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Orlando Pride at Houston Dash: Player Grades and Player of the Match

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The Pride’s first trip to Houston was a tale of two defenses, with both teams going back and forth for 81 minutes before the Pride finally broke the scoring drought to win, 1-0, on a Kristen Edmonds stunner. Here are my thoughts on the Pride players and my pick for Player of the Match in last night’s win. Be sure to vote for your player of the match in our poll below.

Starters

GK, Ashlyn Harris, 7.5 – Harris made several saves in the first half, with most coming off of corners. As most of the Dash’s shots were off target, Harris was not forced to make any major saves, easily scooping up all of the shots before the break. In the 63rd minute, Harris made a diving save, keeping a cross from becoming a shot. Two minutes later, Harris came out of goal to make yet another diving save. Harris’ biggest save of the night came in the 77th minute. While Harris was able to keep her third straight clean sheet, making five saves, most of the shots she faced were directly at her, not forcing her to come up big like in previous matches.

D, Steph Catley, 7 – Unlike the last few games, Catley was quiet for much of the first half, with most of the play out on the right side. However, Catley sent a nice volley in to Morgan in the 25th minute that was scooped up by Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Catley immediately made an impact in the second half, going toe to toe with Rachel Daly to prevent a shot on goal. She continued to contain Daly for the remainder of the second half, helping keep the score sheet clean.

D, Toni Pressley, 5.5 – Failed to make a noticeable impact in the first half, allowing Monica to step up with Alleway out after sustaining a groin injury in warmups. In the 59th minute, Pressley missed a header, which led to a shot on goal for the Dash. Thankfully, the shot was wide. While she didn’t concede any goals, Pressley failed to make an impact on the field, letting through balls pass by and getting beat multiple times by Houston’s forwards.

D, Monica, 6.5 – Monica was originally slated to start in the midfield, but moved to center back due to Alleway’s injury. She made more of an impact in the first half than in previous games, including blocking a shot in the 32nd minute. Monica had a nice backheel in the 65th minute off of a free kick, but unfortunately the ball landed right in Williams’ arms. This may have been her best game yet in an Orlando Pride uniform, stepping up in the absence of Alleway.

D, Josee Belanger, 7 – Once again, Belanger made an impact on the flank, running up and down and creating multiple chances. In the 12th minute, she made an acrobatic save, preventing a Dash goal. Belanger was able to prevent a breakaway during the 23rd minute and quickly turned the ball around for an offensive attack. In the 37th minute, Belanger almost had an own-goal when a miscommunication led to a pass back to Harris instead of a clearance. Not her strongest performance for the Pride, but still a great showing for the Canadian.

MF, Kaylyn Kyle, 6.5 – Holding down the midfield, Kyle provided service to the forwards for most of the first half. She worked well with Morgan, providing some give-and-goes that almost led to clear shots on goal. Kyle was subbed out in the 56th minute for Sam Witteman.

MF, Lianne Sanderson, 7 – Sanderson sent a beautiful combination ball in to Edmonds in the sixth minute that led to Orlando’s first corner of the night. The English international played well in the midfield, serving the ball in multiple times for shots. She assisted Edmonds’ goal in the 81st minute and was subbed off minutes later for Maddy Evans.

MF, Becky Edwards, 6 – Edwards stepped into the starting lineup after the injury to Alleway forced Monica back into her usual spot on the back line, and contributed almost immediately, aiding in some defensive stops in the first 10 minutes. Edwards blocked a goal opportunity for the Dash in the 21st minute. She continued to make the defense look good, limiting the Dash’s chances and playing a major role in controlling Morgan Brian.

F, Kristen Edmonds, 9 (POTM) – Edmonds’ first opportunity came in the 12th minute off a cross from Morgan. The ball was lost in traffic and the Dash were able to scramble and clear the ball. For the remainder of the first half, Edmonds managed to make an impact all over the field, both defensively and offensively. She created multiple offensive opportunities and forced several turnovers. She scored the lone goal of the night in the 81st minute. The goal was from deep outside the box and was her first as a professional soccer player. It was by far Edmonds’ best game so far this season. She contributed in every aspect of the game and looked well-rounded.

