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Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Final Score 2-2 as Pride Blow Two-Goal Lead in Home Finale

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2 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (5-9-7, 22 points) took a 2-0 lead over San Diego Wave FC (10-6-5, 35 points) but two late goals saw the teams draw 2-2. Meggie Dougherty Howard and Gunny Jonsdottir scored first two goals for the hosts while Makenzy Doniak and Taylor Kornieck scored for the visitors.

Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines made four changes from the team that lost 3-0 to the North Carolina Courage Wednesday night. Toni Pressley, Courtney Petersen, Dougherty Howard, and Thais Reiss entered the lineup for Ally Watt, Kylie Strom, Jordyn Listro, and Kerry Abello.

The back four in front of Erin McLeod consisted of Celia, Pressley, Carrie Lawrence, and Petersen. For the first time, the Pride lineup had two sixes in Montefusco and Haley Hanson. Dougherty Howard, Jonsdottir, and Reiss were in the attacking midfield with Leah Pruitt up top.

With a unique lineup and a unique formation for this team, it was expected that San Diego would jump all over the Pride. However, Orlando played well for most of the game, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. They got a second in the second half and looked to be on their way to all three points. But a common problem occurred as they conceded two late goals to claim only one point.

The Pride jumped out to a fast start in this game, creating a pair of corners inside the first three minutes. After the first corner was cleared, the Pride had the game’s first chance when quick passing between Dougherty Howard and Hanson allowed the latter to play Reiss in behind the Wave defense. Reiss got inside the six but Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan closed her down and blocked the shot out of play with her leg. The ensuing corner was quickly cleared by San Diego.

The visitors’ first chance came in the eighth minute when former Pride midfielder Emily van Egmond won control of the ball on the Pride half of the field. The Australian international played it forward for Sofia Jakobsson, who found enough space for a shot at the top of the box. Jakobsson was looking to sneak the ball inside the far post but it rolled just wide.

The Pride had another good opportunity in the 17th minute off a Wave mistake. Naomi Girma attempted to play the ball outside for Christen Westphal but it was a weak pass and easily intercepted by Dougherty Howard. The Pride midfielder got into the box and took a shot on goal but it was right at Sheridan.

In the 25th minute, Kornieck almost made it through the Pride’s back line to get a chance on goal. After receiving the ball from Girma, Jodie Taylor’s first touch sent Kornieck through. She had a step on Montefusco but the defensive midfielder caught up to the former Pride attacker, tipping the ball and allowing Lawrence to clear it out of play.

The Wave had another good chance in the 31st minute when Petersen got caught too far inside. Jakobsson was left with plenty of space on the right and Jaedyn Shaw found her. Jakobsson carried the ball into the box and tried to chip McLeod, but it was over the crossbar.

The visitors paid for those misses in the 33rd minute. After receiving the ball from Hanson near the corner of the box, Pruitt sent a low cross to the top of the six. Sheridan came out in an attempt to clear the ball, but Dougherty Howard beat her to it. The Pride midfielder tapped it past the Wave goalkeeper to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.

“Obviously a goal helps to have a little bit of a cushion,” Dougherty Howard said about her goal. “But I think it was the work that led up to that goal that produced the opportunity for us to just build off that.”

In addition to being Dougherty Howard’s third goal of the season, the goal broke Orlando’s 356-minute scoring drought dating back to Aug. 26 against OL Reign. Coincidentally, Dougherty Howard scored that goal as well, which came in the 37th minute of a 2-1 loss. The midfielder also scored the only goal in the Pride’s 1-0 win over the Wave in San Diego on Aug. 13, with that goal coming via penalty.

The Wave nearly got that goal back in the 36th minute when Taylor found Kaitlyn Johnson at the top of the box. The midfielder had enough space to shoot from the top of the box and the ball was headed for the far corner but McLeod made a diving stop.

That was the last good chance of the first half as the Pride took a 1-0 lead into the break. After 45 minutes of play, San Diego had more possession (55.5%-44.5%) and shots (6-4). However, the Pride had more shots on target (3-1), crosses (8-4), and, most importantly, scored the half’s lone goal.

