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Orlando Pride: Who to Watch In 2018

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9 years ago

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With the Orlando Pride season coming up in a couple of months and the team staying basically the same from last season (so far), many people are wondering if this team has what it takes to go to the next step: making it to the NWSL Cup final. After a disappointing match in Portland during the semifinals, the Pride have had a long off-season to reflect and come back even stronger.

The team has yet to make any moves thus far in the off-season. Tom Sermani hit the ground running as soon as the season had concluded, traveling to Europe and Australia to scout new talent for the team. The front office was able to re-sign Dani Weatherholt who had a very good season in the midfield for the Pride. The club was also able to send a handful of players to Australia and Europe to ensure that they continue to compete at the highest level. I would argue that this has done wonders for the players who went. 

Five players from the squad went off to play in winter leagues this year. Rachel Hill went to play for Perth Glory for her first season in Australia. Toni Pressley also went to Australia for the first time, playing for Canberra United. Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy returned to their homeland to compete for Melbourne City. Monica also played in a winter league but did not travel to Australia. She has been playing for Atlético Madrid. Later on in the season, Sydney FC received Aubrey Bledsoe on loan from Orlando Pride due to some goalkeeping issues they had. This made the total rise to six players playing abroad and I can’t forget to mention that Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris were getting regular call-ups with the U.S. Women’s National Team.

With all this work in the off-season, the Pride are poised to have an even better season this year. You could basically go position by position on a team with this much talent when discussing who to watch for in the coming year, but here’s who I’ll be keeping an eye on for 2018.

Rachel Hill

One of the most exciting players to watch going into this season might not be Marta or even Morgan (though both of those ladies are certainly exciting to watch). I have my eyes on 22-year-old forward Rachel Hill, a player who originally was not selected by the Orlando Pride in the 2017 draft but was traded for shortly after. The Pride gave up a few assets to grab the young striker out of UConn last year and she is poised to have a breakout season.

Last year, Hill signed with the Orlando Pride in May shortly after graduating from college. She took a bit of time to break into the starting 11, finally getting an opportunity on June 28 to show what she had. Hill had three goals, and one assist in 713 minutes over 15 appearances. Though Hill only had the fifth most minutes out of the forward group, her play off the ball, as well as her link-up play, were something to be delighted with. 

The W-League has has done wonders for the young forward this winter, as she has lit up the league in the offensive end. I would argue she has had the best off-season of any Pride player that went off to play. 

Hill joined Perth Glory in the beginning of the W-League season, playing alongside NWSL Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr. Boy did Hill take off from the start. She scored seven goals with three weeks left to play in the league. Hill currently sits second in goals right behind Kerr, who has eight. 

2018 Outlook

The issue with this kind of form in the W-League begs the question: will she be able to bring over her goal scoring to the Pride when she returns? I believe she will. The opportunity that Rachel has had to not only have more professional soccer under her belt but to also study the game of Kerr has been invaluable.

This is not to say that working with Morgan and Marta hasn’t been influential but having as many opportunities to learn the forward position from some of the best strikers in the world does not hurt. Though Hill was fifth in minutes last year among strikers, I would not be surprised if Tom Sermani found ways to get her on the field more in 2018. The one thing that could help her is Camila’s absence from the team in the first few months as the Brazilian makes her way back from her ACL/MCL injury. If Hill can make an impact early for this team, she could not only see her minutes rise with the squad but she could also become an instant fan favorite. 

Prediction: If Hill can grab a starting spot she could easily have a ten goal/five assist season.

Marta

If there is anything Pride fans can hope for going into next season, its the idea that their two biggest stars hit the ground running. Marta’s play in the 2018 season can set the tone for the Pride.

The five-time World Player of the Year took the NWSL by storm last year, joining the team right before the home opener against the Washington Spirit. Though she did not start that game there was a different feel in the air. The Orlando Pride had signed one of the best women footballers in the world. As she came on in the 59th minute the crowd erupted and you knew that she was going to be special for the Pride. 

Marta did not waste any time leading the Pride as she bagged her first goal on May 7 against FC Kansas City. She was the leader of the Pride up until June 21 when Alex Morgan returned from Lyon. During the time Morgan was gone, Marta had five goals and three assists, with her numbers improving each week. Even when Morgan returned, Marta had eight goals and three assists, ending the year as the Orlando Pride leading goal scorer with 13 goals along with her six assists.

