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Lion Links: 7/16/22

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4 years ago

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Good morning, Mane Landers. I always find it to feel like a lazy Saturday morning when there is no Orlando soccer to be had. However, we have a jam packed Sunday this weekend. Orlando City will be traveling to Atlanta to try to stop a potent Josef Martinez-led offense at 3 p.m. Later, the Pride will head to Audi Field to take on the Washington Spirit at 5 p.m. Finally, the Young Lions will make their way to the Windy City to face off against Chicago II at 7 p.m.

If that is not enough purple soccer for you in one day, I don’t know what is. So, get all your errands done today, because tomorrow it will be time to kick back and relax and cheer on our clubs. Now, I present to you today’s link!

Orlando City at Atlanta United

In what was once a rivalry fueled mainly by MLS marketing, the matches between Orlando and Atlanta United have since found their own spark as both teams have won their fair share. Early on, Atlanta ruled the rivalry for three years — at one point winning six straight against Orlando City in all competitions. However, the Oscar Pareja era has brought a positive change. Orlando is 3-1-3 against Atlanta under Pareja, only losing its unbeaten mark in the teams’ last match-up, a 3-0 Atlanta win at the Benz on Sept. 10, 2021.

Atlanta’s captain, Martínez, recently took to the media to voice his dissatisfaction with both his teammates and front office following a 3-0 defeat at home to Austin FC. His squad responded with a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night, when he came on from the bench in the 77th minute. It is curious whether Atlanta manager Gonzalo Pineda opted for Ronaldo Cisneros over Martínez to make a statement or just to rest tired legs. Regardless, Orlando should be aware of both now that Cisneros has proven himself as well with a midweek brace .

Orlando will hope that forward Facundo Torres can continue to contribute. Wednesday night, Torres scored his fourth goal of the year, which gives him 10 total goal contributions in MLS play this year when added to his six assists. Among MLS newcomers, only D.C. United’s Taxi Fountas and Toronto FC’s Jesús Jiménez have more goal contributions than Torres.

Pride Set for D.C. Visit

Orlando Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines said he was elated with his team’s last performance.

“[Last match is] something to build on. We played really well against Houston, it would have been nice to get a couple more goals. The three points was important for us. We have to build momentum. Get a draw against Louisville and get three points against Houston and then now we are looking to get the three points against Washington.”

This is the second match-up between the two sides during the regular season. You might remember the previous meeting for its stoppage time heroics. The teams played to a 2-2 draw at Exploria Stadium back on May 22 where Mikayla Cluff and Darian Jenkins scored to bring the Pride back and share the points. The equalizer from Jenkins at 97:53 served as the latest NWSL regular-season goal ever recorded.

Pride’s Pressley to be Inducted Into FSU Athletics Hall of Fame

Orlando Pride defender Toni Pressley is set to be inducted into Florida State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame as one of 11 new members on Aug. 26.

Pressley helped anchor a Seminole defense that allowed just 85 goals in 96 games during her four-year career. She also led a back line that recorded 48 shutouts and allowed an average of less than a goal per game over her four-year career. She helped lead FSU to three straight NCAA Elite Eight appearances (2008-10) and capped her career with a trip to the College Cup in 2011.

The former Seminole was named All-ACC twice and was a first-team Soccer America All-American pick in 2010 during her collegiate career. Congratulations to the only remaining original member of the Orlando Pride on this tremendous honor.

USWNT Finds New Style

The upcoming Concacaf W Championship final features the USWNT taking on Canada. It will be a rematch of last year’s Olympic semifinal, in which the Canadians went on to take a gold medal and forced the United States to settle for bronze. Canada will definitely be the toughest and deepest opponent the USWNT has faced all tournament.

Going into this match, many questions have come up regarding Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s approach towards attack and pressure. Forward Mallory Pugh brought her point of view following the last match.

“I think pressing is a great opportunity to transition and attack. So, I think if you look at it that way, like defense is offense, I think that’s just part of our identity. We want to create these attacking transition moments to be able to create ad just keep going. We want teams just to feel that pressure, so I think it’s just part of our identity.”

Since Andonovski’s first game in charge in November 2019, the United States press has been more varied than the previous iteration under Jill Ellis which was relentless and high-energy. It demanded significant defensive efforts from its forward line as well as a midfield which was asked to cover large swaths of ground in wide areas. For Andonovski, he wants to pick and choose when to expend energy and effort and win key battles and moments.

“It comes down to reading the moments and when we want to press and when we want to drop off a little bit and allow them to connect a few passes,” Andonovski said about managing the heat.

Hopefully, Andonovski and the USWNT choose the right moments in this match. The USWNT will look to win an unprecedented third straight title and clinch a place in the 2024 Olympics when it takes on Canada Monday night at 10 p.m.

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I hope you get some things checked off on your to-do list today. It would be a shame to not be able to catch at least a game or two or three tomorrow. I am stoked for it. Vamos Orlando!

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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.

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2 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.

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  • 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: 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.

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3 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.

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  • 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

4 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.

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  • 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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