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Lion Links: 1/26/20

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5 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers. For the first time in my life, after my club team’s preseason scrimmage (Vamos Orlando United!), I’ll be at the NFL Pro Bowl today in Camping World Stadium. Shout out to Luka, Dani, and Steph for making it happen! I know it’s only the Pro Bowl, but the prospect of watching some of my favorite athletes ply their trade in the casual atmosphere of beautiful, sunny Florida? I mean, c’mon, it’s going to be a blast. Maybe not as exciting (or depressing) as catching a City match, but it will certainly be a good time.

I’m interested in experiencing the difference between this and an MLS All-Star Game. I anticipate the intensity will be much lower, as football — American football that is — is much more prone to injuries on any given play. We’ll see, but if you’re going, drop a comment at the end and let’s meet up! I got some major love for our Mane Land family.

All right, I’m rambling, right? Let’s do this thing. Here’s your Sunday serving of Links. Bon appétit.

Júnior Urso: Inked with Purpose

Newly acquired midfielder Júnior Urso is covered in tattoos. For a professional athlete, this is actually quite common. What’s unique to Urso’s ink, however, is that it all has meaning. The midfielder is right-footed and reserves his right leg for only the most influential and important figures in his life. His mother, father, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr. are just a few that garnish the new Lion’s leg. Why? Urso has been the victim of blatant racism in the world of soccer throughout his entire career. In the Bear’s own words:

“Things like that motivate me,” Urso said. “Together we can accomplish something that has never happened before.”

You see, Urso has been through the ringer when it comes to his profession and experiencing the dark realm of racism. It’s nothing new to him, but his desire to power through and not let these horrid events affect him is powerful, and is instrumental to his identity. We’re lucky to have you, Urso, and we can’t wait to see you take the pitch donning the famous purple kit.

(Mostly Young) Lions Start 2020 the Right Way

The Lions faced Stetson University yesterday, putting in a strong performance and walking away with not only a win, but a clean sheet to boot. A team stacked with young Lions took down Stetson, 3-0, and new Lion Daryl Dike got his name on the score sheet. Check out his goal in the video below, as well as some excellent technical skills shown by others. The result and general feel around the match is entirely positive. I can only hope that this means they put on a show and avoided any serious injuries. As I’ve always said, the future is purple.

Nani Enjoying Himself but 100% Focused

What can I say? I just love me some Nani. The man himself tweeted out yesterday that he’s having fun at work, but more importantly that he’s 100% focused on the new MLS season. I wrongly predicted the Lions breaking into the MLS playoff picture last year, so I won’t do that again, but damn, with a new No. 1 in between the sticks, a new midfielder with loads of experience, and the growth of players like Ruan, Chris Mueller, and Benji Michel? I’d be hard pressed not to beaming with optimism headed into the 2020 season. That said, I don’t want to curse the lads. Perhaps I should predict that they won’t win a single match. Sure, let’s try that and see what happens.

Berhalter Names his 22-Man Roster for Costa Rica

The list is out. Following a few weeks of training here in Florida, Gregg Berhalter is confident in his squad and expects a strong result to get 2020 off to a good start.

“It’s been a good few weeks in Florida. The guys have worked hard and have made progress in all aspects of our game model,” Berhalter said. “We’d like to thank Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes for their collaboration in releasing their players and wish them success at the start of their campaigns. We now turn our focus to preparing for Costa Rica and encouraging the players to take advantage of the opportunity and finish off the month with a positive result.”

The squad, unsurprisingly, does not include a single player from Orlando City, but it does contain exciting players like Ulysses Llanez of Germany’s Wolfsburg and Paul Arriola of D.C. United. While the squad doesn’t include the most notable players such as Christian Pulisic and DeAndre Yedlin, it certainly looks good on paper. Time will tell, but I have faith in this group, and even more so in Berhalter himself. 2020 will be a great year for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The Yanks face regional rival Costa Rica in the team’s opening match of 2020 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.

Free Kicks

  • This is bigger news than I think people will give credit to, but the Montreal Impact completed a signing yesterday, permanently acquiring Canadian international Zachary Brault-Guillard from Lyon, following a successful loan spell in 2019. The defender should continue to provide defensive support for the Impact, who will look to rebound following a lackluster 2019 campaign.
  • You’re not reading this, but I have a few (censored) words for the trash who were hurling racist chants at Bilbao’s Inaki Williams during a match. This needs to end. I have no words left. I’m sorry, Inaki. Not everyone on this beautiful planet are awful human beings.
  • Chelsea survived a scare against Hull City yesterday to keep their FA Cup run alive. They’ll want to keep that going, too, with the way the Reds have been looking. C’mon you Reds, you’ll never walk alone!
  • Meanwhile, Arsenal is reportedly close to securing the services of Spanish defender Pablo Mari from Brazilian side Flamengo. I’m not sure this is the signing that’ll turn the fortunes in London for Mikel Arteta, but adding a strong defender who is in his prime can’t hurt, right?
  • To end: Hala Madrid! Barcelona are in some trouble and they don’t have much time to turn things around under new manager Seiten. The Catalonian powerhouse side lost to Valencia yesterday, 2-0. Ah, how the mighty have, well, how the mighty can occasionally fall.

And we leave you today with some more good news from the academy side.

All right folks, that’s it from me for today. Like I mentioned previously, I’ll be at the Pro Bowl today. I mean it, drop me a comment, add me on your social media of choice, and let me buy you a drink. You deserve it.

Cheers!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/22/24

Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

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November 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.

Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.

“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”

Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.

Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year

Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.

Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves

FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.

Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.

Free Kicks

  • In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
  • ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
  • Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
  • Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
  • The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
  • Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

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: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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November 20, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

Free Kicks

That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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