Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/23/26
Lions fall to the New York Red Bulls, OCSC signs Justin Ellis, more OCSC and Pride content on TV, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school playoff basketball. It was a tough weekend for Orlando City, losing its home opener Saturday, but let’s hope our Lions bounce back against Inter Miami Sunday.
Before we get to the news of the day, let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who turned 30 Sunday, and former Lions goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who turns 36 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Fall to Red Bulls in Season Opener
Orlando City fell 2-1 to the New York Red Bulls Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in its opening match to kick off the 2026 MLS season. The Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime but turned in a better performance in the second half. Griffin Dorsey appeared to score early in the second half, but the referee waved off the goal because the ball hit his elbow before his shot. Tiago came off the bench and scored his first goal in his MLS debut late in stoppage time to pull Orlando within one. However, New York did enough to hang on for the win and took home all three points. It’s the second consecutive season opener the Lions have lost at home. Orlando City’s next match will be Sunday at home against Inter Miami.
Orlando City signs Justin Ellis to Homegrown Contract
Orlando City announced Friday that the club has signed midfielder Justin Ellis to a Homegrown Player contract. He completes the development cycle, going from the Orlando City Development Academy to the reserve side Orlando City B, and now to the first team. Ellis became the club’s 19th Homegrown Player, and his deal is through the 2027 season with club options for 2027-2028 and 2028-2029. Ellis has made 41 appearances with OCB, scoring nine goals and adding five assists. He was also on Orlando City’s U-19 academy team, which won the Generation Adidas championship as Ellis won the Golden Boot and earned MLS NEXT MVP honors.
OCSC and the Pride Announce Partnership with WKMG News 6
Orlando City and the Orlando Pride announced a new partnership with local CBS affiliate WKMG News 6 for the 2026 season on Friday. The new partnership includes the Orlando Soccer Insider weekly show hosted by Evan Weston and former City goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, airing on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. Also, select matches will re-air on WKMG 6 and will incorporate club content. The partnership will also debut a new streaming digital series, From the Training Ground.
MLS Opening Weekend Recap
The opening weekend of Major League Soccer is in the books. On Saturday, St. Louis City and Charlotte FC played to a 1-1 draw. FC Cincinnati beat Atlanta United 2-0, and Tai Baribo scored against his former club as D.C. United defeated the Philadelphia Union 1-0. The Vancouver Whitecaps beat Real Salt Lake by the same scoreline. Austin FC and Minnesota United settled for a 2-2 draw, Petar Musa scored twice as FC Dallas edged Toronto FC 3-2, and Guilherme Augusto also scored two goals as the Houston Dynamo beat the Chicago Fire 2-1. Sam Surridge scored twice as Nashville SC cruised past the New England Revolution 4-1, LAFC defeated Inter Miami 3-0, the Portland Timbers edged the Columbus Crew 3-2, San Diego FC crushed CF Montreal 5-0, and the San Jose Earthquakes defeated Sporting Kansas City 3-0. On Sunday, the LA Galaxy and New York City FC match ended in a 1-1 draw, while the Seattle Sounders and the Colorado Rapids were the late match.
Free Kicks
- Toronto FC is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Norwich City forward Josh Sargent for a transfer fee of $22 million.
- USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams made his first appearance for AFC Bournemouth in 2026 after being sidelined with an MCL injury. He played 66 minutes in a scoreless draw against West Ham United.
- Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and scored as PSV Eindhoven beat Heerenveen 3-1 over the weekend.
- Sheffield Wednesday became the first club in English Football League history to suffer relegation in February, falling to League One after a 2-1 defeat to rival Sheffield United Sunday.
- Arsenal cruised past rival Tottenham Hotspur with a 4-1 victory as Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze scored two goals apiece.
- With less than two weeks to go before the 2026 season kicks off in USL League One, the South Georgia Tormenta are reportedly not fielding a team this season and will cease operations.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.