Lion Links: 2/24/25

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It’s been another busy week for me covering high school playoff basketball and hockey. It was a tough weekend for Orlando City losing its home opener on Saturday, but let’s hope our Lions bounce back against Toronto FC on Saturday. Let’s also wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who turned 35 on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to Philadelphia Union in Season Opener

Orlando City fell 4-2 to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in its opening match to kick off the 2025 MLS season. The Lions took an early lead in the first half, with Marco Pasalic scoring his first goal in his MLS debut. However, the Union scored four consecutive goals to take a 4-1 lead. Pasalic added another goal late in the second half to make it 4-2, but the Union took home all three points. The loss ended Orlando’s four-match unbeaten streak against the Union. It’s also the first time the Lions have lost a match on opening day since joining Major League Soccer. Orlando’s next match will be on Saturday at home against Toronto FC.

Orlando City Signs Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo to Short-Term Deals

Orlando City announced before Saturday’s match against the Union that the club has signed midfielders Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Guske played with Orlando City B last season, scoring one goal, adding two assists, and starting in 24 out of 25 matches. Caraballo played two matches with OCB last season in MLS NEXT Pro. The 16-year-old midfielder won the 2023 U-15 Generation Adidas Cup Golden Boot, scoring four goals.

OCSC Reportedly in Talks to Sign Agustin Soria

Defensor Sporting midfielder Agustin Soria has been linked with a potential move to join Orlando City.

Defensor Sporting is reportedly awaiting a new offer from Orlando City after the initial offer was rejected. Reportedly, the two sides are in talks but have yet to agree on a transfer fee. Soria has played for Defensor Sporting since 2023 and has scored three goals and added six assists in 51 matches across all competitions. If a deal is reached between the two clubs, Soria could take up a third MLS U22 Initiative slot.

Lions Acquire General Allocation Money and Draft Pick in Trade

Orlando City announced Friday that the club has acquired $200,000 in General Allocation Money and a natural 2026 MLS SuperDraft first-round selection from the LA Galaxy. In exchange, the Lions sent the Galaxy a 2025 international roster slot.

USWNT Defeats Australia in SheBelieves Cup

Orlando Pride center back Emily Sams started and played the full 90 minutes, helping the U.S. Women’s National Team defeat Australia 2-1 on Sunday at State Farm Stadium to clinch a spot in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final for the sixth consecutive time. It only took the USWNT 42 seconds for Lynn Biyendolo (nee Williams) to score the opening goal and record her 22nd international goal. Michelle Cooper came off the bench in the second half and scored to give the USWNT a 2-0 lead. Australia pulled one back late in the second half, but the USWNT held on for the win. On Wednesday, the USWNT will face Japan in the SheBelieves final at Snapdragon Stadium. Japan has the better goal differential of the two unbeaten teams after lopsided wins over Australia and Colombia.

MLS Opening Weekend Recap

The opening weekend of Major League Soccer is in the books. The Bruce Arena era in San Jose got off to a great start as the Earthquakes defeated Real Salt Lake 4-0. Diego Rossi scored twice for the Columbus Crew in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fire. Emmanuel Latte Lath scored two goals as Atlanta United edged CF Montreal 3-2. FC Dallas earned a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo as their head coach, Eric Quill, got his first win in MLS. LAFC, FC Cincinnati, and Austin FC all won their matches with a scoreline of 1-0 over Minnesota United, the New York Red Bulls, and Sporting Kansas City, respectively. Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 draw against New York City FC, while D.C. United-Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders-Charlotte FC matches ended in 2-2 draws. St. Lous City and the Colorado Rapids ended scoreless, as did Nashville SC vs. the New England Revolution. On Sunday, the Vancouver Whitecaps cruised past the Portland Timbers 4-1, while San Diego FC defeated the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy 2-0 on the road to seal the expansion side’s first ever win.

Free Kicks

• Forbes.com released its Most Valuable MLS Teams for 2025. Orlando City is ranked 26th on their list.
• On Saturday, New York City FC announced that it has sold midfielder Santiago Rodriguez to Botafogo. New York City FC will keep a sell-on percentage if Rodriguez is sold to another club in the future.
• Liverpool defeated Manchester City 2-0 on Sunday to extend its lead in the Premier League table to 11 points.  
• Tom Bogert shared on social media that former USMNT and MLS goalkeeper Tony Meola is recovering after suffering a heart attack on Thursday. We here at The Mane Land wish Tony a speedy recovery.

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