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Lion Links: 9/23/18

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6 years ago

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Hey there, Mane Landers! Happy Sunday. I hope that you’re all enjoying this beautiful weekend. It’s supposed to be the weekend that ushers in the fall season, but hey, we’re in Florida, so does that really even matter? Doesn’t feel like it.

With the Pride at home watching the NWSL championship match between the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage and the Lions hosting the Houston Dynamo in a testy affair, the silver lining in my personal life has been the return of NFL football (more specifically, fantasy football). I’d include college football in there, but as an alumni of Florida State University, I’d rather not. It’s going to be a long season, Seminole fans…so brace yourselves (have fun poking fun, Gators and Hurricanes: we deserve it). That said, I digress, as that’s not what you’ve come here for today.

You’ve come for your Sunday serving of Lion Links, so that’s what I have prepared on the docket for you. However, first I want to say that it’s our anniversary today! We started as a WordPress site on this date back in 2014. We moved over to SB Nation shortly after that and we continue to enjoy covering the Lions for you.

Now, on to today’s news. Bon appétit, folks.

Lions Draw the Dynamo, 0-0

In what’s been a woeful season for the Lions, the lads in purple at least find a way to earn a point every now and then, and they did so last night at Orlando City Stadium. Houston has a U.S. Open Cup final in a few days but still fielded a first-choice lineup. Lamine Sané’s return to the back line and Adam Grinwis’ debut in goal helped Orlando keep a clean sheet, but the offense was in the ‘off’ position as both teams combined for only seven shots on goal and 22 total attempts in the scoreless draw.

Stay tuned for our very own Bearded Guy’s five takeaways, too.

Courage Crowned NWSL Champions with 3-0 Win Over Portland

Thanks to the support of the Lifetime Network, the NWSL championship match was readily available for all of us, and it sure didn’t disappoint…well, for one side at least. The Courage dominated this one from the start, much like they did all season, and notched a demoralizing goal in just the 13th minute courtesy of Brazilian star Debinha. Jessica McDonald added a brace with goals in the 40th and 64th minutes.

Despite playing at home and controlling the majority of the possession in the match, the Thorns just couldn’t find their way through a rock-solid Courage defense, and could only muster a meager three shots on target. They will certainly have some soul-searching to do after beating the Courage in the same final last season, 1-0. Congratulations are in order, I guess, for the stacked Courage.

#ScarvesUp for Kicking Childhood Cancer

Mason Stajduhar, as we all know, is an incredible individual, goalkeeper, and cancer survivor. He’s a true soldier. With the #KickChildhoodCancer movement in full swing, Mason has become an amazing advocate for the cause, speaking directly to the Orlando fan base in order to encourage them to get out, get their supporting gear and donations in, and help this league grow what’s already an amazing initiative for such a profound cause. The initiative aims at generating donations to assist in the eradication of cancer in today’s youth. Remember to stop by Orlando City Soccer Stadium’s The Den store or the Orlando City e-store to get in on some of the gear, and remember to post a photo of yourself with your scarf on Twitter with the hashtag #ScarvesUp to ensure a $5 donation goes to the cause. Together, we can truly make an impact – so get out there and get involved!

Rookie Chris Mueller Remains Positive as Always

Coming into a new club, especially as an early MLS SuperDraft pick, is no easy feat. Rookie striker/winger Chris Mueller can certainly attest to this, as he’s experienced both the peak of glory and the valley of despair, all within his first season as a professional footballer. He started off hot, even scoring the fastest goal in club history back in April; a time in which the club was riding high and on a record winning streak. He’s also felt the lows, admitting that adjusting to the grind of his first full season as a pro has been challenging. But he remains positive.

“Obviously, a little bit of it is encouraging, here and there,” Mueller said about fan support. “It’s tough, when you’re in the midst of a tough season, to try and point some of that stuff out. You’ve got to just try and come in and just focus on yourself at this point. In your personal care, you’ve got to try to stay positive.”

“You learn more about each other when things aren’t going well,” Mueller said. “It’s easy to be super happy and doing all the right things when things are going right. It’s a true test of your character and who you are as a player and a person, how you can respond to this sort of adversity.” 

Keep up the hard work, Cash. It’s going to take you to places you’ve never imagined…and I can’t wait to watch it all go down. Cheers to such a positive influence and young talent in the Lions’ dressing room. We love you, Chris. Just keep on keepin’ on.

Free Kicks

  • A Young Lions update:

  • Goal brought us an interesting list of the top 50 American prospects for future USMNT consideration, with the 2022 World Cup in mind. Spoiler alert: There are no Lions on this list.
  • Retired American midfielder, captain, and fan favorite Clint Dempsey was honored at Fulham’s Craven Cottage during the halftime proceedings of Fulham’s 1-1 draw against Watford. It’s always nice to see a club acknowledge a former player and key cog, and nobody will ever forget his epic chip against Juventus that sealed a comeback win to advance to the quarterfinals of the Europa League back in 2010. Have a gander…absolutely stunning.
  • American footy icon Christian Pulisic is off to an amazing start to his 20s…first notching a game-winner against Club Brugge in the 85th minute a few days back, then nabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute against Hoffenheim for his 10-man Dortmand side yesterday.

To add to that, he’s etching his name in stone with some true American Bundesliga greats.

