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Lion Links: 11/3/22

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4 years ago

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re another day closer to the weekend and hopefully some relaxation. I don’t have many plans beyond trying out a new tapas place that just opened up nearby and enjoying brunch over espresso martinis with a friend that will be in town. But for now, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Celebrating Orlando City’s Year

Orlando City put together a great collage that highlighted some of the most memorable parts of 2022. I always love these kinds of compilations as they can almost transport you back to that exact moment the photo was taken. Although Orlando won’t be taking part in Saturday’s MLS Cup final, it was still a great year filled with amazing goal celebrations, new faces, and a shiny trophy.

MLS Announces Best XI of 2022

MLS named its Best XI after the 2022 season and it features a front line of FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez, LAFC’s Carlos Vela, and FC Dallas’s Jesus Ferreira. MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar is in the midfield alongside Daniel Gazdag, Sebastian Driussi, and Luciano Acosta. It’s certainly a strong attack and I can’t think of a midfielder to replace any of those four, although Cristian Arango, Lucas Zelarayan, and Brenner would have a case.

The Philadelphia Union have the most representatives on the team, with Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake, joined by Defender of the Year Jakob Glesnes, fullback Kai Wagner, and Gazdag. The inclusion of Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman instead of Alex Callens, who was a finalist for Defender of the Year, as the third member of the back line is a bit odd to me. I also would’ve liked to see some fullbacks receive love in these end-of-year honors.

USWNT Will Take on New Zealand Twice in January

The United States Women’s National Team will head to New Zealand in January for a training camp and two friendlies against the Ferns. It should be a worthwhile trip for the USWNT as these friendlies are at the same venues the USWNT will play at during the 2023 World Cup. The two nations will first face off on Jan. 17 in Wellington and then meet again in Auckland on Jan. 20. Although these two teams have played against each other 19 times, this will be the first time they clash in New Zealand. USWNT Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski spoke about how valuable the friendlies will be for the team.

“Everything about this trip is a positive for our team ahead of the World Cup,” said Andonovski. “We will get some quality training time together and have two tough matches against a great opponent that is hosting the World Cup. We also get to experience the long travel and familiarize ourselves with the host cities, the stadiums, the training grounds and the culture, and hopefully we’ll play in front of some big crowds supporting the home team. It will be a great way to start the year.”

USMNT Announces Friendlies to Open 2023 in California

The United States Men’s National Team will play a pair of friendlies in Southern California for its first games of 2023. The USMNT will host Serbia at Banc of California Stadium on Jan. 25 before welcoming Colombia to Dignity Health Sports Park on Jan. 28. Both opponents are currently in the top 25 of FIFA’s rankings, so these should be good matches to gauge where the team is following this year’s World Cup. The U.S. will host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, which puts more of an emphasis on friendlies over the next few years, as the USMNT won’t need to qualify. Hopefully we see some of those friendlies take place in Orlando, considering the city wasn’t selected to host in 2026.

Champions League Group Stage Comes to an End

There were a pair of winner-take-all matches as the Champions League’s group stage came to a close. Olivier Giroud starred for AC Milan with two goals and two assists as the Italian club beat RB Salzburg 4-0 to reach the knockout stage. RB Leipzig cruised to a 4-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland to book its ticket in the next round and send the Ukrainian club to the Europa League.

Juventus fell 2-1 at home to Paris Saint-Germain, but was still able to secure a spot in the Europa League rather than finishing last in Group H as Benfica won 6-1 over Maccabi Haifa. While that result was lopsided, the two teams were level at halftime and Benfica had a reason to pile on the goals. Joao Mario’s goal in stoppage time lifted Benfica over PSG to win the group due to the seventh tiebreaker of away goals. It’s as if the ghost of the abolished away goals rule reared its head and now an unlucky group winner will face PSG.

Six Americans remain in the Champions League, including Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, and Milan’s Sergino Dest. The draw will take place on Monday at 6 a.m.

Free Kicks

  • If watching carefully, you’ll be able to spot Orlando’s Facundo Torres and Cesar Araujo in Uruguay’s training.

