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Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 4-3 as Pride Earn First Home Points of 2019

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With the return of the majority of the international players, the Orlando Pride (2-8-2, 8 points) finally found their offense. The Pride found the back of the net four times as they beat the Washington Spirit (5-3-3, 18 points) 4-3 in front of 3,703 fans in Exploria Stadium. Rachel Hill opened her 2019 scoring account, Marta netted a brace, and Chioma Ubogagu got her third goal in as many games.

“You can't keep conceding three goals and scoring four at home,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner said. “I know American sports loves the drama and it’s all well and good but, guys, we can’t concede three goals at home and win every game. I thought we were very, very dangerous today in possession. I thought out of possession we were quite controlled and had moments of madness. I’m pleased with all the girls’ attitudes and I'm pleased they got the win, for them.”

The head coach was not on the field during the game. Instead, he was upstairs in one of the boxes. Skinner said that this is something that he has wanted to do all season, and it helps him see the game more tactically. He said he prefers to be upstairs because he “has to see the game,” and went down at halftime to share with the team what he saw.

“I need to see the game tactically,” said Skinner. “For me, I need to be calm and make decisions, not react off emotions. I’ll marry that information with the information I have, keep calm, and put it together.”

Alanna Kennedy, Shelina Zadorsky, and Emily van Egmond came right back from France and into the starting lineup. Morgan Reid swapped out for Zadorsky as the rest of the back line remained the same. Both of the Australians played in the midfield with Joanna Boyles and Marta, Ubogagu, and Hill led the forward line. 

After a 50-minute weather delay, the game started fast and furious. Both teams needed just a handful minutes to get into the game, and the rest of the half was filled with goals. 

“Honestly, I don’t really like when all that happens,” Marta said of the weather delay through an interpreter. “We always just keep waiting and keep waiting and that’s not really good at times. But I think also it helped cool down, and we played really well so I think it was great for us.”

After just seven minutes, Washington took the lead. After a good spell of possession, Cheyna Matthews got down the line. She beat Toni Pressley and sent a low cross into the box. Bayley Feist somehow flicked it between her legs, while falling down, and got the game’s first goal. 

The Pride looked out of the match after the opening goal. The Spirit held possession well, and Orlando was chasing the game. Marta changed that in the 21st minute.

The Brazilian created space for herself and played the ball to Boyles. Boyles used a one-touch pass over the top, and Ubogagu was then one-on-one with former Pride goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe. Chi dribbled right around the ‘keeper and leveled the game at one. 

Just five minutes later, the Pride took the lead. Hill forced a turnover and immediately got down the field. Kennedy and van Egmond passed among themselves, got down the field, and van Egmond played a perfect through ball to Hill. The striker took one touch and powered the ball in off the crossbar as Orlando went up 2-1.

“Obviously they’re top class, they’re great players and they know the game well,” Hill said about the international players returning. “It brings a lot back into our team. Obviously we worked a lot while they were gone and they’re adapting to that, kinda forgetting about the whole World Cup and what their national teams do. They’re back here and fitting in really well. It’s definitely helped us and they’ve done well.”

“It feels good,” Hill said of scoring her first goal of the season. “It’s a relief in a sense. As a forward you obviously always want to score but it feels even better to get that win.”

The lead did not last long, and four minutes later, in the 30th, Washington tied it. Tori Huster sent the ball from her own half, and Matthews blew by Zadorsky. Matthews took one touch to create more space and sent the ball into the back of the net with her second. 

Not much happened for the remained of the half. Both teams had a few chances but nothing too threatening. Kennedy could have scored, but her shot was way too close to Bledsoe. In the dying minutes of the half, Haley Kopmeyer punched the ball, and it hit Greening in the head. The ball luckily rolled harmlessly out for a corner. 

Washington took more shots in the half (7-5), but Orlando had a better conversion rate putting three on target, compared to the Spirit’s two. Washington led the possession battle (59%), but it was mostly in its own half. 

The second half got off to a firing start. Washington won a foul in the opening seconds, and the free kick was headed just wide of the post. Orlando got right down the field then and retook the lead. Greening sent in a low cross towards Marta. The Brazilian struggled to control it at first but stuck with it before calmly sending the ball into the side netting.

The goal put Orlando up 3-2. The three goals were the most that Orlando has scored since June 16, 2018, when the Pride beat Sky Blue by that same scoreline. 

The game settled down after that goal. Both teams had looks on the net, but the game was played mainly in the middle of the field. 

