Connect with us

Orlando Pride

2021 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Published

3 years ago

on

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian superstar Marta back on April 7, 2017 and helped the team make its first (and, so far, only) playoff appearance at the end of that season. Since her arrival in the City Beautiful, she’s been one of the best players in the league and has been a bright spot even when the Pride struggled.

The club re-signed Marta on Feb. 17 ahead of the 2021 season. The Brazilian inked a one-year deal with an option year for 2022. How did Marta perform in her fifth season with the Pride? Let’s take a look back at her 2021 campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta appeared in all four of the Pride’s matches in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, starting all four and subbing off twice. She played a total of 351 minutes — all but nine minutes of the competition. She did not score a goal or assist on one, attempting just three shots, with neither on target. Marta created seven chances in the four games, with one successful cross and a passing success rate of 83.3%, including an impressive 91.9% accuracy in her own half. Marta sent only 27.3% of her passes forward, however, with most of her attempts going left (32.7%). She completed 13 of 19 long passes (68.4%). Defensively, she recorded four clearances and seven interceptions, winning half (6/12) of her tackle attempts and 32 of 65 (49.2%) duels, but won none of her seven aerial duels. Marta won three fouls but conceded four and received one yellow card in the competition.

In the regular season, Marta appeared in 19 of Orlando’s 24 matches, logging 1,587 minutes on the pitch, with 17 starts and subbing off five times. She missed four matches while away for the Olympics from July 9-31.

She finished the year with four goals and three assists, which ranked her third and tied for first in those categories, respectively. One of her four goals was a penalty on Oct. 9 against Gotham FC. To compare her season with the Pride’s last full season in 2019, Marta scored two fewer goals this year in more than 300 more minutes than she did two seasons ago (last year was basically wiped out by the pandemic as the Pride only played in four Fall Series games).

But one of those 2021 goals was this sensational strike:

Not as involved in the attack directly as often this year as in seasons past, Marta attempted 33 shots, putting 14 on target, with nine getting blocked. She created 31 scoring chances on the season and made seven successful crosses, passing again at a rate of 83.3% but adding in an impressive 80.2% success rate on long passes (85/106). She was solid in her own half, with a passing rate of 89.6%, while distributing at a 68.2% rate in the attacking half. Most of her passes again went left (37%) with just 24.9% of them going forward.

Marta contributed six clearances, a block, and 19 interceptions in 2021, winning 62% of her tackles (31/50), 51.8% of her duels (132/255), and just 22.7% (5/22) of her aerial duels. She won 18 fouls but conceded 24 to the opposition, earning two yellow cards on the year.

Best Game

Even though it was a 3-2 home loss, I’m going with her performance on Oct. 9 at Exploria Stadium against Gotham FC. It was one of Marta’s most active games of the year. The Pride fell behind 3-0 before attempting a late rally that fell just short.

Marta scored a penalty in the 89th minute to pull the Pride back within a goal, giving Orlando a chance late. She calmly sent Kailen Sheridan the wrong way and then fired an unstoppable shot into the inside netting to get her team back into the match.

The Pride’s Toni Pressley ended up firing a shot that deflected off the post in the game’s final moments, as Orlando came within inches of completing a massive comeback. Despite dropping all three points at home, Marta registered her season high in shot attempts (6) and shots on goal (4), attempted her fifth-most passes on the season (46), and was accurate on 84.78% of her attempts. Her four chances created equaled teammate Sydney Leroux and Gotham’s Carli Lloyd for the most in the match and her 79 touches were second only to Courtney Petersen’s 88. Marta also won four tackles to lead the Pride in that category. She committed one foul and drew one. It was a terrific performance albeit not enough to lead the Pride to a win.

2021 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite rating of 6 for the 2021 season. The staff felt that the vintage Marta we’re used to seeing on the pitch was not always the one out there. She had some struggles, particularly early in the season, that had us speculating on The Mane Land PawedCast if she might be trying to play through a knock. The Brazilian managed to get better through the middle part of the season and showed flashes of the old Marta from time to time, but it was never consistent from game to game or usually even within a single match. Whether age is catching up to her or something else was the cause, Marta provided some classic Marta moments but not as many as we’re used to seeing.

2022 Outlook

The Pride have an option year on Marta’s contract so she could be back with the team in 2022. However, the Brazilian will turn 36 in February. It’s fair to wonder at this point how much longer she can continue to be a key contributor in a league where speed seems to matter more and more each season. Marta still has plenty of skill on the ball, but her pace can’t get her out of some of the tight spaces like it used to and opponents don’t seem to have the same fear of her beating them that they once did. Still, a legendary player like Marta has earned the right to go out on her own terms, so if she wants to play for Orlando next season, I would suspect the Pride will pick up her option year.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Opinion

Three Orlando Pride Games to Circle on the Calendar

Let’s take a brief look at three games to pay extra attention to during Orlando’s upcoming NWSL campaign.

