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Lion Links: 1/20/22

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope you are keeping warm with this cold winter weather we have been getting lately here in Florida. Grab yourself a warm beverage and get caught up on some soccer news with today’s Lion Links.

Lions Sign Schlegel to New Deal; Alvarado Reportedly Going on Loan

The hero of the 2020 MLS playoffs will be staying in Orlando as Rodrigo Schelgel signed a new two-year contract with two additional club option years. Schlegel had his option year picked up after the 2021 season but the club made it a priority to lengthen his stay. The Argentinian has been a solid defensive depth piece for the Lions since arriving in 2019. He has proven his worth to Orlando City and will continue to stay with this new deal.

With one player staying, it appears Orlando City might be losing a player to a loan deal. Although the Lions have yet to make an official announcement, Ecuadorian side LUD announced that it has acquired Alexander Alvarado on loan for the 2022 season with an option to buy. After being buried on the depth chart for most of the 2021 season, hopefully this loan move will mean more minutes for Alvarado’s development if he is to continue his career, whether he’s in Orlando or elsewhere.

Michelle Akers Part of Amanda Cromwell’s New Coaching Staff

The Orlando Pride announced the club’s assistant coaches joining Head Coach Amanda Cromwell’s staff, and among those named was UCF’s own Michelle Akers. Being a two-time World Cup champion with the USWNT, Akers will no doubt bring a wealth of experience as a player development coach and as an assistant. Also joining the coaching staff is Sam Greene, who is familiar with Cromwell, as they spent nine years together as part of the UCLA coaching staff. Returning to the Pride staff is former Orlando City defender, Seb Hines.

Exploria Stadium to Host USMNT World Cup Qualifier

Exploria Stadium will be the site for the USMNT’s final home World Cup qualifier match in this cycle. U.S. Soccer announced that the Red, White & Blue will face off against Panama on March 27 at 7 p.m. in Orlando. This will be the second meeting between the two sides in Orlando as the USMNT beat Los Canaleros at Exploria Stadium 4-0 back on Oct. 6, 2017. The USMNT has played a total of four matches and has never lost in the home of Orlando City and the Pride. Make sure to show up for this match as the city of Orlando continues to make its case to be a viable home stadium for the USMNT and a host city for the 2026 World Cup. Tickets for the game go on presale beginning Jan. 24.

MLS News and Notes

Former Lion Brek Shea re-signed with Inter Miami. The deal is for one year and will include a club option for 2023.

Sporting Kansas City acquired Robert Voloder on a three-year contract with an option for 2025. The 20-year-old German youth international center back comes to MLS by way of NK Maribor in the Slovenian first division. Voloder will also occupy an international spot for Sporting KC.

Bryan Acosta joined the Colorado Rapids on a two-year deal with a club option for an additional season. Acosta joins the Rapids as a free agent and was selected by the club in the 2021 MLS Re-Entry Draft. This brings an end to the 28-year-old’s three seasons with FC Dallas.

LAFC is in discussions to acquire goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau from the Vancouver Whitecaps. The trade would likely only include allocation money. The only goalkeeper on the LAFC roster is Tomás Romero.

Sources are saying D.C. United has received multiple potential MLS record-setting trade offers from Charlotte FC and FC Dallas for USMNT winger Paul Arriola. Club America of Liga MX has also made bids and is continuing to chase his services.

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That will be all for me today, Mane Landers. I hope you all enjoy your Thursday and I’ll see you for the next one.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/18/24

Orlando City falls to Atlanta United, the Pride get a late result at Louisville, OCB wins tops Atlanta United 2, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope you all had an excellent St. Patrick’s Day weekend. It was a mixed one for our teams, as OCB won, the Pride fought back for a draw, and the Lions suffered another loss. This weekend, I was busy at work between Under Armour and covering high school lacrosse. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links, but first, join us in wishing a happy 32nd birthday to Orlando Pride fullback Kylie Strom.

