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Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 1-0 as Late Goal Dooms Pride

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (0-2-1, 1 point) played much better tonight than the loss in North Carolina last weekend but fell 1-0 to NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-1-1, 4 points). Despite several late chances on goal, It was a late Midge Purce goal that was the difference and the Pride still have yet to score a goal this season.

Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell made some significant changes from the team that lost 1-0 to the North Carolina Courage. While Marta is out after suffering a knee injury last weekend, starting defender Carrie Lawrence and goalkeeper Erin McLeod were listed as questionable heading into this game and neither player made the bench. As a result, Anna Moorhouse got her first start in goal for the Pride. Additionally, Kylie Strom and Erika Tymrak made their first starts of the 2022 NWSL campaign.

The game also marked some milestones for two Pride players. It was Tymrak’s 150th NWSL appearance in all competitions and Sydney Leroux’s 125th appearance in all NWSL competitions.

Gotham got the first chance of the game in the second minute. A corner by the visitors landed in the box and a scramble ensued as the Pride desperately tried to clear. Eventually, they were able to send the ball out of play, avoiding a catastrophic start.

The Pride nearly had their first good chance of the game in the ninth minute when a long ball nearly met the foot of Gunny Jonsdottir deep in the Gotham half. However, it was just beyond her reach as the chance went missing.

The Pride’s best chance of the half came in the 19th minute. Jonsdottir found Leroux making a run into the Gotham box. The Pride forward gained control, turned to the inside of the box, and fired on goal. The shot was on target but Ashlyn Harris made a diving save. After nearly 20 minutes of play, it was the first shot on target by either team.

Shortly after the chance for Leroux, the Pride had a couple of opportunities from free kicks. In the 24th minute, Meggie Dougherty Howard’s ball into the box ended up at the foot of Amy Turner but her shot sailed over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, another Dougherty Howard free kick found the head of Jonsdottir in the box. However, the header was off target as the Pride were once again unable to put any pressure on Harris.

The Pride’s inability to finish nearly cost them in the 30th minute when a Paige Monaghan cross was headed down by Caprice Dydasco near the top of the Pride’s six-yard box. Fortunately for the hosts, no Gotham players were there to get on the end of it and the Pride were able to clear.

Arguably the best chance for the visitors came in the 33rd minute. Purce found herself with the ball in front of goal and was able to get off a shot. However, Toni Pressley did well to get in front and make the block.

Monaghan had been a pest on the left by creating chances but had a chance to get the opener herself. In the 40th minute, Kristie Mewis found Monaghan on the far side with no defenders on her. The attacker attempted a one-touch shot on goal but didn’t get enough of the ball as it rolled wide.

As the game entered first half stoppage time, the Pride found some energy and created some chances that nearly resulted in the game’s first goal. It started with Leroux carrying the ball into the box behind the Gotham defense, but her shot was saved by the leg of Harris. Seconds later a cross into the box found the head of Leroux, but she couldn’t redirect it on target as it rolled wide.

Gotham had more possession (51.7%-48.3%), more passes (253-236), and more shots (9-6) than the Pride in the first 45 minutes. However, the Pride’s two shots on target were the only shots on frame in the first half.

Just like the first half, Gotham started the second period on the attack. In the 47th minute, the visitors had another scramble in the box that could’ve resulted in an opening goal. However, the Pride were once again able to clear in what was eerily similar to the start of the game.

The first second-half chance for the Pride came in the 54th minute. A McCall Zerboni foul just outside the box set up a chance for the Pride. However, Pressley’s free kick wasn’t high enough as Monaghan was able to block it out for a corner.

Three minutes later, Dougherty Howard came inches away from giving the Pride the lead. Receiving the ball outside the box, the Pride midfielder decided to take a shot on goal. The hard, low attempt beat the diving Harris but not her post as it rattled the woodwork.

