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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 3-0 as the Pride Break Down Late

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6 years ago

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After Mother Nature put an end to things last night, the North Carolina Courage and Orlando Pride picked things back up, starting in the 22nd minute, this morning. The Pride needed at least a point from the game after last night’s result in other NWSL matches, but turnovers and defensive mistakes handed the home team a 3-0 victory.

The Pride (8-8-6, 30 points) have fallen to fifth place in the NWSL standings and need to win out, plus need help, to make it into the final four. The Courage (16-1-5, 53 points) were honored as the NWSL Shield winners at the conclusion of the match.

The biggest noticeable difference from today, compared to last night, was that Orlando was much more threatening yesterday. Today was all North Carolina as it dominated straight from get-go. Late in the game Orlando collapsed and allowed the Courage to score three goals in the last 15 minutes.

In case you missed the first 22 minutes, here’s how that went:

Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni changed the shape from a three-back system that he had used in the past few games to the 4-3-3 that the Pride have typically used. Surprisingly, though, Marta and Camila played up top with Alex Morgan, while Rachel Hill was deployed in the midfield.

The Pride pressured the Courage for much of the 22 minutes played, but could not put one in the net — a continuation of a troubling trend for the club this season.

It took just 40 seconds for the first chance of the game. Hill took a heavy touch followed by a poor pass and Crystal Dunn jumped on the end of it and started the counter. Dunn drew three defenders and found Lynn Williams on the right side. Williams put the cross in and it bounced around a little before Ashlyn Harris was able to get on the end of it.

A few minutes later, Jessica McDonald held off Shelina Zadorsky and played a great through ball to Dunn but the USWNT star couldn’t get the ball on frame.

In the next 10 minutes, it was corner after corner for the Pride but they only had one true chance off of seven corners. Marta’s service was too short and North Carolina easily defended it. However, the ball fell right to Marta’s feet. She put in another cross that was too low and the Courage again defended it with ease. North Carolina turned it over though and the ball fell to Emily van Egmond. The Aussie midfielder quickly turned and shot and it was kept out by the woodwork.

The game took another stop in the 22nd minute because of lightning and the Pride were looking like the more dangerous team towards the end of that period of play. North Carolina had five shots compared to Orlando’s four but Kristen Edmonds was the only player to get a shot on target. The biggest stat was the Pride’s seven corners to the home team’s none.

The morning brought a more sluggish Orlando side after another night on the road and a more energized Courage.

In the 27th minute, the Courage had a good opportunity but could not stay onside. Two minutes later, Debinha took a shot that went well over the bar. 

The first true opportunity for the Pride today came at the half hour mark. Marta led the counter attack and looked up to find Alex Morgan by herself on the right wing. Marta made the pass, Morgan gave it up for Camila, whose shot was deflected out for a corner. 

The Pride would have been down right before half time if not for Ashlyn Harris. Lynn Williams took a rocket of a shot from outside the box that was heading for the side netting but Harris’ diving save kept the game goalless. 

Including stats from yesterday, the Pride were outshot (12-6), had fewer shots on target (2-1), were out-passed (205-158), and held less possession (56%-44%) than the home team in the first period. Orlando did have the advantage in corners though (8-3), even though seven of them came in yesterday’s 21 minutes. 

Whatever the team talk was at halftime clearly did not work and the Pride were second best once again in the final 45 minutes. Hill was very quiet in the first half and committed many turnovers in the second. She earned a free kicked in the opening seconds of the half but could not do much else.

One of the best chances in the game for Orlando came in the 48th minute. Off of one of the Pride’s 12 corners, Rowland missed the ball completely and multiple Pride players were in the box ready to pounce on it. However, the referee claimed that Rowland was fouled and called the play dead, though there looked to be little, if any, contact and the call bailed out North Carolina.

Orlando could not do much. The Pride struggled to get the ball into the final third, opting to play balls over the top often. Other times, individuals attempted to dribble around North Carolina, and the play was easy to stop or sloppy or lazy passes were easily read and picked off. The Pride needed much better ball movement and in the end the turnovers came to haunt them, as it has all season long.

The best player for the Pride was Harris. She made two huge stops for Orlando, including the first-half save. She made another Save of the Week candidate in the 71st minute, this time quickly getting down after a free kick. A few minutes later, she had to get looked at by the trainers but was able to remain in the game.

Harris did let in a soft goal though. The Courage’s first goal was created by a turnover in the midfield after a bad pass by Hill, combined with good work from Williams. Zadorsky tried to defend it but ended up deflecting the ball, which beat deflected in off Harris inside the near post.

From there, Orlando fell apart. Six minutes, later, Ali Krieger failed to hold off Williams, perhaps looking for the ball to trickle out for a goal kick, but it was hardly moving. Williams fought to win back the ball in the box, which fell to the feet of Debinha. The Brazilian powered it over Harris’ head and within minutes the Pride were out of the game.

