The Mane Land: for Orlando City SC fans

he season is over. It seemed like this was an Orlando City built to do the darn thing, but you can't do the darn thing if you don't score any goals. It's also difficult to do the darn thing when one of your center backs gets sent off and your team has fewer players than the opposition. These are the things the Lions had to contend with on Saturday and there were still opportunities there to take the game. We discuss all of those chances that went wanting and select our unanimous pick for Man of the Match. This week's mailbagbox only had one submission, but 10 (!) questions. Don't worry, they went quickly, as it was a rapid-fire trivia game for your hosts. We got some right. We got many wrong. 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. Finally, we broke down Orlando City's off-season priorities, in order of importance. Obviously there are three key figures who either need to be re-signed or replaced with someone of equal or higher quality — it's not going to be easy to find someone who fits that description, let alone three someones, so we are hoping for the re-signing thing to happen. There are Designated Player slots to consider, guys who have their loans ending, and others who need to have their options picked up or sign new contracts entirely. Here's how No. 390 went down: 0:15 – We open the show with our recap and breakdown of Orlando City's 2-0 loss to Columbus after extra time. The Lions could have used some goals, quite frankly. 20:24 – We dip into our mailbagbox, only to find out it's trivia night! 34:29 — Orlando City's off-season priorities are pretty straightforward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After an unbelievably long gap in the playoff schedule, Orlando City is back this weekend with an Eastern Conference semifinal match at home against the Columbus Crew. And because it's a special week, we've got a special show for you. We open our discussion this week with a quick look at the United States Men's National Team's two-leg performance against Trinidad & Tobago. The games couldn't have been more different and, although the second leg went off the rails when Sergino Dest lost his mind and got himself sent off for no good reason, the Yanks at least survived and advanced. After that, we welcomed Orlando City Technical Director and Assistant General Manager Ricardo Moreira back to the show to talk about the team he and Luiz Muzzi put together for the 2023 season. We also asked him about his future plans beyond this season, the club's unusual season in terms of Designated Players, whether Ivan Angulo and/or Wilder Cartagena might be back next year, and much more. Big thanks to Ricardo for taking time out to talk with us. The mailbagbox only had one question in it this week, but it was a doozy. 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. Finally, we looked ahead to Saturday's showdown with the Columbus Crew, making our score predictions and giving our thoughts on where the match could be won or lost. Here's how No. 389 went down: 0:15 – We open the show with a short discussion of the USMNT's series against Trinidad & Tobago and Sergino Dest losing his mind. 9:26 – Ricardo Moreira joins us and we ask him about his future, team building, and a bunch of other stuff. 31:55 — A quick dip into the m Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City now knows its opponent for the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Lions will welcome the Columbus Crew into the purple palace in Parramore on Saturday, Nov. 25 for a 5:30 p.m. match. The series this year has been extremely competitive, with Orlando going 1-0-1 in the two regular-season meetings but needing to rally from two goals down both times to secure a result. We look at how these teams got to this point, dive into some of the key players for Columbus, and discuss the offensive prowess the Crew have shown in 2023. These were two of the best teams in the conference all season and now they'll go toe-to-toe with a berth in the conference final on the line. It should be a great match. We also looked at the various Orlando City players who will be with their national teams during the current international break. Hopefully they all come home healthy and inspired to show what they can do for their club after serving their countries. The mailbagbox was chock full again this week! Big thanks to everyone who submitted questinos, including some about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Facundo Torres' future in Orlando (or elsewhere), what one parent should tell his child about OCSC supporters' goal kick chant, and much 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. We'll be back next week to preview the game against the Crew and to cover any other news that breaks between now and then. Thanks for listening! Here's how No. 388 went down: 0:15 – The Lions will face the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference semifinals. We've got your tale of the tape for the matchup. 19:35 – Several Lions will be with their national teams during this international window. Let's find out which ones. 21:48 — A big pile of mail greeted us when we loo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Second verse, same as the first! Orlando City scored a first-half goal and rode that and a solid defensive game plan to a 1-0 playoff victory over Nashville SC in Game 2. This was essentially the same script, only with a less impressive winning goal and it took place in Tennessee rather than Florida, but the result is that the Lions are through the first-round series and on to the Eastern Conference semifinals. We break down another nervy, cagey match between two teams that are really starting to hate each other, and we select our unanimous Man of the Match. The mailbagbox was chock full this week and as a result, we babbled for a while about such topics as Inter Miami's seemingly endless supply of star players who aren't Designated Players, Oscar Pareja's postseason plans, various strikers who could help Orlando City next year, 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. Finally, we discussed the weirdness of MLS in terms of not reseeding the playoffs after the first round, and whether Orlando City would be better off playing Atlanta United or the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference semifinals. There is some consensus but also some split thinking on that topic. Here's how No. 387 went down: 0:15 – The Lions won in Nashville for the second time in a month and this time the prize was a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals. 35:14 – With the nerves of Round 1 behind our listeners, our mailbagbox was stuffed full of questions. 1:10:10 — A discussion of whether Orlando City fans should be rooting for Columbus or Atlanta to get out of the other Eastern Conference first-round series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City played a great game to start the 2023 playoffs. Although there were a few things the Lions could clean up, it's hard to imagine the team playing much better against a stubborn Nashville SC side. Sure, it would be nice to finish a few more chances, but the important thing is that Orlando is halfway to where it needs to be in this opening-round matchup. We break down the match, in which Orlando attempted a lot of shots (for a change against Nashville) and got just enough of them to go in to get the victory. We discuss Wilder Cartagena's amazing goal, the job the defense did, and our score predictions from last week. The mailbagbox was our second stop on the tour for this show. We were excited to talk about the offside rule, Orlando City's new celebrity minority owner, and our picks for the Lions' walk-out song. 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. Finally, we looked ahead to Game 2 at Nashville on Tuesday, dove into our key matchups for the game, and made our score predictions.   Here's how No. 386 went down: 0:15 – The Lions snatched Game 1 with another close win over Nashville. We break it down. 16:23 – We reach into our mailbagbox and pull out some great questions. 29:04 — It's time to preview Nashville again. We hope that the second verse is same as the first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oftentimes, awards are popularity contests. We get that. But it's still nice to see the players and teams you follow get some recognition. To that end, we discuss the Lions who made the final cut for Major League Soccer's end-of-season awards. We don't think they'll win, but it's nice to be nominated. However, it's not nice to be snubbed. We point out two individuals who should have been among the final three in their categories and why we think they should have been in the running. After that, we welcome Orlando City midfielder and fullback Dagur Dan Thorhallsson back to the show. The young Icelandic player had a nice first season in purple and he talks with us a bit about the playoffs and what the Lions have to do to break down Nashville SC and to stop Hany Mukhtar — or at least slow him down. Big thanks to Dagur for returning to our podcast with a big match coming up. After our recap, we checked the mailbagbox, which asked us about our soccer backgrounds as players, perfect albums, what Orlando City's philosophy should be this off-season, 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. Finally, we previewed Nashville SC, pointed out our key matchups for the game, and made our score predictions.  