  • West Brom Head Coach Carlos Corberan stated that former Lion Daryl Dike is in the last step of his recovery from an injury that’s sidelined him since August.
  • Former Lion Hadji Barry is a finalist for USL Championship MVP and was named to the All-League Second Team alongside former Lion Cam Lindley. Congratulations also go out to Rodrigo Lopez, who played for Orlando in the USL back in 2012 and was named to the All-League First Team.
  • Ethan Horvath made three saves to earn his seventh clean sheet this season as Luton Town battled Reading to a scoreless draw. Meanwhile, fellow American goalkeeper Zack Steffen came up with one save in Middlesbrough’s 3-1 win over Hull City.
  • American defender Chris Richards spoke about the racism he’s faced throughout his life and how he uses his platform to make a difference. As a Black man, I can personally attest that it can feel like racism is a tidal wave that can’t be beaten, just endured. But this interview helped remind me that the little things we can all do to support one another aren’t so little at all.
  • Enjoy this dive into how American midfielder Tyler Adams is rising to meet expectations in the English Premier League. Not only is he making important tackles, his forward thinking and work off the ball may be Leeds United’s saving grace this season.
  • Canada named its 21-player roster for the team’s friendly against Bahrain on Nov. 11 in preparation for the World Cup later this month. Former Lions Richie Laryea and Kamal Miller were called up for the friendly.
  • Christine Sinclair announced that she will be staying with the Portland Thorns for another year in emphatic fashion.

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: 9/9/26

Orlando City plays Atlanta, Griezmann gets fined, Banda a Ballon d’Or contender, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

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September 9, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. The fixture congestion is back for the next couple of weeks which means plenty of opportunity to watch the Lions in action. I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Ojeda fully integrate back into the offense with Antione Griezmann. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads to Atlanta

Orlando City is headed north to take on Atlanta United tonight. Both teams have been playing better of late, but this is still an opportunity for the Lions to get all three points from a rival on the road. Atlanta has struggled to score goals this season, and Orlando City’s offensive weapons are many, and the team is rising up the MLS power rankings, thanks to the win over San Diego FC. It’s a double match week, so it will be interesting to see how Atlanta rotates players based on availability.

Grizi Gets Fined

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann an undisclosed amount for violating the League’s policy regarding throwing/kicking an object toward fans in the match against San Diego FC. Here is the “incident” in case you missed it during the match.

If the fine was more than a dollar, it was too much. That’s not true, a dollar is also too much.

Pride in the News

The Orlando Pride made history in the 3-1 win over the Houston Dash. The victory made Yolanda Thomas the first Black woman in a head coach’s role in NWSL history, and only the fourth female coach to win their first-ever NWSL match in charge. It also comes as no surprise that Barbra Banda is a nominee for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino’s Big Plans

Mauricio Pochettino wants to make the USMNT one of the “most powerful” international teams in the world. That is a pretty ambitious goal, though I like the high aspirations. Pochettino is now in charge of the procedural and developmental sides of the game. He will have some time to experiment before the next World Cup, including utilizing more MLS homegrowns.

Free Kicks

  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian National Team for the UEFA Nations League matches later this month and in the first part of October. Croatia will be playing Czechia, England, and Spain.
  • Ivan Angulo will be sporting a new look at the match tonight. Hopefully it helps him score goals on his breakaway opportunities.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/8/26

Antoine Griezmann earns recognition, lessons from MLS matchday 24, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 8, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend — the same way Orlando’s soccer teams most certainly did. All three teams picked up victories over the weekend: Orlando City B got the party started on Friday with a 4-1 win over Inter Miami CF II; Orlando City knocked off San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday; and the Orlando Pride made it a full nine points from nine with a 3-1 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday. OCSC has a midweek game against Atlanta United Wednesday night, before all three teams are back in action over the weekend. We’ve got lots to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Antoine Griezmann Earns Recognition

Antoine Griezmann scored the all-important goal in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over San Diego FC on Saturday, and his performance has been rewarded with a bench place in the MLS Team of the Matchday. The goal was his fifth of the season and he now has eight goal contributions in eight league appearances with the Lions. His arrival has coincided with OCSC slowly climbing up the table into the playoff places, and the good guys will need more defensive performances like the one we saw on Saturday if they’re going to hang onto a playoff spot and potentially make some noise in the postseason.

Lessons from Matchday 24

Major League Soccer’s 24th matchday is now in the books, and there were plenty of things to be learned from the weekend’s action. Up in Canada, Josh Sargent bagged a hat trick and is starting to look more and more like the player he was at Norwich City. Toronto FC is now unbeaten in its last six games. Strikers were certainly at the forefront this weekend, as Petar Musa bagged a brace for FC Dallas in the team’s 4-3 win over Sporting Kansas City, and Breel Embolo scored a penalty kick on his Atlanta United debut to salvage a point with Inter Miami on the road. Finally, while its been an uneven year for the LA Galaxy, they knocked off the New England Revolution 2-1 at home and are now just one point outside the Western Conference playoff places.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and the UEFA Champions League is firmly back in the crosshairs. Things get going on Tuesday when Alex Freeman and Villarreal start their UCL campaign on the road against Borussia Dortmund. Wednesday sees Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid play Liverpool on the road in UCL play, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic play St. Johnstone during Scottish Premier League play. Things then wrap up on Friday when Gianluca Busio and Venezia play Fiorentina in Serie A action.

