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Lion Links: 8/9/18

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8 years ago

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Hello, guys. I head back to college tomorrow so I am mentally and physically preparing myself for another “fun” semester at Georgia Southern. Enough about me; that’s not why you are here. Plenty of news today surrounding Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, some MLS returns, and more. Let’s get right into the links for today.

Sean McAuley Hopes Consistency Comes Soon for Orlando City

Sean McAuley was recently added to James O’Connor’s technical staff from the Portland Timbers and he hopes to bring a sense of consistency to Orlando. McAuley left English side Sheffield Wednesday in 2012 en route to Portland. He stuck with the club through multiple coaching changes and eventually helped lead Portland to an MLS Cup title in 2015 under Caleb Porter. McAuley spoke on bringing something similar to Orlando City.

“I’m hoping that I can do the same here and it’s not like, ‘Let’s come to a different club for a couple of years and see how that works out.’ We hope that we can get the momentum going and the results going and create some success. Then, once we get the success, then create the continuity. Once that happens, everybody keeps rolling and everybody enjoys the job.”

The challenge is set in front of McAuley as he is joining a side that has never made the playoffs and is likely out of that picture again this year. The Englishman has seen progress with Orlando City and hopes consistency is on the horizon for a struggling side in need of a push in the right direction.

MLS Fines Alex Leitāo and Dom Dwyer

MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced that Orlando City CEO Alex Leitāo and striker Dom Dwyer were fined undisclosed amounts for their social media comments on July 21. The comments, made following the club’s 3-2 loss to Columbus Crew SC, were said to be in violation with the MLS public criticism policy. You’ll recall that the Crew were awarded a questionable penalty that allowed a comeback in stoppage time and that the Professional Referee Organization later said the penalty shouldn’t have been awarded. You can see the comments both Letao and Dwyer made on Twitter, along with those from others in our story.

Orlando Pride Frustration Mounting During Final Push

The Orlando Pride have had an up-and-down season to say the least. The squad at times has seemed to be the best competitor to the NWSL-leading North Carolina Courage but has stumbled against lower competition. For example, the Pride allowed Sky Blue FC — the worst team in the league — to lead for the first time all season. The ladies came out with a draw but the performance was lackluster. Head Coach Tom Sermanni notices the frustration throughout the club and intends on getting this team into the playoffs. The Pride are currently third in the league at the moment but the table is so close that Orlando has some unfinished business if it wants to make the playoffs. With reigning champion Portland Thorns FC waiting this Saturday, Orlando plays arguably its most important match of the season in terms of playoffs implications.

Transfer Deadline Day Recap

The MLS secondary transfer window closed late last night and with that came numerous moves that could impact on the rest of the season. All of the moves can be found here. Here are the highlights:

Union, Dynamo Advance to U.S. Open Cup Final

The Philadelphia Union will play in the U.S. Open Cup final for the third time in five years after smashing the Chicago Fire last night, 3-0. Cory Burke scored a brace and C.J. Sapong added a third goal for the hosts. The Union will play Houston in the final after the Dynamo beat LAFC in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw. Houston was on the verge of winning in regulation but LAFC’s Diego Rossi completed his hat trick deep into stoppage time to force extra time and, eventually, penalties. The Dynamo fell behind in the penalty shootout when Óscar Boniek García was the first to miss but Joe Willis denied Laurent Ciman, LA’s fifth shooter, and the Dynamo went on to capture the shootout, 7-6. Houston will host Philadelphia on Sept. 26 in the final.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride ranked second in the world in most social media interactions during July 2018.

  • If you’re interested in Pride defender Toni Pressley’s cooking, she’s apparently having a bake sale on Sunday.

  • Bayern Munich appears to be ready for the upcoming season after a 20-2 victory over Rottach-Egern in a preseason friendly.
  • Ernst Tanner will be Earnie Stewart’s successor as he is moving from Red Bull Salzburg to become the Philadelphia Union’s sporting director.
  • Aaron Rodgers became NFL commissioner for a day with The Ringer as he gave a nice nod to the MLS All-Star Game in comparison to the Pro Bowl.
  • U.S. international Emerson Hyndman is going back to the Scottish Premiership, as AFC Bournemouth is loaning him to Hibernian FC.
  • Santos Laguna’s entire staff resigned after a reported conflict with the code of ethics.
  • The U.S. U-15 girls fell to Portugal in the Concacaf Girls U-15 Championship but they’re still alive for a potential semifinal appearance. (Portugal is playing as an invited guest team.)

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/11/26

Antoine Griezmann makes Team of the Matchday, reliving the Pride’s win over Houston, academy players head to U.S. training camp, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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September 11, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann watching his shot go in the net against FC Dallas in a friendly.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Today is the first of three straight days of games featuring Orlando soccer and hopefully the teams can replicate their impressive results last weekend as they push for the playoffs. Apart from working and enjoying the soccer, I plan on making some pasta by hand, so wish me luck in that endeavor. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Antoine Griezmann Makes Team of the Matchday

Orlando City star Antoine Griezmann was the only Lion to make the MLS Team of the Matchday following Orlando’s 3-2 win over Atlanta United. He scored twice and came up with a crucial goal-line clearance to lead the Lions to victory on the road. Griezmann has now scored in four straight games and already has seven goals so far this season despite only playing nine games. Hopefully he can keep finding the back of the net when Orlando hosts a Toronto FC side that has only lost once since the World Cup break.

