Connect with us

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 3-0 as Pride Drop NWSL Regular Season Opener

Published

3 years ago

on

The Orlando Pride (0-1-0, 0 points) began their 2022 NWSL regular season tonight with a 3-0 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-0-0, 3 points) at Exploria Stadium. The visitors scored three goals in 11 minutes late in the first half to seal the game before halftime. McCall Zerboni, Midge Purce, and Kristie Mewis accounted for the scoring and the Pride remain winless in NWSL regular-season openers (0-4-2).

Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell displayed almost the exact lineup that drew Gotham FC last weekend in New Jersey. The only difference in the lineup was the return of starting goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who missed the last four games of the Challenge Cup due to an injury. Sydney Leroux and Erika Tymrak also returned from injury but started the game on the bench.

The Pride won a corner in the seventh minute when Estelle Johnson cleared the ball out of play. But rather than creating a dangerous chance on the set piece, the Pride took a short corner toward midfield, which was quickly won by Ifeoma Onumonu. The Gotham striker appeared to have a breakaway into the Pride half, but Celia did well to catch her and clear it away.

Gotham got its first chance on goal two minutes later when Mewis found Purce to the left of goal. The dangerous attacker fired a shot but missed to the left. Purce had a chance to set up a chance in the 13th minute when she sent a dangerous ball into the box, but this one was cleared away.

A minute later, Imani Dorsey sent a cross into the box that ended up more like a shot. The ball sailed toward the Pride goal, forcing McLeod to tip it over the crossbar for another Gotham corner.

After about 10 minutes of dominant play by the visitors, the Pride started to find their way into the game. It started in the 17th minute when Angharad James found herself with the ball at the top of the box. She took a shot but it was blocked.

The ensuing corner ended up with Mikayla Cluff at the top of the box. The rookie took her own shot at goal but it rolled wide of the target.

In the 20th minute, Leah Pruitt sent a ball into the box from the right looking for Gunny Jonsdottir in front of goal. The midfielder slid into the ball, redirecting it towards the far post. However, it went just wide and another excellent Pride chance went by.

Two minutes later, Kerry Abello sent a low cross into the box looking for Jonsdottir. The ball just missed the midfielder and Gotham goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was able to clear it away.

Then it was Darian Jenkins sending a dangerous ball into the box for Abello. The two midfielders were the best attacking players for the Pride in the first half and nearly connected for the first goal but it was just beyond Abello’s reach.

The Pride seemed to be the closest to scoring as the half hour mark neared, but that’s when Gotham took over. A bad giveaway by Cluff in the 28th minute allowed Onumonu to take a long distance shot. But McLeod was up to the task and made the save.

The ensuing corner kick resulted in the game’s first goal. Mewis took the set piece, sending the ball into the box. It found the head of Gotham captain Zerboni, who redirected the ball on goal, giving Gotham the lead.

It didn’t take long for the visitors to score their second. Off a throw-in, Dorsey sent a long ball behind the Pride defense. Purce beat Toni Pressley to the ball, gaining a breakaway on goal. The veteran kept her cool, dribbling around the oncoming McLeod, and placing it inside the far post.

The Pride did get a couple of opportunities following Gotham’s second goal. In the 35th minute, James sent a free kick into the box but it was over everyone. Three minutes later, quick passing by Jenkins and Pruitt allowed the latter to get off a cross. However, it was blocked away and the Pride were unable to get a shot.

Gotham effectively put the game away in the 41st minute. Purce sent a cross into the box that reached Mewis on the far side. The U.S. international’s second touch allowed her to avoid the coming Megan Montefusco and provided space to shoot. The shot was toward the far post where it beat McLeod and nestled into the net, making it 3-0 Gotham.

“It definitely is hard,” Pruitt added about the three quick goals. “I think I tried to just forget about it and move on and we had the momentum in the beginning, so it sucks to get a goal against and then to try to switch it and stay positive and keep going down their throats. But once you get another one it’s draining. And the third one really was a heartbreaker. But I think we did fine in the second half.”

The first half wasn’t as lopsided as the score line. Gotham had more possession (54.3%-45.7%), but both teams had six shots. The primary difference was that the visitors put four of their six shots on goal and the Pride only got one on target.

“We had some of our best building moments out of the back and created some chances early on the first 30,” Cromwell said after the game. “I think right before their first goal, we had some chances. Again, we can’t let one goal affect us.”

“I think it would have been a way different game if we finished those chances in those, like, first 30 minutes,” Pruitt added. “But yeah, we’ve just got to keep working on it and those finishes.”

