Good morning, everyone. It wasn’t a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three outfits combined to take just one point from the nine on offer. Fortunately, Orlando City gets an immediate opportunity to bounce back against the Chicago Fire Wednesday night, before all three teams are back in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to talk about today, so let’s have a look at the links.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing games during the working week, so get some of the highlights marked down on your calendar. Things get started later today when Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Fenerbahce in UEFA Champions League qualifying. Wednesday features Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid kicking off their La Liga season against Malaga, before Folarin Balogun and Monaco face Gornik Zabrze in UEFA Conference League qualification play. The week then wraps up on Friday when Haji Wright and Coventry City open the Premier League season against Arsenal.

Takeaways from WAFCON

WAFCON 2026 is officially in the books, so what did we learn from this year’s tournament? For one thing, expanding from 12 teams to 16 was largely successful, as Cameroon won the trophy after getting into the tournament on the strength of its world ranking after being eliminated during qualifying. We also saw a competitive tournament that had some upsets, with first-time participants Malawi making a run all the way to the final, and Zambia failing to get out of the group stage despite racking up six points. That said, attendance was non-existent for matches not involving host Morocco, and the video review process wasn’t exactly speedy for the most part. Still, it was mostly a great tournament and a great showcase for African women’s soccer.

Kevin Lamour Leaves Position as FIFA Executive

Kevin Lamour has been fired from his position as FIFA’s chief operating officer just several weeks after strongly condemning Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Lamour said that FIFA’s leadership had been “deceived” when it came to the plan and that losing his job over his opposition to it would be worth it since he would at least be able to sleep well at night. Before his two years at FIFA, Lamour had previously worked alongside Infantino when the two men were at UEFA. FIFA confirmed his departure with a brief statement on Monday afternoon.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Most summer transfer windows will be closing soon, but we’ve still got plenty of rumors to discuss. We begin with a piece close to home, as Breel Embolo has reportedly rejected the personal terms offered to him by Atlanta United and is said to be negotiating with Ipswich Town. Speaking of the Premier League, Manchester City is reportedly still in pursuit of a deal for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez despite missing the Blues’ stated deadline of Aug. 14 to get a deal done. Moving to Spain, Real Madrid is reportedly interested in signing Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal and has already had contact with his representatives. Finally, Inter Milan is said to be interested in signing Liverpool’s Curtis Jones.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City dropped one spot to no. 24 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
• The Orlando Pride rose two spots to no. 13 in the same outlet’s NWSL power rankings.
• Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are reportedly interested in selling their stakes in the team to Clearlake Capital.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

With two potent attacks and two struggling, but improving, defenses one reasonably might have expected a high-scoring affair when Orlando City hosted FC Cincinnati on Saturday, but it was not to be. It was a tight match ending in a 1-1 draw, with no shortage of chances.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated in their matchup against FC Cincinnati.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6.5 — Although Cincinnati took a lot of shots, Crepeau only had to make three saves, including a couple of point-blank shots he did really well to stop. He came off his line when needed to snuff out trouble on a couple of occasions, and was a solid backstop for the Lions. A better defense in front of him is helping the Orlando goalkeeper, but he has looked better on his own following the World Cup break. Statistically, Crepeau attempted seven long balls, completing three, passed at 83.8%, and contributed a clearance as well.

D, Bernardo Rhein, 6 — Rhein had to be substituted out in the 39th minute, following what appeared to be a hamstring issue. The young left back had been performing well up until that point and hopefully he’s able to return sooner rather than later. He was energetic and decisive in his time on the pitch, exhibiting good control, helping to advance the ball in attack, contributing one key pass. Defensively, he compiled two clearances, one interception, and a blocked shot. He attempted two crosses, with one finding its mark, and attempted one long ball that did not connect, while passing with 90.5% accuracy.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The captain did well overall, but he had a couple of bad passes while not under much pressure that might have turned out worse. Jansson was otherwise solid, and read the game well, snuffing out attacks as usual. He attempted only one long ball that did not connect and had no other offensive contributions. He had a whopping seven clearances though, and passed with 95% accuracy. Jansson sort of just defended his real estate in this one.

