SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast

Wow. As we get ready to enjoy a holiday weekend with our loved ones, the Orlando Pride have given us so much more to be thankful for this year. The Pride went to Kansas City, withstood a furious challenge from the Washington Spirit, played their usual solid defense, and captured a 1-0 win in the 2024 NWSL Championship. If the Kansas City Current and their fans thought the Pride celebrated on their field back in July, they hadn't seen anything yet.

We discuss the Pride's win over Washington, the valiant fight the other team showed, the controversy before the game's only goal, some of the remarks the Spirit made in the aftermath, and much more. We checked back on our score predictions and made our selections for Player of the Match.

After our match rewind, we opened up our mailbagbox, which was busting at the seams. Much of that came from one extremely enthusiastic listener, but we're not mad about it. We may have to break up a block of questions that big across multiple episodes in the future, but we were in a celebratory mood and answered each one. 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 Megan Montefusco and Celia closing their careers as champions, got a quick word from Mark Wilf, the Pride's owner and chairman, and hit the high points of the team's celebration in front of City Hall in downtown Orlando on Monday.

This episode is a long one, so buckle up. Listen to it in smaller chunks if it helps.

Here’s how Episode 71 went down:

0:45 – Orlando didn't play its best (and credit much of that to Washington), but the Pride got their moment of Barbra Banda brilliance and won their first NWSL Championship.

29:39 – The mailbagbox is ridiculously full this week.

1:19:09 – Pride retirements, highlights from the Pride's victory parade and celebration, a word from owner/chairman Mark Wilf, and more.

[Note: My apologies for the audio, as Dave sounded great and I did not. Unbeknownst to me, everything was running through my external laptop microphone, so I come off a bit echoey.]

The Orlando Pride held steadfast at home, coming back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium Sunday. The victory pushed the Pride's magical season into the ultimate game — Saturday night's NWSL Championship, which is coincidentally taking place in Kansas City. Haley McCutcheon, Barbra Banda, and Marta did the damage on the scoreboard, and the defense held on for dear life during a furious Current rally attempt that was aided by eons of stoppage time and lots of balls in the box.

We break down the NWSL semifinal match, look back at our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

After our match rewind, we opened up our mailbagbox, and it was a good one. Our mailbagbox this week asked questions about Haley McCutcheon, road tripping to the NWSL final, Sunday's match referee, the best goal in our stadium's history, 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 reviewed some of the recent Orlando Pride news (note: this did not include Seb Hines' award because we recorded Monday night), including the team's nominees for year-end NWSL awards, Pride players named to the league's Best XI first and second teams, and another call-up to the USWNT for Emily Sams.

Finally, we previewed the Pride's matchup with the Spirit on Saturday for all the Kansas City barbecue. We walked through the history of the series, looked at the seasons the two teams have had, selected our key matchups for the match, and tried our best to predict the final score.

Here’s how Episode 70 went down:

0:45 – Orlando booked a spot in the NWSL final by ousting the Kansas City Current in a game that wasn't easy in the least. In fact, it may still be in stoppage time.

22:44 – The mailbagbox has questions about the NWSL semifinal, a road trip to the final, and more.

39:29 – Pride news and notes and our preview and predictions for Orlando's NWSL Championship match against the Washington Spirit.

The Orlando Pride made it two wins in a row with a 4-1 home victory over the Chicago Red Stars. More importantly, the Pride got their first-ever NWSL playoff victory in their first-ever home postseason game. Barbra Banda returned to the scoresheet in a big way, netting a brace that could have been four or five goals the way she was creating chances. Orlando had a couple of goals overturned and hit the post twice, saving Chicago from a true playoff beating.

It was good to see the offense back, but the defense also did well, not allowing a first-half shot and only giving up a goal on one of the sillier mistakes of the season. We break down the match, look back at our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

After our match rewind, we welcome Orlando Pride forward Ally Watt to the show. Ally was generous with her time and spoke about the Pride's season, the Chicago game, the closeness the players feel for one another, the upcoming clash with Kansas City, and much more. Big thanks to Ally for her time.

Our mailbagbox this week included some jubilation as well as questions about Bingo cards, Haley McCutcheon, Ally Watt as a starter, Summer Yates, 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 previewed the upcoming NWSL semifinal match against the Kansas City Current. The Pride will have to try to slow down Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, while respecting the Current midfield and looking for a way to break through a defense that has become stingy over the last two months of the season. We provide our key matchups and try to predict the final score.

Here’s how Episode 69 went down:

0:15 – Orlando picked up its first postseason win by destroying the Chicago Red Stars. It was only 4-1 but could have been so much more lopsided.