With a 3-0 lead, Gotham didn’t push much as the second half began. The first chance of the half came in the 53rd minute when Jenkins did well to win the ball in the Gotham half. However, she took a long-distance shot on goal that never really had a chance. It was on target, but Harris had no trouble collecting it.

The Pride had another chance in the 57th minute when halftime substitute Carrie Lawrence sent a free kick into the box. It found the head of Pressley but the header was wide and caused no trouble for Gotham.

A scary moment occurred a minute later. A seemingly innocuous ball for James saw the midfielder reach her leg out for it. After touching the ball, James immediately went down holding her right ankle. While it initially appeared bad, she soon got up and was able to resume.

After an injury kept her out for the final three games of the Challenge Cup, Leroux entered the game at halftime for Cluff. She got her first good chance in the 65th minute when a long ball by Lawrence sent her toward the end line. Leroux pulled the ball back and fired but her first shot was blocked. She immediately gained control of the ball for a second shot, but that one was right at Harris.

The Pride got another good look in the 67th minute when a blocked cross was headed across by Pruitt for Courtney Petersen. The left back had plenty of time to take a shot but not enough accuracy to put it on goal.

The Pride had a great chance in the 76th minute to get their first goal of the season when Jenkins played the ball across for Leroux near the penalty spot. The forward quickly took a shot on goal but it was just over the crossbar.

The Pride’s final chance of the game was also their best. In the 87th minute, Pressley sent a low cross into the box that found Leroux near the penalty spot. It was a little behind the halftime substitute, who tipped it back to James coming across the field. The Welsh international was set up for a clear shot on goal and attempted to curl it around Harris. But the former Pride captain did well to get down and make the save.

With a 3-0 lead at halftime, Gotham was happy to sit back and defend. As a result, the visitors only took one shot in the second half and it was off target. They were outshot 10-1 in the final 45 minutes but were able to keep the Pride off the scoresheet.

In the end, the Pride led in shots (16-7), corners (7-4), crosses (31-12), passing accuracy (82.4%-74.9%), and possession (50.5%-49.5%). However, the most important stat was that Gotham put four of its seven shots on target and the Pride only put four of their 16 shots on frame.

Cromwell has spoken multiple times this year about the team’s inability to put together a full 90 minutes. It was the same tonight, as the team was strong at points but a brief 11-minute period cost Orlando dearly.

“Obviously some frustration with those 10 minutes again and I think Seb (Hines) said very well in the huddle at the end,” Cromwell said. “We can’t let parts like 10 minutes, five minutes of games dictate how our season’s gonna go. We have to play a 90-minute game and we get to do that.

“We’ve talked to sports psychologists. We’ve talked about what kind of resources do they have in the moment. They have to be able to, either as a team, as a cohesive unit, say things to each other. Whether it’s holding each other accountable, make sure we’re still motivated and positive reinforcement, but also have individual tools to keep yourself out of that because I can almost see it happening. There’s a spiral mentally and we just had someone come talk to them about what kind of exercises they can do to get out of those moments. And so I think things aren’t going to happen overnight. But if we’re going to have chances in games to get a result we can’t have one goal be our downfall.”

The Pride’s three goals conceded is the most allowed in a regular-season opener since the team started in 2016.

A positive from the night is that Viviana Villacorta made her professional debut. The 2021 NWSL first-round draft pick (ninth overall) tore her ACL during her final season at UCLA and it’s been a long road back for the 23-year-old.

“She’s worked extremely hard to get back and you can see probably just by her movement, she’s fit,” Cromwell, Villacorta’s college coach at UCLA, said about her return. “She only played 20 minutes, but she’s fit. She’s agile. She’s quick. I think she reads the game very well. So, she’s someone that I think has a sophistication in the midfield to come in and help us and in and out of possession. She’s very dynamic.”

The Pride will look to shake off the season opening loss as they travel west to play expansion side Angel City FC in Los Angeles next Sunday night.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Pride need to do to secure an NWSL Championship win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday?

Published

16 hours ago

on

November 22, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Win or lose, the Orlando Pride’s season comes to an end on Saturday night at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. After they defeated the Chicago Red Stars and the Kansas City Current in prior playoff matches, this final match could see the Pride lift the NWSL Championship trophy. The Pride have already won the NWSL Shield earlier in the year, and this second trophy would cement them as one of the greatest teams in NWSL history. Standing in their way is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, the same Washington Spirit club the Pride defeated to clinch the Shield.

So, what do the Pride need to do to defeat the Spirit and bring home more silverware?

