Orlando Pride

Despite Early Struggles, Orlando Pride Holding Faith in Marc Skinner’s Vision

Published

5 years ago

July 27, 2019

It’s no secret that the Orlando Pride have not had the best season so far. Orlando is in eighth place out of nine teams in the NWSL and have just three wins more than halfway through the season. But, despite the team’s struggles, the Pride have remained confident in first-year Head Coach Marc Skinner’s vision.

“I think what happens when a new coach comes in, you either hit the ground running and results go your way, and things fall into place,” Skinner said after the win against the Washington Spirit. “Or there was a clear culture change that needed to happen here and still needs to continue to happen. And what happens there in that is when you’re aware of things — so we’re aware we need to be better in possession, we’re aware we need to stop transition — [the players] start to think about the game too much sometimes, and that can get you out of flow.”

The Pride won that game, 4-3, and it was Orlando’s first home win of the season. The four goals scored were not only more than any other game this season, but the most Orlando scored since May 26, 2018. Rachel Hill, Chioma Ubogagu, and Marta all found the back of the net, but it was the return of the international players that made the most significant difference and they were involved in each goal in the game against Washington.

Hill talked about the impact that the international players bring to the team. The Pride have had to build a foundation and learn Skinner’s style without the star players. Orlando has been forced to deploy a young team this year, giving six players either their first start or professional debut.

“It’s been really great to have them back. It kind of freshens everything up,” Hill said after training on July 6. “We’ve done a lot since they’ve been gone, so kind of getting them back into the swing of things here and understanding what we’re doing has taken a little bit of time, but they obviously catch on really fast and jump right back into it.

“I think we really have [built a foundation]. Obviously, games still go on when they’re gone, so we really didn’t have a choice but to do that. I think everyone has jumped on board and did a good job with it.”

Skinner talked about that foundation after the Pride lost to the North Carolina Courage on June 1. He said that it’s important that he work with the younger players and the players not on their respective national teams. The team should not rely on the international stars, but instead the internationals should add to what the rest of the team has been doing.

“You’ve got all these young kids coming into our team that are breathing the breath,” Skinner said. “They’re defining the badge because they want to be here, they want to fight for this badge. And once you have that, the quality that we have with our international players, they come in and they sprinkle on a hardworking foundation. Without that, you build the castle on sand, and I’m not doing that. I’ll face the hard part, and I’ll build it effectively, and it will take time, and then you will have a real team that Orlando can get behind.”

Skinner acknowledged that it will take time and the stats agree with that. Orlando has the most goals allowed, the worst goal differential, and the fewest assists. The Pride are also in the bottom three in shots and shots on goal. Goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer has the second-most saves in the NWSL. Additionally, Ashlyn Harris and Kopmeyer are both in the top three for highest goals-against average.

While the team has not performed especially well this season, the Pride have slowly improved since Skinner took charge. This has not always been obvious on the score sheet, but the results are starting to go Orlando’s way. Since June 22, Orlando ended a 15-match winless streak, moved a spot up the table, and scored 12 goals in the last six games (the Pride scored four goals in the nine games prior). The players have begun to grasp what Skinner has been asking, and it is evident in their play.

One of the players that has stepped up recently is Chioma Ubogagu. The forward had a goal drought to start the season, but, in the 10th game of the season she found the back of the net. She has now scored three goals and added an assist in the last five games and isn’t looking back. She also would have had another assist to Marta against Portland but the goal was officially scored as an Emily Menges own goal.

Ubogagu was arguably the best player on the field in last week’s 1-0 win against Sky Blue FC, and had one of her best performances as a member of the Pride. Skinner has mentioned multiple times this season that there is a need for the wingers to give better balls to the forwards. Ubogagu has stepped up in this role, and had the most chances created against Sky Blue (4) and it felt like she was involved in every attack. When asked about her success in front of the net, she gave credit to her teammates and coaches.