D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — Like Jansson, Brekalo also committed a pretty bad pass from a bad spot in the box late in the match. He was visible throughout the match though, if only on the defensive side of things. Brekalo had zero offensive contributions, but he finished with seven clearances, three tackles, a blocked shot, and 97.4% passing accuracy. He was nearly called for a penalty on Evander, but the attacker initiated the contact and was shown a yellow card for simulation. In any case, it was a solid, if not spactacular, night for both of Orlando’s center backs.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 7 — Dorsey was active in both directions against Cincinnati. He combined well with his teammates on multiple occasions and showed good control in tight spaces. He wasted a good opportunity on a pinpoint lofted ball into the box from Marin, by chesting it down for no one to get onto instead of taking the shot himself. Nevertheless, it was a productive night for the right back. Dorsey managed two key passes, and passed at a respectable 88.4%. He committed one foul and suffered three, but surprisingly attempted no long balls and no crosses. Defensively, he finished with two tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 7.5 (MotM) — This Man of the Match selection was easy for me. Obviously, Spicer got the team’s only goal, but he did so much more. He took six shots, although he put just one on target, and he also made three key passes, attempted five crosses — although none connected — attempted two long balls with one finding a target, and tried one through ball that did connect. He drew two fouls and did not commit any. His passing was the lowest on the team at 72.7%, but he contributed mostly with his intelligent movement and positioning, something that is not so apparent in the statistics, and he was the biggest threat to Cincinnati’s defense.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6.5 — Gerbet completed 100% of his 36 passes in this match. That’s a pretty rare figure on that many passes, and it was a decent night for the midfielder. He recorded one key pass, one accurate cross, and three completed long balls on the offensive side of things. He finished with one interception and a block on defense, and he committed one foul and suffered none. His block was a painful one, as he blocked a drive at the top of the area with his face. Gerbet’s return from a longterm injury continued to show progress against a good attacking group from Cincinnati.

MF, Luis Otavio, 7 — In another bright spot on the defensive side of things, Otavio had possibly his best match for the Lions. He did well to read plays and snuff out attacks. He was able to steal the ball on multiple occasions, including from the always dangerous Evander, and was involved all over the pitch. He passed well, especially for being in the middle of the action so frequently, with 86.3% accuracy. He was active on the offensive side, attempting four long balls, with one connecting, finding a key pass, and attempting one cross that did not find a target. Defense is where Otavio really shined however. He contributed six tackles, one interception, and a clearance. He committed two fouls and suffered one.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — It was a “different” night for Angulo in this match. He was his usual active self and did a lot of the things he usually does, and even carved out five key passes. Maybe it’s the fact he put up zero defensive statistics, which is unusual, that stands out. He combined well with his teammates and helped to advance the ball forward on multiple occasions, but very little came from his forays. He made one accurate cross and missed on two long ball attempts. He was fouled three times for his efforts but committed none. His passing was an impressive 87.2%. Angulo came close to threatening Cincinnati’s goal on a couple of occasions, but a heavy touch in the 72nd minute, and a mix-up in the box with Antoine Griezmann kept him from making a greater impact.

F, Antoine Griezmann, 6.5 — Griezmann did his thing and repeatedly helped to build up chances against a Cincinnati defense that was stout on the evening. A lack of sharpness is still apparent among the Lions as a group though, which is not surprising given the short time Griezmann’s been with the Lions and the short rest over the past few weeks, not to mention the absence of Martin Ojeda. But the quality is unmistakable and he continues to impress. He took three shots, putting one on target, and attempted a massive 14 crosses, but only two connected among the tall Cincy defenders. He passed with 81.3% accuracy and attempted three long balls, completing one. As usual, Griezmann was active in defense and contributed a clearance and a block and committed one foul while suffering none.

F, Justin Ellis, 7 — Ellis once again showed his quality in this match. He was usually where he needed to be, and if there’s one aspect of his game that might need improvement it’s finishing, as he was gifted a fantastic opportunity by Dorsey in the 36th minute, but he fired his shot right at the goalkeeper. The young forward took five shots on the night with three on target but none of those troubled Roman Celentano. He also contributed a key pass, and attempted two through balls, with one finding a teammate. His deft touch earned him an assist on Spicer’s goal. He only made 13 pass attempts, completing 84.6%, as Cincinnati tried to keep him off the ball. Ellis had no defensive stats.

Substitutes

D, Adrian Marin (39′), 6.5 — Marin came on for the injured Rhein in the first half and filled in pretty well. The quality at the left back position did not suffer after he came on and he made some key contributions in this one. On offense, his only contribution was one accurate cross, but on the defensive end, Marin logged four clearances and a blocked shot. He committed no fouls and suffered one. His passing was accurate at 95%, although on only 20 attempts. The numbers don’t say it all though, and I have to give Marin a little credit in this match. He made an excellent sliding challenge in the 64th minute on a charging Ender Echenique and sent in a beauty of a lofted ball into the box for Dorsey that the fullback could have done better with. It was a good night and, importantly, improvement for the left back.

