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Lion Links: 10/20/18

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8 years ago

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Good morning, Lion Nation. We have no game today so you can relax literally all of Saturday away. The Lions are back in action tomorrow afternoon in their final home match of 2018 against Justin Meram and the Columbus Crew. It could be eventful.

If you’re on the fence about attending, keep in mind we have no idea what kind of movement we’ll see this off-season so this could be a final chance to get a look at some of your favorite lads in purple while they are still, you know, in purple. Go have yourself an afternoon at a gorgeous stadium and let’s see what happens. I’m keeping an open mind but expecting the worst, that way I can be pleasantly surprised if good things happen.

Let’s dive into the news of the day, but first, big time congrats to Orlando City goalkeeper Earl Edwards, Jr. are in order.

Camila Goes Home for Off-Season

Brazilian international Camila, the Orlando Pride’s breakout star of 2017 who suffered a nasty knee injury at the end of that season and never quite bounced back in the latter half of 2018 following her return, is going home. Camila signed a short-term contract with Brazilian side Esporte Clube Iranduba da Amazônia through the end of the calendar year. The Pride has offered Camila a new contract ahead of the 2019 NWSL season and it is expected that she’ll return to wear purple again. This move is great because it gives the Brazilian an opportunity to get minutes and hopefully find her form prior to the Pride’s 2019 campaign. Severe knee injuries can take a while to fully bounce back from, so this could give her an opportunity to regain her full range of motion so that she can get back to scoring wondergoals and making defenders look silly next season.

Orlando Pride Season Awards Announced

Fans of the Orlando Pride have selected the team’s awards for the 2018 NWSL season (all but the Golden Boot, which goes to the player who scored the most goals — in this year’s case, Sydney Leroux). Marta won team MVP and Goal of the Year, which isn’t shocking. In fact, the picks didn’t reveal many surprises, but you’ll need to click the link above to see the full list and watch a video of many of the winning selections.

Orlando City B Roster Building Underway, First Signings Could Come Soon

According to Orlando City B GM Mike Potempa, OCB’s roster will be fully signed by Dec. 31. The entire roster for the development side has to be put together from the ground up and that’s no small task but it’s something that Potempa and OCB Head Coach Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita have been working on. Potempa said they’re close on a few and that he believes some have a clear path to the MLS side.

“We’ve had our eye on a few [development academy players] that I think have remained constant that we figure yes, we would like to add them. These two particular players have been very consistent across the board. Very high-level players that I think should be considered for the first team within one or two years, in my opinion.”

The OCB roster may include up to seven internationals per league rules.

Granitur Showing Promise in Orlando City Development Academy

You know you’re doing something good when you’re a U-15 player getting call-ups to an MLS academy’s U-19 team. Such was the case for Luc Granitur this season and the youngster even got a call-up to the U.S. U-16/U-17 team June camp and played in a friendly. It’s always good to see who will be included in the next wave of future Lions and it sounds like Granitur is on such a trajectory. As for his thoughts on the club’s academy setup at Montverde, he had this to say:

“[The coaches] care about you as a person first. They make sure we’re good people and I believe when we’re good people, we’re going to be better players,” Granitur said. “We haven’t been here a year yet and I can already see I’ve improved a lot, gotten a lot of opportunities playing here.”

That’s great to hear. I’ll admit I have my own concerns about Orlando City’s academy setup so it’s always good to hear the players believe they are improving.

Will a Washington Youth Club Get Paid for Developing DeAndre Yedlin?

FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber will decide whether DeAndre Yedlin’s youth club, Crossfire Premier, should receive solidarity payments for the USMNT star’s transfer from the Seattle Sounders to Tottenham. Solidarity payments are compensation to youth clubs for developing players. This should be interesting to follow since the USSF opposes solidarity payments due to potential conflicts with child labor and antitrust laws in this country.

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  • Orlando City SC wants to see your Lions-themed jack-o-lantern and you could win stuff for showing off your Halloween handiwork.

  • Five suspensions and a whole lot of fines were handed out by MLS as a result of the Minnesota United and Colorado Rapids fracas. Former Lion Harrison Heath got two games.
  • When we last saw Edison Flores, he was sticking a dagger of an equalizer against the USMNT into the net for Peru in Connecticut a few days ago. Well, it turns out he’s got some interest in joining MLS. If only we knew of a team friendly to Peruvians.
  • This might be relevant to Orlando City fans: how alcohol (and our ability to process it) has changed over the last 10 million years.
  • Those born on this date include baseball legend Mickey Mantle (1931), Tom Petty (1950), actor Viggo “Aragorn” Mortensen (1958), longtime Texas Rangers’ slugger Juan Gonzalez (1969), Snoop Dogg (1971), and actor John Krasinski (1979).