Bledsoe again came up huge in the 60th minute. Hill sent in a perfect cross to Pressley. The defender headed it towards the goal, but Bledsoe used a potential Save of the Week to deny Pressley her second of the year. 

Three minutes later, Huster should have tied the game. She was all alone in the box with time and space but sent her shot directly into Kopmeyer’s chest. 

Marta got her brace in the 78th minute. Zadorsky stood over a free kick in Orlando’s half. The defender rocketed the ball downfield, Marta got on the end of it and behind the defense, and did what she does best. That was Marta’s third goal of the season, all in the last two games after returning from the World Cup. 

The Pride should have gotten a fifth goal when Ubogagu was sent down the left flank and crossed to second-half sub Marisa Viggiano with the entire net to shoot at. The rookie lost her composure and fired well over the net.

Washington got a late consolation goal in stoppage time. Orlando failed to clear the ball, and then five Pride players closed in on Jordan DiBiasi. They somehow all failed to clear the ball, DiBiasi got past them all, and she beat Kopmeyer to the near post. 

The Spirit finished the game with more shots (19-15) but the Pride had more shots on target (8-5). Washington also edged out in the possession battled with 56%, but the Pride were ahead with the final scoreline. The four goals scored were the most by Orlando in a game since May 26, 2018, when the Pride beat the Chicago Red Stars 5-2.

“I think we [have improved] on how our coach wants us to play,” Marta said. “We still lost points in the past games. But I think, for example, in this first half we lacked defensive and we need to get better and get those mistakes fixed.”


The Pride are back in action on Sunday, July 14 when they travel to Providence Park to take on the Portland Thorns.

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Orlando Pride Sign Midfielder Haley McCutcheon to New Contract

The midfielder extends her stay in the City Beautiful with a new deal through 2028.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Orlando Pride veteran midfielder Haley McCutcheon extended her stay in Central Florida after agreeing to a new contract through the 2028 season. The club officially announced the new deal this afternoon.

The 29-year-old native of Overland Park, KS joined the Pride on Aug. 18, 2022 in a trade with the Houston Dash in exchange for $75,000 in Allocation Money and a 2023 second-round draft pick the Pride had acquired from OL Reign. She was still known as Haley Hanson at the time. Since then, McCutcheon has become a mainstay in the Pride lineup — first as a right back before moving to the defensive midfield in recent seasons. She helped the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024.

Two months after her arrival, McCutcheon signed a new contract through the 2024 season. The University of Nebraska product signed a new three-year contract through the 2026 season on Dec. 20, 2023. As has become customary for the Pride, the club has locked her down well before her current contract was set to expire.

“Haley’s leadership on the pitch, her versatility in multiple positions, and her unwavering commitment to our community make her an invaluable part of our foundation,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her clutch performances in our 2024 playoff run, including crucial goals against Chicago and Kansas City, demonstrated why she’s such a vital piece of our championship culture. This extension reflects our commitment to retaining the core players who helped bring the NWSL Shield and championship to Orlando, and we’re excited to continue building on that success with Haley leading the way.” 

McCutcheon has appeared in 73 matches across all competitions in her time with the Pride, logging five goals and one assist in her time in purple. Two of those goals and her assist have come during the 2025 season, in which she has appeared in all 13 matches (12 starts), playing 1,059 minutes and recording 17 tackles, a 68% tackle success rate, and nine interceptions.

After her arrival in 2022, The Mane Land staff gave the defender/midfielder a composite grade of 5 out of 10, although she had only appeared in six matches and started four, playing 373 minutes without a goal contribution. That rating improved to a 6 after a 2023 season that saw her start all 22 matches in the regular season, subbing off only twice and playing 1,955 minutes. She scored her first goal with the Pride that season in a win over the San Diego Wave in April and appeared in her 100th NWSL match in Orlando’s 3-0 road win over the Washington Spirit on July 1, 2023. She again improved her performance in 2024, receiving a 6.5 from our staff for a steady season that saw her appear in 22 matches (18 starts), playing 1,700 minutes without a goal contribution in the regular season. However, she shone in the postseason, starting all three games and playing all 270 minutes, scoring two vital goals to help the Pride navigate through Chicago, Kansas City, and Washington en route to the NWSL Championship.

The Houston Dash selected McCutcheon seventh overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft. She is approaching 200 career NWSL appearances — currently sitting on 173 — scoring six times and adding four assists. She was a part of the Dash side that won the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.

