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Lion Links: 3/3/26

Recognition for Martin Ojeda, Orlando City B falls in opener, previewing Canada in the SheBelieves Cup, and more.

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8 months ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a rough end to the weekend for reasons I’m sure you’re well aware of, but this week is a busy one that holds plenty of possibility. The United States Women’s National Team will continue its SheBelieves Cup campaign, while Orlando City and Orlando City B will both be back in action on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. We’ve got plenty of things to talk about this morning, so let’s get right into the links.

Martin Ojeda Earns Recognition

Martin Ojeda grabbed his first goal of the 2026 season during Sunday’s match, and his first-half strike earned him a nomination for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. Ojeda received a layoff from Griffin Dorsey inside the box and hit a fantastic trivela with his left foot into the far corner that doubled Orlando City’s lead. While that lead ultimately wouldn’t last, it was still good to see him open his 2026 account, especially considering that he did so with such an inventive strike. Here’s hoping that it’s the first of many this season.

Young Lions Drop Opener

Orlando City B was not able to get its 2026 season off to a winning start, as it dropped its opening match to Hunstville City FC 3-1. Former Lion Shak Mohammed got the scoring started just inside of half an hour, and Jordan Knight deepened OCB’s misery just four minutes later. Harvey Sarajian got one back for the Young Lions in first-half stoppage time after receiving a pass from Gustavo Caraballo, cutting back onto his right foot and tucking the ball into the far corner. Javier Otero saved a penalty 10 minutes after the second half began to keep OCB in the game, but Mohammed bagged his brace in the 62nd minute off an Otero giveaway while outside the box, and despite the home side pushing for more goals as the game went on, that’s how things ended. The Young Lions will be back in action on Sunday evening when they host Chicago Fire II.

Previewing USWNT vs. Canada

The United States Women’s National Team has its second match of the SheBelieves Cup Wednesday when it takes on Canada in Columbus, OH. The Canadians are coached by former defender Casey Stoney, and she named a roster of 24 players that is missing a few names, including former Orlando Pride center back Shelina Zadorsky. Stoney lines her team up in a 4-3-3, with Kailen Sheriden backstopping things as the woman who the USWNT will need to beat in between the sticks. The Canadians try to be direct and aggressive when they have the ball, while also adopting a high press in defense and attempting to win the ball back quickly. Key players to watch include Vanessa Giles, the reigning and back-to-back player of the year for her country, and Evelyne Viens, who has been on a great run of form with Roma this season.

MLS All-Star Game Details

Major League Soccer has announced the details for this summer’s All-Star Game, which will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The game itself is slated for Wednesday, July 29, while the All-Star Skills Challenge will take place the day before at Truist Field. The opponent for the MLS All-Stars will once again be the LIGA MX All-Stars, with this marking the fifth overall meeting between the two teams and the third meeting in a row. The MLS team will be made up of 11 players picked by fan voting, 13 players picked by the head coach of the side, and two picked by MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

Finalissima Location in Doubt

The Finalissima match between Spain and Argentina is set to be played in Doha, Qatar on March 27, but UEFA is keeping a close eye on what is currently happening in the Middle East, and a venue change might not be out of the question. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has gone on the record that he thinks changing the location is a good idea, and games set to take place in the area have already been postponed. The Qatar football federation has postponed all matches and tournaments until further notice, and Al Nassr has also had its Asian Champions League games postponed indefinitely. UEFA put out a statement on Monday which read, “UEFA is monitoring and carefully assessing all developments of the situation in cooperation with CONMEBOL and the [local organizing committee]”, but have not made any specific statements about moving the location of the game.

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  • Orlando City slipped a spot to no.25 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
  • Orlando City’s academy teams had a largely successful time in their games over the weekend.
  • OCB midfielder Dylan Judelson scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time as the Canadian U-20 Men’s National Team defeated Aruba 2-0 Monday night in Concacaf U-20 Championship qualifying.

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/30/26

Antoine Griezmann honored, Orlando City’s 2027 Sprint Season schedule released, Orlando Pride prepare for 2026 finale, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 30, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Let’s all hope this weekend has more treats than tricks as both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are in action. If you plan on celebrating Halloween this year, be sure to stay hydrated and safe while also having plenty of fun. Let’s get to the links!