2018 Outlook

So where does Marta go from here? Having a full preseason with the Pride can only bode well for team chemistry, especially with all the stars this team has. Expect Marta to continue to split time between the attacking line and her midfield facilitator role, depending on the opponent and the team’s shape.

Prediction: I would expect Marta to score a bit less if Hill is able to seize a starting role up top and look for the Brazilian to finish with about seven goals but a boost in assists, most likely hitting double digits. 

Alex Morgan

After a lackluster first season with the Pride, Morgan decided to join Lyon for half of the year on a loan to provide another opportunity for herself. While with Lyon she was able to score five times in eight appearances, regaining top form. Due to the fact that she was away from the Pride for half of the season and returned with an injury, it took Morgan a bit of time to acclimate to the team. She eventually ended the season with nine goals and four assists, creating a kick in form for the Pride in the back end of their season leading them to the playoffs. Though it didn’t end how Morgan wanted it to, the season was a boost for her.

2018 Outlook

Alex can only continue to improve next season. She has not been on loan this off-season but she has spent time with the USWNT, continuing to work on her game. With having an entire preseason with the team, Marta being right at her side, and the improved form of Chioma Ubogagu and Hill, Morgan should expect to have an even better season than last year.

Prediction: I would expect Morgan to score at least 12 goals this season. If healthy, she’ll be one of the top scorers in the league.

Chioma Ubogagu

She would need to sign her contract offer to be in Orlando in 2018, but Chi has found a place among the Orlando Pride attack after joining the team last season. Ubogagu was acquired by trading a 2017 third-round draft pick to the Houston Dash. It was a move seen to bolster the attack that had been so lackluster the season before. Even with the additions of Marta in the beginning of the year as well as a few other attacking plays, Chi was able to make her presence known on the pitch.

She played over 1,300 minutes for the Pride in her first season with the club, scoring three times and providing three assists. Ubogagu played all but three games and was used in a variety of attacking spots. Her versatility is something that the Pride can value especially with some injuries and holes they will have to inevitably deal with next season.

Though she did not play in a winter league this off-season, Chi received a USWNT call up. Many believe that the reason she was brought into the USWNT was because of her position flexibility. This is a big step for Chi and if she can continue to play well and receive call-ups it’ll only improve her stock.

2018 Outlook

Chi could have an interesting season for the Pride but could certainly hold on to her spot in the starting 11 (I do not foresee Jamia Fields or Danica Evans taking over those spots, although Nadia Gomes could provide pressure). Her main area to improve is consistency in the final third.

Prediction: I would expect Ubogagu to net at least seven goals this year if she can hold onto a starting 11 spot. Even if she cannot, she could be a huge spark off the bench and provide goals to close out games. Though I would prefer to see her start, this could be a possibility. 

Dani Weatherholt

Most of Weatherholt’s game goes under the radar. Unfortunately, that is a common thread with more defensive players. Nonetheless, she was a key cog in the wheel for this Pride team since she was drafted in 2016. Though it took some time for her to see the field, she has been consistently locking down teams and connecting the defense to the offense in transition. 

Last season, Dani went from playing just under 800 minutes in year one to almost 1,500 minutes in year two. She was asked often to play a double pivot  (two defensive midfielder set up) to bolster the defensive end of the field. Weatherholt and Kennedy were a dynamic duo in the defensive part of the pitch. Like stated above, this type of play is not recognized as much because there aren’t a whole lot of stats to bolster the argument but when it comes to more defensive players that can be a good thing. 

2018 Outlook

With Dani being only 23-years-old, she still has room to grow and I fully expect that to continue going into next year. With the uncertainty of Kennedy up to this point, Dani could be asked to hold down the defensive midfield position solo. Even if Kennedy comes back (which at this point we expect to happen) Weatherholt can blossom even more becoming one of the best defensive midfielders in NWSL. As long as Weatherholt can continue to settle into the team and work well in possession, she will undoubtedly continue to hold down that defensive midfield spot.

