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Lion Links: 3/17/19

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7 years ago

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day Sunday, Mane Landers. I’m sure you’re frustrated right now, and to be honest, I get it. I am too. Yesterday’s 3-1 loss to the Montreal Impact at Orlando City Stadium was demoralizing to say the least. This weekend in general has been an awful one for me. A relationship ended, my Trailblazer is about to cost more than it should, and now the search is on for a replacement just days after planning a trip to Washington D.C. for a good friend’s wedding.

I’m not looking forward to it (the car search, that is). At any rate, I’m still here per usual to feed you some Sunday Lion Links, even if they aren’t seasoned the way we’d like them to be — you know, with an OCSC win. I just took a deep sigh. You couldn’t hear it, but maybe you took one too.

Before we get started, we here at The Mane Land want to wish Orlando Pride midfielder and all-around amazing individual Dani Weatherholt a very special birthday. The club is lucky to have her on the roster, and we’re all fortunate as supporters to have her here in the City Beautiful.

Lions Drop Three Points to the Impact at Home, 3-1

In a contentious and mistake-ridden affair, the Lions didn’t have the impact on the match that they had wished going into this one, however, namesake Montreal did. The Lions lost their first match of the 2019 season, at home nonetheless, to a surprisingly strong Impact side that saw Ignacio Piatti become the player with the most goals against the Lions in the club’s short MLS history (10). Dom Dwyer did manage to scrape one back in stoppage time courtesy of a selfless Santiago Patiño assist, but ultimately, the match was far out of reach by that point.

Stay tuned later for the bearded guy’s five takeaways from the match.

The SeaWolves Fall to the Comets, 9-7

In a key MASL showdown with major playoff implications, Orlando defender Joshio “Yoshi” Sandoval saw an early red card and the SeaWolves fell at home. They put up one hell of a fight, especially after trailing 6-2 early on, with one fewer player on the bench, but ultimately the Kansas City Comets took the win in Orlando. The SeaWolves’ tenacity has to be praised though, as the club continued to push forward and fight, even coming within striking distance of the Comets with a final scoreline of 9-7. The SeaWolves see action next on Friday, March 22, against the Baltimore Blast in Maryland.

Berhalter: MLS Has Grown Over the Last Five Years

USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter was at Orlando City Stadium on Saturday to take in the Lions vs. the Impact. While Dwyer’s finishing won’t have Berhalter wishing he’d have selected Dom for the two upcoming friendlies — including one next week at OCS — the new national team coach is pleased with the progression of MLS players in general, saying the league has grown significantly in recent years. He also did mention to ProSoccerUSA.com’s Jordan Culver that he’s keeping an eye on some of the current Lions.

“So, for players like Dom Dwyer, like Chris Mueller, like Danilo Acosta, these are guys that are all on our radar. We’ve evaluated them all. We’re watching all the games, so at any given moment, they have the opportunity to be part of the team.”

Alexandre Pato Headed to MLS?

Did someone say Pato? (If I could, I’d insert the eyes emoji right here.) While Orlando City could likely benefit more from an additional option at forward, there isn’t much money left for a player of Pato’s stature, and there’s no way he’s coming to Orlando. Nobody believed me when I said the club was going to sign Nani, but at this juncture, I’m not willing to go out on a limb and say the club is going to acquire the rights to this gifted striker.

“My dear Chinese friends, I‘d like to inform you that my adventure in China has come to an end…When I arrived in Tianjin for the first time in 2017 I didn’t know the city at all. It was a surprise and also it was love at first sight for me. These two years in China were full of happy moments with my team-mates and full of new experiences. I am quite sure that China made me grow up as a man. I visited new cities and places, I learned new different culture and habits of this great country. I helped my team with my goals and my football to reach the Asian Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.I would like to thank my club, my team-mates, coaches, all the working people in the club, my fans and supporters who always sent me wishes and love and all the nice Chinese people I met during these two years in China.”

While the 29-year-old technical striker has already been linked to a move back to his native country of Brazil, there are still plenty of rumors afloat that he’ll have a stint in MLS before his career ends. We’ll see what happens, but please don’t go to Miami or Atlanta, Pato. Please.

Free Kicks

  • As always, keep an eye on the other results around the league, because it’s always nice to be familiar with your opponents.
  • David Beckham refused to rule out future moves for all-world talents Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Whew. It could get quite interesting in the Sunshine State in a few years, that’s for damn sure.
  • MLS newcomers FC Cincinnati announced that the team’s inaugural MLS home opener was sold out, having an announced attendance of 32,250.
  • My hometown (sort of, as I was actually born in Salem, MA) team, Tallahassee Soccer Club, has begun selling tickets to its inaugural season. Check them out. They have a lot of talent on the roster in the likes homegrown phenoms like Pete Love and Evan Barksdale (both players I’ve played with extensively, and, trust me when I say the word quality), and their head coach, Joshua Bruno, is one of the best players and coaches I’ve interacted with in my day.

  • In case anyone was holding out hopes of Clint Dempsey hopping into some MASL action…I apologize for pouring some cold water on those hopes…pimp.