15:53 – Ally Watt jumps on the call to talk about the playoffs and the Orlando Pride in the playoffs.

41:17 – Our mailbagbox has comments as well as questions, and we take a look ahead to Sunday's playoff semifinal showdown against the Current.

The Orlando Pride returned home over the weekend and returned to their winning ways with a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Reign. Although Barbra Banda still isn't scoring goals, three of her teammates did so, including Marta, who made her mark on the match despite it not being her best outing of the season. The defense is still a bit of a concern, but it did just about enough to get the job done.

We look back at the match and our score predictions to see how well we prognosticated the proceedings.

Our mailbagbox this week included my belated reaction to "Hot to Go" and asked about the worst rule in soccer, broadcasters who don't seem to favor the Pride, and whether Orlando's defense can regain its form. 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 remembered that we hadn't selected a Player of the Match against Seattle, so we rectified that.

Finally, we previewed the upcoming playoff game against the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride will have to avoid switching off defensively and will have to be clinical on the attacking end in order to advance. Orlando has historically struggled at home against Chicago, but there's no better time to start changing fortunes.

Here’s how Episode 68 went down:

0:15 – Orlando is back in the win column, finishing the season without a home loss. The Pride will try to keep that streak alive Friday vs. Chicago.

21:19 – Our mailbagbox is asking about horrible soccer rules and all manner of things.

37:21 – Our look ahead to Friday night's playoff opener against the Red Stars.

The Orlando Pride were off for the women's international break over the weekend, but that doesn't mean there wasn't stuff for us to discuss (and if there's one thing we love to discuss, it's definitely stuff!). Emily Sams saw her first minutes with the United States Women's National Team, and the Yanks unsurprisingly won. Barbra Banda finished 12th in the race for the Ballon d'Or, which seems low, but it's still quite an honor to be considered the 12th-best player in the world. And we looked at the Pride's Brazilians, who earned a draw and a win against Colombia, with Adriana scoring a goal for her country.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us if we listened to "Hot to Go" and wanted to know about the Pride's attacking chemistry, a hypothetical Women's Club World Cup question, 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 looked ahead to Saturday's matchup against the Seattle Reign. The all-time series hasn't been kind to Orlando, but it's been better at home and the Reign were pretty good for most of the history of the series. We give our key matchups and make our score predictions while admitting that hey, we haven't necessarily had a lot of time to watch Seattle games since the Pride went to Washington back in May.

Here’s how Episode 67 went down:

0:15 – Emily Sams' USWNT debut, Pride Brazilians in international play, and Barbra Banda's place on the Ballon d'Or list.

9:16 – Our mailbagbox is full of great questions, as usual.

22:40 – Our look ahead to Saturday's regular-season finale against Seattle.

One road loss became two as the Pride turned in a disastrous performance against Gotham FC on Sunday. Seb Hines went back to his starters to get try to regain the team's momentum as the regular season winds down, but unfortunately, things went from bad to worse for the defense, which was substandard and reminiscent of some of the bad Orlando teams from the past. It was not the response Pride fans wanted to see after the team's first loss all season in Portland, but it is what it is.

We break down the Pride's second straight loss. I don't even remember if we checked our score predictions from last week, because the weekend destroyed us, but we did make our selections for Player of the Match.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us if Rafaelle will be healthy this season and if she'll get to start if she is. 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 spent some time discussing recent Orlando Pride news, including Emily Sams getting a call-up to the United States Women's National Team, the Pride and Summer Yates exercising the midfielder's option year for 2026, and the date of Orlando's first-ever home playoff game. I misspoke about what day of the week it was, but I realized it and gave the right day, so please stop yelling at me. Or at least stop yelling at me about that.

Here’s how Episode 66 went down:

0:15 – The Pride have not yet regained their mojo.

15:10 – Our mailbagbox wants to know about Rafaelle.

23:17 – Miscellaneous Orlando Pride news to take us into the international break.

Just one game after clinching the 2024 NWSL Shield, the Orlando Pride gave some starters a much-needed rest. While lineup changes have not prevented the Pride from getting positive results throughout the season, this time it was different. There were too many new faces in the lineup and the players attached to those faces did not perform well against what had been a struggling Portland Thorns side — but a proud franchise desperate to reach the postseason for its retiring captain. The venue, the surface, the crowd, the circumstances, and the rotation were too much for Orlando to overcome in their totality. Even the insertion of key starters in the second half couldn't turn the tide in a 2-0 road loss.

Still, one loss may teach the team more than all the wins and draws that came before it. That will be the hope of Seb Hines as his team approaches the postseason as the league's top seed.

