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Lion Links: 5/13/18

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7 years ago

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Happy Sunday, Mane Landers, but more importantly Happy Mother’s Day! I hope that everyone enjoys their Mother’s Day in whatever fashion you most prefer. As for my family, we’ll be having a cookout: burgers, franks, and steaks. I’ve gone overboard in this year’s gift to my mom for the holiday, but I won’t spoil it here in case she’s reading (if you are, hi Mom, love you).

Mothers are the hardest working human beings on the planet, and they don’t get the credit they’re due. Make sure you remind yours that you love and appreciate her. It’s a happy day to celebrate, so do so no matter what. Also, we here at The Mane Land also want to wish a very special birthday to fan favorite and overall beloved teammate Scott Sutter, who turns 32 years young today! Happy birfday, Mr. Sutter. We love you and the positivity that you bring to the squad!

Oh, and the Lions host Atlanta United in Orlando City Stadium.

What a day…we’ll keep this one trimmed to ensure you can get back to enjoying your family and preparing for what’s destined to be a fantastic match. Here’s your Sunday serving of Links, Mane Landers.

Orlando Pride Score Early and Hold Off Portland Thorns, 2-1

In a match that saw the Thorns dominate ball possession and shots, the Pride held on to their early lead and saw the match through, winning three important points in the process and beating the Thorns for the first time ever. Alex Morgan was on target early, scoring in the 11th minute. Christine Nairn followed suit just minutes later, ripping a beauty from distance to grab one of her own (see below) and give the Pride an early 2-0 lead. That score line wouldn’t last long, however, as Portland’s Christine Sinclair netted in the 23rd minute to keep the Thorns in the match. Ultimately, the ladies in purple successfully fended off the late barrage from the Thorns, and rightfully earned the full three points.

Head Coach Jason Kreis Buys Orlando’s Mothers Purple Roses

The Lions’ gaffer made the admirable decision to purchase 1,000 purple roses to be handed out to mothers as they enter Orlando City Stadium for the weekend’s clash against powerhouse rival Atlanta United. The gesture, both generous and heartfelt, shows a side of the Lions’ coach that the supporters don’t often get to see. He stated, “Anybody that’s got a mother or anybody that’s married to a mother, it’s always a special day and it gives us an opportunity to recognize them in a very public forum.” Ultimately, it was a classy move by an ascending celebrity in the city of Orlando. Cheers, Jason, and cheers to all of the Orlando mothers (and any, anywhere, for that matter).

Lions’ Supporters Make Saturday’s Training Session Something Special

With an exciting clash with rival side Atlanta United on the horizon, members of Orlando City’s supporter’s groups, The Ruckus and the Iron Lion Firm, turned out in numbers to cheer on their boys in purple in their final team training session before the match. The atmosphere was something else as 45 supporters showed up to chant the team’s beloved tunes. The move was a nice gesture from the fans that attended, and serves as a reminder of how much the team means to the community. The feeling is mutual as well, as star winger Justin Meram said, “They want a high standard. They express their opinions. I think it’s a great thing that they understand the game and want everyone to succeed and do well.”

Toffees’ Gaffer Sam Allardyce Provides Update on Rooney Transfer Saga

It appears that Everton manager Sam Allardyce isn’t opposed to seeing Wayne Rooney leave the club amid heated interest from MLS side D.C. United. When asked about the potential move, the manager stated,

“If the player wants to go – if any player wants to leave – then I’m comfortable with that. But let’s get this right: Wayne Rooney has not asked to leave and neither has he had a confrontation with me,” Allardyce said. “My understanding of the situation is there seems to have been some negotiation somewhere along the line. I don’t get involved in anything with regards to transfers so all I know is there appears to be interest from DC United. Where that lies and where Wayne lies with it I can’t tell you at the moment. But in terms of clarity of whether Wayne is staying or leaving, I’ll find out a little more later when he comes into training.”

It’s looking increasingly possible that we’ll see the English legend plying his trade in MLS, and I can’t wait to see how the players will stack up around him. Despite his age, Rooney still holds world class potential in his ability and leadership, and could prove to be the foundation of a future title-contender. The move to some pundits, of course, will scream of the cliched “retirement league” mantra that some believe MLS has become, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is Rooney is still plenty capable as a top class striker for a top European side. Regardless of the critics, I can’t wait to see this one.

Free Kicks

  • The SIMA Aguilas, a USL PDL team that features several Orlando City academy products, opened their 2018 regular season last night at Montverde Academy and played to a scoreless draw against Weston FC.
  • The fellas over at mlssoccer.com polled a pod of eight of the writers and editors on which match today will be the one they’re looking forward to the most. Spoiler alert: five of the eight picked Orlando City-Atlanta.
  • If you’re looking ahead to next weekend’s opponents, Orlando City plays at Toronto FC. The Reds will be without Giovinco after he was sent off late in last night’s match at New England for hands to the face.

