Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/28/18
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 OβConnor will get right on it β heβs 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. Iβll do my best to keep you occupied until that match kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Letβs do this.
Orlando City and James OβConnor Look to End on High Note
Thereβs 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 clubβs first-ever MLS playoff berth,OβConnor realized that he may have been asking too much in too little time.
βI think, since weβve come in, weβve wanted to look,β OβConnor said. βWe feel as if weβve looked, but I think the season, from our aspect of when we come in midseason, we have high, high expectations of ourselves so weβre 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. Itβs been very intentional about following a process, following a plan, and then making sure that you execute it.β
When asked if heβd 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.
βI 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 thereβs a process to the plan and then carry it out.β
Letβs just all hope OβConnor comes up with a winning plan, so that next year at this time weβll 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 itβs 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.
βFor me it is logical, because theyβre 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 itβs important,β
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 whatβs 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 todayβs 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 doesnβt.
D.C. Unitedβs Wayne Rooney: No Loan or International Duty in the Future
With Rooney coming into D.C. Unitedβs 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. Heβs 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 didnβt see it happening, nor does he see a return to the English national team in his future.
βI think [England] are doing fantastic,β he said of the Three Lions, who reached the World Cup semifinals in Russia over the summer. βIt 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.β
In regards to his clubβs playoffs hopes, Rooney isnβt taking the chance to play a home match lightly.
βWe could feel the playoffs were getting closer and we need to try to kick on,β said Rooney. βWe could finish fourth and could get a home tie in the first round of the playoffs, which could be a difference for us.β
Free Kicks
What were you up to last night? Orlando Pride/USWNT striker Alex Morgan went to the World Series.
Oh hi, @alexmorgan13 π
World Series tonight, FIFA Women's World Cup next summer on @FOXSports! pic.twitter.com/EpKLSzwjkq
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 28, 2018
- 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, Iβll be in Munich pretty soon, maybe Iβll have the opportunity to meet you! The program Iβm traveling with got to meet Christian Pulisic during their last trip.
"You've got the whole of MLS rooting for you, bro."
To: @AlphonsoDavies
From: @Tim_Parker26, @JordanCHarvey, @GilesBarnesReal, and @PMKAH pic.twitter.com/loWyjgzZ1U— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) October 27, 2018
- 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. Yesterdayβs demoralizing 59-10 loss to ACC rival Clemson was embarrassing. Iβm not sure thereβs much else to say about that…except that Iβm surprised that we havenβt seen any OCSC supporters do the exact same thing.
With Florida State down 49, Seminoles fan picks up the book he brought to the game. Itβs appropriately named Dark Places. A novel by American fiction writer Gillian Flynn. pic.twitter.com/8uROQ0Ed9i
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 27, 2018
- With no Lionel Messi and no Cristiano Ronaldo, this morningβs edition of the famous El ClΓ‘sico 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?
- FIFAβs 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. Heβll be telling his daughter about this night story forever, I imagine, and surely played inspired due to the occasion.
Well, thatβs all Iβve got on tap for you today, folks. Enjoy todayβs Decision Day clash with New York, even though thereβs 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.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/19/24
Orlando Pride host the San Diego Wave, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC, Europa League action, and more.
Happy Friday! Make sure to get your night plans in order as both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B have games tonight. Figure out your drink of choice, charge those devices if you don’t plan on heading to the stadium for the Pride game, and knock out any chores before things get rolling. It should be a fun day, so let’s get it started with some links!
Orlando Pride Host the San Diego Wave Tonight
After earning their first win last week in Utah, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful for tonight’s game against the San Diego Wave at 8 p.m. The Pride’s four-game unbeaten run is on the line and will be put to the test against a Wave team that has four points from three games. San Diego has only scored two goals this season, but it has also secured a pair of clean sheets so far. The biggest storyline heading into the match is whether or not Barbra Banda will make her Pride debut. Hopefully Orlando can light it up at home and keep former Pride forward Alex Morgan and the rest of the Wave’s offense in check.
Orlando City B Takes On Crown Legacy FC
The Young Lions are also in action tonight at 7:30 p.m., with a match against Crown Legacy FC in North Carolina. Crown Legacy is only a point behind OCB, but is still searching for its first win of this MLS NEXT Pro season. OCB has played every game away from the Orlando area so far and ground out a 1-1 draw against Philadelphia Union II last weekend. Orlando hasn’t won a game since its season opener on March 16, but has been proven capable of getting points on the road. Wilfredo Rivera and Yutaro Tsukada linked up for the equalizer in that match, so hopefully they can keep that momentum rolling into tonight’s game.
