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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact

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Orlando did very well to get back to winning ways in what was ultimately convincing fashion against Atlanta United on Wednesday. Now, the club will try to put together another run of good results to close out the season, and the first barrier to doing so presents itself in the form of the Montreal Impact.

As usual before the Lions’ games with Montreal, I spoke to Paul Vance, managing editor of SBNation’s Mount Royal Soccer. As always, he gave us some great insight into how things have been going for Montreal since the two teams last met.

When we last spoke, Thierry Henry was just settling in to his new gig as the Impact’s head coach, which made it a bit tricky to properly evaluate him. Now that you’ve had some more time to assess him, what do you think?

Paul Vance: Thierry Henry has struggled with a squad probably not yet good enough for playoff football. Add to that the year we’ve just had with COVID-19, when Canadian clubs have had to domicile themselves in the U.S. for 2.5 weeks at a time, and (for the Impact) play home games at Red Bull Arena.

Upon returning to Canada they have not even been able to train, due to the need to stay in β€˜the bubble.’

The injury list has been lengthy too, so it’s been the perfect storm.

It’s a little hard to judge Henry, who’s been frustrated for much of the season, mainly due to the reasons outlined and by his side giving away really poor goals at times, through what could be described only as individual howlers.

Next season will be the test for him and new Sporting Director Olivier Renard, who’s already been influential. Recruitment, with the additions of Romell Quioto, Luis Binks, and Victor Wanyama to name three, has been positive.

Henry has helped the side forge an identity of playing out from the back and being bolder and braver in possession. Neither the results nor the ultimate style he wishes to see the team play are there yet, but he has improved the football being played and helped others to further develop their game β€” most notably Sam Piette, who plays in a more advanced role than previously.

If the squad is strengthened over the close season as expected, 2021 will be a better time to judge Thierry Henry. I think, all things considered, he’s had a decent year.

There are a couple players who I’d like to know a little bit more about β€” Bojan and Lassi Lappalainen. What roles do they play for this team?

PV: Lassi Lappalainen will not be playing any role against OCSC. He’s recovering from recent shoulder surgery after an injury sustained in the victory at Columbus. But generally he’s a right-footed front man who plays wide on the left. Most of his goals have been from cutting in from the left wing and finishing with his right foot. Most of the frustration watching him concerns his inability to cross with his left, always having to check back in promising situations to transfer the ball to his better, right foot. He’s quick though, and young (21).

Bojan has possibly benefitted from the absence of Saphir Taider, now transferred to Al-Ain in Saudi Arabia, and has hit top form operating in the area of the field formerly occupied by the Algerian. That would be in a forward role, left of center. He’s technically among the very best players in MLS and likely to deliver if provided the service.

Great pedigree, brought up in the Barcelona way, and indeed won two European Champions Leagues with the Catalans, although he didn’t emerge from his place on the bench in either final (2009 & 2011).

Montreal is currently in ninth place in the East, and as long as the Impact can take care of business down the stretch, the Impact will be in the playoffs. What do you think this team is capable of in the postseason?

PV: Post-season capabilities β€” you just never know. If the squad gets a full bill of health it’s certainly capable of beating the best as Toronto and Columbus have found out in their own respective backyards, this season.

But they are equally adept at losing games they should win. Inconsistency is the call. They’ve not won back-to-back MLS games since June 2019, so most often a good result is followed by a flat one. So should they make it to the playoffs and win their first game, a follow-up win is probably unlikely. But you never know. Playoff football is often so predictable.

Can they win MLS Cup? I’d be amazed if they were to reach even the Eastern Conference final, let’s put it that way.

Are there any injuries or suspensions that will keep players unavailable for selection? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

PV: Injuries? Rod Fanni (hamstring), Lappalainen (shoulder, season over), Mathieu Choiniere (long-term, season over). Steeven Saba, a Haitian semifinalist at the last Gold Cup has not yet played for the club, picking up an injury in training shortly after signing, but signs are that he’s almost healthy so he could feature against OCSC, as might Orji Okwonkwo, who we expected to see on the bench at Yankee Stadium, but suffered a late withdrawal after initially being named.

