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Lion Links: 4/11/21

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4 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. I am one day away from getting my second vaccination shot and while I’m apprehensive at what that might do to my body, because people I know have reacted about every way imaginable, I’m excited to get it over with.

We’ve officially moved into the Orlando Pride’s competitive soccer season and the first game week of Orlando City’s 2021 MLS campaign. Look for season previews and roundtables and all kinds of cool content this week as we get ready for the Lions’ match-up with Atlanta United next weekend.

But for now, let’s get to the news of the day.

Orlando Pride Drop Two Points in Stoppage Time

The Orlando Pride kicked off their NWSL Challenge Cup Saturday night in Kentucky against expansion Racing Louisville. It appeared the Pride would get run off the pitch as the NWSL noobs threaded ball after ball through the defense and created chances in the first 15 minutes. But the Pride settled in, equalized before the break on a Taylor Kornieck goal, then took a late lead through an absolute screamer by Abi Kim. You have to see this even if you don’t click the link below to read the recap (but honestly, you should read it):

Just when Orlando seemed poised to get its first come-from-behind win since 2018, Ali Krieger conceded a free kick, the Pride failed to win the aerial ball on the service, and absolutely no one marked Brooke Hendrix. So, obviously Hendrix got to the loose ball first and slotted home in stoppage time to cap the scoring in a 2-2 draw.

It was a disappointing end to an entertaining game, but if the order of the final two goals was reversed, it would feel a lot better. It was probably a fair result but now Marc Skinner knows where he needs to make improvements. Meggie Dougherty Howard assisted on both goals.

The Pride will be back in action at home on Wednesday when Gotham FC visits Exploria Stadium at 7 p.m.

Daryl Dike Can. Not. Stop. Scoring.

Orlando City striker Daryl Dike continued his scorching form in the Championship on Saturday, scoring his eighth goal of the season in 14 appearances (nine starts) since joining Barnsley FC on loan. Dike’s header gave Barnsley some insurance late in an eventual 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. The Reds have won 11 games, drawn two, and lost only one since the big man arrived in South Yorkshire. Dike scored eight goals for Orlando City in 17 appearances in 2020, so the only logical conclusions one can draw is that he got even better since arriving in England or the Championship is easier than MLS and Orlando City pretty much would have won the league over there. There can be no other conclusion. I have spoken.

Pride EVP Amanda Duffy Outlines Club’s Commitment

In an open letter to Orlando Pride fans, Executive Vice President Amanda Duffy spelled out the club’s commitment and intentions.

Our commitment locally is to bring Orlando Pride into every business, community, and home that we can reach. Our intention is to elevate and strengthen the Orlando Pride brand and business while driving awareness, visibility, relevance, and value to our fans and to Central Florida at large. We will do this because we understand that athletes, our athletes, can impact the lives of those in our community. We will do this because we understand that through sports, we can inspire and unite.

Duffy asked fans to show up at the stadium and be part of the club’s revival and to show support for the club’s athletes and leadership and made a promise to Pride fans.

Our commitment to all, each day, is for the Orlando Pride to inspire you.

2021 should be a year unlike any other for Orlando Pride. The promise this statement represents is our promise to be more thoughtful, to show progress, and always strive to be the best versions of ourselves – as individuals, as a team, as a business, and as a community.

USWNT Needs Late Penalty to Draw Sweden, 1-1

Look, it’s not an indictment of the U.S. that it required a late Megan Rapinoe penalty to secure a 1-1 draw on the road at Sweden on Saturday. After all, the Swedes are one of the world’s best teams — currently sitting fifth in the FIFA world rankings. Sweden played an excellent defensive game, forcing the USWNT to be sharp to break them down. The Yanks, however, were not sharp. Credit some of that to Sweden but there were far too many bad decisions, poorly weighted — or just plain errant — passes, misses, and shots right at the goalkeeper from the talented U.S. forwards.

Sweden also should have been better, blowing two outstanding chances to put the game away. The hosts’ lone goal came off a corner kick when no one bothered to even stand near striker Lina Hurtig, who sent her free header off the back post and in. Some thought the foul that led to the tying penalty was outside the box, and it was close, but I think the ref got it right. Kelley O’Hara, who also didn’t have a great game, had her run cut off while just inside the line and was knocked outside the box. I watched that play frame by frame about 30 times and O’Hara’s left foot was well inside the box when contact was made and her right foot was in the air. The contact came from inside. Penalty for me, but others saw it differently.

