SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast

The Orlando Pride squeaked past expansion side Bay FC with a 1-0 win at home on Saturday, but the scoreline was more than a bit flattering to the visitors, who got a big performance from their goalkeeper to keep the score from getting completely out of hand. The Pride dominated and should probably have done better from their plethora of scoring chances. Still, when you keep a clean sheet, one goal equals three points, and that's what Orlando really wanted. We break down another Orlando Pride win — this one makes six in a row — checking in on our score predictions in the process. We also made our selections for Player of the Match. Our mailbagbox this week asked us about the Pride's shape, the timing of Seb Hines' substitutions, a women's "War on I-4," and 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 finished the show with our previews and our score predictions for the Pride's upcoming trip across the continent to face Seattle Reign FC. The Pride have never won in the state of Washington, but they've done a lot of things already this season that they've never previously done, so who knows? Here’s how Episode 43 went down: 0:15 – The Pride ran into a hot goalkeeper but still managed to capture all three points against Bay FC. 14:18 – The mailbagbox puts us to the test, as it always does. 44:13 – A trip to Seattle has yet to yield a victory. Is this the year? It might be, but our predictions will tell you what we think about that subject.

The Orlando Pride keep winning. We aren't used to that, but we're here for it. Barbra Banda has brought her lethal finishing to the City Beautiful and her fourth goal in three games was just enough for the Pride to squeak past previously undefeated Racing Louisville, 1-0. We check in on our score predictions, discuss the game in detail, and make our selections for Player of the Match. Our mailbagbox this week wants us to visit Tampa for some women's soccer. It also includes questions about the tackiness level of a hat, the sustainability of Orlando's offense, lineup changes when players get healthy, and 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 suddenly remembered we forgot to talk about the North Carolina match. So, we checked in on our predictions, discussed the 4-1 win, and made our Player of the Match selections. Better late than never! We finished the show with our previews and our score predictions for the Pride's upcoming, first-ever meeting with expansion side Bay FC. The newcomers have been leaking goals, but also scoring them. Orlando will need to avoid a letdown to stay undefeated on Saturday at home. Here’s how Episode 42 went down: 0:15 – The Pride weren't at their best Sunday against Racing Louisville, but they still managed to grind out their fifth straight win. We discuss! 15:18 – The mailbagbox contains both questions and offers to host your faithful hosts. 39:26 – We forgetful rubes remembered there was another game since our last podcast and dive into Orlando's win over the Courage, and we close with a Bay FC preview and predictions.

The Orlando Pride continued their winning ways on Friday, but that news has been overshadowed by Brazilian midfielder Luana's diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Luana will miss the rest of the season undergoing treatment and we wish her all the luck, love, and positive vibes we can possibly send. We know she's a battler, so we believe she will overcome this illness and return stronger than ever. We broke down Orlando's win at Washington, including Barbra Banda's huge night in her first start, as well as Anna Moorhouse's unnecessary adventures in goal. It's great that the Pride are winning, but something must be done to stop these massive mistakes by Moorhouse, who has now made three critical errors in her last 11 NWSL matches. We checked in on our score predictions and made our selections for Player of the Match, which was always going to be a no-brainer. Our mailbagbox this week asked us about the name of this podcast, the Pride's goalkeeping situation, why a one-goal lead late fills one of our listeners with dread, and 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 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. We finished the show with our previews for the Pride's two matches in the coming days against the North Carolina Courage and Racing Louisville. We looked into their statistical accomplishments to date, provided our key matchups for the game, and gave our score predictions. Here’s how Episode 41 went down: 0:15 – Luana needs our support. Plus, the Pride continued their successful run against the Spirit, but the end was much more nervy than it should have been. 30:35 – The mailbagbox is so full and we love it. 51:03 – Previewing the Courage and Racing Louisville, both of which will visit Inter&Co Stadium within the next week.

