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Lion Links: 3/30/17

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8 years ago

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Welcome to this Thursday’s edition of Lion Links. We are back to Lions soccer this weekend as Orlando City is set to take on Columbus Crew SC in an away game that will mark OCSC’s first road trip of the season. I’m personally looking forward to watching the matchup between Ola Kamara and Jonathan Spector.

Orlando City is sure to be tested in this away game, and I, for one, am hoping the Lions overcome road anxiety and find a way to get three points. For now though, lets dig into some Links.

Larin is a Wanted Man

Cyle Larin is on fire and there’s no denying that. His rise in popularity only comes with more mentions of his name far and wide. His talent as a goal scorer is evident on the field, and with this season underway, Larin is a star that is already shining bright.

Larin is getting interest from Goodison Park, the home of Everton FC. With the possibility of its star-studded striker Romelu Lukaku likely leaving in the summer, the Toffees will be left with a void that needs to be filled. Insert in the reported rumors about Everton expressing interest to sign Larin as Lukaku’s replacement and things are looking steamy.

Fans of Everton reacted to the Larin interest, and many seem somewhat excited about the prospect of Cyle joining:

Along with the big dogs of Everton, Larin has attracted attention from two Sky Bet Championship sides. Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion are two clubs interested in what the striker can bring to the table.

Those goals have now taken Larin’s overall goalscoring tally for Orlando City to 35 in just 63 appearances for the American outfit and it has been reported that the striker is attracting the attention of a number of English clubs.

Of course our hope as fans is for the beloved striker to stay on board with Orlando City as the main man up top but with other suitors knocking on the door, Larin may be harder and harder to keep.

Orlando City Development Academy Rises to Number Two

The Orlando City Development Academy U-17/18 team has risen to number two in the country after securing two more wins in competitive play.

Character seems to be the common denominator throughout the academy as many of the teams struggled but found ways to overcome the challenges they were presented with.

“Both games were really hard for the boys,” Academy Director and U-17/18s head coach David Longwell said. “They went down in the first game but fought back. I’m really proud of the character they showed.”

Paul Clowes’ Rise With Orlando City

Can you imagine being a part of the marketing team for a new stadium and then playing in that new stadium?

As a marketing intern for Orlando City in 2014, this is the exact situation that Paul Clowes has found himself in. From marketing intern to Orlando City B midfielder.

Clowes will walk onto the field Thursday night at 7:30 as a midfielder for Orlando City B (0-1-0) when the United Soccer League team hosts Louisville City FC (0-1-0) in its home opener at Orlando City Stadium.

“Oh, it’ll be fantastic to walk out,” Clowes said. “It is kind of a proud moment for me to play in that new stadium that I was helping to promote. To see it physically there in downtown, in a city that loves soccer so much, it gave me goose bumps the first time I walked through.”

OCSC Promote Gallagher to Chief Revenue Officer

Chris Gallagher goes from vice president of sales to his new position as OCSC’s chief revenue officer. Gallagher has over 20 years of sales experience across major brands such as the NFL, MLB, and NHL — where he worked in the Florida Panthers’ front office with our own managing editor in the early ‘00s. His success in MLS with Orlando City has helped him move up the ranks, and Gallagher now occupies the position of CRO.

“As we settle into our new home, it is important that we congratulate and celebrate together what a historic occasion this move represents. It is also important that we look toward the future and continue to advance the Club we hold so dear,” Orlando City SC Chief Executive Officer Alex Leitão said.

Under Gallagher, the club stuffed the Citrus Bowl with 60,000+ fans twice, sold out its season ticket allotment and built a waiting list in the thousands.

Orlando City on Facebook Live

The debut of Orlando City on Facebook Live is finally going to be a reality. With MLS recently agreeing with Facebook to stream regular season games on the website, Orlando City will be participating for the first time in this venture.

While the stream will be a first for Orlando City, the Orlando Pride became the first professional team to stream a full regular season match on Facebook Live in 2016. The fans responded with 400,000 tuning in for the stream. 

You can tune in on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on Univision Deportes’ Facebook page. You can also watch via traditional means on your television. The match will be available in English on Univision Deportes via the SAP feature. 

Pride Improve to 3-0 in the Preseason

In a scrimmage against the University of Florida in Gainesville, the Orlando Pride captured a 3-0 win. The goal scorers of the game were Kristen Edmonds, Chioma Ubogagu, and Christina Burkenroad. The match may have ended 3-0, but it was the first 45 minutes that set the teams that far apart, as all three goals were captured in the first half of the game.

Kick Around

Well, that is all from me today. If you want related and unrelated information to all things soccer then I may be the follow you desire. Cash me right here: @awesomeniemeier.

Let’s leave you with something to smile about:

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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15 hours ago

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April 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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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: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 17, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

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  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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

Lion Links 4/16/25

Orlando Pride on top, OCB falls to Inter Miami II, USMNT eyes Gold Cup, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I know I’ve said it before, but I love that I can always find soccer to watch. Whether it’s UEFA Champions League or the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, or anything in between, I love it. I’m willing to bet you love it too. Speaking of love, we want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City Designated Player Luis Muriel. Let’s get to the links.

All the Rankings

With the win over the Seattle Reign, the Orlando Pride stayed perfect on the season. It was enough for the Pride to remain on top of the standings and also at the top of numerous power rankings. All for XI kept the Pride at No. 1 with a shoutout to Anna Moorhouse, SI.com did the same, while noting Summer Yates’ injury, and Goal.com completed the sweep. The Pride also landed at No. 8 in Opta’s global power rankings for women’s clubs. Strangely, the Kansas City Current were two spots above on that particular list.

OCB Falls to Inter Miami II

Orlando City B traveled to IMG Academy to take on Inter Miami II Tuesday night. The Young Lions went down early on the road, but were able to equalize thanks to a goal from Tahir Reid-Brown. Unfortunately, Inter Miami scored two more goals before a penalty in second-half stoppage time gave OCB a slight lifeline. It was not enough as the team fell 3-2 to their in-state foes.

Generation Adidas Cup Matchups

Orlando City Academy’s U-18 squad won Group J in the Generation Adidas Cup. Now the team will face St. Louis City SC 2 in the Round of 16. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the younger generations of players in Orlando City’s system, here is your opportunity.

U.S. Eyes Gold Cup

We’re about two months out from the start of the Concacaf Gold Cup and it feels like a must-win for the USMNT given recent results. Winning an eighth Gold Cup title will not come easily. Naturally, all eyes fall on Christian Pulisic to lead the squad, though not everyone thinks he should be the pick for captain. Tyler Adams is looking for more belief from his teammates heading into the competition.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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