Prediction: I would expect Weatherholt to work on her passing stats, not that she was terrible in that department, but having better possession and passing percentage would go a long way for this team. If Weatherholt can hold the ball more often or even distribute at a better rate, this Pride team could be even more potent. I expect even better growth out of her becoming an enforcer at the defensive midfield spot.

The Goalkeeper Position: Ashlyn Harris & Aubrey Bledsoe

When it comes goalkeeping, the Orlando Pride had the goal locked down last season. When Ashlyn Harris went out with a quad injury, Bledsoe came in and did a great job keeping the team in the fight for a playoff spot. With both goalkeepers doing well last season this could create a potential issue: If a team needs a goalkeeper, could one of these players be dealt?

As the season approaches, teams around the league could start inquiring about the availability of one of the Pride’s keepers if injuries occur. But for now Harris and Bledsoe return for the Pride and could be the most dominant one-two punch in terms of goalkeepers.

Harris began the season as the starting goalkeeper, a role she held in 2016 as well, when the team came into the league. She played the first six games of the season for the Pride putting in solids performances in all those games. Though she did not grab any clean sheets, she only let up about 1.5 goals per game and had four saves per game, also tallying a 10-save game against North Carolina Courage. However, against Seattle, Harris went out in the 26th minute and emergency backup Caroline Stanley was forced into action. Harris returned Aug. 13, grabbing a clean sheet in her first start back. She then led the Pride to the playoffs. Harris has done a bit of off-season work as well, playing with the USWNT, keeping her in form.

Bledsoe was pushed into action the week following Harris’ injury. She started 10 games for the Pride, allowing 1.5 goals per game and averaging 3.5 saves per game. Bledsoe also had two clean sheets. She slid right into a team that needed her to step up and boy did she. During the off-season, Bledsoe is currently with Sydney FC, where she’s made the most of her opportunities, chalking up five starts and two shutouts so far. The time with Sydney FC has done wonders for her thus far and only helps improve her stock.

2018 Outlook

Could it be possible that the team deals one of these bright stars to gain a missing piece? Bledsoe could be an attractive player to trade for due to her performances and her age. However, Harris also has her own appeal with a plethora of experience in the professional game, 14 USWNT caps, and the ability to inspire the players around her. I’m not suggesting that either player needs to leave the team but this could be something that the team entertains if there are needs that can’t be solved with just finding a player. 

Prediction: Harris will retain the starting job by the time the season begins but if there is any slip in form or if Harris gets injured again, we could see a changing of the guard, allowing an opportunity for Bledsoe to come in and compete for the job. If this team needs to grab one more piece and can do so by trading one of its keepers, it could be possible that Harris or Bledsoe are dealt.

Camila

After having an explosive year last year, Camila had an unfortunate ending to her season after tearing her MCL & ACL in the final regular-season game. Camila played 1,900 minutes last year in 24 games. In that time she scored four goals with five assists, creating a lot of chances on the attacking front but also was able to get back on defense. The unfortunate injury was something the Pride were not expecting and may have hindered them from going all the way to the NWSL Cup final.

Camila began her career at the age of 18 in Brazil, bouncing around a few teams. She also had a small stint in Houston before returning to Brazil. However, when Camila joined the Pride there were high expectations for the young defender/midfielder and she did not fail to disappoint. Though her stats may not be as high as some would have hoped, her effect on the field could not be missed. 

2018 Outlook

The number one goal for Camila in 2018 is for her to get healthy. Tearing one of either your ACL or MCL is tough enough but having to come back from both is no easy task. The Pride will do everything in their power to ensure that she rehabs correctly and gets back on the field. Injuries like Camila’s can take about six to nine months to properly heal pegging a summer to early fall return. Best case scenario for the Pride would have them above the line at that time with Camila gently sliding in so she can rehab back in time for a playoff run. Even so, this team should have enough depth to fill in for her even if the player isn’t as explosive. 

Prediction: I would expect Camila to have a slow return to the squad, easing back into the lineup midseason. With that, she could have a handful of assists and a goal or two by the end of the season. 

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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Continue Slide Toward NWSL Basement

The Pride lose another lopsided game and are only spared another shutout defeat by Kerry Abello’s late goal.

