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Top 10 Moments of 2021: Orlando Pride Start Year with Club-Record Unbeaten Run

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As we count down to the new year of 2022 — which will be Orlando City’s eighth in MLS and the Orlando Pride’s seventh in the NWSL — and say goodbye to 2021, it’s time to look back at the club’s 10 best moments of the year.


The Orlando Pride took a look at Orlando City’s club-record, six-game unbeaten streak to start the season and said, “we can do better.” The Pride, who had only managed to avoid an NWSL regular-season, opening-day loss on one occasion — a home draw against the Utah Royals in 2018 — and who had never managed to go unbeaten in even two matches to start a season before — gave fans a reason to hope for a playoff return in 2021 with an unprecedented run to open the team’s schedule this season.

Orlando still hasn’t won an opener, but the Pride managed to make it seven consecutive games without tasting defeat under Marc Skinner at the start of the 2021 NWSL season. The season-opening surge included a three-match winning streak and four wins in total as the Pride began the season with a 4-0-3 run that had the team at the top of the NWSL season after the first third of the team’s sixth year of existence. It topped the MLS side’s best-ever run to start the year, which also took place in 2021.

The Pride had just completed a promising 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, in which they finished group play with a 1-1-2 mark and could have gone 2-0-2 if they could have avoided conceding a pair of late goals against Racing Louisville and NJ/NY Gotham FC in the first two matches of the competition. Skinner’s team looked much more organized than in 2019 or when the makeshift roster took part in the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.

The team opened the regular season on May 16 at home against the Washington Spirit. The teams fought an evenly matched contest, with both goalkeepers preventing the other side from gaining the advantage. Sydney Leroux had two excellent chances to give Orlando the lead, but it seemed like a late goal conceded would again bite the team when Ashley Hatch opened the scoring in the 76th minute on a header. However, this time the Pride flipped the script and it was Orlando getting the late heroics when Alex Morgan split the defense on a run to catch up to a perfect Phoebe McClernon long ball and equalized in the 84th minute with a chipped goal over former teammate Aubrey Bledsoe.

It was a draw that felt like a win thanks to the late Morgan goal and it propelled the Pride forward, as Orlando went on to win its next three matches. Orlando visited North Carolina next, carrying a nine-match winless streak against the Courage in all competitions on their shoulders and with backup goalkeeper Erin McLeod stepping in for Ashlyn Harris. No matter. The Pride brought all three points back from North Carolina after a 2-1 road win that came within moments of being a clean sheet.

Leroux snapped the scoreless deadlock in the 36th minute by pouncing on a poorly weighted back pass and beating Casey Murphy with a near-post shot to make it 1-0.

McLeod preserved the lead with multiple big saves and she was rewarded for it when Morgan finally doubled Orlando’s advantage in the 79th minute. The forward got in down the left side and tucked a shot just inside the right post to make it 2-0.

A late Jessica McDonald goal in the 89th minute made for some nervy final moments in stoppage time but the Pride managed the game and had back-to-back games without a loss to start an NWSL season for the first time in club history.

I’ve already told you about the next game, because Morgan and Leroux scored again in the 2-1 home win over Portland on May 26 — our No. 9 moment of 2021. It was just the Pride’s second win ever against the Thorns and the team’s first at home. You can read about that match in full at the link above in this paragraph.

Now playing confidently, with a 2-0-1 record to start the year, the Pride welcomed Kansas City to Exploria Stadium on May 30. The match was tougher than anticipated against the expansion side, but Morgan scored for the fourth consecutive match to lead Orlando to a 1-0 home win.

The win wasn’t without some controversy. A corner kick from Courtney Petersen found Morgan’s head in the box and the striker nodded toward goal. The ball took a deflection on its way and goalkeeper Abby Smith parried it away but it was judged by the referee to have crossed the line. The goal was originally credited to Marta, who was in the scrum in front, but it was later changed to Morgan as it had come off a defender. The assist was Petersen’s first in the NWSL.

The win was Orlando’s third in a row, giving the Pride their longest win streak since 2017.

The Pride and the Spirit played another tight match on June 6 in Washington. It was Hatch again providing Washington with a 1-0 lead before the Pride came back to earn a 1-1 draw. The heroics weren’t left quite so late this time. Hatch scored in the 64th minute but Taylor Kornieck notched her first NWSL regular-season goal just three minutes later to level things up.

