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Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Final Score 2-1 as Poor First Half Sinks the Pride

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5 years ago

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KISSIMMEE, FL — The Orlando Pride fell to the Houston Dash 2-1 in Orlando’s first home game of the year. But rather than at Exploria Stadium, the match was played at Osceola County Stadium without fans. Kristie Mewis continued her hot run of form for the Dash (3-1-0, 9 points) with two assists, and Houston completely dominated Orlando (0-2-1, 1 point) in the first half behind goals by Shea Groom and Veronica Vlatsko.

Sydney Leroux provided a spark immediately after halftime with her first goal since 2018, but the Pride couldn’t find an equalizer. The second half performance was a huge improvement from Orlando over the opening 45 minutes, but the hole was too deep to climb out of.

“It was an absolute tale of two halves,” said Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner after the match. “I don’t know how many games I have been involved when that’s applied. We were nowhere near good enough first half. We weren’t brave enough on the football. We didn’t want the football enough. We were running like we were a yard off the pace and so at halftime we spoke about what it means to play for Orlando.

“There was no real tactical kind of adaptation, it was more about the energy and the fire they need to take to wear our jersey. And it just wasn’t present in the first half from from the collective. So in the second half, they got better, they understood that, and you know it took a bad situation the first half to get a reaction for the second period and I was really, really pleased that even though you take the loss you have a growth within the game. And what I need my younger players to understand is that you can’t waste time and so it’s really important that’s the key message from this game.”

Ashlyn Harris was not with the team tonight because of the death of her grandmother. Rookie Brittany Wilson got her first NWSL start in net in place of the U.S. international. Toni Pressley took a bench role tonight, but she entered the match at the start of the second half. Rookie Konya Plummer got her first NWSL start in Pressley’s place. Meanwhile, Sydney Leroux and Kristen Edmonds returned to the starting lineup after not traveling to Houston two weeks ago because of COVID-19 concerns.

“I knew that there was a chance a couple of days ago [that I’d start] and so for all of these games I’ve been preparing as if I was going in or if I was starting,” Wilson said. “So the weeks kind of look the same. I was really studying everything that we were doing. I was doing all my protocols and stuff that I would do pregame. But this week I knew a couple days in. I was able to get in with the back line, know our game plan, really lock it in, and then just prepare mentally, and at the end of the day, once the whistle blew, I just tried to let it all go and do my best.”

Houston took control of the game quickly. After a few offside calls, the Dash found the opening goal in the 17th minute. Carrie Lawrence turned the ball over near midfield, and it took her a while to get up and recover. Brianna Visalli played a wide-open Mewis down Orlando’s right side, and Mewis sent in a perfect cross. Groom came flying into the box unmarked and headed in the game’s opening goal.

It was a scary moment a few minutes later. Lawrence took the ball to her stomach blocking a shot, and the trainers were immediately called onto the field. She was stretchered off the field and eventually brought to a hospital for precautionary reasons.

Abby Elinsky came on for the Lawrence. She took the right wing spot and Kristen Edmonds dropped to right back.

“I think with Kristen it just showed that we were comfortable in moving her around the field because we understood the base knowledge was there,” Skinner said. “Obviously, physically she gave everything tonight. She’s out on her feet at the end. So I was really, really pleased with her but I need my players to understand every position, and that’s going to be the ask of the players and the commitment to put it for next season. You have to give everything you have to give, but you have to understand the roles and responsibilities for everyone. And for 90 minutes, you’ve got to concentrate harder than the opposition, and you’ve got to work harder than them.”

Wilson made an excellent one-on-one save on a Latsko breakaway in the 26th minute. However, she was in the exact same position minutes later, and the Dash got the better end of it this time. Latsko made a run towards goal, and Orlando’s back line was lost. Ali Krieger stepped up to push Latsko off, but Edmonds kept the Dash forward on. Mewis played the perfect ball in, and Latsko rounded Wilson and easily scored to double Houston’s lead.

Houston led in every statistical category at the break except for fouls. Houston had 11 shots, four shots on target, and three corners — the Pride finished the half with goose eggs in all those categories. The visitors also held 63% possession. Skinner said that “the players weren’t happy with the first half.” He did not change much tactically, but instead spoke to the players about improving their mindset.

Orlando made one change to start the half. Plummer’s night was over, and Skinner brought on Pressley. The veteran’s presence was immediately felt as she helped bring Orlando back into the match.

