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Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Claim Point in Final Challenge Cup Game

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (0-4-2, 2 points) held off a furious second half attack by NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-2-3, 6 points) to claim a 1-1 draw in their final 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup game. It’s the team’s second point of the tournament and ends a four-game losing streak.

Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell made several changes to the team from its 4-2 loss to the North Carolina Courage last week. Kaylie Collins made her Pride debut in goal after Anna Moorhouse started the last three games, and Kerry Abello got her first start for the team. Additionally, Gunny Jonsdottir and Angharad James returned to the starting lineup after the former started from the bench against the Courage and the latter was away on international duty.

After Gotham sent the opening kickoff long to Collins, the Pride dominated possession early. However, it was the hosts that got the early chances on goal. Kristie Mewis took the first shot from 35 yards out and Ifeoma Onumonu created a second chance in the eighth minute. But both attempts were at Collins for her first two professional saves.

A scary situation occurred in the fourth minute when Jonsdottir went down injured after a collision. The Pride have already lost Marta for the season and Sydney Leroux and Erin McLeod suffered injuries during the Challenge Cup. Fortunately, Jonsdottir was able to recover and return.

As Jonsdottir ran back onto the field in the 10th minute, the Pride prepared to take their first corner of the game. James’ corner found the head of Jonsdottir inside the six-yard box and the midfielder put it past Ashlyn Harris for the game’s first goal. It was the first time the Pride had led in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.

“It was a great ball from Ang,” Jonsdottir said about the goal. “All I had to do was just redirect it. So credit to her.” 

The Pride scored four goals in this year’s Challenge Cup with all coming in the first 15 minutes of a half. However, the team continued pressuring Gotham throughout the half, even if it didn’t result in more goals.

In the 15th minute, James found Leah Pruitt in the box. In her second straight start, Pruitt tried to get her head to the ball, but it was a little too high. Four minutes later, Pruitt sent a ball into the box for Jonsdottir. Unfortunately, the ball was just behind her and Gotham was able to clear.

In the 25th minute, Toni Pressley attempted a half volley from the top of the box that was deflected out of play for a Pride corner kick. That was the first of four consecutive corner kicks for the Pride as they kept the pressure on in the Gotham third of the field.

The Pride’s inability to finish those opportunities nearly cost them five minutes later. In the 32nd minute, the defense was unable to successfully clear the ball, resulting in a scramble in the box. Eventually, Onumonu got her foot to it but sent the ball wide of the right post.

Gotham had a shout for a penalty in the 39th minute when Celia made contact with Paige Monaghan in the box. The Gotham attacker threw her arms into the air as the referee waved his finger back and forth, indicating that there was nothing in the tackle.

Monaghan took out her frustration about the call on the other end by taking down Abello. However, this decision gave the Pride a golden opportunity with a free kick near the top of the Gotham box. Three potential takers were standing over the ball, with Pressley eventually taking the free kick. She took a strong shot but it was well high of the target, causing no trouble for Harris.

After being denied a penalty six minutes earlier, Gotham got their spot kick in the 45th minute. Onumonu carried the ball into the box along the end line and Pressley picked her up during the run. As the two got tangled, Onumonu went down and the referee pointed to the spot.

It was the fifth time that Pressley has conceded a penalty since joining the Pride in 2016. The second most number of penalties conceded in Pride history is Ali Krieger’s two.

Mewis stepped up to the ball and, after a few deep breaths, directed the penalty kick toward the left corner. Collins guessed the right direction, but the shot was just beyond her reach, evening the game at 1-1.

Four minutes into first half injury time, Gotham nearly took the lead. Onumonu turned Pressley near the top of the box and fired toward the far corner. The ball got beyond Collins’ outstretched arm, but skipped just past the post, allowing the Pride to reach halftime tied.

“It’s hard that we concede a goal right before half,” Jonsdottir said after the game. “But that’s the game. We had to keep our focus and we could have gotten one. It still could have gone either way.”