Prepare for a Better Spirit

During the regular season, the Pride defeated the Spirit twice, 3-2 in Washington all the way back in April, and 2-0 at home in October. The Pride may need to scrub these results from their memory and prepare for a more capable and complete opponent. For starters, in the first matchup, the Spirit were led by interim head coach Adrián González, who is still with the club as an assistant. While González performed well in the role, the Spirit are now led by one of the best coaches in the game, Jonatan Giráldez, who took over in July. Before joining the Spirit, Giráldez led Barcelona Femeni, the single most dominant club in Europe during his tenure. In each of the past two seasons, Giráldez’ Barcelona won the Copa de la Reina, Spain’s domestic cup tournament, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, showcasing his skill in coaching championship games.

The Pride were able to beat Giráldez’ Spirit squad just over a month ago, but that matchup was missing several key players on Washington’s side of the pitch. The Spirit were without NWSL Best XI players Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger as well as Best XI Second Team representative Hal Hershfelt. All three of these players have since returned and are likely to play in the NWSL Championship. Ouleye Sarr, the joint leading scorer for Washington along with Rodman, was also out for the October matchup, but she is struggling with a back injury and may not play this weekend. While the Spirit were limited in the last meeting, Orlando was convincing in its 2-0 win. This time around, the Pride will have to prepare for a Spirit team that looks a lot different than the last time out.

Keep the Match to 90 Minutes

One of the key storylines heading into the NWSL Championship is the paths each team has taken. While the higher-seeded teams have won each match of the 2024 playoffs, Orlando has won its matches in regulation, while Washington required extra time to beat Bay FC and penalty kicks to get past NJ/NY Gotham FC. As a result, Orlando has played fewer high-stress minutes in recent weeks and comes in on a great run of form. On the other hand, the Spirit are battle tested, knowing the challenges that come from tight matches. Their goals forcing extra time have come late in matches — the 86th minute against Bay, and the third minute of stoppage time against Gotham. To their credit, the Spirit never know when they are beaten, so Orlando will need to be locked in all the way to the final whistle, hoping to avoid the chaos that ensued at the end of the Kansas City match.

Despite looking shaky at the end of the match against the Current, Orlando’s success this season has come about in the opposite manner of the Spirit’s postseason wins. Orlando has done exceedingly well to get the lead and secure the result. The Pride have only dropped points from winning positions twice, losing none. The semifinal match against Kansas City was also their first come-from-behind victory of the year, showcasing how uncommon it was for them to fall behind in an NWSL match in their 18-win season. Should the NWSL Championship go to extra time, it would be uncharted territory for Orlando. With so few elimination matches in their history, very few players on the roster would have any experience with extra time. The Orlando Pride as a club only participated in their first-ever (then their second and third) penalty shootout in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, winning one of three shootouts. In the end, Orlando will be in a much better position if it can keep this game to 90 minutes.

Marta Magic

The Orlando Pride have four players on the NWSL Best XI first and second teams, but no player is more easily recognized in purple than 38-year-old Marta, the GOAT. While she has been with the Pride since 2017, this campaign (11 goals, 1 assist) has been her most productive since 2017, her first in Orlando (13 goals, 6 assists). The 2017 season was also the last time that Orlando made the playoffs. In 2024, Marta has scored two postseason goals so far, including a magical game winner against the Current. Orlando’s success is inexorably linked to the performances of its best-ever player. Yet, as hard as it is to imagine, the NWSL Championship will be the last match of her existing contract with the Pride, and win or lose, this could be farewell, at least for now. 

On the pitch, Marta will be a focal point for the Orlando attack against the Washington Spirit. While Washington’s Best XI defenders Krueger and Tara McKeown attempt to slow down Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, Marta is likely to drop deep and connect the play. Her precision passing and driving runs in recent matches have contributed mightily to an attack that has now scored 10 goals in the past three matches — three by Marta herself. Beyond these traits, Marta will also be a pitch general for the Pride in this final match, directing traffic and keeping the team locked in and organized. Earlier this year, Marta announced her retirement from international soccer with Brazil and took home the silver medal in the Summer Olympics. Expect Marta to leave it all on the pitch on Saturday, and if it were to be her last match for the Pride, it would be incredible to leave with an NWSL Championship.

Saturday night the NWSL Champions will be crowned. Could one of these keys to victory make the critical difference? Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Center Back Emily Sams Named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Pride center back Emily Sams adds another honor to her trophy case after being named the NWSL Defender of the Year.

Published

1 day ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this evening that Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams has been named the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year. She’s the first player in club history to win the award. It was the second major NWSL award won by the Pride after Seb Hines was named the league’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Sams played center back during her 2023 rookie season, but moved to right back at the beginning of this year. Brazilian international Rafaelle’s injury trouble forced Sams back to her natural position where she partnered Kylie Strom, forming arguably the best center back partnership in the league. Together with goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and the rest of the back line, the Pride conceded a league-best 20 goals while tying the league records for most shutouts in a season (13) and setting a new mark for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal (554).