F, Jasmyne Spencer, 6.5 – Spencer had an uneventful first half, but came out hard in the second half, looking for her first goal and keeping the Dash on their toes. She was subbed out in the 76th minute before she could capitalize on any of her chances.

F, Alex Morgan, 8 – Morgan almost had an assist in the 14th minute, sending a nice cross right into the box for Edmonds. Not two minutes later, the captain made a run straight towards goal and was brought down in the box, but no call was made and the goal opportunity went wanting. Morgan sent a header towards goal in the 79th minute that was once again blocked. With the exception of an ankle knock, Morgan looked at the top of her game, creating chance after chance for the Pride.

Substitutions

MF, Samantha Witteman (56′), 8 – After being on the field for less than 30 seconds, Witteman took a shot that sailed over the goal. She had another shot in the 70th minute, showing off some fancy footwork before sending the ball towards the net. Witteman worked well on the side, aiding in the defense and offense, making the most of the time she was given on the field. She was perhaps one of the best off-the-bench players this season. She immediately made an impact and continued to work hard until the final whistle blew.

F, Jamia Fields (76′), 5.5 – Fields came on in the 76th minute for Spencer. Most of her touches looked slightly off, failing to connect with Morgan and missing passes from the midfielders.

MF, Maddy Evans (86′), N/A – Evans didn’t have much time to contribute, coming on in the 86th minute. Her most memorable moment was when she brought down a Dash player, giving up free kick.

What did you think about the Pride performances in Houston? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to vote for your Player of the Match.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Kristen Edmonds 78
Samantha Witteman 5
Alex Morgan 23
Ashlyn Harris 22
Other 8

Orlando Pride

A Look at NWSL Shield Winners’ Late Season Form and Performance in the Playoffs

What prior NWSL Shield-winning seasons can tell us about Orlando’s quest for an NWSL title.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium, the Orlando Pride finished their NWSL Shield-winning regular season with a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Reign. Orlando showed some of the same warning signs in this match that plagued the club in its previous two losses at the Portland Thorns and Gotham FC, including poor defending, especially from set pieces. This dip in form came in matches that didn’t carry the same weight for Orlando after the Pride clinched the top spot in the league, but they will have to get back on track in a hurry for the playoffs.

Orlando was the best team in the NWSL during the regular season, but to evaluate how form can be a factor in crowning a champion, this piece will open the history books to compare Orlando’s performances in the final matches to prior NWSL Shield and championship-winning clubs.

Before looking at recent NWSL trophy winners’ end-of-season performances, it is important to contextualize Orlando’s end to the season. Over the final five matches, the Pride racked up three wins and their only two losses of the season. The Pride won the shield with three games remaining on the calendar, which created a strange situation for the club. These remaining matches mattered less in context, and due in part to tough matchups, heavy lineup rotation, and maybe some drop in concentration, the Pride had just one win and two losses to close the campaign.

In the 11 matches leading up to winning the Shield, the Pride only conceded two goals, but in the three matches since, they have conceded seven times. Returning to their defensive roots, quickly and without Rafaelle, who is now out for the year, will be critical for Orlando’s chances in the playoffs.

After looking at the Pride’s form, it can be compared to prior NWSL Shield and championship winners from each of the previous five seasons:

SeasonShield WinnerPointsFinal Five Regular Season MatchesNWSL Playoff ChampionPoints and PositionFinal Five Regular Season Matches
2018NC Courage57W-D-W-D-WNC CourageN/AN/A
2019NC Courage49W-W-W-L-WNC CourageN/AN/A
2021Portland Thorns44L-D-D-W-DWashington Spirit39 (3rd)D-W-W-W-W
2022Seattle Reign40D-W-W-W-WPortland Thorns39 (2nd)W-D-W-W-D
2023San Diego Wave37W-L-W-D-WNJ/NY Gotham31 (6th)D-W-L-L-D
2024Orlando Pride60W-W-L-L-WTBDTBDTBD

The good news for Orlando is there is some precedence for the Pride’s situation. In both 2018 and 2019, the shield-winning North Carolina Courage went on to win the NWSL championship as well. Each season, the Courage dropped a result or two in the final games, before getting a final-day win to propel them into the playoffs. These teams were two of the best ever in the NWSL, winning the shield with four games and two games left to be played, respectively. With the Pride’s win against Seattle on Saturday, they surpassed the 2018 Courage team to break the record for the most points and the most wins in a single regular season, showing just how special this season has been so far.