The Orlando Pride suddenly find themselves on a winning streak to go with their unbeaten streak to start the season. Orlando dispatched the San Diego Wave 1-0 in a game that should not have finished that close, as the Pride dominated long stretches of the match, but largely wasted a 20-4 advantage in shots. We break down the match, check on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match. Barbra Banda made her long-awaited Pride debut against the Wave. She didn't score, but she had her chances, and she showed how adept she is at getting into dangerous areas. Banda should be a great addition to Orlando's roster. Our mailbagbox this week asked us about Brianna Martinez, former Pride players who might make good coaches, NWSL expansion, the biggest challenges on Orlando's schedule, and 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 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. We finished the show with our preview of Orlando visiting the Washington Spirit on Friday night. The Pride swept the regular-season series last year but didn't fare as well in the Challenge Cup. Can Orlando keep things rolling in the regular season against a talented Washington squad? We provide our key matchups for the game and our score predictions. Here’s how Episode 40 went down: 0:15 – The Pride finally got their first home win over a California team. We discuss. 18:15 – The mailbagbox has many questions. 37:37 – Previewing the Spirit ahead of the Pride's trip to Washington.

OK, so we forgot to talk about the end of the SheBelieves Cup, and we recorded Monday night, so we were done before the news broke about the Orlando Pride waiving Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen on Tuesday morning. Let's just say we still had plenty to talk about, because the Pride won their first match of 2024 and stayed unbeaten at 1-0-3. We discuss the Pride's trip to Utah and how Orlando came home with all three points, which will hopefully become a springboard to a playoff run. But it's a long season. For now, we are happy to break down the Pride's road win and another solid defensive outing. We make our selections for player of the match and check back on our score predictions. If the Pride's offense has been a little slow to get started in 2024, well, help is on the way. We discuss Barbra Banda's arrival in Orlando. Banda took part in her first training session with the Pride on Tuesday and is a player who can make the offense much more dangerous. She'll also create more room for the likes of Marta, Adriana, Ally Watt, and Julie Doyle, so that can only help those players as well. The we dove into our mailbagbox, which asked us about Pride newcomers, goal differential, Marta, Star Wars droid battery technology, and 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 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. We finished the show with our preview of Orlando hosting the San Diego Wave on Friday night. The Pride have never beaten a California team at home, which is weird, because they have gotten plenty of results out west. Is this the year? The Pride already failed to beat Angel City at home, although a draw isn't the worst outcome. We took a stab at predicting the score and provided our key matchups. Here’s how Episode 39 went down: 0:15 – The Pride flew west, played at altitude, and brought home all three precious points from Utah. 22:49 – The mailbagbox contained a wide variety of questions to seriously test our expertise. Wait, what expertise? 52:25 – A look ahead to Friday's matchup against the Wave.

The Orlando Pride had the weekend off with the international window upon us, so there's no new match for us to recap this week. Instead, we turned our attention (to start the show, anyway) on the SheBelieves Cup semifinals. Both matches on Saturday were compelling, with the U.S. falling behind in the first minute but rallying against a stubborn Japanese side to win, 2-1. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't easy, but it put the Yanks in the final and that's what matters. Brazil also played but none of the three Pride Brazilians started and only two of them — Marta and Angelina — got on the pitch late. Unfortunately for Marta, she did not score her penalty and Brazil fell in a shootout after a 1-1 draw against Canada. Brazil was the better side during the 90 minutes but wasted a lot of chances and eventually conceded the equalizer before succumbing on spot kicks. [Note: Yes, we know the final and third-place match were played Tuesday night (don't @ us). We recorded this show on Monday night. We'll touch on the the final day of the SheBelieves Cup on our next episode.] After our SheBelieves Cup discussion, we dove into our mailbagbox, which weighed in on Orlando Pride attendance and start times, as well as the WSL incursion into Florida and what it means for the Pride (if anything). 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 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. We finished the show with our preview of Orlando at the Utah Royals. The Pride have to go play at altitude and there are no easy games in the NWSL. Still, this is one that Orlando can win. We provided our key matchups for this battle and try our luck at predicting the final score of the game. Here’s how Episode 38 went down: 0:15 – The SheBelieves Cup semifinals got underway and included some Pride players (a little). 20:02 – The mailbagbox contained comments as well as questions. 32:03 – A look ahead to Friday's trip to Utah to play the Royals.

