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Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fall to Red Stars on Early Goal

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (7-8-7, 28 points) fell 1-0 to the Chicago Red Stars (9-8-5, 32 points) tonight in Bridgeview, IL after allowing yet another goal within the opening few minutes of the game. The hosts had several opportunities to take a multi-goal lead, but in the end it was Kealia Watt’s sixth-minute goal that was the difference. Alex Morgan also missed a penalty attempt that could have earned the Pride a road point.

The Pride displayed the same starting lineup as Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC. Only two changes were made to the bench, as Carrie Lawrence and Crystal Thomas made the trip. Parker Roberts stayed in Orlando and Meggie Dougherty Howard was suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

After giving up a goal in the third minute of each of the last two games, the Pride had a horrible start again in Bridgeview. In the fifth minute, Watt beat Ali Krieger into the box, creating a chance on goal. However, Amy Turner did well to get back, sliding in and blocking it out of play.

The ensuing corner kick was headed to Watt at the back post. The dangerous striker fired off a shot that slammed off the bottom of the crossbar and in for the opener. Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris had no chance to stop the blast.

The Red Stars nearly doubled their lead in the 10th minute when Mallory Pugh sent a low free kick into the box. It traveled through several players but nobody could get on the end of it as the ball went harmlessly out of play.

In the 17th minute, Pugh tried to do it herself. Beating Ali Riley into the box, the forward sent a low shot across the face of goal. Fortunately for the Pride, it was a tough angle for the U.S. international, and the ball rolled beyond the far post.

Former Pride forward Rachel Hill got in on the action from the right side in the 29th minute. Doing well to shield the ball from Krieger, Hill was able to get a shot off. But Harris cut down her angle and made the big save. The rebound was collected by Hill, who immediately fired a second shot on goal. By the time the shot was taken, Krieger had gotten into a defensive position, making the block.

The Red Stars thought they had a penalty in the 31st minute. Watt beat Turner into the box, forcing the defender to chase from behind. Turner made a late lunge, attempting to win the ball and Watt went down. The hosts thought they had a penalty but the referee waved play on.

The Pride had a golden chance to get back into the game in the 43rd minute when Sydney Leroux was played through into the box. She got behind Casey Kreuger and went down. It was questionable whether there was any contact, but the referee pointed to the spot.

Morgan stepped up to take the kick but missed it well wide left. It was the second missed penalty for Morgan this season.

Having Morgan take the penalty in a one-goal game was a questionable decision. The striker had missed her only other penalty this season and Marta, who was also on the field, took a perfect penalty last week against Gotham FC.

“We definitely have a couple people who are sort of in the rotation to take it,” Pride interim head coach Becky Burleigh said about the penalty. “But when it actually comes in game situation, we sort of leave that up to the players because I think it’s tough to dictate that because penalties, I think, you kind of feel it when you’re ready to take a penalty and I wouldn’t want to identify that without letting them have some opportunities. So it’s not like it’s open to anyone, but there’s definitely a few people who are in that rotation. And Alex is one of them.”

Statistically, it would appear as though the Pride had a strong first half, leading in possession (57%-43%), passes (229-176), passing accuracy (72.5%-68.6%), crosses (13-8), and corners (5-2). However, much of their passing and possession was in their own half and had little meaning. Meanwhile, the Red Stars got behind the Pride defense several times. That resulted in the hosts having a commanding lead in shots (8-2) and shots on goal (5-1).

After a slow start to the first half, the Pride were on their back foot in the second as well. Nine minutes into the second period, Pugh almost doubled the lead for the hosts. Beating Turner and Krieger into the box, Pugh hit a high shot on target. The ball bounced off the crossbar, allowing the Pride to clear.

It appeared as though Harris might’ve gotten a finger to it to make the save. Either way, the Pride were fortunate not to concede a second and remain just a goal down.

The Red Stars already felt they had been treated unfairly through first half penalty decisions and that feeling got worse in the 62nd minute. Pugh beat Courtney Petersen into the box and went down as Petersen tried to challenge the forward. The Red Stars felt they should’ve had a penalty, but replays showed that Pugh had slipped and that no contact had been made by Petersen.

In the 65th minute, Pugh stayed on her feet. Turner gave the player way too much space, allowing her to take a shot on goal. The Red Stars’ number nine tried to beat Harris to the near post, but missed the narrow target, hitting the side netting instead.

