Connect with us

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs Seattle Reign: Final Score 5-2 as Spencer and Edmonds Score Again in Losing Effort

Published

on

The Seattle Reign swarmed the Orlando Pride from the opening kickoff with high pressure and decisive and accurate ball movement and it showed in the final score, with the hosts claiming a 5-2 victory to even the season series at a game apiece. A season-high Seattle crowd of 5,103 saw a lot of offense in what will go down as the most lopsided loss of the Pride's opening season to date.

With Hope Solo out, the Pride (6-8-0, 18 points) would have done well to get shots on backup goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, but with the Reign's relentless pressure and a lot of careless giveaways in the midfield, Orlando never got many opportunities to do that. The Pride got two good scoring chances and beat Kopmeyer both times. They simply couldn't sustain enough possession to create those kinds of chances.

But, however large the Reign lead grew, the Pride never stopped battling when it would have been so easy to do so. Jasmyne Spencer and Kristen Edmonds continued their outstanding seasons with the two Orlando goals, both off fantastic service from Jamia Fields and Sarah Hagen, respectively. However, that wasn't enough to counter Seattle's offensive fireworks.

Those started 21 minutes in with Kim Little scoring from the penalty spot after a Dani Weatherholt foul in the box. The Pride had just cleared out a corner and the second ball in appeared to find an offside player but the flag stayed down and the foul provided the Reign's Little an easy opportunity. Little sent Kaitlyn Savage the wrong direction and made it 1-0 to Seattle (5-4-5, 20 points).

The first half continued as one-way traffic toward Savage's goal as the Reign's high press gave Orlando fits and made life difficult for the Pride trying to play the ball out from the back. Giveaways in the defensive half kept Savage under pressure and in the 30th minute the Reign doubled their lead off a set piece. Nahomi Kawasumi's ball in was initially dealt with by the defense, but as it sat in the box, no defender could locate it. Jessica Fishlock did, and she blasted a shot past Savage to make it 2-0.

Manon Melis nearly made it three just three minutes after Fishlock's goal but Savage came off her line for a save-of-the-week type play to smother the close-range shot. Kawasumi got behind the defense in the 37th minute but didn't get all of her shot and Savage was able to collect.

Orlando finally got an opportunity in the 38th minute. Christina Burkenroad got to a loose ball on the end line after Kopmeyer came out to deal with a ball over the top. Burkenroad sent in an effort from a bad angle that defender Kendall Fletcher cleared off the line, with Spencer bearing down on goal from the other side. That was the last good chance for either side and Seattle took a 2-0 advantage into the break.

That lead bulged to 3-0 just moments after the second-half kickoff. Cami Levin muffed a header on a cross into the box and it deflected straight to Melis, who tapped it into the net in the 47th minute.

The Pride finally struck back in the 52nd. Fields sent a perfect curling ball from the right sideline that Spencer one-timed past Kopmeyer to get Orlando on the board, making it 3-1. But the good feels from that tally didn't last long.

Sam Witteman was forced into a vital sliding tackle in the box to prevent a Melis goal in the 56th. On the resulting corner kick Fletcher made a near-post run and got her head to Kawasumi's cross, beating Savage high to the short side and making it 4-1.

Tom Sermanni called on Becky Edwards, Sarah Hagen and Leah Fortune, taking off rookies Burkenroad, Weatherholt, and Witteman. The Pride continued to fight, with Edmonds making a great hustle play down the right flank to earn a corner in the 67th and Spencer did the same down the left side two minutes later. But the Pride could get nothing off its set pieces.

In the 72nd, Kaylyn Kyle and Toni Pressley both had chances off corners but neither could get a clean shot.

Seattle, meanwhile, never sat back. The Reign continued to attack relentlessly. Merritt Mathias missed just wide in the 75th minute, and Levin got just a toe on Kawasumi's cross three minutes later to prevent a scoring chance. Bev Yanez got behind the Orlando defense in the 83rd but shot right at Savage.

All of that pressure eventually resulted in a Pressley own-goal in the 87th, as she stuck out a left foot to block a cross and it deflected just inside Savage's goal post to make it 5-1.

Once again the Pride kept fighting. Hagen sent in a beautiful through ball to Edmonds two minutes after the own-goal and Kristen buried her fourth goal of the year past Kopmeyer to make it 5-2.

The final action of the game again saw Seattle on the front foot. The Reign won a free kick just above the box and Kawasumi's free kick smashed off the crossbar. The rebound fell for Mathias, who shot just wide before the final whistle blew.

The Pride, who are now 1-2 since the international players left for Olympic duty, fell to seventh place in the NWSL standings, but are still just four points behind the final playoff spot. They will try to snap their two-game losing streak Sunday on the road against the Boston Breakers at 6 p.m.

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?

Published

on

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!

Continue Reading

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.

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

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.

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending