SkoPurp No. 121: Spirit Rewind and Courage Preview

The Orlando Pride lost their second straight game and once again a bad defensive few minutes and a lack of scorers not named Barbra Banda were largely to blame. Two goals conceded inside of the game's first six minutes and a blown sitter combined to put Orlando well behind the 8-ball, and although the Pride rallied to tie the match by halftime, Washington was the better side in the second half and took all three of the available points.We look back at our score predictions, discuss the key moments and players, and make our selections for the player of the match.Our mailbagbox asked about Barbra Banda, Ally Lemos taking penalties, second-leading scorers vs. backup goalkeepers, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. 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 look ahead to the North Carolina Courage's upcoming visit to Inter&Co Stadium on Friday night. The Pride need a bounce-back game (and a few healthy bodies), but it's going to take a team effort for Orlando to beat a solid North Carolina squad. We look back at the series history, which has favored the Courage over the years, provide our key matchups, and make our final score predictions.If you'd like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we'd love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.Here’s how Episode 121 went down:0:15 – Much like last season, a loss at Louisville has turned into a skid for the Pride.17:38 - The mailbagbox seems upset.33:26 - The Pride host North Carolina looking to get back on the right track. How about just getting healthy?