Published

2 days ago

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August 7, 2026

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Image of Kerry Abello taking a shot against Louisville.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Unfortunately, if you’re at the bottom of the NWSL table, the remedy is to play the Orlando Pride. The Pride (7-10-2, 23 points) had never lost to Racing Louisville FC (5-11-2, 17 points) at Inter.co Stadium entering tonight, but that streak ended emphatically with a 3-1 home loss.

Audrey McKeen got her first NWSL goal in the 16th minute and Emma Sears added two more  to the tally at the 68th and 86th minutes. It could have been worse with a comically bad goal that was overturned after video review. Kerry Abello chalked up a goal for the Pride in the fourth minute of added time in the second half to spoil the shutout.

Louisville has now won three of its last four games.

“Louisville is very aggressive – they like to put pressure on,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the game. “We didn’t execute the best we could have – we were close in moments but close isn’t good enough.”

The Pride made four changes to the lineup amid a hefty number of players out on the availability report and were not even able to field a full bench of nine substitutes, dressing two backup goalkeepers. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Hailie Mace, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Zara Chavoski on the back line. Angelina (with the captain’s armband) and Ally Lemos played central midfield in front of them with Simone Jackson, Jacquie Ovalle, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Julie Doyle started up top as the attack focal point.

Both teams generated an opportunity in the first 90 seconds, with Jackson almost connecting with Payne before Racing Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer snuffed it out. Sears then came down the other side and forced a save from Moorhouse. The ensuing corner generated a bit of chaos in the box before it was cleared, but it was a sign of things to come.

Both teams continued to trade possession without any real dangerous moments. Doyle had a shot blocked in the seventh minute and Louisville had a shot saved in the 11th.

Racing Louisville then managed to hold the attack in Orlando’s defensive end for a while. On the third corner of the set at the 16-minute mark, Katie O’Kane sent a great ball into the center of the six-yard box. McKeen broke loose and got a head on the cross to opening the scoring. Louisville had played most of its previous corners short and caught the Pride a bit off with a normal cross.

Orlando could not generate much of a response in the following minutes. Jackson broke loose down the left side but her cross was not threatening. Meanwhile, Sears hit the crossbar at the 26-minute mark on a ball that seemed to surprise the whole defense.

Orlando was able to generate a corner off an Angelina shot from 25 yards out, but nothing came of it. On the next possession, Doyle got on the end of a Payne through ball but could not create danger from it.

At the hydration break, there were plenty of areas for Hines to correct as not a lot had gone right. Jackson was able to get by her mark multiple times but there wasn’t a lot else.

In the 35th minute, Doyle worked herself free at the top corner of the box and sent a searching cross to the back post. Jackson ran it down but hit the crossbar with a lot of net to shoot at, wasting one of the team’s best chances of the night. The Pride kept up the pressure and finally generated something. Orlando should have scored in the 38th minute, with a great ball sending Doyle into the area, but her shot was a weak one and easily saved, when any pace on the ball at all would have put the Pride on the board.

The Pride thought they’d gotten a break as Mirann Gacioch slid into Doyle as she got her shot off, and referee Muhammad Hassan awarded a penalty. However, as Lemos held the ball at the penalty spot, the video assistant referee sent Hassan to the monitor and he reversed his call.

Nothing much occurred after the incident, although O’Kane picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul for pulling Ovalle back in the first minute of stoppage time. Neither team created any threats in the added time and the half ended without further excitement.

The Pride led in possession (54%-46%), while Racing Louisville held the advantage in shots (9-7), shots on target (4-1), and passing accuracy (83%-82%). The teams each won four corners in the opening period.

The second half started even worse, with the Pride hemmed into their defensive end for the first seven minutes. The crossbar continued to get hammered as Lauren Milliet put one off it from the top of the box. After that, Orlando finally got out of its end and Jackson’s shot was deflected by Gacioch near the right post and had to be parried away by Bloomer.

The Pride used their first substitution window to replace Jackson and Payne with Summer Yates and Solai Washington at the 55-minute mark.Jackson had done well to get into some good areas but there was no final product from the young forward.

Racing Louisville responded with its own subs in the 62nd minute as Ella Hase replaced Quincy McMahon and Maja Lardner replaced Kayla Fischer. The game had settled into a sloppy back-and-forth without either team generating any danger.

