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Lion Links: 7/27/15

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10 years ago

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In the end, it just wasn’t enough. Not Cyle Larin’s hat trick. Not the strong contingent of traveling Orlando City supporters. And not the New York City FC tifo that looked like something I drew up in art class when I was six.

In front of a packed Yankee Stadium that saw Andrea Pirlo make his MLS debut, the Lions just couldn’t get it done against NYCFC, falling 5-3 in a game that featured abysmal defending and a pitch that felt like it was made for Little Leaguers.

So grab a friend, grab a drink (OJ for now, but all bets are off after 5 p.m.) and let's try and process what happened on a Sunday we'd probably all like to forget.

Recapping the Loss to New York City FC

You know the drill…

And remember, we get one more shot at NYCFC later this season at the Citrus Bowl. Plus, we'll always have "Lapmard":

A Look at Darwin Cerén's Remarkable Story

He may not be the flashiest or most well-known player on Orlando City's roster, but Darwin Cerén has been essential in stabilizing the Lion's oft-injured midfield this season.

Paul Tenorio took a look back at Cerén's journey from El Salvador to the City Beautiful, profiling the player in the Orlando Sentinel.

Starting out as a construction worker in his native country, Cerén received permission from his boss to miss work for a tryout with a second-division Salvadorian side. Six years later, the plucky midfielder has become a regular member of his national team and a key player with Orlando City, teaming up with Kaká, who was playing with Real Madrid when Cerén was working construction in El Salvador, to power the Lions' offensive attack.

Conor Donovan Loaned to Pittsburgh

Earlier in the week, Adrian Heath said he wanted to find playing time for a number of young players, including Sidney Rivera, who recently returned from Louisville City FC. One of those players, rookie defender Conor Donovan, found a new temporary home with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Hopefully Conor will get some much-needed professional experience, and a whole lot of minutes.

Klinsmann in Trouble After Gold Cup Flameout?

The USMNT's performance at the 2015 Gold Cup was…disappointing. Failing to reach the tournament final for the first time in over a decade was bad enough, but the way the national team played during CONCACAF's biennial championship has left many wondering if head coach Jurgen Klinsmann could lose his job.

To recap, the Americans won their group behind less-than-convincing victories over Honduras and Haiti, before drawing with Panama in the group stage finale. They thrashed Cuba 6-0, before losing to Jamaica in the semifinals. On Saturday, the U.S. lost to Panama on penalty kicks in the consolation game, good for a fourth-place finish in the tournament — their worst showing since 2000.

Cleary, this is not good news.

The question becomes whether it's bad enough to cost Klinsmann his job in charge of the national team. Keep in mind that a loss in the 2011 Gold Cup Final was enough for U.S. Soccer to show former manager Bob Bradley the door.

Sunlil Gulati stood by Klinsmann immediately after the consolation loss, playing down comparisons between Bradley’s post-Gold Cup exit and what the future may hold for Klinsmann. He also offered his thoughts on the current state of the national team.

"Progress is not linear for anyone," Gulati said. "There are bumps along the way. This is totally a bump. The team was certainly on a high in the spring. And today’s a low. But those are the norms for everyone."

Others have been less supportive of Klinsmann's tenure and expressed concern about the state of the USMNT moving forward. While it seems unlikely that the U.S. will make a head coaching change in the coming days, if the national team drops its Confederation Cup playoff in the fall, we could be in for some serious USMNT drama.

Kaká Takes New York

Until someone uncovers the REAL montage of Kaká's week in New York City (I'm imagining him trying his first hot dog, visiting the Statue of Liberty, and going on a carriage ride with Sean St. Ledger through Central Park), this video from OrlandoCitySC.com will have to do.

Orlando City’s captain continues to show he’s serious about his role as an ambassador for both MLS and the game of soccer in the United States, having made these stops around NYC ahead of Sunday’s game. And as long as he’s wearing purple, he can spend as much time in the Big Apple as he wants.

Drogba to Montreal Seems All But Done

An article on ESPNFC today confirmed that the Montreal Impact are indeed preparing to sign Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, after acquiring the rights to the forward from the Chicago Fire.

The Fire reportedly received upwards of $100,000 in allocation money for a move that was basically arbitrary after Drogba decided he wanted to play for Montreal, where his native language of French is spoken. It marks the second time in a year that the Fire have missed out on a big-time target after they saw Jermaine Jones sign with the New England Revolution last season, following a blind draw between the two clubs.

That's it for Lion Links today. Remember that Tom Petty song "Free Falling?" That's a good song.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

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  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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