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Lion Links: 10/18/21

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4 years ago

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Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! It was a tale of two Orlando teams this weekend, but we’ll get to that shortly. First, I want to welcome “fall” to Florida. I know there will still be more hot days ahead of us, but Sunday was absolutely gorgeous and I hope you took the time to get outside and enjoy it. Personally, I took the opportunity to work in the garage without sweating profusely. It was very nice. Now, let’s get to today’s links.

Orlando City Hunts for the Playoffs

The Lions won their second match in a row by winning 1-0 against FC Cincinnati 1-0 on the road. There were some outstanding performances from the Lions, including from Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. El Pulpo joined the club Friday night in Cincinnati by catching a direct flight from Peru after playing in World Cup qualifiers. It was a quick turnaround for the Peruvian, but he came up with crucial saves and recorded his first clean sheet for Orlando since Aug. 27.

The Lions also made an effort to take more shots from outside the box. The team hasn’t had many goals from distance in recent weeks and wanted to change things up as it makes a playoff push. Junior Urso’s goal in the 13th minute was exactly what the Lions were looking for and enough to be the game winner. Tesho Akindele appeared to have scored in the second half from about the same spot when his shot bounced off the crossbar and there wasn’t an obvious video review to see if it completely crossed the goal line. Giving the opposition something else to think about on offense is good and Orlando has five matches remaining to further diversify its attack before the postseason.

Orlando Pride Officially Eliminated

If the Orlando Pride won Saturday night, there was still no guarantee they would make the playoffs. But the Pride didn’t win, falling 3-1 to Racing Louisville FC as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Pride started the season with a seven-game unbeaten run while playing some of their best soccer in years. Marc Skinner’s departure in the middle of the season brought Becky Burleigh to Orlando as the interim head coach. While the Pride did well at times with Burleigh at the helm, losing just once in her first seven matches, they have lost their last four games. If Burleigh led the Pride into the playoffs, there may have been a good argument for giving her the position in a full-time capacity. While that’s still not out of the question, the club will likely open up the search and make other changes as well during the off-season.

Elsewhere in the National Women’s Soccer League, the Washington Spirit clinched a playoff berth after winning 2-0 against OL Reign. That leaves three playoff spots for the Chicago Red Stars, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Houston Dash, and North Carolina Courage to fight over. Considering none of those four teams face each other in the remaining games, it should set up for a tense finish to the NWSL regular season.

Eastern Conference Playoff Race Stays Tight

Results across MLS went the Lions’ way for the most part this past weekend as they remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. CF Montréal drew 2-2 with the Philadelphia Union to keep the Lions just a point behind the Union. Nashville SC and D.C. United battled to a scoreless draw, meaning Orlando can reach the second spot in the conference if certain results happen take place this Wednesday.

Several teams are clawing their way up the table for a playoff spot, including the Columbus Crew. The defending champs haven’t had a great year, but certainly took care of business against Inter Miami CF, dispatching them by a score of 4-0. The New York Red Bulls closed the gap with rival New York City FC after a 1-0 victory. The loss doesn’t bode well for NYCFC as its attacking woes continue.

Americans Make an Impact Abroad

Antonee Robinson was one of many Americans to find the back of the net this weekend, scoring a nice goal from distance in Fulham’s 4-1 win over Queens Park Rangers. Sergino Dest played as a winger in FC Barcelona’s 3-1 victory against Valencia and had an assist. Zack Steffen earned a clean sheet in his first start of the season as Manchester City won 2-0 against Burnley. Forwards Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, and Jordan Pefok all started but didn’t contribute towards a goal. Ulysses Llanez, Christian Ramirez, Duane Holmes, and Terrence Boyd were some of the Americans who scored for their clubs.

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  • Bleacher Report created a Twitter thread diving into how Pablo Escobar would bring star soccer players to his prison for five-a-side games. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja was one of many Colombian players invited to play with Escobar back then.

  • Fans at a match between Hamburger SV and Fortuna Düsseldorf threw objects at players and abused them with racist comments. I will never stop calling out this reprehensible behavior until it stops. Be better.
  • There was plenty of exciting soccer across Europe this weekend. Bayern Munich looks more dangerous than ever after scoring four goals in seven minutes in a 5-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen. Manchester United is looking for answers after a 4-2 loss to Leicester City while Liverpool was reminded how valuable Mo Salah is after his brilliant goal in the club’s 5-0 thrashing of Watford.

  • Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-2 win against Newcastle United had to be stopped in the first half due to a supporter needing medical assistance. The supporter was taken to a hospital and is stable.

That will do it for today. Check back for the latest Orlando soccer news as the Lions play twice this week. Orlando hosts Montreal on Wednesday, and then welcomes the New England Revolution on Sunday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

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  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

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: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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

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