“To be honest, I think we kind of let our foot off the gas last bit of the first half. So that was something we touched on in the second half,” Dougherty Howard about the team’s halftime thoughts. “In the past, we have been complacent once we score and that was something we talked about going into the start the second half, that we wanted to get back to the way we started the game, kind of clean slate, not dwell on the fact that we were up 1-0 because that’s dangerous to just get comfortable in that league.”

The Wave got off to the better attacking start in the second half. The visitors won the first corner of the second period of play when Carrie Lawrence cleared a ball out of play. The ensuing corner ended up with Westphal at the top of the box but her weak shot was easily cleared. They had another chance in the 54th minute when Westphal sent a cross into the six-yard box for a charging Kornieck. The attacker went up for the ball, but McLeod beat her to it and the Pride were able to clear.

The Wave made three changes before the hour mark, but the Pride soon followed. Instead of making defensive changes to hold onto the 1-0 lead, Hines brought on Ally Watt and Haley Bugeja in the 62nd minute for Pruitt and Reiss. The team’s third change came in the 67th minute when Kylie Strom entered for Celia.

Despite the attacking moves, San Diego continued to pressure. In the 64th minute, a van Egmond cross found the head of Kornieck. The forward redirected the ball towards goal but it was right at McLeod.

A minute later, a turnover by Celia in her own end created another chance for San Diego. Doniak took control of the poor pass and dribbled towards the end line. The midfielder sent a cross to the top of the box that found Kelsey Turnbow, but the shot was blocked by Pressley.

Once again, the missed opportunities by San Diego cost the visitors as the Pride doubled their lead. In the 68th minute, Petersen sent a cross into the San Diego box. Jonsdottir got her head to the ball, sending it low and towards goal. Sheridan got down in an attempt to block it but was too late and the Pride increased their lead to 2-0.

“We were able to, in the second half, get the ball down, play, get into a really good spot for Courtney Petersen to deliver a really good ball,” Hines said about the second Pride goal. “And a commitment from Gunny to get there and get a good head on it.”

Following the goal, San Diego continued to attack, looking to get back into the game. Jakobsson’s shot in the 71st minute was blocked and Kristen McNabb missed the target in the 75th minute. But the Wave finally got one in the 76th minute.

Turnbow sent a cross from the right into the box where Doniak was charging in. The second-half substitute barely got her head to the ball, but enough to send it just over the fingertips of McLeod and into the far corner, cutting the Pride lead to 2-1.

Until that goal, the Pride had attempted to keep their foot on the pedal. The substitutions were more like-for-like and attacking. However, with only a one-goal lead, a change in shape was necessary.

“Once we were 2-1, we felt like we had to change shape so we went to a five back,” Hines said about the move. “We dropped Megan (Montefusco) in. We had 5-4-1. Anytime a team is down and you play a direct team, they’re gonna even be more direct.”

In the 78th minute, Bugeja switched the ball to Petersen on the left side, allowing the defender to get a shot off. However, it was from distance and a poor angle, allowing Sheridan to easily catch it.

A minute later, a Jakobsson cross reached McNabb on the far side. The defender fired on goal but got under the ball and it sailed over the crossbar.

The Wave found their long-awaited equalizer in the 87th minute. It started with a free kick after Jonsdottir fouled Doniak. McNabb sent the free kick to the top of the six where it was softly cleared out to Kornieck in the middle of the box. The former Pride player didn’t miss this opportunity, slamming it past McLeod to make it 2-2.

“It’s the second phase and it lands to her feet,” Hines said about San Diego’s second goal. “You know, if it’s a foot away from Kornieck, Abello gets it. It’s just one of the things that happens.”

“I think we just, in these games, can’t lose focus, even if we’re 2-0 up,” Jonsdottir said about conceding the two late goals. “We need to just be turned on and then we switched off for a second there and they’re a good team. So they punish us and that’s how it is.”