Reliving the Pride’s Victory Over Houston

The Orlando Pride released a video of the sights and sounds from the team’s 3-1 win against the Houston Dash. It was interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’ first game at the helm and the team was able to get a win after an emotional week. From the different angles of Orlando’s goals to Thomas’ speech to the team following the win, it’s a great watch. The Pride will aim to make it another three points tonight when they play on the road against the Kansas City Current tonight.

Orlando City Academy Players Head to Camp

There are four Orlando City academy players heading to Georgia for the U.S. U-15 and U-16 boys national teams’ training camps at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center. Goalkeeper Luan Silva and defender Zorian Civil were called up for the U-16 team, while goalkeeper Mario Martinez Reyes and forward Molina Baladi will be joining the U-15 team. Hopefully they’ll all be able to impress at camp as they continue to develop for both club and country.

Uncertainty Looms Over Racing Louisville’s Future

Racing Louisville ranks near the bottom of the NWSL in both attendance and spending and there are questions circling the club regarding its investment and future in the league. Along with this, forward Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from the club this summer and 2025 NWSL Coach of the Year Bev Yanez’s contract is set to end after this season. A sale may very well be in the club’s future, with relocation possibly on the table as well. Louisville made the playoffs for the first time last year, but the club has lost 14 games so far this season and is 13th in the league standings.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride moved up a spot to 11th in the CBS Sports NWSL power rankings after beating the Houston Dash.
  • American right back Sergino Dest scored the equalizer in PSV Eindhoven’s 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/10/26

Orlando City beats Atlanta United, Orlando’s soccer history, U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team draws against Japan, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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September 10, 2026

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Image of Inter&Co Stadium at night.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m feeling pretty good after Orlando City’s win on Wednesday and am hoping the good times keep rolling through this weekend’s games. After a rough August, September has thankfully been kind to Orlando’s soccer teams. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Beats Atlanta United On the Road

The Lions are coming back to Orlando with all three points after winning 3-2 against rival Atlanta United. It looked like it would be a rough night for Orlando after an early own goal, but Antoine Griezmann continues to excel in purple (or gold, as was the case on Wednesday night). Atlanta made it close in the end because of a second own goal, but Orlando ultimately secured the win to climb further up the MLS standings. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday with a home game against Toronto FC before traveling to play the Columbus Crew in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

Orlando’s History as a Soccer City

The United States Men’s National Team will play at Inter.co Stadium later this month in its first match since the World Cup. The soccer-specific stadium has been no stranger to hosting the U.S national teams since opening in 2017 and has also hosted Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup games, along with the NWSL Championship and NCAA Women’s College Cup final. The City Beautiful has been a place for soccer for decades, hosting World Cup and Olympic soccer while also having club teams at various levels over the years. Orlando City lifting the U.S. Open Cup trophy in 2022 and the Orlando Pride winning the double in 2024 have helped solidify the city’s reputation as a soccer city as well.

U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Held to Draw

The United States U-20 Women’s National Team drew 2-2 against Japan in its second game of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The U.S. struck first thanks to a goal from Ainsley McCammon in the first half, but Japan equalized in the 74th minute. Alex Buck restored the U.S. lead a minute later, but Japan knotted things up again and the Yanks could not find a winner despite some late chances. It’s a tough result for the U.S., which lost its first group game against Italy. It can still qualify for the knockout round, but would need some help from other results even if it wins against New Zealand on Saturday.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is underway this week and there still has yet to be a draw so far. VfB Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirovic was the standout performer from Wednesday’s slate of games, scoring a hat trick within a 12-minute stretch in a 3-1 win against Viking FK. Elsewhere across Europe, Arsenal edged past Napoli in a 1-0 win in Italy, Barcelona got its campaign started with a big 5-1 win against Feyenoord, and Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda remains an NWSL MVP candidate, although Ashley Sanchez is starting to run away with it with 18 goals so far this season.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/9/26

Orlando City plays Atlanta, Griezmann gets fined, Banda a Ballon d’Or contender, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

September 9, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. The fixture congestion is back for the next couple of weeks which means plenty of opportunity to watch the Lions in action. I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Ojeda fully integrate back into the offense with Antione Griezmann. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads to Atlanta

Orlando City is headed north to take on Atlanta United tonight. Both teams have been playing better of late, but this is still an opportunity for the Lions to get all three points from a rival on the road. Atlanta has struggled to score goals this season, and Orlando City’s offensive weapons are many, and the team is rising up the MLS power rankings, thanks to the win over San Diego FC. It’s a double match week, so it will be interesting to see how Atlanta rotates players based on availability.

Grizi Gets Fined

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann an undisclosed amount for violating the League’s policy regarding throwing/kicking an object toward fans in the match against San Diego FC. Here is the “incident” in case you missed it during the match.

If the fine was more than a dollar, it was too much. That’s not true, a dollar is also too much.

Pride in the News

The Orlando Pride made history in the 3-1 win over the Houston Dash. The victory made Yolanda Thomas the first Black woman in a head coach’s role in NWSL history, and only the fourth female coach to win their first-ever NWSL match in charge. It also comes as no surprise that Barbra Banda is a nominee for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino’s Big Plans

Mauricio Pochettino wants to make the USMNT one of the “most powerful” international teams in the world. That is a pretty ambitious goal, though I like the high aspirations. Pochettino is now in charge of the procedural and developmental sides of the game. He will have some time to experiment before the next World Cup, including utilizing more MLS homegrowns.

Free Kicks

  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian National Team for the UEFA Nations League matches later this month and in the first part of October. Croatia will be playing Czechia, England, and Spain.
  • Ivan Angulo will be sporting a new look at the match tonight. Hopefully it helps him score goals on his breakaway opportunities.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

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