Doyle then sat down in the 65th minute after a tangle and was replaced by Abello. Coming out of the restart, Louisville again picked up the pressure and, off a Mace turnover, Sears dribbled down the right side, easily stepped inside of Rafaelle, and blasted a shot from a tight angle past Moorhouse and into the inside netting at the back post for the game’s second goal in the 68th minute.

Three minutes later, Racing Louisville made changes by putting Rachel Hill and Sarah Weber in for Makenna Morris and McKeen. The Pride used their final substitutes to pull Mace and Angelina for Zoe Matthews and Luana.

In the 78th minute, Washington was unable to get on the end of a dangerous Yates cross. Louisville immediately responded, as Sears beat Abello down the left and the dribble somehow went right through Moorhouse’s legs, allowing Sears to tap it in. However, Sears was deemed offside on the pass that turned her loose after video review, sparing Orlando its most embarrassing goal of the evening.

The Pride picked up their energy level after that and were able to generate some danger. Bloomer saved Ovalle’s shot at the 84-minute mark, and Matthews put a header off the crossbar right afterwards.

Unfortunately, on Louisville’s response, Sears broke loose down the right, easily blew past the much slower Rafaelle, and put another goal past an ineffective Moorhouse in the 86th minute.

With 10 minutes added to the end of the game, the Pride showed some life, though it was too late to change the outcome. After a couple of aborted attacks, Abello took a long dribble off a blocked cross and smashed a goal into the corner in the fourth added minute. That kept Louisville from getting its first clean sheet of the season.

Orlando kept up the pressure and Yates should have added a second goal for the Pride off a saved shot from Washington in the eighth added minute, but it skipped just inches wide of the right post. Racing Louisville put in one more substitute by pulling O’Kane for Avery Ciorbu. The Pride weren’t able to generate anything in the last 90 seconds and the game ended without any further attacks.

The Pride finished the game with the lead in possession (52%-48%), with Racing Louisville ahead in shots (20-18), shots on target (7-6), passing accuracy (78%-77%), and corners (9-8).

“I’m really proud of our fight in the last 20 minutes, but we have to do that from the first,” Abello said. “We played into their hands and let Louisville play their game. They’re good at set pieces – they’re all six feet tall.”

The Pride travel the next two weekends to Portland and Washington, D.C., before returning home on Aug. 29 against Utah. All three teams are above the Pride in the NWSL table.

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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride return home looking to get back in the win column against Racing Louisville.

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3 days ago

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August 7, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your match preview and live thread as the Orlando Pride (7-9-2, 23 points) face Racing Louisville FC (4-11-2, 14 points) at home (7 p.m., NWSL+). This is the second and final time these two teams will meet during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

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

History

This is the fifth season of existence for Racing Louisville, and the Pride have played the Kentucky-based side 14 times in that span, with Orlando going 3-5-4 in NWSL games and 3-5-6 in all competitions (0-0-1 in both the NWSL Challenge Cup and the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup). The Pride are undefeated at home against Louisville with a 3-0-3 record in league play and a 3-0-4 record in all competitions.

The most recent meeting between the two teams occurred on April 24 in Louisville. Lauren Milliet gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute before Barbra Banda equalized just before halftime. The hosts separated themselves early in the second half with goals by Sarah Weber and a second by Milliet, both within five minutes of the restart. Banda scored a second in the dying minutes, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride fell 3-2.

The first meeting in 2025 took place June 20 in Louisville. Arin Wright gave the hosts the lead at the half-hour mark and former Pride midfielder Taylor Flint doubled the advantage in the second half as the Pride fell 2-0 to end the first half of the season. On Aug. 9, 2025, in Orlando, Marisa DiGrande scored against her old team just before halftime to give Louisville the halftime lead. It looked like the visitors would claim all three points until an Ary Borges own goal in second-half stoppage time resulted in a 1-1 draw.

The teams first met in 2024 on March 16 in Louisville. The season opener for both teams looked like it would be a long day for Orlando, as Elexa Bahr and Uchenna Kanu gave the hosts a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. The Pride got on the board with an own goal by Elli Pikkujämsä, but the task was made more difficult when Kylie Strom received her second yellow card in the second half. However, Amanda Allen and Summer Yates combined on a late goal by Yates, as the Pride pulled out an unlikely 2-2 draw.