The game was quite even in the first 45 minutes. Gotham had a slight lead in possession (50.6%-49.4%) and both teams had eight shots. However, the Pride had more corners (7-1), crosses (19-7), duels won (21-19), and tackles won (6-4). Gotham had more shots on target (3-1), passes (191-172), and better passing accuracy (73.3%-69.2%).

“I was really confident heading into halftime,” Cromwell said after the game. “And there’s times we’ve come out and been good in the second half when we’ve had a poor first half.”

While the game was pretty even in the first half, the second 45 minutes was all Gotham. The attack by the hosts started early and they maintained the pressure throughout the final period of play.

The two most dangerous players for Gotham were Kumi Yokoyama and Monaghan. In the 50th minute, Yokoyama sent a dangerous ball across the box, but it was just beyond the reach of both Onumonu and Monaghan.

Five minutes later, it was Monaghan who sent a cross into the box. The ball was a bit too high for Onumonu, but the striker was able to get the top of her head on it and redirect it to the top of the box. The ball went straight to a waiting Yokoyama, who half-volleyed it toward goal. It appeared to be blocked by Jonsdottir on the way out of play but the referee issued a goal kick.

In the 60th minute, Yokoyama had another chance closer to goal. Her shot from the right wasn’t hit well and headed toward the center of the box. While Gotham players were awaiting its arrival, Collins responded quickly, coming out to collect it.

In the 64th minute, Abello shielded Caprice Dydasco to the left of goal. She attempted to send the ball past Harris, but the former Pride captain made herself big and blocked the shot with her left foot.

A minute later, the Pride’s rookie goalkeeper showed that she was equal to the task. McCall Zerboni sent Onumonu between Megan Montefusco and Pressley, giving the Nigerian international a breakaway on goal. While Abello used the wrong foot to shoot, the more experienced Omumonu attempted to curl it around Collins. But the rookie did well to come off her line to make the stop.

Gotham came inches away from taking the lead again in the 78th minute. Catching the Pride defenders too far up field, Mewis sent a long ball to Monaghan who got behind the defense. Before Pressley could catch up, Monaghan took a hard shot from the left of goal. The ball beat Collins but slammed off the crossbar.

The strength of the shot allowed it to reach Nahomi Kawasumi on the other side. The hosts immediately worked the ball around, looking for another chance. Less than a minute after hitting the post, quick passing by Gotham resulted in a Monaghan cross into the six. Mewis beat the defenders to the ball and redirected it on goal, but Collins made a great reaction save, blocking it away.

While Gotham got most of the chances, the Pride did have some periods of play in the second half. In the 81st minute, Courtney Petersen sent Kylie Strom into the box. The substitute found Abi Kim, but her shot was right at Harris.

Two minutes later, Darian Jenkins attempted to lose Dydasco and free up some space to shoot on goal. The defender did well to stay with her and, when Jenkins finally did shoot, Dydasco was in place to block it.

As time wound down, the Pride were fiercely defending, trying to claim their second point of the Challenge Cup. Meanwhile, Gotham was full of confidence and kept up the attacking pressure.

In the 87th minute, Monaghan found Cam Tucker streaking behind the Pride back line. The substitute’s first touch was a shot from the top of the box, but it sailed well high of the goal. A minute later, it was Tucker looking to connect with a teammate. She sent a cross into the box, but Pressley was there to clear it away for a corner kick.

The final good chance for Gotham came in the 90th minute. Mewis found Monaghan darting behind the Pride defense and Monaghan sent a cross toward Onumonu. But Pressley stepped in front and cleared it away.

Unfortunately, the ball fell right to Mewis who continued her run after the initial pass. The U.S. international took the ball to the right, cutting down her angle, but found some space between two defenders. The ball got past Collins but skipped wide of the far post, allowing the Pride to see out a difficult draw.

