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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 3-0 as Pride’s Goal Drought Continues

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6 years ago

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It was more of the same story for the Orlando Pride (0-7-1, 1 point). Orlando struggled in the final third and had difficulty getting off shots. The North Carolina Courage (3-2-3, 12 points) capitalized on Orlando’s errors, and Kristen Hamilton netted a hat trick, as the Courage won 3-0 in front of 4,427 fans in Orlando City Stadium. Orlando’s goal drought has now reached 260 minutes after this match. 

“If you watch the match, you’ll see what the truth is in the matter,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner said. “We competed with the champions for 60 minutes and then a mistake. They have to attack from deep because they can counter attack us because we have to go and get a goal. And if you open up the game, [North Carolina] has the players that can hurt you on the counter attack. I think up until that point I was really proud of the girls and the effort they put in. It’s just always going to be a matter of quality. And that’s the thing that has to improve. I’m pleased with them and what they’ve given to the shirt but now it’s a quality issue.” 

Skinner sent out the exact same starting XI as a week ago. Bridget Callahan stayed in the midfield, even after a poor outing against Utah. The lone surprise was that Kristen Edmonds was not in the 18 at all, missing the game because of a coach’s decision. Edmonds had a knee injury but was back with the team last week. For the Courage, expected starting goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland was benched, and National Team Replacement Player Sam Leshnak started in net for the visitors. 

The game started out with both teams playing directly. The Pride won a corner in the second minute, and Hamilton sent a shot over the crossbar a few minutes later for the Courage. After about 10 minutes the game settled down and both teams had longer spells of possession. 

Both teams held possession well in their own half but struggled in the final third. Orlando tried to play down the right side of the field in the first half, and this led to Erin Greening having the most touches for Orlando in the first 45 minutes. 

It looked like the visitors would go ahead in the 33rd minute. McCall Zerboni got behind the Pride defense and fired a shot inside the 18. Haley Kopmeyer came up with the huge kick save to deny Zerboni and keep the game goalless. 

At the end of the half, Kopmeyer again came up huge. Jaelene Hinkle sent in a cross after a short corner. The ball was bouncing around, and it fell to Carson Pickett’s feet. Leah Pruitt somehow kicked it between Pickett’s legs and Kopmeyer made the quick reaction save. Abby Elinsky cleared the ball for Orlando, but the Courage kept possession. Moments later, Hinkle took a shot from distance that banged off the crossbar. 

The story at halftime was the poor passing accuracy from the Pride. Six players had a passing accuracy at 50% or below. Rookie midfielder Marisa Viggiano had the highest rating, with 80%. Orlando also held just 36% possession. The Pride took two shots, both from Rachel Hill, but neither were on target. Still, it was the first time all season that Orlando did not concede a goal in the first half. 

Orlando came out strong in the second half. In the opening minutes, Hill should have put the Pride up 1-0. Chioma Ubogagu sent in a perfect ball. It took a few bounces before reaching Hill, who beat Leshnak to the ball. That left an open net, but the forward sent the ball wide and high. Hill should have hit the frame in what would have been a turning point in the match. 

“I think on the ball we need to stay more composed, be comfortable with the ball at our feet, and when we’re hitting those crosses we need to be hitting the right spaces,” said Hill. “When the balls are in the right spaces, our willingness to get on the end of the ball and the hunger to be there in the box and put it away needs to be better.”

Ubogagu had the ball down the left side in the 52nd minute. After a good move, she fell to the ground and looked to have been fouled, but there was no call on the play. 

The breakthrough came in the 60th minute. Kopmeyer could not hold what should have been a routine cross. She fumbled the ball, and Hamilton was first to jump on the rebound and put the Courage up 1-0. 

“I think that this team is establishing a culture where we have the mindset of never giving up,” Callahan said. “That was the moral [after the first goal] amongst every single player. At times I feel like we would let up and put our heads down, but I felt like we would just try to go, go, go.” 

The Courage struck again six minutes later. Pruitt fed a ball to Hamilton. The midfielder easily got past two Pride defenders, and shot from inside the box. The ball went into the top corner and North Carolina went up 2-0. 