Watt had a good chance for her second of the night in the 72nd minute. Receiving the ball on the right side of the box, the forward found herself with enough space to get a shot off. However, the strong shot was just off target, hitting the side netting.

The Pride made some attacking substitutions with less than half an hour remaining, looking to find an equalizer. In the 63rd minute, Taylor Kornieck and Toni Pressley came on for Krieger and Riley, changing to a back three. Erika Tymrak then came on in the 67th minute for Marisa Viggiano.

The attacking changes and fresh legs made a difference for the Pride as they started to push forward and create some chances. In the 73rd minute, a Chicago turnover at the top of the Pride box allowed a counter attack. Tymrak carried the ball most of the way, finding Taylor to the right of the goal. The English striker quickly shot but it went well over the crossbar.

Four minutes later, Morgan fought hard to win the ball and sent a long pass into the box. Leroux was able to bring the ball down with her chest, placing her foot on it before it reached the ground. But she was leaning back on the shot and it soared over the goal.

Katie Johnson found herself with an excellent opportunity in the 83rd minute to double the lead, getting behind the Pride defense. But Harris came up big again, making her sixth save of the night.

The dying minutes created a flurry of chances as the Pride frantically tried to find an equalizer. In the 89th minute, Johnson found Vanessa DiBernardo to the right of the goal. The shot was on target, but Harris used a strong hand to knock it away and keep the deficit at one.

The Pride sprinted the other way, creating a chance on the opposite end. Morgan ended up with the ball in the box and put a low shot on goal, but it was an easy stop for Miller.

Moments later, it looked like the Red Stars would finally score their second when Pugh had the ball behind the Pride defense near midfield. Harris was well out of her goal, but Pugh continued to dribble forward instead of attempting to chip the goalkeeper.

As Pugh got closer to the box, Harris retreated toward her own six-yard box. She came back out when Pugh entered the box and tipped the ball off of the forward’s foot, who was trying to dribble around her. Pugh got the ball back and attempted an off-balance shot, but missed the target.

The Pride had one last, frantic chance three minutes into injury time, which included a backheel right in front of the goalkeeper. But they were unable to get any solid shots on target and Miller easily collected it to end the game.

“I felt like this team really fought to the end tonight, had some great chances,” Burleigh said after the game. “We were taking some major risks at the end. So our defense came up big when we were trying to take those risks. And then the offense, really just unfortunate to not get one. Loved how we fought.”

The Pride ended the game with greater possession (57.1%-42.9%), passes (440-335), and passing accuracy (70.5%-62.7%) than the Red Stars, but the hosts dominated the chances, finishing the game with more shots (17-12) and shots on goal (9-6). The Pride were much better in the second half, recording more shots (10-9) and shots on target (5-4).

The all-time series between the Pride and Red Stars has been largely controlled by the away teams, with the teams combining for seven straight road wins heading into tonight’s game. This was the Pride’s first loss away to the Red Stars since the team’s 2-1 defeat on July 22, 2017.

“I’m disappointed, clearly, and I’m upset and I just have to keep my chin up,” Harris said about the performance. “Sometimes football is cruel and you know tonight, it’s one of those games. It’s heartbreaking and just so unfortunate that we weren’t able to put the ball in the back of the net. We can’t win games if we don’t score, so I’m proud of the team, these things happen, and we fought till the very end and we didn’t give up on each other and those are important aspects to take away.”

Tonight’s loss sees the Pride end the night in eighth place in the 10-team league. They now sit four points behind the North Carolina Courage with just two games remaining in the season.

“I think the last few games have felt like playoffs already for us because we feel like we’re kind of in a must win situation,” Burleigh said about the team’s mindset heading into this weekend’s game. “So I think that these last two games will be no different. Clearly our back’s up against the wall and we need to get results and we’re going to be well aware of that.”

It will be a short turnaround for the Pride as they’ll take on Racing Louisville FC in Kentucky Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Kylie Strom

In her fourth season in Orlando, the veteran changed positions to help the NWSL’s best defense.