“I think we’re just building chemistry,” Ubogagu said after training on July 9. “I think our training sessions have been set up to build that chemistry, to get that trust, to know what we like — if we like balls in behind, balls to our feet.

“Marc and [assistant coach] Carl [Green] trust us, and that gives me a little confidence to try to go out there and do what the team needs. I think I’m playing more loose, I’ve been more relaxed, just trying to enjoy the game, and I think the more I do that, the more the goals will hopefully come.”

Ubogagu now has competition for that starting spot. For most of the season, there has been a lack of depth on the forward line. The Pride signed Scotland international Claire Emslie on May 30, and she made her debut last week. The United States internationals are back after winning the World Cup, and Alex Morgan is expected to return to the starting XI after the two-week break the team is currently on. This means that Ubogagu will have competition for her starting spot, but it isn’t something she is worried about. She said that she is “excited” to be in a positional battle with “world class players” and has confidence in her own ability.

The Pride have 10 games remaining in the season and currently sit nine points out of a playoff spot. Orlando has a steep hill to climb to reach the postseason being this far down the table, but for the players, they just want to take it game by game and continuously improve. Still, 10 points in the last six games is a positive sign moving forward.

“To get momentum going is huge,” Hill said. “You never know in the NWSL really. We could go on a streak and end up in the playoffs. You just kind of have to take it one game at a time and stay focused. The performances will get us the results, and that’s really what we have to focus on.”

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Pride need to do to secure an NWSL Championship win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday?

Published

8 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Sam Denker

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Win or lose, the Orlando Pride’s season comes to an end on Saturday night at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. After they defeated the Chicago Red Stars and the Kansas City Current in prior playoff matches, this final match could see the Pride lift the NWSL Championship trophy. The Pride have already won the NWSL Shield earlier in the year, and this second trophy would cement them as one of the greatest teams in NWSL history. Standing in their way is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, the same Washington Spirit club the Pride defeated to clinch the Shield.

So, what do the Pride need to do to defeat the Spirit and bring home more silverware?

Prepare for a Better Spirit

During the regular season, the Pride defeated the Spirit twice, 3-2 in Washington all the way back in April, and 2-0 at home in October. The Pride may need to scrub these results from their memory and prepare for a more capable and complete opponent. For starters, in the first matchup, the Spirit were led by interim head coach Adrián González, who is still with the club as an assistant. While González performed well in the role, the Spirit are now led by one of the best coaches in the game, Jonatan Giráldez, who took over in July. Before joining the Spirit, Giráldez led Barcelona Femeni, the single most dominant club in Europe during his tenure. In each of the past two seasons, Giráldez’ Barcelona won the Copa de la Reina, Spain’s domestic cup tournament, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, showcasing his skill in coaching championship games.

The Pride were able to beat Giráldez’ Spirit squad just over a month ago, but that matchup was missing several key players on Washington’s side of the pitch. The Spirit were without NWSL Best XI players Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger as well as Best XI Second Team representative Hal Hershfelt. All three of these players have since returned and are likely to play in the NWSL Championship. Ouleye Sarr, the joint leading scorer for Washington along with Rodman, was also out for the October matchup, but she is struggling with a back injury and may not play this weekend. While the Spirit were limited in the last meeting, Orlando was convincing in its 2-0 win. This time around, the Pride will have to prepare for a Spirit team that looks a lot different than the last time out.

Keep the Match to 90 Minutes

One of the key storylines heading into the NWSL Championship is the paths each team has taken. While the higher-seeded teams have won each match of the 2024 playoffs, Orlando has won its matches in regulation, while Washington required extra time to beat Bay FC and penalty kicks to get past NJ/NY Gotham FC. As a result, Orlando has played fewer high-stress minutes in recent weeks and comes in on a great run of form. On the other hand, the Spirit are battle tested, knowing the challenges that come from tight matches. Their goals forcing extra time have come late in matches — the 86th minute against Bay, and the third minute of stoppage time against Gotham. To their credit, the Spirit never know when they are beaten, so Orlando will need to be locked in all the way to the final whistle, hoping to avoid the chaos that ensued at the end of the Kansas City match.

