The Orlando Pride continued to struggle to put the ball in the net Saturday at North Carolina, but at least they only allowed the Courage one goal. Prisca Chilufya’s improbable header off a corner kick somehow found a spot where the goalkeeper couldn’t get to it, allowing Orlando to escape Cary, NC, with a 1-1 draw and a vital road point in a tight NWSL race. But the Pride have just one win in their last four matches, which is a far cry from their form in the first half of 2024.

We break down Orlando’s road draw, discuss the game’s big talking points, check on our score predictions from last week, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox wants to know about the Women’s Club World Cup and the Harlem Globetrotters of soccer. 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.

Following our mailbagbox segment, we look ahead to the Pride’s home match against the first-place Kansas City Current Friday night. The Pride and Current have developed one of the league’s more organic rivalries over the course of the last year, when both teams were among the league’s best. That’s the case again this year, but the Current enter the weekend in better form than Orlando and a two-point lead in the standings. We discuss the series history, the tale of the tape, our key matchups, and our score predictions.

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Here’s how Episode 86 went down:

0:15 – The Pride slipped out of first place with a last-gasp draw in North Carolina.

22:35 – The mailbagbox question factory shipped us a few new ones to test drive.

34:16 – The Pride prepare to host Kansas City on Friday night with a lot on the line.

Orlando City apparently never gets tired of drawing its opponent, but perhaps the Lions are tired of the 0-0 variety, as they scored not once, not twice, but thrice, and all of them came off the foot of Argentinian Designated Player Martin Ojeda. Our long national nightmare is over as a Lion not named Cyle Larin has netted a hat trick in an MLS match. Ojeda could have scored as many as seven times, as the No. 10 was popping up in spaces everywhere, and it was a joy to behold. Unfortunately, it was not a joy to see a team that had not conceded a goal in six matches (all competitions) give up three to one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams. Such as life, as the Lions had to settle for a 3-3 draw against the red-hot New England Revolution.

We broke down the match, discussed most of the key moments, looked back at our score predictions, and made our unanimous picks for Man of the Match.

The mailbagbox was on short rest, but it still managed to hit us with some queries about substitutions, Nico Rodriguez, 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.

Finally, we previewed Orlando City’s midweek home game against Charlotte FC. The visitors will be looking to avenge a best-of-three playoff loss to Orlando in 2024, so there may be a bit of extra sauce on this match. We look at the series history and the current situation the two clubs are in, while providing our key matchups and our predictions for what the final score will be on Wednesday night.

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Here’s how No. 478 went down:

0:15 – The Lions settled for yet another draw, but at least goals were scored this time, and Martin Ojeda had all three of them.

26:29– The mailbagbox is always full strength, never rotated.

36:38 – The Lions take one of the less impressive nine-game unbeaten streaks in MLS history (so many draws!) into a midweek clash with Charlotte FC.

Orlando City took a break from scoreless draws in the MLS regular season to pound a hole in the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday night at Al Lang Stadium. A 16-year-old kid served as Orlando’s baby-faced assassin, as Gustavo Caraballo took advantage of a first-team start in a competitive match by scoring his first two first-team goals. Caraballo became the youngest player in club history to score for the first team when he converted off a Martin Ojeda pass in the first half. He then became the second-youngest Orlando City player to score a goal for the first team two minutes later off an equally nice pass from Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

The Lions added three more to win comfortably on the road. We break down the blowout, look back at our score predictions from earlier this week, and unanimously select our Man of the Match.

Whether Orlando City can carry this offensive outburst into the weekend against the stifling New England defense remains to be seen.

The mailbagbox gathered up its strength despite the short week and hit us with questions about our most hated rivals, the order the Lions’ Designated Players will finish in goal contributions, whether OCB could beat Tampa Bay, 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.

Finally, we previewed the New England Revolution’s upcoming visit to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday night. The Lions’ recent offensive struggles are problematic, considering the league’s best defensive team is on its way to Central Florida. Orlando City will also need to try to contain the always-dangerous Carles Gil and his teammates, so it’s a big task ahead of the Lions this weekend. We break down the series history, provide our key matchups, and make our final 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. 477 went down:

0:15 – The Lions start their 2025 U.S. Open Cup run on the right foot in St. Pete by walloping the Rowdies.

23:42– The mailbagbox is strong, even on short rest.

41:05 – The Lions are unbeaten in eight, but the New England Revolution are on fire right now.