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Lion Links: 2/1/23

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Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all of you are doing well down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work, but it's hard to believe it's already February. Before we get started, let’s wish Orlando City B defender Matias Cruz a happy birthday. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get right to the links.

Lions Add Dagur Dan Thorhallsson

Orlando City officially announced the signing of Icelandic midfielder Dagur Dan Thorhallsson on Tuesday. The terms of the transfer were not disclosed, and the deal is for two years with two club option years as well. Thorhallsson joins the Lions from Icelandic club Breidablik, recording 11 goals and seven assists in 40 appearances. He also helped his club win the Icelandic championship last year. Adding Thorhallsson gives Orlando another young, versatile player who can boost Orlando’s offense. He said hello to the fans of his new club via the Orlando City Twitter account after the announcement.

Shakur Mohammed Speaks On Preseason So Far

Orlando City selected Shakur Mohammed with the second overall pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft and in the video below he discussed his time with the Lions so far. The 19-year-old spoke on how the competition has helped him get out of his comfort zone as he adjusts to playing at the professional level after two seasons at Duke. His interview also dives into some of the advice he’s received from teammates and staff, as well as his love for the game.

Adam Grinwis Responds to “Stoppage Time” Questions

Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis fielded questions and shared his insight as he and his teammates prepare for Orlando’s upcoming season. He spoke on how the club has filled gaps on the roster by bringing in quality players who are great both on and off the field. Grinwis also shared how Wilder Cartagena is the biggest jokester in the locker room and that fellow goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar can’t be trusted with the aux cord. When asked about his hobbies, Grinwis expressed his passion for board sports, such as skateboarding, wakeboarding, and paddle boarding.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Orlando City isn’t the only MLS club making moves with less than a month before the 2023 season kicks off. The San Jose Earthquakes announced the signing of midfielder Carlos Gruezo. The 27-year-old recently played for FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga, but previously played in MLS with FC Dallas from 2016 to 2019. Gruezo will be a Designated Player for the Earthquakes and his contract runs through the 2025 MLS season, with a club option for 2026 as well. Inter Miami also announced a new signing, adding center back Sergii Kryvtsov to the team. Kryvtsov played for Shakhtar Donetsk for 13 years, winning 17 titles and earning 31 caps with the Ukrainian Men’s National Team. Liga MX side Pachuca is reportedly close to signing forward Cristian Arango from LAFC.

European Transfer Deadline Day Passes

There were some notable moves in Europe as the transfer window came to a close. Chelsea signed midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a Premier League record fee. Fernandez helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup and was named Young Player of the Tournament. In other news, Arsenal added Jorginho from Chelsea, signing him to a one-year deal. With Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen sidelined for three months due to an ankle injury, the Red Devils added midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain reportedly agreed to a loan deal for Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, but the move was not registered before the transfer window closed. American forward Matthew Hoppe secured a loan move to Scottish Premiership club Hibernian after only making six appearances for EFL Championship side Middlesbrough.

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  • Orlando Pride forward Adriana was called up by Brazil for the SheBelieves Cup. The tournament will kick off when Brazil takes on Japan at Exploria Stadium on Feb. 16.

  • Marta showed off her dance moves during preseason training with the Pride.

  • Check out this guide from Stars and Stripes FC to keep track of all the Americans in action this week.
  • Alyssa Thompson’s younger sister, Gisele Thompson, will also train with her at Angel City FC during the 2023 NWSL season. Gisele played for the U.S. at the FIFA U-17 World Cup last year.
  • Vancouver Whitecaps forward Tosaint Ricketts announced his retirement from soccer on Tuesday. Ricketts will stay with the club as a liaison for club and player engagement.

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

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

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

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.

Free Kicks

  • 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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