McCutcheon was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree during her time at Nebraska, where she played in 75 games, scored 19 goals, and chipped in seven assists.

What It Means for Orlando

By retaining McCutcheon through 2028, the Pride have solidified a central midfield slot for the next three seasons. McCutcheon will turn 30 in February, so she will be 32 when this deal expires. Her play is important, but her leadership is equally valuable to the Pride. McCutcheon’s clutch play and experience are important to have on the roster. She’s also versatile enough to fill in at multiple spots.

This is probably the first of many announcements the Pride will make in the coming weeks and months. Without games to focus on for several weeks during the NWSL break, the club can spend time assessing future roster needs and addressing them without distracting players from upcoming matches. By our unofficial count, there are nine Pride players who are on contracts that expire at the end of 2025 and four more who have option years for 2026 as part of their deals.

 

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Orlando Pride Must Improve Attack During Summer Break

The Pride have been great defensively but struggled offensively this season. That must change.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride got the 2025 season off to a flying start. But, while the defense has largely been great, the team has struggled in the attack. It’s something that must be fixed during the summer break if the Pride hope to repeat as NWSL champions.

The Pride started the season about as strong as you could hope. It began with a 6-0 thumping of the Chicago Stars, followed by wins over NJ/NY Gotham FC and San Diego Wave FC, two of the best teams in the league. The Pride outscored their competition 10-1 in those first three games, netting multiple goals in each.

However, things have gone downhill on the attacking side since then. Only twice in the last 10 games have the Pride scored multiple goals — a 3-2 comeback win over Angel City FC on April 25 and a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals on May 23.

The attack has largely been placed on the foot of striker Barbra Banda, who has eight goals this season. However, five of those eight goals were in two games — a brace against Chicago and a hat trick against Utah.

Marta is second on the team this season with three goals, with her last coming in the April win over Angel City. Since that game, only three players have scored. Adding to Banda’s four goals, Prisca Chilufya and Cori Dyke have netted one each — their only goals of the season.

A big problem for the Pride this year has been support up top for the star striker. Too often Banda ends up alone in the opposing third surrounded by defenders. The Zambian does her best to create space, but usually slams a shot into a defender or takes an off-balance attempt that sails wide and high of the goal.

Making this situation more confounding is that the Pride often have the fastest player in the league on the field. Ally Watt can outrun any player in the NWSL, including Banda. But the team-wide defense often sees the speedster defending in her own box. It’s something Pride Head Coach Seb Hines prioitizes.

Defending as a team has been a focal point since Hines took over partway through the 2022 season. It’s been successful, as the Pride have built a reputation as one of the best defensive squads in the league. They conceded a league-fewest 20 goals last year and lead the league again this season with just 10 allowed.

While putting numbers behind the ball keeps the opposition from scoring, it hurts the team going forward. The Pride has a tendency to take the route one appraoch of sending Banda into the opposing half. But since everyone else is behind the ball defensively, nobody is supporting the striker, leaving her to take on the entire opposing defense on her own.

As the Pride enter the lengthy summer break, the task for Hines and Haley Carter is clear. The duo must find a way to improve the number of goals scored.

One option is to change the attacking strategy. Turning Watt from essentially a midfielder into a strike partner and keeping her further upfield will provide some help for Banda. Since Banda likes to attack the opposition on her own, they can also push the striker to use her support when it arrives.

Another option is to change the typical starting lineup. Hines has turned Angelina from a defensive midfielder into an attacking midfielder this season — a position she can, and has played, but not necessarily her best role. While the Brazilian has played well, she doesn’t have the pace of Julie Doyle.

Doyle and Watt have flanked Marta in the attacking midfield before, causing problems for defensive back lines. The duo are the two of the fastest players on the team and could provide more support for Banda.

Doyle has been working back to form after returning from a knee injury suffered on March 14. The attacker has been on and off the availability report, listed as questionable Friday night in Louisville. But the extended break could see her ready for action when the season reconvenes.

Regardless of their decision, something has to change for the Pride in the second half of the season. The defense will likely contnue to be among the best, but you can’t expect the team to keep opponents to one goal or fewer every game.

If the Pride can find a way to score goals, they have a great opportunity to catch the Kansas City Current for the NWSL Shield and compete for a second consecutive league title. Whether that happens may depend on if the team can fix its offensive woes.