Here's how No. 385 went down: 0:15 – The MLS end-of-season awards finalists were released on Thursday and there were some Lions included and a couple of major (to us, anyway) snubs. 15:19 – Dagur Dan Thorhallsson returns to the show and now we can only expect something fantastic from his celebration if he scores in the playoffs. 32:42 — We answer some great questions in the mailbagbox and try to predict what will happen Monday night when the playoffs start for Orlando City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The regular season is over. Despite Orlando City giving everyone a participation trophy on Decision Day and the hosts having a bit more to play for in the season's final game — a retiring legendary captain and a new coach at the helm — the Lions prevailed 2-0 over Toronto FC on the strength of a fully caffeinated cup of Duncan's finest. Rookie Duncan McGuire came off the bench and played like he'd bought BMO Field that morning. Former USMNT captain and now-former Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley was the unfortunate player who will forever be enshrined in the highlight for one of Orlando City's most excellent goals of the 2023 season. That man has a family, Duncan! We broke down the Lions' win in Canada and make our unsurprisingly unanimous picks for Man of the Match. After our recap, we dove into a good-sized mailbagbox that wanted to know things about Josef Martinez, MLS transfer mechanisms, most and least impressive Lions in 2023, 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. Finally, we looked ahead briefly at Orlando City's prize for finishing second in the entire league — a best-of-three date with defensively stingy Nashville SC. Here's how No. 384 went down: 0:15 – Orlando continues to run on Duncan. In this case...roughshod over Toronto FC. 26:22 – The mailbagbox has a variety of questions, including that one about Josef Martinez. 49:50 — A quick look at Orlando City's playoff schedule against Nashville and how in the world did the Lions end up second and facing such a difficult first-round opponent? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've gotten through the final international break of the 2023 Major League Soccer regular season and soon we'll be watching the matches around the league on Decision Day. The final day of the season takes place on Saturday and the Lions will be north of the border for a meeting with Toronto FC. The Reds will have a few more things to play for than Orlando City on Saturday, including a new head coach, spots on the team for next season, and to send off captain Michael Bradley with one final victory. The Lions have nothing at stake on Saturday beyond sharpening their claws for the postseason. That can make a team dangerous. Before we dove into our Toronto preview, however, we spent some time discussing several topics. We checked in on the Orlando City players who were with their national teams this past week, including Duncan McGuire, who scored his first goal with the U.S. U-23 squad. The Orlando rookie just keeps on impressing with almost everything he does. We also spoke about the MLSPA salary reveal and how it affected Orlando City. Then we got sidetracked talking about Lionel Messi, and I'll take the blame for that because I really just wanted to talk about Pedro Gallese taking a pitch rusher's phone and launching it across the field when Peru played Argentina. Our mailbagbox was very concerned about the futures of Oscar Pareja, Luiz Muzzi, and Ricardo Moreira. Our listeners also asked us about our new favorite things and how much we keep up with former Orlando City players when they leave and join new teams. 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. Finally, we gave our thoughts on the key matchups for Saturday's regular-season finale at BMO Field in Toronto and offered up our score predictions for Decision Day as well. Here's how No. 383 went down: 0:15 – Lions in the international window, a new promotion for Orlando City matches against Miami, and more. 24:05 – The mailbagbox isn't too empty or too full. It's just right. 44:08 — Here's what we think will happen on Decision Day in Toronto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City completed a monster eight-day run, getting wins against Montreal, Nashville (on the road), and the New England Revolution. Saturday's home win over the Revs wasn't as close as the 3-2 scoreline would seem to indicate, and it's another good sign for an Orlando City team that has feasted in the past on lower teams while not being quite at the level of the better sides. The Lions have claimed wins over some of their problem teams in recent weeks and that should boost the lads' confidence heading into the postseason. We break down Orlando City's win over the Revs and make our selections for Man of the Match. Not only did the Lions win a game, but they also clinched the No. 2 spot in MLS. We get into what that means in terms of Orlando City's path through the postseason. But wait...there's more! By virtue of their strong finish in the league, the Lions will be going back to Concacaf Champions Cup (formerly Champions League). Orlando will once again take on the best in the confederation in search of silverware in 2024. Rookie striker Duncan McGuire, who opened the scoring on Saturday, has been turning heads all season. We discuss his call-up to the U.S. U-23 camp and what it could mean for the Lions in 2024. Speaking of the U.S., the senior national team has a couple of big battles ahead during this international window, taking on Germany and Ghana. It will be interesting to see how things go against top-notch competition. Our mailbagbox asked us about Orlando City's ability to close out games, playoff lineups and dates, 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. And that's our show for this week. There is no match for the Lions this weekend, so we're only publishing once this week, but we'll be back next week to take care of any news we need to cover and we'll be getting ready for Orlando City's regular-season finale at Toronto FC. Here's how No. 382 went down: 0:15 – Revenge against the Revs is sweet. 19:09 – What clinching second place does for Orlando in the near and long term and big news for Duncan McGuire. 33:51 — Our mailbagbox calls on us to be truthful and as accurate as possible, but not concise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City claimed another big road victory in a difficult place for visitors to get wins, and the Lions did it with only one shot on target all night on Wednesday. Duncan McGuire's strike late in the first half held up and the hosts didn't look particularly threatening after the opening moments of the second half thanks to a cool, calm, and collected Orlando City side that bossed the midfield, thwarted the Nashville attackers, and frustrated the hosts all evening — mostly by keeping the ball and not giving the Tennessee-based club a chance to unleash its lethal counterattack. We break down the match and another big three points against an Eastern Conference contender, presenting our unanimous pick for Man of the Match. Jake Catanese from The Blazing Musket jumped on with us to tell us about the chaos that's been going on in New England in the wake of Bruce Arena's exit as coach of the Revolution. The Revs may be a bit discombobulated since the coaching change, but they still have Carles Gil and you can probably expect Gustavo Bou to play as well. Big thanks to Jake for both his Revolution knowledge and his friendship. Our mailbagbox was jam packed! We were asked about Junior Urso, Orlando City's all-time Best XI, The Marvels, future Designated Player picks, and much 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. After touching briefly on the Lions on the nominee lists for the MLS end-of-season awards, we turned our attentino toward New England, presenting our key matchups for Saturday's game and our score predictions. It's another massive Eastern Conference battle heading into the international break. Here's how No. 381 went down: 0:15 – Winning ugly is still winning. And hey, Wednesday wasn't even that ugly if you like good defense. 