In the end, Gotham ended up dominating possession (56.1%-43.9%). However, the other statistical categories showed the game to be quite close. Gotham led in shots (16-14), total passes (484-368), and passing accuracy (76.7%-66.8%), but the Pride had more corners (8-4) and both teams put four shots on target.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Cromwell said about the game. “And that happens in our game sometimes. And that’s what you have to do, get a second to really get the momentum. Take the wind out of their sails a little bit.”

“Some of these players haven’t played a full 90 and they’ve been kind of coming off the bench as reserves,” Cromwell added. “So we knew there was gonna be some tired legs in the second half.”

The big difference in the game was the fact that Gotham was unable to get most of its shots on frame. After putting three of eight shots on target in the first half, the hosts only put one of nine shots on target in the second half.

The fact that the Pride only gave up one goal in this game is a positive heading into the regular season. After strong defensive performances in the first three games, the team had given up four goals in each of the last two contests.

“It was definitely a rough second half,” Jonsdottir said. “They were pretty much down our throat most of the second half but our back line and everyone on the field gave everything to jump in front of every shot, to block crosses, do everything we could to keep it from going into the net. And we succeeded. I think that’s a win for us. Conceding four in the last two games, I think the team can be really proud. We gave everything to not concede more.”

After a tough preseason tournament, the teams will now look ahead to the more important regular season. With the Challenge Cup now behind them, both teams will fly to Orlando and meet again next Sunday at Exploria Stadium.

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Orlando Pride Depth Tested Early This Season

The Pride are being forced to test their newly acquired depth early in the 2025 NWSL season.

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1 day ago

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May 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride started a full rebuild in 2022, which culminated in the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024. With the core of the team well set, Haley Carter and Seb Hines began work on building depth in the squad. Early this season, that work is being put to the test.

Just seven games into the 2025 NWSL season, the Pride have already suffered several key injuries. The first occurred in the NWSL regular season opener when midfielder Julie Doyle suffered a knee injury 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute. The following week, Rafaelle was replaced at halftime. Hines insisted it was precautionary, but the center back has yet to return.

Summer Yates, expected by many to replace Marta when the club captain retires, was injured on April 12 while assisting Barbara Banda’s game-winning goal in Seattle. The most recent injury occurred Saturday night when starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was kicked in the head by Mimi Alidou in the 47th minute, forcing her departure from the game.

The Pride did suffer a key injury last season when Rafaelle was injured during the Summer Olympics while representing Brazil. However, the solution was rather simple as Emily Sams moved to center back and Cori Dyke took over at right back. Despite being a rookie, Dyke was exceptional the remainder of the season, securing the starting right back spot through the NWSL Championship.

Neither Doyle nor Yates were starters at the beginning of the season. While Doyle has started many games for the Pride in her career, Hines has gone to Ally Watt and Angelina as the outside attacking midfielders. But with Angelina playing regularly for Brazil, Doyle and Yates were expected to play significant roles during the season.

Fortunately, the Pride were well prepared for this situation. They signed Zambian internationals Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda, who have filled those roles so far this season. Both are more than capable of starting for the Pride and filling the gaps left by Angelina and Watt when necessary.

Rafaelle is a more significant injury for the Pride. Her replacement in the lineup was a simple decision. Sams is a natural center back and started most of the 2024 games alongside Kylie Nadaner. The duo was arguably the best center back pairing in the league last season, resulting in Sams being awarded NWSL Defender of the Year. The bigger issue was who would be behind the starters.

Dyke and starting left back Kerry Abello both played games at center back last season. It wasn’t a completely foreign position for them as they’d spent time there in college. However, moving your starting right back or left back to the central defender position is less than ideal. Preferably, you would have a player able to come off the bench and replace Sams and Nadaner when needed.

Hines showed his preference Saturday night when Nadaner was given the night off. Rookie Zara Chavoshi had played minimal minutes this season, taking part in only two games. However, the Pride boss decided to throw the 22-year-old into the fire, giving her the first start of her professional career. Making the decision more questionable was sending her into arguably the league’s most hostile atmosphere at a venue where the Pride have only claimed points once.

