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Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 2-1 as Pride Still Can’t Solve Stars

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8 years ago

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Someday the Orlando Pride will figure out a way to beat the Chicago Red Stars and it will be glorious. Today was not that day. At least it wasn’t a fourth consecutive 1-0 final to Chicago as the Red Stars managed multiple goals — both by Christen Press, because obviously — for the first time against the Pride. Orlando also found its first goal against the Red Stars, who still won, 2-1 in front of 4,742 at Toyota Park.

Chicago (8-3-4, 28 points) momentarily climbs into first place in the NWSL and remains unbeaten at home (6-0-2), while the Pride (5-6-4, 19 points) have their modest three-game road unbeaten streak snapped. The Pride are 0-4-0 against Chicago and have been outscored 5-1 in the four meetings. Alanna Kennedy’s stoppage-time goal snapped Orlando’s goal drought against Chicago at just over 360 minutes.

Despite owning the game for much of the first half, the Pride couldn’t find that important first goal and instead conceded one, then got very sloppy in the second half, eventually all but capitulating as the Red Stars passed accurately, spread the field, and frustrated Orlando over the game’s second half.

The Pride did a good job of possessing the ball throughout the first half (62.5%) but had trouble finding a way through the Chicago defense. In truth, Orlando did a good job of moving the ball but a poor job of moving themselves, allowing the Red Stars to easily defend them without having to move.

Chicago made the most of counter opportunities after repeated turnovers at the top of the box by Orlando and Pride players dribbling into double- and triple-team situations rather than using movement off the ball to open space. The stat sheet in the opening period reflected that with only a 5-4 shots advantage for the Pride despite all that extra possession.

Orlando nearly got the game’s first goal on a gift. Steph Catley sent a ball into the box that Casey Short got a foot on and it deflected straight at her own goalkeeper. Alyssa Naeher made the surprise save on her own defender just three minutes in to keep Orlando off the board. Two minutes later, Marta fizzed a cross through the six-yard box but no Pride players could get a touch on it.

At 6’ the Red Stars got their first opportunity with Jennifer Hoy sending a shot from outside the box well off target.

Catley got in a dangerous cross in the eighth minute that was just inches over Alex Morgan’s head and then took a bounce too high for Jasmyne Spencer to handle with a gaping empty net in front of her. The Red Stars answered with a shot from Vanessa DiBernardo firing just wide of the back post at 9’ and Hoy not getting good contact on her header two minutes later.

Press, who routinely lost her mark throughout the game, got her first opportunity at the 16-minute mark, getting in behind the defense but not getting off a good shot, which was easy for Aubrey Bledsoe. Three minutes later, Sofia Huerta sent in a cross for a wide-open Press but it was just a bit too high. Bledsoe came out of the box two minutes later to make a vital block outside the area after Kennedy dribbled into traffic at the top of the box at the other end and turned it over, igniting the counter.

Naeher returned the favor at 25’ by coming out of the box and sweeping the ball away before Chi Ubogagu could get to it behind the defense.

Four minutes later, Chicago had its breakthrough. The Red Stars took possession and Huerta sent a perfect ball over Ali Krieger to the streaking Press, who took it with a great first touch, rounded Bledsoe, and eased it into the empty net to make it 1-0 at the 29-minute mark.

Orlando immediately tried to answer, with Ubogagu slotting a cross into the box for Spencer but her shot was blocked in the 30th minute.

Huerta’s curling effort was saved by Bledsoe in the 36th minute, shortly after a hydration break. A minute later came Orlando’s best opportunity to equalize. Camila got forward from her right back spot and sent in a gorgeous cross for Morgan. Alex got her head on it and made good contact but left the shot much too close to Naeher, who made the quick reaction save to keep the Pride off the board.

At the 41-minute mark, Naeher nearly gave the Pride a gift with a bad touch under pressure. Morgan got to the ball first and tried to put it in the net but the Chicago keeper recovered to block the shot. Marta got the last opportunity of the half with a try from well outside the box that was easy for Naeher to save on the hop.

Tom Sermanni took off Spencer at halftime and put on Kristen Edmonds but nothing much changed in the attack. As a group, Orlando was much less sharp with the ball in the second period and as a result the Pride were less threatening to the Chicago goal. It didn’t even seem to matter that Chicago Head Coach Rory Dames was sent off at halftime for abusive language, evidently upset that Ubogagu wasn’t given a yellow card for pulling back Press near the end of the first half.

Orlando nearly got the first opportunity of the second half when Dani Weatherholt’s ball was just inches out of reach of Morgan in the box in the 48th minute. But it was Chicago doubling the lead through Press at 52’ when Krieger gambled by stepping up and left Orlando exposed. Press had only Bledsoe to beat again to make it 2-0 to the hosts.

From that point on it seemed the wind was out of Orlando’s sails. DiBernardo sent a blast just over the bar two minutes after the second Press goal. But the Pride got an opportunity at 56’ on a free kick just above the box when Camila was taken down. Marta took the set piece and her shot nearly sneaked inside the right post but Naeher made the save.

Lauren Kaskie had a shot deflect on goal in the 62nd minute but Bledsoe was there to make the save. Press nearly got her hat trick at 65’ when she again got in behind but Krieger was able to force her wide and her shot from close range was wide into the side netting.

