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Lion Links: 2/19/26

Orlando City signs Griffin Dorsey, Lions trade for General Allocation Money, Ally Lemos called up, and more.

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6 months ago

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Image of Ally Lemos playing the ball against Gotham FC in the 2025 playoffs.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? Orlando City’s season opener is so close that I can almost taste it. I’m pretty excited to see the Lions back in action, even if the nervousness of how well they’ll perform is starting to set in. We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed and our voices loud on Saturday. But before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy birthday to Orlando Pride star and soccer legend Marta!

Orlando City Officially Signs Griffin Dorsey

With the season opener only a few days away, Orlando City has a new right back. The Lions officially traded $600,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM) and $400,000 in 2027 GAM to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Griffin Dorsey. The 26-year-old signed a new contract with Orlando through the 2027-2028 season, with an option for the 2028-2029 season.

The move fills an immediate need at right back for Orlando after departures by Alex Freeman, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and Kyle Smith this off-season. While Freeman’s impact will be hard to replace, Dorsey is an MLS veteran who can contribute to the attack and solidify a back line already dealing with injury woes. His fellow Lions gave him a warm welcome and I’m curious to see if he suits up on Saturday.

Orlando City Trades For More GAM

Although not as splashy of a move, the Lions also traded away an international roster slot to Atlanta United for $100,000 in 2026 GAM and $300,000 in 2027 GAM. That’s a decent amount of pocket change and takes some of the sting out of the price Orlando had to pay to bring in Dorsey, who doesn’t need an international roster slot. While the bulk of it is in 2027 GAM, that could help get a trade over the finish line this year, similar to what Orlando did last year to add Tyrese Spicer.

Ally Lemos Called Up For U.S. U-23 Camp

Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos was one of 24 players called up for the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team’s training camp in Miami that will run from Feb. 27 to March 7. Lemos was on the U.S. team that placed third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and was called up for the U-23 team’s pair of friendlies this past November, so it’s nice to see that she’s continuing to get international attention. Hopefully she can stand out during this training camp, which will end with two friendlies against Mexico’s U-23 team.

Dylan Judelson Named to Canada U-20 Roster

Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson was called up for the Canada U-20 Men’s National Team’s qualifiers for the Concacaf U-20 Championship. Judelson is just 17 years old and has impressed during his time in Orlando City’s academy and played in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game last summer. He was signed by OCB in August, and Sean Rollins included him among the most likely OCB players to make their MLS debut this year. Canada will need to win its group to qualify for this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship, which will then determine Concacaf’s representatives for the 2027 U-20 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.

MLS Teams Cruise in Concacaf Champions Cup

More MLS teams have begun their Concacaf Champions Cup campaigns and are off to strong starts. Denis Bouanga scored a hat trick and Son Heung-Min had three assists and a goal of his own in LAFC’s 6-1 win over Real Espana. Nashville scored twice in the second half to beat Atletico Ottawa 2-0, while the Philadelphia Union won 5-0 in Trinidad & Tobago against former Lion Kevin Molino’s new team, Defense Force FC. FC Cincinnati also took care of O&M FC on the road in the first leg. It looks like the MLS clubs will avoid early exits this year unless something crazy happens in the second legs next week.

Free Kicks

  • Freeman spoke on what Black History Month means to him and how it brings people together.
  • The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team was drawn in a group with Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Bermuda for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying next month. The three group winners will clinch a spot in the World Cup, along with the best runner-up.
  • Bodo/Glimt’s home-field advantage was in full force again as it beat Inter 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League. Elsewhere in the tournament, Anthony Gordon scored four goals in the first half of Newcastle United’s 6-1 win over Qarabag, while Patrik Schick scored twice in quick succession for Bayer Leverkusen to beat Olympiacos 2-0.
  • Wolverhampton clawed its way back from a two-goal deficit for a 2-2 draw with Arsenal, with Tom Edozie scoring the equalizer in stoppage time. That’s two league draws in a row for Arsenal. You can practically hear the pressure cooker being dialed up another notch.
  • We’ll wrap up today’s links with a cool jersey from Real Betis that is made from low-impact materials. including organic fibers from orange peels. Orlando fans are no strangers to citrus-themed kits, but this one does have a scratch-and-sniff feature.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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