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Lion Links: 8/13/21

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s Friday the 13th, so make sure to avoid broken mirrors and black cats today. I’m not usually superstitious, but Friday the 13th brings out some additional caution in me. I wish you the best of luck today and the rest of your weekend. For now, let’s get things started with some links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Loses Leagues Cup Match

The Lions’ first taste of an international tournament was a bitter one as they fell 1-0 to Santos Laguna in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. Juan Otero was able to find space and fire a shot towards the bottom left corner that Mason Stajduhar couldn’t keep out, his attempted save sending the ball into the roof of the net. Orlando had its chances in the match, but was only able to put two of its 13 shots on target. It’s a frustrating result for Orlando, but there’s at least time to rest before hitting the road for a match against Nashville SC on Aug. 18.

The Orlando Pride Await Alex Morgan’s Return

Although the Olympics may be over, the Orlando Pride won’t have United States Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan available when they take on the Portland Thorns tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Exploria Stadium. Morgan picked up what looked to be an ankle injury in the last few minutes of the bronze medal match and plans to return to market on Aug. 18. Interim Head Coach Becky Burleigh will be able to come up with a timetable for recovery once she sees Morgan, but it may take some time until she’s able to play for the Pride. Burleigh is undefeated in two matches and is keeping track of what she sees in training that will help the Pride moving forward.

“It’s not always tactical things,” Burleigh said. “Sometimes it is, but it’s also some of the human-related issues that we see with our team — both positive and negative, but mostly positive — so that we can highlight those things. I think when you’re trying to create an identity, we want to try and remember those situations and go back and find them on the practice film and be able to highlight those to our team.”

Lions Will Feature in MLS Skills Challenge

Orlando City’s Nani and Pedro Gallese will both take part in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge on Aug. 24. Nani won the 2019 edition of the event alongside Chris Mueller and Sebas Mendez, hitting the crossbar at the last second (which was a good thing in that competition). He will be joined by the LA Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, LAFC’s Carlos Vela, and other playmakers known for their accuracy from distance. New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner and Gallese will also be participating, although the extent of what they’ll be doing isn’t clear just yet.

The MLS squad will compete against Liga MX’s, which is headlined by French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac. Free kick specialist Rubens Sambueza and Balón de Oro 2021 winner Jonathan Rodríguez will also be competing, so it should be an exciting match-up for bragging rights.

Atlanta United Names Gonzalo Pineda as New Head Coach

After parting ways with Gabriel Heinze last month, Atlanta United named Gonzalo Pineda as its next head coach. Pineda played for 13 years and joins Atlanta in the middle of his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Seattle Sounders under Brian Schmetzer. He will be Atlanta’s first head coach with previous MLS experience and a change of pace compared to Heinze and Frank de Boer. Former Lion Rob Valentino will remain on Atlanta’s coaching staff and will serve as interim coach for Atlanta’s next two games, a pair of home matches against LAFC and Toronto FC.

USMNT Reaches Top Ten in Latest FIFA Rankings

The United States Men’s National Team rose 10 spots in the newest FIFA rankings to reach 10th, its highest ranking since 2006. Winning both the Concacaf Nations League and Concacaf Gold Cup certainly helped boost the Yanks in the rankings, although they sit just under ninth-place Mexico. Canada jumped 11 spots in the rankings, sliding into 59th overall to surpass Concacaf opponents Honduras (63rd) and El Salvador (64th). Belgium still holds the top spot in the rankings, followed by Brazil, France, England, and Italy for the top five spots.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion and MLS Rookie of the Year Dillon Powers was signed by Orange County SC in the USL Championship.
  • The Philadelphia Union lost 2-0 to Club America in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League semifinals. While not an ideal result for the lone MLS club remaining in the tournament, at least it took place in Mexico. The second leg will take place in Philadelphia on Sept. 15.
  • D.C. United added Argentine forward Ramon Abila off waivers. Abila is on loan from Boca Juniors and will help bolster United’s attack heading into the second half of the season.
  • Union midfielder Paxten Aaronson won MLS Goal of the Week for his strike against the New England Revolution. It was the 17-year-old’s MLS debut and he made quite the first impression, rocketing the ball into the top corner.
  • On top of Pineda’s appointment in Atlanta, the Sounders are also losing assistant coach Djimi Traore, who is heading to an unnamed European club.
  • Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku is returning to Chelsea FC on a five-year deal. Needless to say, Chelsea is excited to have him back.

