Lion Links: 10/2/25

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Soccer seasons here in the U.S. are winding down and things remain a bit tense for all of Orlando’s teams. Hopefully it all shakes out the way we would like it to as we gear up for a weekend packed with notable games. Make sure to get some rest and relaxation in if you can! Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Prepares for Crew-cial Home Game

The Lions are back in action Saturday with an important home game against the Columbus Crew. Both teams have clinched a spot in the postseason already, but things are still fairly up in the air in regards to seeding. A win is critical for Orlando’s hopes to earn one of the coveted top four spots in the Eastern Conference, while a loss would have the Lions staring down the barrel of a play-in wild card match. Tyrese Spicer has provided late assists in Orlando’s past two games and spoke on his impact as a substitute and the team’s mentality heading into Saturday’s game.

Nashville SC Wins U.S. Open Cup

Nashville SC earned its first-ever trophy with a 2-1 win Wednesday against Austin FC in the U.S. Open Cup final at Q2 Stadium. Hany Mukhtar got the scoring started in the 17th minute, but Austin’s Myrto Uzuni equalized things right before halftime. It was ultimately a tale of two penalty kicks, as Nashville’s Brian Schwake made a nice save to deny Uzuni, while Sam Surridge scored the winner from the spot later in the match. Nashville did well to hold on for the win in a tough environment, and this trophy is a nice feather in the cap of Head Coach B.J. Callaghan after he took the reins last year.

World Cup Tickets Go On Sale

Tickets are officially on sale for the 2025 World Cup, with selected buyers from a lottery of 4.5 million applicants now able to purchase seats for next summer’s tournament. Uncertainty still abounds though, as only 18 teams have qualified so far and the draw is set for Dec. 5. It will also be the first World Cup to use dynamic pricing. On top of those aspects, there are concerns regarding U.S. immigration policies. FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani also reiterated that any decisions over changing host cities would be made by FIFA after President Donald Trump stated host cities could be changed if deemed “unsafe” by some arbitrary unspecified criteria. It’s unknown how many tickets will be sold during this initial sale window, and only time will tell how many seats will eventually be available for the public.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The heavyweight matchup in this week’s UEFA Champions League action was in Spain, with Paris Saint-Germain going on the road and beating Barcelona 2-1. Barcelona struck first in the 19th minute, but PSG equalized later in the first half. Goncalo Ramos scored a late winner for an impressive three points. Napoli won 2-1 against Sporting CP, thanks to a brace from Rasmus Hojlund, with Kevin De Bruyne assisting on both goals. Erling Haaland had a brace in Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Monaco, while American midfielder Weston McKennie started in Juventus’ 2-2 draw against Villarreal. Elsewhere across Europe, Newcastle United cruised to a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, Arsenal beat Olympiacos 2-0, and Borussia Dortmund won 4-1 against Athletic Club.

Free Kicks

• Former Lion Kamal Miller won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his strike from distance in the Portland Timbers’ 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
• The Washington Spirit are reportedly offering free and discounted tickets for furloughed federal employees following the government shutdown.
• The Philadelphia Union could secure the Supporters’ Shield with either a win against New York City FC on Sunday or a cocktail of various other results from across the league.
• American forward Haji Wright scored twice in Coventry City’s 4-0 road win against Millwall. That makes seven league goals for Wright this season as he’s helped Coventry City climb to second in the EFL Championship standings.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!