Individually, Sams was second in the league with 163 recoveries, and she led the Pride with 108 possessions in the defensive third, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. Additionally, her 88.18% passing accuracy led all Pride defenders.

Including the playoffs, Sams has played in 27 games this season with 26 starts and recorded 2,365 minutes. She’s recorded 25 tackles and 28 interceptions, winning 30 headed duels and 47% of her tackles. She’s also contributed offensively with a goal and three assists, including assisting Barbra Banda’s first goal in the NWSL quarterfinals against the Chicago Red Stars.

The center back was named to the league’s monthly Best XI three times this year — in May, September, and October/November — and was named to the league’s end-of-the-year Best XI.

The Boise, ID, native played three seasons over five years at Florida State before signing with Racing Louisville’s W League team for the 2022 season. She decided to forgo her senior year at Florida State, signing with the NWSL instead on Aug. 31, 2022. The league loaned her to Swedish club BK Hacken for the remainder of the 2022 season, enabling her to enter the 2023 NWSL Draft. The Pride selected Sams with the third overall pick and she immediately became a key player on the team’s back line.

She was paired with veteran Megan Montefusco at the beginning of her rookie season and Brazilian international Rafaelle after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sams played 22 regular-season games last year, recording 1,977 minutes, 19 interceptions, and 17 tackles. She won 61% of her tackles and 33 headed duels.

Despite not having any caps, Sams was selected by new USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes to compete for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, earning a gold medal. Her first appearance for the national side came on Oct. 24 when she started against Iceland in Nashville, TN.

Preliminary voting for the NWSL Defender of the Year award included league owners, general managers, coaches, players, and media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media with the winner announced this evening. Strom, San Diego Wave FC center back Naomi Girma, North Carolina Courage center back Kaleigh Kurtz, and Washington Spirit center back Tara McKeown were the other finalists.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines Named NWSL Coach of the Year

After a record-breaking regular season, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.

Published

4 days ago

on

November 19, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this afternoon that Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines had been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. It’s the first time in the club’s history that a coach has won the award.

In his second year as permanent head coach, Hines led the Pride to a record-breaking season that saw them finish 18-2-6, winning the NWSL Shield. They finished third in the league with 46 goals scored and tied with NJ/NY Gotham FC for a league-best 20 goals conceded. They set five league records this year, including most points in a season (60), most wins in a season (18), longest winning streak (8), longest shutout streak (554 minutes), and longest single-season unbeaten run (23 games). The Pride also tied the league record for clean sheets in a season (13). Dating back to last season’s finale, the club went 24 matches without a loss under Hines. Orlando also drew all three Summer Cup matches this season, giving the Pride 26 matches without a loss in all competitions under Hines in 2023 and 27 games overall dating back to last year. Orlando’s 2.31 points per game in 2024 is second in league history behind the 2018 North Carolina Courage, who had 2.4 points per game. 

The 2024 season caps a rebuild that started following the 2021 NWSL season when the Pride traded away several star players. They hired Amanda Cromwell as head coach for the 2022 season, but she and assistant Sam Greene were suspended and eventually fired for retaliatory behavior. Assistants Michelle Akers and Aline Villares Reis left their positions following the suspensions, leaving Hines as the club’s only option as head coach.

The controversy turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Hines finished the season strong as interim coach, taking the team to a 3-7-5 mark in the final 15 games, which included a seven-game unbeaten run (3-0-4). His performance down the stretch was enough to earn the permanent role. The Pride elevated Hines from interim coach to head coach on Nov. 11, 2022.

In his first year as the club’s permanent head coach, Hines nearly led the Pride to their first playoff appearance since 2017 and second in club history last year, missing out on the goal difference tiebreaker on the final match day of the 2023 campaign. This year, the team came back with the goal of making the postseason and soon became the best team in the league, going the full season without a single home loss in any competition.

Since taking over in June 2022, Hines has become the Pride’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 31-30-12 in league play. His 1.67 points per game and .492 winning percentage also top all previous Pride coaches.

Despite a turnaround that saw the Pride go from one of the worst teams in the league to narrowly missing out on the playoffs, Hines wasn’t a finalist for coach of the year in 2023. It was an easy choice this year as he led the team to its best-ever season and the first trophy in team history.

The team’s 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Nov. 8 was the first playoff win in club history and the Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to secure their spot in the 2024 NWSL Championship, which will be in Kansas City on Saturday night.

The NWSL Coach of the Year Award began with a preliminary round voted on by owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media to determine the winner. The other finalists were Current Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski and Gotham Head Coach Juan Carlos Amoros, last year’s winner.

Continue Reading

Trending