Orlando Pride
Four Reasons to Watch the Orlando Pride in 2022
The Orlando Pride have seen several changes this off-season. Longtime starters Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris, and Ali Krieger have all been replaced by young talent that the club plans to build around for the future.
While some will be disappointed to see the veterans leave, it’s a needed change. The Pride have only made the postseason once — in 2017 — since the team launched in 2016. The coaching and roster turnover might cause some to think there’s nothing to look forward to in 2022.
Here are four reasons why the 2022 Orlando Pride season will be one of the most interesting to date.
The Arrival of Amanda Cromwell
One of the first major moves the Pride made was the hiring of Amanda Cromwell from UCLA. It’s the first time that the Pride have hired a full-time head coach out of college. The team’s first head coach, Tom Sermanni, joined the team after coaching internationally with Australia, the United States, and Canada. He was followed by Marc Skinner, who had been the head coach for Birmingham City.
Skinner’s untimely departure back to England saw the Pride in need of an interim coach to finish out the season. While Becky Burleigh had most recently coached at the University of Florida, she only planned on staying with the Pride through the end of the year.
The Pride have yet to hire a coach with Cromwell’s experience. When Sermanni joined the Pride, he had been coaching for more than 15 years, but nearly all of his jobs were with professional and national teams. The much younger Skinner had much less coaching experience, only being a head coach since 2016. Cromwell has been a head coach at the college level since 1996.
As previously mentioned, Burleigh was brought in to finish out the season but was never going to take on the role full-time. This means that Cromwell will be the first woman to be the full-time head coach for the Pride.
All of these aspects of Cromwell’s background are firsts among Pride head coaches. Instead of a successful professional coach, the team’s new leader will be growing with her players. Watching to see how a first-time professional coach deals with the change will be interesting to see.
Young Roster
In the team’s first six years, the Pride have built the team primarily on international veterans. While this has brought a lot of attention to the team, it has also created issues. Each international tournament has seen the Pride lose a large portion of its starting lineup, often resulting in the team’s tumble down the standings.
The move from a veteran group to a younger roster started under Skinner. The former head coach gave much more playing time to younger players like Taylor Kornieck, Marisa Viggiano, and Courtney Petersen. As the 2021 NWSL season went on, it was easy to see the progress of several of these players as they matured into seasoned professionals.
The 2022 Pride roster will be even younger as the team has traded away several veterans. There are still some veterans in the group, but the majority of the lineup will be in their 20s, something relatively new for a team known for its veteran-laden rosters of the past.
Success this year for the Pride will come in player growth. If the young players continuously improve throughout the season, it will be a successful year. Their improvement will be interesting for fans to watch, especially since some of them are expected to be the core of the team in the future.
Future USWNT Players
The young roster for the Pride will include two of Cromwell’s former players at UCLA. Viviana Villacorta was selected in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2021 NWSL Draft and Mia Fishel was selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2022 NWSL Draft.
In addition to being two of the top college players, Villacorta and Fishel might have a future with the U.S. Women’s National Team. Villacorta spent time with the U.S. under-18 and U-19 teams before taking part in the 2018 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Despite being knocked out in the group stage, the young midfielder started and played 90 minutes in all three games.
Fishel has made even more noise on the international stage. The San Diego native won the golden ball at the 2016 Concacaf U-15 Championship, scored in the 2018 FIFA U-18 Women’s World Cup, and received her first senior call up to the U.S. Women’s National Team in October of 2020.
It’s unknown what the future holds for these two players, but they could be future USWNT regulars. With neither player being a regular at the international level yet, the 2022 NWSL season could give Pride fans the ability to see the two future stars before they become well-known.
Potentially the Last Chance to See Marta
In 2017, the Pride made news by signing Brazilian superstar Marta. The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year was a part of the Pride’s only playoff team and won her most recent global honor for the 2018 season.
In her prime, Marta was arguably the greatest female player of all time. Pride fans have been spoiled to watch her play in Orlando for the past five years. However, the team picked up her option heading into this season, which could be her last with the team.
The Brazilian playmaker is 35 years old and has started to show signs of decline. The 2021 season saw her lose a step and not be quite as impactful as prior to the pandemic. However, even past her prime, the midfielder is still one of the best players in the league, and has flashes of brilliance. An example of that was her goal from near the halfway line last season against Kansas City.
While it’s unknown whether this will be Marta’s final season in Orlando, the team is heading in a younger direction. Her experience will be valuable in 2022 but the team might not want to re-sign a 36-year-old midfielder when they’re building for the future. That means this could be the last time fans have a chance to see the legend play in purple.
