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Lion Links: 10/27/25

Pride players on international duty, MLS first-round playoff recap, USWNT defeats Portugal, and more.

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7 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work since returning from Michigan, but I have tried to watch some soccer matches when possible. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Players Away with National Teams

Several Orlando Pride players were in action during the international break. Pride forward Jacquie Ovalle played as Mexico defeated New Zealand 2-0 on Sunday in a friendly. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench for England, and midfielder Angelina was sent off with a red card after 21 minutes as Brazil defeated England 2-1 — also in friendly action. Zara Chavoshi was on the bench for Canada’s 1-0 loss to Switzerland Friday. Emily Sams also remained on the bench Sunday in the USWNT’s win over Portugal (more on that below). Grace Chanda featured for Zambia which defeated Namibia 3-0 and secured qualification to the Women’s African Cup of Nations. The Copper Queens won 7-2 on aggregate. Chanda’s corner kick set up the first goal by Racheal Kundananji, who tallied a brace. Former Pride forward Prisca Chilufya scored the third goal for Zambia.

MLS First Round Playoff Recap

The first round of the 2025 MLS playoffs had plenty of action and drama. Lionel Messi scored two goals as Inter Miami defeated Nashville SC 3-1 Friday at Chase Stadium in the first match of the best-of-three, first-round series. The Philadelphia Union and Chicago Fire fought to a 2-2 draw, and the Union won 4-2 on penalties to win their first match. The Vancouver Whitecaps defeated FC Dallas 3-0 to start their series on the right foot. San Diego FC played the Portland Timbers in the late match Sunday. Today’s playoff matchups include FC Cincinnati vs. the Columbus Crew and Minnesota United vs. the Seattle Sounders. Charlotte FC will take on New York City FC Tuesday, and LAFC will play Austin FC on Wednesday to conclude the first matchdays of the first round.

USWNT Defeats Portugal in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team bounced back and avenged its loss Thursday against Portugal in Chester, PA, with a 3-1 win in an international friendly Sunday at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Hartford, CT. Olivia Moultrie scored twice in the first half, and Portugal pulled one to make it 2-1. Sam Coffey came off the bench and added an insurance goal late in the second half to help the USWNT pull away. The USWNT honored former goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher before the match after she retired from international play last year. The United States will have one more friendly in this window on Wednesday when the Yanks take on New Zealand in Kansas City.

Americans Abroad

Plenty of USMNT players were in action with their club teams in Europe over the weekend. Brenden Aaronson scored his first goal of the season for Leeds United to help secure a 2-1 win over West Ham United Friday. Tyler Adams notched an assist as Bournemouth defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 Sunday. Chris Richards played a full 90 minutes, but Crystal Palace fell 1-0 to Arsenal. Josh Sargent recorded an assist, but Norwich City lost 2-1 to Swansea City as the team’s winless run extended to eight matches. Timothy Weah posted an assist in a 52-minute appearance, but Marseille lost 2-1 to Lens. Weston McKennie played 78 minutes, but Juventus fell 1-0 to Lazio as its winless streak extended to eight matches across all competitions. Ricardo Pepi was on the bench for PSV Eindhoven, but Sergino Dest played a full 90 in a 3-2 win over Feyenoord. Eindhoven moved to the top of the table in the Eredivisie.

Free Kicks

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

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