuna stunned Barcelona with a 4-2 win over the weekend and snapped its perfect start in La Liga, ending its seven-match unbeaten streak.

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