With a new coach and young roster, the 2022 Pride aren’t expected to contend. However, that doesn’t mean that the season won’t be exciting. There are still plenty of reasons why you should watch the Pride in 2022.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home for the regular-season finale against Seattle Reign FC.
Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (17-2-6, 57 points) return home to face Seattle Reign FC (6-14-5, 23 points) in the season finale. This is the second time the two teams face off this season as they complete the regular season.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Pride and Reign have met 17 times since the Pride joined the league in 2016. The Pride hold a 3-7-7 record in those meetings, with an all-time record of 2-2-4 when hosting the Reign. All meetings between the two teams have taken place in the regular season.
The most recent meeting was on May 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle. Emily Sams opened the scoring in the ninth minute and Barbra Banda doubled the advantage minutes later. However, the Reign scored on either side of halftime through Angharad James-Turner and Bethany Balcer before Banda netted the deciding goal second half, lifting her team to a 3-2 win.
The first game between the teams in 2023 occurred on July 7 at Exploria Stadium and featured one of the best performances of the year for the Pride. Julie Doyle beat her defenders and found the head of Messiah Bright in the 16th minute for the game’s lone goal as the Pride won 1-0 for their second all-time win over the Reign. On Sept. 3 in Seattle, the Pride got off to a terrible start when goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was sent off in the third minute. Carly Nelson came in and did well in relief, but Jordyn Huitema scored in the 49th minute as the Reign won 1-0.
The teams played for the first time in 2022 on Aug. 26 in Orlando. Meggie Dougherty Howard gave the hosts the lead, and the Pride tried to hold onto that one-goal advantage, but Megan Rapinoe found Bethany Balcer for an equalizing header. The visitors pushed for a win and Rapinoe got a goal for herself two minutes into second half injury time, lifting the Reign to a 2-1 win, snapping Orlando’s seven-match unbeaten run.
The return game was on Oct. 1, 2022 at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Pride had already been eliminated from playoff contention and it looked like it as OL Reign dominated the game. Rapinoe opened the scoring just eight minutes in, Huitema doubled the hosts’ lead soon after, and Balcer made it 3-0 just past the half-hour mark. The Pride held the Reign scoreless in the second half, but fell 3-0.
The teams played twice during the 2021 season and the first game was July 24 in Orlando. The Reign scored a goal in each half, with Jess Fishlock scoring early and Tziarra King doubling the lead just after the break in a 2-0 win. On Sept. 26 in Tacoma, WA, Balcer opened the scoring early and Eugenie Le Sommer scored a brace, giving the Reign a 3-0 lead at halftime, ultimately beating the Pride by that score.
COVID canceled the teams’ meetings in 2020, but they played three times in 2019. On April 21 in Tacoma, Alanna Kennedy gave the Pride an early lead. But Balcer equalized and the teams drew 1-1. They met again on Sept. 7 in the same location. This time, the Reign took the early lead as Darian Jenkins scored twice inside the first 12 minutes. Beverly Yanez made it 3-0 soon after, effectively putting the game away early. Camila converted a late penalty but the Reign won 3-1. The final meeting that year came on Oct. 12 in Orlando. The Pride scored first through Rachel Hill, but Jenkins and Jodie Taylor gave the visitors a 2-1 lead going into halftime. Marta equalized late and the teams drew 2-2.
The first meeting in 2018 came on April 28 in Orlando. Allie Long gave the Reign a first-half lead, but Marta equalized, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On June 3, the teams met in Seattle but neither team could find the back of the net as they ended in a scoreless draw. The final meeting that year was on July 21 in Orlando. Toni Pressley gave the Pride a first-half lead but Taylor equalized with 20 minutes remaining and the teams drew for the third time that year.
The 2017 season saw the Pride and Reign play twice, first meeting on May 21 in Seattle. Yanez gave the hosts the lead just before halftime but Marta scored just after the break and the teams drew 1-1. They met again on Sept. 7 in Orlando in a game that looked to be ending scoreless but took a surprising turn. Alex Morgan gave the Pride the late lead in second-half injury time, but Fishlock equalized two minutes later and they drew 1-1.
The first-ever meeting between the two teams occurred on May 8, 2016 in Orlando. Sarah Hagen gave the Pride an early lead and Lianne Sanderson made it 2-0 late, which was the final score. The return game in Seattle was on July 23 and was the highest-scoring game between the two teams. Kim Little and Fishlock made it 2-0 Reign at halftime. Manon Melis scored a third for the hosts. Jasmyne Spencer scored, but Kendall Fletcher made it 4-1 four minutes later. A Pressley own goal and late strike by Kristen Edmonds added one more goal to each team’s tally in a 5-2 Reign win.
