Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/21/22
Happy Saturday, Mane Land fam! While there are no first-team matches for Orlando today, Orlando City B will be hosting Inter Miami II at 6 p.m. this evening. Orlando City will be traveling to Austin tomorrow while the Orlando Pride will be playing host to Chicago Red Stars at Exploria Stadium. No matter what you do with your Saturday, I hope you take the time to catch some European action as there are lots of storylines wrapping up today. It is sure to be an awesome, soccer-filled weekend. Now, your links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Visits Verde
Orlando City finishes its three-game MLS road trip with Austin FC at Q2 Stadium. Not only does Sunday mark the first first trip the team has made to the venue, it will also be the first match between the two clubs in history. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja should have a plan for stopping some of the potent Austin FC attack, as Maxi Urruti played under Pareja for three years at FC Dallas. Urruti is in great form with four goals and 11 starts. However, the main wild card for Pareja will be slowing down Austinโs Argentine playmaker Sebastiรกn Driussi. An early MLS MVP candidate, Driussi already has seven goals and four assists thus far this season in only 12 matches.
Austin finished its expansion season last year in 12th place but has seemingly turned the corner this year. The team sits currently first in the league with 23 points and will surely look to extend that lead when the Lions kick off at 8 p.m.
Orlando Pride Host Chicago Red Stars
The Orlando Pride have announced the continuation of the Mission Program campaign, which was started last year to honor and pay tribute to the many pioneers who have made groundbreaking contributions in our society. The first match in the 2022 edition of the program is this Sunday, when the Pride and the Chicago Red Stars are set to kick off at 7 p.m. in Exploria Stadium. The match will be โMission Planet Earth.โ The Pride will highlight how the effort of our club, stadium, partners, and fans contribute to conservation by working together towards a more sustainable, greener future for our planet.
Orlando will be looking to continue its three-game unbeaten streak, which is a breath of fresh air from its earlier 2022 Challenge Cup games. On the other side of the ball, Chicago has won four straight road games against the Pride and is unbeaten in its seven all-time away matches in this series, which is the longest current streak of games on the road without a loss against a single team in NWSL. Another win would tie for the longest road streak against a single opponent in NWSL history โ currently held by the Reign against both the Houston Dash and former league club, the Boston Breakers.
So far this season, Sydney Lerouxย leads the Pride with two goals while Gunny Jรณnsdรณttir, Mikayla Cluff, and Toni Pressley have all also found the back of the net. The scoresheet for the Red Stars includes rookieย Ava Cook, Bianca St. Georges, and Ella Stevens.
USMNT Summer Roster Released
USMNT Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has chosen 27 players for the countryโs final set of home matches before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The U.S. will play four matches this June as it prepares for the sportโs biggest stage. The team will open the international window on June 1 against Morocco at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, followed by Uruguay on June 5ย at Childrenโs Mercy Park in Kansas City.
Later, matches continue with the launch of the 2022-2023 Concacaf Nations League as the U.S. will attempt to defend its inaugural title. It will play group stage matches against Grenada June 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin and at El Salvador June 14.
โWe are excited to get the group back together as we prepare to compete against two fellow World Cup participants and begin the defense of our Concacaf Nations League title,โ Berhalter said. โWith the World Cup six months away, we aim to maximize these opportunities and continue to progress as a team. We are looking forward to experiencing the incredible support of our home fans for the last time before we represent them in Qatar in November.โ
Be sure to check out the full roster and let us know in the comments below who you think should have been added or should have stayed home.
Conor Doyle and Union Omaha Eye Open Cup
Union Omaha captain Conor Doyle knows what it takes to win the Open Cup, as he was on the 2013 D.C. United winning team. The Nebraska club from third-division USL League One, only in existence for two years, has nothing to fear according to the 30-year-old journeyman and team leader.