14:40 – Jake Catanese jumps on with us and gives us the perspective of the New England Revolution fan. 33:06 — Our mailbagbox has never been this full before, plus our key matchups and predictions for Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions put together a complete game on Saturday night, soundly defeating visiting CF Montreal to the tune of 3-0 at Exploria Stadium. Orlando City needed that victory, which snapped a modest, two-game winless streak (0-1-1). Facundo Torres, Rafael Santos, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson were particularly good but the entire team played a solid match. We break down the victory — Pedro Gallese's ninth shutout of the season — and check back on our score predictions. We also give our selections for Man of the Match and tell you which of our picks made the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance. Orlando City B played its first MLS NEXT Pro playoff match and performed well on the road, but still lost 2-1 to Columbus Crew 2. The difference in the game was conceding two penalties. The Crew capitalized on both, despite the fact that Javier Otero saved one of them. In the end, there wasn't enough offense from OCB and two penalties conceded too many. Those kinds of mistakes are difficult to overcome anywhere, let alone on the road in the postseason. Still, it was a good season for the Young Lions and a much more entertaining one than we were expecting. Our mailbagbox featured questions about grammar, becoming friends with past and present Lions, Michael Halliday's future, 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. Finally, we looked ahead to Wednesday's matchup against Nashville SC on the road, providing our key matchups and our score predictions for the Lions' penultimate road match of the 2023 regular season in a week that's shaping up to be critical in terms of where Orlando City will finish with regard to home field in the postseason. Here's how No. 380 went down: 0:15 – A complete victory over CF Montreal at home. 25:36 – OCB bows out of the playoffs quickly, but weird things happened, so you know it was an authentic Orlando City B match. 40:37 — Our mailbagbox has some interesting questions for us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without a match to recap since our last show, we turned our attention to several news bites that have come out since Monday. We started with the news that Ajax is "monitoring" Orlando City winger Facundo Torres. Hey, they're not the only ones. Plenty of teams are keeping an eye on the young Uruguayan, and boy if he ever develops a right foot to go with his left, he'll get snatched up quickly. The bottom line is that Orlando City brought Torres in with selling him later in mind. That was the goal, so if it happens, it'll be mission accomplished, even though we'll miss those pretend selfies after El Cuervo's goals. As with all the Lions, enjoy them while they're here. Sports careers are fleeting, let alone the parts of those careers spent with one team. We also had plenty of OCB news to discuss, including the Young Lions' trip to Columbus to play Crew 2 this Sunday in the first round of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. The Crew chose OCB as their opponents, so it would be nice for the Young Lions to make the Ohio-based side pay for that decision. We also talked about "Big Jack" Lynn, who was named to the MLS NEXT Pro Best XI this week after winning a three-way share of the league's Golden Boot. We're rock guys who enjoy AC/DC, so we think "Big Jack" is a solid nickname for the young striker. What do you think? An OCB defender is on his way to Brazil with the U-17 USMNT to play the host nation twice in friendly competition during the upcoming camp. We hope it's a great experience and that the U.S. brings home a pair of dubs. We also looked in on former Lions Alexandre Pato and Sebas Mendez and discussed their recent trophy with Sao Paulo. Our mailbagbox featured questions about parenthood, the Orlando City rivalry with Inter Miami, 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. Finally, we looked ahead to Saturday's matchup with CF Montreal at Exploria Stadium, providing our key matchups and our score predictions for the Lions' penultimate home match of the 2023 regular season. Here's how No. 379 went down: 0:15 – A smattering of news from Orlando City and OCB, as well as a trophy for two former Lions. 20:14 – Our mailbagbox has some great questions this time out and we predict what will happen Saturday vs. Montreal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City didn't have to face Inter Miami's "big three" of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, but still fell behind and had to have a Duncan McGuire cannon shot to rescue a point at home. It wasn't that the Lions played poorly per se, it was just that they struggled to put chances away, which can happen during the season. Miami did the same a time or two, and ultimately both teams looked like tired groups that were playing on short rest again. (They were.) On this episode, we break down Orlando City's 1-1 draw, with the curious and gutless officiating that once again helped the Herons keep 11 men on the pitch — something Tomas Aviles was determined to prevent in his 45 minutes of wearing the ugly, pink uniform on Sunday night. We also make our selections for Man of the Match (we were unanimous), and tell you which Lion made the MLS Team of the Matchday. After our opening segment, we check our mailbagbox, only to find it surprisingly empty. 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. OCB closed its MLS NEXT Pro regular season with a 2-1 win at home over FC Cincinnati. We discuss the Young Lions' victory and dive into Jack Lynn's wild pursuit of the league's Golden Boot. He ended up getting it, but some odd things happened to keep him from having to share it with two other players. Here's how No. 378 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City didn't win against Inter Miami, but the Lions also didn't lose. 20:47 – Our mailbagbox is empty, and we discuss OCB's win on Decision Day and Jack Lynn's pursuit of the Golden Boot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As special and memorable as Saturday's win over the Columbus Crew was, Wednesday's match at New York City FC was the polar opposite. The Lions played one of their most forgettable games of the season in a lethargic 2-0 loss on the road. The Pigeons played well, so give them credit, but that was not the Orlando City we're used to seeing. The Lions lacked ideas, urgency, energy, and — perhaps most of all — the ability/desire to track attacking players defensively. The Lions simply were unworthy of bringing three points home from New York City during the midweek. That said, the team's body of work on the season was rewarded with the Lions' fourth postseason berth in as many years. We break down a game we didn't want to talk much about, check back on our score predictions, and make our unanimous pick for Man of the Match. After that chore, we checked our mailbagbox, where we were asked about Orlando City's biggest rival. 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. OCB will close the regular season with a home match, looking to secure fifth in the Eastern Conference when FC Cincinnati 2 visits Kissimmee on Sunday afternoon. Finally, we previewed Orlando City vs. Inter Miami, discussing our key matchups and score predictions and voicing some concerns that the NYCFC loss doesn't turn into two. Here's how No. 377 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City and Ramiro Enrique went from high to low in just three days. 20:47 – Our mailbagbox and Orlando City B's task in the regular-season finale. 34:29 – Our key matchups and score predictions for Inter Miami's visit on Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There have been a lot of special moments already this season, but Orlando City's three-goal rally from down 3-1 to up 4-3 at the death on Saturday night against the Columbus Crew was special. The Lions came roaring back behind Martin Ojeda, Facundo Torres, and Ramiro Enrique, who somehow found himself in the right place at the right time repeatedly against the Crew. We look back on the lineup changes, the big moments, and a crazy night that was reminiscent of "drunk OCB" at Exploria Stadium. We discuss the Lions who were honored for that performance, check back on our score predictions and make our selections for Man of the Match. Following our look back at Saturday's win, we welcome Andrew Leigh from Hudson River Blue to discuss Wednesday's road game against New York City FC. The Lions haven't always fared well on the baseball diamonds in the north, and Andrew was kind enough to give us an update on the state of the Pigeons. After our chat with Andrew, we discussed Orlando City B's playoff-clinching draw (followed by a shootout win) at Chicago Fire FC II. We honestly should have given this game more time but our Crew rewind and interview ran long (what else is new?), and the important thing is that the Young Lions are in the postseason. We also looked into our mailbagbox, where we were asked about numerous things and we had an answer for all of them, including our three worst Orlando City moments. 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. Finally, we previewed Orlando City at New York City FC, giving you our key matchups and score predictions for the midweek match. Here's how No. 376 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City's massive comeback to down Columbus at the death. 34:09 – Andrew Leigh tells us all about New York City FC and playing on baseball fields. 