The Pride are undefeated! The Pride are winless! Both things are true and it's a bit maddening. Orlando scored first through a Chicago own goal off a good corner kick cross, but then conceded with some panicky defending in the second half en route to a 1-1 draw at home against the Red Stars. The Pride perhaps should have been up a player with plenty of time left had actual rules been applied. It seems like 10 minutes is enough to determine that a push in the back (see the feature photo for this article) is not a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. Although Orlando would have only had a free kick from outside the area, one fewer defender may have helped the Pride find a second goal. We break down a frustrating draw, check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match. After our match rewind, we dove into our mailbagbox, which asked us questions about Seb Hines (which we didn't quite understand) and Barbra Banda. 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 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. We then looked at which Pride players will be in action during this international break for their senior, U-23, and U-20 national teams. Of course there are a bevy of Brazilians representing their countries, but there are also Americans, Canadians, Zambians, and more. Here’s how Episode 37 went down: 0:15 – The Pride scored first, conceded last, and should have been up a player. 20:02 – The mailbagbox is now getting questions from Bluesky Social and we're here for it. 32:03 – A look at the Pride players departing to represent their countries during the international break.

The Pride are getting used to adversity early in the season. A week after opening the schedule on the road, falling behind by two goals, and losing a player to a red card before coming back to draw, Orlando again faced a tough situation. The Pride were missing even more defenders (playing nothing but fullbacks on the back line), had a goal disallowed because of a foul off the ball just before it crossed the line, and conceded a penalty to a player to fall behind again. But Orlando rallied late again — this time with Marta working some old-time magic off a perfectly executed set piece just before the end of normal time. That goal lifted the Pride to a second straight draw that felt like a win. Hopefully these kinds of moments will pay off later in the season. Hopefully the Pride will also stop making their own jobs tougher. We break down the 1-1 result against Angel City FC and make our selections for Player of the Match. After our Angel City rewind, we dove into our mailbagbox, which asked us questions about Kerry Abello, Amanda Allen, referees, sportsmanship, and 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 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. We then presented our key matchups and score predictions for the Pride's home match against the Chicago Red Stars on Friday. Orlando will need to contend with U.S. internationals Alyssa Naeher and Mallory Swanson to get a third straight result to start the season. Finally, we looked at the Pride's group opponents in the inaugural Summer Cup, which pits NWSL sides against teams from Liga MXF. Here’s how Episode 36 went down: 0:15 – The Pride had a goal waved off but still managed to get a result at home against Angel City. 18:30 – The mailbagbox is reaching new heights on this show. 35:50 – A look ahead at the Red Stars and the group stage of something called the Summer Cup.

The 2024 season did not get off to a fast start for the Orlando Pride. Just 20 minutes into the season the Pride found themselves down two goals on the road. A while later, while still trailing, Orlando then found itself short one player when Kylie Strom was shown a second yellow card. Things looked bad. But the Pride pulled themselves together, fought back valiantly, and earned a 2-2 road draw against Racing Louisville in their NWSL season opener. It was the first point for Orlando in four visits to Kentucky, and although the Pride still haven't won on opening day, they at least took a point from a losing (and hopeless-looking, at the time) position. We break down the match, check in on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match. After our Louisville rewind, we were joined by midfielder Morgan Gautrat. The USWNT veteran was kind enough to spare some time to talk about her experiences with the club so far, how she's settling in with her Orlando teammates, playing for Seb Hines, learning from a tough situation in Week 1, and more. Big thanks to Morgan for her time ahead of the Pride's home opener on Friday against Angel City. Our mailbagbox asked us questions about some of the Pride players who didn't appear on opening day, the most meme-able moments from Saturday's draw at Louisville, and 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 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 presented our key matchups and score predictions for the Pride's home opener this Friday. Angel City's lineup presents a lot of familiar faces, including Messiah Bright, who will no doubt want to show Orlando what it's missing without her. It should be an interesting match and it will be interesting to see what Seb Hines does with his back line with Strom unavailable and other key players injured or just returning from injury. Here’s how Episode 35 went down: 0:15 – The Pride dove into the deep end of the adversity end of the pool in Louisville but were able to overcome all of it and bring home a point. 22:30 – Morgan Gautrat joins us the Pride's new veteran midfielder expertly puts up with our questions. 42:37 – The mailbagbox has questions and we've got answers, as well as our key matchups and predictions for Orlando vs. Angel City.