Despite the tough circumstances, the rookie defender did very well, holding her own. It was a valuable experience for the young center back, who will likely be called upon again as the season continues.

“Giving Zara the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start,” Hines said of his rookie center back after the game.

The final injury occurred during the game Saturday night when Moorhouse suffered an injury. The shot stopper has been the Pride’s number one since Erin McLeod left the club following the 2022 NWSL season. There was only one choice as her replacement, the team’s backup goalkeeper the past two seasons. While it was McKinley Crone’s first appearance in an NWSL game, it wasn’t her first appearance for the team.

The Maitland, FL native originally joined the club in 2023 as a preseason non-roster invitee. She was signed as a National Team Replacement Player later that season, but didn’t make any appearances. The club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner prior to the 2024 campaign, putting Crone’s future with the club into question. But Crone beat out her Finnish teammate to earn the backup spot behind Moorhouse.

Crone made her professional debut last season during the NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup against the North Carolina Courage. The game ended 1-1, with the Pride losing 5-4 on penalties. It was the last appearance by Crone, as Manner and Moorhouse started the other two Summer Cup games. Saturday night may not have been her first professional appearance, but it was unquestionably her most significant.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper wasn’t forced to do much, saving the only shot she faced. Despite the lack of action, it was good for the Pride to get their backup some meaningful minutes in case Moorhouse is called into international duty or is unable to return next week.

“Mac’s been waiting a long time for that opportunity,” Hines said. “It’s in a way that we didn’t want it to happen. Obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. But Mac’s been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.”

So far, the Pride have passed the test. While they’re not on a record-breaking unbeaten run like last year, they sit tied with the Kansas City Current atop the NWSL standings. The two teams are tied in every way, with the same record, the same number of goals scored, and the same number of goals conceded.

The recent experiences of the Pride reserves should only help the team moving forward. Whether Hines wants to provide more rest for his starters before the playoffs, someone gets injured, or international callups result in missing players, the Pride coach must have more confidence now that he can plug in less experienced players and trust them to do the job. That will only benefit the Pride as they look to defend their crown as NWSL champions.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fail to Score at Providence Park

The Pride’s Portland problems popped up to punish the team once again.

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-2-0, 15 points) continued to have difficulty when visiting Providence Park, losing 1-0 tonight to the Portland Thorns in Oregon. The home team took the early lead on Reyna Reyes’ 16th minute goal. The Pride were unable to generate any good chances on goal no matter who Pride Head Coach Seb Hines put on in the second half.

Hines made five changes to the team that won against Angel City. Oihane once again replaced Cori Dyke at right back, Zara Chavoshi got the start next to Emily Sams in place of Kylie Nadaner. Carson Pickett took over at left back, with Kerry Abello moving into the midfield. Ally Watt also returned to the starting lineup in place of Prisca Chilufya. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Pickett, Chavoshi, Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Abello were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Ally Lemos with Banda up top.

Early in the match, the Pride tried the route one approach, sending long balls up to Banda. The first two times it worked well enough for Banda to get the ball cleanly, but she was unable to make anything from it. After that, the Pride continued to try this approach, but it was less successful.

Portland made things difficult for the Pride, pressing early and often. In the 16th minute it paid off for the home team. Pickett played a defensive ball out for a Thorns throw-in. Portland worked the ball across to Reyes. She moved the ball onto her left foot and put a very good shot inside the left post for what ended up being the game-winning goal.

The curl on that left foot 🙌Reyna Reyes with a special goal for @thornsfc.com!

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-05-04T01:18:37.428Z

The Pride did have some chances but nothing with any type of power behind it to beat McKenzie Arnold. The Pride looked flat through most of the first half, and the Thorns brought more energy. Orlando looked disjointed and disinterested.

In the 37th minute, Pride supporters got a big scare. Banda took the ball into the box, but then pulled up as if she had a noncontact injury. Play was eventually stopped for the trainers to check on her. Mercifully, Banda was not injured and was able to continue.