โItโs a win-win situation for us,โ said Doyle, the only player with an Open Cup winnerโs medal in the Union Omaha locker room. โWeโre expected to lose (against MLSโ Minnesota United, Cup runners-up in 2019) and we can play loose and just try to enjoy it rather than be uptight and nervous.โ
Everyone loves a great โCupsetโ but few have been there to see it through. Doyle finds himself as a leader in the locker room, whether he wants to be or not. He is a veteran who has played abroad, internationally, and in the U.S. top flight. His experience is invaluable to a team with 14 players under the age of 25.
Doyle was able to lead the Owls all the way to the USL League One championship in 2021 during his first season with the club. The team finished as regular-season champions and clinched the top seed for the playoffs. Later, Union Omaha finished the season winning its first-ever championship, beating defending championย Greenville Triumph SCย 3โ0 in the final.
This year, the club is making waves in the U.S. Open Cup. On April 19, Union Omaha defeatedย the Chicago Fireย in a penalty shootout in the third round of theย tournament to become the first USL League One team to defeat an MLS team in the competitionโs history. Only time will tell if the underdogs from Union Omaha can continue this incredible run at Allianz Field in St. Paul when the side takes on Minnesota United next Wednesday.
UEFA Champions League Overhaul
The UEFA Champions League as we know it is set to change for the 2024-2025 season and beyond. The latest favorite in the revamp shows a tournament that mirrors the format of Grand Slam tennis tournaments. What exactly does that mean? All 24 clubs that progress into the knockout stages of the competition will have their route right through to the final seeded and pre-drawn, based largely upon their group ranking. Country protection is also going to be eliminated, meaning clubs of the same league could face each other in the early knockout rounds. The top two teams in the group stage would not be able to meet each other in the knockout rounds until the final, as they will be on opposite sides of the draw. The current plan features:
– A final, 36-team group-stage table, that ranks teams from 1-24 based on how well they performed
– Teams that rank 1-8 in this group-stage table are effectively seeded and enter in the round of 16 โ just like the group-stage winners are under the current format
– Teams ranked 9-24 play a knockout playoff round to reach the round of 16 and teams that finish 25-36 will be eliminated from Europe altogether
– The knockout bracket will be split in two.ย The best performing clubs in the group stage, ranked 1 and 2, will be drawn into positions at the opposite end of the bracket, thus unable to meet each other until the final
– Teams ranked 3 & 4, 5 & 6 and 7 & 8 will also be paired and have set positions in opposite halves of the bracket, determined by the draw
The calendar is also expected to be reworked. The Champions League group stage is to be played across eight of the 10 midweeks reserved for European football. The Europa League (September) and Europa Conference League (December) will each have one standalone set of games in the two spare midweeks. Both the Champions League and Europa League group stages will complete a month later at the end of January, while the Europa Conference League, which has two fewer group-stage fixtures, will still end in December.
Free Kicks
- Raul Ruidiaz of Seattle Sounders FC won the Week 12 AT&T Goal of the Week finishing a 22-pass team buildup in the 28th minute.
- Goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina of the Chicago Fire has chosen to represent the USMNT in goal. The 18-year-old opted not to go with Poland and discussed his difficult decision on social media.
— GAGA (@GabrielSlonina) May 20, 2022
- The U-16 USWNT defeated France 3-1 in the UEFA Development Tournament.
The #U16WYNT earned its second win in as many games at the UEFA Development Tourney in SWE, downing France, 3-1. USA Goals: Avery Robinson, Jordyn Bugg & Sophia Bradley. pic.twitter.com/rKmJvXTXVs
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 20, 2022
- Clint Dempsey returns to Texas this weekend to be enshrined in the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
- There is a lot at stake in the final day of the Premier League.
- Letโs also take a look back at some of the most memorable Premier League final-day moments.
- FIFA intends to announce the 2026 World Cup sites during a news conference in New York on June 16.
- Manchester United has cancelled the clubโs end of year awards ceremony following its worst season since the formation of the Premier League in 1992.
