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Lion Links: 1/20/18

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9 years ago

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Happy Saturday, everyone! There was a good amount of stuff that went on yesterday, including Orlando City‘s turn in the draft. Like the Orlando Pride, the Lions had one pick but they certainly made the most of it.

The Florida Cup will wrap up later today over in St. Pete, so if you’re over that way, stop by Al Lang Stadium for the 6 p.m. start. Atletico Nacional could win the tournament with a two-goal victory over Legia Warsaw.

Now, on to the links!

Orlando City Selects Chris Mueller No. 6 in 2018 MLS Draft 

The biggest news of yesterday revolved around Orlando City’s first-round draft pick. The Lions selected Chris Mueller, a forward/winger from the University of Wisconsin. The 21-year-old comes off an impressive senior season, receiving the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Here’s more on the newest Lion from SBI Soccer.

Mueller, who comes from Schaumberg, IL, scored nine goals and had 21 assists during his senior season of 2017. He also helped lead his team to the conference championship as well as the third round of the College Cup. Though he is listed as a forward by most analysts, Mueller can play in a variety of positions, such as a winger or even in the center of the pitch. It will be curious to see where Jason Kreis and his staff see Mueller fitting into the team. Here’s what Kreis and Mueller had to say at the SuperDraft. Let’s go in the green room with him courtesy of mlssoccer.com:

Orlando City Adds Additional Game to Preseason Schedule

A few days ago, Orlando City announced its preseason schedule which contained matches against Jacksonville University, Minnesota United, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake, and a final game against Chicago Fire in Orlando City stadium. Additionally it appears that Orlando has added an additional game to the slate for preseason. According to Nashville SC, the new USL club will be facing Orlando City on Feb. 25. This game will take place one day after the preseason game against the Chicago Fire, which likely says that Orlando City plans to get the reserves a run-out.

Former Orlando City Midfielder Darwin Cerén Traded 

Darwin Cerén, former midfielder of Orlando City from both the USL and MLS days, was traded from San Jose Earthquakes to Houston Dynamo. The trade has Cerén going to Houston and San Jose receiving $100,000 in General Allocation Money and $75,000 in Targeted Allocation Money with potential performance incentives. Cerén played one season with Orlando City’s USL side and then joined the team when it made the jump to MLS. He then continued to play for the club for a season and a half before he was traded to San Jose Earthquakes for Matías Pérez García.

Former Orlando City Center Back Conor Donovan Joins New Team

Former Orlando City and OCB center back Conor Donovan has found a new team after his option was not exercised by the club. Donovan will be joining Rio Grande Valley FC this upcoming season. RGV is the USL affiliate for the Houston Dynamo and should see some player shuffling before the USL season begins.

Donovan was selected in Orlando City’s first MLS draft in 2015 with the 22nd pick overall as a Generation Adidas player our of North Carolina State and had a lot of upside coming out of college. He made his professional debut against Philadelphia Union in August of 2015, but ended up tearing his ACL in the 10th minute. Ever since the injury Donovan was not able to really make it back to the first team, spending most of his time with OCB on rehab assignments. Best of luck to Donovan!

Chicharito to Beşiktaş?

The Cyle Larin saga gets even more…strange?

As many people know, Cyle Larin left for Turkey earlier this week in an attempt to force Orlando City to transfer him to Besiktas. The club has since prepared itself for a legal battle and is in talks with Besiktas to see if an agreement can be made. In the meantime, rumors have been swirling around the internet that claim Besiktas are in for Chicharito (Javier Hernandez). According to Goal, the Turkish club is offering 8.5 million euros for Chicharito which would make Larin’s move suspect to say the least. 

This could be a play for Besiktas to get Larin then loan him out so he can work on his game but it doesn’t look like they are willing to spend much money on the Canadian if he were to join the club. We’ll be sure to see how this saga plays out but it isn’t looking great for Larin.

Large MLS Trades Run Rampant on Draft Day

The MLS Draft had a handful of trades with many teams moving up, back, and even out of the first round. The biggest deal of the day was the trade between the Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union, where Chicago sent David Accam to Philadelphia for $300,000 in General Allocation Money and $900,000 in Targeted Allocation Money. This trade reaches one of the highest allocation money deals in league history.

The day didn’t end there, either! As reported a week ago, Ola Kamara and Justin Meram had asked Columbus Crew to trade them. There were a few teams interested in both players but no one could reach the the asking price until Friday. LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew agreed to a trade where Gyasi Zardes and $400,000 in allocation money would go to Columbus in return for Ola Kamara. This trade has now shaken up the eastern conference and strengthened LA Galaxy.

Free Kicks

  • Lazio face a two-match stadium closure for Anne Frank photo scandal. Italian football federation prosecutors have requested Lazio play two games behind closed doors and fined 50,000 euros ($61,000) after Lazio fans put pictures of Anne Frank on t-shirts during their rivalry game against Roma.
  • The U-20 USWNT opened its 2018 CONCACAF Championship campaign winning 2-0 over Nicaragua with goals by Taryn Torres and Civana Kuhlmann. The ladies will play again on Jan. 23 at 3 p.m.
  • Eziquiel Barco is finally official for Atlanta United. Atlanta United announced at the SuperDraft Friday that the team had finally signed the 18-year-old. Atlanta had gone back and forth with Independiente for weeks about the price.
  • D.C. United unveiled their new 2018 jersey before the SuperDraft on Friday. The jersey is crafted to represent the new stadium as well as the unique history of the District of Columbia.

  • MLS announced the new match ball for the 2018 MLS season, the “NATIVO.” What do you think? 

As I always like to end Lion Links on a happy note. All of us at The Mane Land would like to say congratulations to Antonio and Federica Nocerino on the birth of their new child, Mattia!

Welcome Mattia 🇮🇹🇺🇸 19january2018❤️

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

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2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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