Since the North Carolina Courage completed back-to-back domestic doubles, the NWSL Shield winners have not won a playoff game, let alone the NWSL championship. In each season from 2018 to 2023, the shield winner had fewer points than the year before, showcasing the league’s parity. In 2021, the Portland Thorns struggled mightily down the stretch, winning only one of their final five games. That year it was the Washington Spirit, undefeated in their final seven regular-season matches, that took home the trophy. The following year, the shield-winning Reign lost in the first round despite coming into the playoffs on a seven-match unbeaten streak. That season, the Thorns won the NWSL championship after a five-match unbeaten run to close the regular season. Both of these years, hot teams kept their streaks going into the playoffs to win it all, regardless of who won the shield.

The 2023 NWSL campaign stands out as one of the more unique seasons. The San Diego Wave won a tight shield race on the final day despite accumulating only 37 points. Then, Gotham, which just barely beat out the Orlando Pride for the final playoff spot on goal differential, won the NWSL championship despite poor form to close the season. San Diego’s early exit from the playoffs continued a trend of tight shield races followed by first-round losses. This pattern, shown below, highlights how Orlando’s early shield win has more in common with the 2018 and 2019 Courage teams than recent shield winners.

Shield WinnerMatches Left After Winning the ShieldPlayoff Result
2018 Courage4NWSL champions
2019 Courage2NWSL champions
2021 Thorns1Eliminated 1st round
2022 ReignWon on the final dayEliminated 1st round
2023 WaveWon on the final dayEliminated 1st round
2024 Pride3TBD
Tight shield races lead to early playoff exits

The table above shows some correlation between how tight a shield race is to the playoff result of the winner. This pattern could be explained by how hard a team is working in the final weeks of the season to win a trophy before running out of steam for the playoffs. On the other hand, it may show that tight races mean there are multiple good teams capable of winning the NWSL championship, unlike the 2018 and 2019 seasons, in which the Courage were a step above the opposition.

The Pride will hope that winning the shield early means they are fresh and well rested for the playoffs. If not, the other top teams in the league have been in great form at the end of the year, as Washington, Gotham, and Kansas City have each only dropped points in one of their final five matches heading into the playoffs.

At the end of the regular season, it was clear that the Orlando Pride’s form had dipped after winning the NWSL shield. The win against Seattle on the final day of the regular season was a step in the right direction, but unconvincing. A look at the history books shows that the best teams in NWSL history have been able to win both the NWSL Shield and championship. For Orlando to stake its claim as having had the best season in league history, the Pride will need to reverse their form and defeat some of the hottest teams in the league.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Struggling with Set Piece Defending Heading into Postseason

The Pride have conceded four goals in three games from set pieces.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride began the 2024 NWSL season on a 23-game unbeaten run. They were three results away from being the first team in league history to complete a full season without a loss. However, they lost a pair of away games before returning home and defeating Seattle Reign FC 3-2 in the regular-season finale.

While the Pride have big names in their attack, it’s their defense that lifted them to unprecedented heights. The team conceded just 13 goals in their first 23 games and had 13 clean sheets. But those stellar performances have stopped over the last three games.

One of the reasons why the Pride were so successful defensively for most of the season was their ability to avoid conceding on set pieces. A primary way many teams score is through free kicks, corner kicks, and throw-ins. Through the first 23 games, the Pride didn’t give up a single goal from a set piece.