The NWSL season is finally upon us, and as such, we are back to our weekly schedule as far as the SkoPurp Soccer podcast is concerned. We'll be with you throughout the year to cover all of the Pride's big doings. To that end, this show starts with where we left off last time. The Pride have suffered a few injuries and made some signings since we last produced an episode, and we take you through them all. We're of course excited by the addition of Zambian international striker Barbra Banda, who could give the Pride a little more bite in the final third. It's been a minute since an Orlando player racked up a good number of goals on the season, and Banda is one of those players who can do that. While the back line has taken a bit of a beating this preseason, we're hopeful that Rafaelle can return soon and that Carrie Lawrence returns to form. The club signed draft pick Cori Dyke to provide depth at center back, which is vital without Megan Montefusco available in 2024. Our mailbagbox asked us questions about where to watch the Pride this season, general managers around the league, music that reminds us of movies, Pride rivals, and 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 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 took a look at Racing Louisville's lineup a bit and discussed the Pride's poor record on the road against the Kentucky-based side. Is this finally the year the Pride break through in Louisville? We provide our key matchups and score predictions. Here’s how Episode 34 went down: 0:15 – The Pride have been hit by some injuries, especially at center back, but the club has also been making some signings. We break it all down. 14:32 – The mailbagbox has multiple questions, but one of them involved us having to do homework. 32:45 – Our first key matchups and score predictions of the 2024 Orlando Pride season!

Our off-season schedule continues. After a lot of news in January, the news has been slow of late, despite it being a time of year when it's normally busy. The Orlando Pride have been exceedingly secretive this preseason, because, when the season is coming up quickly, why be fun or informative when you can be neither? One thing we know is that defender Megan Montefusco had foot surgery and has been placed on the season-ending injury list. That's not the fun news we were hoping for, but it is news. It's also extremely unfortunate for a key depth piece for the Pride and we wish Megan a speedy and full recovery. We discuss where that leaves Orlando's back line depth, which is important with Rafaelle a regular on her national team. Our mailbagbox was empty for this episode, but we did have a nice five-star review, so we read that. 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 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. The Pride launched two new kits as part of the NWSL's full, leaguewide kit reset, and we like them. We tell you why. Finally, we finish with a brief discussion of the new Pride players we're most looking forward to seeing on the field in 2024. We were in agreement with our top two picks. Who do you want to see? Here’s how Episode 33 went down: 0:15 – The Pride is keeping preseason a secret, which effectively omits fun and prevents any buzz from building. Also, Megan Montefusco is on the season-ending injury list, and that sucks. 9:31 – The mailbagbox may have been empty, but at least we got a nice five-star review. 16:35 – A discussion of the new Orlando Pride kits for 2024. Also: the new Pride player we're most interested in seeing take the field in 2024.

Our off-season schedule continues and we slipped our January episode in just under the wire. But the wait was worth it! First of all, there was a ton of news in January, and the Pride are already hard at work in preseason camp for what could be a pivotal 2024 season. Orlando said goodbye to some players, added a few (including via the 2024 NWSL Draft), and dropped both the preseason and season schedule. We touch on each of the major stories from the last four weeks. After that, we welcome in a very special guest. Orlando Pride Vice President and General Manager Haley Carter was kind enough to join us for an exclusive interview, and she was exceedingly generous with her time. We could honestly talk to her for hours and her enthusiasm for the upcoming season and the direction the Pride are following is contagious. She touched a little bit on such topics as the need for a reserve side, the Messiah Bright trade, the NWSL draft, the culture the Pride are building, the job Seb Hines is doing, how the club is working on building a bigger fan and supporter following, and much more. There were so many more questions we had, but those will have to wait until next time, as we couldn't have possibly asked for any more of Haley's time. Finally, we turned our attention to our mailbagbox, which asked us about the possibility that Jordyn Listro will once again sign with the Pride, Orlando's approach after Bright's departure, and the team's off-season compared to other NWSL sides. 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. Here’s how Episode 32 went down: 0:15 – All the Orlando Pride from the last month in small, bite-sized pieces. 20:56 – An amazing and enlightening interview with Haley Carter. 1:03:09 – Our mailbagbox is back and we got some excellent questions for this episode.

