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Lion Links: 2/9/23

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How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re all another day closer to filling Exploria Stadium and cheering on our favorite teams. I’m also waiting on pins and needles for some hints on what Orlando City’s new primary jersey will look like. It’s an exciting time to be an Orlando soccer fan as both the Lions and the Orlando Pride continue their preseasons. Let’s dive right into today’s links!

NWSL Releases Schedule for 2023 Season

The Orlando Pride’s 2023 season was unveiled and they will start their season on the road in a match with the Portland Thorns on March 26. The Pride’s first home game will take place a week later on April 2 when they take on Angel City FC. The NWSL Challenge Cup will take place throughout the regular season and the Pride’s first group stage match is on April 19 when they host the North Carolina Courage. For the first time, NWSL teams will all play their season finales at the same time, with each team in action on Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. The Pride will face the Houston Dash at Exploria Stadium to close out their season.

Exploria Stadium Will Host the USMNT in March

In its final league phase game of the 2022-2023 Concacaf Nations League, the United States Men’s National Team will play at Exploria Stadium against El Salvador on March 27. The USMNT has a great track record when playing at Exploria Stadium, winning all five of its past games there. Of those previous matches, the USMNT beat Panama 5-1 in World Cup qualifying last year and defeated Canada 4-1 in 2019 in the Concacaf Nations League. This is just the latest competitive match that will be held at Exploria Stadium, with the first matches of the SheBelieves Cup taking place there later this month. The United States Women’s National Team has also won all of its past games at Exploria Stadium and will take on Canada on Feb. 16.

Ercan Kara Could Break Out in 2023

Orlando City forward Ercan Kara was highlighted as a player who could take his game up a notch in his second year in MLS. 2022 wasn’t a bad first year by any means for the Austrian, as he led the Lions with 11 goals last season. Kara should benefit from the addition of Martin Ojeda, who will help create more chances and take some of the pressure off of Kara and Facundo Torres. The 27-year-old will spearhead an offense filled with versatile attackers and I’m looking forward to seeing what the big guy can do in his sophomore year with the Lions.

Miguel Gallardo Joins MLS Season Pass Broadcast Team

Former Orlando City goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo was announced as a Spanish language match analyst for MLS Season Pass. He joins the broadcast team after spending the last five years as a commentator and analyst with Orlando City and has covered the Florida Cup Series as well.

Gallardo will still continue as an ambassador for OCSC and feature in club-created content. Orlando City radio broadcaster Sergio Ruiz is also part of the MLS Season Pass for play-by-play and the club gave both a shoutout.

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  • Atlanta United added Greek forward Giorgos Giakoumakis as a Designated Player on a contract through the 2026 season. The 28-year-old joins from Celtic and scored 13 goals in the Scottish Premiership last season.
  • Toronto FC transferred 20-year-old winger Jayden Nelson to Rosenborg BK in Norway’s top flight for an undisclosed fee. The Canadian played 1,982 minutes for Toronto last season and was named to MLS’s 22 under 22 list.
  • MLS announced a new brand campaign called “Our Soccer, Our Way.” The campaign will focus on fan culture and the in-stadium experiences across the league.
  • The 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship kicks off in Guatemala this weekend. The U.S. starts its campaign on Saturday against Barbados before matches with Trinidad & Tobago and Canada next week.
  • Despite reports from both Ghana’s Football Association and Hatayspor’s vice president, Christian Atsu remains missing after earthquakes in Turkey, according to Hatayspor’s manager.
  • American manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was hired as Hoffenheim’s next coach. Hoffenheim has only won five league games this season and sits 14th in the Bundesliga.
  • Marseille won 2-1 against Paris Saint-Germain in the French Cup to advance to the quarterfinals. PSG was without Kylian Mbappe due to injury, although Lionel Messi and Neymar both played every minute of the match.
  • Real Madrid beat Egyptian club Al Ahly 4-1 to reach the Club World Cup final against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on Saturday.
  • Saudi Arabia has reportedly agreed to pay for new stadiums in Greece and Egypt in exchange for the three nations to launch a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup, with Saudi Arabia hosting a majority of the matches.

That’s all for now, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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: 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.

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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.

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  • 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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