Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/21/17

Published

on

Good morning and happy Thursday, Mane Landers. I hope you’re all well and gearing up for the holidays, because believe me they’ll be upon us before you can blink. There’s a lot of news to cover today, so let’s do this thing.

Orlando City Reportedly Negotiating for Josue Colmán

OCSC is reportedly in the home stretch of negotiating for Josue Colmán, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder from Paraguay. Colmán currently plays for Paraguayan club Cerro Porteño, but is apparently on his way to joining the Lions if the report is true. The club is in need of a new attacking midfielder after the release of Giles Barnes and Colmán could prove to be a good replacement. While only 19 years old, he has participated in 32 league games for the club this year, a pair of Copa Sudamericana matches, and has represented his country at the youth level. Stay tuned, as we here at The Mane Land will have more if/when this deal is finalized.

R.J. Allen Speaks About Orlando

New Lions fullback and New Jersey native R.J. Allen recently gave an interview to the Best of NJ website. The interview was updated to include Allen’s thoughts on being acquired by Orlando City in a recent trade.

“I still think that I can take my game to another level and be better than I was last year and the year before, when I had a goal and six assists.

“I’m hoping for another like that this season. I’m going to a team that’s going to compete for every trophy. Hopefully, I can make history and, for the first time, make the MLS playoffs for a great city like Orlando.”

Check out the full interview to learn more about one of the newest Lions.

Nashville Gets its Team

It’s official, folks. Nashville is joining Major League Soccer. It was widely expected that MLS would announce the capital of Tennessee as the newest franchise after the league scheduled an announcement at the city on Wednesday, and that’s exactly what happened. Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento will battle it out for the other slot. There are no details yet on the club’s name, crest, colors, or date when it will begin play. Nashville will be the third southeastern city with a team in the league, following Atlanta and of course Orlando. Best of luck to the new franchise, just not too much of it!

Eight Candidates for USSF Presidency

There are now eight official candidates for the United States Soccer Federation presidency. Those eight candidates are as follows: Steve Gans, Eric Wynalda, Carlos Cordeiro, Michael Winograd, Paul Caligiuri, Kyle Martino, Kathy Carter, and Hope Solo. Paul Lapointe is no longer in the race. The eight candidates have secured the necessary three letters from delegates, and passed background checks, which means they’re now officially in this thing for real. We’ll have more on this race as it develops.

Female Players Finding Their Voices

Women’s soccer is growing quicker than ever before. Both in the United States and in the rest of the world, attendance and viewership numbers are rising. However, there’s still a lot of inequality present between the men’s and women’s games. Take, for example, members of Argentina’s women’s national team revealing that they’re paid roughly $8.50 for every training session, or members of the Irish women’s team being forced to share kits with the country’s youth teams. However, the women’s players are campaigning for change, and while peaceful protests and threats of strikes have been necessary in many cases to drive negotiations, the negotiations have still taken place. There’s still a long way to go, but recognizing the problems present is one of the first things that has to happen in order to affect change.

FIFA Reduces Guerrero Appeal

FIFA has decided to only partially uphold the ban on Peruvian international Paulo Guerrero, reducing the ban from one year to only six months. Guerrero was banned after he tested positive for benzoylecgonine following a game played on Oct. 5 of this year. Just for the record, benzoylecgonine is the main metabolite of cocaine. So make what you will of that, at least they didn’t overturn the ban entirely since that would probably be a bit questionable to say the least. Anyhow, six months means that Guerrero will be available for selection when Yoshi Yotún and Peru start their World Cup campaign. As long as he doesn’t go for another romp in the snow, anyway.

Free Kicks

If you ever happen to coach a team, don’t do this. Just don’t.

  • Bristol City boss Lee Johnson apparently bought Jose Mourinho a £450 bottle of wine in the hopes that the Manchester United manager would stop and have a chat with him after their Carabao Cup tie yesterday. Not sure if Mourinho will have been up for that though, considering Bristol City shocked the Red Devils 2-1.
  • The NWSL’s Utah Royals are off to a hot start with ticket sales.
  • Today’s birthdays include Samuel L. Jackson, Kiefer Sutherland, and Ray Romano.

That’s all for me today. I leave you with one piece of advice: for the love of god don’t leave your holiday shopping until the last minute like me. Nothing good comes of running around a mall like a madman. Be better than me, Mane Land friends, be better than me. Ciao.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/29/24

Lions brace for the Red Bulls, Pride take on Chicago, OCB will play Inter Miami II in Bradenton, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Today marks one year since we here at The Mane Land published our first story here at our new independent home. It’s a bit hard to believe that it’s already been a year. Thank you all for sticking with us or checking us out since our move. That kind of support goes farther than you might think. I joined the team back in October of 2016 as an editor and it’s only just now hitting me that I’ve been here for nearly a quarter of my entire life. Here’s hoping for another great year of independence and Orlando soccer!

Orlando City Set to Host New York Red Bulls

Orlando City’s match at home Saturday night against the New York Red Bulls was noted as one of the top matches in the league this weekend. The Lions earned their first win of the MLS season last weekend and will look to build on that momentum heading into tomorrow. The Lions will also get a boost from players returning from international duty, with Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, David Brekalo, and Peruvian duo Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena back. They’ll have their hands full against a New York team that’s coming off of a 4-0 win over Inter Miami. Lewis Morgan had a hat trick in that match and Orlando’s defense will have to find a way to keep him and the rest of the Red Bulls from running rampant.

Orlando Pride Take On Chicago Tonight

The Orlando Pride’s third match of the NWSL season kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. when they host the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride enter this match following a gritty 1-1 draw against Angel City FC, with Brazilians Angelina and Marta linking up on a corner kick for a late equalizer. One thing to keep an eye on in tonight’s match will be how the Pride’s shorthanded defense can limit Chicago’s attack. The Pride have targeted versatile players while rebuilding, and that proved to be worth it last week as multiple players stepped up to fortify the back line. The last time these two sides squared off in Orlando was in August of last year, with the Pride coming up with a big 5-0 win. Hopefully we get to see a similar result tonight.

OCB Match Will Be Part of Generation Adidas Cup

Tuesday’s MLS NEXT Pro match between Orlando City B and Inter Miami II will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton and will be part of this year’s Generation Adidas Cup. The participating teams of the tournament were invited to attend the match, along with their families, and fans can watch the match for free on the league website. The match will be broadcast in English, but a new AI dubbing platform will be used to instantly translate it into Spanish, French, and Portuguese. It will supposedly maintain voice and tone, so I’m morbidly curious to hear just how artificial it will sound.

Generations Adidas Cup Kicks Off Tomorrow

Speaking of the Generation Adidas Cup, the youth tournament kicks off tomorrow. All MLS academy teams will compete alongside some of the top youth teams from around the world in both the U-15 and U-17 age groups. Orlando City’s U-15 side was noted as one to watch after a strong run of form this year. Caleb Trombino has been solid defensively and Jakob Garcia has the attacking talent to light it up in this tournament. The team can make a statement when it takes on Arsenal’s U-15 squad at 10 a.m. this Sunday. That match, along with 27 others, will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass.

Free Kicks

  • The Lions received some special visitors for their training.
  • Somehow, the Seattle Reign’s Ji So-Yun beat Marta to win NWSL Goal of the Week.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

Published

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

Free Kicks


That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and I’ll see you next time.

Continue Reading

Trending