  • And to end, they say money talks, right? Sheesh, take a look at this:

That’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. Try your best to enjoy your Sunday. I may sound like a broken record when I say it, but when it comes to the Lions, remain patient and keep the optimism flowing. That’s all we can do, right?

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/1/26

Pride and OCB win, Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau called up, USMNT beats Senegal, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

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June 1, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work and just wrapped up covering high school spring season sports for the school year up here in Chicago. We had the Pride, OCB, and the USMNT all in action, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Beat Bay FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. Barbra Banda scored the opener early in the first half for Orlando, but Bay FC’s Caroline Conti scored the equalizer. In the second half, Banda scored her second goal of the night and added an assist on Cori Dyke’s goal in the 55th minute. Banda went down with an injury late in the match and had to leave the pitch. Since Orlando had already used all its substitutions, the team had to play the final 15 minutes of the match, including stoppage time, down to 10 players, but the Pride held on for the win. Banda has been called up to the Zambia Women’s National Team for the Four Nations Tournament, with the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations set to kick off next month in Morocco.

The Pride will be off until early July due to the NWSL World Cup break. Their next match will be on the road at BMO Stadium against Angel City FC on July 3.

OCB Defeats Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 5-2 at Osceola County Stadium Sunday. Ignacio Gomez scored for the Young Lions six minutes into the match. Chattanooga FC responded with two goals later in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. In the second half, it was all OCB as Pedro Leao, Harvey Sarajian, and Justin Hylton each added a goal to extend the Young Lions’ lead to 4-2. Leao added a penalty kick goal as OCB secured back-to-back wins in league play and moved to fourth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference table with 22 points. OCB will face Carolina Core FC Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau Called Up

Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau have been called up to their respective national teams. Reid-Brown will be joining the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for upcoming friendlies against Georgia and North Macedonia in Bulgaria.

Crepeau will be with the Canadian Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Canada has two international friendlies this week, facing Uzbekistan today and taking on Ireland Friday. Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach Jesse Marsch stated that he has not yet decided which goalkeeper will start in his team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, but Crepeau and Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair will split time in goal against Uzbekistan.

USMNT Defeats Senegal in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Senegal 3-2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, Sunday in an international friendly. Former Lion Alex Freeman started the match and played 45 minutes. Sergino Dest struck first to give the Yanks an early lead, and Christian Pulisic scored his first international goal since November 2024 for the U.S. to take a 2-0 lead in the first half. Sadio Mane pulled one back for Senegal to make it 2-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Mane added another goal to level the match, but Folarin Balogun came off the bench and scored the final goal of the match to seal the win for the Americans. The USMNT will face Germany Saturday in another international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL, before opening the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, taking on Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Paris Saint-Germain Repeats as UEFA Champions League Winner in Penalties

Paris Saint-Germain edged Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, to win the UEFA Champions League title for the second time in a row. Kai Havertz scored the first goal six minutes into the match to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. However, in the second half, Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, resulting in a penalty for Paris Saint-Germain. Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot to tie the match. After 120 minutes of play, the match went to penalties, where Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made one save, but Paris Saint-Germain still scored four goals. In the final round, Arsenal defender Gabriel sailed his shot over the net, and Paris Saint-Germain became just the second team to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the modern era, since 1992. The other club was Real Madrid, which won three consecutive titles from 2015-2016 through 2017-2018.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando City Academy U-14 squad defeated Inter Miami 3-1 Sunday to win the MLS Next Cup.
  • According to Sportico, Major League Soccer viewership has risen significantly in the first three months of the season.

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: 5/29/26

Orlando Pride host Bay FC tonight, Justin Ellis and Colin Guske called up, Ally Lemos joins U.S. U-23 team, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 29, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s hard to believe we’re already close to being done with May, but I’m hardly complaining. The World Cup is closer than ever and we still have Orlando soccer to look forward to tonight and later this weekend. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines. Hopefully he can celebrate with a win tonight.

Orlando Pride Host Bay FC Tonight

After three road games in a row, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful for a match tonight against Bay FC. The Pride have not played at home since a 1-0 win against the North Carolina Courage on May 8, and this will be their last match before the summer break. Although the Pride are coming off of a 1-0 win last week against the San Diego Wave, they’ve struggled with consistency this season. Defender Zara Chavoshi spoke on the importance of the team maintaining a winning mindset.

“Three points is the standard for us,” Chavoshi added. “If we come into the next game the way we came into this last game, with belief and assurance, and the trust that if we do everything to 100% that’s what the outcome is going to be, then we need to keep doing that.”

Justin Ellis and Colin Guske Will Head to U.S. Camp

Orlando City forward Justin Ellis and midfielder Colin Guske were both called up for the United States U-19 Men’s National Team’s training camp at the new training center in Georgia. As part of the training camp, the U.S. will play against Japan to help prepare for this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship. Both players were also part of the U-19 team’s 20-player roster in March for a camp in Spain, so it’s nice to see that they’ve done enough to remain in Head Coach Gonzalo Segares’ plans. They’ve each started games this year for the first team, with Ellis recording a goal and two assists so far this season.

