Lion Links: 3/3/26

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.

Free Kicks

• 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.

• Atlanta United has signed defender Matias Galarza on loan from River Plate.
• Weston McKennie has signed a new deal with Juventus that will keep him with the club until 2030.
• Jose Mourinho says Gianluca Prestianni’s career at Benfica will be over if he is found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr.

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