The Pride tried to find a late winner in the 90th minute when Lawrence received the ball from about 40 yards out off a clearance. The center back took her chance and fired on goal. It looked as though it might’ve been dipping under the crossbar, so Sheridan tipped it over.

The Pride had one more chance in the final minute of injury time when Watt chipped a ball towards the far post. Madison Pogarch got the final touch, providing the Pride with a corner kick. The ensuing corner by Jonsdottir was the final ball into either team’s box but it was cleared away by San Diego.

San Diego finished the game with more possession (58.1%-41.9%), shots (15-6), and crosses (21-20). The Pride did end the game with more shots on target (5-4) but it wasn’t enough as they blew a two-goal lead in their final home game of the season.

“I’m really proud of the players,” Hines said about the game. “It’s been tough the last four games — injuries, three-game week. And you can see today they went above and beyond to try and get results and the effort and the commitment and players coming into the lineup and playing their part and players coming off the bench and playing their part and we took it all the way to the final whistle. So, I’m really proud of the players and everything that they’ve put into this week to get a result today.”

“We’ve been through a bit of a rough patch. So today’s game was all about character,” Jonsdottir added. “That’s what the team showed today. And I’m so proud of them. It kind of feels like a loss because I thought we were good in this game. That’s a tough one to take. But as I said, I’m so proud of the team.”

The Pride will end the season with a home record of 1-5-5. The fans also showed up for this game as 6,466 were in attendance. That’s the second-highest home attendance of the year and the highest this season at Exploria Stadium. The team drew 7,573 when it faced Racing Louisville on July 3 at Daytona International Speedway.

“Great crowd tonight,” Dougherty Howard said about the support. “It makes a difference when we’re on the field, just giving that extra energy, and I felt like hopefully (we) made the fans proud and we put out a performance that represents who we want to be.”

The draw has an impact on both teams. While the Wave clinched a playoff spot, the Pride remain in ninth in the league with one game remaining in the season. The team can’t finish any lower than 10th and can only be caught by the Washington Spirit. It’s a situation that most people didn’t expect from the team during a rebuilding year.

The Pride will now travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on OL Reign next Saturday night in the season finale.

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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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2 days ago

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November 19, 2024

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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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Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Advance to NWSL Championship

The Pride advance to the NWSL Championship after a gutsy home win over Kansas City.

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4 days ago

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November 17, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium this afternoon to claim a spot in the NWSL Championship. The Current took the lead through Debinha, but Haley McCutcheon scored eight minutes later to make it 1-1 at the break. Barbra Banda gave her team the lead in the 53rd minute and an excellent individual effort by Marta in the 82nd minute appeared to put the game away. Vanessa DiBernardo converted a penalty deep in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride advanced to their first-ever final.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed almost the same lineup that beat the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 on Nov. 8. The only change was Adriana re-entering the lineup for Summer Yates, who left the Chicago game with a first-half injury. However, Yates was on the bench for this one.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Ally Watt, Marta, and Adriana, with Banda up top.

This game started slowly with neither team able to create chances in the early minutes. Once the teams settled in, both had opportunities to take the lead. A great cross by Michelle Cooper in the 33rd minute and a missed clearance by Sams assisted Debinha in the opener. But the Pride fought back and equalized through McCutcheon shortly before halftime.

The Pride were the better team through most of the second half, mainly because of the power and speed of Banda. They took the lead in the 53rd minute and continued to push for a third goal, eventually converting in the 82nd minute. The Current were given a lifeline with 12 minutes of stoppage time and won a penalty with a handball by Abello in the box, but they nearly had an equalizer in the 15th and 16th minutes of stoppage time. The Pride ultimately survived and advanced to the NWSL Championship for the first time.

The first chance of the game didn’t come until the 11th minute and it was due to a mistake by Adriana. After the Pride won a throw-in, Adriana’s pass for Abello was directly to Cooper. The attacker split Abello and Adriana before shooting for the far post. Moorhouse seemed to have the shot the whole way, watching it roll wide.