Harris made some big saves to keep Orlando in this one and shortly after the Pride fell behind, Marta made a great hustle play, stepping in front of a long throw by Bledsoe and feeding Kornieck. The first-year Pride player took the ball into the box and fired inside the left post to equalize.

It was Orlando’s second road result to open the season and ran the unbeaten streak to five matches (3-0-2).

That streak got longer despite a week off before Orlando hosted Gotham FC on June 20. The Pride left it very late after allowing a Caprice Dydasco “shross” goal in the last minute before halftime. Whether it was an intentional shot or a cross that happened to go in, it gave the visitors a lead and momentum heading into the break. But the reverse happened in the final minute of normal time when Petersen provided a mirror image from the left side for Orlando. Her shross also ended up inside the far post and it lifted the Pride to a 1-1 home draw and a sixth consecutive game without a loss.

But Orlando wasn’t finished at six games without a loss (3-0-3). The Pride visited Kansas City on June 23 and got their most complete win of the streak. But it didn’t start easily.

Kansas City opened the scoring in the eight minute of first-half stoppage time (yes, you read that correctly) on a goal by Mariana Larroquette. But Leroux pulled that back two minutes later — in the 10th minute of stoppage time (!). Cutting in from the left, Leroux’s lunging shot deflected and somehow beat Smith to tie the game just before the break.

Leroux completed her brace shortly after the restart. Taking a long pass up the left sideline, Leroux cut toward the middle near the top of the area and smashed an unstoppable shot inside the back post to give the Pride the lead in the 49th minute.

Not to be outdone, Marta put the game away late with a ridiculous strike from just inside the center circle.

The 3-1 road win was Orlando’s biggest road offensive output of the year and capped a magical 4-0-3 unbeaten streak to start the season.

The run came to a halt in Houston with a 2-1 loss in the next game. The international starters leaving for the Olympics and rumblings of Skinner’s interest in accepting a job with Manchester United — which he eventually took — combined to undo much of the Pride’s hot start. Orlando went its next six games without a win and lost four of those, to fall back to the pack fighting for the last couple of playoff spots.

Becky Burleigh’s arrival as interim coach seemed to right the ship a bit as the Pride lost only one of its next six matches, going 3-1-3 between July 31 and Sept. 11. However, a five-game losing streak to end the season dashed any playoff hopes and left the Pride in free fall all the way to eighth place in the 10-team NWSL.

Regardless, that seven-game run to start the season gave Pride fans a lot of thrills and ignited not only playoff dreams but hopes of a potential Supporters Shield run. Those good feelings and all those points to start the season make the streak worthy of one of our top 10 moments of 2021.


Come back through New Year’s Eve as we count down the remainder of Orlando City’s top 10 moments of 2021.

Previous Top 10 Moments of 2021

10. Orlando City takes part in club’s first international competition against Liga MX side Santos Laguna in the Leagues Cup.

9. Orlando Pride get only their second win ever against Portland as Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux lead the way.

8. Orlando City opens the 2021 MLS season with a club-record six-match unbeaten streak.

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Pride need to do to secure an NWSL Championship win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Win or lose, the Orlando Pride’s season comes to an end on Saturday night at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. After they defeated the Chicago Red Stars and the Kansas City Current in prior playoff matches, this final match could see the Pride lift the NWSL Championship trophy. The Pride have already won the NWSL Shield earlier in the year, and this second trophy would cement them as one of the greatest teams in NWSL history. Standing in their way is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, the same Washington Spirit club the Pride defeated to clinch the Shield.

So, what do the Pride need to do to defeat the Spirit and bring home more silverware?

Prepare for a Better Spirit

During the regular season, the Pride defeated the Spirit twice, 3-2 in Washington all the way back in April, and 2-0 at home in October. The Pride may need to scrub these results from their memory and prepare for a more capable and complete opponent. For starters, in the first matchup, the Spirit were led by interim head coach Adrián González, who is still with the club as an assistant. While González performed well in the role, the Spirit are now led by one of the best coaches in the game, Jonatan Giráldez, who took over in July. Before joining the Spirit, Giráldez led Barcelona Femeni, the single most dominant club in Europe during his tenure. In each of the past two seasons, Giráldez’ Barcelona won the Copa de la Reina, Spain’s domestic cup tournament, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, showcasing his skill in coaching championship games.