Things almost got much worse for the Pride in the 39th minute. Reilyn Turner took a through ball into the box, rounded Moorhouse and put the ball on frame. Fortunately, Chavoshi recovered and made a clutch goal-line save to keep the score at 1-0.

After 45 minutes of play, the Thorns had the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on target (4-1). The Pride had the advantage in possession (53%-47%) and corners (3-0), but were not able to generate much of a threat.

Hines did not make any changes to start the second half despite the lack of scoring. The Thorns started quickly as Deyna Castellanos got on a long ball in the box. Luckily, her shot went wide. One minute later, Moorhouse was fouled. She took a shin to the head, and boot to her right hand. After several minutes she was subbed off for McKinley Crone.

The second half was much like the first. The Pride had difficulty breaking Portland’s lines. When they did, the chances did not threaten Arnold. A perfect example of this came in the 64th minute. Watt stripped the ball from a Portland player and fed it to Banda, who gave it back to Watt for the chance, but there was nothing on it.

In the 68th minute, Hines brought on Dyke, Angelina, and Viviana Villacorta for Oihane, Lemos, and Pickett. One minute later, Banda had a chance, but her near-post shot was saved by Arnold. On the other end, Crone saved a shot by Payton Linnehan in the 74th minute. In the 75th minute, Chilufya came on for Marta.

Hines made his final substitution in the 83rd minute, bringing on Grace Chanda for Watt. Between Moorhouse’s injury and various other fouls, there were 11 minutes of second-half stoppage time. Being up a goal against the defending champs, Portland players immediately headed for the corner whenever they got the ball.

Despite double digits to work with in stoppage time, the Pride failed to equalize and suffered their second loss of the season. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (58%-42%), corner kicks (7-2), and passing accuracy (80%-75%). Portland had the advantage on shots (15-11), shots on target (7-4), and, most importantly, on the scoreboard.

“You have got to try and create the space. You have got to move, make unselfish runs and you have got to be proactive rather than reactive,” Hines said about the team’s lack of offense. “I felt today that Portland were one step ahead of us in their defensive structure. We didn’t create too many opportunities. They were well organized. You have got to find different ways, and we had different solutions during the run of game and changed different buildup shapes, but it wasn’t enough to get that equalizer.” 

Hines praise the play of Chavoshi and Crone in the match, with both players short on experience.

“I think they are the main positives out of the game,” Hines said. “Giving Zara [Chavoshi] the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start. [McKinley Crone] has been waiting a long time for that opportunity. It is in a way that we didn’t want it to happen, obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. Mac has been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.” 

Fortunately for the Pride, the Kansas City Current and the Washington Spirit also lost their matches, meaning the Pride remain tied for first with the Current. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity to put some daylight between those other top teams.

“My head is all over the place at the moment, honestly,” Crone said about getting on the pitch. “I don’t really (know) if I can pinpoint a singular emotion. I am really honored, especially being from Orlando, just to be able to represent the city. This is such a tough place to come in and play. I thought the team fought hard. Now at this point, it is about turning our focus to the next game. It is such a long season, and we have so many more games ahead of us, it is now about how can we respond to this result today.”

The Pride remain on the road next weekend for an away match against the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to claim their second-ever win in Portland as they take on the Thorns away from home.

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) travel west to take on Portland Thorns FC (2-2-3, 9 points) at Providence Park in Portland, OR. This is the first two games these teams will play with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Oct. 10.

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

History

The Pride have struggled historically against the Thorns, with a record of 4-14-2 in 20 games (4-13-2 in league play and 0-1-0 in the playoffs). They’re 1-8-0 in Portland with the only win occurring in 2018.

The most recent meeting between the two teams came on Oct. 11, 2024 in Portland. The Pride secured the NWSL Shield the previous game, so several starters were given a break. It showed on the field as the Pride lost 2-0, ending a 23-game unbeaten run. Morgan Weaver gave hosts the lead in the 13th minute and Christine Sincalir doubled the advantage in the 55th minute.