Overview
The last time the Pride took their home field was on Oct. 6. The 2-0 win over the Washington Spirit clinched the NWSL Shield, giving the Pride their first-ever trophy and the top seed in the playoffs. They were 23 games unbeaten on the season before heading out on a two-game road trip.
Unfortunately, things fell apart for the Pride in their two most recent games. On Oct. 11, they fell 2-0 to the Portland Thorns in a game celebrating Christine Sinclair’s career. They followed that with arguably their worst performance of the season in New Jersey, falling 3-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Since the Pride had already clinched the top seed in the postseason, they couldn’t lose anything in those games other than the chance for the NWSL’s first unbeaten season. Tonight, they return home, where they remain unbeaten since Aug. 25, 2023 when they lost 2-1 to San Diego Wave FC. While the result won’t impact their place in the standings, they’ll want to end the regular season with momentum heading into the team’s first playoff appearance since 2017.
Tonight’s opponent has had a tough season. The Reign have had their worst campaign since 2013, the club’s inaugural season. They finished in the top four each of the past five seasons and in the top five in each of the past nine seasons. However, they’re currently in 12th and won’t qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2017.
It’s been a struggle offensively and defensively for Seattle this season. They’ve only scored 25 goals this year — fourth fewest in the league — and conceded a league-high 41 goals. Their 2-1 win over the Houston Dash on Oct. 18 broke a five-game losing streak and they’ll be looking to end the season on a high.
The most goals scored by a single Reign player through 23 games is three, a number reached by Ji So-Yun and Veronica Latsko. So-Yun also leads the team with three assists this year, a number she shares with Fishlock. Both players recorded assists when these teams met back in May.
Last week was an international break, which helped the teams heading into this game. Both had multiple regular starters away on international duty and the break allowed them to return for the regular-season finale. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said the break was also a positive for his non-internationals.
“I would go back and say it’s probably come at a good time, the international break,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got players representing their countries, which is amazing. But for the players who stayed here, giving them that time to reset, take in what they’ve achieved so far this year, and go after the game on Saturday against Seattle. Hopefully we’ll get a good turnout, a lot of fans out there to go out and support this team, who have achieved so much this year.”
The Pride will play tonight without Rafaelle (thigh), Megan Montefusco (heel), Luana (illness), Simone Charley (ankle), and Grace Chanda (thigh). Additionally, Carson Pickett (thigh) and Julie Doyle (illness) are listed as questionable.
Seattle will be without Ryanne Brown (knee), Quinn (head), and Olivia Van der Jagt (excused absence). Meanwhile, Ainsley McCammon (USA) is at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Projected Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.
Defensive Midfielders: Morgan Gautrat, Angelina.
Midfielders: Summer Yates, Marta, Adriana.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Seattle Reign FC (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Claudia Dickey.
Defenders: Hanna Glas, Lauren Barnes, Phoebe McClernon, Veronica Latsko.
Midfielders: Ji So-Yun, Angharad James-Turner, Olivia Athens,
Forwards: Tziarra King, Jordyn Huitema, Ana Maria Crnogorcevic.
Referees
REF: Melinda Homa.
AR1: Ben Rigel.
AR2: Salma Perez.
4TH: Alejo Calume.
VAR: Danielle Chesky.
AVAR: Tom Felice.
How to Watch
Match Time: 5 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: ION.
Streaming: None.
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).
Enjoy the match. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Defender Megan Montefusco Announces Her Retirement
Pride center back Megan Montefusco has announced her retirement from professional soccer.
The Orlando Pride announced this morning that defender Megan Montefusco announced her retirement following the 2024 NWSL season. The center back began playing in the league in 2015 and joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season.
“Megan has been an important part of the Pride, both in our locker room and in the community,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We want to thank her for everything she has done for the organization, Orlando, and the NWSL as a whole. Meg will always be part of our Pride family, and we look forward to supporting her as she transitions into this next stage of her life.”
“Thank you to this incredible organization, along with all the teams I’ve had the privilege to play for, for your unwavering support — not just for who I am on the field, but off it as well,” Montefusco said in the club’s press release. “A special thanks to Orlando for stepping up at this pivotal moment in my career, helping me grow beyond soccer and preparing me for the next chapter in my professional life. I am so grateful for every moment I’ve experienced in the NWSL and for all the amazing teammates that I’ve been able to share the field with. As I step away from the game I love so much, I will carry all of the memories and lessons I’ve learned along the way with me. I’m excited to take on new challenges and fully embrace the next chapter of my life.”