The regular season champions did not stop there. After a failed ball over the top, North Carolina passed right around Orlando. Sam Mewis put a cross on the head of a completely unmarked Williams, who headed it into the top corner and Harris could only watch.

Sydney Leroux, who came in as a substitute, played only 30 minutes. She missed the past few games with an illness and had to be subbed out in the 89th minute with an apparent injury after a collision in the box.

The Pride failed to get a shot on goal today, and had just five total shots this morning. After creating seven corners last night, they finished with 12 in the game but nothing came from any of them. Orlando looked like a completely different team from the one that came out last night, and this result gives the Pride an uphill battle for a playoff position.

The Pride are home against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Chicago is one point ahead of Orlando but Orlando holds the tie breaker against the Red Stars. A loss to Chicago would likely end the chase but a win has the Pride right back in it.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Mariana Larroquette

The Argentine international’s second season with Orlando did not produce the larger role with the team she may have expected.

Published

22 hours ago

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December 1, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

In the middle of the 2023 season, the Orlando Pride signed forward Mariana Larroquette, adding her to the roster July 6 on a deal through the 2025 season. The Argentine international represented her country in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, meaning she didn’t join the Pride until after the competition. Although she was a signing made with an eye toward bolstering the offense, Larroquette made only five appearances in her first season in Orlando — all of them off the bench. With a full preseason with the Pride under her belt, many expected to see her play a more significant role in 2024, but ultimately, it didn’t work out that way. The Pride’s signing of Barbra Banda didn’t help matters for Larroquette in terms of playing time.

Let’s take a look at how Larroquette performed in her second season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Larroquette made her season debut March 22 against Angel City, which was one of just four appearances during the regular season — all off the bench — logging 48 total minutes. She did not contribute a goal or an assist, failing to attempt a shot. The 32-year-old completed just 41.2% of her 17 passes without a key pass. Larroquette won four of her six tackle attempts (66.7%) and two headed duels. She committed one foul and drew three on the opposition and was not booked.

In the Summer Cup, Larroquette made three appearances, starting once — in the team’s 2-2 draw against CF Monterrey, in which Orlando captured the extra point in penalties. Larroquette played 107 minutes but did not contribute a goal or an assist, attempting three shots but putting neither on target. She completed 68% of her 25 passes but did not create a scoring chance from them. Defensively, she won two headed duels and recorded three interceptions, but she did not attempt a tackle. Larroquette committed one foul in the Summer Cup, drew four on the opposition, and was not booked.

She did not appear in the Pride’s playoff run.

Best Game

Larroquette’s best game has to be the one in which she started and played a season-high 65 minutes — the Pride’s 2-2 draw and 5-4 penalty shootout victory over CF Monterrey in the Summer Cup. Although Larroquette was already off the pitch by the time the shootout took place, she still made her biggest impact in this match, as it was the only game of the year in which she attempted any shots. While she didn’t impact the scoresheet on the attacking end, Larroquette recorded three interceptions in the match as she helped out in the press and defending the Mexican side.

2024 Final Grade

With 155 total minutes across all competitions, Larroquette fell short of the required 400 minutes to qualify for a grade from The Mane Land staff. As a result, she’s given an incomplete for the 2024 NWSL season. She played more in 2024 than she did in 2023, but she was also on the roster all year.

2024 Outlook

Larroquette’s contract runs through the 2025 NWSL season, but the writing may be on the wall after getting few minutes the last two seasons. She’s also on the wrong side of 30 to see much of an increase in that department. This may be an off-season that sees the club part ways with the veteran striker, who may seek a chance to get more minutes elsewhere as she the shelf life on her professional career grows shorter. If she remains on the roster, I would expect her role to remain the same in 2025, giving the club a few minutes here and there later in games and perhaps seeing a larger role in midseason cup competitions.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Sofia Manner

The Finnish goalkeeper spent her first season in Orlando. Let’s look back to see how she performed.

Published

2 days ago

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November 30, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner on Dec. 1, 2023 on a deal through the 2025 season with an option for 2026. At the time, Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said the club expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting goalkeeper role. Given that Moorhouse played every minute of the season and McKinley Crone dressed as the primary backup, that didn’t exactly happen.

However, Manner did get some minutes in her first year in Orlando in the Summer Cup, giving Head Coach Seb Hines a look at her under competitive match conditions.

Let’s take a look back at Manner’s first season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Manner did not play in the regular season, as Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Manner got the start in Orlando’s second game in the competition, a home match against CF Monterrey on July 28. The contest ended in a 2-2 draw before the Pride won 5-4 in penalties in the ensuing shootout.