Banda used a strong move on the left in the 15th minute to beat Hailie Mace and get into the box. As Mace caught up to her from behind, Banda went down. However, while Banda threw her arms up, there was very little contact and referee Danielle Chesky didn’t consider pointing to the spot to award a penalty.

The Pride maintained possession and created another pair of chances. It started when Marta’s cross was knocked out of play by Alana Cook, earning a corner kick. The set piece was chested out by Cook, but only to Abello, whose shot was blocked. Angelina took possession just outside the box and shot, but she fired her shot attempt wide.

The visitors created their second chance in the 14th minute when Claire Hutton dribbled towards the Pride box before pulling up and shooting from distance. The midfielder was unable to get over the ball and it sailed over the target without threatening Moorhouse.

In the 18th minute, Banda had a chance when Watt played her wide on the right. The forward created enough space from Ellie Wheeler for a tight-angle shot that was blocked over the crossbar by Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult. The ensuing corner kick was blocked out by Cook and the second corner went out of play for a goal kick, ending the attack.

Marta intercepted a pass in the 32nd minute, moved around her defender and made a long run to the Kansas City box. She had Banda and Adriana on either side of her, but decided to take the shot herself. Unfortunately, the attempt was directly into a defender.

On the other end, the Current took the lead in the 33rd minute. DiBernardo played the ball wide for Cooper, who sent a gorgeous ball across the face of goal. It was just beyond the reach of Sams and found Debhina at the far post. The Brazilian didn’t make any mistakes, tapping it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“I think just to stay calm and we knew that we were better than them and that we could score on them,” Sams stated about what was said in the team huddle after the goal. “It was unfortunate that we had to go down, but I think too, we just kept our composure and stuck together as a team and knew that we would be able to break them down at some point.”

Eight minutes later, the Pride found their equalizer and it was McCutcheon for the second straight game. Watt made a strong run to the end line, beating Wheeler to get a cross off. It initially looked like Adriana would tap it in, but McCutcheon was making a run completely unmarked into the six. The defensive midfielder tapped it in and, after not scoring since April 29, 2023, she has now scored in back-to-back playoff games.

“The first goal was brilliant,” Hines said after the game. “You know, playing through the middle to then get out wide. Ally Watt, you know, dribbling, driving, great cross. And McCutcheon scores a goal. And, you know, she’s two in two right now. So it’s not bad for a holding midfielder.”

The Pride nearly got a second just before halftime when Watt played a dangerous ball into the box for Banda. The striker had her back to goal and tried to backheel it, but she couldn’t get anything on it and the Current were able to clear. That was the last chance for either team as the game went into the break at 1-1.

At halftime, the Current had more possession (55%-45%), but the Pride had more shots (7-5), shots on target (2-1), corner kicks (3-2), and crosses (12-6). Both teams completed 79% of their first-half passes.

Watt dribbled from the right to the top of the Kansas City box in the 49th minute. Chawinga challenged her from behind and the attacker ran directly into Nichelle Prince. It appeared as though Watt had her breath knocked out of her after being caught in the neck area, requiring attention. After receiving some treatment, she walked off on her own and was able to continue.

Marta and Angelina stood over the ball, with Marta taking the set piece. Her shot was aimed for the near post, but Schult had it well covered, collecting the free kick.

The Pride took their first lead of the game in the 53rd minute when Strom lifted the ball into the Kansas City box. Banda used her body to turn Kayla Sharples before hitting a hard shot past Schult to give her team a 2-1 lead.

“Defenders will always be tight, but as a striker, you need to have a lot of creativity as a striker for you to score,” Banda said about her goal. “I’m a goal machine, so I had to figure it out how I’m going to score for this. So it came into my mind, and I saw the defender. Then I had to take my advantage.”

The Pride had a chance to extend their lead in the 57th minute when Mace fouled Banda hard near the Kansas City box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. After Banda received some treatment, Adriana stepped up to take the set piece. However, she hit the attempt over the top of the goal.