On May 5, 2024, in Orlando, an Emily Sams cross in the 17th minute found Banda’s head at the back post, and she nodded home the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Pride win. On Aug. 1, 2024, in the Summer Cup, Evelina Duljan scored her lone Pride goal to give the Pride the lead. However, Reilyn Turner equalized, sending the game into penalties. The Pride took the early shootout lead when Jaelin Howell missed, but saves by Jordyn Bloomer on Morgan Gautrat and Ally Watt saw Louisville take the extra point.

The first meeting of 2023 was held on May 6 at Exploria Stadium. Messiah Bright gave the Pride an early lead, and the hosts held on for 69 minutes for the 1-0 win. The second meeting that season took place on Oct. 6 in Louisville. The Pride got off to a great start with goals by Marta from the spot early and an excellent individual effort by Kerry Abello to make it 2-0. However, Bright took Savannah DeMelo down in the box just before halftime and Nadia Nadim converted the penalty. A five-minute swing with a goal by Kristen Davis and an own goal by Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse resulted in the Pride losing the critical game 3-2.

The first meeting between the two teams in 2022 took place Sept. 16 in Louisville. Racing struck first when Nadim was left open in front of goal for a tap-in. The hosts doubled their lead on a great strike by DeMelo from outside the box, and the Pride fell 2-0.

Back in 2022, the first meeting was in a unique setting, taking place at Daytona International Speedway on July 3. The game was a part of the 2022 Daytona SoccerFest and was the first time a professional soccer game was played at a racetrack. Emina Ekic gave Louisville a halftime lead and DeMelo doubled the lead shortly after the break. However, the Pride fought back with goals by Strom and Darian Jenkins, pulling out a 2-2 draw.

The first year the two teams met was in 2021 during the NWSL Challenge Cup in Louisville. CeCe Kizer gave the hosts the lead early, but Taylor Kornieck equalized just before halftime. It looked like the Pride would win when Abi Kim scored late, but Brooke Hendrix equalized in second-half injury time and the teams drew 2-2.

The teams played three times in the 2021 regular season, with the first meeting coming on July 9 in Orlando. Ebony Salmon gave Louisville the lead, but Sydney Leroux scored to force a 1-1 draw with a goal in second-half injury time. The second meeting was held Sept. 11 in Orlando. The Pride took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals by Leroux and Marta. Kizer got one back, but Alex Morgan’s conversion sealed three points for the Pride.

The final meeting of 2021 came in the penultimate game of the year for both teams. The Pride needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and they got off to a good start when Jodie Taylor scored in the third minute. However, the game slipped away as Salmon and Katie McClure scored on either side of halftime and Yuki Nagasato made the final 3-1.

Overview

The Pride have struggled since the FIFA World Cup break. They’ve lost four of the last six games and have failed to score in each of those losses. The two wins were a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Current and a slim 1-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC.

The most recent game against the North Carolina Courage saw the Pride lose 5-0, their worst loss since Seb Hines’ first game as interim head coach on June 19, 2022. It was arguably the worst performance of the season, with multiple goals coming from defensive mistakes and the attack unable to create any clear-cut chances.

The play of the back line was the most surprising thing about the loss in North Carolina. While the team has struggled to score goals, the defense has been excellent in recent games. Two of the four losses have been 1-0 and the two wins were clean sheets.

The attacking problems are largely due to the absence of Banda and the lack of a secondary scorer on the team or an identity of how to play without her. The star striker leads the league with 12 goals this year, but she saw few minutes as she worked her way back to full fitness. Just before she was able to play significant minutes, she departed to represent Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The impact of the 5-0 loss in North Carolina is on display in the NWSL standings. The Pride are tied on points with Angel City FC and Seattle Reign FC for the eighth and final playoff position. But their -4 goal difference is three behind Seattle and 11 behind Angel City. The poor goal difference is something that could haunt the team as the Pride look to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

The Pride desperately need wins and they should be able to claim three points against tonight’s opponent. Racing Louisville sits in 15th in the 16-team league. Tonight’s visitors have just 14 points from 17 games and a -13 goal difference. Their 21 goals are fifth-most in the league and their 34 goals conceded are the most in the league.

