Lion Links: 10/11/20

Happy Sunday, everyone. Tonight got a lot less exciting after last night’s announcement (more on that below) and it turns out we’ve unexpectedly got the night off.

That’ll keep me from falling way behind this week’s shows, as Fargo, Lovecraft Country, Fear the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond all drop on Sunday night. I probably wouldn’t have seen any of them due to the game and now I’ll probably at least get to crank through two of them. So at least I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

Welp, might as well get to your news of the day:

Orlando City vs. the Columbus Crew Postponed Due to COVID-19

Saturday night, Major League Soccer announced the postponement of Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew SC. The postponement of the match — originally scheduled for tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Exploria Stadium — was a necessary precaution after two Crew staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier Saturday, the club announced that an unnamed Orlando City first-team player had received a positive test for COVID-19 and was slated to miss the match.

Despite the Orlando positive test result, the match was not postponed at the time. It was supposed to go on as scheduled.

All other players and staff members have returned consecutive negative test results. Following Major League Soccer protocol, this player has been isolated from the team, is asymptomatic and will be unavailable for selection Sunday night against Columbus Crew SC.

City’s match against Columbus will continue as scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Exploria Stadium. Due to player privacy, the Club will have no further comment at this time.

The league also postponed Minnesota United at FC Dallas due to two first-team Loons testing positive. The Colorado Rapids had their fourth consecutive match postponed since Sept. 23 this weekend, when their game against the LA Galaxy set for yesterday was pushed.

I’m sick of both this pandemic and 2020 in general.

OCB Match vs. Chattanooga Postponed

For the second time this season, USL League One postponed an Orlando City B match. The Young Lions were scheduled to take on Chattanooga Red Wolves SC yesterday afternoon but the game was postponed due to two people in the Chattanooga organization testing positive for COVID-19. OCB just made up its postponed game against Richmond on Wednesday. That match was originally postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test in the OCB organization.

Proceeding with an abundance of caution, the postponement comes after two covered persons in the Chattanooga Red Wolves organization tested positive for COVID-19. The individuals have been immediately isolated and are in good spirits under the care of team physicians.

A rescheduled date for the match will be announced as soon as possible.

Have I mentioned yet how sick I am of this pandemic and of 2020 in general?

Alex Morgan Still Awaits Tottenham Debut

As Orlando Pride/USWNT striker Alex Morgan continues to get her body back into playing shape, her temporary team took one on the chin against Manchester United yesterday. Morgan again didn’t see the field as Spurs lost 1-0 to the Red Devils on a set piece goal. Worse for the Pride was that Alanna Kennedy limped off the field with a knock at halftime and did not play in the second half for Tottenham. Shelina Zadorsky started on the back line for Spurs.

Marcus Rashford Honored for Being a Good Dude

In addition to being good at soccer, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is good at being a human. Rashford has been an outspoken leader in the fight to end hunger among children in the United Kingdom. Now he’s been honored for it as he was recently made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). His work forced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to continue funding meals for poor children over the summer holidays. Rashford relied on those meals as a child. He never forgot that and wants to ensure that poor or single working-class parents can focus on things other than where their child’s next meal will come from.

“As a young black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be accepting an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22,” Rashford said. “This is a very special moment for myself and my family, but particularly my mum who is the real deserving recipient of the honor.”

Free Kicks

• USMNT forward Josh Sargent talks about adjusting to Germany and playing in the Bundesliga.
• The Higuain-to-Miami trade became official on Saturday.
• Those born on this date include Eleanor Roosevelt (1884), novelist Elmore Leonard (1925), soccer legend Sir Bobby Charlton (1937), Daryl Hall (1946), football’s Steve Young (1961), actress Joan Cusack (1962), Luke Perry (1966), Jane Krakowski (1968), Emily “Bones” Deschanel (1976), and USMNT/Toronto FC defender Omar Gonzalez (1988).

That’s going to do it for me this morning. This is where I’d normally tell you to check back for all our coverage of tonight’s game but 2020 continues to be terrible.