F, Marco Pasalic (46′), 5.5 — Pasalic came on for Gerbet at halftime, as the defensive midfielder was on a minutes restriction. It wasn’t a like-for-like, but Pasalic occupied a lot of his normal areas while Angulo temporarily moved back to work with Otavio in the defensive midfield. The Croatian was active and combined well on a few occasions, and he managed to get three shots off, but none were on target and he provided little threat. He attempted one cross that found no one and two long balls, connecting on one. He made no defensive contributions and neither committed nor suffered any fouls. His one long ball was a good one and sprung Angulo, but the chance ultimately went wanting. He had a glorious chance to send a charging Dike in behind but elected not to, opting to hold up play for reinforcements. He also had a slightly bad touch that former Lion Kyle Smith took advantage of, ending a potential Orlando opportunity.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (61′), 7 — Wilder came on for Ellis and made a convincing impact. He shut down several promising Cincinnati attacks, and contributed on offense as well. For not being on the pitch very long, he had a good number of touches (28) and passed at 94.1% on 17 pass attempts. He took a shot from range that was just a little high, but it was a good effort and didn’t miss by much. Cartagena attempted two crosses that were unsuccessful while completing one long ball. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and two clearances and committed one foul.

F, Daryl Dike (82′), N/A — Dike came on for Spicer, and did not have enough time to earn a grade. Of course, his presence could still be felt and he may have had more of an impact had he been played in behind by Pasalic, but it was not to be. He only made two pass attempts, and completed both. He was fouled once and contributed one clearance.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in a close match that could have gone either way. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’m back to covering high school sports again for the fall season, with golf, soccer, and football this week. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw FC Cincinnati at Home

Orlando City drew FC Cincinnati 1-1 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium. The Lions trailed 1-0 at halftime, but Tyrese Spicer’s early goal in the second half was enough for Orlando to secure a point at home. Orlando City hasn’t won in its last three matches across all competitions and will need to pick up wins down the stretch, with the club sitting outside the MLS playoff spots in the Eastern Conference standings with 21 points. Before the match, Orlando City announced it had signed OCB midfielder Issah Haruna to a short-term contract. Haruna was on the bench but did not play against FC Cincinnati. The Lions have a quick turnaround, with two home matches this week. Orlando City will face the Chicago Fire on Wednesday and Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Pride’s Winless Run Continues with Loss at Portland Thorns

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on Saturday. After a scoreless first half, Portland struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the second half. Jacquie Ovalle scored the equalizer for Orlando, but in stoppage time, Caiya Hanks scored a late winner for Portland. Orlando has lost three consecutive matches. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Sunday against the Washington Spirit.

OCB Falls at Chicago Fire II

Orlando City B fell 2-0 to Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday. Robert Turdean scored the opening goal for Chicago in the first half, and the Fire took a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Damyan Villanueva added the insurance goal for Chicago, which won its third in four matches. The Young Lions have lost four consecutive matches. OCB will be on the road to take on Atlanta United 2 on Saturday.

Americans Abroad

Let’s catch up on Americans in action abroad in Europe. Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten were both in action for Middlesbrough in a 2-1 win against Lincoln City on Saturday in the EFL Championship. Ricardo Pepi scored, and Sergino Dest notched an assist for PSV Eindhoven in a 2-1 win over Excelsior in the Eredivisie. Gianluca Busio played a full 90 minutes for Venezia as his side defeated Modena 3-2 in the Round of 64 in the Coppa Italia. Austin Trusty scored for Celtic, and Cameron Carter-Vickers was also in action in a 4-0 win against Dundee United, as the Scottish Premiership leaders advanced to the quarterfinals in the Scottish League Cup. On Sunday, former Lion Alex Freeman came off the bench late in the second half for Villarreal in a 2-2 draw against Racing Santander in La Liga.

Free Kicks

• Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who is on loan at Dallas Trinity, scored her first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against the Tampa Bay Sun on Saturday in the USL Super League.

• Former Lion Cyle Larin scored for Southampton, but his side fell 2-1 to Watford on Sunday in the EFL Championship.
• Atlanta United is reportedly close to signing forward Breel Embolo from Stade Rennes for an $18 million transfer fee.

• Mohamed Salah made his debut in the Turkish Super Lig for Trabzonspor off the bench in the second half in a 1-1 draw against Kasımpaşa over the weekend.
• Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he may retire from professional soccer at the end of the Saudi Pro League season. Ronaldo’s contract with the club expires in June 2027.
• FC Barcelona has reportedly reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign midfielder Rodri for a transfer fee of $87 million.
• Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 victory against Manchester City on Sunday to win the 2026 English FA Community Shield.
• Cameroon defeated Malawi 3-0 in the final on Sunday to win the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.