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Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue FC: Final Score 1-0 as Lloyd’s Goal Lifts Hosts to First Win of the Season

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5 years ago

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A terrible season came to a merciful end as the Orlando Pride played the victims in Sky Blue FC’s only win of 2018. Carli Lloyd’s goal in the second half was the only one of the game and Kailen Sheridan was a savior in net for the hosts in a 1-0 Pride loss at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ.

As has been the case all season, the Pride (8-10-6, 30 points) squandered chances, gave away the ball cheaply, and simply weren’t good enough given the names on the backs of the jerseys. The tactics and shape were fine and the team created plenty of opportunities to take control against Sky Blue FC (1-17-6, 9 points) but couldn’t capitalize.

To make matters worse, Sky Blue played a road match just four days ago while the bulk of Orlando’s roster was fresh. The Pride, who scored just one goal in their final four games, finish the 2018 NWSL season an unbelievable seventh in the nine-team league.

The only real surprise in Tom Sermanni’s starting XI was Haley Kopmeyer in net in place of Ashlyn Harris. With Marta unavailable with a hamstring issue, Chioma Ubogagu started up top with Alex Morgan and the returning Sydney Leroux.

The Pride controlled much of the first half in terms of possession and passing but lacked clinical finishing, as we’ve seen much of this season, and most of Sky Blue’s scoring chances came on careless turnovers and counters.

Sky Blue fashioned the first good scoring chance when Imani Dorsey beat Kopmeyer but hit the crossbar in the seventh minute. The ball came back to her but her follow shot was deflected wide.

The first good Pride chance came in the 10th minute when Morgan nearly got in behind but Erica Skroski got back in time to block her shot attempt.

Seconds later, Morgan took the ball from a defender and poked a shot on target but Kailen Sheridan made a good reaction save to keep the game scoreless.

The Pride had penalty shouts in the 14th minute when Morgan made a nice move to slide the ball into the box and cut inside her defender. The Orlando striker was sandwiched and impeded on her run but the referee saw nothing wrong and the chance went away.

After Carli Lloyd pushed a shot wide in the 16th minute, Christine Nairn sent in a beautiful cross to a wide-open Dani Weatherholt but her headed effort went straight at Sheridan in the 18th minute.

Sky Blue got a couple of good looks in the 20th minute. The first came when Shea Groom took the ball in the midfield, dribbled through most of the Pride defense and slipped a ball in for Dorsey, who shot wide. Moments later, Shelina Zadorsky turned the ball over by not getting it up the field quickly enough and Lloyd took it from her but again fired wide.

Orlando again should have gone ahead in the 23rd minute. Chi Ubogagu slipped Morgan into the box but the striker didn’t make good contact with the ball and Sheridan made an easy save. Moments later, Chi fired wide from the left side, attempting a near-post shot. Ubogagu sent in a good cross in the 26th minute that Leroux flicked with her heel but her touch took too much speed off the ball and Sheridan was able to get down for the save.

Sky Blue gifted a free kick to the Pride just outside the box in the 32nd minute when Sheridan handled an obvious back pass. Morgan’s set piece hit the wall, however. The Pride had the last good opportunity of the half when Chi sent in Leroux in the 42nd minute and the former USWNT striker patiently waited for traffic to clear before shooting. But Sheridan again made a good reaction save and again the Pride’s final touch wasn’t clinical enough.

The Pride and Sky Blue went into the half scoreless. First-half shots were 10-9 to Sky Blue, though very few of those 10 were memorable and many were from long range. The Pride led on shots on target (4-0), possession (54%-46%), corners (4-1), and passing accuracy (77%-73%).

The second half was more of the same. Orlando had opportunities and continued to waste them. Leroux headed a corner kick delivery just wide in the 48th minute.

Sky Blue fashioned the next couple of chances with Groom firing high in the 52nd minute after Monica stepped up and missed the ball, allowing the hosts to break. Three minutes later, Groom turned Nairn inside out near the sideline then slipped a ball to Dorsey, who fired wide.