That’s it for me today, folks. Enjoy your weekend and hopefully I’ll see you at the stadium tomorrow.

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Lion Links: 10/15/26

Orlando City concedes late in draw with Toronto FC, Justin Ellis earns praise, U.S. Soccer announces Crest Cup for women’s soccer, and more.

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3 minutes ago

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October 15, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann and Justin Ellis celebrating a goal against Real Salt Lake.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How are you feeling after last night’s Orlando City game? I don’t think my thoughts have ever been as mixed, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles at times when supporting the Cardiac Cats. It could’ve gone worse though, and being able to watch Antoine Griezmann work his magic is always a treat. Today marks nine years since Kaká’s final game with Orlando City, and I’ve loved being able to see world class players like him, Griezmann, Nani, and more over the years in Orlando. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Lead Late in Dramatic Draw

Orlando City went on the road to Canada and played to a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC in a rollercoaster of a match. The Lions clawed their way back to equalize twice and managed to take the lead late in the match, but couldn’t close things out despite another solid performance by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau behind a leaky defense. Make sure to check out our match recap of what was an exciting, yet frustrating, match that at least featured a couple of great Orlando goals.

Justin Ellis Earns Praise During Breakout Season

The Athletic‘s Tom Bogert ranked his top 22 MLS players under the age of 22 and Orlando City forward Justin Ellis ranked eighth on his list. The 19-year-old has 10 assists and a goal to his name this season, thriving in the attack with an intriguing combination of creativity, strength, and positioning. He’s also already scored for the United States Men’s National Team, doing so in Orlando last month against Peru. Bogert predictably has Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan at the top of his list and Julian Hall in second. We’ll see if Ellis lands a bit higher than eighth when the annual MLS 22 Under 22 list is unveiled later this year.

U.S. Soccer Announces Crest Cup

A new club tournament is coming to women’s soccer. U.S. Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup for women’s soccer teams across the country to compete against each other in a single-elimination format. Official details such as when this will take place and which teams will be allowed to participate haven’t been unveiled at this point, but it does seem like it will at least include teams from both the NWSL and USL Super League. The winner of the Crest Cup will receive $1.1 million and qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Toothpaste jokes aside regarding the name, I’m excited for a tournament that puts a spotlight on more women’s soccer teams.

Takeaways From USWNT Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team may not have beaten Spain in either of its two friendlies against the European powerhouse, but it at least finished strong by rallying to a 2-2 draw in the second meeting. Not many of the problems the USWNT faced were unexpected either. Naomi Girma’s absence was felt on defense, neither Claudia Dickey nor Phallon Tullis-Joyce emerged as the clear starter in goal, and the midfield looked suboptimal against the best team in the world. Head Coach Emma Hayes has multiple decisions to make before the Women’s World Cup next summer, with the USWNT’s next match coming on Nov. 27 against El Salvador in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League returned this week and there were plenty of good games across Europe. In one of the bigger matchups of this round, Paris Saint-Germain went to England and beat Manchester City 4-2 to move to the top of the table. Elsewhere, Real Madrid mounted a late comeback to beat AS Roma 4-3 in Italy, Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LAK Linz, and Bodo/Glimt won 1-0 in Norway against Borussia Dortmund. The teams will play again on Tuesday and Wednesday, with PSG going up against Barcelona and Bayern Munich hosting Arsenal as two of the heavyweight showdowns.

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  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride newlyweds Rafaelle and Hailie Mace on tying the knot!

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

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Lion Links: 10/14/26

Orlando City plays Toronto FC, Orlando Pride prepare for Houston, the USWNT draws Spain, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 14, 2026

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Image of Iago passing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. As the regular season winds down, the tension ramps up. The Lions are currently above the playoff line, but it’s a precarious perch. With two matches this week, earning crucial points will be even more difficult. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Visits Toronto FC Tonight

Orlando City travels to the Great White North tonight for a match against Eastern Conference opponent Toronto FC. Points are at a premium as both teams chase a playoff appearance. Rest assured that Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman is making sure the team is prepared and taking it one match at a time. It is a double match week so we’ll see how Perelman rotates the starting lineup.