The meeting prior to that loss came on May 24 in Orlando. It was the Barbra Banda show as the Pride striker scored two goals 10 minutes apart, giving her team a 2-0 halftime lead. Izzy D’Aquila got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1.

The first game between the two teams in 2023 was on March 26 at Providence Park. Weaver opened the scoring early and Sophia Smith doubled the advantage a few minutes later. Hina Sugita made it three, and Michele Vasconcelos wrapped up the scoring as the Thorns won 4-0. On June 11, 2023, in Orlando, Smith gave the visitors the lead, but the Pride took over after that. Adriana scored a brace and Messiah Bright’s 69th-minute strike lifted the Pride to a 3-1 win. 

The teams met twice in 2022, with the first coming on Sept. 9 at Exploria Stadium. Yazmeen Ryan gave the visitors the lead and Sugita doubled the advantage as the Thorns won 2-0. That was the second meeting of the season after the teams met on June 19 in Portland. In Seb Hines’ second game as interim head coach, the Thorns smashed the Pride, 6-0.

The teams met earlier in the year during the 2021 season, playing on May 26 in Orlando. The Pride won for only the second time against Portland since the team’s inception. Orlando won 2-1 with goals from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux.

The second meeting that year came on July 18 in Portland, and the home team won again. Smith gave the hosts the lead and Marissa Everett doubled the advantage. Marisa Viggiano got one back in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Thorns won, 2-1.

They met a third time on Aug. 14. The Pride took an early lead when Courtney Petersen found Jodie Taylor for the opening goal. But Simone Charley equalized and the teams drew 1-1.

The Pride and Thorns didn’t play in 2020 after the season was canceled due to the global pandemic and they weren’t in the same group for the NWSL Fall Series. As a result, the most recent meeting prior to 2021 was in 2019.

The teams opened the 2019 season against each other in Orlando, but the Thorns got the better of the clash. The game was decided on either side of halftime as Caitlin Foord scored just before the break and Tobin Heath scored four minutes after the restart, lifting Portland to a 2-0 win. They met again in Orlando on May 11 and the visitors won again. Toni Pressley gave the Pride an early lead, but it was all Portland after that. Dagny Brynjarsdottir equalized, Andressinha gave Portland the lead, and Foord finished it off.

The final meeting between the two in 2019 was a goal fest in Portland and another Thorns win. Hayley Raso gave the Thorns the lead just three minutes into the game and Midge Purce’s goal made it look like it would be a dominant performance by the hosts. But Marta got one back to make it 2-1. Sinclair made it 3-1, followed by a Thorns own goal by Emily Menges. It looked like the Pride would get a rare point through Erin Greening’s 90th-minute goal, but Tyler Lussi scored in second-half injury time, dooming the Pride to another loss in Oregon.

The teams faced off three times in 2018, which featured the Pride’s lone win in Portland. The Thorns won the first game, 2-1 on April 15. But on May 12, goals by Morgan and Christine Nairn gave the Pride a 2-0 lead. Sinclair got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for their only result at Providence Park. The third meeting went back to usual, with the Thorns winning 2-0 through Lindsey Horan and Raso.

The teams started the 2017 season against each other in Portland with the Thorns winning 2-0. They met again in the penultimate game of the season in Orlando, ending in a scoreless draw. The most important game between the two teams was the Pride’s only playoff appearance. Unfortunately, it was all Portland, as the Thorns beat the Pride 4-1.

The first meeting of 2016 was the Pride’s first-ever game. Steph Catley gave the visitors a surprising lead, but Brynjarsdottir equalized and Horan won it for Portland. They met again on June 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Two second-half goals by Brynjarsdottir and Horan lifted the Thorns to another 2-1 win.

Overview

The Pride got off to a great start this season, winning their first four games. A 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit on April 19 and a slow start against Angel City on April 25 was a little worrisome. But the Pride came back from a 2-0 deficit to score three goals in the final 20 minutes, defeating the California-based visitors 3-2.