  • San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski is now officially the player with the most goals with a single club in MLS history. Congrats, Wondo.

  • Jose Mourinho’s longtime assistant, Rui Faria, is set to step down from his role with Manchester United in order to spend quality time with his family before pursuing the next step in his professional career. Mourinho stated, “17 years and the kid is now a man. The intelligent student is now a football expert, ready for a successful career as a manager.”
  • Matt Reed over at nbcsports.com did a write-up on who he views as the best and worst valued players in MLS based on their current contract.
  • Congratulations are in order to the 2002 Boys Black Team and their coaches for winning the Greater Central Florida Youth Soccer League Third Division Championship!

  • A report has recently stated that Brazilian superstar Neymar told his teammates that he will not return to PSG following the World Cup in Russia this summer amid interest from several of Europe’s top clubs. I’m not sure what’s going on with this one, all I know is there’s going to be a lot of money moving between some bank accounts.
  • Meanwhile, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is back on track in terms of his ankle’s health, and he’s expected to be available and selected for the upcoming Champion’s League final against Liverpool.
  • Former Lion and current Whitecap Jose Aja scored his first career MLS goal Friday against the Houston Dynamo.

“Well, that’s about all that’s fit to print,” Mane Landers (that’s something my mom says when she’s ready to get off of the phone with me). Enjoy your family on this wonderful Mother’s Day, and then revel in what will go down as an epic clash between two of the south’s hottest footballing clans. I can’t wait, Mane Landers, it’ll be a good one.

Before I sign off, I’ll leave you with my score prediction: 3-2 Orlando.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/4/25

Orlando City gets ready for the Philadelphia Union, OCSC partners with Footy Access, USWNT prepares for Brazil, and more.

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8 hours ago

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April 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday! It may feel a bit like the calm before the storm today, as Orlando City, Orlando City B, and the United States Women’s National Team are all in action on Saturday. It all makes for a fun next few days and I’m looking forward to it and also watching some kart racing on Sunday. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Gets Ready For the Philadelphia Union

The Lions are back in action Saturday with an away game against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Orlando has won its past two games and leads the league with 15 goals this season. The Union remain near the top of the Eastern Conference, but have lost two of their past three games. Duncan McGuire detailed how healthy competition and a willingness to defend has the offense firing on all cylinders heading into this match.

This will also be a rematch of the season opener on Feb. 22 when the Union won 4-2 at Inter&Co Stadium. Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell spoke on how Orlando is a different team compared to that match due to changes on offense and center back Robin Jansson’s recovery from a knock.

Orlando City Partners With Footy Access

With the Generation Adidas Cup set to take place later this month, Orlando City has partnered with Footy Access, which is a media company focused on youth soccer. This collaboration means fans will be able to enjoy highlights and interviews from Orlando’s academy as it progresses through the tournament. I’m pretty excited about being able to see how well Orlando’s academy is doing.

MLS NEXT also announced that new rankings focused on development rather than results will be used for its U-13 and U-14 age groups. These rankings will use an analytical formula that measures game play and the caliber of offensive and defensive actions. There will also be encouragement for teams to have their own identities on how they want to play.

USWNT Prepares to Face Brazil in Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team will take on Brazil on Saturday in the first of two friendlies this international break, with the second match set for Tuesday. These friendlies will be rematches of last year’s Olympic gold medal match, which the U.S. won 1-0. Marta has retired from international soccer, but Pride midfielder Angelina was called up for these friendlies, along with former Pride forward Adriana. Lorena, who has only conceded one goal in three games for the Kansas City Current this season, will likely get the start in goal for Brazil behind a talented back line anchored by Tarciane. The USWNT will need to find ways to limit attacking threats like Kerolin and Gabi Portilho as well. These should be matches, with familiar faces on both sides for Orlando fans.

U.S. Set to Host 2031 Women’s World Cup

It looks like the 2031 Women’s World Cup will be held in the U.S., as FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the only bid came from the U.S. and potentially other Concacaf nations. The U.S., which withdrew from hosting the 2027 World Cup, would be the first country to host the tournament three times and last hosted it in 2007. The United Kingdom was also revealed as the lone valid bid to host the 2035 World Cup and it would be the first time the tournament is hosted there.

Free Kicks

  • Shout out to Orlando City’s U-19 team for its title win and securing a spot in the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs.

That’s all for this fine Friday, I hope you all have a fantastic day and a relaxing weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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