Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 3-1 as the Pride are Eliminated From Playoff Contention
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The Orlando Pride (8-9-6, 30 points) are officially out of the playoffs. Needing to get all three points tonight, the Pride fell apart in the final minutes of the first half. Sam Kerr recorded a brace and provided an assist to propel the Chicago Red Stars (8-4-10, 34 points) to a 3-1 victory in front of 5,016 fans in Orlando City Stadium.
“I’m a little bit embarrassed by the performance tonight,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “Fundamental aspects of our game that should be automatic are not an automatic. If you can’t go out and set a match effort and willingness and work rate and organization and pick up some of the some cues that we should be picking up and be able to run, then you're going to struggle in this league. It’s been the story all season. We’ve been a team that seems to be waiting about for something to happen whereas all the other teams go out and make the best of it and make things happen.
“It’s difficult to rectify when, frankly, there are so many players that haven’t lived up to what our expectations have been. That might be down to a failure of me, and how we've coached them and set them up, I don’t know. It’s just some of the fundamental things that we do, or don’t do, are really coming back to haunt us.”
One of the least surprising parts of the night was that Sermanni changed up his starting XI yet again. This time, he deployed his team in a 4-3-3. Carson Pickett got her first start since July 11, when the Pride lost 3-1 to Houston. Up top, Sermanni went with Chioma Ubogagu, Alex Morgan, and Marta, and Alanna Kennedy returned to the midfield.
Your Pride starting XI for #ORLvCHI. #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/5wr2nYdRlr
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) August 25, 2018
“On the field, I think it’s building those relationships with each other,” said Ali Krieger. “Maybe we didn’t have the same lineup every game, which might have caused some problems with building relationships. And then some injures so you have to switch out, or you’re resting people at times during the season. I don’t know if that’s an issue but I think the consistency of switching some lineups and personnel, that’s always tough to build that relationships that you need to build with the players around you.”
The game lasted just seven minutes before it had to be stopped because of a lightning delay. Kerr had the only good chance in this period when her shot in the first minute went wide.
Once the game resumed it did not take long for Chicago to get an opportunity. In the 11th minute, Vanessa Di Bernardo had the chance to put Chicago up a goal but her header went on the wrong side of the post.
The Pride’s game plan was to find Morgan off of crosses but they were unable to find the back of the net from it. Routinely they played long balls into the box but Chicago’s defense would not let Morgan get a good look.
“I think our style is adjusting to our opponent and that’s really difficult because we don’t necessarily have that style that we can go out and have that presence and confidence and know this is how we are going to play every single game,” said Morgan. “We are adjusting to every opponent. We were changing formations this game after going to a three-back the last couple of games.”
As for the Red Stars, they looked to play through balls and at first were having trouble with it as they could not stay onside. Once they got the timing correct the Pride had no answers for the attack.
“We’ve played against Sam Kerr a number of times and we’ve talked about how she can’t get in behind,” said Sermanni. “She’s probably going to get in behind your defense once or twice a game if you’re alert but to get in seven, eight, nine times, it’s unacceptable for the quality of players that we’ve got.”
In the 27th minute, Alyssa Mautz was in the 18 but Ashlyn Harris made a great save to tip the ball over the bar and keep the game goalless.
27' | Chi picked out Alex on the break but the shot is deflected and then Ash makes a class save on the other end!
0-0 | #ORLvCHI pic.twitter.com/SHg8UQlYs1
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) August 26, 2018
Four minutes later, Harris made another huge stop, this time off of Kerr.
31' | @Ashlyn_Harris, everybody! 👏
0-0 | #ORLvCHI pic.twitter.com/Oex237EXEG
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) August 26, 2018
It was looking like the game would go into the half without any goals but Chicago had something to say about that. The Red Stars scored two goals in the final two minutes of the half, the first coming from Kerr. Nagasato played a perfect flick-on to Kerr, who was left wide open. Kerr got right around Shelina Zadorsky, took a right-footed shot that left Harris rooted to the ground, and the Red Stars took the lead.
.@samkerr1 gets hers. @chiredstarsPR take the lead before the close of the first half!#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/G4RBayzkJi
— NWSL (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
It then went from bad to worse as Orlando was left flat footed and Chicago hit right back. Kerr found Di Bernardo with about as easy a goal as they come. Two defenders were nearby but neither Krieger nor Kristen Edmonds closed down Di Bernardo.