Our off-season schedule continues as we reconvene for a December episode and there was more to talk about this time around. The Pride have been busy since our last show and the pattern has started to clarify what the 2024 squad will look like, as well as some of the position groups beyond the next NWSL campaign. The discussion begins at the back as we talk about the Pride adding one goalkeeper before subtracting another, bringing that position group into focus for the season ahead (and probably beyond). We welcome Sofia Manner in from Finland and say goodbye to the departing Carly Nelson, who is returning to her native Utah. After the goalkeeper talk, we discussed whether the Orlando Pride overachieved under Seb Hines in 2023. Did Hines get more out of his squad than we should have expected? Did he get the perfect amount? Or did he not quite get as much as the roster had to offer? Our mailbagbox, asked us about the Pride as a holiday song, what the new midfield signings mean, and about what Haley Carter has brought to the club. 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. After we answer the mail, we turn our attention to the back line. Orlando has been busily signing the 2023 starting back four to new deals, with three of the four now under contract through 2026, while Rafaelle is under contract through 2025. It's clear that the club likes this group and it's putting its money on it. If they can become even more cohesive in 2024, it'll be a move that pays off. Finally we turn our attention toward that midfield question from the mailbagbox. The Pride have added a pair of Brazilian internationals to the central midfield and it appears the majority of the roster is now signed through either 2025 or 2026, meaning there should be some continuity across the next couple of seasons. Angelina and Luana, meanwhile, could vastly improve the Pride's central midfield and they should assimilate quickly since they're used to playing between defender Rafaelle and attackrs Adriana and Marta. They could help spring Orlando's faster forwards and may also assist with helping the Pride's fullbacks work the ball up the field with fewer turnovers. Here’s how Episode 31 went down: 0:15 – The Orlando Pride goalkeeper position seems set for 2024, but who will win the starting job remains to be seen. 17:18 – The mailbagbox is the lifeblood of the show. Thanks for the questions! 24:06 – The Pride's back line has no anxiety whatsoever about contracts for the next couple of years and the midfield has added even more Brazilian ingredients to the roster.

We're back for our November monthly episode and so far it's been a quiet off-season for the Orlando Pride. However, business should be picking up soon and just within the last week there has been plenty of news to chew on. The Pride made a couple of trades to stay safe during the upcoming NWSL Expansion Draft. We break down what Orlando sent to Bay FC and the Utah Royals, including draft picks and one regular player from the lineup, and it looks like the club is compiling Allocation Money again, which can only be a good thing. The club sent a clear message that management and the coaching staff are confident in the way the roster is shaping up and they don't want to see anyone plucked away, only to develop for a new team. It will be interesting to see how that pays off. We had some good questions in our mailbagbox, aksing about the prospects of the Pride's free agents returning for 2024 as well as the likelihood of whether Orlando will be going after one particular well-known free agent. 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. Finally, we discussed the Pride's end-of-season roster announcements to let you know which players are seemingly gone, which have had their options picked up, and more. The club has recently done a good job of locking up players across multiple years, so there was not as much to get done this off-season, but it will be interesting to see which free agents the club can lure to Orlando to get Seb Hines' team over the top. Here’s how Episode 30 went down: 0:15 – The Orlando Pride won't have any players plucked from their roster in this year's NWSL Expansion Draft. Here's why. 9:30 – Mailbagbox time! We answer our listeners' questions. 19:45 – A look at the Pride's off-season roster decisions and pending free agents.