The Pride were able to beat Giráldez’ Spirit squad just over a month ago, but that matchup was missing several key players on Washington’s side of the pitch. The Spirit were without NWSL Best XI players Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger as well as Best XI Second Team representative Hal Hershfelt. All three of these players have since returned and are likely to play in the NWSL Championship. Ouleye Sarr, the joint leading scorer for Washington along with Rodman, was also out for the October matchup, but she is struggling with a back injury and may not play this weekend. While the Spirit were limited in the last meeting, Orlando was convincing in its 2-0 win. This time around, the Pride will have to prepare for a Spirit team that looks a lot different than the last time out.

Keep the Match to 90 Minutes

One of the key storylines heading into the NWSL Championship is the paths each team has taken. While the higher-seeded teams have won each match of the 2024 playoffs, Orlando has won its matches in regulation, while Washington required extra time to beat Bay FC and penalty kicks to get past NJ/NY Gotham FC. As a result, Orlando has played fewer high-stress minutes in recent weeks and comes in on a great run of form. On the other hand, the Spirit are battle tested, knowing the challenges that come from tight matches. Their goals forcing extra time have come late in matches — the 86th minute against Bay, and the third minute of stoppage time against Gotham. To their credit, the Spirit never know when they are beaten, so Orlando will need to be locked in all the way to the final whistle, hoping to avoid the chaos that ensued at the end of the Kansas City match.

Despite looking shaky at the end of the match against the Current, Orlando’s success this season has come about in the opposite manner of the Spirit’s postseason wins. Orlando has done exceedingly well to get the lead and secure the result. The Pride have only dropped points from winning positions twice, losing none. The semifinal match against Kansas City was also their first come-from-behind victory of the year, showcasing how uncommon it was for them to fall behind in an NWSL match in their 18-win season. Should the NWSL Championship go to extra time, it would be uncharted territory for Orlando. With so few elimination matches in their history, very few players on the roster would have any experience with extra time. The Orlando Pride as a club only participated in their first-ever (then their second and third) penalty shootout in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, winning one of three shootouts. In the end, Orlando will be in a much better position if it can keep this game to 90 minutes.

Marta Magic

The Orlando Pride have four players on the NWSL Best XI first and second teams, but no player is more easily recognized in purple than 38-year-old Marta, the GOAT. While she has been with the Pride since 2017, this campaign (11 goals, 1 assist) has been her most productive since 2017, her first in Orlando (13 goals, 6 assists). The 2017 season was also the last time that Orlando made the playoffs. In 2024, Marta has scored two postseason goals so far, including a magical game winner against the Current. Orlando’s success is inexorably linked to the performances of its best-ever player. Yet, as hard as it is to imagine, the NWSL Championship will be the last match of her existing contract with the Pride, and win or lose, this could be farewell, at least for now. 

On the pitch, Marta will be a focal point for the Orlando attack against the Washington Spirit. While Washington’s Best XI defenders Krueger and Tara McKeown attempt to slow down Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, Marta is likely to drop deep and connect the play. Her precision passing and driving runs in recent matches have contributed mightily to an attack that has now scored 10 goals in the past three matches — three by Marta herself. Beyond these traits, Marta will also be a pitch general for the Pride in this final match, directing traffic and keeping the team locked in and organized. Earlier this year, Marta announced her retirement from international soccer with Brazil and took home the silver medal in the Summer Olympics. Expect Marta to leave it all on the pitch on Saturday, and if it were to be her last match for the Pride, it would be incredible to leave with an NWSL Championship.


Saturday night the NWSL Champions will be crowned. Could one of these keys to victory make the critical difference? Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Center Back Emily Sams Named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Pride center back Emily Sams adds another honor to her trophy case after being named the NWSL Defender of the Year.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this evening that Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams has been named the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year. She’s the first player in club history to win the award. It was the second major NWSL award won by the Pride after Seb Hines was named the league’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Sams played center back during her 2023 rookie season, but moved to right back at the beginning of this year. Brazilian international Rafaelle’s injury trouble forced Sams back to her natural position where she partnered Kylie Strom, forming arguably the best center back partnership in the league. Together with goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and the rest of the back line, the Pride conceded a league-best 20 goals while tying the league records for most shutouts in a season (13) and setting a new mark for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal (554).

Individually, Sams was second in the league with 163 recoveries, and she led the Pride with 108 possessions in the defensive third, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. Additionally, her 88.18% passing accuracy led all Pride defenders.