59:05 – OCB in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs, our mailbagbox, and our key matchups and predictions for the Lions' trip to play NYCFC on Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With no Orlando City match to recap, we turned our attention to the United States Men's National Team's performance in the recent international window. We aren't as angst-ridden about the 3-0 and 4-0 wins over Uzbekistan and Oman, respectively, as many people are, but there is certainly room for improvement and it wasn't the best two games from Sergino Dest or Christian Pulisic, but the Yanks still got their wins. Tougher tests await and hopefully the squad will be fully fit for the next window. After that brief check-in with the USMNT — and please forgive our lack of recapping a somewhat meh 1-1 road draw by OCB at New England Revolution II and the Young Lions' subsequent shootout loss — we welcomed Collin Johnson from Massive Report to the program to give us all of the information on Orlando City's opponents tomorrow night, the Columbus Crew. Collin did a great job of getting us up to speed on all things Columbus, including how new players like Diego Rossi are fitting into Wilfried Nancy's system. Big apologies to our founders for not notifying you in advance of our guest for this show, but it wasn't confirmed until we were within an hour of recording time, so it came together quite late. After our chat with Collin, we looked into our mailbagbox, where we were asked to chronologically predict some suggested big evens in a possible MLS future. 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. We looked ahead to OCB's big match tonight on the road against Chicago Fire FC II, and, finally, previewed Orlando City vs. Columbus, complete with our key matchups and score predictions. Here's how No. 375 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City was off last weekend so we discussed the USMNT's two matches in the international window. 11:28 – Collin Johnson from Massive Report jumps on and gives us a comprehensive overview of the Columbus Crew. 29:05 – Our mailbagbox, OCB's impending game at Chicago, and our key matchups and predictions for Saturday's date with the Crew. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City went to TQL Stadium and did something no other visiting team has done this season — defeat mighty FC Cincinnati. In fact, the Lions went 1-0-1 against the assumed Supporters' Shield winners in 2023, so that might bode well for a potential postseason run. You'll recall that the Lions are also the only visiting team with an MLS regular-season win at the Philadelphia Union. We broke down a nervy and hard-fought match in southwest Ohio, with the lads in purple coming out on top despite the loss of Duncan McGuire early on due to a shoulder injury. His replacement, Ramiro Enrique, managed to figure prominently in the winning goal. We checked back out our incorrect score predictions and made our selections for Man of the Match. We were split this time out. We also broke down the Ercan Kara transfer to Samsunspor. We knew the striker depth would become thinner if the move happened, but we didn't expect that to matter so quickly. OCB had a huge match at home on Sunday but things didn't go well in the first half for the Young Lions and the hole was too deep to dig out of in a wild 6-3 loss to Crown Legacy. The games are dwindling for OCB to clinch a playoff spot and the matches ahead aren't easy, but a Jack Lynn brace always makes for a more exciting experience when watching the Young Lions Our mailbagbox asked us about what Orlando City can / will do for more striker depth to see out the season and players who have revived their careers after coming to Orlando City. 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. Here's how No. 374 went down: 0:15 – The Lions managed to become the first team to beat FC Cincinnati on its home field despite losing Duncan McGuire early. 30:14 – What the Ercan Kara transfer means moving forward in light of McGuire's injury, which is hopefully not a longterm thing. 37:22 – OCB-Crown Legacy was another wild MLS NEXT Pro affair and we dipped into our mailbagbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City fell into the proverbial trap. With St. Louis City in the rearview mirror and a trip to league-leading Cincinnati looming this weekend, the match in Charlotte against a team that's below the playoff line always looked like a trap game, even taking into account the Lions should have been out for revenge against a team that beat them at home in regular-season play and knocked them out of the U.S. Open Cup earlier this year. Charlotte came out with a great deal of energy and Orlando City struggled to match it. The Lions eventually settled into the game and created some of the game's best scoring chances, but struggled to finish when they stayed onside. A late penalty seemed to hand all the points to Charlotte again, but a little fortune fell Orlando City's way when a long-range Martin Ojeda set piece fell kindly after clearing every player on the pitch, allowing the Lions to escape with a hard-fought road point. We've got the full game breakdown and our selections for Man of the Match. Following our recap, we break down the reports of Samsunspor's interest in Ercan Kara and what that means for Orlando City through the rest of 2023. Geoff Tebbetts from Cincinnati Soccer Talk joined us to help us prepare for Orlando City's trip to southwestern Ohio this Saturday to face the Supporters' Shield leaders, FC Cincinnati. The Lions last saw FCC early in the season when the teams played to a 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium. Geoff is the host of their Jersey Swap podcast and he did a great job of catching us up on the latest happenings in Cincy. Our mailbagbox was a bit light for this episode but we can only answer the questions you send us, and you asked us about Ercan Kara and about Folarin Balogun going to Monaco. 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. OCB has a tall task ahead on Sunday and the Young Lions will probably have to face Crown Legacy without the likes of Jack Lynn, Abdi Salim, and potentially Thomas Williams. That's not ideal. Finally, we discussed Saturday's matchup between Orlando City and FC Cincinnati. We've got our key matchups and score predictions for you. Here's how No. 373 went down: 0:15 – The Lions struggled in the attack but scratched back to earn a point in Charlotte. 35:54 – We welcome Geoff from Cincinnati Soccer Talk to preview the Lions' trip to face the Supporters' Shield leaders. 54:06 – A look in the mailbagbox, OCB to face Crown Legacy without some key players, and our key matchups and score predictions for the Lions' trip to Cincinnati. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City had one of its toughest tests of the season and passed with flying colors. The Lions held the high-powered St. Louis City offense to a single goal and even that one wasn't originally awarded. The defense did a good job of cutting off the visitors' transition chances, and Orlando got a brace from streaky winger Facundo Torres, including a winner from the penalty spot early in stoppage time. Only a blatant red card foul prevented what could have been a third goal in the dying moments of the lengthy additional time. It's a win that should build some confidence for the Lions, which is good, because they're about to go on the road to face two teams they haven't beaten this year — both on short rest. We broke down the win over St. Louis City and selected our unanimous Man of the Match. Our mailbagbox was interested in our thoughts on what would happen if national teams played in their domestic leagues and how Nicholas Gioacchini left Orlando. 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. After the mailbagbox, we broke down a pivotal win by OCB over Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday night in Kissimmee. The Young Lions struck first, forced a Crew player to take a second yellow card, and then cruised to an easy win over a difficult opponent. Considering what's still left on OCB's schedule, that was an important victory in the team's MLS NEXT Pro playoff push. Finally, we discussed Wednesday night's matchup between Orlando City and Charlotte FC. The Lions will hope the third time is the charm after suffering a home MLS loss and a road U.S. Open Cup defeat to Charlotte in a pair of hard-fought games. We've got our score predictions and key matchups for you. Here's how No. 372 went down: 0:15 – The Lions enjoyed a big win over Western Conference-leading St. Louis City and we have your talking points from the match. 27:18 – We answer our listeners' mailbagbox questions and break down OCB vs. Columbus Crew 2. 46:30 – Our key matchups and score predictions for the Lions' trip to Charlotte. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got Robin Jansson on this week's show! The Beefy Swede himself took time away from out-muscling opposing attackers to chat with us about many topics, including facing Lionel Messi and the Inter Miami circus, his partnership with Antonio Carlos (and Rodrigo Schlegel), what he enjoys about Orlando, the possibility of cutting down on yellow cards by yelling at match officials in Swedish instead of English, and much more. Big thanks to Robin for his time, and we hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did. Our mailbagbox was surprisingly empty, even though we recorded on Dave's birthday and, as you know, Dave loves the mailbagbox. 