Starting lineup: GK – Clement Diop; DEF – Zachary Brault-Guillard, Luis Binks, Joel Waterman, Jukka Raitala (captain); MF – Samuel Piette, Victor Wanyama, Amar Sejdic, Romell Quioto; FOR – Bojan, Mason Toye.

Score prediction: 3-1 Orlando.


Big thank you as always to Paul for bringing us up to speed on the Impact.

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.

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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.

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  • 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!

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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.

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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.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/24

Jack Lynn named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, Nico Lodeiro and Marta up for weekly awards, USMNT stock watch, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an enjoyable weekend for fans of Orlando soccer as the Lions got in the win column, the Pride stayed unbeaten, and Orlando City B picked up two points by way of a shootout win. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s dive in.

Jack Lynn Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Jack Lynn’s efforts in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Austin FC have earned him a spot on the bench in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Lynn opened the scoring with a well-finished header in the first half, a tally which was also his very first for the senior side. Aside from his goal, he took another shot that was off target, completed 77% of his passes, and recorded 21 touches. The performance earned him a 6 out of 10 grade from Sean Rollins in his player grades from the match. Lynn’s inclusion in the TotM is well deserved, and hopefully it’s the first of many!

Orlando Players Up for Weekly Honors

Nico Lodeiro’s free kick during Orlando City’s win has been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. In the 64th minute, with the Lions holding a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Lynn’s goal, the good guys were awarded a free kick due to a handball on the edge of the box. Lodeiro proceeded to deliver the goods, scoring his first league goal for OCSC with a powerful, bending effort that Brad Stuver was unable to keep out of the top corner. Make sure you go and vote for Nico to win this week’s award!

He wasn’t the only Orlando player who had an impressive goal either, as the Orlando Pride’s Marta has been nominated for the National Women’s Soccer League Goal of the Week. It was a well-deserved nomination too, as she leveled the score and rescued a point for the Pride in spectacular fashion. With time ticking down in the 88th minute, she expertly volleyed in a corner kick at home. Go and vote for her to win the honor!

Post-Nations League Stock Watch

Several United States Men’s National Team players either boosted or hurt their stock over the course of last week’s Concacaf Nations League matches. Guys like Giovanni Reyna and Tyler Adams turned in impactful and timely performances. Reyna was named the best player of the tournament at a time when minutes at the club level are tough to come by, while Adams looked great as he continues to work his way back from a long injury layoff. Joe Scally and Folarin Balogun struggled though, with Scally being hooked at halftime against Jamaica and Balogun having a relatively quiet two games while fellow striker Haji Wright was the hero against Jamaica. Nobody’s stock dropped more than Mexico’s though, which has now gone seven games without beating the U.S., and hasn’t scored in almost 500 minutes. *Insert eagle screech here*

Big Names Missing for Euro 2024

The club season won’t be over for a couple more months, but there are a number of big stars who we either already know won’t be appearing at this summer’s Euro 2024, or who have a race against the clock in order to feature. The Real Madrid duo of David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois will both miss the tournament through injury, although Courtois’ rocky relationship with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco means he may not have been called up anyway. Sven Botman will be unavailable for the Netherlands due to an ACL tear. Ivan Perisic suffered the same fate, sidelining him for Croatia. Then there are the cases of Sandro Tonali and Paul Pogba, who are unavailable for Italy and France, respectively, due to suspensions for off-field issues.

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  • Happy National Athletic Training Month from one AT (me) to another!
  • The young Yanks engineered a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw with France, with Cade Cowell scoring the equalizer.
  • A vote has reportedly taken place on a new tentative agreeement between PRO and the PSRA.
  • LAFC has reportedly sent a formal contract offer for Olivier Giroud to join the Western Conference side once the Serie A season concludes.

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

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