On the other end, Purce spun her defender and sent a ball into the middle of the box. Courtney Petersen attempted to clear but it went right to Mewis who fired on goal. Fortunately, the point-blank shot was right at Moorhouse and she was able to make the stop.

Mewis got another chance in the 63rd minute when Purce sent her towards the end line. The U.S. international outmuscled Angharad James off the ball to create a chance but sent the shot high.

Gotham got another excellent chance in the 67th minute when Monaghan beat Strom to create a one-on-one opportunity against Moorhouse. However, the Pride goalkeeper came up big once again, making a good stop to avoid a deficit.

After the save by Moorhouse, the Pride were able to create some chances of their own. A Pride counter attack ended up with Leroux who was able to get a shot off but it was blocked. Two minutes later, a poor clearance by Gotham wound up at the foot of Tymrak. The experienced midfielder’s shot was just wide of the target, beyond the outstretched arms of Harris.

In the 78th minute, Tymrak found herself with an opportunity from distance. The midfielder was looking to sneak the ball inside the post, but it went just wide.

Six minutes later, James decided to take an ambitious shot from distance. The curling ball moved away from the diving Harris but hit the post. It was the second time the Pride had hit the woodwork in the game.

James took another long-distance shot in the 86th minute. While the first one was inches away from the game’s first goal, she was unable to get over the second attempt, which went over the crossbar.

After the Pride had come inches away from scoring on multiple occasions, it was Gotham that took the lead on the ensuing attack. A chip into the Pride third led to a foot race between Purce and Pressley. The midfielder was much faster than the center back, getting to the ball first. She quickly fired on goal, beating Moorhouse to give the visitors the late lead.

“It was just a quick ball through that, I think we just got caught flat,” Cromwell said about the goal. “So the defenders have to drop off a little sooner reading that. There’s no pressure on the ball.”

“I think it’s a little bit of a lapse in concentration,” Moorhouse said about the goal. “The ball came across the 18 and maybe it really shouldn’t have got that far. And then myself and Toni (Pressley) tried to clean up the situation and it didn’t work.”

The Pride responded with an attacking mindset, mostly resulting in crosses by Petersen. After a couple of blocked cross attempts, Jonsdottir got a shot off on target. It ended up with Pressley in the box, who desperately tried to put a shot on target. After a couple of blocks, it was a sliding attempt that went wide, allowing Gotham to clear and secure the win.

After being thoroughly outplayed over the weekend in North Carolina, the Pride were much better tonight. They ended the game with greater possession (54.2%-45.8%), better passing accuracy (80.1%-77.5%), and more shots (23-14) than Gotham. The primary difference was shots on target as Gotham led that category 3-2.

Despite the loss, this is arguably the best game the Pride have played so far. It’s the first time this season that they had more possession, shots, and better passing accuracy than the opposition.

“Probably the best game so far as far as over a 90-minute period,” Cromwell said after the game. “We’ve had moments in other games that were very good, or halves, but I thought we had a lot of the ball and we created going forward. Unlucky not to score if it wasn’t for this goalkeeper (Harris).”

While the Pride’s defense has been strong in all three games, this was the best performance from the offense, something that Cromwell noted after the game.

“I thought we were very creative,” Cromwell said. “I thought Syd (Leroux) was very dangerous up top, Erika (Tymrak) coming in in a beat. This was her first start. Very creative, really good movement.”

Apart from the game, it was also the return of two Pride legends in Harris and Ali Krieger. Harris was the Pride’s first acquisition in 2016 and Krieger joined her a year later in 2017. The two were traded to Gotham this off-season as a part of the rebuilding process, leaving the club as the two players with the most appearances in club history.

“It was weird,” the Central Florida native Harris said about returning for the first time. “This is my home. This is, like, my people and my city and I love it so much. And it means so much to me. So it was a really tough day.”

The Pride are now in last in the East Division of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. They’ll look to bounce back from the two-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Spirit Sunday afternoon.

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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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21 hours 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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2 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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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Rafaelle

The Brazilian’s season was plagued by injury problems but she played well when healthy.

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3 days ago

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December 18, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Rafaelle on July 3, 2023 to a contract running through the 2025 NWSL season. The Brazilian international joined the Pride after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, partnering with Emily Sams (then still known as Emily Madril) at center back and becoming a key member of the starting lineup, as the Pride fell just short of the NWSL playoffs on the goal differential tiebreaker.

Rafaelle’s second season was marred by injuries, including one she sustained while helping Brazil reach the Gold Medal game at the Summer Olympics that kept her out the rest of the 2024 NWSL season. She also missed the first four matches of the season and a couple of games in the early summer due to injury.

It’s time to look back at her injury-marred second season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Injuries limited Rafaelle to just nine appearances (six starts) for the Pride in 2024 — all in the regular season, in which she played a total of just 618 minutes. The Brazilian defender did not record a goal contribution in 2024, attempting three shots and putting one on target. She completed 86% of her 324 passes without a key pass or successful cross, however, she managed to connect on 30 long balls in her short season, which is impressive. Defensively, she contributed nine tackles, nine interceptions, and 23 headed duel wins. She committed four fouls, suffered one, and was booked once.

Due to injury, Rafaelle did not appear in Orlando’s playoff run, and because she was away at the Olympics, Rafaelle also did not participate in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenina Summer Cup.

Best Game

Rafaelle’s best match came in a 1-0 home win over Racing Louisville on May 5. The Brazilian started and went the full 90 minutes with an excellent two-way performance. She didn’t contribute directly to a goal, but she registered a shot, which was her only shot on target of the season, forcing Katie Lund into a save off a free kick about 40 minutes in. She also had a season-high 76 touches and passed at an impressive 93.75% rate on a season-high 63 attempts. Her passing accuracy in the match was her season high for any game in which she played more than 16 minutes. On the defensive end, Rafaelle helped her team keep a clean sheet and chipped in a tackle. She did not commit a foul or get booked in the match. Her strong tackle in the box in the 82nd minute on Reilyn Turner prevented a dangerous shot attempt, helping Anna Moorhouse preserve the shutout and keeping the Pride on top.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Rafaelle a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 season. This is a slight improvement over the 6.5 we gave her last year. As well as the back line played in her absence, it’s easy to forget just how formidable she was while she was on the pitch. The strong partnership between her and Kylie Strom allowed Seb Hines to move Sams to fullback for a time, and that’s a considerable compliment, given the fact that Sams won the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year Award. The back line continuing to excel in Rafaelle’s absence speaks highly of the group’s performance and the coaching staff’s ability to get the most out of the players.

2025 Outlook

It’s easy to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” in terms of the Pride’s defense. However, I expect Rafaelle to regain her starting center back spot when healthy. Rafaelle was considered the team’s best center back entering the season and early in 2024, although it’s fair to say Sams and Strom weren’t far behind. Rafaelle is under contract through the 2025 season, so she’ll want to perform well to earn her next deal. At 33 (she’ll turn 34 in June), it’s uncertain how much longer she’ll be able to play at such a high level, but prior to her injury in the Olympics, she was playing excellent soccer (it’s notable that the play she was injured on was a vital challenge for her national team). She is nearly impossible to leave out of the starting XI when fit.

What remains to be seen is how the team accommodates the Brazilian’s return. The most natural center back pairing would be Sams and Rafaelle. That would mean Strom would have to return to left back unless the team adopts a three-player back line. The ripple effect of staying in a traditional four-player back line would potentially mean displacing Kerry Abello, who “only” made the NWSL Best XI Second Team in 2024, or Cori Dyke, who handled some of the league’s best players in the stretch run to Orlando’s NWSL Championship drive. Having to reinsert Rafaelle into the lineup is a good problem for Hines to have, as it may allow him to rotate and rest his center backs more in 2025.

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