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. Finally, we discussed Saturday night's matchup between Orlando City and St. Louis City. The two teams will be meeting for the first time and a familiar face is leading the expansion side in goal scoring. We give you our key matchups and score predictions for Saturday. Here's how No. 371 went down: 0:15 – Our show intro goes a little sideways because it was Dave's birthday 5:26 – Robin Jansson stops by to talk to us about the season so far. 25:51 – A quick (but futile) look in our mailbagbox, plus our key matchups and score predictions for the Lions vs. the best in the West. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City returned to regular-season play on Sunday night and ran into a stingy Chicago Fire defense that kept the Lions stymied for the first half. The second half was a different story, even though it started out on the wrong foot. The Lions fell behind just moments after the restart but were resilient enough to come back against the Fire on the road, ending a string of three consecutive Chicago shutout wins in MLS play and winning 3-1 at Soldier Field. It's the first time Orlando City has won on that ground, and we're excited to break down a rather entertaining game with a lot of drama. We welcomed Junior Urso back to the field for Orlando City and also welcomed Michael Halliday back to the field for the first time in quite a while. Plus, justice for Wilder Cartagena! After our breakdown of the game, we handed out our Man of the Match selections. Our mailbagbox asked about our EPL predictions and Marvel superheroes as soccer players. 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. With the return of the MLS regular season, we are back to our twice-a-week format, so be sure to get your questions in for our next recording on Thursday night. As always, thanks for listening. Here's how No. 370 went down: 0:15 – The Lions looked lively to start the match but the first half was scoreless only due to a mistake by Chicago's striker. 16:12 – Orlando City needed a slap in the face early in the second half to wake up, but once the Lions did that, it was glorious. 35:09 – A brief look ahead to the next Orlando City and OCB matches and our mailbagbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With another off week for the senior Lions, we turn our attention to the Young Lions of Orlando City B. OCB headed northeast to face New York City FC II in Queens and it was yet another wild affair for the Young Lions. They grabbed an early lead, threw that away, went down multiple goals, and then stormed back for a much-needed three points on the road. We break down the proceedings as "drunk OCB" is back and we got two goals each from Shak and Jack! That wasn't all the OCB news, as Orlando City signed 14-year-old midfielder Gustavo Caraballo to a multi-year MLS NEXT Pro contract. Caraballo becomes the youngest professional signing in the club's history and hopefully he can make his way from the academy through OCB to a career with the first team. Our mailbagbox asked about tracking Lionel Messi favoritism, Doctor Who, and baby names. 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. Finally, Orlando City returns to action this Sunday on the road against the Chicago Fire. We provided our key matchups for the game and made attempts to predict the final score this weekend. We'll have to check to see how wrong we were next week. As a programming note, there will not be a second show this week. We'll return to our normal two-shows-per-week schedule next week. Here's how No. 369 went down: 0:15 – OCB got a pair of braces in a wild, comeback victory in New York City. 24:49 – A new Young Lion appears! 29:38 – The mailbagbox and what we think will happen at Soldier Field on Sunday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're still in the limbo between Leagues Cup and the resumption of the Major League Soccer season, so it's time for the Young Lions to take center stage. Unfortunately, this week that means having to rehash an unsatisfying 1-1 draw against an Inter Miami II side that was down a man for more than half an hour. That draw was followed by an even less satisfying shootout loss. We break down the match and implore Javier Otero to vary his approach a bit more when it comes to spot kicks. Our mailbagbox asked about European teams and players, as well as what constitutes success for Orlando City in 2023. 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. Finally, Orlando City B midfielder Alejandro Granados was sold to Belgian side Club Brugge. The club did not release the financial details but multiple online reports had the Lions making a cool $2 million for the Spanish youth international. We discuss the rare academy business the club wrapped up. As a programming note, there will not be a second show this week, as there is no Orlando City match. We'll recap tonight's OCB game next week, combining it with the Young Lions' trip to play NYCFC II. Here's how No. 368 went down: 0:15 – OCB struggled to score on the road despite opportunities. 18:45 – The mailbagbox beckons and we've got answers to all questions. 35:15 – An academy sale! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions got got. It's difficult enough to deal with an Inter Miami team getting not only the new coach bump, but also adding three former Barcelona stars through whatever financial gymnastics MLS employed, but it's even worse when you have to take on the officiating crew as well. Another downy soft penalty, an uncalled second yellow on Lionel Messi, a chalked-off goal, a forcible hand to Kyle Smith's throat (also uncalled), and more combined to take an exciting, contentious, rivalry knockout match out of the hands of the players on the field. We broke down Orlando City's breakdowns and those of the officiating crew, made our Man of the Match selections, and look forward to catching our breath during the down time between now and Aug. 20. We also discussed how I told you so with regard to Messi, only it was worse than I even imagined it could be. Our mailbagbox asked about Orlando City player name pronunciations and Marvel's Secret Invasion. 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. Finally, we discussed OCB's 2-1 loss at New York Red Bulls II, and looked ahead to their upcoming trip to face Inter Miami II. And we wrapped up by discussing this strange down time we suddenly have midseason. Here's how No. 367 went down: 0:15 – A night we'll never forget for all the wrong reasons (a.k.a. why Ivan Barton will never be welcome in Orlando). 30:55 – The mailbagbox calls, and since we love it, we obviously answer. 44:05 – Time for some OCB talk and how we'll spend the time between Orlando City matches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lions found a way. Orlando City came back from a first-half deficit, then responded late after Santos Laguna had erased its own one-goal deficit in the second half. There was one likely hero and two less likely ones accounting for Orlando's goals, and a vital tackle turned Santos Laguna's potential game-winning transition opportunity into the Lions' game-winner on the counter instead. We look back at a historic night for Orlando City SC, which beat a Liga MX team for the first time, won its group in Leagues Cup, and advanced to the Round of 32 to face Inter Miami on short rest. Great prize for winning the group, huh? We also discussed how the Lions' group shook out after the round robin matches were played and made our selections for Man of the Match. We then checked our mailbagbox, which featured questions from our listeners about injuries, contracts, and Leagues Cup picks. 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. OCB was in the process of playing New York Red Bulls II on the road while we were recording, so we'll have to save that breakdown for our next show. Finally, we gave our key matchups and score predictions for Orlando City's road match in the Tropic Thunder series against Inter Miami on Wednesday. Here's how No. 366 went down: 0:15 – A three-goal outburst to oust Liga MX's Santos Laguna and claim the group. 21:03 – The mailbagbox demands our responses, we touch on what was happening in the OCB match, and we denigrated Inter Miami for a few minutes. 41:22 – Our key matchups and score predictions for the Leagues Cup Round of 32 match Wednesday at Inter Miami.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Orlando City having the midweek off, a wet Exploria Stadium welcomed English Premier League sides Aston Villa and Fulham on Wednesday night as the Summer Series came to Orlando. Despite a late start due to typical inclement Central Florida weather, the 16,000+ fans in attendance were treated to a fairly feisty friendly between the teams from Birmingham and London. It started out a bit cagey but chances were created, although only one team took advantage of those. We provide a brief overview of a top-notch friendly at the Purple Palace. The only Leagues Cup South 2 group stage match that doesn't involve Orlando City took place in Houston on Tuesday night, as the Dynamo played copycat and drew Santos Laguna, before then beating the Liga MX side in penalties. We scouted the game and have the scenarios for advancing for you. We then dove into our mailbagbox, which asked us about a potential expansion slot for Louisville. 