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Lion Links: 11/10/25

Pride defeat Seattle Reign in the NWSL playoffs, several young Lions receive U.S. youth national team call-ups, Americans abroad, and more.

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5 months ago

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Image of Haley McCutcheon, Luana, and Angelina celebrating Orlando's win over Portland.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work and covered high school hockey this week. The Pride continue their playoff run in the National Women’s Soccer League, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Defeat Seattle to Advance to NWSL Semifinals

The Orlando Pride defeated the Seattle Reign 2-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday in the NWSL playoff quarterfinals. Haley McCutcheon scored the opening goal in the first half to give Orlando the lead. Late in the second half, Luana scored her first NWSL goal from the spot to seal the win for the Pride. Orlando secured its fourth consecutive playoff win in two seasons and looks to take another step towards defending its NWSL crown. After Friday’s match, Haley McCutcheon and Marta discussed welcoming doubters and being motivated to prove them wrong as the Pride move on to the next round. The Orlando Pride will host NY/NJ Gotham FC in the semifinals Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium at 3 p.m. after Gotham’s win at Kansas City over the weekend.

Several Lions Receive Call-Ups to U.S. Youth National Teams

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the rosters for several upcoming youth national team training camps and several young Lions got the call. The USSF announced that Orlando City Development Academy products Justin Ellis and Colin Guske have received call-ups to the U-19 team for the November FIFA window, while midfielder Jacob Ramirez was also announced as a call-up for the U-17 U.S. squad. The U-19 U.S. Men’s National Team will travel to Wales to participate in the UEFA U-19 Youth Tournament from Nov. 10-17. The squad will face Germany on Nov. 12, Wales on Nov. 15, and Japan on Nov. 18. The U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team will travel to Dubai as that squad prepares for qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The U-17s will play friendlies against England on Nov. 13, Australia on Nov. 15, and the Ivory Coast on Nov. 18. Meanwhile, Homegrown fullback Tahir Reid-Brown has gotten the call from the U.S. U-20 side, coached by former USL-era Lion Rob Valentino, for a camp from Nov. 10-18 in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The U.S. will play a pair of matches against Costa Rica in that camp.

MLS Playoff Roundup

The first round of the 2025 MLS playoffs wrapped up over the weekend. On Friday, New York City FC beat Charlotte FC 3-1 to win the best-of-three series and advance to the conference semifinals. Saturday featured three matches, with plenty of drama. Minnesota United edged the Seattle Sounders 7-6 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Minnesota trailed 2-0 and fought back to take a 3-2 lead, before Jordan Morris scored the equalizer late in the second half to send the game to spot kicks. FC Cincinnati beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 with a late winner from Brenner to advance. Inter Miami avoided a repeat of last year’s first-round exit and cruised to a 4-0 victory over Nashville SC. San Diego held a 3-0 lead in the late game with less than 20 minutes to play against the Portland Timbers Sunday, with the winner facing Minnesota United in the Western Conference semifinals. The matches set for the next round are the Philadelphia Union vs. New York City FC, Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati, and LAFC vs. the Vancouver Whitecaps.

NWSL Quarterfinals Recap

In other NWSL playoff action from the weekend, the Washington Spirit beat Racing Louisville 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to move on to the semifinals. The top-seeded Kansas City Current fell to the eighth-seeded Gotham FC 2-1 after extra time. Katie Stengel scored the game-winning goal late in extra time to help Gotham FC pull off the upset and move on to the semifinals against Orlando. The Portland Thorns also needed to go to extra time to defeat the San Diego Wave 1-0 as Reilyn Turner scored the lone goal. The Portland Thorns will face the Washington Spirit at Audi Field in the other NWSL semifinal matchup on Saturday.  

Americans Abroad

It was a busy weekend for Americans in Europe. Folarin Balogun scored his fourth goal of the season in Ligue 1, but Monaco fell 4-1 to Lens. Patrick Agyemang scored his second goal of the season for Derby County as his side defeated Blackburn 2-1 Saturday and secured a fifth straight win in the EFL Championship. Alyssa Thompson played 86 minutes and scored her first goal in the WSL for Chelsea.