  • Pride striker Alex Morgan entered in the second half but didn’t make too much of an impact on the match.
  • Hurtig’s goal was the first conceded by Alyssa Naeher in 10 matches.
  • The U.S. conceded for the first time since March of 2020 and trailed for the first time since October of 2019.
  • Vlatko Andonovski remains unbeaten as USWNT coach, but his side didn’t win for the first time since he took over for Jill Ellis.
  • The Yanks will face France on the road Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN singled out Orlando City’s Alexandre Pato as a player ready to leave a mark in 2021 as part of their storylines for the upcoming MLS season.
  • Orlando City draft pick Derek Dodson assisted on the game-winning goal with a heads-up quick restart in Georgetown’s 1-0 win over St. John’s on Saturday. Check it out:

  • Tom Bogert from mlssoccer.com gave Orlando City a grade of B+ for the club’s off-season transfers.
  • Trinity Rodman of the Washington Spirit became the youngest player to score in NWSL history on her debut. The Spirit lost to the North Carolina Courage, but check out this beauty:

  • People’s lack of awareness in the year 2021 continues to amaze me. USMNT and LA Galaxy attacker Sebastian Lletget is under investigation by MLS after directing a gay slur at teammate Julian Araujo and then posting it to Instagram. Lletget has apologized.
  • Christian Pulisic is officially in form with three goals in two matches. His brace yesterday helped lift Chelsea to a 4-1 win at Crystal Palace.
  • Those born on this date include Animal House star Peter “Boone” Riegert (1947), late Big Country guitarist and lead singer Stuart Adamson (1958), singer Lisa Stansfield (1966), Spin City’s Jennifer Esposito (1972), and England international Dele Alli (1996).

That’s all for me today. Enjoy what’s left of your weekend, prepare for next Saturday, and get vaxxed up (like me), so we can all be together in greater numbers sooner rather than later.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/4/25

Orlando City gets ready for the Philadelphia Union, OCSC partners with Footy Access, USWNT prepares for Brazil, and more.

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5 hours ago

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April 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday! It may feel a bit like the calm before the storm today, as Orlando City, Orlando City B, and the United States Women’s National Team are all in action on Saturday. It all makes for a fun next few days and I’m looking forward to it and also watching some kart racing on Sunday. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Gets Ready For the Philadelphia Union

The Lions are back in action Saturday with an away game against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Orlando has won its past two games and leads the league with 15 goals this season. The Union remain near the top of the Eastern Conference, but have lost two of their past three games. Duncan McGuire detailed how healthy competition and a willingness to defend has the offense firing on all cylinders heading into this match.

This will also be a rematch of the season opener on Feb. 22 when the Union won 4-2 at Inter&Co Stadium. Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell spoke on how Orlando is a different team compared to that match due to changes on offense and center back Robin Jansson’s recovery from a knock.

Orlando City Partners With Footy Access

With the Generation Adidas Cup set to take place later this month, Orlando City has partnered with Footy Access, which is a media company focused on youth soccer. This collaboration means fans will be able to enjoy highlights and interviews from Orlando’s academy as it progresses through the tournament. I’m pretty excited about being able to see how well Orlando’s academy is doing.

MLS NEXT also announced that new rankings focused on development rather than results will be used for its U-13 and U-14 age groups. These rankings will use an analytical formula that measures game play and the caliber of offensive and defensive actions. There will also be encouragement for teams to have their own identities on how they want to play.

USWNT Prepares to Face Brazil in Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team will take on Brazil on Saturday in the first of two friendlies this international break, with the second match set for Tuesday. These friendlies will be rematches of last year’s Olympic gold medal match, which the U.S. won 1-0. Marta has retired from international soccer, but Pride midfielder Angelina was called up for these friendlies, along with former Pride forward Adriana. Lorena, who has only conceded one goal in three games for the Kansas City Current this season, will likely get the start in goal for Brazil behind a talented back line anchored by Tarciane. The USWNT will need to find ways to limit attacking threats like Kerolin and Gabi Portilho as well. These should be matches, with familiar faces on both sides for Orlando fans.

U.S. Set to Host 2031 Women’s World Cup

It looks like the 2031 Women’s World Cup will be held in the U.S., as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the only bid came from the U.S. and potentially other Concacaf nations. The U.S., which withdrew from hosting the 2027 World Cup, would be the first country to host the tournament three times and last hosted it in 2007. The United Kingdom was also revealed as the lone valid bid to host the 2035 World Cup and it would be the first time the tournament is hosted there.

Free Kicks

  • Shout out to Orlando City’s U-19 team for its title win and securing a spot in the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs.

That’s all for this fine Friday, I hope you all have a fantastic day and a relaxing weekend!

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Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a terrific Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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2 days ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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