Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/10/22
Happy Saturday, Mane Landers! While Exploria Stadium hosted a win for the Lions on Wednesday, it wasn’t able to do so last night for the Pride. It definitely brings a mixed bag of emotions as we would love to have gathered an additional win from the women to go with this week’s U.S. Open Cup victory. To continue the Orlando soccer action this weekend, the Lions are playing the Philadelphia Union tonight with the Young Lions following suit on Sunday. Now, let’s take a look into today’s links from around the soccer globe.
Orlando Pride Lose At Home
As we learned last week, all good things must eventually come to an end. The in-form Orlando Pride of the Seb Hines tenure seem to have taken a step back with another loss at Exploria Stadium last night. The Pride fell 2-0 to the Portland Thorns. Yazmeen Ryan broke the deadlock in minute 36 of the first half, and Hina Sugita closed out the scoring in the 65th. The Pride will head to Lynn Family Stadium next Friday where Racing Louisville awaits them for a 7:30 p.m. match.
Orlando City Travels to Philly
Your 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champions return to league play tonight. Orlando City will take on the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. In the last meeting on July 23, Orlando fell 1-0 to the Union. Philadelphia has continued to be dominant the past two months and prolific in front of the net, winning 10 of its past 12 games and scoring six goals in a match an astonishing four times in that stretch. Julián Carranza has been a revelation for Philadelphia this year at the forward position, scoring 14 goals and adding nine assists in 27 appearances.
While Philadelphia beat Orlando in league play, the Union were the second team to fall to the Lions on Orlando City’s Open Cup title run back in May, losing 2-1 . In that match, Ercan Kara and Andrés Perea both struck for Orlando. With the match tonight, the Lions look to continue their winning streak of four league matches and a cup final victory.
Facundo Torres Ties U.S. Open Cup Golden Boot Race
After a two-year pause due to COVID-19, the Open Cup Golden Boot for the 2022 edition finishes in a three-way tangle. With four goals each — Orlando City star Facundo Torres, Rodrigo ‘RoRo’ Lopez of Sacramento Republic, and Lucky Mkosena of the Tampa Bay Rowdies all share the honors.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan was crucial in Orlando’s first Open Cup crown, netting two of his four goals in the final and assisting on the Lions’ third goal. The first of his four goals came in a tense Round of 16 affair against MLS rival Inter Miami with an extra-time equalizer that sent the game to a penalty shootout. It was also his first goal ever for the club since joining at the start of the current MLS campaign. He later went on to add another goal in the 5-1 semifinal rout of the New York Red Bulls.
United States Could Host FIFA Club World Cup
While all eyes are on this year’s edition of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the United States is a serious candidate to host the next FIFA Club World Cup. Due to the strain placed on the global soccer schedule in November and December, FIFA has yet to confirm if or when the club tournament will go ahead.
FIFA had previously sought to stage the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, which has hosted recent editions of the event, with China also in the running. However, no agreement could be reached with either venue, leading the United States to emerge as the frontrunner to hold the tournament.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reminded Mayor Steinberg of Sacramento on Thursday that there is a wager to uphold. On Friday, Orlando’s mayor tweeted that the Orlando City flag has been shipped to California.
Yesterday we celebrated @OrlandoCitySC at City Hall after the Lions won the @opencup this week. And I couldn't forget my friendly wager with @Mayor_Steinberg.
The Lions' flag is on its way to Sacramento. pic.twitter.com/oD5UqW9CQt
— Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) September 9, 2022
- CF Montréal midfielder Djordje Mihailovic has taken home Goal of the Week honors for Week 29 of the 2022 MLS campaign.
- Andrew Wiebe listed his picks for the five biggest breakout stars in MLS this season.
- Here is a look at all MLS playoff clinching and elimination scenarios for this weekend.
- As anticipated, MLS has issued an additional suspension to midfielder Dru Yearwood of the New York Red Bulls after he kicked a ball into the stands during the match against the Philadelphia Union.
I fully accept the suspension from MLS and I can ensure it won’t happen again.
I want to sincerely apologize again. Please know that I will continue to work hard to be ready to give my all for this football club when I am again able to contribute on the field.
— Dru Yearwood (@DruYearwood) September 9, 2022
- Atlanta United Head Coach Gonzalo Pineda said the decision to suspend Josef Martinez was a collective one between him, his staff, and the front office. Pineda is still awaiting a personal apology.
- MLS NEXT’s third year of play is here and kicks off today with the 2022-2023 season.
- The USMNT supporters group American Outlaws celebrated their 15th anniversary yesterday.
On September 9, 2007, 50 soccer fans jumped on a bus in Lincoln, NE and headed east to Chicago to watch the @USMNT take on Brazil in a friendly at Soldier Field. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/inQ5jry1UI
— AO (@AmericanOutlaws) September 9, 2022
- All soccer in the English FA will take a pause this weekend as a show of respect to Queen Elizabeth II.
As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, English football has united to postpone all football fixtures this weekend. pic.twitter.com/k6bqNu6arf
— The FA (@FA) September 9, 2022
- Barcelona plans to file a lawsuit demanding Atletico Madrid pay them €40 million for Antoine Griezmann.
- The USMNT is continuing to follow the progress of Club America’s dual-national Alejandro Zendejas.
- The brother of French football star Paul Pogba denied Friday that he took part in extortion attempts against the Juventus midfielder.
- Spain’s female referees have called a strike as they demand better pay and working conditions, putting in danger the start of the domestic women’s league.
That’s a wrap on links for today. l look forward to watching our Lions take the field tonight even if it is a heavily rotated squad. Any match in purple is a match worth watching! Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/3/24
MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.
Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!
MLS Unveils Club Roster Details
There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.
Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player
Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.
Marta’s Top Moments
All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.
Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season
USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.
Free Kicks
- Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
- Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
- Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
- The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
- American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
- Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
- Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
- Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/2/24
The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.
It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.
The Pride Dominate the Courage
The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.
OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month
Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.
The Billionaires Clubs
Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.
USMNT News
I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.
In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.
Free Kicks
- Despite Bayern Leverkusen’s 46-match unbeaten run, and winning the Bundesliga title, Roma coach Daniele De Rossi believes his team can defeat the German club in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday.
- Borussia Dortmund defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League tie between the two clubs. Dortmund’s Niclas Fullkrug provided the only goal.
- Wrexham AFC owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have bigger plans for their club than previously suspected. The pair want to potentially increase the capacity of their stadium, SToK Racecourse, to 55,000 seats.
- Never pulled the trigger on the Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass? Now, you can get it for the remainder of the season at a 30% discount. Once you get past the Messi ads the coverage is pretty good.
- Former USWNT player Carli Lloyd is pregnant, though it was a long journey to get there. She shares her story of unexplained infertility and multiple rounds of IVF treatments. Congratulations, Carli.
That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/1/24
Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.
Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday
Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:
“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”
Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight
After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.
Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards
Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.
Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract
Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.
“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”
Free Kicks
- Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
- Spirit defender Anna Heilferty will miss the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury in the team’s loss to the Pride.
- American forward Haji Wright scored his 19th goal across all competitions in Coventry City’s 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town. He will have a chance to make it 20 when Coventry hosts Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
- The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.
That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!
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