  • Austin Bold FC of the USL Championship is exploring options for its future due to a decrease in attendance now that Austin FC is playing in MLS. A move to the Fort Worth area may be in the cards following the 2021 season.


That will do it for me today. I hope you all have a nice Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!

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.

Free Kicks


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.

Free Kicks

  • 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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/25/24

Orlando City gets first win, Pride and OCB earn draws, USMNT wins Nations League, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers. What a weekend it was for the teams in purple, with results all around. I’ll take more weekends like that, please. Even my Tallahassee Soccer Club pulled out a win in a friendly on Saturday night. Here’s hoping this week is just as good. Let’s get to the links, but first, let’s give a shout out to Dave Shine, our most recent Buy Me a Coffee subscriber. If you’re not familiar with that, it’s a way for us to give you more content/value (or you can simply make a one-time donation if you don’t wish to subscribe). There are thre levels at which you can get involved. Check them out here.

Orlando City Victorious

It took a lot longer than any of us liked, but Orlando City posted its first victory of the 2024 regular season in a 2-0 win over Austin FC at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday night. Jack Lynn scored a goal in his first start with the senior team and Nico Lodeiro opened his account with Orlando City. It was a much better performance from the Lions despite not having several normal starters due to international call-ups. Orlando City’s next match is at home against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

Pride Come Back for Late Draw

The Orlando Pride came from behind for a second match in a row, earning a 1-1 draw against Angel City FC Friday night at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride left it about as late as possible, with Marta scoring the equalizer in the 88th minute of the match. Seb Hines was forced to employ a makeshift back line with Kylie Strom serving a red card suspension and Emily Sams out sick. The Pride are back in action this Friday at home against the Chicago Red Stars.

OCB Win Shootout Following Draw at Huntsville

Orlando City B earned two points in a penalty shootout win over Huntsville City FC at Joe W. Davis Stadium on Friday night in Alabama. The Young Lions earned one point for the 1-1 draw and another for the shootout win. It’s an MLS Next Pro rule. The Young Lions are a point behind first place in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference standings. OCB has a bit of a rest until the club hosts Inter Miami II on April 2. If you aren’t watching OCB, you really should. The matches are always exciting.

USMNT Wins Concacaf Nations League

The USMNT defeated Mexico 2-0 on Sunday to win the Concacaf Nations League. Tyler Adams sent in an absolute banger to give the U.S. the lead just before halftime.

In the second half, Gio Reyna scored the second goal on a one-time volley to make it dos a cero.

Once again, the Mexico fans used homophobic slurs in a banned chant, meaning that the match was stopped and the players brought to the center circle. That this keeps happening is utterly abhorrent and, in my opinion, more serious repercussions need to happen for it to stop. Regardless, the U.S. won the competition on the pitch.

Free Kicks

  • Florian Wirtz scored the fasted goal ever for Germany. It only took Wirtz seven seconds to give Germany the lead over France. The Germans ultimately won 2-0.
  • Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner accepted the “how fast can you score” challenge thrown down by Wirtz and beat him by one second. Baumgartner scored after only six seconds in the 2-0 friendly win over Slovakia. It was a national team record for Austria.
  • Julian Hall made an appearance for the New York Red Bulls at the tender age of 15 years old — one day before his 16th birthday. He was able to do so because the match was at 2 p.m., meaning he wouldn’t break any New Jersey labor laws.
  • Brazil’s Endrick became the youngest male scorer at Wembley Stadium, breaking a 40-year-old record formerly held by Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside.
  • Spain defeated the Netherlands 3-0 in a Women’s Nations League semifinal to earn a berth in the Paris Olympics.
  • The Houston Dynamo broke the hearts of Colorado Rapids fans with this last-minute winner.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the upcoming matches. Vamos Orlando.

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