- Despite having guided Borussia Dortmund to second in the Bundesliga this season, Marco Rose has been relieved of his duties after just one season in charge.
- Real Madridย believed thatย Kylian Mbappeย would announce his future this weekend, however, feelings are now โnervousness, confusion, and pessimismโ over the clubโs chances of signing theย PSG forward.
- Tottenham Hotspurย is trying to edge Juventus in signingย Inter Milanย wingerย Ivan Perisicย on a free transfer.
Letโs finish today with a fun fact that some MLS-era City fans might not know: Austin FC is the first top-flight professional soccer team in the Austin area. The cityโs previous experience with professional soccer includes theย Austin Aztex, which moved toย Orlandoย in 2008 and eventually became yourย Orlando City SC! Donโt call it a rivalry, but there is some distant blood between the two clubs. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/18/24
Barbra Banda’s opportunity in Orlando, Omar Gonzalez’s mental health struggles, UEFA Champions League quarterfinals finish, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. It’s been a fairly busy week for me as I juggle work with keeping an eye on my cat. He’s a bit of a menace, but at least in a cute way. I’ll spare you my rambling on how great he is, and instead give you today’s links from around the soccer world.
Opportunity Knocks for Barbra Banda
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda landed in the City Beautiful and spoke on how her first week with the team has been going. While there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Pride on how Banda should improve the team’s offense, playing in the NWSL will also help the 24-year-old further develop her game.
โI think the league is quite good. Iโve been following it from way back,โ she said. โI think itโs a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think itโs good for myself to improve.โ
Now that she’s with the Pride, soccer fans around the world will now have better access to watch one of the best forwards in women’s soccer. Banda also talked about the warm welcome she received at the airport and you can check out more of her reaction to that and some of her first few days in Orlando in the video below.
Portland Thorns Head Coach Reassigned
Mike Norris is no longer the head coach of the Portland Thorns after the club made him a technical director instead. The Thorns have never had a worse start to an NWSL season, losing three of their four games this year and still searching for their first win. Rob Gale will serve as the team’s interim head coach while the club does a global search for a replacement. I’m a bit surprised that Norris wasn’t given a few more weeks to turn things around, considering Portland is just a win away from being back in the thick of things. We’ll see if the Thorns will get that win with Gale at the helm when they take on the struggling Houston Dash Saturday.
Omar Gonzalez Shares His Mental Health Journey
American defender Omar Gonzalez discussed the difficulties he’s had over the course of his year and the toll it has had on his mental health. His own goal in the USMNT’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago that cost the team its chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would be rough for any player to overcome, but Gonzalez stated that head injuries made a stressful few years of his life much more difficult. Gonzalez admitted that he had daily suicidal thoughts until he reached out for needed help while with Toronto FC. Things have since improved and he’s currently with his hometown team, FC Dallas. I think it’s helpful for players like Gonzalez to be open about the mental health problems athletes face. Hopefully this lets other athletes know they aren’t alone in these struggles and encourages them to reach out for help if needed.
UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set
Only four teams are still standing in the UEFA Champions League after the quarterfinals wrapped up with plenty of dramatic soccer. The matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City lived up to expectations with a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in England. Real Madrid prevailed and ended City’s run, with Andriy Lunin making two saves in the shootout. In the other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich advanced after beating Arsenal 1-0, thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s head.
It all sets up for a thrilling pair of semifinals and potential storylines for the final. Will Bayern and Borussia Dortmund reach the final for a rivalry match for the ages? Can Kylian Mbappe finally give Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League title, and will it be at the expense of Real Madrid? If the semifinals are anything like the quarterfinals, it will be great soccer to enjoy.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Charles Raycroft received some deserved recognition after reaching an impressive milestone in his career.
- The Columbus Crew and Wilfried Nancy have agreed to a contract extension. Nancy led the Crew to an MLS Cup title in his first year with the team and has the Crew in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. Europe seems inevitable for him, but clubs will now need to pony up some cash to secure his services.
