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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Claim a Point on the Road

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (4-4-5, 17 points) drew the North Carolina Courage (5-4-3, 18 points) tonight in the triangle. Sydney Leroux gave the Pride the lead in the 50th minute but the Courage equalized two minutes later through Brittany Ratcliffe.

Earlier in the week, interim head coach Becky Burleigh said that she would depend on assistant coaches Seb Hines and Lloyd Yaxley when preparing for the game. So it’s no surprise that Burleigh’s first NWSL lineup featured the same 11 players as last weekend’s 2-0 loss to OL Reign.

In the early minutes of the game, both teams were able to build up attacks but were unable to create chances in the final third. The biggest threats came from Courage forward Amy Rodriguez. In the 19th minute, Rodriguez carried the ball into the box and looked to have an opportunity for a shot, but Ali Krieger did well to put a body on her, forcing the shot wide.

The best opportunity for the Pride early in the game came in the 25th minute. Jodie Taylor and Taylor Kornieck were at the top of the box with space for a shot, but the two collided and the Courage were able to clear.

The Pride had another chance in the 31st minute when Courtney Petersen sent a nice cross into the six-yard box. While the Pride were missing players in the box early, Petersen had teammates in position but the cross was too close to Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who was able to collect.

The best chances for either team in the first half came from the Courage. In the 38th minute, Merritt Mathias made a run toward the end line and sent the ball across the face of goal. Fortunately for the Pride, no Courage attackers were there to redirect it on goal.

In the 43rd minute, Ratcliffe made a similar cross into the box. Rodriguez was there for the shot, but decided to let it go for an oncoming teammate. Once again, it was misjudged by the Courage and went harmlessly through the box, allowing the Pride to clear.

A minute later, the Courage had the best chance of the first half. Rodriguez was able to get a left-footed shot on goal from close range, beyond the reach of Ashlyn Harris. However, Kornieck stayed on the goal line and was able to block the shot.

While the Courage had the best chances, it was the Pride who opened the scoring. In the 50th minute, Krieger stepped in front of her mark to intercept a pass attempt, then made an excellent run through the middle, from her right back position, all the way to the Courage box. Ratcliffe challenged the defender, following right next to Krieger for most of the run. However, the Pride right back did well to shield the ball and found Leroux to her left. 

“I was like, move out of the way,” Krieger said laughing after the game about her run. “That’s what they get for playing a box. It spread open like the Red Sea so I just took my chance.”

With time and space, Leroux’s second touch was to the far post beyond the reach of Casey Murphy for the opener.

“We know North Carolina push very high and very aggressive and we knew we had to get them on transition,” Leroux said after the game. “And that’s exactly what we did. Kriegs stripped the ball by herself and I was like, ‘Okay. I’m open. Play me. Play me.’ She played me a perfect ball and I was able to finish it.”

It was a big goal for the Pride, who probably should’ve been losing at that point. But the lead didn’t last long. Just two minutes after Leroux’s goal, the Courage struck. Petersen gave the ball away in her final third, allowing Mathias to play the ball into the box. Meredith Speck quickly played the ball across to Ratcliffe, near the penalty spot. A nice touch by Ratcliffe allowed her to avoid the defender and put the ball past Harris and inside the post for the equalizer.

The Courage nearly took the lead in the 68th minute through a former Pride player. Carson Pickett was given space well outside the box and decided to take a shot. It was a well struck ball, but Harris was able to make the diving save, keeping the score at 1-1.

Two minutes later, the Pride had their own chance to break the deadlock. Leroux was sent through behind the defense for a breakaway. It could’ve been the forward’s second goal of the night but Kaleigh Kurtz made an excellent challenge, getting the ball and breaking up the attack.

A lovely play in the 80th minute nearly saw the hosts take their first lead of the game. Havana Solaun and Speck played a one-two that created space for Solaun to take a shot on goal. It appeared to have beaten Harris but slammed off the post.

Rodriguez nearly set up the winner in the 89th minute when a quick touch allowed her to place Taylor Smith behind the Pride defense. It was a good pass for the second-half substitute but she was unable to get on the end of it.

Rather than being satisfied with the road point, the Pride continued to push for the late winner and they nearly converted a minute into injury time. A strong run by Erika Tymrak found Leroux to the right of the goal and Leroux’s shot forced Murphy into a diving save. With Murphy down, the block went to Marisa Viggiano, who attempted to shoot at the far post. However, the ball rolled just wide.

That would be the last chance for either team as the game ended 1-1.

