Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/15/18
Happy World Cup final Sunday, Mane Landers! Cherish these hours, because we won’t have the opportunity to experience the greatest sporting final on the globe for another 1,460 days; that’s 35,040 hours, 2,102,400 minutes, or 126,144,000 seconds respectively. If that isn’t a bit deflating, I don’t know what is.
Yesterday’s third-place match didn’t disappoint, with Belgium’s golden generation triumphing over England, 2-0. As I’ve mentioned previously, this has been the greatest World Cup I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m entirely sure that it has nothing to do with recency bias. I have a feeling that today’s final will live up to the rest of what has been a simply chaotic yet inspiring tournament.
With that said, here’s your Sunday helping of Lion Links. Eat up!
Orlando City Halts Skid with 2-0 Win vs. Toronto FC
Earl Edwards Jr. was named as the man in between the sticks for this home match against a struggling Toronto side, and he sure did give Head Coach James O’Connor something to think about in terms of who his true No. 1 will be going forward. Chris Shuler, of all players, opened the scoring on the night by heading home a deflected Dom Dwyer strike. Dwyer added another of his own just after the break off of a fine strike from just outside the box, beating Toronto FC’s and the USMNT’s young starting goalkeeper, Alex Bono. The Lions held on from there, winning 2-1 and adding much-needed points. Oh, and that godforsaken nine-match losing streak is over. Thank baby Jesus.
- Our Bearded Guy has your in-depth match recap.
- And the view from the other side comes to us from Waking the Red.
Check back later today for our player grades and Man of the Match from Michael Citro and a photo gallery from Deon Cooper.
Orlando Pride Fight Back to Beat Utah Royals
In the final match of the recent road stint for the Orlando Pride, it was the Utah Royals that found the back of the net first, and early, as Amy Rodriguez put the Royals up 1-0 in just the seventh minute with a nicely chipped volley from some good buildup play. Alex Morgan notched one to tie up the match just before the halftime whistle, with a spot kick. Kristen Edmonds scored from an excellent chip in the second half. From there, the Pride seized momentum and grinded out a gritty and much-needed 2-1 win — one that included seven minutes of heart-pounding stoppage time. Three points in the bag, and the women in purple (well, white yesterday) are still in the hunt for a playoff position.
Belgium’s Golden Generation Downs England for Bronze, 2-0
As I mentioned in the introduction, Belgium completed its best run in a World Cup yesterday by beating Gareth Southgate’s young England squad, 2-0, and securing the third-place honors and bronze medals. The match seemed like it could be split wide open after a fourth-minute Thomas Meunier volley from a beautiful cross by Nacer Chadli. It didn’t break wide open though, and instead turned into a standoff of playing styles. The Belgians were clearly ready to absorb England’s attacks and opted to strike on the counter attack — a tactic that proved to be the undoing of the Three Lions. An 82nd-minute strike from Belgian talisman and captain Eden Hazard (more on him later) sealed the deal, and England, despite controlling possession for the majority of the match and impressing during this exciting tournament, go home empty-handed.
Timothy Chandler Wants to Play for His Country Again
Tabbed as one of former USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s dual-national recruits, right back Timothy Chandler, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, is prepared to don the Stars & Stripes again in the future should the opportunity arise. Chandler hasn’t been called up since Klinsmann’s firing, and age 28, he knows his World Cup opportunities are slowly dwindling.
“When they call me up for the national team, I’m there,” he said. “Of course I miss it. … I see all the players go to their national teams, and I want to fly to the States and play for my country. But the coach decides who plays, and I just wait for him to call me.”
Chandler has enjoyed a spectacular season with Frankfurt, which won the German Cup — the club’s first lifting of major silverware in 20 years. He’s also encouraged by the influx of American talent within the ranks of Bundesliga clubs, and views the moves as valuable experience for these young, developing players.
“It’s good for them to come over to Germany, to Europe, to try something different than the States,” he said. “When you go there, you have to live there for some months and get everything better [adjusting off the field], but it’s good to go there, play there, have some time in Europe, learn a lot, and then maybe they can come back to America and finish their careers.”
Free Kicks
- Congratulations to Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger for making it to 100 NWLS appearances!
The big 💯 for @alikrieger! #UTAvORL pic.twitter.com/zPcMi6n5Vz
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) July 14, 2018
- It’s a small world, folks.
Recently, I was in the UK for USAF duty. Randomly met the CFO of @orlandohealth in Cambridge. We took this pic. She showed her Marketing team the pic and they saw my "old" OCSC jersey. So they sent my entire fam new jerseys. THANK YOU SO MUCH! @OrlandoCitySC @Orlando_CityUK pic.twitter.com/uStvyNhMCo
— GrownBehindMan (@BE_Banks) July 13, 2018
- Former Orlando Pride No. 10 Lianne Sanderson has made her move to Juventus official. Congratulations, Lianne!