- For the first time ever, goalkeeper jerseys for each NWSL team are now available for fans to buy. Grab your Anna Moorhouse jerseys while they’re hot!
- Minnesota United captain Michael Boxall didn’t mince words in regards to his thoughts on Emanuel Reynoso’s commitment to the club โ or lack thereof.
- Rose Lavelle stated that she hopes to return to action within the next few weeks. The midfielder has yet to make her debut with NJ/NY Gotham FC due to a leg injury.
- Due to Arsenal’s exit in the Champions League, Austrian club RB Salzburg claimed the final European spot for next year’s expanded Club World Cup.
- Juventus was ordered to pay a little over $10 million to Cristiano Ronaldo for owed wages.
- Romario, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win a World Cup, has registered himself as a player for America Football Club. The 58-year-old has been the president of the club since 2009 and now has the chance to play alongside his son Romarinho.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/17/24
Orlando City rises in power rankings, Orlando Pride waive two players, Champions League results, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Time to start your day with some tasty links. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all playing. Last week, Orlando’s teams ended up with seven out of nine possible points. Here’s hoping we see nine out of nine this weekend. Let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Moving On Up
Starting the season 0-3-1 is a good way to be in the cellar of the utterly meaningless MLSsoccer.com power rankings. Orlando City is now starting to climb up the rankings thanks to three straight results. The Lions moved up four spots to 21st after the 3-2 victory over DC United. It was Duncan McGuire’s goal that secured the win, and his performance off the bench was a talking point for this week as well.
Farewell Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen
The Orlando Pride announced that goalkeeper Kaylie Collins and defender Tori Hansen were waived on Tuesday. Both players were on loan in Australia’s A-League Women ,with Collins at Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Hansen with Melbourne Victory FC. Collins and Hansen were both NWSL draft picks for the Pride, though neither saw significant minutes with the club.
Barbra Banda Begins Training
Barbra Banda participated in her first training with the Pride Tuesday. It’s uncertain how much playing time she may get this week, but it’s possible she makes her first appearance against the San Diego Wave this Friday. Please remember that it sometimes takes new players time to get used to a new club, a new city, and a new league. Of course, I’m still hoping she comes on and scores a brace against the Wave.
Wild Matches in Champions League Quarterfinals
Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both overcame deficits in the first leg to advance to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. PSG dropped four goals on Barcelona to win 6-4 on aggregate. Barcelona scored first, but made things hard on itself when Ronald Araรบjo was sent off.
Borussia Dortmund also scored four goals, defeating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate. Dortmund gave up an own goal, but battled back to take the lead in the match and then the lead in the tie thanks to goals scored in the 71st and 74th minutes. It was a wild, fun match to watch. Dortmund and PSG will meet in the semifinals.
Free Kicks
- There is no doubt that a congratulatory message from Marta is a big deal. That goes double for Brazilian basketball player Kamilla Cardoso, who was selected third overall in the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.
- Orlando Pride fans are excited to finally see Barbra Banda play in the NWSL, and now Banda’s friends and family in Africa also may be able to watch her โ and other African players around the league โ because ESPN Africa will start airing two matches each week this month.
- It turns out that Wrexham AFC is more popular than every MLS club apart from Inter Miami. I wonder if celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny or an FX show about the club have anything to do with that? We’ll probably never know.
- Former OCSC midfielder Luis Gil made the USL League One Team of the Week. Gil is currently playing for Spokane Velocity FC.
- MLS will now start implementing the new rules for off-field treatments, timed substitutions, and in-stadium VAR announcements. The idea is to maximize effective match time.
- The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will test new time limit rules during the 2024-2025 season for how long keepers can hold the ball with potential consequences including giving the opposing team a corner or a throw-in.
- Finally, our thoughts are with the friends and family following the passing of Joel McKell.
