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Lion Links: 8/31/18

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7 years ago

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What’s up, Mane Landers? It’s hard to believe that August is coming to a close as this year continues to fly by. We have a soccer filled Labor Day weekend ahead of us with the United States Women’s National Team taking on Chile late tonight at 11 p.m. ET and Orlando City taking the field tomorrow against the surging Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. ET. Now, let’s get to the links of everything you may have missed in the world of soccer yesterday.

Orlando City Aims to Thank Fans Through Results

Despite results on the pitch, Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor remains confident that his team’s morale is high. With captain Jonathan Spector returning from injury and the recently acquired Carlos Ascues joining the team, there are some silver linings for an Orlando side that has only won once since O’Connor took over the team in July. But one of the driving forces for the Lions has been trying to repay fans for supporting them through thick and thin.

“We’ve consistently had tremendous support throughout my time here and even before then,” O’Connor said. “It definitely motivates you and makes you want to work even harder to bring some success to the supporters because you see how much they give and that’s something I’m absolutely determined to do, is to make sure we get the level of success that they deserve.”

Yoshimar Yotún’s Soccer Journey

Arguably Orlando’s best player, midfielder Yoshi Yotún has played all over the world in some of the most prestigious events that the game has to offer. From trying out at a youth academy in Peru as an 8-year-old to playing in the FIFA World Cup this past summer, Yotún has had a long journey spanning different continents before landing here in Orlando. With experience in the UEFA Champions League with Swedish side Malmo FF and securing qualification in the hyper competitive CONMEBOL, Yotún has done more at age 29 than some players do in their entire career.

Spector Vexed by Injuries and Lack of Consistency

Despite a performance in Orlando’s 2-1 loss to Atlanta United a week ago that earned him the lowest grade of all defenders in our player grades, Spector’s return to the field was a positive sign. In his first full game since June 30, Spector played all 90 minutes and was able to shake off some of the rust that accumulated from playing in only nine of the Lions’ 25 games. Besides dealing with concussions and a nagging hamstring injury, Spector has been frustrated on the sidelines from being unable to establish stability in a rotating back line that desperately needs a pillar.

“I think, as a player, the worst part of being a professional athlete is injuries and not being able to do what you love,” Spector said. “For me, that’s been really frustrating, not being able to help the time when I potentially could have in some difficult moments.”

USWNT Convenes for Chilean Friendlies

With the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship right around the corner in October, the USWNT has a month before it needs to qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Between now and then, the team will be in California for two friendlies against a Chilean squad it has never faced before. Familiar faces return to the team at a crucial time, with the likes of Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath, and Kelley O’Hara all together as the team works to become a cohesive unit. While Orlando fans will certainly be watching how Orlando Pride players Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris fit into Head Coach Jill Ellis’ plans, some attention in these upcoming friendlies will be on getting a glimpse of the promising future of the team.

UEFA Champions League Draw Revealed

This year’s UEFA Championship League draw is over, with the 32 best teams in Europe set to play in what promises to be a great group stage. Barcelona, Tottenham, PSG, and Liverpool all have their work cut out for them with tough groups, while teams like Manchester City and Bayern Munich will have little trouble reaching the knockout legs. As for you Christian Pulisic fans out there, he and Borussia Dortmund were drawn into a group with Atletico Madrid, Monaco, and Club Brugge of Belgium.

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  • Luka Modric has been named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year after a great performance in the FIFA World Cup that saw him bring home the Golden Ball from the tournament. Also, Pernille Harder won UEFA Women’s Player of the Year. In a collective 34 games in her domestic league with Wolfsburg, the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and 2019 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the Danish forward had an incredible 30 goals. Congratulations to Luka and Pernille!
  • The Lions have a tough opponent tomorrow as the Union come to town. Philadelphia has been soaring lately, in large part due to forward C.J. Sapong getting shifted out wide. Hopefully Orlando’s fullbacks can keep him in check.
  • Sporting Kansas City forward Diego Rubio will miss the game with Orlando City next week after being called up by the Chilean National Team. Fellow forwards Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russel were also called up to their international teams and miss the match. Those three are SKC’s leading goal scorers with 22 of the team’s 47 goals this season. The Lions will be without Yotún, Mohamed El-Munir, and Amro Tarek.
  • While in California for the friendlies, Alex Morgan and Kelly O’Hara visited the StubHub Center garden to pick carrots and chase some chickens.

  • As the USWNT gears up for its first of two friendlies with Chile tonight, here are a few things you may not have known about the South American squad.
  • Former Lion Cyle Larin was called up to the Canadian National Team for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League qualifiers. He will be returning to Florida ahead of Canada’s first match on Sept. 9 against the U.S. Virgin Islands in Bradenton.
  • As for the UEFA Nations League, here is a great guide to how the new competition will spice up European soccer.
  • USMNT defender Geoff Cameron nears a move to join Queens Park Rangers.
  • We end our links with this story involving the new sport of Quidditch at the University of Central Florida. I only mention it because apparently, the UCF team took on a few Orlando Pride players in a game. Unfortunately, there is no footage of them in action, but if you pause the video below around the two-minute mark you should see the Pride’s Dani Weatherholt, Kristen Edmonds, Haley Kopmeyer, and Christine Nairn with the team. Plus it’s a cool video about the sport that I thought was silly but is kind of interesting.

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Make sure to check back in with us for more Orlando City and Orlando Pride coverage. Have a great Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

Published

15 hours ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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April 1, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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