Pressley sent a long ball up top. Edmonds then played Elinsky out wide. Elinsky sent in a low cross to the front post, and Leroux was the first one there. She emphatically sent it into the back of the net to cut Houston’s lead to 2-1 on the Pride’s first shot of the match.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” Leroux said of scoring her first goal since 2018. “I mean, I did spend a year pregnant. And then a year of not playing soccer, because of you know the whole coronavirus situation. So, I think it was nice. It’s been my second game — my proper second game — so I felt good. I feel fit. And I wish we had more time but unfortunately, it is what it is. So I’m excited to look ahead to next season and this next game coming up.”

Wilson made a spectacular save and then a blunder right before the hour mark. First, an unmarked Sophie Schmidt sent a great shot from outside the box destined for the top corner. Wilson got up and made a one-handed save that will likely be in the running for save of the week. Two minutes later, Mewis took a shot that should’ve been an easy save, but the Wilson spilled it. Luckily for the Pride, it went out for a corner.

The match was relatively uneventful after that moment. Both teams had a few chances, but Orlando only had one real opportunity to get that equalizer. Marta had an excellent chance to tie the game in the 77th minute. She was one-on-one with Jane Campbell, but she hit her shot at Campbell, making for an easy save from the ‘keeper.

Houston killed the game off late on. The Dash slowed the pace of play some and eventually took the ball into the corner, winning multiple corner kicks. It was a great improvement in the second half, but the Dash never looked like they were going to give up another goal.

In the second half, Orlando was outshot 9-5, but both teams had three shots on target, giving Houston a final margin of 20-5 (7-3 on target). Their passing accuracy increased from 63% to 67% in the second half, and possession was much closer (43%-57%). That gave Houston a final possession margin of 59.4%-40.6% and a passing accuracy edge of 78.1%-64.3%. The Pride conceded 10 corners in the match without winning a single one.

While it still was not spectacular, Orlando vastly improved in the second half and will look to build on that performance for the Pride’s final match of the NWSL Fall Series.

The Pride play in their first and only match of 2020 in Exploria Stadium on Oct. 17 when the North Carolina Courage come to Orlando in what is expected to be the season finale for both clubs. 

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Orlando Pride Sign Jamaican International Forward Solai Washington

The Pride add attacking depth by signing former Florida State forward Solai Washington.

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5 days ago

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January 19, 2026

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Jamaican international forward Solai Washington. The former Florida State Seminole  through the 2027 season with a mutual option for the 2028 season.

“Solai is a player we’ve had an eye on for a while during her two years in college,” Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines said in a club press release. “Her composure on the ball, her ability to break lines, and the maturity she showed at Florida State make her a fantastic fit for what we’re building here. She brings energy, versatility, and a real competitive edge, which is what we look for in players. We’re excited to have her here in Orlando and to see the impact she can make in our environment both on and off the field.” 

The 20-year-old attacker from Atlanta made 35 appearances in her two years in Tallahassee, scoring eight goals and adding four assists while helping the Seminoles win the 2025 NCAA national championship and the 2024 ACC tournament. Washington was a member of the 2024 ACC All-Freshmen Team, the 2024 All-ACC Academic Team, and was named to TopDrawerSoccer’s postseason Top 100 Freshman list (at No. 42).

On the international stage, Washington has already represented Jamaica at the senior level on the biggest stage, making three appearances with the Reggae Girlz at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, debuting in a scoreless draw with France.

What It Means for Orlando

The Pride’s need for depth in the attacking positions is well documented, and Washington is a young player with a ton of upside in an area of need. From that perspective alone, this is a signing that makes sense. While it would be nice for the club to sign some proven NWSL-level scorers to provide depth for Barbra Banda, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle, it’s always good to develop young talent. Since the abolition of the NWSL Draft, teams must work harder to secure the services of players like Washington.

It will require some time to know whether Orlando’s faith in Washington will be rewarded, and she wasn’t the most prolific scorer at FSU, but it says something about a player that they can get minutes at age 17 in a World Cup. It will be up to Hines and his staff to develop Washington, who will have no shortage of great mentors as teammates.

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Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

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1 week ago

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January 15, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

  • March — 4
  • April — 2
  • May — 6
  • June — 0
  • July — 6
  • August — 4
  • September — 4
  • October — 3
  • November — 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

  • Monday — 0
  • Tuesday — 1
  • Wednesday — 2
  • Thursday — 0
  • Friday — 11
  • Saturday — 7
  • Sunday — 9

For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. 

The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

  • Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
  • Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)
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How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

Published

1 week ago

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January 15, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

Reinvigorate the Attack

The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

Fill the Roster

Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

Find the Grit

In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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