The Lions started slowly on Wednesday night in the heat and humidity on short rest, but Orlando City got it together in the second half, scoring twice to beat Charlotte FC, 2-0. The goals were worth the wait, as both were nice team buildups capped by quality strikes. We broke down the few chances in the boring first half and discussed the changes that opened up the match after halftime.

We looked back at our score predictions (both getting the right result without picking the correct score) and made our selections for Man of the Match. We also tell you which Lion made the MLS Team of the Matchday.

This episode’s mailbagbox was brief and touched on the subject of fixture congestion in Major League Soccer and what (if anything) we would do about it. 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 look ahead to OCB’s big match on Monday against Chicago Fire II, an important game for both sides in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race in MLS NEXT Pro. We provide the tale of the tape as the Young Lions look to lock down a second consecutive playoff appearance and wonder if Alex Freeman can keep his hot streak going.

Finally, we looked ahead to Saturday’s matchup on the road against the Columbus Crew. The Crew will be a tough nut to crack, so the Lions will need to continue their excellent form to get a result against the league’s stingiest defense while trying to keep Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi quiet. We provide our key matchups 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. 446 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City made it three straight shutout victories at home with a 2-0 win over Charlotte.

29:47 – Our mailbagbox asks about the MLS schedule.

36:49– OCB will host Chicago in a pivotal game and the Lions head to Columbus.

The Orlando Pride didn’t get the sweep of the Kansas City Current, but they at least kept the visitors from celebrating a win in Orlando. The rematch between two of the top teams in the NWSL was a tightly contested one, but it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Still, the Pride managed to continue their unbeaten run and added another point and clean sheet to the growing pile.

We tried to hit the game’s high points, but we also had a few critiques, although the result is ultimately a good (if unsatisfying) one. We checked our score predictions from last week and made our selections for Player of the Match.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us about Marta, Cori Dyke, Pride attendance, and much more. 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. 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.

After the mailbagbox, we discussed the U-20 USWNT’s improbable late rally against Germany to force extra time and penalties. The Pride’s Ally Lemos got things going with a great assist and the Yanks advanced to today’s semifinal.

Finally, we look ahead to Orlando’s road contest against a stubborn Bay FC side that has been playing much better of late. The Pride will look to get the offense going against a team that has been stingy in recent weeks. We’ll have to wait to see who prevails. We provided our key matchups and score predictions.

Here’s how Episode 61 went down:

0:15 – The Pride didn’t score as the offense continues to sputter, but at least they didn’t concede in the rematch with the Current.

19:13 – Our mailbagbox seemingly grows every week.

43:45 – Ally Lemos started an amazing U-20 USWNT comeback and our preview for the Pride at Bay FC.

The Lions showed no rust from the week off in dispatching the New England Revolution 3-0 at home on Saturday. Three different Lions found the back of the net, from the unlikely (Rafael Santos) to the likely (Facundo Torres) to those who hadn’t done it in a while despite also being likely (Duncan McGuire). It was a complete team performance and one that the Lions can hopefully build upon as the competition gets considerably tougher this week with two big Eastern Conference matches.

We forgot to check our score predictions during the opening segment, but we do get there eventually. We did not, however, forget to make our selections for Man of the Match, an issue in which we were slightly divided, although neither was a more correct choice than the other.

OCB also defeated New England via shutout this week and we discuss Alex Freeman being on fire for the Young Lions, Jack Lynn adding another MLS NEXT Pro goal to his resume, and a second shutout of the Revs this weekend.

This episode’s mailbagbox asks us about Orlando City players who play alike, Heine Gikling Bruseth, 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 look ahead to Charlotte FC, a team that is difficult to score against and one that has given Orlando City an inordinate amount of trouble in its brief time in Major League Soccer. As always, we provide our key matchups and score predictions for the game.

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. 445 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City picked up its second consecutive 3-0 win at home and got its first season sweep of the Revs.

18:55 – OCB also beat New England this weekend and we discuss it before moving on to the mailbagbox.

37:15– Charlotte visits on Wednesday. We get you prepared.