The possession in this game was nearly even with North Carolina holding a slight advantage (51%-49%). The Courage outshot the Pride (15-11) but the Pride had more shots on target (6-4), though several of those were fired straight at Murphy on plays where Orlando’s attackers could have done better. Defensively, the Pride back line was very strong in this game, winning more tackles (13-4) and having more clearances (22-9).

“It was finally a complete game for us and a complete performance,” Krieger said after the game. “I think everyone had a willingness to win and to fight and to support each other. And that’s something that we haven’t seen since the beginning of the season. This coaching staff is exactly what we’ve needed. They’ve been tremendous in only the few days preparing us this season and we’ve felt the most prepared we have all year.”

“It’s trust willingness from the players,” Burleigh said after the game. “They were willing to trust us, someone they don’t even know, they’ve met less than a week ago. And to put in a plan and execute it, that says a lot about the character of this team.”

The draw snapped a two-game losing streak but Orlando has gone six without a win (0-4-2). But, given the circumstances, it was a solid road performance and something Burleigh can build on.

The 2021 NWSL season will see six teams make the playoffs. This point moves the Pride from seventh to fifth, jumping over the red line. More importantly, they stay within touching distance of the top teams, sitting just two points behind Gotham FC for second, and one point behind Washington and North Carolina.

The Pride will look to use this point as a momentum builder into the upcoming games. That starts next Sunday when Orlando travels northwest to take on the Chicago Red Stars in Illinois.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana

The Brazilian attacker was a key player in the Pride’s magical 2024 season.

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20 hours ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international Adriana on Jan. 19, 2023 to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. One of the brighter spots of the Pride during the 2023 season, it seemed Adriana was on the verge of becoming a dominating NWSL player. Seb Hines again deployed her mainly as an attacking player, particularly on the wing, but sometimes as a second forward. While she was still a key player for the Pride in 2024, there were some bumps in the road when she would disappear from games and consistency was sometimes an issue.

Let’s take a look at Adriana’s second NWSL season.

Statistical Breakdown

Adriana appeared in 23 regular-season games, starting 19 and playing a total of 1,688 minutes. She scored six goals, which was third most on the team, and added one assist. It is notable that two of her six goals came from the penalty spot, where she went two-for-two in the regular season. She completed 71% of her 557 passes, which was a slight dip from a year ago, with 31 key passes, seven completed crosses, and 14 successful long balls. Defensively, Adriana chipped in nine tackles, 13 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. She committed just 10 fouls while drawing 30 on the opposition, and she did not receive a card.

In the playoffs, Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s games, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. Her passing wasn’t up to its usual level in the postseason, as she connected on just 63.9% of her 36 passes, including only two of nine in the NWSL Championship. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball, but no accurate crosses. On defense, she finished the postseason with three tackles and an interception. The Brazilian international committed five fouls, suffered two, and was not booked.

Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in the competition.

Best Game

Adriana had several big games in 2024, but perhaps her best was Orlando’s 2-0 home win over Gotham FC. She scored both Orlando goals in the match, lifting the Pride to their 19th straight game without a loss, tying the club’s single-season record for home wins (7), and pushing Hines past Tom Sermanni and into sole possession of the most coaching wins in club history (26). It didn’t take long for her to get involved, scoring just five and a half minutes after the opening kickoff. Angelina’s ball into the box was knocked into the air, and Adriana ran onto it and volleyed a blast into the net to make it 1-0 with one of the most impressive Pride goals of the season.

Not content with just one goal, Adriana struck again in the 19th minute. Summer Yates switched the play to send Adriana down the right side, where she took on USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger, then used Barbra Banda’s presence in the box to create space for her shot, which she placed perfectly inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Adriana played the full 90 minutes in the match and fired six shots in all against Gotham that night, putting all six of them on target and giving her a season high in the latter statistic. She led all players in the match in both categories. She completed 87% of her 23 passes on 48 total touches, with one key pass, one accurate cross, and two successful long balls. Defensively, she made three recoveries, and she committed one foul while drawing two and did not pick up a booking. It was a great performance by the attacking midfielder against one of the NWSL’s elite defensive clubs.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Adriana a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 campaign. This is a slight dip from the 7.5 we gave her last season, but there were times when she struggled to find her game in 2024. When she was on her game, she was outstanding, but there were games and even stretches of matches when she didn’t provide her usual quality. Her form isn’t the only reason she was dropped at times from the starting XI, because some of her teammates elevated their own, but it was a factor. While she increased her goal total by one, it came in more appearances and minutes, and her assist total fell, despite having a better cast around her. The Brazilian is capable of more, but the staff still felt it was a solid season.

