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Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Player Grades and Player of the Match

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On a short turnaround from the Seattle match, it would be forgivable to see some rough play and miscues, but the impending weather that would cause a delay in the second half was not the only storm to blow through Chicago on Wednesday night. The Pride came out looking sharp and kept a clean sheet against the likes of Sam Kerr, Sofia Huerta, and company to take all the points in a place where they’ve never accomplished the feat before.

This was the toughest match for me personally to try to single out one standout performance, and as of right now, typing this sentence, I still haven’t chosen just yet, so let’s break it down and see if we can find our player of the match.

Starters

GK, Ashlyn Harris, 5.5 — Harris wasn’t tested all that much on Wednesday night, her duties were mostly making calls for the defense and distributing. The one time she got the chance to stop a shot, it was low and right down the center. Overall, a fairly easy shift for the Orlando keeper.

D, Ali Krieger, 8 — Ali once again spent the night all over the right side of the field and continued to have some great moments and looks to get the ball forward. One specific moment was a great sequence from the team in the 36th minute that ended with a fantastic through ball from Ali to Sydney Leroux for a difficult shot on goal. Also of course, her interception in the second half that got the Pride their second goal.

D, Monica, 7.5 — Monica’s duties were keeping her eyes on Sam Kerr, and she didn’t disappoint. Kerr was constantly on the prowl, finding pockets of space and just when the midfield would go for the connection, Monica would appear and kill the ball. She did get beat a couple of times on the night by Kerr, but we are talking about the 2017 NWSL MVP here.

D, Shelina Zadorsky, 7.5 — Shelina too had a good night and the couple of times Monica did get beat, she was there to help out. She was often the release valve in getting the defense out of tight spots. A pretty amazing sequence happened around the 17:45 mark, where she connected with Harris and Dani Weatherholt, and others to spring a counter attack.

D, Carson Pickett, 7 — This was the Carson Pickett I watched last year and it was great to see her a lot more settled in. Her vision to become part of the attack is top notch and I think we’ll continue to see improvement in that area as the season progresses. The only knock in this one was at times her touch on the ball was a bit off.

MF, Emily van Egmond, 8 (PotM) — I’ve been really impressed with every minute of van Egmond’s play so far since she arrived, and Wednesday night was an awesome performance from her. She continually found the open attacker and would almost always put the ball in the right spot to make it dangerous. This is exemplified by her fantastic ball to Hill in the 81st minute to close out the game.

MF, Alanna Kennedy, 7.5 — Alanna was heavily involved in disrupting any build of play from Chicago, and, like Shelina and Monica, she was a part of keeping Kerr and Huerta in check all night. There were a couple of times on the offensive side that things didn’t connect too well, but she did put in a great ball to Leroux in the 18th minute.

MF, Dani Weatherholt, 7 — On a night that brought out a lot of great performances from the team, Dani’s ferocity was finally overshadowed a bit. She did great moving from box to box and always putting pressure on Chicago.

F, Sydney Leroux, 7.5 — She just puts in so much work, and yes, her shots still aren’t producing, but the impact she has in all other phases of the game make up for it. She is a beast on defense and she continued that trend on Wednesday. Not only that, but she continues to find that space on offense and is almost always a part of the attack.

F, Marta, 7 — I’m putting this in the context of what I’ve seen from Marta in the past, and this one wasn’t all that it could have been. Still a solid game from her, but just not quite there yet given the short amount of time, and lack of rest since she’s rejoined the team. I suspect by next match, we’ll start to see the constant brilliance again. It’ll be hard to get the numbers we know she can get if defenses keep piling onto her, but that is what it is. The opposition is paying for it one way or the other.

F, Chioma Ubogagu, 7.5 — Chi opened up the match when she notched her third goal on the season. She also played a large part of dropping into the midfield to bring the ball up, which is exactly what happened when she intercepted the ball, dribbled to the top of the box before feeding it to Syd who then laid it off for the finish. Still a couple of miscues, but this was Chi’s most complete performance so far, to me.

Substitutes

Rachel Hill, (70’) 7.5 — I said last week I would have liked to have seen Hill come on 10 minutes earlier, and that’s just what I got in this one. She had time to settle in and provide a spark on offense as well as defense. Her run and finish to put the game out of reach shows exactly what she’s capable of. Hopefully this is the first of many brilliant moments for the young forward.

Kristen Edmonds, (76’) 7 — Edmonds coming off of the bench with a bit less pressure is just what she needed, I think. And it showed in her brilliant flick to van Egmond, which led to the Rachel Hill goal.

Poliana, (84’) N/A — It was good to see Poliana back on the scene, and, like Edmonds and Hill, to provide a spark with not as much pressure, proved to be just what was needed. It’ll be interesting to see how the lineups start to shake out going forward. A lot of options.


