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PawedCast Episode 255: Toronto Rewind, Pride-Thorns, Philly & NYCFC Previews, Mueller’s Exit, Wilfs Enter, and More

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Orlando City ended its losing streak in Toronto but extended a winless skid to three matches after managing only a 1-1 road draw. It wasn’t a terrible result and one point sure beats none, but the Lions still don’t quite seem back on track yet. Still, we’ve got a lot to say about what happened in Canada on Saturday. We also pick our Man of the Match and it’s unanimous again this week.

Before we get to that, however, news broke as we were just getting set to record that Chris Mueller is leaving Orlando City at the end of the season on a free transfer. This is obviously not an ideal situation and the club did try to negotiate a deal with Cash, but alas, a fan favorite will be heading to Europe. You’re up next, Silvester van der Water!

The long-awaited new Orlando City overlords are officially in place as the Wilf family’s ownership of the club was announced Wednesday. We look forward to seeing how their stewardship of the club unfolds and if they really will spend some money on talent to compete with the top clubs in MLS and the NWSL.

The Orlando Pride appear to be in free fall after a 2-1 loss in Portland that was nowhere near as close as the final score indicates. The Pride were out-shot 20-6 and Ashlyn Harris again won NWSL Save of the Week for a penalty kick save that prevented the result from being worse on the road. Meanwhile, Manchester United is courting Marc Skinner, which can’t be helping anything at the moment. Can the Pride right the ship? It doesn’t feel like it right now but we certainly hope so.

Matt Ralph from Brotherly Game stopped by to help us preview the Philadelphia Union’s visit to Exploria Stadium tonight. Big thanks to Matt for his expertise on the Union and we look forward to seeing how our key match-ups and score predictions compare to his when it’s all said and done.

International soccer is in full swing. The USMNT played poorly and got a result. The USWNT played even worse and did not. The men now enter the Gold Cup knockout round against a Jamaica side that I watched in person three times in the last week or so. The women have to regroup and beat New Zealand and Australia to assure themselves of a spot in the knockout round of the Olympic tournament. Daryl Dike and Alex Morgan both started this week but neither dented the score sheet.

This week’s mailbag wants to know about Josef Martinez in Atlanta Orlando, what to do with season tickets when you don’t live within a thousand miles of Exploria, and more. If there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the next show, just ask by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC.

We close the show with our key match-ups and score predictions for both Philadelphia tonight and the trip to New York City FC this weekend.

That’s all for this week.

Stay safe and enjoy the show!


Here’s how No. 255 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City earned a hard-fought road point and you can get a pretty good nap during Nani’s penalty run-ups. Also the Pride are not good at the moment.

52:02 – Matt Ralph joins the fun and gives us some in-depth background on the Union ahead of tonight’s match.

1:20:05 – The Gold Cup, the Olympics, the Florida Cup, our mailbag, and prediction time for both Orlando City games coming up.

Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 80: San Diego Wave Rewind, Listener Mail, and More

The Pride move to 3-0-0 on the season after a difficult home match against the Wave.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride made it three wins in three attempts Saturday afternoon on a hot day at Inter&Co Stadium. While the opponents didn’t offer up the usual own goal this week, the Pride needed both a Haley McCutcheon goal and a Marta penalty — taken a second time after hitting the post as Kailen Sheridan left her line early — to get the dub against the San Diego Wave this week. While it wasn’t a crisp performance, it was another win, and you can’t be too unhappy with wins.

We break down the talking points from Orlando’s win over the Wave, check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

The international break is now upon us, and a couple of Pride players might face each other in this window when the United States Women’s National Team faces Brazil.

This week’s mailbagbox wants to know about Haley McCutcheon’s goal celebration music, players not named Emily Sams suiting up for the USWNT, an interesting hypothetical involving either Kerry Abello or Marta, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

With no Orlando Pride match to preview this week, the show ends after the mailbagbox, but it was a lengthy one, at least (both this episode, all things considered, and the mailbagbox segment itself). We’ll be back next week to get you ready for the Pride’s trip to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Reign.

If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.


Here’s how Episode 80 went down:

0:15 – The Pride played better against San Diego than they did at Gotham, but it still wasn’t as good as Orlando is capable of playing. We’ll gladly take the win, though.

25:46 – The mailbagbox has plenty of questions this week.

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Podcasts

PawedCast Episode 471: LA Galaxy Rewind, Philadelphia Preview, and More

The Lions get an improbable win, OCB preps for Chattanooga, and OCSC heads to Philly.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City brought three improbable points home from Los Angeles after a wild finish between the Lions and the Galaxy turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 road victory. Another defensive lapse on a possibly offside goal early in the match looked like it might end up being decisive until Eduard Atuesta had his foot stepped on in the box late in the second half. Martin Ojeda dispatched the penalty, and it was game on, with Luis Muriel scoring a crazy winner that John McCarthy failed to handle cleanly. Whatever mojo was working, the Lions will gladly accept the win and move on.

We look back at our score predictions, discuss the critical plays and players in the game, and make our selections for Man of the Match.

The mailbagbox asks about Rafael Santos and Ivan Angulo, whether David Brekalo has a future at left back, whether one of our writers will become a podcast guest, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag.

OCB has a trip to face Chattanooga FC Saturday night, which is a shame, because the Young Lions will start their game just 30 minutes before the MLS side kicks off. We look briefly at the matchup.

Orlando City will head north to wrap up the regular-season series against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. The Lions will need to continue to tighten up the defense against one of the league’s most dangerous attacks so far in 2025. The Union will be eager to get back on track after suffering a loss to Miami. We look at the history of the series, select our key matchups in the game, and make our score predictions.

Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we’ll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show.


Here’s how No. 471 went down:

0:15 – The Lions fall behind on a goal that looked offside, but drew a penalty late and then won the game on a crazy free kick blunder.

31:42– The mailbagbox is intrigued by Brekalo at left back.

50:03 – OCB heads to Chattanooga, while the senior squad seeks revenge in Philadelphia.

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Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 79: Gotham FC Rewind, San Diego Wave Preview, and More

The Pride win their first road match of the year and return home to face the Wave.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride apparently won’t win every game as easily as they did the season opener, but a 2-0 road win at NJ/NY Gotham FC is a good result every time. The Pride struggled with turning the ball over and had difficulty creating clear-cut scoring chances, but an own goal and a Marta penalty at opposite ends of the first half turned the tide in Orlando’s favor.

We discuss the key moments in the match, look back to see how we did with our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox wants to know if the salary cap will go away when the next NWSL collective bargaining agreement is reached and whether a Gotham own goal was preventative medicine designed to stop the fatality opponents suffer when Haley McCutcheon scores the first Pride goal. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, the Pride get set to welcome the San Diego Wave to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Wave have been a thorn in the Pride’s side when they’ve visited Orlando in the past, while things have been easier for the Pride in San Diego in the brief series history. We look at the two combatants, provide our key matchups, and make our score predictions.

If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.


Here’s how Episode 79 went down:

0:15 – The Pride were not the better side in the run of play but still come home with a 2-0 victory. That’s a good sign.

23:19 – The mailbagbox believes the Gotham own goal was a player playing three-dimensional chess instead of checkers.

36:53 – The Wave come to town and have been a tough out at home for the Pride. We preview!

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