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. OCB is off to face New York Red Bulls II on the road Monday. After a brief parley about that, we dive into our key matchups and score predictions for Orlando City's home match against Santos Laguna in 2023 Leagues Cup play on Saturday. Here's how No. 365 went down: 0:15 – EPL teams duked it out at Exploria Stadium and we discuss Houston vs. Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup play. 23:26 – A visit to the mailbagbox. 36:47 – Key matchups and score predictions  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City did just about enough against the Houston Dynamo on Friday night but a highly questionable penalty call spoiled Pedro Gallese's clean sheet and ultimately cost the Lions a point in the South 2 group of the 2023 Leagues Cup. That makes the road to the knockout stages slightly more difficult with a big match coming up against Santos Laguna. We break down a game Orlando should not have needed penalty kick heroics (although those were fun and exciting to watch). We also select our Man of the Match and check back on our score predictions. We then dove into our mailbagbox to answer questions about coaches' challenges and whether or not Martin Ojeda should have given up No. 11 for Junior Urso. 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. After the mailbagbox, we discuss the upcoming Fulham-Aston Villa friendly at Exploria Stadium on Wednesday. And finally, we dissected another crazy Orlando City B match. The Young Lions took the early lead, fell behind, then rallied for a big 3-2 home win over Chicago Fire FC II, and it was just OCB being OCB. Get to one of the Young Lions' games soon because you never know what's going to happen. Here's how No. 364 went down: 0:15 – The Lions probably deserved all three points against the Dynamo but they'll have to settle for two. 19:37 – We dip into the mailbagbox and touch on a midweek club friendly at Exploria Stadium. 33:52 – OCB plays yet another wild game and comes out on top.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we went to our two-shows-per-week format, we intended to cut the average length of our episodes. With that in mind, we think you won't mind too much about this episode being a little longer than usual. First of all, we're giving it to you a day early and second...well, we are extremely excited to bring you our extended interview with Orlando City Technical Director and Assistant General Manager Ricardo Moreira. Ricardo was extremely generous with his time in giving us thoughtful and comprehensive answers to the questions we asked him, as well as the questions sent in by our TML Founders. Huge thanks to Ricardo and the Orlando City communications staff for facilitating the interview. It was a lot of fun and informative as well. Before our chat with our special guest, we discussed what Junior Urso's return means to Orlando City. It's great to have the Bear back, bringing depth and experience to a young team. We are excited to see how he fits into the rotation. We also discussed a couple of transfer rumors — one that seems likely regarding Alejandro Granados potentially heading to Europe, and one that seems less likely about the Lions being interested in USMNT fullback Bryan Reynolds. We also discuss what the Leagues Cup is, a bit about the format, what Orlando City's path is to the knockout round, and what might wait for the Lions if they reach the Round of 32. After our discussion with Moreira, we answered several of your questions in our mailbagbox. 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. Finally, we touched on what OCB has coming up this weekend and gave our key matchups and score predictions for Orlando City vs. the Houston Dynamo in Leagues Cup action Friday night. Here's how No. 363 went down: 0:15 – The Bear is back, some transfer rumors, and Leagues Cup talk. 25:20 – Ricardo Moreira drops some knowledge on us. 57:31 – Our mailbagbox, OCB, and what we expect to see on Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City went to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and did something the Lions have only done once in their history in the series — they claimed all three points on the road against Atlanta United. From Mauricio Pereyra's string-pulling to Duncan McGuire's strong finishing, to Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo starving forwards of service, to Antonio Carlos doing everything he possibly could on both ends, the Lions played a complete road match and got a deserved three points. At least, I think they did. It's possible the game is still in stoppage time. We discussed the key talking points of the game, checked in on our predictions (which were wrong), and made our selections for Man of the Match. This week's mailbagbox was impressively full, and you guys had a lot of variety in your questions. We did our best to answer them fully, if not succinctly. 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. Finally, we broke down a crazy game in Kissimmee between OCB and Atlanta United 2. Just when you thought the Young Lions were going up a man, they went down a man instead, and despite falling behind in the second half with fewer players on the field, they still managed to control most of the 90 minutes against their rivals to the north. It was an absolutely bananas game and we can't wait to see what OCB does next. Here's how No. 362 went down: 0:15 – Our breakdown of an enjoyable win on the road against Atlanta United. 34:59 – This week's mailbagbox is bursting at the seams! 58:52 – Another insane OCB game saw the Young Lions overcome a deficit and a team with Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without a midweek game (thank goodness!), we decided to take a look at the transfer window from Orlando City's perspective. Although we don't expect an active transfer window for the Lions, we did think it was worthwhile to look at the spots on the roster where a move might be helpful to the team. We had one common train of thought and expanded in some different decisions as well. Orlando City's development academy has a new director and we talked a bit about Javier Carrillo and the task he has in continuing OCSC's rise in the academy ranks, where the U-15 and U-17 teams routinely are getting good results in major tournaments. Speaking of development teams, OCB has a big match coming up Sunday at home against Atlanta United 2. Let's hope the third time is the charm for the Young Lions against the...I dunno...Baby Five Stripes? We then opened up our mailbagbox and answered questions about the now-defunct indoor Orlando SeaWolves as well as what we've been reading. 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. The USMNT's run in the Gold Cup came to a disappointing end and we weighed in with some thoughts on both that roster and the tournament performances. Finally, we provided our key matchups and score predictions for Orlando City's trip to play Atlanta United on Saturday. Here's how No. 361 went down: 0:15 – A look at which positions Orlando City could improve upon in this window if improvements are made. 25:56 – A new academy director, OCB's next opponent, and our mailbagbox. 43:43 – A poor Gold Cup outing (both in the game and tournament) by the USMNT and our key matchups and predictions for Orlando City at Atlanta United. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be a goldfish, but only for the bad games. It's perfectly fine to remember the 4-0 win over Toronto last Tuesday but the sooner we get rid of all vestiges of Saturday night's 4-0 loss at Real Salt Lake, the better. The Lions looked lively for about 15 minutes and then the reality of the fixture congestion, travel, and altitude caught up with them. The first half was an evenly matched affair, with the exception of the two goals allowed from set pieces. Statistically it was basically anyone's match. However, once those goals went in, especially the second, there was never a threat of Orlando City beating a good (and fresh) team in its own stadium. We break down the breakdowns, look back at our score predictions, and figure out who to select as Man of the Match. Orlando City has a new player but it's a familiar face, as the Lions rewarded the standout play of goalkeeper Javier Otero with a Homegrown Player contract. Otero has done a lot to help OCB the last two seasons although there's only so much he can do sometimes. The mailbagbox questions for this episode include queries about allocation money tracking and transfer season. 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. OCB went to Huntsville, and aside from Jack Lynn and Alex Freeman scoring goals, there's not much we'll want to remember about this match either. It's best to just be a goldfish for both the men's teams' results from this weekend. Finally, we also touched a little on the USMNT's Gold Cup quarterfinal matchup against Canada, which was a wild game. Here's how No. 360 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City did not do well in Utah. At all. 21:12 – Mailbagbox questions are really putting us to the test this week. We'd love to know as much as you guys hope we do. 43:56 – OCB's offense was better than Orlando City's this weekend but the Young Lions were far worse defensively. