Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/1/18

Published

8 years ago

on

What’s up, Mane Landers? It’s crazy to think that it’s already June, yet here we are. Almost half of 2018 is done and gone. We’ve got a lot to catch you up on as far as Orlando soccer news, so I’ll skip most of the chit-chat so you all can scroll right down to the juicy bits below.

Orlando City Suspends Atlanta United Supporter Groups

For the next three games that Atlanta United will play in Orlando City Stadium, Atlanta’s supporter groups will have their privileges revoked. This decision comes after Orlando City shared video footage of Atlanta supporters throwing debris with Atlanta United and the club did not respond appropriately in Orlando’s eyes. Here is Orlando’s statement on the reasoning behind the ban:

“On May 15, Orlando City SC shared video footage and images with Atlanta United FC of five of its fans throwing objects during the match. Atlanta United failed to respond with the names of the offenders or ask for an extension within the appropriate window of time.”

However, Atlanta disagrees in a statement of its own according to Dirty South Soccer, stating that it did ask for an extension and that Orlando’s decision is premature.

We disagree with the unsubstantiated and premature position that the Orlando City SC organization has taken regarding our visiting fans and have asked for an extension to further investigate alleged supporter involvement. We feel this action is inconsistent with League policy and practice and as such we will be calling for League review.

We continue to assist Orlando City SC with their follow-up on incidents of Atlanta United fan misconduct and believe in accountability for these behaviors, as well as for the misconduct displayed by OCSC fans at the conclusion of the May 13 match.

With a league review looming, this is far from the end of this feud as the search for the truth continues. Regardless of where you stand, let’s make sure we continue to make Orlando City Stadium a safe and welcoming place for all fans, no matter what colors you’re wearing.

RJ Allen Preparing for Rematch Against New York City FC

Orlando City right back RJ Allen will have more than just winning on his mind when the Lions take on New York City FC tomorrow night (7:30 p.m. ET). Allen will return to New York to face off against his former club for the second time this MLS season. In the game earlier this March, Allen played 76 minutes but the Lions ultimately fell to NYCFC, 2-0. Now, the New Jersey native is ready for this weekend’s task of defeating NYCFC and his former teammates.

“This weekend is a big test, an emotional one for me, going back to New York,” Allen told MLSsoccer.com. “To have the opportunity to play against some old friends, which you never want to lose to your brothers or close friends. I have some good relationships on that team, and I’m looking forward to seeing them and battle it out between the lines.” 

Mohamed El-Munir Balancing His Passion and His Faith

A practicing Muslim, Orlando City left back Mohamed El-Munir is one of many people in the world who observe Ramadan, a month that has Muslims fast from early in the morning to late each night. However, observing Ramadan while also playing professional soccer in MLS is a careful balancing act for El-Munir as he strengthens both his faith and fitness. This isn’t Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis’ first time managing a Muslim player during Ramadan and he and the rest of the Orlando City coaching staff are openly communicating with the Libyan defender to ensure that he can practice his religion while also staying in form as the MLS season wears on.

Patrick Vieira Praises Kreis Before Match

It’s no secret that NYCFC Head Coach Patrick Vieira and Jason Kreis are far from best friends. However, there is a mutual professional respect between the only two NYCFC managers in the club’s history. Things may have gotten heated between the two coaches last season, but Vieira had kind words for Kreis before the two clubs clash tomorrow night.

“He’s doing a really good job in Orlando and he won the title here and you don’t win it just like that,” Vieira said, referring to the MLS Cup Kreis won with Real Salt Lake in 2009. “He’s, I believe, one of the most experienced and one of the coaches who know better the league and he’s doing a really good job for Orlando.”

Pride Players Win NWSL Weekly Awards

The Orlando Pride are starting to find their groove in the NWSL after a slow start and players are beginning to be recognized more and more. Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris’ knee save against the phenomenal Sam Kerr to deny the Chicago Red Stars an equalizer earned her Save of the Week honors.

Meanwhile, Sydney Leroux won Goal of the Week for her diving header to start the Pride’s second half scoring spree. It was the first of two goals within a few minutes for Leroux and the forward’s first goal as a member of the Pride.

But that’s not all. Orlando Pride fullback Poliana was featured in the NWSL’s “Three Moments” from the week for her last-ditch defending.

A Tale of Two Brazilian Midfielders

It’s the best of times and the worst of times if you’re an Orlando Pride fan. Okay, so maybe it’s not that dramatic, but the latest injury news coming out of training comes with some good and some bad. The good is that Brazilian midfielder Camila is nearing her season debut after a knee injury from last season has kept her sidelined so far in 2018. Head Coach Tom Sermanni even said that Camila could start soon if necessary, but that the club is understandably letting her get to full strength.

The bad news is that five-time FIFA World Player of the Year Marta was notably absent from training due to a reported calf strain. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious and she can still play in the Pride’s road match against the Seattle Reign this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Free Kicks

That’s all I’ve got for you today, Mane Landers. I’ve got a birthday between today and next Friday so I’ll see you guys when I’m older. Have a great Friday everyone! We leave you with news that Alex Morgan appears in a Maroon 5 video.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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.

Published

3 days ago

on

August 21, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

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

4 days ago

on

August 20, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

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

5 days ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

Trending