Despite looking shaky at the end of the match against the Current, Orlando’s success this season has come about in the opposite manner of the Spirit’s postseason wins. Orlando has done exceedingly well to get the lead and secure the result. The Pride have only dropped points from winning positions twice, losing none. The semifinal match against Kansas City was also their first come-from-behind victory of the year, showcasing how uncommon it was for them to fall behind in an NWSL match in their 18-win season. Should the NWSL Championship go to extra time, it would be uncharted territory for Orlando. With so few elimination matches in their history, very few players on the roster would have any experience with extra time. The Orlando Pride as a club only participated in their first-ever (then their second and third) penalty shootout in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, winning one of three shootouts. In the end, Orlando will be in a much better position if it can keep this game to 90 minutes.

Marta Magic

The Orlando Pride have four players on the NWSL Best XI first and second teams, but no player is more easily recognized in purple than 38-year-old Marta, the GOAT. While she has been with the Pride since 2017, this campaign (11 goals, 1 assist) has been her most productive since 2017, her first in Orlando (13 goals, 6 assists). The 2017 season was also the last time that Orlando made the playoffs. In 2024, Marta has scored two postseason goals so far, including a magical game winner against the Current. Orlando’s success is inexorably linked to the performances of its best-ever player. Yet, as hard as it is to imagine, the NWSL Championship will be the last match of her existing contract with the Pride, and win or lose, this could be farewell, at least for now.

On the pitch, Marta will be a focal point for the Orlando attack against the Washington Spirit. While Washington’s Best XI defenders Krueger and Tara McKeown attempt to slow down Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, Marta is likely to drop deep and connect the play. Her precision passing and driving runs in recent matches have contributed mightily to an attack that has now scored 10 goals in the past three matches — three by Marta herself. Beyond these traits, Marta will also be a pitch general for the Pride in this final match, directing traffic and keeping the team locked in and organized. Earlier this year, Marta announced her retirement from international soccer with Brazil and took home the silver medal in the Summer Olympics. Expect Marta to leave it all on the pitch on Saturday, and if it were to be her last match for the Pride, it would be incredible to leave with an NWSL Championship.

Saturday night the NWSL Champions will be crowned. Could one of these keys to victory make the critical difference? Vamos Orlando!

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Center Back Emily Sams Named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Pride center back Emily Sams adds another honor to her trophy case after being named the NWSL Defender of the Year.

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Sean Rollins

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this evening that Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams has been named the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year. She’s the first player in club history to win the award. It was the second major NWSL award won by the Pride after Seb Hines was named the league’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Sams played center back during her 2023 rookie season, but moved to right back at the beginning of this year. Brazilian international Rafaelle’s injury trouble forced Sams back to her natural position where she partnered Kylie Strom, forming arguably the best center back partnership in the league. Together with goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and the rest of the back line, the Pride conceded a league-best 20 goals while tying the league records for most shutouts in a season (13) and setting a new mark for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal (554).

Individually, Sams was second in the league with 163 recoveries, and she led the Pride with 108 possessions in the defensive third, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. Additionally, her 88.18% passing accuracy led all Pride defenders.

Including the playoffs, Sams has played in 27 games this season with 26 starts and recorded 2,365 minutes. She’s recorded 25 tackles and 28 interceptions, winning 30 headed duels and 47% of her tackles. She’s also contributed offensively with a goal and three assists, including assisting Barbra Banda’s first goal in the NWSL quarterfinals against the Chicago Red Stars.

The center back was named to the league’s monthly Best XI three times this year — in May, September, and October/November — and was named to the league’s end-of-the-year Best XI.