2025 Outlook

Like her Brazilian teammate Rafaelle, Adriana’s contract runs through the 2025 season, so she’ll be working hard to earn a new deal beyond the upcoming season. If she starts the season well, the Pride will no doubt offer a new contract midseason if there’s not already a new deal in place before opening day. At 28 years old, Adriana is in the prime of her career and can still be an effective player. With the Pride improving, she’ll need to play more consistently or at a higher level to keep starting with this club, but she’s capable, and I expect her to fight to hold onto her starting spot in Hines’ XI.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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2 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Rafaelle

The Brazilian’s season was plagued by injury problems but she played well when healthy.

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3 days ago

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December 18, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Rafaelle on July 3, 2023 to a contract running through the 2025 NWSL season. The Brazilian international joined the Pride after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, partnering with Emily Sams (then still known as Emily Madril) at center back and becoming a key member of the starting lineup, as the Pride fell just short of the NWSL playoffs on the goal differential tiebreaker.

Rafaelle’s second season was marred by injuries, including one she sustained while helping Brazil reach the Gold Medal game at the Summer Olympics that kept her out the rest of the 2024 NWSL season. She also missed the first four matches of the season and a couple of games in the early summer due to injury.

It’s time to look back at her injury-marred second season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Injuries limited Rafaelle to just nine appearances (six starts) for the Pride in 2024 — all in the regular season, in which she played a total of just 618 minutes. The Brazilian defender did not record a goal contribution in 2024, attempting three shots and putting one on target. She completed 86% of her 324 passes without a key pass or successful cross, however, she managed to connect on 30 long balls in her short season, which is impressive. Defensively, she contributed nine tackles, nine interceptions, and 23 headed duel wins. She committed four fouls, suffered one, and was booked once.

Due to injury, Rafaelle did not appear in Orlando’s playoff run, and because she was away at the Olympics, Rafaelle also did not participate in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenina Summer Cup.

Best Game

Rafaelle’s best match came in a 1-0 home win over Racing Louisville on May 5. The Brazilian started and went the full 90 minutes with an excellent two-way performance. She didn’t contribute directly to a goal, but she registered a shot, which was her only shot on target of the season, forcing Katie Lund into a save off a free kick about 40 minutes in. She also had a season-high 76 touches and passed at an impressive 93.75% rate on a season-high 63 attempts. Her passing accuracy in the match was her season high for any game in which she played more than 16 minutes. On the defensive end, Rafaelle helped her team keep a clean sheet and chipped in a tackle. She did not commit a foul or get booked in the match. Her strong tackle in the box in the 82nd minute on Reilyn Turner prevented a dangerous shot attempt, helping Anna Moorhouse preserve the shutout and keeping the Pride on top.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Rafaelle a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 season. This is a slight improvement over the 6.5 we gave her last year. As well as the back line played in her absence, it’s easy to forget just how formidable she was while she was on the pitch. The strong partnership between her and Kylie Strom allowed Seb Hines to move Sams to fullback for a time, and that’s a considerable compliment, given the fact that Sams won the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year Award. The back line continuing to excel in Rafaelle’s absence speaks highly of the group’s performance and the coaching staff’s ability to get the most out of the players.

2025 Outlook

It’s easy to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” in terms of the Pride’s defense. However, I expect Rafaelle to regain her starting center back spot when healthy. Rafaelle was considered the team’s best center back entering the season and early in 2024, although it’s fair to say Sams and Strom weren’t far behind. Rafaelle is under contract through the 2025 season, so she’ll want to perform well to earn her next deal. At 33 (she’ll turn 34 in June), it’s uncertain how much longer she’ll be able to play at such a high level, but prior to her injury in the Olympics, she was playing excellent soccer (it’s notable that the play she was injured on was a vital challenge for her national team). She is nearly impossible to leave out of the starting XI when fit.

What remains to be seen is how the team accommodates the Brazilian’s return. The most natural center back pairing would be Sams and Rafaelle. That would mean Strom would have to return to left back unless the team adopts a three-player back line. The ripple effect of staying in a traditional four-player back line would potentially mean displacing Kerry Abello, who “only” made the NWSL Best XI Second Team in 2024, or Cori Dyke, who handled some of the league’s best players in the stretch run to Orlando’s NWSL Championship drive. Having to reinsert Rafaelle into the lineup is a good problem for Hines to have, as it may allow him to rotate and rest his center backs more in 2025.

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