Mauricio Pochettino Speaks on Young Talent

Speaking of American players, USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has urged caution when it comes to the hype surrounding young Yanks like Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. The United States Men’s National Team will play four friendlies in the upcoming international window, and with the roster set to be announced on Sept. 17, there’s plenty of people calling for young talent like Sullivan, Hall, and Justin Ellis to get some looks with the senior squad. While the USMNT coach said he’s happy about the young talent in the player pool, he also urged people to not get carried away, and said,

“We need to be careful because when you are young, of course you need to be confident, you need to have the trust in yourself, and believe that you can perform and you can do well. But the thing is it’s a limit. The balance is the most important. And one of our responsibilities is to protect this guy because sometime if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18 and you play well and people started to know to talk about that you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do some few good things. If after you are confused and you don’t manage well, that can be dangerous for your career.”

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/7/26

All of Orlando’s soccer teams win, former Lion Chris Mueller retires, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

September 7, 2026

By

Image of Bernardo Rhein playing against San Diego FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy Labor Day! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend. I’ve been busy at work covering golf, soccer, and football. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action and picked up wins over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Shut Out San Diego FC

Orlando City defeated San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium. Antoine Griezmann scored the only goal of the match in the first half for the Lions. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau made two saves in the match just days after his father passed away as Orlando held on to preserve the clean sheet. The club held a moment of silence for Crepeau’s father before kickoff, and the players wore black armbands. Orlando City will be on the road to face Atlanta United on Wednesday, followed by a home match on Saturday against Toronto FC.

Orlando Pride Defeat Houston Dash

The Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 3-1 on Sunday at Inter.co Stadium in the first match under interim head coach Yolanda Thomas. After weather delayed kickoff by about 90 minutes, Barbra Banda forced an own goal on Houston defender Leah Klenke to give the Pride the lead. Banda converted from the spot on a penalty Summer Yates won to double Orlando’s lead just before halftime. In the second half, Banda set up Haley McCutcheon’s goal to give the Pride a 3-0 lead. Houston pulled one back, but Orlando took the three points. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Friday against the Kansas City Current.

OCB Beats Inter Miami II

Orlando City B defeated Inter Miami II 4-1 on Friday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna scored the opener for OCB in the first half before Miami equalized. Harvey Sarajian and Gustavo Caraballo scored to give the Young Lions a 3-1 lead going into halftime. In the second half, Ignacio Gomez buried his penalty kick for OCB to seal back-to-back wins. The Young Lions will be home for their next match against Toronto FC II on Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Former Lion Chris Mueller Retires

Former Lion and Chicago Fire winger Chris Mueller announced his retirement from professional soccer on Friday. Mueller began his pro soccer career with Orlando City when the club selected him as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. He scored 22 goals and recorded 20 assists in 126 matches for the Lions and spent four seasons with the club. Mueller’s best season came in 2020, when he scored 10 goals and added seven assists, and he played a key role in leading Orlando to its first MLS Cup playoff appearance. He left Orlando after the 2022 season to play for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC before joining the Fire. Mueller was diagnosed with pericarditis in 2025, which limited his minutes as he missed the entire 2025 season and played five matches for Chicago in 2026. We at The Mane Land wish Mueller all the best in his retirement.

Free Kicks

  • U.S. Soccer featured Orlando City on its website, recapping the Lions’ run to the semifinals of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Orlando City will take on the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16.
  • Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who is on loan at Dallas Trinity, scored her second goal of the fall season in the USL Super League.
  • Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr, who is the son of Netherlands legend Ronald Koeman, scored twice from the spot to help his club salvage a 2-2 draw against Cambuur in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
  • Former Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has reached an agreement to join Burnley in the EFL Championship for the remainder of the season.
  • Gio Reyna scored his first goal since joining RC Strasbourg in the summer in a 6-2 win against Troyes in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
  • The U.S. Women’s U-20 National Team fell 2-1 to Italy on Sunday in its opening match in the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. That result was Italy’s first-ever win in the competition, while the U.S. will look to bounce back against Japan on Wednesday.

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

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