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Lion Links: 12/23/17

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Happy holiday weekend, everyone! I get four days off in a row starting today (if you don’t count the labor of love that is running this site) and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m run down and think I’m getting a cold as I type this intro, so I’m definitely in need of a little rest and relaxation — once I finish with the holiday shopping, that is. Ugh.

Hopefully you’ve seen that we’ve begun our third straight year of picking the top 10 moments of the club (including all three of Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB) from the year that was. Our 2017 version started Thursday and No. 9 will be up later today, with one posted daily from now through New Year’s Eve.

Serva Says Goodbye to Orlando

Former Orlando City defensive midfielder Servando Carrasco handled himself with class on and off the pitch while a Lion, and he grew to love the City Beautiful in his time here. After being selected by the LA Galaxy in Thursday’s Re-Entry Draft Stage 2, Carrasco penned a heartfelt goodbye to fans and staff on his Instagram.

Being part of the first OCSC team to ever walk through that purple tunnel towards The Wall, scoring 2 goals in injury time to salvage a point in front of 62,000 fans at Citrus Bowl, and the moment of silence in the 49th minute to honor the victims of the Pulse shooting – these are just a few of the memories that I’ll always carry with me. To the fans who’ve supported us through both highs and lows as a young club, your loyalty is never taken for granted and you continue to be the heartbeat of this team. To the behind the scenes staff who work their asses off and rarely get any of the credit, the team values you more than you know. Thank you for putting up with our tireless demand for sleeveless practice shirts, last minute ticket requests, and any other ridiculous ask you’ve had to deal with. To the coaches, it’s been a pleasure to play on your teams. You helped me grow as a player and learn more about myself in the process. Lastly, to my teammates. Because of you, I leave Orlando an avid fisherman, lover of Catan and crosswords, a fan of country music, and a better golfer – last one is debatable. The best part about this game is the people you meet along the way. I’m lucky to say that I’ve shared that locker room with some great players but even better people throughout these last 3 years. See ya in the fall.

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We wish Servando the best of luck with the Galaxy (except against Orlando, of course) and we’ll never forget his game-winning goal in front of The Wall against the New York Red Bulls. Seems weird to think it’s just been about a year since the Lions brought him back.

Orlando Pride Players Make Another ‘Best of 2017’ List

The folks over at The Offside Rule have put together their list of the 100 best women players in the world for 2017 and the Orlando Pride are well represented, as you might expect. Marta tops the Pride players at No. 4 behind (in order) midfielder Lieke Martens of FC Barcelona and the Netherlands, Denmark and Wolfsburg striker Pernille Harder, and Aussie striker Sam Kerr of Sky Blue FC — the highest rated NWSL player. Alex Morgan checks in at No. 8 (the third NWSL star on the list), with Steph Catley 57th, Ali Krieger 71st, Alanna Kennedy 85th, and Camila 89th. I have no real quibbles with their list other than Julie Ertz being too low at No. 33.

#SaveTheCrew Presents Video to Austin Residents

I’ve been pretty vocal about my support for the #SaveTheCrew movement. Columbus is one of the founding franchises of Major League Soccer and the league’s history should be preserved. There’s no good reason to move the team that can’t be addressed. To their credit, Crew fans have tried about every way they can to save their team, as they should, and this now includes a pretty emotional video message to the people of Austin, TX.

Hits you right in the feels. Good luck, Crew fans. It seems to me the commissioner and owner have their minds made up already but I do hope you pull it off.

Pulisic to Manchester United?

Look, transfer rumors are just rumors to me until they’re not, but this one made me do a double-take. The Daily Mail says English giants Manchester United have interest in young USMNT star Christian Pulisic. The Reds are in the midst of a good season under Jose Mourinho, albeit in a year when it looks like their cross-town rivals at Manchester City look unbeatable for the top spot — and despite a horrific defensive effort in the league cup earlier this week. A creative attacking player on the wing like Pulisic makes sense for United and he’d be in one of the great pressure cookers in the world, which could bring out his best. Still, rumors are just rumors until proven otherwise.

Two Convicted (So Far) in FIFA Trial

A pair of South American officials have been convicted of racketeering conspiracy in the Brooklyn FIFA trial, while a third awaits further deliberation from the jury. Jose Maria Marin of Brazil and Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, were convicted, while jurors have yet to reach a decision on the fate of former Peruvian federation president Manuel Burga. The details so far:

The three had been arrested in 2015. Prosecutors accused them of agreeing to take millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen seeking to lock up lucrative media rights or influence hosting rights for the World Cup and other major tournaments controlled by FIFA.

Marin, the former president of Brazil’s soccer federation, and Napout, formerly president of Paraguay’s soccer federation and of the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL, also were convicted of other charges. Both were acquitted of some lesser counts.

It’s wrong to say cheaters never prosper. They prosper until they get caught and convicted. It will be interested to see what the punishment ends up being.

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That’s it for me this morning. I’ll leave you with a Christmas classic. If you can identify more than five of the artists in this video, I’m afraid I’ve got bad news. You’re old. Like me.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/24

Ivan Angulo makes Team of the Matchday bench, Americans in action, Sergino Dest to miss Copa America, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an excellent weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three sides took seven of the nine points on offer. There’s no rest for the wicked this week as the Orlando Pride travel to play the Washington Spirit on Friday, Orlando City hosts Toronto FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B finishes things up at home against Toronto FC II on Sunday. Let’s take a look at today’s links.

Ivan Angulo Earns Recognition

Ivan Angulo has been named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. The Colombian got the start on Saturday up in Montreal, and had a good game, going the distance and completing 82% of his passes and putting one of his two shots on target. That shot was an important one, as it gave the Lions a late equalizer and helped them salvage a valuable point on the road. Sean Rollins gave him a grade of 6 in his player grades from the match, a rating that likely would have been higher had Martin Ojeda’s pass been accurate enough to allow Angulo to grab a possible winner just a few minutes after he equalized. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in big games this week, and the good people over at Stars and Stripes FC have you covered with the whole rundown. First up, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will try to advance to the Coppa Italia final this afternoon, as they enter the second leg of the semifinal against Lazio with a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Tomorrow sees Monaco and Folarin Balogun meet Lille in Ligue 1 action, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace host Newcastle United in the Premier League. Things wrap up on Friday in Serie B when Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessman, and third-place Venezia face Cremonese as they try to overtake Como and finish in one of Serie B’s two guaranteed promotion places.

Sergino Dest Sidelined Long Term

Following up on a story from yesterday’s Lion Links, The Athletic is reporting that the knee injury suffered by Sergino Dest will keep him out of Copa America, and sideline him for the rest of the year. That would be a big blow for the United States Men’s National Team, as Dest has been the nailed-on starter at right back since winning a place in the team during the qualifying cycle for the 2022 World Cup. The Yanks aren’t without options at the position, as Joe Scally could step in for Dest, or Gregg Berhalter could try deploying Weah there, but neither of the two possesses Dest’s level of offensive threat.

Inter Milan Wins Serie A

Inter Milan dispatched rival AC Milan 2-1 guaranteed that Inter will win its 20th Serie A title in club history. Fikayo Tomori’s goal in the 80th minute was the closest Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s club could get to leveling the score, and Inter is now a whopping 17 points clear of AC Milan with five games left to play. Inter has been imperious on its way to a 20th Scudetto, scoring the most goals in the league while also conceding the fewest and losing only once this season.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride and Orlando City hosted a clean-up effort in honor of Earth Day on Monday.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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