Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/3/22

Published

4 years ago

on

Happy Saturday, Mane Landers. It seems like just yesterday that the World Cup was getting underway. Now, we wake to jitters and nervous optimism as the USMNT begins its knockout-stage run this morning. It might be a morning kickoff here in the United States, but I hope it doesn’t detract from you getting to a watch party or gathering with family. The breweries are open, the brunch spots have their TVs on, and/or your grandma is up cooking pancakes. No matter where you choose to catch the match, I hope you know and believe in your heart of hearts that we will win. I know I believe that we will win! Now, on to the links!

Favian Loyola Signs Homegrown Contract

Orlando City has added the club’s 13th all-time Homegrown Player. Midfielder Favian Loyola has been signed to a three-year contract through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027. That contract officially goes into effect this upcoming Jan. 1. At only 17 years old, Loyola has plenty of time to grow into a fan favorite for Lions’ supporters. Loyola began the year on an academy contract, but ultimately played his way to the 2022 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, in which he was named MVP. Signing with the first team is clearly the icing on the cake for a player who earned his minutes and accolades every step of the way.

“Favian is an exciting young talent that we’re happy to have been able to help grow throughout the course of the last few years,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “His development and impact in the last year with Orlando City B amplified his continued improvement at every step since joining our academy, and we look forward to seeing his continued growth with our first team.”

LA Galaxy Sanctioned for 2019 Salary Violations

Major League Soccer has imposed sanctions on the LA Galaxy for violating salary budget and roster guidelines during the 2019 season. The LA Galaxy entered into undisclosed agreements and made unaccounted payments in the calculation of Cristian Pavón’s salary budget and roster category. The undisclosed agreements and payments resulted in the improper classification of Pavón as a Targeted Allocation Money player in 2019, when he should have occupied a Designated Player slot. The sanctions for the Galaxy include a $1 million fine and a $1 million loss of available future General Allocation Money. Additionally, the Galaxy will be prohibited from registering a player who requires the receipt of an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from outside of the United States and Canada during the Secondary Transfer Window in 2023.

For his involvement in the agreements, Galaxy President Chris Klein has been suspended from any sporting-related responsibilities through the conclusion of the Primary Transfer Window in 2023. Additionally, former general manager Dennis te Kloese will be required to submit an application with the league should he wish to secure employment with any MLS club.

USMNT-Netherlands Preview

The United States Men’s National Team will kick off the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a Round of 16 clash against Netherlands today at 10 a.m. The team is coming off an undefeated run through the group stage, including a 1-0 victory against Iran to clinch its knockout-round berth. With a victory today, the USMNT would claim its first quarterfinal appearance since 2002. The Dutch are currently ranked eighth in the world and back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament. They enter the knockouts after going undefeated (2-0-1) and winning Group A.

Today marks the sixth meeting between the U.S. and the Netherlands all-time, with the Dutch holding a 4-1-0 advantage. However, it’s the two nations’ first meeting in official competition. The teams last met in a friendly match on June 5, 2015 in Amsterdam with the Americans walking away victorious, 4-3. After going down 3-1, the USMNT rallied to a comeback victory, with goals from John Brooks in the 70th minute, Danny Williams in the 89th, and Bobby Wood in the 90th. Current USMNT players Jordan Morris and DeAndre Yedlin both appeared in the match as second-half substitutes.

The news that everyone has eyes on since the USA-Iran match was that of injury status of star Christian Pulisic. We now all breathe a collective sign of relief, as Pulisic has been cleared to play.

Previewing the Round of 16

The 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage has come to a close. We now know which 16 teams will be moving on and have taken one final step closer to raising the greatest trophy in soccer. There are squads filled with world-beaters like Brazil, France, Argentina, and Spain. There are underdogs such as Japan, Australia, and Morocco. If you want to find a secondary team to support beyond the United States, all eight matches have something special to watch for. Following this morning’s match between the U.S. and the Netherlands, Argentina and Australia will kick off at 2 p.m. Tomorrow will see clashes between France and Poland followed by England and Senegal. In what could shape out to be an interesting affair, Japan will look to defeat Croatia on Monday morning, with Brazil likely to topple South Korea in the afternoon match. Finally, Morocco looks to continue its Cinderella story against Spain on Tuesday, while Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo are clear favorites against Switzerland.

Notable absentees from the knockout stage include Belgium, which finished in third place in its group. Germany and Uruguay, which were both heavily touted entering the group stage, also both failed to qualify for the Round of 16. Let us know in the comments below who you are most shocked did not reach the elimination stage. Also, who are you pulling for the rest of the way if the USMNT’s run comes to a close?

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you find time this morning to cheer on the Yanks to victory. I have a feeling today is going to be a good day. Vamos Orlando!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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

2 days ago

on

August 21, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

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

3 days ago

on

August 20, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

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

on

August 19, 2026

By

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!

Continue Reading

Trending