Lion Links: 1/29/26

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of killing it in terms of my resolutions this year and already have 10 read books under my belt. I’m also pretty sure I’ve mastered the art of making blondies, but I’m scared to jinx it. On top of all that, the return of Orlando soccer has me excited. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City midfielder Colin Guske! A breakout season from the 19-year-old this year would be awesome.

Orlando City Announces Preseason Fan Events

The list of events ahead of Orlando City’s 2026 season was unveiled and there’s a nice mix of familiar and fresh things for fans to enjoy. The new addition is a pop-up bar called The Final Whistle at Thornton Park Pub that’s designed with Orlando City and Orlando Pride fans in mind. It opens on Saturday and will operate through March 31. Orlando City’s jersey reveal event will take place there Feb. 10, and the Lagers with Lions event will take place there on Feb. 16 with Tyrese Spicer and Maxime Crepeau as bartenders. The Purple Pride 5K will be on Feb. 7, so make sure to register to participate.

USWNT Takeaways From Win Over Chile

The United States Women’s National Team cruised to a 5-0 win over Chile in its second friendly this month. There were five different scorers for the U.S., including forward Trinity Rodman and former Pride defender Emily Sams. Rodman scored in both friendlies this month, and it’s great to see her back on the scoresheet after injuries limited her time with the U.S. last year. These matches not only showed the player pool depth Head Coach Emma Hayes has at her disposal, but it also showed how capable this new generation is. Paraguay and Chile aren’t exactly powerhouses, but lopsided victories are a strong way to start a year.

NJ/NY Gotham FC Falls in Champions Cup

The inaugural Champions Cup is underway in London and NJ/NY Gotham FC, Concacaf’s representative, lost 1-0 to Corinthians in the semifinals. Corinthian’s veterans combined for the game’s only goal in the 83rd minute, with 40-year-old midfielder Gabi Zanotti getting on the end of a cross by Tamires. Gotham only put one of its 20 shots on target over the course of the match, and both Gabi Portilho and Rose Lavelle had to exit due to injury. The NWSL club will play in the third-place match on Sunday against Moroccan club ASFAR, which lost 6-0 to Arsenal.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The league phase of this year’s UEFA’s Champions League had a cinematic finish, as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored at the death to beat Real Madrid 4-2 and advance to the knockout phase on goal difference. Sporting CP scored in stoppage time to beat Athletic Club 3-2 and leapfrog into the round of 16 at Real Madrid’s expense as well. Bodo/Glimt, Club Brugge, and Olympiacos all came up with wins to stay alive in the tournament. Bayer Leverkusen had a drama-free day though, with American midfielder Malik Tillman pouncing on an error and scoring a stunner for a brace in his team’s 3-0 win over Villarreal.

Arsenal remained perfect after a 3-2 win over Kairat and is one of five English clubs through to the round of 16. There are many heavyweights who missed out on the top eight, including Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter. Meanwhile, Marseille and Napoli were eliminated after coming up short in the final matchday. The draw for the next round will be on Friday, and you can check out the bracket to see some of the potential matchups.

Free Kicks

• Duncan McGuire was mic’d up for part of Orlando City’s preseason training in Cancun and it’s nice to see this side of the players. I’m also hoping Marco Pasalic’s “Nebraska power” war cry for McGuire catches on.

• A few Orlando Pride players will be sporting new numbers for the 2026 season, including Barbra Banda.

• Cesar Araujo, whose contract with Orlando City ended after the 2025 season, will reportedly join Tigres in Mexico on a four-year contract.

• The LA Galaxy signed midfielder Erik Thommy to a contract through June of 2027, with a club option for the 2027-2028 season. Thommy’s contract with Sporting Kansas City ended after the 2025 season, in which he recorded four goals and four assists.
• San Diego FC transferred Paddy McNair to Hull City and retain a sell-on percentage on any future transfer.
• Raheem Sterling and Chelsea mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year and a half before it ended. The 31-year-old has not played a competitive match for Chelsea since May of 2024.
• Here’s what to watch for in today’s packed slate of Europa League action as teams try to secure a spot in the knockout stages.

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