The off-season is officially underway for the Orlando Pride. The 2023 season was a surprisingly positive one for a team that we frankly didn't expect that much out of before the NWSL kicked off in the spring. The fact that Seb Hines got this team to Decision Day in contention for a playoff spot and the Pride finished tied for fifth is a huge step in the right direction. But now that 2023 is over, what happens next? Orlando will be looking to upgrade the team's roster for the 2024 season and we'll know soon(ish) which out-of-contract players will be brought back. As we do every year, we dedicated a show (this one, in fact) to dissecting the team's roster as it stood at the end of the season. We discuss the contract status of each player and try to predict which ones will be back with the Pride in 2024 and which ones the club will allow to explore their options elsewhere. In addition to trying to figure out which players will be back, we also look ahead to the NWSL Expansion Draft to try to forecast who might be made available for selection by the league's newest teams. We did look in our mailbagbox (where you can ask us anything every week), but nothing was inside. That made Dave sad. Please don't make Dave sad. 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. Here’s how Episode 29 went down: 0:15 – Player by player, we discuss the known contract status of each Pride player and try to predict if they'll be kept, let go, or left unprotected for the NWSL Expansion Draft. (That's it. That's the whole show!)

The Orlando Pride needed to have some things go their way to get into the postseason but could only control one of those things — getting a home result against the goal-stingy Houston Dash. The Pride did their part, despite leaving it late, beating Houston 1-0 on Decision Day to put themselves in the right position. Unfortunately, results around the league went awry on multiple fronts and the 2023 Orlando Pride season is over. At least the team went out with a win. We looked back at the Pride's final match of 2023 and checked our score predictions to see how we did. We also made our selections for Player of the Match and we were unanimous to close out the year. Beyond that, we gave our thoughts on the job Seb Hines and his outstanding staff did throughout the 2023 campaign. This week's mailbagbox asked us about Emily Madril's Iron Woman bid, which players the club may protect in the NWSL Expansion Draft, and more. There's also way more talk about lazy rivers than I expected. 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. Finally, we looked back at the Pride's season game by game, hitting the lowlights and highlights at how Orlando ended up at 10-11-1 and missing the postseason by only the slimmest of margins, despite taking their pound of flesh from all of the league's contenders along the way. Here’s how Episode 28 went down: 0:15 – The Pride did their job and got the win they needed, even if other results prevented it from being a truly special day in club history. 23:46 – Our mailbagbox asks us some solid questions. We love solid questions (and we love the mailbagbox!). 46:56 - A walk through the ups and downs of the Pride's 2023 season and so many of the "what if?" moments that prevented a playoff appearance.

The Orlando Pride got off to a good start on Friday and things looked great. Until they didn't. The Pride imploded after taking a 2-0 lead at Racing Louisville, handing a goal back on an ill-advised penalty just before the half, then handing the hosts a transition goal for no good reason for the equalizer in the second half. But the Pride weren't finished. Late in the match, goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse punched the winning goal into the back of her own net on a routine, catchable corner kick cross. It was a comedy of errors and now the Pride no longer control their own destiny. It's the third time the team has had the opportunity to climb above the playoff line with a win since Aug. 25 and failed to do so. We break down the Pride's loss and about how a goalkeeper that has not looked the part since her arrival — and might not even be the team's best at the position — got a two-year contract extension and promptly handed her own team a loss for the second time in her last three matches. Oh, and we picked our Player of the Match. This week's mailbagbox asked us about the Pride's midfield. It didn't specify attacking or defensive, so we tackled both. 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. Finally, we turned our attention to Decision Day. The Pride need to beat the Houston Dash at home and get a little help to make the postseason. It won't be easy against the league's best defense. We provide our key matchups and score predictions. Here’s how Episode 27 went down: 0:15 – The Pride started brilliantly and then folded like a cheap card table in Kentucky. 25:04 – Our mailbagbox asks about Orlando's midfield. 36:52 - Whether it's the final game of the season or just the last match of the regular season, we've got matchups and predictions for Sunday against Houston.