However, Chelsea couldn’t hold onto the lead as Arsenal found a late equalizer, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. In the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, the U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Tajikistan 2-1 with a goal from Cavan Sullivan. With the win, the U.S. booked a spot in the Round of 32 and will face the Czech Republic in its final group stage match Tuesday.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/26

Orlando City wins big against Charlotte FC, Javier Otero receives praise, Young Lions sign short-term contracts, and more.

Published

21 hours ago

on

April 23, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We might have to start petitioning for all of Orlando City’s games to be moved to Wednesdays as the Lions have won a midweek game for the second consecutive week. This one was a much more exciting affair to boot, and it does feel a bit like a shot in the arm this morning. Let’s go ahead and get to the win and more in today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Crushes Charlotte FC

The Lions hosted Charlotte FC and claimed all three points in a 4-1 victory, snapping a four-game winless streak in league play. Luis Otavio scored his first goal as a Lion to give Orlando the lead, but Charlotte managed to equalize later in the first half. The second half belonged to Orlando though, as Martin Ojeda took over and Robin Jansson anchored the defense to prevent a comeback. It’s only the third time this year that the Lions have scored multiple goals in a match and hopefully they can keep that attacking momentum going when they travel to play D.C. United on Saturday.

Javier Otero Earns Praise After U.S. Open Cup Win

Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero came up with big saves to help the Lions win 1-0 against FC Naples in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 earlier this month and his performance earned him a spot on the bench of the Team of the Round. He was also nominated for Save of the Round for his diving save to parry away a low strike, and voting will remain open until 8:30 p.m. tonight, so be sure to vote! Tyrese Spicer’s impressive strike wasn’t nominated for Goal of the Round, but you can vote on that award as well.

Young Lions Sign Short-Term Contracts

Orlando City B players Ignacio Gomez and Bernardo Rhein were signed to short-term contracts with the first team and both came off the bench for the Lions Wednesday night. Gomez, who made his MLS debut on Saturday, capitalized on his time on the field by scoring his first goal as a Lion. The pair of Young Lions will be available for Saturday’s game against D.C. United too, as the Lions are dealing with a rash of injuries that have tested their depth. Gomez is with Orlando on loan from Velez Sarsfield II, while Rhein has made 24 appearances with OCB as he continues to develop his game.

USWNT Will Face El Salvador in Concacaf W Championship

The schedule and matchups for this year’s Concacaf W Championship were revealed and the United States Women’s National Team will take on El Salvador in the quarterfinals on Nov. 27. This tournament will also notably serve as qualifying for both the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The four semifinalists will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the two finalists and third-place nation will secure an Olympic spot, though the U.S. already has as host. Orlando Pride forward Solai Washington and Jamaica will play against Costa Rica with a World Cup berth on the line, with the winner facing the victor between the U.S. and El Salvador in the semifinals.

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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

Lion Links: 4/22/26

Orlando City hosts Charlotte tonight, the Orlando Pride prep for Louisville trip, NWSL expansion coming to Columbus, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 22, 2026

By

Image of Kaka celebrating a goal.
Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day for Orlando City. That’s as much a warning for your mental health as it is a notification if you decide to watch the match tonight. Perhaps you could catch up on Pluribus, or rewatch Ted Lasso. I’m simply saying you have options that might not raise your blood pressure. On a brighter note, join me in wishing Orlando City legend Kaká a very happy birthday. More on him below. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Host Charlotte Tonight

Orlando City is looking to rebound against Charlotte FC tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. It’s no secret that the Lions are having a rough time of it so far this season, and with Charlotte sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference, it doesn’t get any easier. That doesn’t stop Martin Perelman and the players from thinking they are getting better and having a plan for the match tonight. What was it Mike Tyson said about everyone having a plan? Can the Lions turn things around on short rest?

Orlando Pride Return to NWSL Play Friday

The Orlando Pride return to action Friday against Racing Louisville FC. The match is at Louisville where the Pride have yet to win. Despite that, the players are ready to pick up where they left off before the international break. The break provided much-needed rest for many of the players. The Pride will play six matches during the month of May before the league takes a break for the World Cup.