There we have it, you know the drill. Put in your vote, and let me know how you saw the match. Thanks for reading.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ali Krieger17
Monica5
Shelina Zadorsky2
Emily van Egmond7
Chioma Ubogagu5
Other (comment below)1

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Two Players to Short-Term Contracts

With a couple of active roster slots open, the Pride have signed two of their non-roster invitees to short-term contracts.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride have signed goalkeeper DeAira Jackson and midfielder Aryssa Mahrt to short-term contracts. Both players were non-roster invitees to the club’s 2025 preseason camp and have obviously made an impression in a short time.

“We’re pleased to welcome both DeAira and Aryssa to Orlando. Both players bring unique qualities that will enhance our roster during this period,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “DeAira brings important depth to our goalkeeping unit with her strong shot-stopping ability and commanding presence in the box. Aryssa’s technical ability and vision give us additional options in the final third. These signings reflect our commitment to maintaining a competitive roster while providing opportunities for talented young players to showcase and develop their abilities at the professional level.” 

Jackson joins the Pride out of Grand Canyon University, where she was the 2024 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year and a member of the All-WAC first team following her last collegiate season. After playing two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, she transferred to Grand Canyon University and became the school’s all-time shutout leader with 16 in just two seasons. Nine of those came in her senior campaign, which set the school record for most clean sheets in a season. She was also the Outrigger No Ka Oi Tournament MVP and a two-time WAC Player of the Week in 2024. The Fontana, CA native appeared in 43 matches for Grand Canyon across two seasons, compiling a record of 25-11-7, the aforementioned 16 shutouts, a 0.89 goals-against average and a save percentage of .781, facing 415 shots in 3,754 minutes.

Mahrt played three seasons at the University of Wisconsin, appearing in 62 games (61 starts) and playing 4,503 minutes. The Milwaukee, WI native scored 21 goals and added 15 assists, putting 78 of her 114 shots on target. Eight of her goals were game winners. Mahrt started all 21 games in her senior season, leading the Badgers in goals (10) and assists (4). She has represented the United States at the youth level with both the U-14 and U-16 sides. Her soccer lineage includes a great grandfather who played for the Malaysian National Team.

What It Means for Orlando

Ultimately, these signings don’t mean much overall, aside from that the club rates these players as optional replacements. Grace Chanda, Simone Charley, and Rafaelle are still technically not part of the active roster, but may be reinstated whenever they are deemed healthy. Because there are available active roster spots available, why not use them? Additionally, Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse have been called up to their national teams for upcoming competitions.

Orlando’s college scouting has been good, and no doubt the Pride would like to have these players stick around to push players in training and potentially fill in when players are forced out of the lineup by injury or international duty.

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Orlando Pride

Seb Hines Has Decisions To Make For Orlando Pride’s Back Line

What will the Pride’s back line look like when everyone is healthy?

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

As the 2025 NWSL season approaches, the Orlando Pride’s roster is taking shape. While the lineup will mostly remain the same, the departure of Adriana and the addition of Prisca Chilufya will impact changes. Additionally, the team has a key previously injured player returning for next season, something that will force Head Coach Seb Hines to make some tough decisions.

One of the most interesting situations impacting the Pride is the back line. Last season, Rafaelle went down with an injury that forced Emily Sams back to her natural center back position, partnering with Kylie Strom. The duo were terrific down the stretch, lifting their team to 14 shutouts, including in the NWSL Championship.

The move forced rookie Cori Dyke to take a more significant role, starting at right back. It was a tough situation for the 24-year-old, but she handled it brilliantly. Dyke was excellent during the final stretch of the season and especially during the playoffs, helping the team win the league title.

When Rafaelle returns from her injury and is fit to play, Hines will have three center backs, all of which have proven to make strong pairings on the back line. So how will the Pride boss handle the situation? Let’s take a look at some of his options.

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

While Rafaelle is a Brazilian international and a great center back, Sams and Strom were fantastic together for much of last season. Sams began the year at right back, while Rafaelle and Strom were the center back pairing. When Sams was forced to move to her natural position, Dyke took over as the starting right back.

Dyke had a strong rookie campaign, especially after taking over. Taking her out of the starting lineup with how she performed would be difficult for Hines. It would be surprising to see Rafaelle healthy and on the bench, but the back line of Kerry Abello, Strom, Sams, and Dyke was the best in the league last year and Hines might not want to rock the boat.

Go Back To The Start of 2024

Another option is to go back to how the back line looked at the start of 2024. While Sams was a regular at center back in 2023, Hines moved her to right back to begin last season. In a corresponding move, Strom — who had been the starting left back since 2022 — moved to center back alongside Rafaelle.