  • Sir Alex Ferguson, arguably the greatest manager of all time, made a return to the hallowed grounds of Old Trafford, sitting in his well-earned director’s box seat. It’s been quite an emotional event for the living legend, and everyone on hand was elated to see the former Red Devils leader take in a match. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, a 1-1 draw was the result; surely not what anyone, including Sir Alex himself, wanted to witness.
  • American and Schalke starlet Weston McKennie had to be carried off of the pitch following a seemingly inadvertent challenge from Bayern Munich’s James Rodriguez during their 2-0 loss tot he Bavarian giants. We can only hope it’s not a serious injury, as McKennie is growing into a phenomenal player that will surely contribute to both the USMNT and Schalke’s future successes.
  • Even the legends struggle sometimes…and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic isn’t impervious to the challenges of adapting to MLS play. If that’s not surprising, I’m not sure what is. Of course, it’s more of a “different” challenge for the all-world talent, at least that’s how he prefers to word it. No matter what though, he’s still one of my favorite human beings on this planet.
  • For you FIFA Ultimate Team addicts, much like myself, here’s a nice look at some possible MLS builds in FIFA 19 — the most recent iteration of (I’m biased here) the greatest video game to ever exist (probably still a massive exaggeration, as there are a lot of games I could easily list before FIFA). Regardless, it’s fun to think about having all of these MLS studs on the pitch together on the same side.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today folks. I’ll be off surfing somewhere…which is to say that I’ll be off biting waves and hoping the board doesn’t leave me with a broken nose; make sure you enjoy your day, whether that be with family, friends, pets, nature, or hell, just by yourself. Do something that makes you happy today — you deserve it.

Also, I leave you with what may be the greatest tweet, and subsequently story headline, of all time. I mean, seriously, this is just pure gold. I hope they find the owner…sooner rather than later.

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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.

Published

3 hours ago

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April 23, 2024

By

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/24

Orlando City draws CF Montreal, Pride and OCB win, FA Cup drama, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Orlando City drew, while the Pride and OCB both won over the weekend. I had friends in town, so I went to Wrigley Field to check out a Cubs game and show them around Chicago. Let’s wish former Orlando City midfielder Kaka and Pride defender Brianna Martinez a happy birthday! There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw at CF Montreal

Orlando City again had to overcome a 2-1 deficit on the road when it faced CF Montreal Saturday night. The Lions needed a late stoppage-time goal from Ivan Angulo to walk out of Stade Saputo with a 2-2 draw. Orlando has now picked up points in each of the last four matches. Orlando City will face CF Montreal again on July 26 in the MLS Leagues Cup during the competition’s group stage. The Lions’ next match will be Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium as it takes on Toronto FC.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave

The Orlando Pride shut out the San Diego Wave 1-0 on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium and got their second consecutive win with that same scoreline. Summer Yates scored the lone goal in the first half to seal the win for Orlando. Zambian international striker Barbra Banda made her debut for the Pride, coming off the bench in the second half. The Pride remain undefeated through five league matches and are fifth in the NWSL table with nine points. The team will be on the road to face the Washington Spirit Friday.

OCB Wins on the Road at Crown Legacy FC

Orlando City B got a 2-0 win against Crown Legacy FC at the Sportsplex at Matthews on Friday. Alex Freeman and Shak Mohammed scored for the Young Lions, and Javier Otero made six saves. OCB completed its two-match road trip, securing four out of a possible six points, and has kept its unbeaten streak on the road alive at four matches. OCB is in fifth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference with nine points, while Crown Legacy is winless in five matches. OCB will be back in action this Sunday as it hosts Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium.

Manchester United and Manchester City Advance to FA Cup Final

Manchester United won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw against Coventry City in the FA Cup semifinals to advance to the final. It was a thrilling match at Wembley as United had a 3-0 lead before Coventry City rallied to get back into the match. USMNT forward Haji Wright scored the equalizer to tie the match 3-3 late into stoppage time. Coventry City thought it scored the game-winning goal late into extra time from Victor Torp, but it was ruled offside after video review. Casemiro missed his penalty for United, while Wright and Torp gave Coventry City a 2-1 advantage. United converted four straight penalties while Coventry City missed two to seal the win for the Red Devils. Manchester City edged past Chelsea 1-0 in their semifinal matchup, with Bernardo Silva scoring the lone goal in the second half. The FA Cup final will be played at the end of May and will feature a Manchester Derby for the second consecutive time.

Free Kicks

  • In case you missed it, check out this video on Orlando City’s social media page on Ivan Angulo’s equalizer to tie the match in stoppage time against CF Montreal on Saturday.

According to OptaJack, the Pride have secured the most points at home during the regular season since last May, with 26.

  • USMNT defender Sergino Dest suffered a knee injury during training with PSV Eindhoven over the weekend. Dest will miss the remainder of the Eredivisie season and could miss the 2024 Copa America this summer.
  • Real Madrid came back from being 2-1 down to defeat Barcelona 3-2 and stay ahead of its rivals by 11 points with six league matches left.
  • Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 45 matches after scoring a late goal from Josip Stanisic in stoppage time to get a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund.
  • Serie A side Udinese is reportedly set to hire former Juventus and Real Madrid player Fabio Cannavaro as its next head coach.

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

Lion Links: 4/19/24

Orlando Pride host the San Diego Wave, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC, Europa League action, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

April 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

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!

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