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sandwich in Orlando City's three-games-in-eight-days schedule was a tasty one, with the Lions exploding for four goals in a beatdown of Toronto FC prior to the more usual holiday fireworks display in the sky above Exploria Stadium afterward. Cesar Araujo, Rafael Santos, Wilder Cartagena, and others starred on a night that never seemed in doubt once Duncan McGuire's flick beat former Lion Greg Ranjitsingh at the near post to make it 2-0. It's also helpful in protecting a lead when the other team's biggest scoring threat gets sent off. We break down the match and make our selections for Man of the Match. The mailbagbox questions for this episode wanted to know what things we've done recently four times in 90 minutes. We've got answers! 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. OCB will be back in action on Sunday night, with a kickoff time sandwiched between the United States women and the USMNT matches. (There I go with a second sandwich reference. I must be hungry.) Finally, we gave our key matchups and score predictions for Saturday night's late match between Orlando City and Real Salt Lake. Here's how No. 359 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City dominated Toronto FC...which...they really should have. 23:09 – It's mailbagbox time! 33:47 – Our key matchups and score predictions for a trip to Utah  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After one normal work week, the Lions are right smack dab in the midst of fixture congestion once again, as Orlando City is set to play on two days rest against Toronto FC before flying out to Utah to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday. Orlando City is coming off a 3-1 home victory over the Chicago Fire, with Facundo Torres adding two more goals and Ramiro Enrique getting on the scoresheet. We break down a fun match at Exploria Stadium in which the Lions could once again have allowed a late equalizer, but instead chose violence and put the opposition away. We make our selections for Man of the Match and see how we did with regard to our score predictions. Our mailbag segment was unexpectedly short, but 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. OCB was in action on Sunday evening and it was a crazy game at FC Cincinnati 2, with the Young Lions falling behind twice and coming back from two goals down to win 5-3 in a wild, eight-goal thriller. If that game were a person, they'd need an Uber home because that was one intoxicated match. We try to make sense of it for you. Finally, we gave our key match-ups and score predictions for tonight's matchup between Orlando City and Toronto FC at Exploria Stadium. Here's how No. 358 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City doused the Fire on Saturday and Facu is flying high. 26:08 – A brief mailbagbox and our thoughts on OCB's road win at Cincy. 52:53 – Key matchups and score predictions for the first meeting with Toronto this season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City finally has a normal work week. But even though the Lions didn't play since our last show, there's still a game to discuss. OCB hosted Philadelphia Union II, looking to keep its unbeaten home streak intact. That did not, in fact, happen. The Union kids came in and took all three points in a lopsided 3-0 win over the Young Lions. The stats say the game should have yielded OCB a better result, but with the visitors striking twice in the first 21 minutes, the final stats are usually not going to reflect the outcome. OCB was unable to break through and make a game of it, both before and after the storm hit, and ultimately the home streak has been broken and the Young Lions will need to recoup those dropped points on the road. We discuss the reserve side's difficult night. In more positive news, OCB and Orlando City Development Academy defender Tahir Reid-Brown has been selected to the 2023 MLS NEXT All-Star Game. We know he'll represent the club well. We were then joined by Ruben Tisch, the managing editor at The Lantern, (formerly Hot Time in Old Town), which is a new subscription-based Chicago Fire newsletter since leaving SBNation. Ruben was generous with his time, letting us know about how Kei Kamara has fit in with the Fire, what former Lion Chris Mueller brought to the team before his injury, what his expectations are for Saturday night, and more. Big thanks to Ruben for his time. We obviously checked our mailbagbox to find questions about how to deprive Messi fans of tickets in Orlando, what might become of Ercan Kara, and our music-related tifo choices. 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. Finally, we gave our key match-ups and score predictions for Saturday night's matchup between Orlando City and the Chicago Fire at Exploria Stadium. Here's how No. 357 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City B did not have a very good night on Wednesday in Kissimmee. 10:37 – Ruben Tisch jumps on the show and tells us that he's not overly concerned with any individual Orlando City player. 29:20 – Our mailbagbox, key matchups, and score predictions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City completed a three-games-in-eight-days gauntlet, finishing with a transcontinental trip to play the Seattle Sounders. Although the Lions played well in the match and created chances, they were ultimately undone by a lack of finishing once again as Mauricio Pereyra's empty-net sitter sailed over the crossbar from about eight yards out and Stefan Frei made some good saves to deny Duncan McGuire and Facundo Torres. Pedro Gallese had little to do at the other end but stopped the few chances that the hosts put on frame. It was a good, yet simultaneously frustrating, result. We give our thoughts on the game, touch on Mikey Halliday's apparent hamstring injury, and make our selections for Man of the Match. We obviously checked our mailbagbox to see what's on your mind. 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. We briefly touched on OCB's busy schedule in the coming week before diving into a discussion about The Beautiful Game, a legends match at Exploria Stadium on Friday night that was cut short due to weather and misbehaving fans who refused to stay off the field of play. What can MLS and security teams around the country learn from this game for when Lionel Messi arrives? We discuss both the entertaining aspect of the game, Nani's return to Orlando, and why people think it's OK to disrupt sporting events and ruin it for everyone else. Here's how No. 356 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City did everything right except score a goal in Seattle. The Lions still haven't beaten the Sounders at Lumen Field, but they have taken four out of six points in the last two meetings overall. 18:18 – Mailbagbox time and a quick peek at the upcoming OCB schedule. 33:49 – The Beautiful Game lived up to its name until it didn't.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City returned home on short rest and squred off with a well-rested Philadelphia Union team on Wednesday night. Things started off well and then got better in the second half before the game took a turn on an unintentional Union goal and then nothing seemed to go right as the Lions' legs got heavier in the late stages of the match. We look back on yet another punch in the unmentionables, discuss the things that could have gone better, and make our selections for Man of the Match. We also touched on the return of Orlando City's international stars and Ivan Angulo's loan extension, which will keep him in the City Beautiful until the end of the 2023 season. Dave Clark from Sounder at Heart then joins us to help us preview the Lions' trip to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Sounders late Saturday night (well, late for us on the East Coast, anyway). The Lions have never won at Lumen Field, but perhaps Dave gives us the secret that will allow Orlando City to break that trend. Big thanks to Dave for coming on with us and giving us all the info we need about the Sounders. After our chat with Dave, it was mailbagbox time! We answered your most pressing questions of the week. 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. Finally, we presented our key matchups and score predictions for the Lions' trip to see the Space Needle. Here's how No. 355 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City couldn't hang onto the lead against Philadelphia, although not having a goal chalked off would have helped. 35:25 – Dave Clark discusses the 2023 Seattle Sounders' trials and tribulations. 