With everyone healthy, Hines could give that lineup another chance. After all, Strom was more solid at center back than left back and Sams proved she’s more than capable of playing right back. This is probably the most likely option and would ensure the team’s three best defenders are on the field.

Return to 2023

The Pride acquired Rafaelle on July 3, 2023, while the league was in the middle of the FIFA Women’s World Cup break. When the Brazilian joined the team, she started with Sams at center back and Strom was the starting left back. Strom has much more experience at left back than Sams does at right back, so Hines could send her back to her original position.

However, Strom had her best season as a member of the Pride in 2024 while playing center back. It’s hard to believe that Hines would send his vice captain back to left back after playing her in the middle all of last year. Rafaelle and Sams are the team’s only other experienced center backs, so this option is a possibility, even if it is unlikely.

Take Advantage of Versatility

When it comes to acquiring defenders, one of the primary things Hines and Haley Carter consider is versatility. Almost everyone on the back line can play center back and at least one of the outside back positions. This gives Hines an opportunity that few coaches have with their rosters.

Hines could move the players around, pairing all three center backs at times and moving Strom to the left and Sams to the right occasionally. Even Dyke can play center back, as she did in college. Moving players around would give them breaks during the season, keeping them fresh.

This decision could also backfire. Players get comfortable with their positions, so moving them around constantly could impact their quality. It would be a risky choice and is unlikely, but given the versatility of the players, it is an option for Hines. He could also take advantage of their versatility by playing a back line of three center backs, using Strom, Rafaelle, and Sams, while pushing Kerry Abello and Dyke up to wingback.


The Pride won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024, one of the best seasons for any team in league history. They have most of the team returning, so they’ll be a favorite to repeat in 2025. While most of the lineup will be back, there are still some questions to be answered. One of those is who will start along the back line. We’ll find out soon enough, and it will be interesting to see what Hines decides.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Zambian Forward Prisca Chilufya

Pride add to their attack by signing Zambian international Prisca Chilufya from FC Juarez.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya to a three-year deal that runs through the 2027 season. She’s the third Zambian attacker to join the Pride in the last 10 months.

“We are thrilled to welcome Prisca to the Orlando Pride. Prisca is a dynamic forward who brings exceptional ability, speed, and a proven scoring record to our attack,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her experience in both international competition with Zambia and her success in Liga MX Feminil demonstrates the kind of top-tier talent we’re committed to bringing to Orlando. She represents both immediate impact and long-term potential, and we believe she will thrive in our environment. Her three-year commitment reflects our shared vision for building something special. We can’t wait for our fans to see her take the pitch in purple.” 

The 25-year-old attacker joins the Pride from FC Juarez in Mexico. Since joining the team in 2023, she’s made 48 appearances and scored 14 goals. She’s scored four goals this year in just over half a season.

“I am honored to be joining Orlando Pride, a club with such a strong vision and commitment to excellence in women’s soccer,” Chilufya said in the club’s release. “I’m excited to bring my experience and skills to the NWSL, which is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. The opportunity to play alongside such talented teammates and learn from the coaching staff here in Orlando is something I’ve dreamed about. I’ve watched as the Pride have been built something special, and I want to contribute to the team’s success both on and off the field.” 

Before moving to Mexico, Chilufya played for Tomris Turan of the Kazakh Women’s Championship, making 14 appearances and scoring 18 goals during the 2022-2023 season. She moved to that club from fellow Kazakh club BIIK Kazygurt — which she helped win the championship in 2021.

On the international level, Chilufya has been a regular for Zambia since making her debut in the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics. She took part in all three of Zambia’s games in the 2024 Paris Olympics, serving as an alternate for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Most recently, she played in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

What It Means for Orlando

This signing comes on the heels of the Pride transferring Brazilian star Adriana to the Saudi Women’s Premier League. It’s not surprising the club made a move to bring in an attacker and that the player was Zambian.

Chilufya is the third Zambian international the Pride have signed in the last year. It started with the acquisition of striker Barbra Banda, who quickly became a focal point of the Pride’s attack. Then they signed Grace Chanda, whose injury during the Olympics has thus far kept her from making her Pride debut.

The impact Chilufya will make on the team is unknown, but it won’t be easy to break into the lineup. With Adriana gone, Chanda will likely move into the attacking midfield if she’s healthy. Meanwhile, the club re-signed club captain Marta to a new two-year deal, and she’ll obviously play the 10 role. Julie Doyle and Summer Yates both played on the left side in 2024 and are expected to continue sharing responsibility there in 2025. Such competition for a starting spot can only help the club, pushing all of these attackers to develp their game.

Regardless of which players seize a starting spot, the Pride have added depth, something Carter continually tries to do. Head Coach Seb Hines will have plenty of choices in an attacking midfield that can be devastating to NWSL defenses at times. It’s a good move for the Pride after losing a key piece in the attack.

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