The Orlando Pride stunned hosts Angel City late Monday night by smashing and grabbing three points in a 1-0 win that was far from the perfect game by the Pride. Only the final result was perfect as a sloppy and turnover prone Orlando side continually gave the ball away and invited Angel City to score. The hosts, however, were cordial enough to turn down those invitations, allowing the Pride to pull level on points with OL Reign for the final playoff position. Although the Pride don't own the tiebreaker against the Reign, they are now incredibly in position to control their own destiny. Two wins in the final two games would put Orlando in the playoffs regardless of results elsewhere due to how the remaining schedule matchups shake out. We break down a huge road victory to kick off this week's two-game road trip and make our selections for Player of the Match. The Pride must continue to defy their own past history in order to reach the postseason, and we dive into that as well. The team is staying on the road for the second match, which is almost always a disaster, and the Pride have never won in Louisville, which is not ideal. Still, having a chance is better than not having one. This week's mailbagbox asked us questions about Emily Madril's USWNT prospects, good places to eat in Tallahassee (Dave's area of expertise), and Julie Doyle headers. 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. After we answered all the questions in our mailbagbox, we turned our attention to the Pride's impending match Friday night in Louisville, complete with our key matchups and our score predictions. I hope Dave got it right. Here’s how Episode 26 went down: 0:15 – The Pride didn't exactly play well but they still got a win on the road, and that's better than some of the times they played extremely well and still didn't win. 34:05 – Our mailbagbox is pretty full this week. 51:54 - Another vital challenge looms as the Pride head to Louisville.

Sadly, the season has come to an end prematurely for one Pride midfielder. Orlando's Viviana Villacorta will miss the rest of 2023 with a torn ACL. This is the third season to end early for her due to injury and you have to feel for a young player who blossomed quite a bit this season. We discuss Villacorta's injury and what it means for the Pride. With no Pride match to recap, we touched on the United States Women's National Team and its sweep of South Africa in a pair of friendlies without allowing a goal. We also waxed nostalgiac about the retirements of Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe, who have been icons with the squad during an extremely successful period. This week's mailbagbox asked us questions about Carrie Lawrence and Adriana. 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. Following our mailbagbox activities, we turned our attention to a new NWSL team coming to Boston in 2026, the impending free agents on the Orlando Pride, and our key matchups and score predictions for the Pride's trip to play Angel City FC. Here’s how Episode 25 went down: 0:15 – Viviana Villacorta's season again ends early due to injury and the USWNT racks up two more shutout victories. 16:18 – Our mailbagbox questions are still fresh a week later! 33:50 - Boston gets an expansion franchise, the Pride's free agents, and a look ahead at Angel City.

The Orlando Pride have little to no margin for error in the remainder of the schedule if the team is going to achieve its goal of making the playoffs in 2023. The Pride took a big step toward that goal with a 2-1 win over the North Carolina Courage on Sunday evening. The win included the fastest goal in Pride history, a red card — for the opponents this time — and another standout performance by Adriana. We break down an exciting victory by the Pride that pushed the club from 10th in the standings to seventh and just one point out of a playoff spot with three matches left to play. We discussed the big moments, checked on our score predictions, and made our choices for Player of the Match. We also talked about what is mathematically possible (albeit unlikely) in how the NWSL season can end in the most chaotic way possible — a six-way tie for first place that would see the Pride claim the Supporters' Shield! OK, we did say it was unlikely. The Pride could still finish anywhere from first to last in the league, and with three games left, that's absurd. This week's mailbagbox asked us questions about handballs and the Pride's midfield. 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. Without a Pride match next week, we touched on the United States Women's National Team, which has a pair of friendlies coming up in the international window against a good South Africa side. Here’s how Episode 24 went down: 0:15 – A look back at a huge win for the Pride over the North Carolina Courage. 30:27 - We've got mail! We answer our listeners' questions and touch on the USWNT's upcoming matches against South Africa.