Another one. @vdibernardo10 finishes the pass from @samkerr1, and @chiredstarsPR take a 2–0 lead!#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/hMo3hKOwd9
— NWSL (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
“I think it was just silly errors that gave up the goals and obviously we didn’t have enough chances on goal,” said Morgan. “We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half not hanging onto to that 0-0 coming into halftime.”
Chicago was clearly the better team in the first half. While possession was fairly even — 51%-49% in favor of the visitors — Chicago outshot Orlando, 11-2, and Orlando did not threaten offensively much at all. The lone shot on goal for the Pride was from Marta from distance that did not trouble Alyssa Naeher at all.
After the beginning of the second half saw no noticeable difference, Sermanni wasted no time in bringing on Rachel Hill in the 54th minute and she provided a much-needed energy. However, she was unable to do much with that energy, and it slowly dissipated, and in the 59th minute Kerr got her brace and put the game out of reach.
It's @samkerr1's world, we're just living in it. @chiredstarsPR up, 3–0.#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/Hxcbh0JhWI
— NWSL (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
In the 64th minute Sermanni made a sub that changed the momentum of the match. Camila made way for Monica as the Pride moved to be as attacking as possible and this led to a goal just a minute later. Marta put the ball on a platter for Morgan and Naeher could do nothing to stop the perfectly placed header.
That Marta to @alexmorgan13 connection is back! @ORLPride push their way back into this one, down 3–1 now.#ORLvCHI | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/ymWYm5qO0o
— NWSL (@NWSL) August 26, 2018
Chicago was able to hold out for the remainder of the game. The Pride tried to push forward but just could not hold onto the ball long enough to have any true chance at getting back into the game. The off-the-ball movement was almost nonexistent and players were left to fend for themselves. Overall, the play was far too slow and there were hardly ever more than one or two players in the box.
“It’s disappointing,” said Sermanni. “Disappointing for the fans; we’ve got a great set of fans. Disappointing because if anything that you want to see from a team, you want to see effort. Our effort just seems to be, when I say nonexistent I mean just very slow. It’s just made us look very vulnerable and it’s made us look like a poor team.”
After the match, Sermanni, Krieger, and Morgan were all honest with how they felt the season went and what needs to chang next season. All three talked about the quality of players and how disappointing the season has been.
“Having a team of great players doesn’t make a great team,” Morgan said. “We’ve tried to make it fluid where it does transcribe from the paper onto the field but unfortunately that’s not the way the season went. We have been on different pages a lot this season between players, between each other, between coaches and players. I think it’s been a little disjointed. I think frustration began to come out mid-season, probably last month when we started losing and dropping points and I think it went downhill from there.
“There hasn’t been a turning point where we've been able to turn it around, unfortunately. I think just dropping points against Jersey, against Houston; these are teams we should have picked up points against, should have won. Coming out lethargic after a weather delay, or whatever it may be, in the past, it all added up and frustrations have definitely boiled over.”
The Pride will play in their final game of 2018 on Sept. 8 when they travel to New Jersey to play Sky Blue at Yurcak Field after next weekend’s international break.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Goalkeeper McKinley Crone to New Contract
The Pride have signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone through 2026.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JRPRIDE130242055-scaled.jpg)
The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone to a new contract. The deal runs through the 2026 NWSL season.
“Mac has played an important role in our goalkeeping corps, continuing to push our group each day while investing in herself both on and off the pitch,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We are very excited for her to continue her career with us here in Orlando, where we can continue to support her development as a player. We believe she can become a competitive goalkeeper in this league, and we look forward to providing her with the resources and environment to reach her potential.”
Crone went undrafted in 2023 before joining the Pride as a non-roster invitee during preseason. The Maitland native continued with the Pride as a training player and was awarded with a National Team Replacement Player contract on June 27, 2023 when Marta and Adriana departed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 25-year-old signed a second National Team Replacement Player contract and was signed for the remainder of the season on Sept. 13, 2023.