That changed when they traveled west to face the Portland Thorns. A corner kick in the 12th minute found the head of Reyna Reyes, who headed the ball towards goal from near the penalty spot. Morgan Weaver slipped behind Carrie Lawrence and Cori Dyke to touch it in and give the Thorns an early lead.

In the 55th minute, the Thorns earned a throw-in. Quick passing off the set piece saw the Thorns play through the midfield line, setting up Christine Sinclair for the second goal.

“I think it came down to, you know, a defensive set piece and a throw-in,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the game. “And so it’s a good opportunity for us to reflect, review the game, and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Unfortunately, they were unable to fix the problem. The following game against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Pride conceded their third goal from a set piece in two games. This one came off an early corner kick when Sam Hiatt got a foot to the ball, albeit with a weak touch, and the Pride were unable to clear. It’s questionable whether there was another touch in front of goal, but it doesn’t matter as none of the defenders were able to get a piece of it.

Saturday night was the third consecutive game that the Pride conceded a set -piece goal. This one was off a throw-in in the 84th minute when nobody closed down the players on the outside, enabling Veronica Latsko to find the head of Maddie Mercado to cut the Pride’s lead to 3-2.

After conceding only 13 goals in the first 23 games, the Pride have conceded seven in the last three. Of those, four have come from set pieces when they hadn’t given up a single set-piece goal all season prior.

According to Hines, these defensive lapses come down to concentration. Against Portland, Weaver snuck behind two defenders to get on the end of a header towards goal. The Pride let the ball travel through multiple defenders before reaching the goal against Gotham and left Mercado wide open in the box Saturday night.

“The second goal comes from a defensive throw-in that, similar (to the first goal), we allow a ball to get into the box. She’s open again, free header, and it goes into the back of the net,” Hines said about Seattle’s second goal. “So these are things that we can control. It’s concentration.”

Despite Hines’ claim that the team focuses on each game individually, part of the problem might be the achievement prior to the game in Portland. The Pride clinched the NWSL Shield against the Washington Spirit on Oct. 6, securing the team’s first trophy and the top seed in the playoffs. There wasn’t much to play for other than setting more league records.

The next game is Friday night against the Chicago Red Stars with a lot more on the line. The NWSL’s playoff structure is single-game rounds, so a lapse in concentration can end your season. Additionally, the team’s primary goal this year was winning the NWSL Championship, something that’s still very much achievable.

The Pride have a big advantage in that the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds (if the team advances) will be at home. They’ve yet to lose this year at Inter&Co Stadium and Saturday night was the first time they’ve conceded multiple goals in their home stadium. The team will have to keep their concentration and return to their defensive efforts on set pieces to achieve their ultimate goal.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Cap Historic Regular Season with a Win

The Pride beat the Reign at home to grab three more points and put the finishing touches on a historic season.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride (18-2-6, 60 points) wrapped up their 2024 NWSL regular season with a 3-2 win over Seattle Reign FC (6-15-5, 23 points). Ally Watt and Jordyn Huitema traded goals in the first 10 minutes before Kerry Abello gave the Pride a 2-1 halftime lead. Marta made it 3-1 in the 56th minute, seemingly putting the game away. Maddie Mercado got one back in the 83rd minute, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took all three points.

The win saw the Pride break two more league records before the postseason begins. It was their 18th win of the year — the most of any team in league history —  and they reached 60 points —  the highest point total in league history.

With the NWSL Shield wrapped up, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made several changes to the team that lost 3-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC on Oct. 20. Haley McCutcheon, Viviana Villacorta, Watt, and Summer Yates entered the lineup for Morgan Gautrat, Angelina, Julie Doyle, and Adriana.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. McCutcheon and Villacorta were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Yates with Barbra Banda up top.

The Pride were the better team in this game and deserved to claim all three points. They held more possession and created more chances, but fell asleep multiple times in the back. The defensive unit has been the best in the league this season, but this is the third straight game in which defensive lapses cost the team goals. Regardless, the Pride scored more than they conceded, finishing the regular season on a good note.