The Current had a chance to get back on even terms in the 61st minute when Chawinga was sent long by Mace. Dyke kept up with the attacker and slid in to win the ball but didn’t connect with it. Sams was between Chawinga and goal as the forward shot for the near post, missing wide.

The visitors nearly found an equalizer in the 65th minute when Cooper volleyed a ball across the box in front of the goal. Prince volleyed the ball on target, but it was blocked by Sams. It went straight to Chawinga, who tried to put a first-touch shot on target, but she sent it over the top.

A mistake at midfield nearly cost the Pride in the 71st when Angelina lost possession. Chawinga carried the ball to the top of the box while Pride defenders tried desperately to get in front. The forward shot before entering the 18, but hit the attempt wide.

Hines made his first changes of the game in the 79th minute, as Julie Doyle and Yates came on for Adriana and Watt.

Banda won the ball from Sharples in the 82nd minute before going down, knocking it to Marta, who took it from there. The Pride captain dribbled to her left and cut back, resulting in Sharples and Cook going down. She dribbled past Schult before passing the ball in to make it 3-1.

“It was so amazing. I just saw all the defenders went down, but I know that’s what Marta can do,” Banda said about Marta’s goal. “So, I know it’s an assist because I was down, unfortunately. But she scored and we know her for that.”

“I feel like she’s been in situations like that before,” Sams added. “And, you know, I feel like she might take the shot earlier. So just to see her like, you know, see two players go to ground and slide, and Marta cuts them back, and then cuts back the goalkeeper and just slots it home. I mean, it’s just such a hard goal. I mean, she’s the GOAT and she proves it. And she proved it tonight.”

It was a fantastic goal by Marta, but the celebrations were cut short as Banda remained down near midfield and required medical assistance. She had to be helped off the field and was replaced by Carson Pickett. Fortunately, she was soon seen laughing on the bench with Watt, which suggests she was fine.

The fourth official showed 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time and the Current had to find something quick trailing by two goals. In the sixth minute, they won a corner kick and sent Schult to the other end. The Pride knocked the first attempt out of play and cleared the second one.

Hines made his third change of the game in the seventh minute of added time, replacing Dyke with Celia. While the substitution might’ve been to waste some time, it also gave Celia one last chance to play at Inter&Co Stadium as she announced she’s retiring following the season.

Marta looked for her second goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, dribbling into the left side of the box. She split a pair of defenders and shot, but the attempt sailed well wide.

In the 10th minute of stoppage time, Mace took a shot from just inside the Pride box. Abello blocked the attempt, sending it out of play for a corner kick. However, the ball was off of Abello’s arm and the video assistant referee indicated that Chesky should have a second look.

After a brief check, Chesky returned to the field and pointed to the spot. DiBernardo stepped up to take the spot kick and took it well. As Moorhouse dove to her right, DiBernardo sent the attempt the other way to make it 3-2.

The visitors continued to push as the game neared its end. In the 15th minute of stoppage time, Wheeler cut back to lose her defender and fired on goal, but she missed the target. A minute later, Chawinga was sent down the right and took possession when Moorhouse came way off her line and missed the ball. Chawinga had Sharples making a run into the six as Celia came over to cover her. The center back got her head to the ball, but sent the attempt over the crossbar. That was the last chance as the Pride came away with a 3-2 win.

The Current ended the game with more possession (51.8%-48.2%), shots (20-13), and corner kicks (4-3). The Pride had the advantage in shots on target (5-4), crosses (11-9), and better passing accuracy (78%-75.2%).

“They sat back, waited for transition moments. And, you know, they’re very good at it,” Hines said about the game. “You know, they’ve built that in the last second half of the season. Get the threatening players running in behind. But I thought in moments we were really good.

“What an effort from the players. I can’t speak highly enough for them. They’ve put so much work and effort, and they really wanted this tonight. You know, in front of our home fans and their hunger and desire.”

The Pride have played ahead most of the season, not needing to come from behind. The last time they came back from a deficit to win prior to this game was a 3-1 win over the Portland Thorns on June 11, 2023. They hadn’t come from behind to claim points since the second game of the season on March 22, something they did in each of the first two games of the season.