Tonight, the Pride head back out on the road for the first time since they beat Seattle Reign FC 1-0 on April 12. It’s no surprise the team is led offensively by Banda. The Zambian netted a late brace in a 6-0 win over the Chicago Stars to start the season before failing to score in the following two games. However, she’s converted in two of the last three games, including a 76th-minute header in the most recent contest.

The team’s been very solid defensively this season, only conceding four goals. Two of those goals came in the most recent game against Angel City. They’re currently tied with the Kansas City Current on 14 goals scored and four conceded for a +10 goal differential.

Tonight, the Pride head to a stadium they’ve struggled in since the team’s inaugural season. They’ve only taken points once in nine games in Portland over the past 10 years. While many of those years the Thorns were near the top of the league and the Pride near the bottom, even last year the Pride couldn’t find a way to beat the Thorns.

One thing that should make the task a little easier is the Thorns’ absences. Sinclair retired following the 2024 season after over a decade in Portland. Sophia Wilson is also out for this game due to pregnancy. The U.S. international’s absence creates a tremendous challenge for the Portland attack.

The Thorns currently sit in sixth in the NWSL standings with nine points. However, they’re only three points behind the Spirit for third. A win at home tonight against the Pride would put them only three points back of second and possibly first, depending on how the Current do.

Portland’s led offensively this season by second-year professional Reilyn Turner with three of the team’s 10 goals. Rookie Jayden Perry sits second on the team with two goals and several players have one, including Olivia Moultrie, Jessie Fleming, and Deyna Castellanos.

The Thorns got the season off to a rocky start, losing 3-1 in Kansas City. But the back line quickly got it together, only conceding three goals in the next five games. That strong defensive effort went away on April 27 when the Thorns conceded three goals  for the second time this season in a 3-3 home draw with Racing Louisville FC.

“Historically, it hasn’t always been a great place for us to go play. But we’re a different team now,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “I think different contexts, different circumstances. We’re still early on in the season, so we are wanting to continue that momentum from last week. We showed great character to come back from two goals down. The players are in good spirits. It shows the collective as well, players coming off the bench and playing a role and influencing the game. So there’s a real togetherness here. It’s going to be a good environment. It’s always a nice place to go play with the fans, the opponent, everything that comes with it. So, yeah, we’re excited to get across there and play another game of football.”

There aren’t any changes to the Pride availability report for the second consecutive game. They’ll be without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), Aryssa Mahrt (knee), Julie Doyle (knee), Rafaelle (thigh), and Summer Yates (ankle).

The Thorns are without Daiane (knee), Caiya Hanks (hip), Marie Muller (knee), Nicole Payne (knee), Olivia Wade-Katoa (maternity leave), Morgan Weaver (knee), and Sophia Wilson (maternity leave).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Zara Chavoshi, Emily Sams, Oihane.

Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos, Ally Watt.

Forwards: Barbra Banda, Marta.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Cori Dyke, Brianna Martinez, Kylie Nadaner, Morgan Gautrat, Viviana Villacorta, Angelina, Grace Chanda, Prisca Chilufya.

Portland Thorns FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Mackenzie Arnold.

Defenders: Reyna Reyes, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze, Sam Hiatt.

Defensive Midfielders: Sam Coffey, Hina Sugita.

Attacking Midfielders: Olivia Moultrie, Mimi Alidou, Reilyn Turner.

Forward: Deyna Castellanos.

Bench: Bella Bixby, Kaitlyn Torpey, Sophie Hirst, Jessie Fleming, Carissa Boeckman, Mallie McKenzie, Payton Linnehan, Pietra Tordin, Alexa Spaanstra.

Referees

REF: Nabil Bensalah.
AR1: Fernando Fierro.
AR2: Cameron Siler.
4TH: Dion Coxe-Trieger.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Providence Park — Portland, OR.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @manelanddave.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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