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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/16

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10 years ago

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Good Friday morning to everyone and welcome back to your daily edition of the Links. I know, I know, it’s not Sunday, but even still, I can set you up with your Church of Lion Tip of the Week.

Last week, we went over awesome cushioned stadium seats to beat those wooden pews. This week, we’re going to troubleshoot how to get out of singing those hymns. Listen, most of us sound like frogs on a good day that early in the morning, so singing isn’t number one of the list of must do activities. Still, people look at you weird if you’re just standing there. So, here’s the solution – just lip sync the word "watermelon" until the song is over.

From a distance, it looks like you're singing every word and no one is none the wiser. The old people will give you a smile and a thumbs up. Your spouse/significant other will think highly of you. Your children (if you have little Lions) probably won’t care less, but know you are a fine example. Then when you sit down, bust out your Lion Links on your cellular device with the knowledge you’re solid for another week.

On to the Links:

Kaká is a Really Nice Guy and He's Popular!

In a piece over at The Orlando Sentinel, Mr. Kaká once again endears himself to the community by going above and beyond. This time, he showed up at a young man’s baptism at The First Baptist Church of Orlando. Well, it was by accident if we’re being honest, but still a cool moment for the teenage soccer player who, a few months earlier, heard Kaká speak at his youth group first-hand about his life. Kaká, since signing with Orlando, has become a staple to not only the team but the city as well. Oh yeah, he also has over 25 bazillion Twitter followers, in case you look at stuff like that.

Also in the article are the latest Major League Soccer Power Ratings, and Orlando City checks in at No. 10. There’s a very tough Independence Day game coming up against FC Dallas (currently No. 2) at Toyota Stadium, so we’ll see how that shakes out for next week.

MLS Goals of the Month

Can’t get enough of some pretty sweet goals? Then the MLS website has you covered. Of course, leading off the video is one epic volley shot by a guy you may have heard of – Júlio Baptista. Yep, the big man kicks off (no pun intended, or was it???) the action and for good reason. That is one freaking epic goal.

Two Orlando Pride Players Will be Missed

With the Olympics coming up, it seems the Pride are taking a little bit bigger hit than most teams in the NWSL. Ashlyn Harris, goalkeeper extraordinaire, and team captain Alex Morgan will be leaving to join up with the U.S. Women’s National Team. Honestly, Harris, who has been a human highlight reel in goal, will be the tougher void to replace with backup Aubrey Bledsoe out with injury. The way she’s been playing this year, there is no question she’s currently the Pride’s MVP.

With the emergence of Jasmyne Spencer, Morgan’s absence might be a tad easier to handle, but still, she’s a world class forward and not having her on the field is never going to be listed as a "good thing." Oh well, they don’t stop playing the games, so it’ll be very interesting to see if the Pride can hang in there until Harris and Morgan return after national team duty.

Girls Development Academy Coming to Orlando

U.S. Soccer announced today the first 25 clubs that will be a part the U.S. Girls Development Academy, an initiative designed to accelerate the development of players, and the Orlando Pride are one of them. This is fantastic news for the teams, as they will be able to provide an environment for young girls soccer players that offers high-level coaching, games, and tactics.

To round it out, six of the 10 NWSL teams are represented and the initial season will begin play in the fall of 2017. As more information is added to this exciting announcement, we’ll provide updates as they come in.

Zlatan Goes to Man United

In this world the rich just get richer. Manchester United received some awesome news as Zlatan Ibrahimovic is joining the Red Devils. The world class Swedish forward previously announced his international retirement, but it seems he’s ready to take on the field over in the Barclay’s. With Zlatan on the roster, this really ups the ante for Man United’s season. There has to be a definite feel of championship or bust hanging over Old Trafford.

Word on the street says Orlando City missed signing him by just this* much.

(*in the following case, this means never had a snowball's chance in hell.)

A Docu-series about Women’s Soccer in America

Do you love a good kick-starter project? Are you passionate about women’s soccer? If you answered yes to both questions, this just might be the project for you. Kicking the Gates wants your help in bringing this story to life. The idea is to explore different cultures and backgrounds, telling a story that ultimately ends with giving women’s soccer a voice. They have some really good themes listed and time will tell if they are able to bring their message to media near you.

Free Kicks

How do you like your Sharknado – with April or without? Well, SyFy has answered the question in this YouTube trailer that I know you’re all dying to see. Lion Links and Sharknado? Best. Friday. Ever…ESPN FC wants you to know they don’t think Jurgen Klinnsman is right for the English vacancy. Hmmm, I guess that means we’ll keep him…Speaking of English jobs, Arsène Wenger has some interest in the top spot, but the earliest he’d take it is next year when his Arsenal contract runs out. In the meantime, I know this guy named Jurg–oh, you still don’t want him? Well then, this is awkward…

On that note, until next time guys!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

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

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