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Lion Links: 10/28/18

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6 years ago

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Howdy, Mane Landers. This is a special edition of your daily serving of Lion Links, as it marks the finale of the 2018 season. The Lions travel up to the Big Apple to take on the New York Red Bulls as they prepare for their journey into the MLS playoffs. Hats off to them.

Meanwhile, the Lions have a lot of work cut out for them after this final 90 minutes of play, and something tells me Head Coach James O’Connor will get right on it — he’s got one hell of an off-season ahead of him. Regardless, at least we all get to enjoy (or dreadfully mull through) one final match with our boys in purple. I’ll do my best to keep you occupied until that match kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Let’s do this.

Orlando City and James O’Connor Look to End on High Note

There’s no secret that the Lions have experienced an abysmal season. With everyone ready to finish the season and begin the next wave of rebuilding of what should have been a playoff-bound side, the Lions are still looking to claim a positive result from their final match. When asked about his initial ambitious intention of turning the season around and clinching the club’s first-ever MLS playoff berth,O’Connor realized that he may have been asking too much in too little time.

“I think, since we’ve come in, we’ve wanted to look,” O’Connor said. “We feel as if we’ve looked, but I think the season, from our aspect of when we come in midseason, we have high, high expectations of ourselves so we’re obviously disappointed with the way the season has petered out. I think, as a club, obviously we want to make sure that we get the success that we all want. It’s been very intentional about following a process, following a plan, and then making sure that you execute it.”

When asked if he’d take any time away from the club after the season closes, he cited how much work needs to be accomplished to prepare for the the 2019 campaign.

“I think you have to ask questions of yourself. I think you have to ask questions of individuals. And then, I think, you have to create a plan, make sure that there’s a process to the plan and then carry it out.”

Let’s just all hope O’Connor comes up with a winning plan, so that next year at this time we’ll all be celebrating the Lions as they head into the MLS playoffs.

Landon Donovan, MLS, and Liga MX

American footy legend Landon Donovan believes that it’s only logical to have more collaboration between what he labels as the top two leagues in North America. Speaking to ESPN Deportes. the MLS all-time goal scoring and assist leader stated that it would be a wise decision to have more matches between the league, as it would allow the leagues to better compete with their European and South American counterparts.

“For me it is logical, because they’re the best leagues in this part of the world, they have the biggest players, if we want get better compete with Europe and parts of South America, I think it’s important,”

He even went so far as to hypothesize that a league that featured clubs from both MLS and Liga MX would be beneficial to the sport in both countries. With collaboration already underway in the form of the Campeones Cup, a final that pits the winner of each league against each other, further collaboration both on and off the field is possible. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, who knows what’s possible?

Catch All of the Final MLS Match Day Action

With the 2018 MLS regular season coming to a close, you may be wondering how you can stay tuned in to all of the matches. With some pivotal clashes and interesting match-ups, frontrowsoccer.com has provided a brief guide to keeping you up to date as today’s matches play out. There are still two playoff spots up for grabs, so be sure to keep a keen eye on the results and the implications of who makes their way in to the 2018 MLS playoffs, and who doesn’t.

D.C. United’s Wayne Rooney: No Loan or International Duty in the Future

With Rooney coming into D.C. United’s squad in the middle of what looked to be a down year, the club has turned it around and the English legend has had a lot to do with it. He’s netted 12 goals and contributed 9 assists through only 19 league appearances, and his side now sits in a strong position to gain a home match in the MLS playoffs. When asked about the possibility of returning home to England during the off-season to play on loan with another club, Rooney didn’t see it happening, nor does he see a return to the English national team in his future.

“I think [England] are doing fantastic,” he said of the Three Lions, who reached the World Cup semifinals in Russia over the summer. “It was the right time for me to retire with the group of young players. It was the right time to let them come in and flourish in the team. I have no regrets over it.”

In regards to his club’s playoffs hopes, Rooney isn’t taking the chance to play a home match lightly.

“We could feel the playoffs were getting closer and we need to try to kick on,” said Rooney. “We could finish fourth and could get a home tie in the first round of the playoffs, which could be a difference for us.”

Free Kicks

What were you up to last night? Orlando Pride/USWNT striker Alex Morgan went to the World Series.

  • Alphonso Davies has a lot of support coming from his former MLS teammates and competitors. We all hope you succeed in your German adventure, Alphonso! Heck, I’ll be in Munich pretty soon, maybe I’ll have the opportunity to meet you! The program I’m traveling with got to meet Christian Pulisic during their last trip.

  • My alma mater, Florida State University, and its football team is having a rough year. So rough that ardent fans, in this case a professor, have been spotted in the stands reading instead of cheering on their Noles. Yesterday’s demoralizing 59-10 loss to ACC rival Clemson was embarrassing. I’m not sure there’s much else to say about that…except that I’m surprised that we haven’t seen any OCSC supporters do the exact same thing.

  • With no Lionel Messi and no Cristiano Ronaldo, this morning’s edition of the famous El Clásico between Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona will surely feel quite different than previous iterations. Who will step up and lead their side to glory?
  • FIFA’s potential change to the Club World Cup are on hold for now, as the proposed changes have many questioning where the money is coming from and concern over the additional matches that the change would create.
  • Iago Aspas spent the night in a hospital welcoming his daughter to the world…he then went on to net a fine hat trick against Eibar, as his Celta Vigo side won 4-0. He’ll be telling his daughter about this night story forever, I imagine, and surely played inspired due to the occasion.

