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SkoPurp Soccer Episode 17: Courage Rewind, Spirit Preview, Pride Players in the World Cup, and More

Things went from bad to worse this week but hope springs eternal with another game on the horizon.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride got slaughtered on Saturday. It was not a good match and the performances were simply not good enough. Things snowballed on Orlando badly in this one and the Pride could do nothing but get crushed beneath the avalanche (also known as the North Carolina Courage, in this case). The Pride were officially eliminated from Challenge Cup contention with two matches to play in the group stage. We discussed the game but did not enjoy it and we hope that better things are ahead.

This week’s mailbagbox was barren, removing what joy we might otherwise have felt about this week’s show. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form.

The four Pride players at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup may all be back sooner than expected. We broke down what Argentina and Brazil need to do to keep those players down under a while longer in their quest for a championship.

Finally, we looked ahead to Friday’s NWSL Challenge Cup match between the Pride and the Washington Spirit. We gave our key matchups and our score predictions and continue to hope that Orlando can get in the win column before this tournament is over.


Here’s how Episode 17 went down:

0:15 – We talked about the Pride’s loss in North Carolina. We didn’t want to, but we did it anyway.

13:08 — The mailbagbox was checked for content and we discussed how the Pride players are doing with their teams at the World Cup.

27:40 – The Spirit await this weekend and the Pride could use a win. Our predictions and key matchups.

Podcasts

PawedCast Episode 490: Montreal Rewind, OCB-Carolina Core, New York City FC Preview, and More

The Lions drop more points at home, the Young Lions win, and NYCFC looms in the midweek.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City played CF Montreal and it wasn’t a memorable match. Martin Ojeda’s goal was memorable, but other than that, it was a night to forget, as the Lions could never put the game away and then had an unnecessary Rodri Schlegel moment late in the match to drop two precious points at home. The visitors created nothing all night but a few off-target shots from distance, but putting Prince Owusu on the penalty spot in the final minutes of the game turned out to be a bad idea.

For the second match in a row, one of us nailed our score prediction. Even a blind squirrel…something, something. Anyway, we broke down the key moments and actions in the game and selected our Man of the Match.

The mailbagbox is overflowing this week, with many questions about various bread products, which young Lion we think could see first-team minutes, the Lord of the Rings, Orlando City cult heroes, 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.

Following the mailbagbox segment, we look back at OCB’s 3-1 home win over Carolina Core FC. It’s way more than an “OCB Minute,” because the Young Lions deserved it. Justin Ellis is on fire, Thalles scored his first OCB goal, and Carlos Mercado stood on his head.

Finally, we looked ahead to Wednesday night’s match against New York City FC. The Lions will need to find a higher offensive gear while maintaining the defensive effort we saw against Montreal in order to win this six-pointer against their 2015 expansion rivals. We provide our key matchups and 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.

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 No. 490 went down:

0:15 – The Lions struggled to create against one of the league’s worst teams. It wasn’t fun.

22:22– The mailbagbox has an unusually high number of bread questions.

49:45 – OCB wins at home and City gets set to host the Pigeons.

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Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 93: Orlando Pride Signings, Options Exercised, Loans, and More

The Orlando Pride lock down players with new contracts and options exercised, loan other players out, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride don’t play another game for a few more weeks, but that doesn’t mean stuff isn’t happening with the club. Haley Carter has been busy, and we discuss the club picking up the 2026 option year for a couple of players and signing some other players to new contracts. It was a tidy run of business for Orlando.

Additionally, the club sent a whopping five players out on loan for the rest of the 2025 season. These were not Pride players who were getting minutes, so it can only help them, but it kind of feels like we’ll never see some of them in Pride purple again.

This week’s mailbagbox has a lot of questions. In fact, it has double-digit questions, and that was just from one of our listeners! Is it bragging to say we were up to the challenge? Well, we were, so it doesn’t matter if it’s bragging. At any rate, it wasn’t just one person asking questions, but it was one person asking a lot of them. 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, we discussed Orlando’s three Zambians in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match against Morocco. Barbra Banda had a great start to the international break, while hopefully Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda are gaining much-needed confidence and improving their form ahead of their return to NWSL play in early August.

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 93 went down:

0:15 – The Pride sign a couple of players, pick up the options on a couple of others, and loan a handful out.

17:45 – The mailbagbox is celebrating the summer break with volume, volume, volume!

48:11 – Pride players get back to international play in WAFCON.

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Podcasts

PawedCast Episode 489: Charlotte Rewind, OCB-Crown Legacy, Montreal Preview, and More

Lions come back for draw at Charlotte, OCB also draws at Charlotte, and a date with Montreal looms for Orlando City.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looked bereft of offensive ideas despite a lot of possession for the first hour in Charlotte Saturday night, but after going down two goals, the switch flipped and the Lions roared back to claim a road point, coming close to snagging all three. It was good to see the team not quit, but it wasn’t so great to see the team struggle for 60 minutes.

We checked our score predictions — one of us nailed it! — broke down the key moments and players from the game, and split our selections for Man of the Match. We also discuss Ramiro Enrique being honored with a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday bench.

The mailbagbox asks us about hamburger toppings, Alex Freeman, Orlando City trivia, 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.

Following the mailbagbox segment, discuss Alex Freeman’s Gold Cup final performance with the USMNT, which academy players are headed to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game, and OCB’s comeback draw at Crown Legacy. Justin Ellis helped the Young Lions claim a point and Carlos Mercado led the Young Lions to a second in the ensuing shootout.

Finally, we looked ahead to Orlando City’s home game coming up Saturday against CF Montreal. Saturday’s visitors have been poor all season but managed a draw in the first meeting. Plus, the Lions will be without a couple of key cogs on the defensive end. We look at the series history, the tale of the tape, our key matchups, and our score predictions for the match.

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.

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 No. 489 went down:

0:15 – The Lions finally got going, but only in time to claim a single point in Charlotte.

23:56– The mailbagbox brings forth another slew of important questions for us to answer, and we rap about Alex Freeman and some future OCSC stars.

39:44 – OCB takes two points out of North Carolina, and the Lions get set to host Montreal.

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