Americans to Watch This Weekend
European soccer seasons and tournaments are nearing their ends and there are many Americans in important games this weekend. Haji Wright’s heroics put Coventry City into the FA Cup semifinals, and he will have a chance to impress again on Sunday against Manchester United. Elsewhere in England, Fulham duo Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream could put a dent in Liverpool’s title hopes, while Nottingham Forest’s Matt Turner and Giovanni Reyna will square off against Everton, as both sides aim to avoid relegation. Over in Italy, AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah will try to stop Inter Milan from claiming the Serie A title in a rivalry match at San Siro. There’s also a showdown between Americans in the Scottish Cup semifinals, with Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers going up against Aberdeen and Dante Polvara.
Europa League Quarterfinals Come to a Close
The Europa League quarterfinals are done and dusted and only four teams remain in contention for some silverware. West Ham United took the lead against Bayer Leverkusen, but couldn’t overcome the aggregate deficit and the German club advanced. Leverkusen also scored a late equalizer to make it a 1-1 draw and extend its unbeaten streak to 44 games. Marseille scored at home against Benfica to send the game to extra time and then won the eventual penalty shootout. Atalanta did enough in a 1-0 loss to Liverpool to advance on aggregate, with Liverpool’s lone goal coming from an early Mohamed Salah penalty kick. AS Roma is also through to the semifinals after a 2-1 win against AC Milan, despite a red card in the first half. In the semifinals, Marseille will face Atalanta and Leverkusen will take on Roma.
Free Kicks
- Houston Dynamo Head Coach Ben Olsen has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the club through 2026. Olsen has quietly dragged the Dynamo out of the Western Conference’s basement and won last year’s U.S. Open Cup as well.
- New York Red Bulls defender Andres Reyes was suspended an additional match for violent conduct in the team’s match against the Chicago Fire. This means Reyes will miss tomorrow’s match against LAFC and the home game against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 27.
- American left back Jorge Villafana is hanging up his cleats. He won the MLS Cup with the Portland Timbers back in 2015 and the Concacaf Gold Cup with the U.S. in 2017.
- Replays won’t be a part of the FA Cup for the next six years. This will ease some of the schedule congestion for English Premier League teams, but it denies lower-division sides the chance at more revenue.
- The folks over at Stars and Stripes FC shined a spotlight on forward Jubilo Iwata, who currently leads Japan’s J1 League in scoring after eight games. It’s always cool to learn more about some of the lesser-known players in the U.S. player pool.
- An NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers will be played in Brazil at Corinthians Arena. However, there’s an unofficial rule at the stadium that green can’t be worn, as it is the color of Corinthians rival, so we’ll see if that’s adhered to come September.
- Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird’s production company will adapt Cleat Cute, a romance novel by Meryl Wilsner about love between teammates on a women’s soccer team. As someone who’s read it and loved it, I’m pretty excited for the show to say the least.
That’s all I have for you today. Stay hydrated and enjoy the games today. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/18/24
Barbra Banda’s opportunity in Orlando, Omar Gonzalez’s mental health struggles, UEFA Champions League quarterfinals finish, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. It’s been a fairly busy week for me as I juggle work with keeping an eye on my cat. He’s a bit of a menace, but at least in a cute way. I’ll spare you my rambling on how great he is, and instead give you today’s links from around the soccer world.
Opportunity Knocks for Barbra Banda
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda landed in the City Beautiful and spoke on how her first week with the team has been going. While there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Pride on how Banda should improve the team’s offense, playing in the NWSL will also help the 24-year-old further develop her game.
βI think the league is quite good. Iβve been following it from way back,β she said. βI think itβs a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think itβs good for myself to improve.β
Now that she’s with the Pride, soccer fans around the world will now have better access to watch one of the best forwards in women’s soccer. Banda also talked about the warm welcome she received at the airport and you can check out more of her reaction to that and some of her first few days in Orlando in the video below.
Portland Thorns Head Coach Reassigned
Mike Norris is no longer the head coach of the Portland Thorns after the club made him a technical director instead. The Thorns have never had a worse start to an NWSL season, losing three of their four games this year and still searching for their first win. Rob Gale will serve as the team’s interim head coach while the club does a global search for a replacement. I’m a bit surprised that Norris wasn’t given a few more weeks to turn things around, considering Portland is just a win away from being back in the thick of things. We’ll see if the Thorns will get that win with Gale at the helm when they take on the struggling Houston Dash Saturday.
Omar Gonzalez Shares His Mental Health Journey
American defender Omar Gonzalez discussed the difficulties he’s had over the course of his year and the toll it has had on his mental health. His own goal in the USMNT’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago that cost the team its chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would be rough for any player to overcome, but Gonzalez stated that head injuries made a stressful few years of his life much more difficult. Gonzalez admitted that he had daily suicidal thoughts until he reached out for needed help while with Toronto FC. Things have since improved and he’s currently with his hometown team, FC Dallas. I think it’s helpful for players like Gonzalez to be open about the mental health problems athletes face. Hopefully this lets other athletes know they aren’t alone in these struggles and encourages them to reach out for help if needed.
UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set
Only four teams are still standing in the UEFA Champions League after the quarterfinals wrapped up with plenty of dramatic soccer. The matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City lived up to expectations with a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in England. Real Madrid prevailed and ended City’s run, with Andriy Lunin making two saves in the shootout. In the other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich advanced after beating Arsenal 1-0, thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s head.
It all sets up for a thrilling pair of semifinals and potential storylines for the final. Will Bayern and Borussia Dortmund reach the final for a rivalry match for the ages? Can Kylian Mbappe finally give Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League title, and will it be at the expense of Real Madrid? If the semifinals are anything like the quarterfinals, it will be great soccer to enjoy.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Charles Raycroft received some deserved recognition after reaching an impressive milestone in his career.
- The Columbus Crew and Wilfried Nancy have agreed to a contract extension. Nancy led the Crew to an MLS Cup title in his first year with the team and has the Crew in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. Europe seems inevitable for him, but clubs will now need to pony up some cash to secure his services.
- For the first time ever, goalkeeper jerseys for each NWSL team are now available for fans to buy. Grab your Anna Moorhouse jerseys while they’re hot!
- Minnesota United captain Michael Boxall didn’t mince words in regards to his thoughts on Emanuel Reynoso’s commitment to the club β or lack thereof.
- Rose Lavelle stated that she hopes to return to action within the next few weeks. The midfielder has yet to make her debut with NJ/NY Gotham FC due to a leg injury.
- Due to Arsenal’s exit in the Champions League, Austrian club RB Salzburg claimed the final European spot for next year’s expanded Club World Cup.
- Juventus was ordered to pay a little over $10 million to Cristiano Ronaldo for owed wages.
- Romario, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win a World Cup, has registered himself as a player for America Football Club. The 58-year-old has been the president of the club since 2009 and now has the chance to play alongside his son Romarinho.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/17/24
Orlando City rises in power rankings, Orlando Pride waive two players, Champions League results, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Time to start your day with some tasty links. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all playing. Last week, Orlando’s teams ended up with seven out of nine possible points. Here’s hoping we see nine out of nine this weekend. Let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Moving On Up
Starting the season 0-3-1 is a good way to be in the cellar of the utterly meaningless MLSsoccer.com power rankings. Orlando City is now starting to climb up the rankings thanks to three straight results. The Lions moved up four spots to 21st after the 3-2 victory over DC United. It was Duncan McGuire’s goal that secured the win, and his performance off the bench was a talking point for this week as well.
Farewell Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen
The Orlando Pride announced that goalkeeper Kaylie Collins and defender Tori Hansen were waived on Tuesday. Both players were on loan in Australia’s A-League Women ,with Collins at Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Hansen with Melbourne Victory FC. Collins and Hansen were both NWSL draft picks for the Pride, though neither saw significant minutes with the club.
Barbra Banda Begins Training
Barbra Banda participated in her first training with the Pride Tuesday. It’s uncertain how much playing time she may get this week, but it’s possible she makes her first appearance against the San Diego Wave this Friday. Please remember that it sometimes takes new players time to get used to a new club, a new city, and a new league. Of course, I’m still hoping she comes on and scores a brace against the Wave.
Wild Matches in Champions League Quarterfinals
Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both overcame deficits in the first leg to advance to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. PSG dropped four goals on Barcelona to win 6-4 on aggregate. Barcelona scored first, but made things hard on itself when Ronald AraΓΊjo was sent off.
Borussia Dortmund also scored four goals, defeating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate. Dortmund gave up an own goal, but battled back to take the lead in the match and then the lead in the tie thanks to goals scored in the 71st and 74th minutes. It was a wild, fun match to watch. Dortmund and PSG will meet in the semifinals.
Free Kicks
- There is no doubt that a congratulatory message from Marta is a big deal. That goes double for Brazilian basketball player Kamilla Cardoso, who was selected third overall in the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.
- Orlando Pride fans are excited to finally see Barbra Banda play in the NWSL, and now Banda’s friends and family in Africa also may be able to watch her β and other African players around the league β because ESPN Africa will start airing two matches each week this month.
- It turns out that Wrexham AFC is more popular than every MLS club apart from Inter Miami. I wonder if celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny or an FX show about the club have anything to do with that? We’ll probably never know.
- Former OCSC midfielder Luis Gil made the USL League One Team of the Week. Gil is currently playing for Spokane Velocity FC.
- MLS will now start implementing the new rules for off-field treatments, timed substitutions, and in-stadium VAR announcements. The idea is to maximize effective match time.
- The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will test new time limit rules during the 2024-2025 season for how long keepers can hold the ball with potential consequences including giving the opposing team a corner or a throw-in.
- Finally, our thoughts are with the friends and family following the passing of Joel McKell.
That will do it for today. Check back later in the week as we get you ready for the Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
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