Manner played 90 minutes, allowing two goals and making three saves, for a 60% save percentage. She only faced seven non-blocked shots, but five of them were on target. The Helsinki native completed 16 of 21 passes (73%), including four of 10 long balls. Following the draw, Manner made the difference in the shootout, stopping a shot by Merel Van Dongen, who was the only player of the 10 shooters not to convert.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is an easy choice. Manner’s debut was her only match of the year, meaning the 2-2 draw vs. CF Monterrey in the Summer Cup was also her best game of the 2024 season. The visitors took the lead twice in the match, but Manner kept her team in the game, allowing the Pride to equalize twice. Once the match moved to penalties, Manner did well to stop a shot from one of Monterrey’s most dangerous players, allowing her team to claim an extra point.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Manner didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Despite a small sample size, backup goalkeepers don’t always get a chance to play, so it’s good that the coaching staff got a look at the 27-year-old during a competitive match against international competition.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season and McKinley Crone also under contract, Manner could remain and try to battle her way up the depth chart. However, if the prospects don’t look good for her to get playing time, there’s a chance that she and the club could mutually agree to part ways. Crone looked good in her limited time, but it’s always nice to have a more experienced option behind Moorhouse as well. Unless there are injuries, I would expect Manner’s minutes to be limited in 2025 as well, unless she can elevate her game and earn more looks.

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Orlando Pride Defender Carrie Lawrence Announces Her Retirement

Pride defender Carrie Lawrence has announced her retirement from professional soccer.

Published

3 days ago

on

November 29, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that defender Carrie Lawrence has announced her retirement. The defender joined the Pride in 2019, but a major injury derailed a promising professional career.

“Carrie means so much to this club but also means so much to the city of Orlando. To be a native of Orlando, play at UCF, and represent the Pride badge the way she has speaks volumes to the type of person she is,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her perseverance to battle back from injuries and constant positive energy epitomize the kind of players we want to represent this club. We are so thankful for everything Carrie has done for us and can’t wait to continue to support her in any way she needs during this transition. We are proud to have Carrie a part of our Pride family and are so excited to see what she does in the next chapter of her life.”

The 27-year-old originally joined the Pride as a training player in 2019 and signed a short-term contract on Sept. 8, 2020 for the Fall Series. She impressed enough to earn a one-year deal on Jan. 5, 2021 with an option for an additional season. The team kept the young defender on its books following the 2022 season, signing her to a new two-year deal that expired following the 2024 season.

Unfortunately, Lawrence’s bright future soon turned sour. The defender tore her ACL during the team’s 2023 preseason camp, causing her to miss the entire season. By the time she returned for this year, the team had built a stronger defensive unit, leaving Lawrence on the sidelines. She got some playing time this year, but her most impactful performance was getting sent off against the Kansas City Current in July.

Lawrence’s professional debut came on Sept. 19, 2020 in a 0-0 draw with the North Carolina Courage. She played 90 minutes that day and had a goal-line clearance, helping the Pride’s defensive unit to a clean sheet. Her final appearance was a start on Oct. 11, 2024, a 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns. She played 65 minutes in that game before being replaced by regular starter Emily Sams.

The Orlando native made 33 appearances with 23 starts in all competitions, recording 2,041 minutes and two assists. This year, the defender made 11 appearances in all competitions with five starts, recording 465 minutes and an assist.

“After giving my whole life to this sport, I am extremely blessed and grateful to announce my retirement,” Lawrence said in the club’s press release. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than Orlando. It’s been my home from the start of my professional career, and it gave me everything in return. Winning the shield and the championship this year is more than I could have dreamed. Most importantly this group of people made it that much sweeter. Orlando will forever be home!” 

Prior to joining the Pride as a training player, Lawrence played three seasons for the UCF Knights, making 49 appearances between 2016 and 2018. She scored four goals, added 11 assists, and was named second team All-American Athletic Conference during her senior year.

What It Means for Orlando

Lawrence was a key contributor to the Pride defense before her injury prior to the 2023 season. However, she soon found herself with a much lesser role as the team built up its back line, signing Brazilian international Rafaelle during the 2023 campaign and slotting in Kerry Abello in a new role at left back. Kylie Strom moved from left back to center back this year, making it even more difficult for Lawrence to find a spot on the field.

In all likelihood, the Pride weren’t going to re-sign Lawrence after this season, forcing her to find a new home. However, she’s currently engaged to Pride captain Marta, who has indicated her intention to play one or two more years — likely remaining in Orlando if she does so. This decision likely had a significant impact on Lawrence’s decision to retire from the game.

At one time, it looked like Lawrence would be a key piece of the Pride lineup moving forward, but the team has largely moved on without her, causing her to see limited minutes. As a result, this decision won’t have a tremendous impact on the Pride moving forward aside from opening a roster spot.

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