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Lion Links: 3/1/18

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7 years ago

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Good morning, Mane Landers. It’s the beginning of March and it’s a beautiful Thursday morning — in fact, it’s the last Thursday morning before the 2018 MLS season kicks off. So let’s rejoice in the fact that we have only two days left before we finally get to see Orlando City face D.C. United at Orlando City Stadium.

Before we begin the Links for today, I’d like to wish Jonathan Spector a very happy 32nd birthday and showcase one of the best goals of his career against the Montreal Impact last June:

Spector Named Lions’ Captain for 2018

Speaking of Spector, this had to be a great early birthday gift for the center back. Spector was announced as the team captain for 2018 by Orlando City early on Wednesday. Spector should serve as an amazing captain for the Lions as well as the focal point at the core of the Lions’ defense. He will also provide a much-needed veteran presence for the young players at the club such as Josué Colmán, Chris Mueller, and Victor “PC” Giro.

Spector started every one of the 25 games he played in last season, so he is definitely a reliable player that the Lions can count on game in and game out. He also spoke about being the captain of the team:

These are starting to feel like Spector Links rather than Lion Links.

Four Lions Out for Season Opener, Sané a “Maybe”

For those who were wondering what the formation may look like Saturday, these injury updates may make it a bit easier to answer that question:

Dom Dwyer was obviously not playing after suffering a quad strain. Uri Rosell is still getting back into form after a long break from playing. Colmán is still recovering from his quad contusion and Dillon Powers is also struggling with an ankle injury.

Lamine Sané is a “maybe” due to the fact that he hasn’t been with the club very long and just recently started training — or possibly because Werder Bremen hasn’t received all of the necessary documents to finalize the deal — but we are all hoping he will get a chance to play alongside Spector on Saturday.

These injuries also shed some light on the topic of who will be on the field Saturday. Mueller may very well get a chance to get some time as well as Stéfano Pinho, who will likely start in place of Dwyer. Cristian Higuita may play as well. At least Richie Laryea returned to training this week.

Pride Drop Preseason Opener

The Orlando Pride got their preseason underway last night despite missing nine regular players to international duty (more on that below). Tom Sermanni took what was left of his squad — some of which played against a hundred kids the night before — and motored up to Tallahassee to take on Florida State. The Seminoles prevailed, 3-2 on a late goal but the match was noteworthy for producing Sydney Leroux’s first goal with Orlando. It was the Pride’s first-ever preseason loss, but at one point Sermanni put seven trialists on the field at once. This was not a normal match.

USWNT Set to Begin SheBelieves Cup play vs. Germany

The U.S. Women’s National Team will begin play in the SheBelieves Cup tonight vs. Germany. The match-up will pit the top two teams in terms of the FIFA women’s world rankings. The U.S. will be led by the Orlando Pride’s own Alex Morgan, who is competing in her third SheBelieves Cup. The SheBelieves Cup hosts the U.S., Germany, France, and England, all women’s national teams in the top six of the current FIFA women’s rankings.

Look for our SheBelieves Cup preview coming this afternoon at 2 p.m. ET talking about the event itself as well as what to watch, how to watch, and everything SheBelieves Cup.

Algarve Cup Action Gets Off to a Fun Start

The Algarve Cup, a women’s tournament hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation, began play yesterday with some intense action. Here are the results of each game on day one:

  • Portugal defeated China after an 83rd-minute red card led to an 85th-minute goal from Carole Costa
  • South Korea defeated Russia 3-1, with all three goals coming in the second half.
  • Japan was thrashed by the Netherlands 6-2, giving up goals in spurts.
  • Denmark and Iceland drew in a scoreless battle.
  • Australia defeated Norway 4-3 with a 90’+5 goal from Larissa Crummer.
  • Sweden defeated Canada 3-1 in impressive fashion.

The Orlando Pride players in action at the Algarve Cup include Nádia Gomes for Portugal, Alanna Kennedy and Emily Vvn Egmond for Australia, and Shelina Zadorsky for Canada.

Gomes did not play for Portugal against China, while Kennedy and Van Egmond both started for Australia. Zadorsky came on as a late sub for Canada and, unfortunately, her turnover led to the insurance goal in the loss to Sweden.

Jose Aja Officially Joins Vancouver Whitecaps

Former Lion Jose Aja — who was recently acquired by the Vancouver Whitecaps — joined the club and spoke about the new environment:

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That’s about it, fellas.

Before I leave, I’d like to recommend some shows on Netflix for you all that could pass the time between now and Saturday’s opener:

  • Everything Sucks: A show about a freshman in the ’90s who is trying to find his place at his new school.
  • First Team: Juventus: A behind-the-scenes depiction of different storylines at the Italian superpower club Juventus.
  • Altered Carbon: A rebel brought back from the dead has a mission to fulfill in the future where the rich use the poor as pawns in their game.
  • Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee: The name speaks for itself.