37:15 – The mailbagbox and our key matchups and score predictio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some important players were missing on Saturday and so was Orlando City's connectivity as the Lions once again came home from Gillette Stadium without any points. The Revolution's 3-1 win was deserved and only a late strike from Duncan McGuire gave Orlando fans anything to cheer about from a rain-soaked game on the fake plastic grass in Foxborough. We broke down the match in our usual haphazard style and selected our Man of the Match. We also discussed Juninho's MLS debut and how some call-ups affected OCB going into Chicago shorthanded. We then went over the Young Lions' 1-0 loss to Chicago Fire II, which we did not at all enjoy. Matt Ralph, the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now jumped on with us to give us an update on how things are going with the Union since Orlando City's 2-1 win snapped Philadelphia's long, home unbeaten run earlier this season. It turns out the Union are still good and Matt gave us some insight on how the team has been playing, which big name might be out of the lineup for Philly, and which players are sometimes not at their best. Big thanks to Matt for joining us on what has been a busy week of covering soccer for him. Following our discussion with Matt, we dove into the mailbagbox and answered questions about the Gio Reyna, the USMNT, and our opinions of a women's version of the U.S. Open Cup. 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. Finally, we presented our key matchups and score predictions for the Lions' home matchup against the Union on Wednesday. Here's how No. 354 went down: 0:15 – Orlando City couldn't handle the Revolution on the road. OCB likewise struggled in Chicago. 19:39 – Matt Ralph lets us know what's new with the Union since the Lions won in Philadelphia. 40:36 – The mailbagbox and our key matchups an Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Lions prepare for an important trip to Gillette Stadium to play the New England Revolution, there will be some names missing from the starting XI and even from the bench. We discussed how Oscar Pareja's troops will assemble in Massachusetts and what will happen in the second half when tired legs require substitutions. Sam Minton from The Blazing Musket joins us this week to give us the scoop on what's been going on in New England this year. Just like The Mane Land, our friends who support the Revolution have left SBNation, but unlike us, they are operating as a Substack newsletter. Sam told us about the Revs' missing players, but they won't be without as many key guys, and that seems like an advantage for a team that has never lost at home to Orlando City. In other words, they don't need any more help. Big thanks to Sam for his time and for dropping the Revs knowledge on us. After our talk with Sam, we jump into our mailbagbox to answer anything you asked us. 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. Finally, we gathered our thoughts on the key matchups for Saturday's game and made our bold score predictions. Here's how No. 353 went down: 0:15 – Depth is good until you use it and there's no more behind it. 15:56 – Sam Minton jumps on to update us on all things Revolution. 31:40 – The mailbagbox and our key matchups and score predictions for Saturday's trip to Gillette Stadium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orlando City did that thing where you outscore the other team at home and get three points and it was everything we dreamed it would be. No, the game wasn't an objectively entertaining match, but the Lions dominated possession and did just enough to take advantage of the Colorado Rapids having not one, but two men sent off. We break down the proceedings, including Dave's trip down to see the game and make our selections for Man of the Match. Facundo Torres made his second consecutive MLS Team of the MatchDay, Ramiro Enrique opened his Orlando City account, Alejandro Granados made his MLS debut, and several Lions won't be available next week when the team travels to New England. OCB exploded for four goals on Sunday to rout FC Cincinnati 2 by a final score of 4-0 that could have been even worse for the visitors. Jack Lynn scored again, because of course he did, while two Young Lions scored their first of the season and first-team fullback Luca Petrasso set up Shak Mohammed on a nice goal. We break down a big win at Osceola Heritage Park by OCB, which was subsequently crowned the MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Matchday. Our mailbagbox was quite full and asked us questions about suspensions, Messi, and taking a job with the Professional Referee Organization. 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. We'll be back later in the week to prepare for Orlando City's trip to play the Revolution in Massachusetts. Here's how No. 352 went down: 0:15 – The Lions took advantage of Colorado's gaffes and got a much-needed home win. 20:48 – OCB mangled FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday to stay unbeaten at home. 33:22 – The mailbagbox awaits! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's PawedCast time again, and since there was apparently only one news story in the entire world this week, we've sunk to giving actual minutes of our show to discussing the as-yet-unsigned Lionel Messi. What does it mean for MLS, for Miami, and for Orlando if and when that signature happens? As with any signing, we'll have to wait and see, but it will at least solve Inter Miami's attendance issues. As with most things involving MLS, there are positives and negatives, and we're here to discuss both. Matt Pollard has been busy repositioning former SBNation Colorado Rapids blog Burgundy Wave into a Patreon-funded site and he joins us to help us preview Saturday's opponents from the Western Conference. Big thanks to Matt for giving us the inside scoop. Our mailbagbox allowed us to steal a player from any rival team, which is kind of a neat idea, and MLS should just let us do 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. Finally, we dove into our key matchups and score predictions for the Colorado Rapids' visit to Central Florida this weekend. Here's how No. 351 went down: 0:15 – Inter Miami plans to sign yet another DP. 31:35 – Matt Pollard joins us to tell us what's up with the Rapids this season. 52:04 – The mailbagbox and what we think will happen on Saturday vs. Colorado. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's early June, so technically it's still time to do some spring cleaning. Speaking of which, the Lions got their brooms out and swept the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night in Harrison, NJ. Ivan Angulo, Facundo Torres, Wilder Cartagena, and Robin Jansson starred on a night when Orlando City's strategy was to stay organized against New York's chaotic press and wait for opportunities to punish the Red Bulls on the counter. That's pretty much what the Lions did on Saturday and it resulted in a 3-0 win against a team that hadn't given up more than two in a match all season. We broke down Orlando's win in the Garden State and selected our Man of the Match. We also touched on several Lions who were honored for their performances in that game. Oh, and Mikey Halliday is coming home, which is good, but it's because the U-20 USMNT lost in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup quarterfinals, which is bad. After our review of Saturday's match, we opened up the mailbagbox. Among this week's topics were Targeted Allocation Money and buying down Designated Players, along with home form vs. road form. 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. Finally, we discussed a disjointed Orlando City B performance north of the border against Toronto FC II. The Young Lions never seemed in this game and the warning bells were chiming loudly just 17 seconds into the match. It was not a fun night for OCB. Here's how No. 350 went down: 0:15 – The Lions didn't have their sharpest passing night, but they put the ball in the net three times, which is always a welcome sight. 33:42 – OCB had a very bad night in Canada. 42:31 – The mailbagbox beckons and we don't claim to be experts on the weird player-signing mechanisms in MLS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

we have no special guest, however, we still had plenty to discuss. Orlando City B took center stage early this week with a rare Monday night match against New York Red Bulls II. The Young Lions jumped out to an early lead, fell behind by halftime, and managed to stage a comeback to claim all three points. OCB remains unbeaten at home in 2023 after a wild match that of course featured some Jack Lynn heroics. We discuss the Young Lions' win over the Baby Bulls and Lynn's torrid streak. Also, we've had more Shak Mohammed sightings recently, as the 19-year-old Ghanaian has been playing better of late with OCB and he scored his first professional goal on Monday night to win the match. It's a great sign from the Generation Adidas draft pick and we look forward to watching his continued development. After our OCB recap, we opened up the mailbagbox to find a question about Ted Lasso. Don't worry, we handled it with care to keep listeners spoiler-free. 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. Finally, we previewed Orlando City's upcoming match Saturday night at Red Bull Arena. We included our key matchups and score predictions as the senior Lions take on New York on the road. Here's how No. 349 went down: 0:15 – The Young Lions get top billing for this episode. That's new. 16:43 – The mailbagbox believes! Our thoughts on Coach Beard's revelation from the show's penultimate episode (without spoiling the revelation for those who are behind). 30:41 – Key matchups were unanimous and we've got score predictions for the Lions at the Red Bulls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices