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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 2-2 as Late Set Piece Turns Win Into Draw

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5 years ago

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The Orlando Pride have never come from behind to win a match in the Marc Skinner era. For a mere five minutes, it looked like that would change after Abi Kim scored in the 88th minute. But Brooke Hendrix found the equalizer in stoppage time, and the Pride tied Racing Louisville FC, 2-2. Taylor Kornieck and Kim both scored their first NWSL goals, and Meggie Dougherty Howard earned two assists in her first game with the Pride.

“We’ll take a result,” Skinner said after the match. “We always knew we were going to fight against the crowd as well as the team that we’re going to play against. It will just increase and get better as we go throughout the games. It’s risky because it’s so early.

“I’m really pleased with how the players came from behind showed resilience that we’re trying to work on them for. You know, we’re disappointed to give a goal at the end but take nothing away from Louisville, and the event tonight was a good experience for everyone.”

There were few surprises in Skinner’s starting XI. Ashlyn Harris started in net. In front of her were Phoebe McClernon and Konya Plummer in central defense, with Ali Krieger at right back and Ali Riley on the left. Dougherty Howard slotted in at center defensive midfield with Jade Moore. Marisa Viggiano, Kornieck, and Marta played above them, with Sydney Leroux as the lone striker. Viggiano, Kornieck, and Marta rotated positions throughout the game.

It was back-and-forth action to start the match. Each team had a few chances. Just two minutes in, Leroux fired a shot just over the bar in the first good look for either team. In the fourth minute, Louisville probably should’ve gone ahead, but Harris got the better of Yuki Nagasato from close range.

The breakthrough came in the 12th minute. A wonderful through ball from Emily Fox saw Cece Kizer all alone. She then did well to slot the ball behind Harris for the home side’s first-ever goal. After the goal, Harris talked to her defenders, presumably about giving the Louisville forwards too much space.

Leroux had a call for a penalty kick in the 42nd minute. She was running towards goal with Brooke Hendrix fighting to defend. The two players used their bodies to get to the ball. The attack ended with them both on the ground. It’s hard to tell if there was any foul there, but Leroux clearly was not happy with the no-call.

The Pride tied things up two minutes after that. Viggiano did well to steal the ball from Fox in the right corner, then found Dougherty Howard at the corner of the box. Dougherty Howard sent in a great cross, and Kornieck powered the header off the right post and in for the equalizer.

“It just felt so amazing,” said Kornieck. “Me and Meggie have an insane connection. She just put a ball up, right in the perfect place for me, and it just felt so incredible to finally get the first goal, break the ice, and it’s just a surreal moment for me.”

That goal was created by two Pride debutants. Dougherty Howard got her first assist with Orlando, while Kornieck scored her first NWSL goal.

Kornieck was the most threatening player for Orlando. She used her physical stature well but was also impressive with her feet. She started a few half-chances and was a focal point to the Pride in the midfield. Defensively she did well to fight to win the ball back.

“I think [Kornieck] was great,” said Skinner. “I think one of the things we’re gonna have to balance is that that some of these stronger challenges where it’s body to body, she’s going to be given fouls against. When really it’s just her strength and inner ability to do that. I thought she was excellent in terms of being some of the right places the right times. There are things that she’s going to have to keep continuing to work on. And she’s only going to get that through experience, but what she did show for the goal was just the quality we know she has. She’s literally undefendable at times when you have that ability, and that timing and that quality. So there’s a lot more to come from Taylor.”

The story of the first half for the Pride was sloppiness in possession. The team struggled to link passes together. They had a decent amount of possession (52%), but the medium-length passes’ accuracy was off. The long passes rarely connected. Louisville threw players forward on the counter, which caused issues for the Pride defense.

Both teams had four shots, but the home side put more on target (2-1). The passing accuracy was similar as well (68%-67% in favor of Louisville). Orlando was likely the happier side to come out of the half tied. Louisville was the better team, and the Pride was on the defensive end much, particularly in the opening 15 minutes. The Pride had 13 clearances, 11 tackles won, and 29 duels won.

The Pride came out of halftime much better. They controlled the ball well and gave up fewer transitional moments. After they lost the ball, Orlando fought to quickly win it back. Plummer and McClernon, who both struggled at times in the first half, made a few key interceptions and settled into the game after the break.

“I’m really proud of them,” Skinner said about his central defense. “First and foremost of all the back line, they’re going to make mistakes as part of all of the growth for tomorrow and not just the here and now. It’s in between birthing players that will give this club longevity over a period of time. They’re young, they will be exposed to decision-making things that they’ve got to draw on the experience of tonight. But their energy commitment to the whole of what we’re asking them to do is excellent.”

The Pride came into injury worries in the second half. Jade Moore picked up an injury in the 63rd minute. There were no replays of what happened, but she was able to jog off the field. Erika Tymrak came on for Moore, making her Pride debut. She moved into the right midfield, and Viggiano dropped to defensive midfield.

Just a few minutes later, Kornieck went down with a leg injury. She was able to stay in the game but was visibly hurting. Orlando had its first corner in the 76th minute. Leroux sent a ball into the box. Kornieck just missed it, but the ball fell to Marta at the top of the box. Marta took a touch. On her touch, Louisville was able to reset and get in a position to defend, blocking her shot and ending the threat. Kornieck made way for Kim after that play.

Jorian Baucom committed a bad foul in the 83rd minute, coming in hard on Riley. The foul earned Baucom a yellow card, and Riley stayed down for a few minutes afterward. Luckily, she was able to stay in the game as the tackle was borderline red.

“I mean it was really scary,” Riley said of the tackle. “I think as a defender, like those moments when you’re really vulnerable and when you clear a ball and someone comes up studs up straight into your leg — that can end your career. So obviously I was really scared. But I just wish the refs would take responsibility. At least say ‘I didn’t see it,’ or something like (that). I know she got the card but don’t say that she stepped on my foot, and then not look at my leg where I have a full cleat on my shin. So that’s just frustrating. Everyone makes mistakes and refs get it wrong, but at least acknowledge that you didn’t see what happened.”

The game seemed destined for a draw, but Kim put on some magic in the 88th minute. Dougherty Howard played a fantastic through ball out wide. Kim made the run into space and put in a perfect shot over Betos. That was Kim’s first NWSL goal.

Louisville was not done yet. Off a free kick, the Pride were unable to clear it. The ball ended up falling right to an unmarked Hendrix inside the box. Hendrix had little trouble finishing it to tie it back up at 2-2.

The Pride out-shot Louisville, 11-8, but struggled to get shots on target (2). Possession was a perfect 50/50 split, and Louisville was slightly better in passing accuracy (71%-69%). Defensively, the Pride dominated the stat sheet and held more duels won (57-41), tackles (22-8), and clearances (19-11).

The Pride have a quick turnaround and are back in action on Wednesday. Orlando hosts Gotham FC on April 14 at 7 p.m.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Jamaican International Forward Solai Washington

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

Published

47 minutes 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.

Published

4 days 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

4 days ago

on

January 15, 2026

By

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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