Orlando City Falls to Rival Atlanta United

Orlando City lost 2-0 to Atlanta United on the road on Sunday and will have to wait for Saturday against Austin FC to get another chance at its first win of the MLS season. Saba Lobjanidze and Georgios Giakoumakis scored for the Five Stripes. Orlando City is now winless in five consecutive matches across all competitions. The Lions have also given up 10 goals in four league matches and are in the 14th place in the Eastern Conference with one point. Michael Citro has your match recap.

Orlando Pride Battle Back for 2-2 Draw at Racing Louisville

The Orlando Pride overcame a two-goal deficit to escape Lynn Family Stadium with a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville in their season opener Saturday. The Pride also went down to 10 players when Strom was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. The Pride were down 2-1 late when Summer Yates scored her first career goal from a set piece to even the match. The Pride are winless in season openers, but earned their third opening day draw in NWSL play. Orlando also secured its first ever point in four road matches in Kentucky. The Pride return to action Friday in their home opener against Angel City FC.

OCB Opens Season with 3-2 Road Win Over Atlanta United 2

Orlando City B won its MLS NEXT Pro season opener on the road, beating Atlanta United 2. The Young Lions trailed 1-0 early in the first half but kicked on from there and won 3-2. Jhon Solis equalized with a penalty kick goal and Orlando City 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick Yutaro Tsukada scored on a great free kick to give the Young Lions a 2-1 advantage going into halftime. OCB struck quickly in the second half thruogh Colin Guske. Atlanta United 2 made things interesting with a late goal, but OCB held on. This is the third consecutive year the Young Lions have started a season with a win. OCB’s next match will again be on the road, as the Young Lions face Huntsville City FC on Friday.

Manchester United and Chelsea Win, Advance to FA Cup Semifinals

It was a seven-goal thriller at Old Trafford as Manchester United edged out Liverpool 4-3 after extra time in the FA Cup quarterfinals. The Red Devils were down 2-1 late in the second half before Antony scored the equalizer to tie the match 2-2. Liverpool took the lead in extra time, but Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo scored to put this match away for United. In another thrilling match at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Leicester City were tied 2-2. Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke scored for the Blues deep in stoppage time and secured a 4-2 victory. Manchester City will take on Chelsea, while Manchester United will face Coventry City in the FA Cup semifinals.

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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: 3/15/24

Leagues Cup schedule revealed, San Diego Wave reportedly set for sale, Europa League action, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Friday! The time change last weekend has made this week really feel like a slog, but I’m finally starting to get a better handle on the fugue state each morning. Plenty of sleep and soccer this weekend should also help, as well as being able to enjoy the extra sunlight in the evenings. I don’t have many plans beyond working, but it should still be a nice next few days. Let’s dive into today’s links!

2024 Leagues Cup Schedule Announced

The schedule for this year’s Leagues Cup was unveiled, along with the bracket and the “hubs” where select Liga MX teams will play all of their group games. Orlando City will host its pair of group games, taking on CF Montreal on July 26 before playing Atletico San Luis on Aug. 4. If Orlando advances to the knockout stage, it will face a team from the group that includes the Philadelphia Union, Cruz Azul and Charlotte FC. Orlando’s half of the bracket includes every Eastern Conference team other than the Chicago Fire, and also features Tigres, Pachuca, and Santos Laguna.

NWSL Kicks Off After Eventful Off-Season

The National Women’s Soccer League returns this weekend and plenty has changed since last year. There are two expansion teams in the Utah Royals and Bay FC, familiar faces in new places due to a busy free agency, and new players fresh on the scene in the form of the draft and record-breaking transfers. The doubling of the salary cap for 2024 has helped teams get a bit more competitive, and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed that the international roster spots for each team will increase from five to eight. It’s also an evolving landscape, as questions have also been raised regarding the lack of agency players can have when being drafted or traded. It’s an exciting time to be a women’s soccer fan and this season should be another competitive one featuring some of the world’s best players.

San Diego Wave Reportedly Being Sold

The San Diego Wave are reportedly going to be sold in a two-part $113 million deal that will have the Levine Leichtman family pay for 35% of the team now and the rest after the 2024 season. The Wave joined the league in 2022, with Ron Burkle paying the $2 million expansion fee. Burkle will remain in control of it until the second part of the deal triggers at the end of the season. This deal eclipses the $63 million paid for the Portland Thorns earlier this year and showcases the growth the league has undergone in recent years.

Europa League Round of 16 Comes to a Close

Although no games went into extra time, there was plenty of exciting drama in the second legs of the Europa League’s round of 16 . The most thrilling match of the day took place in Germany, as Bayer Leverkusen ended Azerbaijani club Qarabag’s Cinderella run. A red card reduced Qarabag to 10 men in the 63rd minute, but the underdogs maintained their lead heading into stoppage time. Patrik Schick flipped the script, scoring twice in stoppage time to book Leverkusen’s spot in the quarterfinals and extend the club’s unbeaten run to 37 games.

AC Milan took full advantage of an early red card to Slavia Prague, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao scoring and assisting on each other’s goals in a 3-1 win on the road. It was a good day for Serie A teams overall, as AS Roma advanced past Brighton despite a 1-0 loss and Atalanta won a tight 2-1 match against Sporting to move on. English clubs Liverpool and West Ham had big wins at home to reach the quarterfinals, and Villarreal and Benfica round out the quarterfinalists.

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That’s all I have for you this fine Friday. I hope you all have a fantastic day and enjoy all of the soccer this weekend. Beware the ides of March!

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Lion Links: 3/14/24

Orlando Pride sign Alex Kerr, 2024 Pride roster announced, USMNT players called up for Concacaf Nations League, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we get ready for a weekend filled to the brim with Orlando soccer. Both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B are in action this Saturday, with Orlando City facing Atlanta United on Sunday as well. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi!

Orlando Pride Sign Draft Pick Alex Kerr

The Orlando Pride have signed forward Alex Kerr to a one-year contract for the upcoming 2024 season. Kerr was selected by the Pride in the fourth round of the 2024 NWSL Draft with the 50th overall pick. She joined the Pride after a strong final year with Texas Tech that included 11 goals and five assists across 23 appearances. Although she will be a bit low on the depth chart heading into the season, she will help fill the void felt after Simone Charley suffered a season-ending injury this preseason. The Pride have now signed three of the four players they selected in this year’s draft, with Kerr joining Ally Lemos and Cori Dyke.

Orlando Pride Announce Roster for 2024 NWSL Season

We are only a few days away from the 2024 NWSL season and the Orlando Pride have announced their roster for the start of the season. There are 10 new players on the roster that weren’t with the Pride in 2023, including Zambian forward Barbra Banda. The midfield has been heavily reinforced, with Brazilian duo Luana and Angelina joining Morgan Gautrat, Evelina Duljan, and Lemos. Most of the defenders from last year are back, although Megan Montefusco is on the season-ending injury list and Rafaelle fractured her foot while with Brazil. The Pride kick off their season on the road this Saturday against Racing Louisville SC.

USMNT Roster Selected for Concacaf Nations League

United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter called up 23 players for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League in Texas later this month. Midfielder Tyler Adams is back in the fold for the first time since the World Cup after dealing with a hamstring injury. Forward Josh Sargent was also called up amid a great season with Norwich City, scoring 12 goals in 17 appearances. With Sergino Dest suspended for the semifinal against Jamaica on March 21, Joe Scally will likely get the start at right back. It’s a strong roster and we’ll see if the Yanks can win their third-straight Nations League title.

Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund Advance in Champions League

The UEFA Champions League’s round of 16 is officially done and dusted, with Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund claiming the final spots. Memphis Depay gave Atletico Madrid a late goal against Inter Milan to send the game into extra time, with the Spanish side winning the penalty shootout at home to advance. In Germany, Dortmund had a solid performance on both sides of the ball to beat PSV Eindhoven 2-0. Of the eight remaining clubs in the tournament, three are Spanish, two are German, two are English, and Paris Saint-Germain is the lone French representative. The draw for what should be a pretty entertaining quarterfinals will take place this Friday.

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  • Changes to MLS roster rules are reportedly in the works and would be implemented starting this summer.
  • For the second straight week, Toronto’s Lorenzo Insigne won MLS Goal of the Matchday. The Italian’s strike against Charlotte FC narrowly beat out Atlanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis for the honor.

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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