It looked like the Pride got off to the perfect start in the second minute when Watt made a great run down the left, beating her defender to the end line. She found Banda behind the back line, who used a nifty backheel to beat Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. However, the flag went up for offside, keeping the game scoreless.

The Pride did strike first in the ninth minute when Yates played a beautiful ball from the left through the back line for Watt making a run on the far side. The forward made no mistake with the chance, opening up and placing the ball past Dickey to give the hosts an early lead.

“I just remember Summer had the ball. I think it was Summer, one of the midfielders. Summer, probably, hits it long, straight line to the goal. ‘Just make sure you put it on frame, Ally.’ That’s all that was in my head,” Watt said about her goal. “Just put it on frame. And yeah, it worked out.”

It didn’t take the visitors long to equalize, doing so in the 10th minute. A long ball by Dickey from inside her own box was flicked forward by Huitema. As Tziarra King took possession, Huitema continued her run into the box with nobody following her. King put a perfect cross in for the forward who tapped it in to even the game at 1-1.

“I think on the first goal, it’s a classic kind of what we talked about the big five moments. And the five minutes after a goal is scored is when both teams are most susceptible to be scored on again. And so I think we switched off for a second,” Abello said. “You know, they’re a really aerial dominant team, and we lost the first aerial battle, and they got in behind us. And then we were scrambling in the box. So that’s definitely something to tighten up. And we need to stay locked in in those moments.”

The Pride regained the lead in the 26th minute when Watt played a cross into the box with Yates making a run to the middle of the six and Abello to the back post. Yates shielded Veronica Latsko from reaching the ball, enabling it to reach Abello, who was shielding Emeri Adames. The left back did well to win possession and play the ball in to give the Pride a 2-1 lead. There was a long delay while the play was reviewed for a possible foul on Abello, and there was contact with the defender, but ultimately the goal counted.

“I was just trying to get in there, you know, the cross is coming in. And we’ve talked a lot about gambling in the box, having movement in the box, more numbers. And I don’t always get up in there playing left back,” Abello said. “You know, I’ve kind of got to cover some ground first, but I was in there and I just wanted to get across my defender. And the ball popped out for me and found its way into the back of the net. So, it was a very Bello goal. So, I’ve been telling people, I’m not surprised that that’s how I scored my first goal of the season. You know, better late than never.”

The Pride had a chance for a third in the 33rd minute when Banda found Watt making a run into the right side of the box. Watt had plenty of time and could see her second goal of the day as she opened herself up and aimed for the top far corner. Unfortunately, her left-footed shot sailed a little high and wide of the target.

The Reign struggled to find shots and the only one on target was their goal until the 44th minute, when Ji So-Yun cut back and took a shot from the top of the box. She had enough space but took a little too long. As a result, the ball was blocked, popping up in the air and allowing Moorhouse to make the easy catch.

That was the final first-half chance for either team as the Pride took a 2-1 lead into the break. The Pride had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), shots (11-4), shots on target (3-2), corner kicks (3-0), crosses (9-5), and passing accuracy (87%-82%) in the first 45 minutes. Most importantly, they carried a lead into the break.

Hines made one halftime change, bringing on regular starter Angelina for Villacorta.

The Pride created their first second-half chance shortly after the restart when Marta lifted the ball outside for Yates in the 47th minute. The midfielder spotted Banda making a run into the box, playing her in on goal. Dickey did well to come off her line, cutting down the angle of Banda and blocking the shot.

The Pride were able to keep possession, setting Angelina up for a shot. The midfielder’s chance was blocked and she appealed for a hand ball in the box, but referee Melinda Homa determined it wasn’t enough to point to the spot.

Marta nearly connected with Yates in the 53rd minute after receiving the ball wide from Abello. However, the defender got to the ball first, knocking it out for a corner. After the first set piece was blocked into the outside of the net, the second was cleared by the Reign.

The Pride found their third goal in the 57th minute through their captain. Receiving the ball from Sams just inside the opposing half, the Brazilian carried the ball into the final third. Rather than closing her down, the defenders chose to close off potential passes. As a result, Marta continued with the ball into the box before firing it past Dickey to make it 3-1.