Published

8 hours ago

on

January 24, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

We got the release of the Orlando Pride’s 2025 schedule on Wednesday, which means we’re that little bit closer to the start of the season on March 7. The nature of the 14-team National Women’s Soccer League means that there are fewer scheduling quirks than with the 30-team Major League Soccer, with each team playing the other 13 clubs twice each. Still, there’s plenty to dig into with regards to how the scheduling shakes out, and now that I’ve had time to examine what 2025 holds, I’ve got three games in particular that I’ve got circled on my match calendar. Behold.

March 7 — vs. Washington Spirit

You had to know this was coming, right? There’s so much to like about this game. Not only is it the home opener, but as the NWSL Challenge Cup match, it’s also a chance to win another piece of silverware in a rematch of last year’s NWSL Championship game. This game sells itself on just about every level imaginable. The Pride return almost everyone from a wildly successful 2024 season, and while there aren’t a ton of new signings to familiarize ourselves with, getting healthy versions of Grace Chanda and Simone Charley is essentially like getting two brand new players. It’ll be our first chance to gauge where the Pride stand as they try to continue on from the high standards that were set last year, and we should also get a couple new banners hoisted into the rafters. You can hardly ask for more than all that.

Aug. 16 — at Kansas City Current

The Current were excellent in 2024, finishing fourth and boasting the league’s best attack, with 57 goals scored in 26 games, for an over two goals per game average. The Pride, meanwhile, had the league’s third-best attack, with 46 goals, and the joint-best defense with just 20 conceded. Orlando never lost to Kansas City in 2024, as the Pride drew and won the regular-season contests and then won again in the semifinal matchup between the two teams. The pair have made a habit of putting on entertaining affairs, and with the match placed as one of the first ones to occur after the league’s July break, it might go a long way towards setting the tone for the back half of Orlando’s season.

Nov. 2 — vs. Seattle Reign

The NWSL is bringing back Decision Day this year, and the Pride have been blessed with a home game on the league’s final day of regular-season play. On paper, Orlando has also been handed a favorable matchup against a Seattle team that struggled last year and is in the midst of a rebuild. Given how tight the margins tend to be in the upper reaches of the league, every point takes on added importance, and playoff scenarios can swing wildly when everyone is playing at the same time. It’s always nice to be able to play at home in a situation that variable, and it can make for a truly memorable atmosphere that will (hopefully) set Orlando up for another postseason run on the right note.

It feels a little cheap to highlight the first and last games of the season, but I can’t help liking what I like. Are there any games that you’re especially looking forward to this season? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

A 2025 Orlando Pride Wish List

Four things I want for the Orlando Pride in 2025.

Published

1 day ago

on

January 23, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

I know that it probably seems greedy to ask for anything more after the Orlando Pride won both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in 2024, but I’m still going to do so. If the Pride want to repeat their success in 2025, they will need a little bit more than in 2024. Let’s look at my wish list for the defending champs.

No Banda Slump

Barbra Banda scored 12 goals with five assists in her first 12 matches with the Pride. She then scored one goal with one assist in the next 10 regular season matches. I know that players have slumps. Strikers in particular tend to be streaky when it comes to goal contributions. I’m just asking that Banda not have another slump quite that big in 2025.

It might be that teams did a better job of double- or triple-teaming her on defense. Perhaps she just got a little unlucky during the slump. Whatever the reason, I hope that her familiarity with her teammates, the league, and Seb Hines’ style of play allows her to significantly increase her goal contributions this season.

A Healthy Chanda and Charley

Neither Grace Chanda nor Simone Charley were able to see the pitch much for the Pride last season. That hopefully changes in 2025. Adding these two players is almost like signing new players, except they’ve been there for everything. There’s no need to adapt to the culture of the club, as they are already a part of it all.

Chanda not only brings international experience, but she has played with Banda for the Zambian National Team. I expect she’ll be able to make an immediate impact when she integrates into the attack. As for Charley, she will be yet another speedy striker the Pride can utilize in their potent attack.

Adding Depth Contributions

The 2024 season saw some players step up a level. Ally Watt had one of her best seasons, Summer Yates impressed everyone, and Cori Dyke earned a starting spot after an appearance on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. If we can have other young players make the same type of jump in 2025, it bodes well for the club.

Despite having the best defense in the league, the Pride are a little light along the back. I’d like to see Brianna Martinez and new signee, Zara Chavoshi, make some noise on the back line when they get some minutes. There’s also the possibility of a non-roster invitee impressing enough to get a contract. Depth is incredibly important for a team looking to repeat.

Overcoming History

Winning back-to-back anything in any sport is difficult. Every other team will bring their best against you. The weight of expectations can also be very heavy. That being said, if any club can do it, this Pride team can.

The coaches and players already dealt with the pressure of the undefeated streak last season. They dealt with the pressure of winning the NWSL Cup after winning the NWSL Shield. They have dealt with plenty of pressure. Now, they will need to find the proper motivation to propel them to the top yet again. There will be no sneaking up on the league this year.