The Boise, ID, native played three seasons over five years at Florida State before signing with Racing Louisville’s W League team for the 2022 season. She decided to forgo her senior year at Florida State, signing with the NWSL instead on Aug. 31, 2022. The league loaned her to Swedish club BK Hacken for the remainder of the 2022 season, enabling her to enter the 2023 NWSL Draft. The Pride selected Sams with the third overall pick and she immediately became a key player on the team’s back line.

She was paired with veteran Megan Montefusco at the beginning of her rookie season and Brazilian international Rafaelle after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sams played 22 regular-season games last year, recording 1,977 minutes, 19 interceptions, and 17 tackles. She won 61% of her tackles and 33 headed duels.

Despite not having any caps, Sams was selected by new USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes to compete for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, earning a gold medal. Her first appearance for the national side came on Oct. 24 when she started against Iceland in Nashville, TN.

Preliminary voting for the NWSL Defender of the Year award included league owners, general managers, coaches, players, and media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media with the winner announced this evening. Strom, San Diego Wave FC center back Naomi Girma, North Carolina Courage center back Kaleigh Kurtz, and Washington Spirit center back Tara McKeown were the other finalists.

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines Named NWSL Coach of the Year

After a record-breaking regular season, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Sean Rollins

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this afternoon that Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines had been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. It’s the first time in the club’s history that a coach has won the award.

In his second year as permanent head coach, Hines led the Pride to a record-breaking season that saw them finish 18-2-6, winning the NWSL Shield. They finished third in the league with 46 goals scored and tied with NJ/NY Gotham FC for a league-best 20 goals conceded. They set five league records this year, including most points in a season (60), most wins in a season (18), longest winning streak (8), longest shutout streak (554 minutes), and longest single-season unbeaten run (23 games). The Pride also tied the league record for clean sheets in a season (13). Dating back to last season’s finale, the club went 24 matches without a loss under Hines. Orlando also drew all three Summer Cup matches this season, giving the Pride 26 matches without a loss in all competitions under Hines in 2023 and 27 games overall dating back to last year. Orlando’s 2.31 points per game in 2024 is second in league history behind the 2018 North Carolina Courage, who had 2.4 points per game.

The 2024 season caps a rebuild that started following the 2021 NWSL season when the Pride traded away several star players. They hired Amanda Cromwell as head coach for the 2022 season, but she and assistant Sam Greene were suspended and eventually fired for retaliatory behavior. Assistants Michelle Akers and Aline Villares Reis left their positions following the suspensions, leaving Hines as the club’s only option as head coach.

The controversy turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Hines finished the season strong as interim coach, taking the team to a 3-7-5 mark in the final 15 games, which included a seven-game unbeaten run (3-0-4). His performance down the stretch was enough to earn the permanent role. The Pride elevated Hines from interim coach to head coach on Nov. 11, 2022.

In his first year as the club’s permanent head coach, Hines nearly led the Pride to their first playoff appearance since 2017 and second in club history last year, missing out on the goal difference tiebreaker on the final match day of the 2023 campaign. This year, the team came back with the goal of making the postseason and soon became the best team in the league, going the full season without a single home loss in any competition.

Since taking over in June 2022, Hines has become the Pride’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 31-30-12 in league play. His 1.67 points per game and .492 winning percentage also top all previous Pride coaches.

Despite a turnaround that saw the Pride go from one of the worst teams in the league to narrowly missing out on the playoffs, Hines wasn’t a finalist for coach of the year in 2023. It was an easy choice this year as he led the team to its best-ever season and the first trophy in team history.

The team’s 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Nov. 8 was the first playoff win in club history and the Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to secure their spot in the 2024 NWSL Championship, which will be in Kansas City on Saturday night.

The NWSL Coach of the Year Award began with a preliminary round voted on by owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media to determine the winner. The other finalists were Current Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski and Gotham Head Coach Juan Carlos Amoros, last year’s winner.