“I think Marta’s goal was tremendous,” Hines said about the third conversion. “Em plays a great ball through a line, she turns, she dribbles, and she gets a great shot of goal.”

Hines made his second change and used his first substitution window in the 61st minute, replacing Marta with Adriana.

Latsko received an overlapping pass on the right in the 65th minute. She attempted a cross, but Abello got in front in time to block it. It took some time for the Pride defender to catch her breath, but she was able to continue.

The ensuing set piece went to the far post, where it met the head of Huitema. The Canadian international wasn’t able to get over the ball and it went just over the crossbar.

So-Yun made a run into the box in the 67th minute, receiving a pass near the penalty spot. The Japanese international had space for a clear shot, but she hit it directly into the arms of Moorhouse.

On the other end, the Pride created a chance when Banda made a long run towards the end line. She played it across where Angelina was approaching the penalty spot. The halftime substitute’s first touch was a shot, but it was a weak attempt that didn’t cause any trouble for Dickey.

A give-and-go near midfield between Yates and Banda in the 73rd minute resulted in the striker making a long run into the Reign box. Jordyn Bugg was the first to close her down, but Banda used her strength to get past the center back. Latsko came from the far side to defend, but Banda forced her to change directions too quickly. It looked like it would be another wonderful goal for the Zambian, but she was unable to get much on the shot, sending it to Dickey for an easy save.

Shortly after the chance, Hines made two more changes. Gautrat and Ally Lemos came into the game for McCutcheon and Yates.

Adriana took a shot at goal from distance in the 78th minute after playing Angelina and receiving it right back. It was an ambitious attempt and didn’t cause Dickey any trouble as she went down and made an easy stop.

The Reign got a goal back in the 85th minute when Latsko received a throw in and sent a long ball into the box. It looked like it would get over the head of Maddie Mercado, but the attacker did well to lean back and get her head on it. Moorhouse probably should’ve made the stop, but she was caught flat-footed and the ball snuck inside the far post, cutting the Pride lead to 3-2.

“On the second goal, it came off a throw in. So you can always look at what happened in the box,” Abello said about the goal. “But I think we need to stop that service at the start of it, at the throw in.”

Gautrat tried to put her mark on the game in the 89th minute with an excellent attempt from outside the box. It took a diving block by Dickey to prevent a fourth goal for the Pride. The ball ended up with Angelina, who put it in, but the midfielder was judged to be offside.

The Pride made their final change of the game in the fourth minute of stoppage time as Evelina Duljan came on for Watt.

With a one-goal lead, the Pride were able to keep possession in the dying moments, enabling them to see out the win. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (56.4%-43.6%), shots (24-7), shots on target (9-4), corner kicks (6-2), and passing accuracy (87.2%-83.6%). Both teams ended the game with 15 crosses.

“It was so important that we had a reaction after the last two games,” Hines said. “You know, it’s an incredible season — not only to finish top of the table, but to set new records, you know, 18 wins, 60 points. That was our motivator going into this game. A lot of talk has been these last three games after winning the shield, you know, what are you playing for? And we put a big emphasis on finishing with the most points in NWSL history, most wins in NWSL history. So, we can ultimately take that record and make it difficult for anyone else to try to beat it. So I’m incredibly proud of the players, today’s performance, and throughout the season.”

The Pride lost both games on their recent two-game road trip, coming three games short of an unbeaten season. However, they finished the season 10-0-3 at home, a potentially important fact, considering they’ll host the quarterfinal round of the playoffs and if they advance, they’ll also host in the semifinal round.

On the negative side, the Pride conceded multiple goals for the third consecutive game and the first time at home this season. Prior to the two-game road trip, the Pride hadn’t conceded multiple goals in consecutive games all year. It’s a concern heading into the most important games of the season.


With the 2024 NWSL regular season now in the books, the Pride look to Friday when they host the quarterfinal round of the NWSL playoffs against an opponent to be determined in the remaining games tonight and Sunday.

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