The Pride initially acquired Montefusco on Jan. 28, 2022, in a trade with the Houston Dash. The defender made 45 appearances in purple with 42 starts and recorded 3,773 minutes. Her lone goal for the club came in a 2023 Challenge Cup game against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She was under contract through the 2025 season.
Montefusco was a regular starter for the Pride in 2022, leading the team in minutes with 1,861 and started 21 of the 22 regular season games. She began the 2023 season as a starter, but was replaced in the lineup by Rafaelle when the Brazilian joined the club following the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Still, the center back appeared 15 times and started 12 games that season.
The 2024 season ended before it began for the 32-year-old as she underwent right foot surgery during the off-season. The operation required attention but had been put off and forced Montefusco to the injured list for the entire 2024 season.
An Illinois native, Montefusco was drafted out of UCLA by the Washington Spirit with the 13th pick of the 2015 NWSL Draft. She spent time with Australia’s Newcastle Jets, the Boston Breakers, Reign FC, and the Dash before joining the Pride.
Internationally, she represented the United States at the U-16, U-18, and U-20 youth levels. She made her national team debut on April 6, 2017, against Russia.
What It Means for Orlando
Montefusco joined the Pride following the departure of several players as the Pride began their rebuilding process. Her veteran leadership was necessary when the roster was filled with young players, helping the team make the transition. However, she was used less when the club acquired Brazilian Rafaelle to join Emily Sams as the center back pairing.
The right foot problem had been plaguing Montefusco for some time and it required surgery to heal. The operation ended her 2024 season and put into question her future playing career. The club made adjustments this season by moving left back Kylie Strom to center back and the defender has done well, moving Montefusco further down the depth chart.
The Pride have had the best defensive unit in the NWSL this season with players younger than Montefusco. As a result, it was unlikely she was going to break into the starting lineup or see much time off the bench. It was also unlikely the Pride would bring her back following the 2025 season. Instead, it opens a roster spot for the Pride this off-season.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Pride need to do to secure a win over Seattle Reign FC in the final match of the regular season?
The Orlando Pride return to action this Saturday, hosting Seattle Reign FC at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride are coming off two losses, but with the playoffs looming, the club will want to get back to its winning ways. Fortunately, the Pride have the opportunity to tune things up before the playoffs begin against the 12th-ranked team in the league.
Just as a reminder, if the Pride get a result, the club will set the NWSL record for most points scored in a season. What do the Pride need to do to get all three points Saturday against Seattle Reign FC?
Take Advantage of the Needed Break
Winning the NWSL Shield by going undefeated in the first 23 matches of the regular season is an incredible accomplishment, but don’t think it doesn’t take a toll mentally. As seen from the last two losses, this was a team that desperately needed a break. The international break offered a chance for the coaches and players to recharge both their physical and mental batteries. Of course, there were training sessions and a few players were away on international duty, but I’m certain there were plenty of meetings and good talks about getting back to what made the team a success this season. Putting all of that into action against the Reign will be the trick. We’ll see if the break leads to a response on the pitch.
Restore the Defensive Fortitude
During the 24-match undefeated streak — stretching back to last season — the Pride didn’t always score a ton of goals, but they did field the number one defense in the league. During the run, the Pride allowed only 13 goals. In the last two matches, the Pride allowed five goals. It’s time for the return of the stingy defense.
Emily Sams has been the key piece of the defense — so much so that she was one of the players given some rest against the Portland Thorns. Sams returns to the Pride after a USWNT call up that saw her get her first caps. Hopefully, her playing time will have her primed to lead the Pride defense back to prominence. Seattle has only scored 25 goals this season (as compared to 43 by the Pride). This is the perfect match for the Pride defense to reconnect.
Unleash the Banda
I know that Barbra Banda didn’t go anywhere, but evidently her scoring foot did. Prior to the international break back in July, Banda scored 12 goals and provided five assists. After that she scored only one goal and added one assist. The scoring drought isn’t from a lack of chances either. Now, she finds herself on the other side of an international break against a team that has given up 41 goals this season. Much like the Pride defense, this is an excellent opportunity for Banda and the Pride offense to find their scoring mojo. If they can do that, it will not only help the team against Seattle, but also heading into the playoffs.
That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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