Lion Links: 4/6/26

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you in Florida. I’ve been busy working over the holiday weekend. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Ignacio Gomez, who turned 20 Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Crushed by LAFC on the Road

Orlando City fell 6-0 to LAFC on the road Saturday at BMO Stadium. OCSC defender David Brekalo scored an own goal early in the first half, and a hat trick from Denis Bouanga gave LAFC a 4-0 lead. Orlando trailed 5-0 at halftime. LAFC added one more goal in the second half. Orlando City committed numerous turnovers throughout the match while LAFC secured the win and remains atop the Western Conference, having not conceded a goal in six matches. The Lions are off to their worst start of the season and have not scored a goal on the road yet this season. Orlando City’s next match will again be on the road, as the Lions head north to play the Columbus Crew Sunday.

McCutcheon’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Angel City

The Orlando Pride defeated Angel City 2-1 Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. After a scoreless first half, all the scoring came late in the second half. Haley McCutcheon scored the opener for Orlando before Angel City equalized in stoppage time. McCutcheon buried a late winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to lift the Pride to victory — the team’s first win at home this season. Angel City suffered its first loss of the season. Orlando is sixth in the NWSL table with eight points. The Pride are off for the next three weeks due to the international break but will return to action on April 24 on the road, taking on Racing Louisville at Lynn Family Stadium.

Barbra Banda Named to NWSL Best XI for March

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was named to the National Women’s Soccer League Best XI for the month of March. Banda scored in her first three matches of the 2026 season against the Seattle Reign, Denver Summit, and the Chicago Stars.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

There was plenty of drama in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup over the weekend. On Saturday, Erling Haaland recorded a hat trick for Manchester City as his side beat Liverpool 4-0 and booked a spot in the semifinals for the eighth year in a row. Chelsea demolished EFL League One side Port Vale 7-0. Arsenal fell 2-1 to Southampton as Shea Charles came off the bench and scored a late second-half goal to seal the upset over the Premier League leaders. On Sunday, Leeds United defeated West Ham United 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to advance. After the FA Cup semifinal draw, Manchester City will face Southampton, while Chelsea takes on Leeds United on April 25 at Wembley Stadium.

Free Kicks

• Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber praised FIFA for being smart about its dynamic ticket pricing strategy for the 2026 World Cup despite supporter groups expressing outrage over ticket prices for this summer’s tournament.
• The Seattle Sounders have signed midfielder Peter Kingston from the Tacoma Defiance of MLS NEXT Pro on a contract through the end of the 2026 season with options through 2027-2028.
• BBC Sport takes a deep dive into the finances of EFL Championship clubs, how much money they have lost, and whether the clubs can survive and be sustainable in the long term.
• PSV Eindhoven secured its third straight Eredivisie title following a 4-3 win against Utrecht Saturday, while Feyenoord, which was second, was held to a scoreless draw against Volendam Sunday.
• Folarin Balogun scored a goal to help AS Monaco defeat Olympique de Marseille 2-1 and extend its unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions.
• Josh Sargent scored his first goal and added an assist for Toronto FC Saturday in a 3-2 win against the Colorado Rapids. In case you missed it, you have to see this own goal by the Rapids during the match.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.