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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Final Score 2-0 as Pride Still Can’t Win in Kentucky

The Pride lacked quality but not effort in a frustrating 2-0 road loss at Louisville.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride were looking to end the first half of the season on a high note, but ended up doing just the opposite in a forgettable performance at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville. Orlando (8-4-1, 25 points) continued to waste scoring opportunities, but instead of playing the stalwart defense of the last couple of games, the Pride also failed to mark at the back post on a set piece and conceded an unnecessary penalty to gift the hosts a two-goal advantage in a 2-0 loss to Racing Louisville (6-5-2, 20 points).

Center back Arin Wright scored her first goal of the season and Taylor Flint added a penalty kick goal for Racing. The Pride dropped to 0-4-1 at Louisville since the series began and fell eight points adrift of first-place Kansas City, although the focus for now should perhaps be on finding their offense rather than catching the Current.

“Obviously disappointed with the result,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It’s come down to two set pieces.”

Hines’ starting lineup included goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse behind a back line of Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Ohihane. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were the central midfielders with Summer Yates and Ally Watt outside and Marta and Barbra Banda up top.

Louisville came out pressing high and pinning Orlando back in its own end. The Pride eventually settled into the game, worked hard and seized the advantage in terms of possession and chances. However, they were wasteful with their few clear-cut opportunities, and rather than build an early lead, Orlando ended up gifting Racing an early advantage and had to play catch-up — something the Pride simply couldn’t do on this night.

Marta was called for an early foul that she knew little about, jumping up between two defenders. Ary Borges backed into her space, and there was contact, with Marta getting saddled with the foul. Sarah Weber got her head to the cross on the free kick, sending it just inches over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net in the fourth minute.

Orlando’s first shot came in the seventh minute after the Pride broke Racing’s pressure. The ball found Banda, who cut inside from left to right and fired from the top of the box. The Zambian international left her shot too close to goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, who got down and made the save.

The Pride suffered a blow moments later as Oihane went down without contact trying to keep a ball in play at the sideline. She was clearly in a lot of pain and had to be subbed off. While waiting for the sub, the game played on with Orlando using just 10 players.

Racing kept the pressure on and that resulted in shots from distance as the Pride left too much space just outside the area. Taylor Flint had a go from 30 yards out but sent her rising effort over the bar in the 11th minute. A minute later, Savannah DeMelo sent a shot from the top of the area over the goal.

Hines was finally able to send Kerry Abello on in the 13th minute, slotting her in on the left and moving Dyke to right back.

McCutcheon’s foul near the left corner of the box just past the quarter-hour mark gave Louisville a dangerous set piece shortly after the substitutions. DeMelo fired the free kick on target, and Moorhouse caught it and then got bundled over by Ary Borges who was pressed from behind by Sams.

Orlando started to settle into the game a bit after that, but did not execute well in the attack. Banda allowed Ellie Jean to knock the ball away from her in the box in the 17th minute. Moments later, Marta’s set piece delivery into the box from near the right corner of the penalty area was too low and easily cleared.

The Pride started winning corners but took all of them short, possibly to avoid Racing’s height, but they created nothing with the opportunities except a few long-range shots. On the first, Yates was knocked down in the box in the 23rd minute after getting to the end line, but the referee ruled it was a fair challenge.

Orlando should have scored in the 28th minute. Watt put in a fantastic cross to a wide-open Yates at the back post. With plenty of open net to shoot at, Yates pushed her free header wide of the left post, wasting a sitter.

“I mean, goals change games,” Hines said. “We had a chance just before their set piece (goal) where the ball gets to Ally (Watt), she takes on Courtney Petersen, puts in a really good cross. And (Yates) gets her head on it, but it wasn’t on target. And I think if that had gone in, it might have changed the trajectory of the game. You know, you’re then asking Louisville to be even more aggressive. There’s more space for us to manipulate.”

A minute later, the game turned in Louisville’s favor. Banda was too indecisive after receiving the ball in the attacking third. Leaving the ball at her feet and trying to head fake, Racing easily dispossessed the forward and broke in transition, winning a corner at the other end. Louisville paid off the set piece when Orlando left two players completely unmarked at the back post. Unlike Yates earlier, Wright got her head on the ball and didn’t miss the net, putting the hosts up 1-0 in the 30th minute. Former Pride fullback Courtney Petersen got the assist for her delivery.

Angelina fired from outside the box on a couple of short corners but the first, which may have been a back-post pass to Nadaner, went wide and out of play in the 34th minute.