Osceola Heritage Park Expansion Funding Moves Forward

Osceola County leaders have agreed to have Orlando City expand the club’s footprint at Osceola Heritage Park. Orlando Sports Enterprises (OSE a.k.a. the Wilf family) will match the $25 million that the county is putting up for the project. OSE will assume repair, maintenance, and operating costs for the facility. A hotel and free-standing restaurant are also in the plans. This is a good investment for the club’s future in the arms race that is professional sports.

NWSL Coming to Columbus

The owners of the Columbus Crew have been awarded an NWSL franchise. The Haslam Sports Group paid a record $205 million expansion fee to obtain the 18th NWSL club. The new club will renovate and play at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field downtown. The organization will also build a training center at McCoy Park that had previously been slated to be renovated for local residents, including features that would enable physically disabled people to use the park.

The NWSL called and Columbus answered 📞 Columbus joins the league as team No. 18!

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-04-21T19:44:42.987Z

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That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the Orlando City match this evening. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/21/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday eight, USWNT stock watch, transfer rumor roundup, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

April 21, 2026

By

Image of Ignacio Gomez making his MLS debut with Orlando City vs. Houston.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a frustrating weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as Orlando City lost a close game to the Houston Dynamo, and Orlando City B blew a two-goal lead against Carolina Core FC, and had to settle for the two points that come with a shootout victory after a draw. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your viewpoint), OCSC will have a chance to get right back on the horse when Charlotte FC comes to town on Wednesday. We’ve got lots to talk about this morning, so let’s have a look at the links.

MLS Matchday Eight Takeaways

Major League Soccer’s eighth round of matches is in the books, and there are plenty of talking points to go over. The San Jose Earthquakes ended the weekend on an emphatic note by dismantling LAFC 4-1 on the road, adding to an impressive list of scalps that also includes the Vancouver Whitecaps and San Diego FC. They’re tied with Vancouver atop the Western Conference and continue to look like one of the league’s best teams. Meanwhile, Charlotte FC, Orlando City’s next opponent, kept things organized in a 4-4-2 block and scored from two of its three shots on goal to take down NYCFC 2-1. That result puts the club in third place in the Eastern Conference.

USWNT Stock Watch

The United States Women’s National Team wrapped up its three game slate against Japan over the weekend, so let’s check in on how the matches affected the standing of several players. Lindsey Heaps was name-dropped by Emma Hayes as having had a great run of three matches, while 20-year-old Claire Hutton wore the captain’s armband during the series and looked far more poised and ready than one would expect given her age. At the opposite end of the spectrum, winger Emma Sears struggled to make an impact in the final third, and while her speed makes her a tempting option to have in the squad, the depth at her position means she’s always going to face a battle for a place.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be here before we know it, and that means the rumors are already flying thick and fast. We begin with Arsenal, which is said to be interested in signing Julian Alvarez this summer, but will likely face competition from Barcelona. Speaking of Barcelona, club president Joan Laporta has reportedly held talks with Robert Lewandowski about extending his stay with the team, while the Chicago Fire also interested and reportedly having submitted a bid to the striker’s representatives. Liverpool is said to be ready to spend in excess of  €100 million to sign Red Bull Leipzig forward Yan Diomande as a replacement for the outgoing Mohamed Salah. Finally, center backs Hiroki Ito and Min-Jae-Kim could both reportedly leave Bayern Munich this summer if interested teams are willing to meet the German club’s valuations of them.

Jonathan Klinsmann Suffers Broken Neck

American goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann suffered a broken neck while playing for Serie B side Cesena on Saturday. The son of former United States Men’s National Team manager Jurgen Klinsmann, the shot stopper was stretchered off the field after colliding with a Palermo player and was diagnosed with a fractured first cervical vertebra after being taken to the hospital. Klinsmann confirmed on social media that his season is over, which will leave him unavailable for Cesena’s promotion push. The team is currently eighth in the second division, which is the final playoff promotion spot.

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

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