Similar to the Pride, Louisville has had a tough restart to the season. The Kentucky-based side suffered three crushing losses, including a 4-0 loss to the Portland Thorns, a 2-0 loss to Bay FC, and a 5-1 loss to the Current. However, while the Pride are looking to rebound from a devastating performance, Louisville is coming off a 2-1 win over Chicago.

Louisville is led in the attack by Kayla Fischer with four goals, followed by Weber and Flint with three goals each. Emma Sears, Katie O’Kane, Milliet, and Maja Lardner are the other players with multiple goals this year, recording two each. Sears, Fischer, and O’Kane also lead the team in assists with four, three, and two, respectively.

The assumption was that Louisville would improve on its defensive performance last season, which was good enough to claim seventh in the league. But, despite reutrning regular starters like Ellie Jean, Arin Wright, and Bloomer, Racing has been worse this season.

“They’re very direct. They use their goalkeeper. She’s part of their buildup play,” Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “They’ve got some aerial threats and they’re going to make it a physical game. We always talk about how there’s no excuses, no matter how tall you are or how short you are. It’s the fight in the beast and stuff. And so we have to stand up to that challenge. We’ve got to make sure we’re challenging the first, winning the second, getting the ball down, play through their press, and create opportunities to score.”

The Pride are missing several players tonight, including Hannah Anderson (lower leg), Marta (head), Haley McCutcheon (suspension), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Oihane (lower leg), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Banda (international duty). Louisville will be without DeMelo (illness), DiGrande (maternity leave), Taylor Flint (thigh), Macey Hodge (arm), Natalia Mitchell (knee), and Taylor White (knee).

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Rafaelle, Zara Chavoshi, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Angelina.

Attacking Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Luana, Solai Washington.

Forward: Julie Doyle.

Racing Louisville FC (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Jordyn Bloomer.

Defenders: Mirann Gacioch, Arin Wright, Ellie Jean.

Midfielders: Quincy McMahon, Katie O’Kane, Makenna Morris, Kayla Fischer.

Forwards: Emma Sears, Lauren Milliet, Sarah Weber.

Referees

REF: Muhammad Hassan.
AR1: Christian Clerc.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Benjamin Meyer.
VAR: Jaclyn Metz.
AVAR: Melissa Gonzalez.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Stream: NWSL+.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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SkoPurp Soccer Episode 132: North Carolina Rewind, Louisville Preview, and More

The Pride hit a new low for 2026 and must regroup for the upcoming Racing Louisville match.

Published

5 days ago

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August 5, 2026

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Image of Anna Moorhouse from 5-0 loss at North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Just when you think the Orlando Pride have bottomed out and things might start to turn around, the team shows you there’s a new, lower level possible. The Pride played an apathetic and inept brand of soccer on the road against a struggling North Carolina Courage team, which put Orlando on full blast. The 5-0 loss could have been even worse, and the attack rarely created much threat for the Courage back line to deal with. If this is what life is like without Barbra Banda, the Pride are literally a one-player team, and that’s simply not good enough.

We look back at a lopsided loss for as long as we could bear it, checked our score predictions, deferred our selections for Player of the Match to any fan who sat through the entire game, and pondered what the club’s general manager is doing, whether the players have tuned out Head Coach Seb Hines, and what exactly the plan is to fix the mess that the 2024 double winners have quickly become.

This week’s mailbagbox is understandably bitter and cynical, although we did get to reminisce about shopping for school supplies and Trapper Keepers. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, we looked ahead to Friday’s home game against Racing Louisville. Both of your hosts will be in the stadium as fans for that one (our first time seeing a match together), and we’re curious whether Orlando will show some…err…pride…after such a dreadful showing at North Carolina. We look at the series history, the teams’ relative positions in the standings, and who has been creating danger for Louisville. Then we provide our key matchups and score predictions.

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Here’s how Episode 132 went down:

0:15 – The Pride were awful on Friday against the Courage.

14:40 – The mailbagbox has had it.

33:47 – Orlando prepares for Racing Louisville at home.

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