Skinner made his first two changes at the same time after going down 2-0. Danica Evans and Joanna Boyles came on for Viggiano and Ubogagu. Neither player made a significant impact in the game and had a combined one shot.

“I thought Evans and Boyles did well,” said Skinner. “The consistency of performances last week with Marisa and Bridget meant that they got another start. Danica has slowly, slowly, slowly worked herself back into the play. I’m going to be really honest with you, Danica was not up to scratch when we first came in. Now, she’s swallowed that, she’s worked hard in training, and now she’ll get her opportunities to get what she needs to do. I love the girl to bits, but she has to work harder. Because for this team you have to want to die and until we get that they’re not going to play. And I’ll take the flak of her that she’s good that this and she’s good and that. If you don’t run, you don’t play. And that girl now has turned her attitude around, she’s worked hard at what she needs to do, and now she’ll start to get her opportunities. Because she’s earned it and now I can look at her as a player for this team.” 

Hamilton got her hat trick in the 85th minute. Hinkle put in a perfect cross, but the Pride were all caught ball watching. Hamilton was wide open inside the 18 and hit a right footed shot off the half volley.

Evans nearly had a goal in the dying minutes. The ball was bouncing around in the 18. It fell to her, and she took a shot at the empty net. It was going goal bound, but Hill was standing in the way and kept the ball out. 

The game ended 3-0, and after the opening goal, the Pride fell apart. Orlando finished with 41% possession, seven shots, and just one shot on target. The lone shot on target was a free kick from Pickett in the dying minutes on the game.

North Carolina doubled up the shots on Orlando, 14-7 (7-1 on target), keeping 59% of the ball, and easily out-passing the Pride, 70.5%-59.3%.  

The Pride return to action on Saturday, June 15 against the Houston Dash in BBVA Compass Stadium at 8:30 p.m., still searching for their first win and looking for their first goal in quite some time.

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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.

Published

9 hours ago

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January 31, 2025

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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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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Transfer Adriana to Saudi Side Al Qadsiah FC

The club has secured one of the highest transfer fees in NWSL history for the Brazilian attacker after she requested a transfer.

Published

2 days ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has secured a club-record transfer fee from Al Qadsiah FC of the Saudi Women’s Premier League in exchange for Brazilian international attacking midfielder/forward Adriana. The club announced that the sale was one of the three highest in NWSL history, with Jeff Kassouf of The Equalizer reporting the fee as $500,000.

“We are incredibly grateful for Adriana’s contributions to the club, and while we will miss her presence both on and off the pitch, we are happy to support her in this next chapter of her career,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “At the Pride, we believe in empowering our players to pursue opportunities that align with their personal and professional goals. The record transfer fee we received reflects both Adriana’s exceptional talent and our commitment to building mutually beneficial relationships in the global transfer market. These resources will help us continue to attract world-class talent to Orlando as we build for the future. We wish Adriana all the best and she will always be part of the Pride family.” 

The move, which was requested by Adriana, comes shortly after the start of training camp as the Pride prepare to defend their NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship titles.

“I want to thank the Orlando Pride, my teammates, and especially our amazing fans for making Orlando feel like home,” Adriana said in the club’s release. “This club gave me an incredible opportunity to grow as a player and person, and I will always be grateful for my time here. The Pride organization has been very supportive of my desire to take on this new challenge overseas. They worked hard to make this move possible while ensuring it benefited everyone involved. Orlando will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to watching the club continue to grow and succeed.” 

The Pride signed Adriana almost exactly two years ago on Jan. 19, 2023, from Brazilian giants Corinthians. That deal was through the 2025 season, meaning her contract would have been up at the end of this year. As Orlando typically extends players’ deals before they expire, the timing makes some sense, despite it happening during the Pride’s preseason.

In two seasons with Orlando, Adriana was a key player for the Pride with the versatility for Seb Hines to deploy her in multiple ways. She was primarily used as a winger during her time in Orlando, appearing in 46 NWSL regular-season games with 38 starts, logging 3,333 minutes. She scored six goals and added four assists, sharing the team lead in those categories in 2023. Her contributions in 2024 raised her career regular-season totals with the Pride to 12 goals and five assists across two seasons.

Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s playoff games during her stay in Orlando, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball in the Pride’s run to the title.

Additionally, the Brazilian made one appearance in the NWSL Challenge Cup, playing just eight minutes off the bench in 2023 without a goal contribution. She was on international duty during four of the Pride’s six matches in that competition. Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in that competition.

What It Means for Orlando

Losing a player of Adriana’s caliber does not make a team better, but the club got a big return for an attacking piece that had started splitting time with Summer Yates during Orlando’s final stretch of the season in 2024. The Pride’s younger players are starting to demand more minutes with their performances, and while the team’s depth takes a hit with Adriana’s departure, the club has the resources to find a roster replacement.

Someone will have to replace Adriana’s six goals per year. Yates scored five in her second season in the league, but a jump to 11 in her third year seems unrealistic. However, more minutes for Yates may mitigate some of Adriana’s lost offense. Others who can contribute to replacing those goals include Grace Chanda, Simone Charley, Ally Watt, and Julie Doyle. The first two on that list are talented, but still have yet to play their first game for the Pride. It’s also conceivable that Barbra Banda can score more goals in her second NWSL season.

In Adriana, the Pride also lost one of the team’s better penalty takers. Adriana was two-for-two from the spot in 2024. Someone else will need to step up and take up the secondary penalty-taker role (to Marta) in 2025.

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Opinion

Three Orlando Pride Games to Circle on the Calendar

Let’s take a brief look at three games to pay extra attention to during Orlando’s upcoming NWSL campaign.

Published

1 week ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

We got the release of the Orlando Pride’s 2025 schedule on Wednesday, which means we’re that little bit closer to the start of the season on March 7. The nature of the 14-team National Women’s Soccer League means that there are fewer scheduling quirks than with the 30-team Major League Soccer, with each team playing the other 13 clubs twice each. Still, there’s plenty to dig into with regards to how the scheduling shakes out, and now that I’ve had time to examine what 2025 holds, I’ve got three games in particular that I’ve got circled on my match calendar. Behold.

March 7 — vs. Washington Spirit

You had to know this was coming, right? There’s so much to like about this game. Not only is it the home opener, but as the NWSL Challenge Cup match, it’s also a chance to win another piece of silverware in a rematch of last year’s NWSL Championship game. This game sells itself on just about every level imaginable. The Pride return almost everyone from a wildly successful 2024 season, and while there aren’t a ton of new signings to familiarize ourselves with, getting healthy versions of Grace Chanda and Simone Charley is essentially like getting two brand new players. It’ll be our first chance to gauge where the Pride stand as they try to continue on from the high standards that were set last year, and we should also get a couple new banners hoisted into the rafters. You can hardly ask for more than all that.

Aug. 16 — at Kansas City Current

The Current were excellent in 2024, finishing fourth and boasting the league’s best attack, with 57 goals scored in 26 games, for an over two goals per game average. The Pride, meanwhile, had the league’s third-best attack, with 46 goals, and the joint-best defense with just 20 conceded. Orlando never lost to Kansas City in 2024, as the Pride drew and won the regular-season contests and then won again in the semifinal matchup between the two teams. The pair have made a habit of putting on entertaining affairs, and with the match placed as one of the first ones to occur after the league’s July break, it might go a long way towards setting the tone for the back half of Orlando’s season.

Nov. 2 — vs. Seattle Reign

The NWSL is bringing back Decision Day this year, and the Pride have been blessed with a home game on the league’s final day of regular-season play. On paper, Orlando has also been handed a favorable matchup against a Seattle team that struggled last year and is in the midst of a rebuild. Given how tight the margins tend to be in the upper reaches of the league, every point takes on added importance, and playoff scenarios can swing wildly when everyone is playing at the same time. It’s always nice to be able to play at home in a situation that variable, and it can make for a truly memorable atmosphere that will (hopefully) set Orlando up for another postseason run on the right note.

It feels a little cheap to highlight the first and last games of the season, but I can’t help liking what I like. Are there any games that you’re especially looking forward to this season? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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