So excited to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in the 🌎. Thank you to all that made this happen, the fans for the amazing welcome and to @juventusfcen @JuventusFCWomen for believing in me. This is just the beginning 💪🏾 ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️ #Forzajuve #FinoAllaFine pic.twitter.com/mWO6NfXRij
— Lianne Sanderson (@liannesanderson) July 14, 2018
- U-20 USMNT Head Coach Tab Ramos has called up 20 young and budding Americans to a week-long July training camp in North Carolina. The group includes 10 current players that are either first-team players or academy players of MLS clubs.
- D.C. United’s new stadium might not quite have been ready for its debut last night, as a sideline reporter was hit by a falling section of railing.
- Harry Kane is in line to win the World Cup’s Golden Boot award for scoring six times for the Three Lions…if a certain star or two don’t net a hat trick in today’s final.
Unless Kylian Mbappé (3) or Antoine Griezmann (3) score a hat-trick against Croatia, Harry Kane (6) will be awarded the Golden Boot for the 2018 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/tJKUMWMSsx
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 14, 2018
- World Cup bronze medalist and Belgium’s captain, Eden Hazard, dropped some major hints pertaining to his potential Chelsea exit and next destination. It appears that new Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri faces an uphill battle if he intends on fighting to keep the star forward.
'In the future, you never know what can happen'@hazardeden10 didn't confirm whether or not he would be playing for @ChelseaFC next season pic.twitter.com/53YQnN863A
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 14, 2018
- Ever wonder why some clubs use race car seats as their bench? Here’s why.
- I have no words for this one. Actually, I do. This seems wrong. This seems like a way to get one of your players intentionally injured. That said, I once played on a Sunday League team that won a match 15-0, and we stopped trying to score after the second goal (you can only hold 99% of possession for so long before you have to do something in the final third). I don’t know how I feel about either of the two results, to be honest.
FULL-TIME: ATV Irdning 0-22 Everton. No, that's not a typo. Marco Silva's side enjoy an emphatic win in Austria. @CenkTosun_ (4), Keane, Baines, Lookman (3), Mirallas (5), Niasse (4), Vlasic (2), Holgate and an own goal. #EFCLive pic.twitter.com/M7LnJrvqUF
— Everton (@Everton) July 14, 2018
That about wraps it up for me today, folks. Enjoy what is destined to be an exhilarating World Cup final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium between Croatia and the heavily-favored French side. I’ve been trumpeting France as the winners since our Bearded Guy wrote up The Mane Land’s World Cup predictions.
“I see France taking home the cup. They’re loaded in every single position with world-class talent, and they’ve under-performed for some time now. I think this is the summer they finally put it all together and can forget Zizou’s red card in the 2006 final. As for who I’m rooting for, that’ll be Argentina, Brazil, and Portugal. I’d like to see Neymar, Messi, or Ronaldo lift the cup, and time is running low on the latter two. Quite frankly, I just want consistent quality football.”
I’d be more than happy with a Croatian triumph though, too. If I’m right, hooray! If I’m wrong, hooray!
Have a great week, Mane Landers. And good luck managing your impending World Cup hangover.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/3/24
MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.
Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!
MLS Unveils Club Roster Details
There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.
Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player
Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.
Marta’s Top Moments
All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.
Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season
USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.
Free Kicks
- Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
- Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
- Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
- The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
- American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
- Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
- Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
- Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/2/24
The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.
It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.
The Pride Dominate the Courage
The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.
OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month
Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.
The Billionaires Clubs
Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.
USMNT News
I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.
In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.
Free Kicks
- Despite Bayern Leverkusen’s 46-match unbeaten run, and winning the Bundesliga title, Roma coach Daniele De Rossi believes his team can defeat the German club in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday.
- Borussia Dortmund defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League tie between the two clubs. Dortmund’s Niclas Fullkrug provided the only goal.
- Wrexham AFC owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have bigger plans for their club than previously suspected. The pair want to potentially increase the capacity of their stadium, SToK Racecourse, to 55,000 seats.
- Never pulled the trigger on the Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass? Now, you can get it for the remainder of the season at a 30% discount. Once you get past the Messi ads the coverage is pretty good.
- Former USWNT player Carli Lloyd is pregnant, though it was a long journey to get there. She shares her story of unexplained infertility and multiple rounds of IVF treatments. Congratulations, Carli.
That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/1/24
Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.
Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday
Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:
“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”
Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight
After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.
Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards
Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.
Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract
Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.
“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”
Free Kicks
- Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
- Spirit defender Anna Heilferty will miss the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury in the team’s loss to the Pride.
- American forward Haji Wright scored his 19th goal across all competitions in Coventry City’s 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town. He will have a chance to make it 20 when Coventry hosts Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
- The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.
That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!
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