PawedCast Episode 545: Red Bulls Rewind, Leagues Cup Preview, OCB, and More

Orlando City was capable of beating two of the three best teams in MLS a week ago, but on Saturday, the Lions weren’t good enough in a terrible first half that led to a 3-2 road loss at the New York Red Bulls. The defensive problems the team has experienced on the road all season resurfaced, with New York hardly having to work up a sweat to find runners behind the Lions’ leaky back line.

We break down Orlando City’s latest road defeat, which at least showed a little fight in the second half, look back at our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match.

We also chatted briefly about Maxime Crepeau’s fine showing at the MLS All-Star Game and Skills Challenge.

Our mailbagbox asked us about Orlando City’s top three goal scorers at season’s end, Justin Ellis, 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.

After the mailbagbox, we go through the OCB minute, as the Young Lions continue to spiral without Harvey Sarajian, Gustavo Caraballo, and Bernardo Rhein. They’re off this weekend, so there is time to fix some things before the next match.

Finally, we get ready for the Don Garber cash grab Leagues Cup tournament. Orlando has a difficult first opponent before playing two clubs near the bottom of the Liga MX table. We’d like to see the kids play for the Lions to retain focus on the MLS season, but that’s not typically in this club’s DNA. Monterrey and Leon are up this week for Orlando City, and the first of those teams just signed both Diego Rossi and Hugo Cuypers, so…it could be another rough outing for Orlando’s defense.

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Here’s how No. 545 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City gets swept by the Red Bulls and can’t stop letting teenagers score, but at least Crepeau had some fun at the All-Star Game.

22:49 – The mailbagbox asks about Justin Ellis and wants us to predict things even though we’re bad at predicting things.

31:46 – OCB continues to struggle and the senior Lions head into Leagues Cup.