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Lion Links: 2/10/18

Published

6 years ago

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Happy Saturday, Mane Land readers! Another beautiful weekend is here and the news did not disappoint.

There is big USSF election taking place today which could decide the future of U.S. Soccer as we know it. Also, Orlando City will play its second preseason scrimmage taking on Minnesota United at Slyvan Lake Park.

Oh and only 3 more weeks until the start of the Orlando City season!

Now on to the links!

Orlando Pride Waive Midfielder Nickolette Driesse

OK, so the news did disappoint for at least one person. The Orlando Pride made another roster move by waiving Nicolette Driesse on Friday afternoon. Driesse was drafted in 2017 from Penn State, as the No. 32 overall pick. She appeared four times for the Pride totaling 47 minutes. Head Coach Tom Sermanni praised her work ethic during her time with the team and we wish the best of luck to Nickolette in the next step of her career. 

Sacha Kljestan comments on New York Red Bulls Experience

In an interview with Sirus XM FC earlier this week, Sacha Kljestan was asked about his experiences in New York and the new Lion did not mince words when it came to talking about his old squad.

“It’s never easy to be told you’re no longer wanted at a club, especially a club that you gave a lot for and were extremely successful for over a short period of time,” Kljestan stated in his interview.

He went on to say that he wasn’t happy with the way his old team were building up for this season. He did end the interview on a positive note, sharing his excitement about all the roster building Orlando City has done this off-season, citing the additions of Justin Meram and Uri Rosell. Though Kljestan has moved on to a new team, the pieces around the 32-year-old midfielder could push him to even higher heights.

Rachel Hill Reflects on W-League

If there is any particular Orlando Pride player that had a great off-season, look no further than Rachel Hill. Hill was loaned out to Perth Glory in the W-League where she finished third in the league in goals scored and first in assists, totaling nine and six, respectively. She proclaimed that her experience in Australia was life altering and that she got a bit better playing there. She had the opportunity to train with Samantha Kerr, which she believes improved her game.

“At every game and training session she is just so grateful to be there and just the joy and happiness that she plays with, it’s inspiring,” Hill said of Kerr. “Obviously she works harder than most so that too was something I really look up to. I definitely learned a lot from her.”

Orlando City Adds Two Grow Lights to Strengthen Field Quality

Orlando City Head Groundskeeper Matt Bruderek has picked up a new tool to keep the field in tip-top shape. With the first season in the books, the club wanted to improve the quality of the field due to all of the games played on the surface. There were 50 games played last season as well as two Florida Cup games and six days of the MLS Combine since the start of the new year. The club went out and bought two grow lights that help assist the growth of grass through an artificial light the simulates sunlight. There were issues on the ends of the pitch due to the lack of sunlight they receive during the winter months so the club invested in the lights to ensure that the pitch is healthy going into the season.

USSF Candidates Ramp up Before Election

With the election for U.S. Soccer Federation president occurring today, there has been a combination of events occurring over the past few days that are sure to shake up the race. According to Jeff Carlisle, there is a group of six candidates who are banding together to ensure that a reform-minded candidate would win and not some of the same, which could be what Kathy Carter or Carlos Cordeiro would bring. It was reported earlier this week that Carter had collected the NWSL vote as well as a block of the athlete council. Today will be an exciting day, for the future of U.S. Soccer could be drastically changed depending on who wins the election. Grant Wahl tries to make sense of this group and what this means to the election but no one is truly sure what this all means. Carlisle and Sebastian Salazar provide the latest update on the election.

Free Kicks

  • The U.S. Soccer Federation is rolling out an initiative to help connect the national team programs to the college game through a partnership with six of the top college men’s programs. The colleges included will be Clemson, Duke, Georgetown, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wake Forest.
  • Geoff Cameron writes a tell-all in the player tribune about what the United States Men’s National Team loss meant to him and how it will affect his career from this point on. He speaks to the failures within the system and what needs to change so that the USMNT can be successful.
  • There has been talk this transfer window about a possible move for Christian Pulisic. The young American star has been turning heads in Europe and some of the larger clubs in the region have eyes on the young star. Sport1 has reported that Borussia Dortmund has put the price tag 90 million euros on Pulisic.
  • Former Orlando City player Brek Shea went from being a Designated Player down to a TAM-level player as the Vancouver Whitecaps stated in a radio interview that they will be buying down his contract to make way for another DP. Shea had an underwhelming season for the Whitecaps and hopes to bounce back next season.
  • The United States Men’s National Team has added another friendly to their schedule taking on the Republic of Ireland on June 2. The match will take place in Ireland at Aviva Stadium. This will be the first trip to Ireland for the U.S. since 2014, when they lost, 4-1.

As I always do, I like to end on a positive and what better way to do that then share the new vision of the club going into this season. Last night Orlando City held an event at Lions Pride highlighting the club’s new campaign, Face of Our City, a program about the fans that’s for the fans. If you were there or were watching, you probably caught a glimpse of our very own TheBeardedGuy, as he was one of the fans called up to the stage.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/7/24

Barbra Banda up for NWSL Goal of the Week, Americans in midweek action, Champions League preview, and more.

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 7, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B drew 1-1 with Chattanooga FC and lost the subsequent shootout, Orlando City lost 1-0 to FC Cincinnati, and the Orlando Pride won 1-0 over Racing Louisville. As usual, we have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s dig into the links.

Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week for her strike in the 77th minute against the North Carolina Courage last Wednesday. Banda controlled the ball off a throw-in, turned, and drove across the box before slotting a low shot past Casey Murphy for the Pride’s fourth and final goal of the game. She scored twice in that game and scored again in Sunday’s win over Racing Louisville. Banda now has four goals in four games — including at least one in each of her three starts since appearing off the bench in her debut — and shows no sign of slowing down. Make sure you go vote for her to win this week’s award!

Americans in Midweek Action

As usual, there are a number of Americans playing games this week, so make sure you mark down any that you want to tune in for. Wednesday has Brandon Vazquez and Monterrey traveling to El Volcan to take on Tigres in the quarterfinals of the Clausura. Moving to Friday, Tanner Tessmann, Gianluca Busio, and Venezia have a chance to gain promotion to Serie A if they beat Spezia and Como loses. On the other side of things, former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini and Como play Cosenza, and will secure automatic promotion as long as they don’t have a worse result than Venezia.

UEFA Champions League Preview

The UEFA Champions League continues this week with the second legs of the two semifinal matchups. In this afternoon’s game, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has said that even Kylian Mbappe will have to work hard defensively if his team is going to progress to the final. Borussia Dortmund leads that tie 1-0, and will need to rely on a defense that has kept five clean sheets in this year’s tournament. However, the German club has a concerning record away from home, where it has lost nine of its last 11 games. In tomorrow’s game between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, this season’s La Liga winner will hope its finishing prowess continues from the first leg, when it turned two chances into two goals.

European Transfer Rumor Roundup

With European seasons drawing to a close, the transfer rumor mill is starting to heat up, which means there are several items worth discussing today. First, Manchester United will reportedly face competition to sign Crystal Palace star Michael Olise. Chelsea and PSG are said to also be interested in signing the Frenchman, who was instrumental in his side’s 4-0 drubbing of the Red Devils yesterday. Staying in the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk has said he intends to be part of the transition following Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool, confirming that he does not intend to leave in the summer. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich is said to have agreed to personal terms with AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez. David Moyes has confirmed he will leave West Ham at the end of the season, with reports suggesting that the Hammers have reached an agreement with Julen Lopetegui to be the team’s new manager.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/6/24

Lions lose at home, Orlando Pride win, OCB draws Chattanooga FC, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 6, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It was another mixed weekend for our teams as the Lions lost, the Pride won, and OCB drew. As for me, I’ve been busy managing the broadcast operations for the NISA league’s matches this weekend and also got a chance to cover high school soccer, softball, and badminton. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose at Home to FC Cincinnati

Orlando City lost at home for the second straight weekend with a 1-0 defeat to FC Cincinnati at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Luciano Acosta scored the lone goal for Cincinnati just seconds into the match. Orlando City went down to 10 men when defender Rodrigo Schlegel received a red card in the first half. The Lions had some chances to get back in this one, including a free kick opportunity in the second half when Wilder Cartagena scored what would have been the equalizer, but Facundo Torres was ruled offside, and the goal was waved off. Cincinnati also dropped to 10 men late in the second half as defender Bret Halsey received his second yellow for a foul on Ivan Angulo and knocked the ball out to waste time. Still, FC Cincinnati found a way to hang on for the victory, securing its third win in a row. Orlando City will look to rebound on Saturday as it takes on the Philadelphia Union at Suburu Park.  

Orlando Pride Win at Home Against Racing Louisville FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Racing Louisville FC on Sunday, 1-0, at Inter&Co Stadium, winning their fifth straight game. Barbra Banda scored the lone goal of the match and now has four goals for the Pride this season. The Pride remain undefeated in league play, keeping their unbeaten streak alive at eight matches (5-0-3). Orlando also moved up to first in the NWSL table with 18 points. The Pride will be back home on Saturday to face Bay FC. 

OCB Draws Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B drew 1-1 on the road against Chattanooga FC on Saturday. The Young Lions trailed early in the first half as Mehdi Ouamri put Chattanooga FC in front 1-0. Later in the first half, OCB got an equalizer, with forward Shak Mohammed finding the back of the net to score his second goal of the season. The match went to penalties after 90 minutes of action, where Chattanooga FC won the extra point with a 5-4 win over OCB. Despite not getting the extra point in penalties, the Young Lions still keep their road unbeaten streak alive at five. OCB will have a quick turnaround with its next match at Osceola County Stadium on Wednesday against New York Red Bulls II.

European Soccer Roundup

Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title on Saturday, defeating Cadiz 3-0, while their rivals Barcelona dropped points in a 4-2 loss to Girona over the weekend. Madrid has now won La Liga for the 36th time and still has a shot of adding another trophy if it gets past Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday to reach the final next month. Elsewhere, we had plenty of drama in England. Let’s start in the EFL Championship, where Ipswich Town joined Leicester City, getting promoted to the Premier League after a 2-0 victory against Huddersfield Town. Leeds United, Southhampton, West Brom, and Norwich City will go to the playoffs to determine the third club to secure promotion. Arsenal won 3-0 over Bournemouth, while Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 win over Wolves to keep the EPL title race tight. Arsenal is in first with 83 points, with two matches remaining, while Manchester City is just behind in second with 82 points and three matches left to play.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos gave insight on her first NWSL start for the Pride after their match against Racing Louisville FC on Sunday.
  • PSV Eindhoven clinched the Eredivisie title on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Sparta Rotterdam. American Malik Tillman played for 90 minutes, while Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and added an assist. 
  • USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic put on a solid performance and contributed an assist for AC Milan in a 3-3 draw against Genoa on Saturday.
  • USWNT forward Catarina Macario came off the bench for Chelsea in the second half and made WSL history by adding two assists in 10 minutes in an 8-0 win over Bristol City.

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

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Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

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!

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