Those are some of the things I want to see in 2025, but I want to know your thoughts on these points. Perhaps you have some wishes of your own. Let me know in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Announce 2025 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, where, and when the Pride will play in 2025 as they seek to defend their two shiny trophies.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 22, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was released this afternoon, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year as they look to defend their NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. The 2025 season once again includes a balanced schedule with each team playing the other 13 teams once at home and once away. As previously announced, the Pride will take part in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit on March 7 at 8 p.m. at Inter&Co Stadium prior to the regular season.

The Pride will open the season at home against the Chicago Red Stars at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 14. The first road contest will take place on Sunday, March 23 at NJ/NY Gotham FC. Like last year, the season will end with a Decision Day matchup at home against Seattle Reign FC on Sunday Nov. 2 at a time to be announced later.

The postseason will start with the quarterfinals taking place Nov. 7-9, with matches televised on ESPN/ABC, CBS/Paramount+, and Prime Video. The semifinals will be played the weekend of Nov. 14-16 and broadcast on CBS/Paramount+ and ESPN/ABC. The final will take place in primetime and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

The Pride’s longest homestand this season will be just two games, which happens four times if counting the Challenge Cup match against the Spirit and season opener against the Red Stars. Orlando will host Washington and Angel City on April 19 and 25, respectively; the Utah Royals and Racing Louisville on Aug. 3 and 9, respectively; and Bay FC and the North Carolina Courage on Sept. 13 and 19, respectively.

The longest road trip this year will also be two games, occurring four times: at Portland and North Carolina May 3 and 10, at Bay FC and Louisville June 13 and 20, at Kansas City and Angel City Aug. 16 and 21, and at San Diego and Houston Sept. 26 and Oct. 3.

There are no regular-season matches scheduled in July, meaning the league is taking a break for any potential summer international friendlies/tournaments or an as-yet-unannounced cup competition. The Pride’s busiest month will be August, in which they’ll play five matches, with three at home and two on the road. There will be four Pride matches in March (counting the Challenge Cup), May, and September; three each in April, June, and October, and one — the regular-season finale — in November.

Here’s the month-by-month breakdown for the regular season:

  • March – 3 (plus the Challenge Cup)
  • April – 3
  • May – 4
  • June – 3
  • July – 0
  • August – 5
  • September – 4
  • October – 3
  • November – 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be on Friday (11 times, or 12 times counting the Challenge Cup), including four consecutive Friday games late in the season. They’ll play 10 Saturday games, four Sunday matches, and once on Thursday (at Angel City Aug. 21).

Here is the Pride’s schedule by day in the regular season:

  • Friday – 11 (plus the Challenge Cup)
  • Saturday – 10
  • Sunday – 4
  • Thursday – 1

Pride games will air on various platforms again in 2025, including Prime Video, ESPN 2, ESPN, ION, NWSL+, Paramount+, CBS, and CBS Sports Network.

A new NWSL Rivalry Weekend has been added to the schedule in 2025. While the Pride have some rivalries growing naturally against Kansas City and Washington, they have been pitted against Racing Louisville for some reason. Both teams wear purple, I guess.

Fans who support both Orlando City and the Pride will be interested to know the teams play on the same day eight times this season, but only twice do the game times overlap — on May 3, when the Pride play at 7:30 p.m. at Portland and the Lions play at 8:30 p.m. at Chicago; and on May 10, when the Lions host New England at 7:30 and the Pride and Courage kick off in North Carolina at the same time. However, the teams cut it close a couple other times, with the Pride hosting the Washington Spirit at 5 p.m. April 19 and the Lions playing at Montreal at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sept. 13, with the Pride hosting Bay FC at 5 p.m. and Orlando City facing D.C. United at 7:30 p.m. The other four times the teams play on the same day, the kickoffs are at least three hours apart and as many as 10.5 hours apart (March 29).

2025 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

  • Friday, March 7 — vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. (Prime Video) – NWSL Challenge Cup
  • Friday, March 14 — vs. Chicago Red Stars, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, March 23 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
  • Saturday, March 29 — vs. San Diego Wave, 12 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Saturday, April 12 — at Seattle Reign FC, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
  • Saturday, April 19 — vs. Washington Spirit, 5 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, April 25 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, May 3 — at Portland Thorns, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
  • Saturday, May 10 — at North Carolina Courage, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, May 16 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, May 23 — at Utah Royals, 9:30 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, June 7 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, June 13 — at Bay FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, June 20 — at Racing Louisville, 8 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Sunday, Aug. 3 — vs. Utah Royals, 6 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
  • Saturday, Aug. 9 — vs. Racing Louisville, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
  • Saturday, Aug. 16 — at Kansas City Current, 4 p.m. (CBS)
  • Thursday, Aug. 21 — at Angel City FC, 10:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
  • Friday, Aug. 29 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, Sept. 7 — at Chicago Red Stars, 3 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
  • Saturday, Sept. 13 — vs. Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, Sept. 19 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 7:30 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, Sept. 26 — at San Diego Wave, 10:30 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
  • Friday, Oct. 3 — at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, Oct. 10 — vs. Portland Thorns, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Oct. 18 — at Washington Spirit, 12:30 p.m. (CBS)
  • Sunday, Nov. 2 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, TBA (broadcast platform TBA)
Continue Reading

Trending