That will do it for today. Check back later in the week as we get you ready for the Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/16/24
Nico Lodeiro earns recognition, Marta up for Goal of the Week, MLS stock watch, and more.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope you had a good weekend and got your taxes filed correctly and on time. It was a good weekend for Orlando soccer, as the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B, and Orlando City went undefeated and picked up seven of the nine points on offer. As always, we have a lot to talk through today. Before we get into today’s links, let’s all wish Luis Muriel a happy birthday!
Nico Lodeiro Makes Team of the Matchday Bench
Midfielder Nico Lodeiro has earned recognition for his part in Orlando City’s 3-2 win over D.C. United, making the bench of the latest edition MLS Team of the Matchday. The Uruguayan entered the fray in the 72nd minute and helped OCSC come back and take all three points. He took the corner kick that David Brekalo equalized from, (even though he was not initially credited with the assist) and provided an outstanding through ball for Duncan McGuire’s game-winner. Sean Rollins graded him a 6.5 out of 10 and named him Man of the Match in his player grades as well. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!
Marta’s Goal Nominated
Marta’s game-winning strike during Friday’s contest against Utah Royals FC has been nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week. On the road and in the game as a substitute, it didn’t take long for the Brazilian to make her mark on the match. She was barely on the field for five minutes when she met a ball that was rolling across the box with a first-time strike that she powered in off the back post. It proved to be the game’s only goal and was enough to give the Pride their first win of the season. Make sure you vote for her to win this week’s honor!
MLS Stock Watch
The fortunes of Major League Soccer teams are in constant flux, and it’s always nice to keep track of how your enemies are doing. Former Lion Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which clubs’ stock went up and which went down after the weekend’s games. We start on a good note, as a resilient performance from Orlando City saw the good guys pick up their second win of the season. The LA Galaxy hammered the Vancouver Whitecaps by a score of 3-1, and proved that their place atop the Western Conference standings is no fluke. On the other side of the coin, Toronto FC has given up 10 goals in its last three matches, and Jon Herdman needs to find a way to keep things from getting worse until the Reds’ group of injured players can return to the field.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are two big matches featuring American players this week, so get them marked down on your calendar and don’t miss any of the action. Thursday sees Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan travel to the Italian capital to try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit to Roma in the Europa League quarterfinals. Musah started Sunday’s match against Sassuolo and Pulisic subbed on in the second half as Milan clawed its way back to a 3-3 draw. Friday then has Juventus and Weston McKennie traveling to Cagliari for a Serie A tilt. Juve is currently third in the league and needs to keep picking up results to secure a UEFA Champions League place for next season.
UEFA Champions League Preview
Speaking of the Champions League, the quarterfinals wrap up today and tomorrow and there are a number of storylines to keep an eye on. Luis Enrique is strong in his belief that Paris Saint-Germain can overcome a 3-2 loss in the first leg to advance past Barcelona. Xavi has promised that Barca will look to attack rather than sitting and protecting its lead. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich will be without the suspended Alphonso Davies and likely Kingsley Coman due to injury, and their replacements will be hard pressed to contain Ben White and Bukayo Saka. Finally, Edin Terzic’s substitutions gave Borussia Dortmund a spark in the team’s 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg, which means the coach may have a selection headache on his hands as he tries to lead his side to a comeback.
Free Kicks
- The Pride are up to the fifth spot in CBS Sports‘s NWSL power rankings.
- Meanwhile Orlando City rose a couple spots to 16th in ESPN‘s MLS power rankings.
- Roma’s Evan Ndicka has been released from the hospital after collapsing during the team’s match against Udinese on Sunday.
- Cole Palmer scored four goals as Chelsea blitzed Everton 6-0 on Monday afternoon, but a lot of the headlines are dedicated to an argument that took place over who would take the penalty that gave the Blues their fifth goal.
- Red Bull Salzburg has fired Gerhard Struber.
That’ll do it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!
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