Well, that’s all I’ve got on tap for you today, folks. Enjoy today’s Decision Day clash with New York, even though there’s not much on the line for the Lions aside from the pride of closing the season with a win. Have a great week and let the 2019 speculation begin.

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Lion Links: 12/23/24

Orlando City sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras, Lions draft four players, latest MLS transfer moves, and more.

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2 hours ago

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December 23, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. My weekend has been busy working at Under Armour, with Christmas just two days away. I also covered high school hockey and went to a Chicago Bulls game. Besides that, I finally got all my Christmas shopping done. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Announces Facundo Torres Transfer to Palmeiras

Orlando City announced on Friday that forward Facundo Torres has been sold to Palmeiras for a club-record fee. Torres leaves Orlando as the Lions all-time goal-scoring leader. He had 123 appearances across all competitions, scored 47 goals, and added 25 assists in three seasons in Orlando. Torres made a big impact as a Lion, helping the club reach the playoffs the last three years and winning the 2022 U.S. Open Cup title.

The Lions will have an open Designated Player spot to fill during the off-season. Their home opener against the Philadelphia Union is less than two months away.

Lions Select Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The Lions made four selections during the 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Friday. With the 27th overall pick, they chose midfielder Joran Gerbet out of Clemson. Gerbet had a solid collegiate career, recording 12 goals and 15 assists, and he led Clemson to the 2023 National Championship title as well. In the second round, the Lions added another Clemson Tiger by selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. with the 46th overall pick. Sandy played in 48 matches, logging 2,520 minutes, and was also part of the 2023 National Championship team. Later in the same round, the Lions picked forward Collins Oduro out of Indiana. Oduro made 44 appearances for the Hoosiers, scoring eight goals to go with seven assists. The Lions concluded their 2025 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in the third round with the 87th overall pick. MLSSoccer.com unveiled its draft grades for each club, and Orlando City received an A- as its grade.

NJ/NY Gotham FC Trades Lynn Williams to the Seattle Reign

We had a trade that went down in the National Women’s Soccer League as NJ/NY Gotham FC traded forward Lynn Williams and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to the Seattle Reign. In exchange, the Seattle Reign acquired midfielder Jaelin Howell, an international roster slot, and $70,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Williams spent two seasons with Gotham FC, recording 17 goals and seven assists. She made 75 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team and was part of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Miller began the 2024 NWSL season as the number one goalkeeper for Gotham but was moved to a backup role once the club acquired Ann-Katrin Berger. Howell made eight appearances for the Reign this season after being acquired from Racing Louisville FC in August.

Latest Transfer Moves in MLS

We have some MLS transfer news to catch you up on from over the weekend. Real Salt Lake acquired forward Elias Manoel and four MLS SuperDraft picks from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $700,000 in GAM. The Red Bulls maintain a sell-on percentage for Manoel as well. Atlanta United also made a trade, acquiring midfielder Mateusz Klich from D.C. United in exchange for Atlanta’s first round 2025 MLS SuperDraft Pick and up to $50,000 in conditional GAM if Atlanta re-signs Klich. The New England Revolution signed goalkeeper Alex Bono to a contract through the 2026 season. Bono spent the previous two seasons with D.C. United. The Revolution also added defender Tanner Beason, who previously played five seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes. Beason’s deal is through the 2026 season, with an option for 2027.

Premier League Weekend Roundup

We had plenty of action in the Premier League over the weekend. Manchester City fell 2-1 to Aston Villa on Saturday and has lost nine out of its last 12 matches across all competitions. Arsenal cruised past Crystal Palace 5-1, Newcastle United defeated Ipswich Town 4-0 with Alexander Isak getting a hat trick, and Nottingham Forest won 2-0 against Brentford. West Ham United and Brighton fought to a 1-1 draw. On Sunday, Manchester United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth. Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 6-3, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice. Vitor Pereira won his first match as Wolverhampton’s manager, as his side beat Leicester City 3-0. The Everton and Chelsea and Fulham and Southampton matches ended in a scoreless draw.

Free Kicks

  • In an interview with Fast Company, former Orlando Pride player Alex Morgan gave insight into her next chapter since retiring from pro soccer. Morgan discussed how she’s navigating through her post-playing career, investing in other sports, and continuing to support current and future generations of female athletes.
  • Atlanta United named Ronny Deila as its next head coach. Deila previously coached Standard Liege, New York City FC, Celtic, and Club Brugge.
  • FIFA and Netflix signed an agreement for exclusive broadcast rights in the United States for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
  • In another coaching move, USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC announced former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Neill Collins as its next head coach after activating his release clause at Raith Rovers.
  • Weston McKennie scored a goal in the first half to help Juventus snap its run of four consecutive draws in league play with a 2-1 win against Monza on Sunday.
  • Jesus Navas played his final match for Sevilla as his side lost 4-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday. Navas will retire from professional soccer after his contract ends this month after a stellar 21-year career.

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: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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December 19, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

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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