Antoine Griezmann Makes MLS Team of the Matchday

Orlando City attacker Antoine Griezmann was the only Lion to make the MLS Team of the Matchday after the slate of midweek games. He scored a goal and added an assist in the club’s 2-2 draw on the road against the Chicago Fire as he continues to excel in the league since joining this summer. It was his 12th consecutive game with a goal contribution and he now has 14 goals and eight assists in 16 games this season. The Frenchman’s audacious strike from distance is also up for MLS Goal of the Matchday, though he faces tough competition from Kenji Mboma Dem, Kristoffer Velde, and Luis Suarez. Be sure to vote!

Orlando City’s 2027 Sprint Schedule Unveiled

MLS announced its schedule for the 2027 Sprint Season, which is formatted so that each club plays one game against each of the 14 other clubs in its conference. Orlando City revealed its slate for the shortened campaign for your convenience, and the Lions will open the season at home against the New England Revolution on Feb. 20, continuing the streak of hosting their season opener every year since joining the league in 2015. City will alternate playing at home and on the road throughout the season, with the final game coming on May 8 against Charlotte FC. The only games on Orlando’s schedule that don’t take place on a Saturday are a pair of Wednesday games at home against Toronto FC on March 3 and the Philadelphia Union on April 7. As for the postseason, eight teams will make the playoffs and compete in a single-elimination tournament to determine which team will represent the Eastern Conference in the MLS Cup final.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Decision Day

The Orlando Pride will play their final game of the season on the road Sunday against the Seattle Reign. While the Pride are already eliminated from the postseason, they can potentially spoil things for the Reign with a strong showing to close out the year. Interim head coach Yolanda Thomas spoke on how the team has embraced that role and has prepared to match the intensity it will face from the Reign. It’s been a rough year for the Pride, so hopefully they can end things on a high note.

U.S. Beats Spain to Advance in FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 2-1 against Spain in the FIFA U-17 World Cup to advance to the quarterfinals. Deus Stanislaus got the scoring started with a goal right before halftime and Maddie DiMaria doubled the U.S. lead in the 48th minute. Spain rallied back with a goal from Vera Molina, but the U.S. was able to hold on for the win. The U.S. will play Korea DPR in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/29/26

Orlando City draws Chicago Fire, MLS results amid playoff push, U.S. faces Spain in U-17 Women’s World Cup today, and more.

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3 days ago

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October 29, 2026

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Image of the starters for Orlando City at Chicago.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The pressure cooker on Orlando City’s playoff hopes was turned up another notch or two after Wednesday night’s result, but things could definitely be worse. Maybe that’s just the optimism speaking. It’s nothing brutalizing a stress ball and shouting into the void on the commute to work can’t fix. Let’s dive right into that frustrating game and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Blows Another Lead in Draw

The Lions had to settle for a 2-2 draw on the road against the Chicago Fire in another tough result to swallow. Orlando came out swinging and had two goals before halftime, but the team conceded twice in the second half and failed to find a winner. It was another strong showing from Antoine Griezmann and a draw on the road against a good team isn’t awful in a vacuum, but more dropped points leave the Lions holding on for dear life in the playoff race. They’ll be back in action on Saturday for a Halloween showdown with Charlotte FC.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Takes Shape

As the MLS season winds down, more teams are securing their spots in the playoffs or learning they won’t be taking part in the postseason. Charlotte clinched after a 4-0 win over CF Montreal that included a hat trick by Liel Abada, while the Philadelphia Union qualified after a scoreless draw with Nashville SC. The New York Red Bulls losing 3-2 to the New England Revolution was helpful for Orlando City, but Toronto FC and the Columbus Crew both closed the gap by beating D.C. United and FC Dallas, respectively. FC Cincinnati’s 2-2 draw with Inter Miami has Cincy level on points with Orlando as well, with Orlando holding a narrow tiebreaker. New York City FC stayed alive by winning 2-1 against Atlanta United, eliminating the Five Stripes in the process.