Neither team got another good scoring chance until the 80th minute, when Kennedy just missed the goal by inches off a pass from second-half sub Rachel Hill. Kennedy again nearly scored two minutes later on a corner but Naeher got to the ball just nanoseconds ahead of the Aussie midfielder.

As Chicago tried to bleed out the clock, the Pride got more of the ball and created a few late chances. Morgan beat a defender and fired from a tight angle in the 86th minute but Naeher had the near post covered and knocked it behind for a corner. Pressley nearly put the Pride on the board on the ensuing set piece, flicking a header just inches over the bar.

Kennedy finally broke the scoring drought in the 93rd minute, blasting a Hill cross into the top of the net to make it 2-1.

Unfortunately, Orlando couldn’t produce one more late chance to find an equalizer. Hopefully the late goal will give the Pride something to build on moving forward.

We’re now in the international break, with Orlando’s Brazilians, Australians and USWNT players (Krieger and Morgan) jetting out west to play in the Tournament of Nations, beginning July 27.

Orlando’s next game will be at home against these same Red Stars on Aug. 5. That will be a tough game for the Pride, since the final day of the Tournament of Nations is Aug. 3 and the players will need to fly cross-country to return to Orlando afterward. It could be an interesting lineup for Orlando on Aug. 5, as the Pride could be without Morgan, Krieger, Catley, Kennedy, Marta, Camila, and Monica.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

Published

11 hours ago

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January 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

  • March — 4
  • April — 2
  • May — 6
  • June — 0
  • July — 6
  • August — 4
  • September — 4
  • October — 3
  • November — 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

  • Monday — 0
  • Tuesday — 1
  • Wednesday — 2
  • Thursday — 0
  • Friday — 11
  • Saturday — 7
  • Sunday — 9

For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. 

The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

  • Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
  • Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)
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Orlando Pride

How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

Published

12 hours ago

on

January 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

Reinvigorate the Attack

The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

Fill the Roster

Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

Find the Grit

In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando Pride Name Caitlin Carducci Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager

Caitlin Carducci leaves the Kansas City Current to become the Pride’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager.

Published

3 days ago

on

January 13, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride have found their replacement for Haley Carter, naming former Kansas City Current general manager Caitlin Carducci as the club’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager. Carducci arrives in Orlando after helping assemble the Current squad that broke some of the Pride’s league records set in 2024, moving from the 2025 NWSL Shield winners to the 2024 NWSL Shield Winners.

“Caitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women’s soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart,” Orlando Pride Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “She emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation, and a vision that aligns with our culture. Caitlin is the ideal person to elevate the strong foundation we have established and position the Pride for sustained success.”

The Pride used Bloom Sports Partners to assist in the club’s search for Carter’s replacement. Carter left behind a team that won the double in 2024, capturing both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship, and came tantalizingly close to a second straight appearance in the NWSL final last season. Carducci, who helped architect the team that won another trophy in 2024 — the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup — now inherits the club Carter left behind on Nov. 18 of last year to take a job with the Washington Spirit.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to take on this role and help elevate the strong foundation that the club’s players, staff, and supporters have already created,” Carducci said in the club’s release. “The chance to work with the Wilf family, whose leadership and investment reflect their commitment to a world-class organization, along with a championship-level roster and technical staff, made this an easy decision. I’m eager to begin this next chapter, strengthen the inclusive and ambitious culture that defines this club, and help push the Pride toward new heights.”

Carducci spent the last three seasons with Kansas City, serving multiple roles, most recently as the Current’s general manager. She joined Kansas City in 2023 as director of soccer operations, becoming interim general manager in May of 2024. Carducci became the club’s GM later that season. Her key accomplishments include bringing in the final piece of the Current’s puzzle — Brazilian international goalkeeper Lorena, who broke Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse’s short-lived NWSL single-season record for shutouts. Carducci also acquired Ally Sentnor during the 2025 season from the Utah Royals. She was also instrumental in the Current re-signing star players Debinha, Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, and Lo’eau Labonta.

That Current team set new league single-season records for most wins (21), points (65), and shutouts (16), and won the NWSL Shield faster than any previous winner in NWSL history.

During her playing days, Carducci played at Ashland University. The Central Ohio native later served as an assistant coach at Ohio Northern University while completing her law degree.

Like Carter, Carducci has a varied background and numerous skillsets that will serve her well in her new position. She served as a compliance officer at Xavier University and as manager of member programs for U.S. Soccer, overseeing professional player registration and FIFA compliance and acting as the primary point of contact for organization members, including state associations and professional leagues. She returned to U.S. Soccer in 2022, where she became vice president of member programs and stakeholder engagement.

What It Means for Orlando

In the short term, hiring a general manager should help fill out a roster that came close to a second consecutive NWSL final, despite being without star striker Barbra Banda for the final weeks of the season and all of the postseason. That roster needs immediate help at center back after Emily Sams recently requested and received a trade to Angel City. There aren’t a lot of holes in the Pride roster, but the center back group needs help and more production and depth are needed in the attack.

Overall, this seems on the surface to be an addition that mirrors the Pride bringing Carter to Orlando in 2023. She brings a variety of experiences that will help the club in multiple ways. From her law degree to her compliance background to evaluating talent and luring those players to non-marquee market teams, Carducci seems to check all the boxes. It’s easy to understand how the club arrived at this decision. Ultimately, how Carducci’s tenure in Orlando goes will depend on what the club does on the field and how well it develops talent.

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