Ubogagu tried a long-range effort in the 57th but missed the net, looking to pick out the top corner on the far side. Morgan then fired wide moments later but she was offside anyway after a corner kick was cycled back in.

Lloyd went for goal from distance on a free kick in the 63rd minute but fired off frame and Kopmeyer likely had it covered anyway. The next warning sign for the Pride came in the 66th minute after a failed clearance, when Katie Johnson lost her mark simply by making a quick turn, then hit the crossbar.

Nairn fired a rocket from long range in the 69th minute that Sheridan not only saved, but also held onto. Five minutes later, Sky Blue broke through. Groom centered the ball to Lloyd near the top of the area and the USWNT captain one-timed it past Kopmeyer inside the post for the game’s only goal.

Morgan smashed a ball across the box from a severe angle in the 78th but Sheridan knocked it out for a corner. Two minutes later, second-half sub Rachel Hill had her shot blocked for another corner. On the ensuing set piece, the ball fell to Zadorsky’s feet but she couldn’t cleanly poke it home.

Camila and Emily van Egmond came on in the 83rd but neither really made an impact on the game. Camila fired high in the 88th minute from the top of the area and van Egmond nearly got to a great long ball from Pickett but Sheridan came off her line to beat her to the ball.

After just two minutes of stoppage — after a goal, six subs, and a bit of time wasting — the whistle blew on the Pride’s season.

Orlando held the advantage in shots (20-18), shots on goal (6-4), possession (56%-44%), corners (9-1), and passing accuracy (77%-68%). Sky Blue’s 31 clearances tell much of the story of how much time was spent in the hosts’ defensive end.

In the end, none of the statistics mattered because Sky Blue finished once and Orlando couldn’t do the same, despite numerous opportunities. It was a microcosm of the 2018 season.

That’ll do it for 2018. The Pride won’t play again until preseason. We hope you’ve enjoyed our game coverage throughout the season and that you’ll stick around for our season in review ratings for the entire roster, as well as all the off-season news to come as there is sure to be a bit of a shakeup this winter.

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2023 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Madril

The first-year defender played almost every single minute available in the 2023 season.

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6 hours ago

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December 6, 2023

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride selected former Florida State defender Emily Madril with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The 5-foot-7 Navarre, FL native decided to forego her last season of eligibility in Tallahassee to begin her professional career. A two-time national champion (2018 and 2021), Madril left FSU, signing a contract with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF.

Following a standout first NWSL season in which she played all but three minutes in the regular season, Madril was rewarded by the Pride with a new contract through 2026.

Let’s take a look at her first season with the Orlando Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Madril started all 22 of the Pride’s regular-season games in 2023, leading all rookies in minutes played (1,977), and coming off only moments before the end of the club’s season finale against the Houston Dash when the Pride were desperately trying to score a game winner to stay in playoff contention. The defender did not record a goal or an assist on the season, attempting just one shot, which was off target. Madril completed 814 of her 953 passes (85.4%), 46 of her 103 long passes (44.7%), and one of her three crosses, while recording five key passes. There wasn’t much drop-off in her passing rate related to position on the field, as Madril completed 88.7% of her passes in the defensive half and 75.6% in the attacking half. Defensively, she added 19 blocks and 19 interceptions, won 17 of her 28 tackles (60.7%), and was successful on 76 of her 122 duels (62.3%). She also won 54.5% of her 33 aerial duels. She won 23 fouls while conceding only nine and was booked twice during the regular season.

In the NWSL Challenge Cup, Madril appeared in five of the team’s six matches (all starts), and played 450 minutes. She did not score a goal or assist on one and did not attempt a shot. She completed 193 of her 224 passes (86.2%), including 13 of her 25 long passes (52%). Madril passed at an 89% rate in her own half and a 78.3% in the attacking half, recording one key pass, but not attempting a cross in the competition. She recorded 10 blocks and four interceptions on defense, winning 55.6% of her tackle attempts, 68.1% of her duels, and 71.4% of her aerial duels. She committed five fouls, drawing six on the opposition, and was not booked in the tournament.

Best Game

With a number of standout games to choose from, I’ll go with the Pride’s 1-0 win over OL Reign on July 7. Paired with Megan Montefusco as the center back tandem, Madril and her teammates limited the Reign to just five shot attempts (two on target) across the 90+ minutes of the game. Madril had 55 touches and completed 89.1% of her 46 passes. She recorded two tackles and drew two fouls on her opponents while not committing any. Madril and her teammates helped Messiah Bright’s 16th-minute strike hold up over the remainder of the match without constantly being under siege. It was a complete performance and one of the team’s best defensive efforts of the year. It was also just the Pride’s second win ever against OL Reign.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Madril a composite rating of 6.5 for the 2023 season. There were several shaky moments early in the year for the first-year NWSL defender that prevented that score from rising higher (such as conceding a penalty against Angel City), but as the season progressed and she became more comfortable with Seb Hines’ system, the league, and her teammates, Madril was a solid player on the Pride’s back line. She showed her versatility in being able to play both center back positions as well as right back for a couple of matches. A 6.5 is a good rating for a first-year NWSL center back, and Madril showed that she has the potential to develop into one of the league’s best defenders.

2024 Outlook

Madril is obviously highly regarded by the organization and has a huge upside. She has expressed on multiple occasions how happy she is to be with the Pride, and I would expect her to be in Orlando until/unless the Pride get an offer they can’t refuse from a bigger club or if Madril decides to leave once she’s eligible for free agency. Madril should be a starter on the back line for the Pride in 2024 barring something unforseen.

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Orlando Pride Sign Defender Emily Madril to New Contract

The center back signs a new three-year deal, keeping her in Orlando through 2026.

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1 day ago

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December 5, 2023

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed starting center back Emily Madril to a new three-year contract. The defender originally signed a three-year deal with the NWSL, running through the 2025 season, but this new contract will keep her in Orlando through 2026.

“I had a great rookie year here and had so much fun and love everyone in the Orlando Pride organization,” Madril said in a club press release. “The chemistry that we have in the locker room between all the girls and the entire coaching staff is just amazing and played a big factor in me wanting to stay here in Orlando. I am so excited to be a part of the Pride for the future and continue to be a part of the special thing we are building here.” 

After leaving Florida State University following her junior season, Madril signed a three-year contract with the NWSL and went on loan to Swedish Damallsvenskan side BK Hacken. The Pride drafted the defender with the third overall selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft, immediately putting her into the starting lineup.

Madril initially started alongside Caitlin Cosme at center back, before being joined by Megan Montefusco and, eventually, Rafaelle. She showed her versatility on two occasions, starting at right back.

The Boise, ID native started all 22 regular-season games for the Pride, recording a rookie-leading 1,977 minutes, and she only came off late in the season finale against the Houston Dash when the Pride needed a goal. She completed 814 of her 953 passes (85.4%), 46 of her 103 long passes (44.7%), and took one off-target shot. Defensively, she added 19 blocks and 19 interceptions, won 17 of her 28 tackles (60.7%), and was successful on 76 of her 122 duels (62.3%).

Madril also played in five of the team’s six Challenge Cup games, recording 450 minutes. She completed 193 of 224 passes in those games (86.2%) and 13 of 25 long balls (52%). She continued to be a key defensive presence in those midseason cup matches, recording 10 blocks and four interceptions, as well as winning 10 of her 18 tackles (55.6%) and 32 of her 47 duels (68.1%).

“Emily came in and made an immediate impact, just as we expected she would when we drafted her,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in the club’s release. “She was a reliable presence in our back line throughout the entire season and showed her potential to be one of the best defenders in the league. Her maturity and professionalism shined throughout the entire year, and we are very happy to be able to have her with the Pride for the years to come. She is an important part of what we are building here, and she wants to be a part of it, which we are very excited about.” 

Madril has also had a presence for the United States at the international level, receiving call-ups for the U-19, U-20, and U-23 U.S. Women’s National Teams.

What It Means for Orlando

Madril was a key piece of the Pride’s team in 2023 and the club hopes she’ll be for a long time to come. She showed early on that she can become one of the best defenders in the NWSL and her time at right back indicated she has the versatility valued by Carter and Pride Head Coach Seb Hines.

The 24-year-old was already signed to a three-year deal through the 2025 season, so this keeps her in Orlando for an additional year. Terms were not disclosed, but it’s likely she got a raise as well. If she continues to improve on how she played this season, the Pride will undoubtedly look to extend her even further into the future. For next year, she’ll likely continue starting alongside Rafaelle, making up a formidable center back pairing the club can count on.

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2023 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Anna Moorhouse

The 2023 NWSL season was Anna Moorhouse’s first as the Orlando Pride’s starting goalkeeper.

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2 days ago

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December 4, 2023

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The 2023 NWSL season was Anna Moorhouse’s second with the Orlando Pride and her first as the team’s starting goalkeeper. She was originally signed prior to the 2022 season, backing up veteran Erin McLeod that year. However, the Canadian international left the team, resulting in Moorhouse taking over the starting role.

Let’s take a look at Moorhouse’s first season starting for the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Moorhouse started 19 of the team’s 22 regular-season games, playing 1,623 minutes. The team’s record in those games was 9-9-1, as she conceded 22 goals, saving 72 of her 94 shots faced (76.6%). She ended the year with seven clean sheets, 19 catches, six punches, and four drops. The Pride’s number one completed 387 of her 573 passes (67.5%) out of the back and 115 of her 292 long balls. The passing accuracy in her own half was 79.1% and 32.4% in the opposing half. She conceded one foul and won two, getting sent off in the third minute of the team’s 1-0 loss to OL Reign on Sept. 3.

The English shot stopper also played in four Challenge Cup games, recording 360 minutes. She conceded 10 goals in the competition with no clean sheets and saved 13 of her 23 shots faced (56.5%). Moorhouse had three catches, one punch, and no drops in the secondary competition. She successfully completed 69 of her 111 passes (62.2%) and 29 of her 68 long passes (42.6%). Similar to the regular season, her pass completion percentage was far higher in her own half (76.4%) than in the opposing half (35.9%). Additionally, she won a foul and didn’t concede any.

Best Game

Moorhouse’s most active game was the season opener against the Portland Thorns, where she faced 27 shots and made 12 saves. However she conceded four goals and one was her fault. Her best game of the year came on Oct. 2 in Los Angeles and it was a critical one. Adriana scored in the 22nd minute against Angel City FC to give the Pride a 1-0 lead and the visitors held on for dear life to claim three points that put them in the running for a playoff spot.

One of Moorhouse’s seven clean sheets, the goalkeeper made seven saves on the night, her second-most of the season. Most of Angel City’s shots were right at the goalkeeper, but she was sure-handed, something that plagued her earlier in the year. In the 57th minute, Claire Emslie beat Haley McCutcheon to the ball inside the six-yard box, but Moorhouse was decisive in coming out, forcing the forward to send her shot into the side netting. Her biggest moment of the game came in the 86th minute, when substitute Sydney Leroux got her head on the ball and put it on target. Moorhouse tipped the attempt over the crossbar, maintaining the Pride’s narrow 1-0 lead.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Moorhouse a composite grade of 6 out of 10 for the 2023 NWSL season. Shot stopping was her strength, but she struggled at other aspects, especially holding onto the ball. On multiple occasions this season, her inability to hold onto a catch resulted in second chances and goals for the opposition. She struggled in the team’s penultimate game against Racing Louisville, effectively ending the Pride’s season, and her third-minute red card against OL Reign was likely a determining factor in a crucial 1-0 loss. However, she had seven clean sheets on the season and was the team’s best goalkeeper.

2024 Outlook

Moorhouse’s initial contract was a two-year deal, running through the 2023 season. While there were questions about her dependability in goal this season, Seb Hines and Haley Carter were pleased with her performances, awarding her with a new contract on Oct. 5, keeping the goalkeeper in purple through at least the 2025 season. The Pride now have four goalkeepers under contract for next year, and Moorhouse will be challenged for her role as the starter by new signing Sofia Manner.

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