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday, rest up tomorrow, and get ready for Saturday against D.C. United! That game, for all who may not know, starts at 7:30 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/25

Orlando City ousted from U.S. Open Cup, OCB’s Justin Ellis named Player of the Matchweek, Tottenham wins Europa League, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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May 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, that could have gone better. It’s understandable to feel a bit deflated after Wednesday night’s game, especially after so many positive Orlando City results as of late. The good news though is that we’re another day closer to a holiday weekend that should include some good times or at least rest and relaxation. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup

The Lions lost 3-2 at home to Nashville SC in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16, ending the team’s run in the tournament. Orlando struck first in a rollercoaster of a match, and Ramiro Enrique pulled the Lions level after they fell behind, but rookie Wyatt Meyer scored the winner for the visitors. The loss snapped Orlando’s 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and Orlando looked like a team that played five other matches already this month. Orlando will need to shake off this loss as it prepares to host the Portland Timbers on Saturday.

Justin Ellis Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek

Orlando City B midfielder Justin Ellis was selected as MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his role in the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami II. Ellis, who turned 18 years old last week, assisted on both of OCB’s first two goals before scoring from the penalty spot himself. It’s been quite the year so far for Ellis, as he also scored six goals in the Generation Adidas Cup to help Orlando win the U-18 title in April. The Young Lions are back in action Friday with a road match against rival Atlanta United 2.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Results

Comebacks were a theme throughout the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16. Minnesota United took the lead, gave it up, and ultimately advanced thanks to defender Anthony Markanich scoring two late goals to beat St. Louis City 3-2 at Allianz Arena. Markanich was traded from St. Louis to Minnesota last year, adding a little salt in the wound for the visitors. D.C. United and Charlotte FC battled in a back-and-forth match that ended up with D.C. winning the penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw. The match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas also went the distance, with the Red Bulls winning the shootout. The Philadelphia Union won 4-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to eliminate the last team from outside MLS. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place this morning.

Tottenham Hotspur Wins Europa League Final

Tottenham prevailed in this year’s Europa league final, winning 1-0 against Manchester United in Spain. Brennan Johnson’s goal was enough for Tottenham to end its 17-year wait for a major trophy. It was a bit of an underwhelming finish to what was a fairly exciting knockout stage, and this was United’s only loss in this year’s tournament. Tottenham has now qualified for next season’s Champions League despite currently being 17th in the English Premier League standings.

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

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Lion Links: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

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  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/20/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, preliminary Gold Cup rosters released, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Life always feels a little brighter after your team wins a soccer game, even more so when it’s against a hated rival, so I hope you’ve had as good a start to your week as I have. We have no time to rest on our laurels though, because Orlando City is straight back into action tomorrow with a U.S. Open Cup match at home against Nashville SC. Let’s get into today’s links.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

Several Orlando City players are getting some deserved plaudits following the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Pedro Gallese has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday, while Joran Gerbet is on the bench and Oscar Pareja is the coach of the side. Gallese made four saves while keeping a clean sheet and also assisted Luis Muriel on the first goal of the game. Gerbet did an excellent job of helping to minimize the impact of Lionel Messi, while Oscar Pareja was the man who who masterminded it all. Alex Freeman got some love as one of the standout young players of the matchday, and also had a nice piece written about him in The Athletic (paywall). All the Lions are deserving of their praise, and here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see them getting some love.

Freeman Named to USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

The preliminary rosters have been announced for the 16 teams set to participate in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Most of the usual suspects are present for the United States Men’s National Team, with the exceptions of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna, whose teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Of note for Orlando City fans is Alex Freeman’s inclusion on the preliminary roster. That being said, this early list contains 60 names and will need to be cut down to 26 by June 4. With Sergino Dest and Joe Scally both on the 60-man list, Freeman is probably an outside shot to be included, but you never know.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their penultimate Premier League game later today, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth do the same against Manchester City. Wednesday has Jordan Pefok and Reims visiting Metz in a playoff to decide which team will play in Ligue 1 next season. Alex Zendejas and Club America take on Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura final on Thursday, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Valencia in La Liga play on Friday.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so let’s take a look at what the transfer rumor mill is saying these days. Manchester United is said to be on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal. Man City has reportedly ended its interest in signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and has instead turned the club’s attention to Barcelona’s Dani Olmo. Finally, Rodrygo is reportedly considering leaving Real Madrid in the summer, with some outlets saying that he “has one foot out of Real Madrid”.

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That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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