Orlando

Orlando City Soccer Aim to Continue Positive Momentum against Red Bulls

Published

10 years ago

September 25, 2015

ORLANDO, FL (FNN News) Orlando City Soccer (9-13-8, 35 points) will face the New York Red Bulls (14-8-6, 48 points) on Friday, Sept. 25, at Red Bull Arena, as the Lions intend to build on a two-game winning streak. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The match will broadcast live nationally on UniMás. Locally, the game will be transmitted in English on Real Radio 104.1 FM and in Spanish on La Grande 1030 AM.

“The most important thing is that we go and play tomorrow night and look as though we know what’s at stake because we’re at that stage now where we need to take something from this game,” said head coach Adrian Heath. “I said all along that if we can keep it alive until the Montreal game we have a chance, and this weekend is going to go a long way in deciding that, so it’s a big game for us. We’ll have to play well. A mediocre performance won’t be good enough. We’re going to have to give one of our best performances of the season to get a result at the Red Bull Arena.”

Orlando City heads into Friday’s game after securing key back-to-back victories in recent weeks.

Following a comprehensive 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 13, the Lions’ momentum continued on the road this past weekend when forward Bryan Róchez’s dramatic game-winning goal in the 86th minute of play propelled City to a 1-0 advantage over the Chicago Fire. Over 70 Front Office staff members were in attendance, giving the team the extra motivation it needed to finish.

With the squad nearing full strength at an important part of the season, all three of Heath’s second half substitutes played a key role in the goal including U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) midfielder Brek Shea and defensive midfield stalwart Darwin Cerén – both of whom returned to the 18-man roster this month.

Friday’s fixture marks the second meeting between Orlando City and the New York Red Bulls this season.

In their previous encounter at the Orlando Citrus Bowl on July 19, the Red Bulls snuck a 2-0 victory after City was reduced to 10 men in the first half, with USMNT midfielder Sacha Klejstan and Mike Grella finding the back of the net for the visitors.

Currently sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls became the first team to clinch a spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs after defeating the Portland Timbers 2-0 at Providence Park this past weekend.

New York has won three of its last four games, defeating D.C. United 3-0 and the Chicago Fire 3-2, before suffering a 2-1 defeat to the New England Revolution.

Bradley Wright-Phillips, winner of the 2014 Golden Boot, currently leads the team in goals with 14 finishes, followed by Grella with seven. Klejstan has created the most goals for the Red Bulls, recording 10 assists along with six goals so far this year.

The Lions return to the Orlando Citrus Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 3, to host Eastern Conference foes Montreal Impact. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

6 months ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

11 months ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.