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12 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride originally signed Kylie Strom from Atletico Madrid in July 2021. Prior to her time overseas, Strom spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the NWSL with the Boston Breakers. Her initial contract in Orlando was through 2022 with an option for 2023 that was exercised prior to that year. Despite being briefly out of contract this past off-season, Strom, now 32 years old, re-signed for the Pride, extending her stay in Orlando through the 2026 season. This ended up as one of the most important moves of the off-season, as Strom went on to partner Emily Sams in the league’s best defense, earning an NWSL Defender of the Year nomination and playing in all but one game of the 2024 season.

Let’s take a look back at Kylie Strom’s 2024 season, her best in Orlando so far.

Statistical Breakdown

Strom made 25 appearances for the Pride in the NWSL regular season, starting 24 times and playing 2,158 minutes, less than 200 minutes from playing the entire regular season. Most of the game time she missed was due to the red card and one-match ban she picked up on opening day at Louisville. Strom only took six shots in the regular season with two on target and no goals scored. She contributed her lone assist against Gotham at home in September. In possession, Strom completed 1,298 of her 1,503 passes (86%), the highest number of completed passes in the squad and the third-highest completion percentage among the regular starters, closely following Sams and Morgan Gautrat. She recorded 10 key passes, no completed crosses, and 46 successful long balls. Defensively, she succeeded in 20 of her 40 tackles (50%), contributed 39 interceptions, and won 73 headed duels. She was fouled 23 times, committed 17 of her own, and earned two yellow cards in addition to the previously-mentioned red card.  

Strom started and played every minute of Orlando’s three NWSL playoff wins (270 minutes). She attempted no shots but did provide an assist for Barbra Banda’s goal against the Kansas City Current. In the playoffs, Strom completed 144 of her 169 pass attempts (85%), with one key pass, no completed crosses, and four successful long balls. In defense, she added four tackles and six interceptions without committing a foul, suffering a foul, or receiving a card. 

Strom also started all three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, playing 239 minutes in total. She did not take a shot and thus could not score a goal in the tournament, nor did she record an assist. The defender completed 136 of her 158 passes (86%) without a key pass or successful cross, but she managed 11 accurate long balls. She added three tackles in four duels (75%) and four interceptions with one headed duel won on the defensive end. She also committed two fouls and was on the receiving end of two herself, but she was not shown a card.

Best Game

Looking at her availability, passing, and defending, Strom was remarkably consistent in 2024, across all competitions. This makes it difficult to pick one game from the bunch, so it would be tempting to pick any shutout against high-profile opponents, such as the NWSL Championship game or the NWSL Shield-clinching game, both wins against the Washington Spirit. Instead, the best game and best representation of Strom’s work was the 1-0 victory over the struggling Utah Royals on the road in April, the first win of the year.

In the victory over Utah, Strom completed 61 of her 68 passes (90%). She also added two tackles and four interceptions en route to holding Utah to just 0.1 expected goals per FBRef.com. With Marta coming off the bench in this match, this was also the first time Strom wore the captain’s armband for Orlando, though she went on to wear it for six additional starts in the NWSL. 

Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Strom a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season, a significant improvement over her score of 6 out of 10 in 2023. Previously,  Strom received a grade of 4.5 in 2022 and an incomplete during what was a rough stretch run in 2021 after joining the club midseason.

Going into the 2024 season, it was assumed that Rafaelle would be the primary center back partner for Sams, and Strom would play at fullback, her natural position to that point in her career. Instead, Rafaelle struggled with injuries, including at the start of the year, so Strom paired with Sams for four of the first five games, with the Pride having to employ a four-fullback back line in the second game due to player unavailability. Rafaelle then played with Sams in the middle for one match, before Seb Hines pushed Sames out to right back with Rafaelle and Strom paired together for the next five matches. From that point on, it was Sams and Strom in the middle the rest of the year.

The new position suited Strom and accentuated her strengths as a soccer player. She defended well as a unit with Sams and the fullbacks, using her physicality to win many tackles and headed duels while cutting out the mistakes she’d previously made when playing out wide. In possession, she was steady in building play through short- and medium-distance passes without taking too many risks. She was a vocal leader on the pitch and adept at snuffing opposition attacks before they could materialize. That she was able to adapt so quickly to a new role in the latter stages of her career is all the more impressive.