Her play in training and during her call-ups earned Crone a NWSL contract for the 2024 season. She only made the team sheet once in 2023, but became the regular backup this year. Anna Moorhouse was called up to the England National Team when the NWSL went on break for the Olympics, opening a spot for Crone. She made her professional debut in a 1-1 draw with the North Carolina Courage on July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The young goalkeeper made five saves on six shots while conceding once and helping the Pride maintain their unbeaten record this year in all competitions.
“To be staying here in Orlando, the place I grew up, means everything to me. Being given the chance to represent this city as well as this club has been a huge honor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue living out my dream,” Crone said in a club press release. “What we are building here is really special and I can’t wait to continue to be a part of it for years to come. This club and this city mean so much to me and I will do everything I can to help bring championships to the City Beautiful. Roll Pride!”
Prior to joining the Pride, Crone played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama. Her final three seasons for the Crimson Tide saw her make 66 starts, play 9,519.77 minutes, and concede 70 goals while making 229 saves. She had a goals-against average of 1.10 and saved 76.6% of the shots she faced. She finished her collegiate career with Alabama’s record for single-season wins (10), career shutouts (23), and career wins (41).
What This Means for Orlando
Crone has worked her way from a non-roster invitee last preseason to the team’s primary backup. When the club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner during the off-season, it was expected the newcomer would be behind Moorhouse. However, Crone has been on the team sheet for every game this season, while Manner only appeared during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
During the summer break tournament, Crone’s five saves topped the Pride’s goalkeeping group, which saw Crone, Manner, and Moorhouse start one game each. In addition to equaling Moorhouse with a team-best one goal conceded, she saved two penalties in the shootout, more than Moorhouse and Manner.
Crone’s role as the primary backup this season and her play in the Summer Cup makes her the obvious choice for the same role next year. For this reason, it was a matter of when and not if the Pride would attempt to sign her to a new contract. With Moorhouse and Manner already signed through the 2025 season, the Pride now have their goalkeeping corps for next year.
Orlando Pride
Finding Glory? The Orlando Pride “Just Keep Winning”
As Orlando’s NWSL rivals stumble, the Pride have shown no signs of slowing down.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OPvNJNY-2024.09.01-72-1-scaled.jpg)
Nearly two months ago, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1 for a gritty road win to enter the Olympic break on top of the league table and favorites for the NWSL Shield. If any fans were anxious about the Pride’s form dipping in their return to action, they should now let go of those fears.
While Orlando has continued to rack up points with stingy defense and timely goals, the other credible contenders for the shield, the Current and the Washington Spirit, have both dropped points. Now, there are just eight matches remaining in the regular season, and the Pride have a six-point lead in the table. So, to paraphrase the ever-optimistic Dory from Finding Nemo (and also from the sequel, Finding Dory), “just keep winning.”
Since returning from the break, Orlando has won at the last-place Houston Dash and against fourth-place NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. The latter match featured 12 Olympians, and could have passed for a gold medal rematch due to Gotham’s U.S.-heavy squad and Orlando’s Brazilian contingent. Both the Dash and Gotham games were ones Orlando would be disappointed not to win, but winning is never a given in a league as competitive as the NWSL. Just ask the Current, who started the season unbeaten through 15 matches and set the pace at the top of the table, only to lose three straight and drop to third. On the other end of the table, both Utah Royals FC and Seattle Reign FC are on two-match winning streaks, showing just how quickly things can change for better or worse.
Orlando, however, leads the league and is not slowing down, because the Pride have avoided the trap games and off nights that can bite most teams. It is a testament to values instilled in the squad by Head Coach Seb Hines, now the winningest coach in Pride history, that the players have remained focused and ready for each match. Following the win over Gotham, Orlando’s fifth straight, center back Kylie Strom put it simply, “at the end of the day, we have to stick to our principles, and we did exactly that.”
Strom was referring specifically to the team’s defensive performance, but around the pitch, players are staying true to the other key principles that got them here. In recent matches, defense, as well as squad depth and versatility, have set this club apart from the competition.
Defensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Orlando now has five clean sheets in its past six NWSL matches and has only conceded 12 times in 18 matches. During the previous six matches, the Pride have started seven different players in the back four positions, and that does not include Rafaelle, who has been struggling with leg injuries this season. One of the players deputizing due to injuries to Rafaelle and Bri Martinez is Cori Dyke, who despite only starting three matches to this point in her debut season, is beginning to thrive in the environment the staff and other players have created.
