Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/14/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s finally Friday, which means we’re another step closer to Orlando City’s playoff game this weekend. We also have other MLS playoff games and the NWSL playoffs to look forward to over the next few days. Before we dive right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City midfielder Wilfredo Rivera. He turns 20 today and is on loan with Indy Eleven, which just finished up its season earlier this week.
Opportunity Knocks for Orlando’s Offense on Sunday
Orlando City’s playmakers will need to be at their best on Sunday at 8 p.m. when the Lions take on CF Montreal in Canada. Although Orlando’s offense hasn’t exactly been firing on all cylinders this season, the team has players more than capable of creating chances and scoring. Facundo Torres is in good form, with a goal or an assist in Orlando’s last four games of the regular season. Fellow Uruguayan Mauricio Pereyra is the only Lion to record 10 or more assists in consecutive seasons in Orlando’s MLS era. Midfielder Junior Urso has also stepped up on offense this year and will make his 100th appearance for Orlando if he plays on Sunday. If those players do well and get Austrian forward Ercan Kara involved, the Lions could light it up at Stade Saputo. Miguel Gallardo and Evan Weston broke down everything to watch for in this playoff match.
Get yourself prepped for Round One of the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs on the Roundtable presented by @Ford.#DaleMiAmor | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/YpimiL4IrI
— x – Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 13, 2022
MLS Announces Award Finalists
No Orlando City players were named as finalists for the MLS’s year-end awards. In my opinion, Torres should have been included as a finalist for Newcomer of the Year and Young Player of the Year. Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese has been great for the Lions this year, but didn’t make the cut for Goalkeeper of the Year. A few question marks to me are Gonzalo Higuain’s nomination for Comeback Player of the Year and LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo’s inclusion with Montreal’s Wilfried Nancy and the Philadelphia Union’s Jim Curtin for Coach of the Year. I would’ve liked to see Austin FC’s Josh Wolff or FC Cincinnati’s Pat Noonan get some recognition for taking their teams from the bottom of the standings last year to being MLS Cup contenders.
Four of the MLS MVP finalists are from the Western Conference, with Union goalkeeper Andre Blake as the exception. He joins Austin’s Sebastián Driussi, Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar, the LA Galaxy’s Javier Hernandez, and LAFC’s Cristian Arango.
U.S. Continues Its U-17 World Cup Campaign
The United States U-17 Women’s National Team is playing Brazil this morning in the group stage of the U-17 Women’s World Cup in India. The game started at 7 a.m. and both teams are looking to build upon wins in their tournament openers. The U.S. beat India 8-0 in a record-breaking win while Brazil won 1-0 over Morocco. This is the first meeting between these U-17 teams in a World Cup and the winner will take control of Group A. Brazilian forward Jhonson is the player the U.S. will need to be wary of, as she scored the winner for Brazil against Morocco and had nine goals in qualifying. After this match, the U.S. will take on Morocco in its final group match on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.
Goalkeepers Shine in Europa League Action
In the Europa League’s group stage, American goalkeeper Matt Turner had another clean sheet as Arsenal won 1-0 over Bodø/Glimt. Bukayo Saka scored the game’s only goal as Arsenal moved to the top of its group. Manchester United nearly had to settle for a draw at home against Cypriot club Omonoia, but Scott McTominay found a goal in stoppage time to give United the win. Omonoia goalkeeper Francis Uzoho stood on his head, making 13 saves to deny United’s offense all game long. Elsewhere, AS Roma and Real Betis battled to a 1-1 draw, Union Berlin won 1-0 over Malmo, and Trabzonspor crushed Monaco 4-0.
Free Kicks
- Mukhtar is apparently pulling for Orlando City to reach the MLS Cup final. Not only did he praise the team’s stadium and colors, but he referred to Orlando as “my Lions.” That’s either a dig at Orlando considering his past performances against the Lions, or genuine support.
Hey thanks for the support, Hany 🫡 https://t.co/jIFIsH8s47
— x – Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 13, 2022
- Orlando City will learn its first opponent in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League on Nov. 7 when the draw takes place.
- New England Revolution Head Coach Bruce Arena spoke about how winger Ismael Tajouri-Shradi is recovering from an injury that could end his playing career.
- Former Pride forward Alex Morgan has more endorsements than any player in women’s sports. Her 27 endorsements are also more than any athlete in the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS or NHL.
- Here’s a look behind the scenes of the United States Men’s National Team’s draw with Saudi Arabia in Spain.
The countdown is on.
The next time we take the field, it will be in Qatar. 🇺🇸#BehindTheCrest x @vw pic.twitter.com/oawybAQKve— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) October 13, 2022
- You’ll need a translator for the full story, but reports from a French investigative newspaper claim that Paris Saint-Germain hired an agency to attack its players and others on social media.
French soccer team Paris Saint-Germain reportedly hired a PR agency to attack and discredit its own players, including superstar Kylian Mbappé, rival teams and reporters on social media using fake accounts, according to @MediapartEN.
Yikes.
https://t.co/KmpHXMgV5P— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) October 13, 2022
- Enjoy this thread on Twitter regarding how the purchase of Wrexham AFC by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has increased the club’s revenue and reach.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney paid $2.5 million for the world's third-oldest football club.
But the team is in the 5th division of the English football pyramid and has almost no chance of making it to the Premier League.
Still, it was a genius move.
Here's why 👇 pic.twitter.com/BC5JQ7quIg
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) October 13, 2022
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: 5/3/24
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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