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Lion Links: 5/12/19

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7 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers, but more importantly, happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing mothers out there. I’ll be spending the day with my mom and some of our family, and I hope that you all have a good one, no matter how you spend yours.

Not only is today a special day in the form of Mother’s Day, but it’s also the afternoon that marks the first clash between Atlanta United and Orlando City SC during the strange 2019 season. I’m sure you’re looking forward to it as much as I am.

All right. Enough of the small talk. Let’s get you your Sunday helping of Lion Links to hold you over until the Lions play in Georgia and the U.S. women play South Africa. Enjoy!

Pride Fall to the Thorns, 3-1

Entering the match as the team with the most goals conceded and fewest goals scored in the league, the Pride didn’t do much to improve upon those numbers as they fell at home to Portland, 3-1. Toni Pressley scored first, but goals from Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, Andressinha, and Caitlin Foord allowed the Thorns to comfortably leave the Central Florida area with three points safely secured. This one got notably chippy as the night wore on, but ultimately no red cards were brandished. The Pride next see action against the Utah Royals on May 25 in Utah.

Orlando City B Fall to North Texas SC, 4-1

After taking the lead in the match, OCB fell apart defensively and allowed four unanswered goals to let North Texas SC run away with all three points. The goal did break a 282-minute scoreless streak and a 348-minute scoreless streak from open play, but unfortunately for the Young Lions, this match got out of hand late as North Texas SC scored all four goals in the 69th minute or later. OCB falls to 0-6-2, with a total of two points on the table.

James O’Connor Confident in Lions’ Attack

Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor has emphasized that he has confidence in his club’s ability to attack ahead of the Lions’ clash against heated rivals Atlanta United FC in Georgia today. The Lions have had issues in the attacking third so far this season, but O’Connor hasn’t lost faith in his attackers.

“I think the thing for us is, whether it’s Dom or whoever it is, if somebody doesn’t score in a particular game, people want to [say], you know, he hasn’t scored or he hasn’t done this, but we have every confidence in Dom, Tesho [Akindele], Nani, Chris Mueller. We feel as if we’ve created a good amount of chances in games,” Orlando City coach James O’Connor said.

Let’s hope he’s right, and the intense rivalry that’s to be played today proves it. One thing that O’Connor said that stuck out to me was especially important, and displayed patience and confidence in his team.

“The biggest thing for us is our belief doesn’t waver in the players whether somebody scores or doesn’t score,” O’Connor said. “For us, our belief is always there with the players. Whether somebody scores in a game or misses a chance or doesn’t score in a game, for us, you know, our belief in the players doesn’t fluctuate by game.”

Nani is Leading the Lions

The Lions’ Portuguese star is getting some attention from mlssoccer.com after showing off his 1-v-1 and attacking abilities for Orlando City this season. His power in the attack, as well as his passion for the sport on a daily basis, is what they credit to be some of his strongest attributes, and it’s hard to disagree with them. They even allude to a desire to see the Lions’ star man in the MLS All-Star Game in Orlando on Aug. 1. We’ll see, but if he keeps up his current run of form, it’s more than possible.

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  • Brazil and Orlando Pride star Marta is opening a dog shelter. Class, both on the field and off.

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Mais amor e menos ódio. More love and less hate. Pra galera que não viu meu ao vivo dêem uma olhada lá! For the people who watched my live story and are wondering what it is about… • I was talking about my initiative of opening a dog shelter which is currently being built, but while is not ready my brother was fostering a few dogs. • All the dogs were healthy and within 24h they all showed symptoms of sickness, one has even passed away. • This leads us to believe that they have been poisoned. • I will never stop helping these loving animals. For whoever is responsible for this please have more love in your heart. • If you don’t wish be apart of the solution then please do not be apart of the problem.

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  • FC Dallas honored former NBA star and Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki before the team’s 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls. He even took a spot kick, but it’s nothing to write home about.
  • USMNT and Wolfsburg defender John Brooks will sit out the remainder of the Bundesliga season due to medial ligament discomfort. Cheers to a quick recovery!
  • Christian Pulisic scored in his final match with Dortmund, netting an early goal against Dusseldorf in an eventual 3-2 win for the black and yellow. His next move? Hopefully conquering England, and maybe even Europe, with Chelsea.
  • Is Neymar fit to be captain? Well, according to his club’s manager, he isn’t of that “profile.” I wonder how the Brazilian striker will respond?
  • Tallahassee SC played its first-ever match in the Gulf Coast Premier League, drawing 2-2 against a strong and established AFC Mobile. Sy Fotenot scored the club’s first-ever GCPL goal, but it was Pete Love who provided the dramatics with a free kick from about 30 yards, pinged perfectly into the top left corner. Well done and congratulations, boys!

All right folks, that should hold you over until today’s early afternoon kickoff against rival side Atlanta United FC. Go Lions, and have a great night and a great week

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 22, 2026

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Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

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  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

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  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

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: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

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That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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