Dyke exemplifies how squad depth has also been key to this defensive run. Despite a couple of injuries, the Pride still have not trailed in a match since the first month of the season, nor have they conceded a goal past the 75th minute. This stat could only be achieved because the roster is ready top to bottom to do the dirty work of defending, whether the players on the pitch are regular starters, or late game specialists. Also, it never hurts to be able to bring on Orlando’s newest addition, veteran defender Carson Pickett, to help see out games.
Orlando’s depth and versatility have also shown for the attack in recent weeks. While outsiders may wrongly view the Pride offense as a one-player “Barbra Banda show” due to her team-high 12 goals, the Dash and Gotham games demonstrated how lethal Orlando can be even without a goal from Banda. Against Gotham, it was Adriana who contributed two great goals within 20 minutes to put the game out of reach right after kickoff. Despite a slower start to 2024 following her electric debut campaign, Adriana now sits on five goals for the season. This tally brings her level with Marta, who has hit her highest individual goal mark since 2019, and Summer Yates, who subbed on and scored her fifth of season, a game winner, against the Dash.
Again, Yates’ goal highlights how the Pride players continue to perform well, whether they start or come off the bench. Goals are not the only way Pride attackers have contributed from the bench either, though Julie Doyle did almost have the goal of the season on Sunday if not for the offside flag. Doyle was also critical to seeing out the win and clean sheet because she drove the ball into the opposition half and toward the corner flag repeatedly to kill time and disrupt the flow of the match. Watt performed much the same role after her introduction as well, ensuring that Gotham did not have as many chances to score towards the end of the match.
At the end of the day, these are the types of contributions that Orlando will need to keep winning and maintain their lead at the top of the table. This includes the way the defense doesn’t let the opposition breathe, no matter who is playing. It includes timely goals from the entire Pride roster and not just Banda. And, it includes players in each position remaining focused and doing what they have done to be in the position they are in today. That position is one where they finally have daylight between them and their rivals at the top.
While there are still eight matches to go, the Pride will know that if they can take care of business against the teams outside of the top four in the NWSL, such as this weekend’s against the Chicago Red Stars, the path for other teams to catch them will get much trickier.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Loan Amanda Allen to Lexington SC
The Pride have sent Canadian international forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/MarkThor-PridevChicagoRedStars-032924-OCOP1702-1-scaled.jpg)
The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has sent forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC. The loan is for the 2024-25 USL Super League season, which runs through May, and includes a right to recall.
“Amanda has shown her potential and maturity during her time here in Orlando and we’re happy to find an opportunity for her to get more minutes on the field,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Amanda has played an important role so far this season and we are happy to be able to give her the opportunity to compete in Lexington. We look forward to watching her play and will continue to support her from afar during this loan spell.”
The Mississauga, Ontario, native joined the Pride on April 3, 2023 on a three-year deal running through the 2025 season. She made her debut on May 6, 2023 against Racing Louisville FC, becoming the youngest player to play for the Pride at 18 years, two months, and 15 days old.
In her two years in Orlando, Allen has made 17 appearances with two starts while recording 293 minutes with one assist in all competitions. That includes 11 NWSL regular season appearances, three Challenge Cup appearances, and three NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup appearances. Her assist came in this year’s season opener in a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville when she found Summer Yates for the late equalizer.
Allen has spent time with the Canadian National Team and the youth squads. The 19-year-old forward is currently at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she started in the team’s first two group games.
What This Means for Orlando
The Pride have two primary forwards this season in Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, with the other forwards usually being left on the bench or out of the matchday squad. Even veteran and Argentina international Mariana Larroquette has found it hard to see the field. The club views Allen as part of the future of this team, but she was unlikely to see much more time this year in the regular season or postseason.
This loan gives the 19-year-old an opportunity to see first-team minutes at a high level, as the USL Super League is a first division league. The team was already heavy on forwards, resulting in the waiving of rookie Alex Kerr on Aug. 29. This move clears more space at the position while stating that Allen is part of the future of the team.
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