U.S. Takes On Spain in U-17 Women’s World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team will play Spain today in the round of 16 of the U-17 Women’s World Cup. The U.S. finished second in its group following a 3-2 loss to China PR and will now go up against a Spain team that has won every game so far. It should be a tough match, but the U.S. has scored a whopping 25 goals across three games. Maddie DiMaria leads the team with 11 goals, and hopefully she can lead the offense to a win.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

Christian Pulisic has reportedly agreed to a contract extension with AC Milan that will last through June of 2031. He scored his second goal of the season on Sunday, so hopefully he can keep the momentum rolling. Elsewhere in Italy, Juventus is reportedly interested in adding American forward Folarin Balogun to its offense this winter, meaning we could see him link up with midfielder Weston McKennie at the club level. Borussia Monchengladbach defender Joe Scally had an assist in the team’s 2-0 win over Karlsruher in the German Cup as well. You should also make sure to check out Lily Yohannes’ incredible goal from OL Lyonnes’s 6-0 win over Inter in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. She makes it look so easy.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/28/26

Orlando City takes on the Chicago Fire, OCB’s roster update, the NWSL general manager survey, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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October 28, 2026

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Image of David Brekalo standing over the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day for Orlando City, so I hope you wore your purple when you left the house. Speaking of what you’re wearing, have you picked out your Halloween costume? If so, are you coordinating with friends or family, or are you doing the Halloween equivalent of Bah Humbug? I’m actually pretty curious as Halloween is a pretty big deal at my house. Also, candy is yummy. For now, there are no tricks, but let’s get to the treats that are today’s links.

Lions in the Windy City

Orlando City takes on the Chicago Fire tonight at Soldier Field in the Windy City. If the Lions can somehow get all three points against the Fire — and get a little help from FC Dallas over the Columbus Crew — Orlando City can clinch a playoff spot. It won’t be easy, as the Fire have Robert Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel in the attack. The Lions counter that attack with Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda, with the latter chasing club records in the offense.

Orlando City B Announces Season-Ending Roster Status

It’s been a minute since Orlando City B ended the season as the developmental squad did not make the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. There’s always a bit of turnover each year with OCB as players like Justin Ellis move to the senior squad, others are loaned out, and younger players come in to take their places. The club has announced the end-of-year roster statuses. There are seven players under contract for 2027. That number will obviously need to increase before the start of the season.

NWSL GMs Surveyed

ESPN has released the findings of the latest ESPN NWSL GM survey. The general managers are asked a series of questions regarding the state of the league, what they would like to see changed, the impact of NWSL rules like the High Impact Player rule, and — most interesting to me — how much cheating is going on. It certainly seems like some clubs have a ridiculous amount of seemingly high-priced players, yet are supposedly under the salary cap set by the league. It seems suspicious, and many of the GMs agree with me, though slightly less than half think the problem is widespread. It’s definitely worth a read.

A Boisterous Ballon d’Or

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is usually full of pomp and circumstance, but this year’s version was a bit rowdy. London traffic, a large crowd, and a delay made for a raucous event. Still, it was nice for Harry Kane to be presented the long-awaited award in his native country. Sometimes good things come to those who sign for the biggest club in the Bundesliga…er, I mean wait. There was also a bit of controversy on the women’s side as well when no female journalists were included in the pool to ask questions of Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas, and there was a distinct lack of female athlete presenters. There is still room for growth.

Free Kicks

  • Do you still care about where the Orlando Pride fall in SBNation’s NWSL power rankings? Spoiler alert: it’s not good.
  • The NWSL expansion club in Columbus broke ground on the OhioHealth Training Grounds. The facility is supposed to be completed before the club begins play in the 2028 season.
  • Did you see the video of the little soccer player running circles around the other three-year-olds? Someone actually called the police about it. Ridiculous, of course. I’m not the only one who agrees since former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman reached out in support of the young soccer player. Well done, sir.
  • Remember when Ellis scored in the fourth minute of his USMNT debut in Orlando? Yeah, you do, but it’s still fun to watch that moment and plenty of others from the USMNT fall camp in this outstanding video.

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

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