Including the playoffs, Sams has played in 27 games this season with 26 starts and recorded 2,365 minutes. She’s recorded 25 tackles and 28 interceptions, winning 30 headed duels and 47% of her tackles. She’s also contributed offensively with a goal and three assists, including assisting Barbra Banda’s first goal in the NWSL quarterfinals against the Chicago Red Stars.

The center back was named to the league’s monthly Best XI three times this year — in May, September, and October/November — and was named to the league’s end-of-the-year Best XI.

The Boise, ID, native played three seasons over five years at Florida State before signing with Racing Louisville’s W League team for the 2022 season. She decided to forgo her senior year at Florida State, signing with the NWSL instead on Aug. 31, 2022. The league loaned her to Swedish club BK Hacken for the remainder of the 2022 season, enabling her to enter the 2023 NWSL Draft. The Pride selected Sams with the third overall pick and she immediately became a key player on the team’s back line.

She was paired with veteran Megan Montefusco at the beginning of her rookie season and Brazilian international Rafaelle after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sams played 22 regular-season games last year, recording 1,977 minutes, 19 interceptions, and 17 tackles. She won 61% of her tackles and 33 headed duels.

Despite not having any caps, Sams was selected by new USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes to compete for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, earning a gold medal. Her first appearance for the national side came on Oct. 24 when she started against Iceland in Nashville, TN.

Preliminary voting for the NWSL Defender of the Year award included league owners, general managers, coaches, players, and media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media with the winner announced this evening. Strom, San Diego Wave FC center back Naomi Girma, North Carolina Courage center back Kaleigh Kurtz, and Washington Spirit center back Tara McKeown were the other finalists.

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Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines Named NWSL Coach of the Year

After a record-breaking regular season, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this afternoon that Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines had been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. It’s the first time in the club’s history that a coach has won the award.

In his second year as permanent head coach, Hines led the Pride to a record-breaking season that saw them finish 18-2-6, winning the NWSL Shield. They finished third in the league with 46 goals scored and tied with NJ/NY Gotham FC for a league-best 20 goals conceded. They set five league records this year, including most points in a season (60), most wins in a season (18), longest winning streak (8), longest shutout streak (554 minutes), and longest single-season unbeaten run (23 games). The Pride also tied the league record for clean sheets in a season (13). Dating back to last season’s finale, the club went 24 matches without a loss under Hines. Orlando also drew all three Summer Cup matches this season, giving the Pride 26 matches without a loss in all competitions under Hines in 2023 and 27 games overall dating back to last year. Orlando’s 2.31 points per game in 2024 is second in league history behind the 2018 North Carolina Courage, who had 2.4 points per game. 

The 2024 season caps a rebuild that started following the 2021 NWSL season when the Pride traded away several star players. They hired Amanda Cromwell as head coach for the 2022 season, but she and assistant Sam Greene were suspended and eventually fired for retaliatory behavior. Assistants Michelle Akers and Aline Villares Reis left their positions following the suspensions, leaving Hines as the club’s only option as head coach.

The controversy turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Hines finished the season strong as interim coach, taking the team to a 3-7-5 mark in the final 15 games, which included a seven-game unbeaten run (3-0-4). His performance down the stretch was enough to earn the permanent role. The Pride elevated Hines from interim coach to head coach on Nov. 11, 2022.

In his first year as the club’s permanent head coach, Hines nearly led the Pride to their first playoff appearance since 2017 and second in club history last year, missing out on the goal difference tiebreaker on the final match day of the 2023 campaign. This year, the team came back with the goal of making the postseason and soon became the best team in the league, going the full season without a single home loss in any competition.

Since taking over in June 2022, Hines has become the Pride’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 31-30-12 in league play. His 1.67 points per game and .492 winning percentage also top all previous Pride coaches.

Despite a turnaround that saw the Pride go from one of the worst teams in the league to narrowly missing out on the playoffs, Hines wasn’t a finalist for coach of the year in 2023. It was an easy choice this year as he led the team to its best-ever season and the first trophy in team history.

The team’s 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Nov. 8 was the first playoff win in club history and the Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to secure their spot in the 2024 NWSL Championship, which will be in Kansas City on Saturday night.

The NWSL Coach of the Year Award began with a preliminary round voted on by owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media to determine the winner. The other finalists were Current Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski and Gotham Head Coach Juan Carlos Amoros, last year’s winner.

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