It’s rare that playoffs go according to plan, but this NWSL postseason has done just that. The higher-seeded team has won every game in this postseason, resulting in the top two teams meeting in Kansas City for the championship. That might bode well for the Pride, who finished the season with the league’s best record, making them the higher seed for the final.

“It’s great,” Hines said about reaching the championship. “You know, you’ve put all the hard work and effort into it. Obviously, in the regular season, 26-game group stage to then get into a three-game tournament. So we’ve done two of it, and there’s one more to go. So obviously, the spirits are really high right now, and we’re ready to go on Saturday.”

The Pride have six days before they take the field again. The Washington Spirit drew NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-1 Saturday and advanced on penalties to claim the other spot. So the top two teams will meet at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City Saturday night at 8 p.m. for the NWSL Championship.

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Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride host the Kansas City Current in the NWSL semifinals.

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4 days ago

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November 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Kansas City Current / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride host the Kansas City Current with a chance to advance to the NWSL Championship. This is the first time the two teams have met in the postseason and the third time they’ve played this year.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s game.

History

The Current joined the NWSL in 2021 after the team’s ownership group bought the Utah Royals and relocated the club to Kansas City. It’s the second NWSL team in the city — FC Kansas City played there from 2013 to 2017 before moving to Utah — and the team was known as NWSL Kansas City for its inaugural season.

The Pride and Current have played seven games against each other, all in the regular season. Orlando has a 3-2-3 record in the series and is 1-1-2 at home.

The two teams last met on Sept. 13 in Orlando. The teams combined for 27 shots, but neither converted as the game ended in a scoreless draw.  On July 6 in Kansas City, Barbra Banda gave the Pride the lead, but the hosts responded two minutes later through Temwa Chawinga. Despite a second yellow card for Carrie Lawrence dropping the Pride to 10 players just before halftime, Marta converted a second-half penalty, lifting her team to a 2-1 win.

The first time the teams met in 2023 was on April 23 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. It was scoreless after an hour before the Current got a quick flurry of goals by Debinha and CeCe Kizer, lifting Kansas City to a 2-0 win. On June 23, 2023 in Orlando, the visitors took the lead through Debinha, and Kizer doubled the advantage just before halftime. Marta converted a penalty to pull one back, but the Pride fell 2-1.

Their first meeting in 2022 came on July 31 in Kansas City while the Pride were in the middle of their seven-game unbeaten run. The Pride opened the scoring when Erika Tymrak found the head of Celia and doubled the lead just after halftime through Julie Doyle. The Current stormed back with goals by Elyse Bennett and Kizer, pulling out a 2-2 draw.

The first meeting in 2022 was on May 14 at Exploria Stadium. The Pride took the lead early in the second half on a Gunny Jonsdottir goal. Bennett scored late in the second half, and the visitors appeared to win the game a minute into injury time through Kristen Hamilton. However, Kylie Strom was pulled down in the box five minutes later, resulting in a penalty. With Marta injured, the only player willing to step up to take the penalty was center back Toni Pressley, who drilled the ball into the roof of the net, pulling out a 2-2 draw.

The teams played twice during the 2021 NWSL season, with the first game occurring May 30 at Exploria Stadium. Courtney Petersen found Alex Morgan just outside the six-yard box and the striker headed in the game’s lone goal as the Pride won 1-0.

The Pride and Current met again on June 23 at Legends Field in Kansas City. The Pride had a weakened squad as then-coach Marc Skinner left some key players at home, preparing to lose them to the Olympics. It looked to be costly when Mariana Larroquette gave the hosts the lead late in first-half injury time. But the Pride responded well. Two minutes after Larroquette’s goal, Sydney Leroux’s shot took a deflection off a defender and went in to make it 1-1. Shortly after halftime, Leroux scored on a great individual effort from just outside the box. Marta then scored the goal of the game, beating Kansas City goalkeeper Abby Smith from the top of the center circle, lifting the Pride to a 3-1 win.