Orlando again should have scored in the 35th minute. Watt did well to steal the ball in the attacking third and immediately played it to Banda. The goalkeeper was caught out, but Banda was deliberate in lining up her shot. Once she did, she missed the net entirely.

Watt had a chance to cross into the box in the 38th minute but sent her service right at Bloomer. Angelina fired a good effort from distance in the 40th minute. The dipping shot was on target but Bloomer was able to knock it out for a corner. Orlando played it short again and Angelina fired from distance only to see it deflect out off a defender. The Brazilian then ended up with yet another shot from range on the next corner, but sent it right at Bloomer.

Banda had a chance to play Marta in alone in the first minute of stoppage time, but she didn’t get enough on the pass. Flint was able to close down and knock it out for another corner. Nothing came of that one either, and moments later the half was over with the Pride staring up at a 1-0 deficit in a game they probably should have led.

The Pride finished the first half with the advantage in possession (57%-43%), shots (9-7), shots on target (4-2), corners (6-1), and passing accuracy (82%-79%). But the wasted opportunities and moment of inattentive set piece defending had the hosts out front at the break.

Hines made his second change at the half, sending Carson Pickett on for Yates. After the match, Hines said Yates hadn’t been feeling well and needed to come off, so she became the second unexpected substitution of the match.

“It kind of disrupted the momentum that we had in the first half going into the second half,” Hines said of sacrificing Oihane and Yates. “But we have good players who can adapt, and so I thought we still put them under pressure going to the second half, playing through the press.”

Louisville started the second half much like the first — as the aggressor. Emma Sears blasted wide just after the restart. On the ensuing goal kick, Orlando quickly turned it over and Borges ended up in alone on goal with the ball. With just Moorhouse to beat, the Brazilian smashed the ball off the right post, wasting an opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 49th minute.

Orlando’s first attack of the second half came in the 50th minute and it quickly broke down. Banda tried to find Pickett as she approached the box, but she made a mess of the pass and the defense cleared. The ball went to Marta at the top of the area, and the Pride captain saw her shot blocked. The rebound found Banda, who send a soft shot straight at Bloomer.

“I just think at this moment in time, everyone’s kind of adapted to us,” Hines said. “We’re getting into really good, promising positions, and we just need to execute in that last final part.”

Wright did well to keep a cross from reaching McCutcheon at the back post in the 53rd minute. Both players needed treatment after a clash of heads and were off the pitch for a few minutes.

Sears nearly made it 2-0 in the 61st minute, losing Dyke in the corner, cutting inside and must missing the far post by about a yard.

Louisville put the game away a few minutes later. On a routine throw-in, Sams was positioned well behind Weber just inside the box near the right sideline. Rather than hold her position, she tried to muscle her way around the Louisville forward, pulling her down. The referee pointed to the spot immediately.

Former Pride midfielder Flint took the spot kick. Moorhouse guessed correctly, but Flint placed the shot well to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute.

Shortly after the second goal, Hines pulled Marta, McCutcheon, and Dyke, subbing on Morgan Gautrat, Ally Lemos, and Simone Jackson, who made her NWSL debut. Those three were not likely to provide the missing piece of the attack, and they didn’t, as Orlando continued to struggle in the offensive third.

Banda put a shot on frame from a tight angle on the right in the 78th minute, but it was a comfortable save for Bloomer. The ball fell in the box near the end line where Wright was prone. Banda ran in to try to win it, but Wright wisely knocked it out off the Zambian for a goal kick.

Weber nearly made it 3-0 on another Louisville corner kick opportunity in the 80th minute. This one was slightly more contested than Wright’s and Weber put her shot wide.

Down the stretch, Orlando wasted a couple more short corners and simply couldn’t find any lethality. Banda missed the net four times in the game’s final minutes on what was an apparently frustrating night for the Golden Boot contender.

Orlando’s statistical advantage was not reflective of the final score. The Pride finished with the edge in possession (64%-36%), shots (16-14), shots on target (7-3), corners (11-3), and passing accuracy (82%-74%).

“I learned that nothing’s given, no matter what rank you are as a team,” Jackson said after making her pro debut. “So, it’s like everyone is coming after you. You have a target on your back when you wear this badge. So, I think it was wake-up call for a lot of us, and I think that I’m excited for the second half of this season.”


The Pride have a long break to stew in this performance, as the NWSL schedule won’t resume for several weeks. Orlando’s next NWSL is Aug. 3, when the Utah Royals visit Inter&Co Stadium.

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