Ally Lemos Called Up By U.S. U-23 Team

Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos was called up for international duty as well and will head to Brazil for the United States U-23 Women’s National Team’s training camp. The team will play two matches against SC Corinthians Paulista, which beat Gotham FC and finished second in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup earlier this year. Lemos has been part of the U-23 team’s previous two camps this year as well, and she’s one of eight players called up who placed third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Storylines Ahead of USMNT Friendlies

The United States Men’s National Team roster was announced and now all eyes turn to how the team does in a friendly against Senegal on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Charlotte. It should be a great test for the USMNT against one of Africa’s top teams, as well as a chance for some of the Americans to make a splash. Christian Pulisic has been stuck in neutral for most of this year and the starting striker position may come down to which player gets hot over the next week. Other things to keep an eye out for include defender Chris Richards’ availability, the goalkeeping battle between Matt Turner and Matt Freese, and the impact Giovanni Reyna and Alex Zendejas can bring to the attack.

Free kicks

  • Orlando City and Orlando Health teamed up once again to celebrate Orange Center Elementary School students for getting good grades, giving each achieving student a jersey.
  • Tom Bogert of The Athletic reported that the rumors linking Orlando City with French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac are false. Welcome to the summer edition of silly season.

Rumors suggesting Orlando City are about to sign Tigres legend Andre-Pierre Gignac (40) are completely false, sources say

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T12:53:00.739Z
  • Charlotte FC is reportedly in talks to sign winger Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. It’s a move that would make sense for Charlotte considering Wilfried Zaha’s recent exit.
  • Atalanta reportedly chose not to exercise the option to buy on American midfielder Yunus Musah’s loan from AC Milan. It’s unclear what’s next for the 23-year-old, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him as a Lion one bit.

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

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Lion Links: 5/28/26

U.S. Open Cup semifinal dates revealed, Andre-Pierre Gignac linked with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for Bay FC, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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May 28, 2026

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Image of Marta showing off the Pride's new Unity Kit.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a bit of a hectic week, but things are finally settling down a bit for me as we get ready for a weekend filled with soccer. The World Cup may not be here just yet, but we do have international soccer to enjoy as teams get in their final preparations. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Date Unveiled

The date and time for Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Columbus Crew were announced, with the Lions set to play at 7 p.m. on Sept. 16 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Ohio. Following wins against FC Naples and the New England Revolution in earlier rounds, Orlando City reached the semifinals after a convincing 4-1 win over Atlanta United in the quarterfinals earlier this month. Now the Lions are just two wins away from lifting the trophy for the second time in the past five years. They should also have Antoine Griezmann available to tip the scales after he arrives this summer. If the Lions advance then they will host either the Colorado Rapids or St. Louis City in the final on Oct. 21.

Andre-Pierre Gignac Linked With Orlando City

It’s not much more than a rumor at this point, but French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac is reportedly close to leaving Tigres to sign with Orlando City according to journalist Diego Armando Medina on the RG La Deportiva radio show. Gignac has spent the past decade with Tigres in Mexico and is the club’s all-time leading scorer. That being said, he’s also 40 years old and the move wouldn’t necessarily line up with the team’s efforts to develop young players like Justin Ellis. Only time will tell if this rumor has legs or if big names in French soccer will continue to be linked with the Lions due to Griezmann’s impending arrival. Either way, I don’t think an aging striker is going to keep the ball out of Orlando’s net.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Bay FC

The Orlando Pride are back in action on Friday with a home game against Bay FC in their final game before the summer break. The Pride closed out a string of road games with a 1-0 win against the San Diego Wave and will face a Bay team that has only scored eight goals this season. Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and defender Aldana Cometti both received red cards in their previous match, while Pride midfielder Angelina will miss this match after being handed an additional suspension from the NWSL Disciplinary Committee. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team is preparing for this home game after a long road trip.

Pride Trio Called Up By Brazil

Orlando Pride players Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle were all called up for Brazil’s pair of friendlies next month against the United States. Both matches will take place in Brazil as the two nations prepare for next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Brazil. Marta and Angelina were both part of Brazil’s winning team in last year’s Copa America Femenina, with Angelina scoring once and Marta twice in the final against Colombia.

USWNT Roster Announced for Brazil Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team roster for these friendlies was also announced, with Head Coach Emma Hayes calling up 26 players for the team’s training camp. Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson were all called up together for the first time since dominating the 2024 Summer Olympics. While Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario, and Sam Coffey aren’t available due to injury, goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and midfielders Croix Bethune and Riley Jackson are back in the mix. The USWNT will first take on Brazil on June 6 in Sao Paulo before a second match on June 9 in Fortaleza.

Philadelphia Union Part Ways With Bradley Carnell

Bradley Carnell’s time as the Philadelphia Union’s head coach has come to a close, with the two sides parting ways after only winning one game so far this season. Carnell was named MLS Coach of the Year last year after helping the Union win Supporters’ Shield, but the team has struggled mightily this year. Philadelphia also named John Scheer as its sporting director, removing the interim tag, and he will begin the hunt for a new head coach. Until then, Philadelphia Union II Head Coach Ryan Richter will serve as the first team’s interim head coach.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero was called up by Venezuela for friendlies against Turkey and Iraq.

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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