Overview

The Pride had a record-setting regular season and were on their way to an unbeaten record until they lost two of their last three games. Even with their 3-2 win over Seattle Reign FC in the regular-season finale, they conceded two goals for the first time at home this year. The performances caused questions about how the team would play in the postseason and whether the Pride could reach their ultimate goal of an NWSL Championship.

Those questions were seemingly put to rest in the team’s first-ever home playoff game when they dominated the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 in the quarterfinals. They gave up a goal on a mistake by Anna Moorhouse, enabling Jameese Joseph to block the clearance in for Chicago’s lone goal of the night. However, the Pride were already up 4-0 at that point, and the result was already determined.

The team only gave up one goal defensively, the fewest goals the Pride conceded in four games. The match also saw Banda score a brace, her first goals since Sept. 20 against Bay FC. If the Pride are getting back to their best, it can’t be at a better time as they’re about to face one of the league’s best teams.

Like the Pride, the Current were unbeaten in their first 15 games of the season, a run that ended with their 2-1 loss to the Pride on July 6. While they weren’t able to keep up with the Pride’s pace, the Current finished the regular season in fourth. They’ll be motivated to get revenge on the Pride for their loss earlier this year and the opportunity to play in the championship game at their home stadium.

The Current were one of the best teams offensively and defensively this season. Their 31 goals conceded was fifth fewest in the league and their 57 goals scored were the most, six more than the Washington Spirit, who were second in goals scored.

While the Pride are led offensively by Zambian international Banda, Malawian international Temwa Chawinga is the biggest threat for the Current. The favorite for the NWSL Most Valuable Player award finished the regular season with a league-leading 20 goals in 26 games and scored the lone goal in Kansas City’s 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage in the first round of the NWSL playoffs last weekend.

The pair of African natives will be the key factor in this game. Banda snapped her goalless drought against Chicago and the Pride will need her to continue producing to reach the championship game. Additionally, Orlando’s defensive unit will need to keep Chawinga from taking over the game. It’s a tall task for a team that has conceded goals from defensive mistakes in each of its last four games.

“An exciting one,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about today’s game. “You know, it’s the semifinals of the playoffs. Winner goes all the way to the championship game, so stakes are high, and obviously we want to be the team that is on that flight to Kansas at the end of the game. So we expect two teams going after it. Obviously, we’ve played them two times in the regular season, (they’ve) been really competitive games, and we expect nothing different going into this game.”

All of the players missing for the Pride tonight are those already out with season-ending injuries and illnesses. Those players include Rafaelle (thigh), Megan Montefusco (heel), Luana (illness), Simone Charley (ankle), and Grace Chanda (thigh).

The Current will be without Hildah Magaia (leg), Alex Pfeiffer (knee), Gabrielle Robinson (knee), Mallory Weber (knee), and Bia Zaneratto (foot). Additionally, Lo’eau LaBonta (leg) is listed as questionable.

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Angelina.

Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Marta, Adriana.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Celia, Summer Yates, Carrie Lawrence, Morgan Gautrat, Ally Lemos, Viviana Villacorta, Julie Doyle, Carson Pickett.

Kansas City Current (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Almuth Schult.

Defenders: Ellie Wheeler, Kayla Sharples, Alana Cook, Hailie Mace.

Midfielders: Claire Hutton, Vanessa DiBernardo, Lo’eau LaBonta.

Forwards: Temwa Chawinga, Debinha, Michelle Cooper.

Bench: AD Franch, Regan Steigleder, Elizabeth Ball, Nichelle Prince, Desiree Scott, Stine Ballisager, Izzy Rodriguez, Bayley Feist, Kristen Hamilton.

Referees

REF: Danielle Chesky.
AR1: Jennifer Garner.
AR2: Darren Bandy.
4TH: Abdou Ndiaye.
VAR: Shawn Tehini.
AVAR: Tom Felice.

How to Watch

Match Time: 3 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: ABC.

Streaming: ESPN+.

Twitter: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

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