For the first time all season, we look back on a Pride loss. We also check our score predictions from last week, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us about electrical stuff, songs, which teams will make the playoffs, 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 spent some time digesting the (awful) name of the new NWSL franchise in Boston. We also discussed some Pride international call-ups.

Finally, we looked ahead to the Pride's matchup Sunday at Gotham FC. Last years champs have a defense like Orlando's as well as a good offense and Gotham will be seeking revenge for its recent loss at Inter&Co Stadium. We give the two teams' tale of the tape, select our key matchups, and make our score predictions.

Here’s how Episode 65 went down:

0:15 – The Pride went west and rested some starters. Things went...poorly.

23:51 – Our mailbagbox is both soccer-related and random. Plus, a bad team name and more Pride news.

51:45 – The Pride look to get back on track against Gotham FC on the road.

The Orlando Pride have done it! The 2024 NWSL Shield belongs to Orlando after a 2-0 home win over the second-place Washington Spirit that wasn't easy. The Spirit came in with a lot of resolve, and on a rainy night with a slick field, anything could happen. Sometimes it almost did. But, in the end, Barbra Banda earned a penalty, Marta scored it, Anna Moorhouse (and others) made some huge stops, and Adriana's foot provided some breathing room, even though she wasn't credited with a goal.

We broke down the game, checked our score predictions from last week, and made our selections for Player of the Match. David Rohe provided some insight from his trip down from Tallahassee to see the game, as well.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us about longitude and latitude, cheating cheaters who cheat, and when the Pride most tested our loyalty. 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 looked ahead to Orlando's trip out west to play the Portland Thorns. With Hurricane Milton threatening Florida, the team had to go spend some extra days in the Pacific Northwest, so the Pride will be battling hotel legs, a new time zone, a letdown after winning the shield...oh, and also the Portland Thorns, who the Pride have only beaten once on the road. Ever. We discuss the Thorns' season to date, the series history, our key matchups for Friday night, and our final score predictions.

Here’s how Episode 64 went down:

0:15 – The Pride took care of the league's second-place team and claimed the Shield without putting us through any unnecessary drama over the last few games of the season.

19:21 – Our mailbagbox gets scientific this week. We learned to always trust Jimmy Buffett songs.

39:22 – The Pride have a lot going against them on this trip to Portland. Can they keep the positive results going?

The Orlando Pride returned from their road trip and found out there's no place like home. The team returned to a massive crowd and celebrated with a three-goal performance and a 3-1 win over the visiting Houston Dash, completing a sweep of the season series. Three different players scored for the Pride, and one of them wasn't Barbra Banda, but the Zambian international did pick up an assist. The win put the Pride on the brink of claiming the 2024 NWSL Shield, but there are some big obstacles still in the way.

We broke down the game, checked our score predictions from last week, and made our selections for Player of the Match.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us about hockey rules in soccer, mascots for the Pride, Viviana Villacorta, 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 looked ahead to Orlando's home match Sunday against the second-place Washington Spirit. The Pride would claim their first trophy with a win and lock up home field in the playoffs (until the final). We discuss the Spirit in detail, preview the game, and provide our key matchups and score predictions.

Here’s how Episode 63 went down:

0:15 – The Pride put a crooked number on the scoreboard and got another win, although Barbra Banda still isn't back to scoring regularly.

19:52 – Our mailbagbox asks us for answers and provides answers for others' questions.

36:20 – The Pride get ready for a massive match against the Spirit. Our preview.

The Orlando Pride visited Bay FC for the first time and ended up getting a season sweep of the expansion side by identical 1-0 scorelines. The match was anything but easy and the Pride's offensive struggles continue since the restart of league play, but Barbra Banda's header was enough to get a road win, opening up a little breathing room in the shield race with five games remaining. Orlando's list of club and league records continues to grow.

We broke down the game, checked our score predictions from last week, and made our selections for Player of the Match.

Our mailbagbox this week asked us about songs to enjoy the 2024 Pride by and Evelina Duljan. We also got a fun fact from one of our listeners about that Kerry Abello 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 winning the third-place match after failing to score in a tightly played semifinal at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Ally Lemos brings home a medal after a solid run in the competition.

Finally, we look ahead to Orlando's home match Saturday against the Houston Dash. It won't be easy to score goals, as it never is against the Dash, but the Pride will look to try to continue setting the pace in the NWSL. We previewed the game and provided our key matchups and score predictions.

Here’s how Episode 62 went down:

0:15 – The Pride is still struggling to score goals but got enough to get past Bay FC on the road.

15:12 – Our mailbagbox asks us for playlist ideas and the U-20 USWNT picked up a medal.

26:18 – The Pride get ready for a rematch with the Houston Dash.