Orlando Pride News and Notes

Yolanda Thomas is getting the Orlando Pride ready for Sunday’s road match against the Houston Dash. Of course, there are several players on international duty before then. Oihane got the start for Spain against the USWNT (see below) on Tuesday night. Barbra Banda scored a brace for Zambia in a 4-1 win over Uganda in an Olympic qualifier. Ally Lemos contributed two assists in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team’s 5-0 dismantling of the Dominican Republic.

USWNT Comes from Behind to Draw Spain

The USWNT played its second friendly against top-ranked Spain Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. Much like the previous match, Spain was able to build a 2-0 lead before the end of the first half. Unlike last time, the U.S. was able to score two goals to draw Spain. Ashley Sanchez scored in the 49th minute in her first USWNT start in nearly two years, and Mallory Swanson added the second goal in the 86th minute. Unfortunately, the USWNT wasn’t able to get a third, but a 2-2 draw is still a better result than last time and coming back from two goals down made it feel more like a win in the end.

USMNT Players in Club Action

Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman came on in the 63rd minute of Villarreal’s 3-1 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. Johnny Cardoso played all 90 minutes for Atletico Madrid in his club’s 2-0 win over Manchester United. He almost scored a goal, but it was disallowed after video review. Sergino Dest’s PSV lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig. Dest is Top 10 when it comes to Champions League appearances by U.S. players. There are a few more USMNT players making appearances in the matches today.

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

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Lion Links: 10/13/26

Orlando City players named to MLS Team of the Matchday, USWNT takes on Spain tonight, Americans in action this week, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 13, 2026

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Image of Ivan Angulo playing against D.C. United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a bit of a pep in my step so far this week after Orlando City’s win this weekend. Hopefully, the soccer we have ahead of us tonight and Wednesday night doesn’t end up dimming that enthusiasm. Let’s go ahead and dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Lions Make MLS Team of the Matchday

Orlando City players Maxime Crepeau and Ivan Angulo were both named to the MLS Team of the Matchday, with Antoine Griezmann landing on the bench. Crepeau was immense in Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Columbus Crew, recording a club-record 12 saves. Angulo also excelled with a goal and an assist, with his late winner landing a spot on Sports Illustrated‘s top five goals of the week as well. Griezmann also chipped in a goal and an assist. There are a couple of familiar faces on the bench with Griezmann, with former Orlando goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. earning the honor after making nine saves for the San Jose Earthquakes and former Lion Shak Mohammed recording a goal and an assist in Nashville’s win.

USWNT Aims to Bounce Back Against Spain Tonight

After a 2-0 loss to Spain on Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team will play the top team in the world again tonight. It will be interesting to see what lineup changes Head Coach Emma Hayes makes following the loss, particularly with regard to the defense to help stop Spain’s potent attack. Spain got off to a hot start in Saturday’s match, but the team’s physicality likely won’t catch the U.S. by surprise this time around. Orlando Pride defender Oihane, who is with Spain for these friendlies, said she expects the U.S. to be more aggressive in this rematch.

Spain's Oihane Hernández on what she expects from the #USWNT in Tuesday's rematch:"I honestly expect like a really more physical game. I think they're gonna be more aggressive."(I would expect the same.)

— Jeff Kassouf (@jeffkassouf.bsky.social) 2026-10-12T15:37:35.556Z

Americans in Action Abroad This Week

The UEFA Champions League and Europa League return this week and there are many Americans to keep an eye out for across Europe. Former Lion Alex Freeman, who earned plenty of praise for his performance against Real Madrid on Saturday, could start in his first UEFA Champions League game today when Villarreal hosts Napoli. We may also see more of 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert when Borussia Dortmund plays Bodo/Glimt as he continues to impress at such a young age. Sergino Dest and Johnny Cardoso are other Americans who could play in the Champions League, while Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, and Tim Weah may suit up for Europa League play.

U.S. Soccer Announces Referee Development Program

U.S. Soccer unveiled a new program aimed at improving referee development and making the pathway for aspiring officials more consistent. Named R90+, the program will give referees access to mentors and coaches for them to improve across multiple aspects of officiating, such as game management, physical preparation, and tactical awareness. The first edition of this program will take place in the South, with 10 of the 60 officials coming from Florida. Hopefully this investment in officiating improves things for everyone involved.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!

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