2025 Outlook

Strom has two more years on her contract going into 2025. Orlando will hope to get healthier in defense in the off-season and may sign some reinforcements, as both Megan Montefusco and Carrie Lawrence retired. But Strom has earned the starting center-back spot next to Sams. Given Cori Dyke’s late emergence at right back, there is less of a need to move Sams out wide. At the same time, Kerry Abello’s Best XI Second Team performance throughout 2024 would make it difficult to move Strom back to fullback on the left. It will be interesting to see how a position group that has become a strength of the team.

Regardless of how it unfolds, the goal for Strom moving forward should be to continue to play at the level she did during Orlando’s championship season, and given her consistency all year, this is a reasonable expectation for the player.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana

The Brazilian attacker was a key player in the Pride’s magical 2024 season.

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2 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international Adriana on Jan. 19, 2023 to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. One of the brighter spots of the Pride during the 2023 season, it seemed Adriana was on the verge of becoming a dominating NWSL player. Seb Hines again deployed her mainly as an attacking player, particularly on the wing, but sometimes as a second forward. While she was still a key player for the Pride in 2024, there were some bumps in the road when she would disappear from games and consistency was sometimes an issue.

Let’s take a look at Adriana’s second NWSL season.

Statistical Breakdown

Adriana appeared in 23 regular-season games, starting 19 and playing a total of 1,688 minutes. She scored six goals, which was third most on the team, and added one assist. It is notable that two of her six goals came from the penalty spot, where she went two-for-two in the regular season. She completed 71% of her 557 passes, which was a slight dip from a year ago, with 31 key passes, seven completed crosses, and 14 successful long balls. Defensively, Adriana chipped in nine tackles, 13 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. She committed just 10 fouls while drawing 30 on the opposition, and she did not receive a card.

In the playoffs, Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s games, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. Her passing wasn’t up to its usual level in the postseason, as she connected on just 63.9% of her 36 passes, including only two of nine in the NWSL Championship. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball, but no accurate crosses. On defense, she finished the postseason with three tackles and an interception. The Brazilian international committed five fouls, suffered two, and was not booked.

Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in the competition.

Best Game

Adriana had several big games in 2024, but perhaps her best was Orlando’s 2-0 home win over Gotham FC. She scored both Orlando goals in the match, lifting the Pride to their 19th straight game without a loss, tying the club’s single-season record for home wins (7), and pushing Hines past Tom Sermanni and into sole possession of the most coaching wins in club history (26). It didn’t take long for her to get involved, scoring just five and a half minutes after the opening kickoff. Angelina’s ball into the box was knocked into the air, and Adriana ran onto it and volleyed a blast into the net to make it 1-0 with one of the most impressive Pride goals of the season.

Not content with just one goal, Adriana struck again in the 19th minute. Summer Yates switched the play to send Adriana down the right side, where she took on USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger, then used Barbra Banda’s presence in the box to create space for her shot, which she placed perfectly inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Adriana played the full 90 minutes in the match and fired six shots in all against Gotham that night, putting all six of them on target and giving her a season high in the latter statistic. She led all players in the match in both categories. She completed 87% of her 23 passes on 48 total touches, with one key pass, one accurate cross, and two successful long balls. Defensively, she made three recoveries, and she committed one foul while drawing two and did not pick up a booking. It was a great performance by the attacking midfielder against one of the NWSL’s elite defensive clubs.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Adriana a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 campaign. This is a slight dip from the 7.5 we gave her last season, but there were times when she struggled to find her game in 2024. When she was on her game, she was outstanding, but there were games and even stretches of matches when she didn’t provide her usual quality. Her form isn’t the only reason she was dropped at times from the starting XI, because some of her teammates elevated their own, but it was a factor. While she increased her goal total by one, it came in more appearances and minutes, and her assist total fell, despite having a better cast around her. The Brazilian is capable of more, but the staff still felt it was a solid season.

2025 Outlook

Like her Brazilian teammate Rafaelle, Adriana’s contract runs through the 2025 season, so she’ll be working hard to earn a new deal beyond the upcoming season. If she starts the season well, the Pride will no doubt offer a new contract midseason if there’s not already a new deal in place before opening day. At 28 years old, Adriana is in the prime of her career and can still be an effective player. With the Pride improving, she’ll need to play more consistently or at a higher level to keep starting with this club, but she’s capable, and I expect her to fight to hold onto her starting spot in Hines’ XI.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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