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Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Claim First Win of 2022

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4 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (1-1-0, 3 points) held onto a 1-0 lead for 87 minutes to beat Angel City FC (1-1-0, 3 points) for the team’s first win of 2022. Sydney Leroux scored the game’s lone goal in the third minute, giving Amanda Cromwell her first NWSL win as head coach and ending the club’s 12-game winless streak in all competitions.

Cromwell made two changes to the team from last week’s 3-0 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC. Carrie Lawrence re-entered the starting lineup in place of Angharad James, who suffered an ankle injury against Gotham. Additionally, Leroux got her first start since March 30 against Gotham FC in the Challenge Cup. She took the place of rookie Kerry Abello who played well in Leroux’s absence.

The team also had a significant change by moving starting center back Megan Montefusco into the midfield. Lawrence, who played outside back during the Challenge Cup, joined Toni Pressley as a center back.

“Amanda texted me and was just like, ‘Can you do it?’ Montefusco said about the change. “And I just said without a doubt and I know that she believes in me in every way and that belief gives me confidence. So I was excited to do it and it was a fun night.”

The Pride have been good in the first 15 minutes of games this season and got off to their best start in this one. In the third minute, Gunny Jonsdottir sent a low cross into the Angel City box. Goalkeeper DiDi Haracic mishandled the ball, allowing Leroux to get a chance at goal. While it appeared to be a tap-in, Angel City defender Morgan Reid got a piece of it before it went in, knocking it over the line.

“Last week was an eye opener for us,” Leroux said about the three late first half goals scored by Gotham FC last weekend. “Obviously, having three goals scored against us in the first 45 is a really big hill to climb so we wanted to come out very strong. And that’s exactly what we did.”

Despite Reid getting the last touch, the official scorer gave the goal to Leroux, as the shot was headed in even without hitting the defender. It was the third-fastest goal in Pride history — the team scored a pair of second-minute goals in 2018. It was also the fifth time that the Pride have scored within five minutes of the start of the game.

Angel City got its first chance of the game three minutes later. A Cari Roccaro header found Tyler Lussi inside the box. The midfielder attempted a first-touch flick, trying to beat Erin McLeod to her far post. However, the ball was just off target and the Pride survived a potential equalizer.

Leroux had her second chance of the game in the 16th minute. A dangerous run into the box saw her sprint past two Angel City defenders. It appeared as though she’d get a shot off, but she took too long, allowing Vanessa Gilles to come across and knock the ball out of play.

The ensuing corner went all the way across the box to Leroux at the back post. She quickly played a nice ball in for striker Leah Pruitt. Unfortunately, the header went just wide and the Pride missed their second great opportunity to double their lead.

Leroux nearly doubled the lead herself in the 20th minute. A good run by Darian Jenkins on the right saw the midfielder send a low ball through the legs of the defender to Leroux near the penalty spot. Having lost her defender, Leroux had an open chance on goal but sent the shot high.

It appeared as though the Pride had paid for their missed chances in the 27th minute. Savannah McCaskill’s flicked header sent Christen Press behind the Pride defense and the forward beat McLeod to the far post. However, the flag was up as Press was deemed to be just offside.

Back the other way, a turnover on the Angel City side of the field in the 40th minute resulted in a Pride break. Jenkins took control of the ball and darted up the right as two teammates ran alongside, waiting for a ball through. But Jenkins held onto it too long, allowing Roccaro to get back and win the ball off the Pride midfielder.

A minute later, Jun Endo sent Press through on goal. After being judged offside the first time, Press was onside this time. Toni Pressley attempted a slide tackle but Press evaded the challenge, creating a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper. McLeod was up to the challenge on the second attempt, closing down the attacker and making a huge save.

The final chance of the half was for Angel City and was a good one. The hosts’ corner kick went back to Endo who sent a quick pass to Lussi. The midfielder sent a high ball toward the back post where Gilles beat three Pride defenders to the ball. Fortunately, the header went high and the Pride were able to make it to the half with a 1-0 lead.

The Pride dominated the first half hour but the final 15 minutes were all Angel City. At the break, the Pride had more possession (53.6%-46.4%), shots (6-3), corners (6-2), crosses (16-6), and passes (168-152). However, the Pride only put one of their six shots on target, which is why it remained a one-goal game.

After controlling most of the first half, the Pride just tried to hold onto the lead in the second 45 minutes. As a result, Angel City had more possession and more chances in the second half. The first chance for the hosts came just two minutes into the half when Endo set up Press at the top of the box. The forward took a shot on goal but it was wide left of the target.

They had a second opportunity 10 minutes later when Press took another shot from distance. McLeod initially looked as though she would catch the rolling ball but it appeared to take a weird hop just before reaching her and bounced off the goalkeeper’s shoulder. However, it hit her hard enough that the Pride were able to clear it away.

A minute later, it was Lussi taking a shot from distance. While Angel City was taking multiple shots on target, all were long enough that they didn’t cause much trouble. The third shot of the half was right at McLeod and the Canadian easily collected it.

While Angel City had most of the second-half chances, the Pride did have some opportunities to double their lead. The first came in the 66th minute through Leroux. Pruitt found the midfielder to her left and Leroux beat former Pride player Jasmyne Spencer to get a shot on goal. Leroux tried to hit it above the hand of Haracic and beat the goalkeeper, but the ball glanced off the top of the crossbar and went out of play.

Five minutes later, poor play by the hosts gave Leroux another chance. After Haracic rolled the ball out for McCaskill, the usually dependable midfielder immediately lost it to Cluff. The rookie found Leroux entering the box, but Gilles came in to make another good block.

It looked like Angel City might finally convert in the 76th minute when Press sent a ball toward the far post between two Pride defenders. The U.S. international had McCaskill at the back post, but the ball was just a bit too high, going over her head and out of play.

The hosts had another great opportunity in the 90th minute when a quick one-two between Endo and McCaskill allowed the former to send a low cross to the near post. Endo’s ball found the foot of Lussi who redirected it on target, but McLeod made an excellent reaction save to keep the Pride’s 1-0 lead.

Angel City continued to pressure the Pride as the clock continued through injury time. The hosts had a late claim of handball in the box by Leroux but replays showed that it never hit the arm or hand of a defender. They eventually were able to clear and hold on for the 1-0 win.

While the Pride led most statistical categories at the half, Angel City’s second-half dominance resulted in the game being very even. The teams both had 10 shots and possession was 51.3% to 48.7% for the Pride. The Pride had more corners (8-6) and crosses (23-15). However, the Pride only put one shot on target while Angel City put four on frame.

“First win feels great,” Cromwell said after the game. “Starting the game like we did, scoring early, keeping the pressure on, almost getting another one, and creating corner kicks and just being dangerous in the attack. I thought our midfield played great with new players in there. With Megan playing as a six and Mikayla and Gunny in there. Their ball winning and their work rate was tremendous. Carrie played a new position at center back, the whole back line. Erin, I can talk about Syd, Darian, and Leah. Everyone had such an important role and they stepped up in a big way.”

“I think it was extremely important for us to come back and show what we’re capable of. And I think we showed that today,” Leroux added. “It was a tough 90 minutes and everyone came to play today. So I’m very happy for the team and I think we deserve that.”

“Amanda said at the end of the game we fought and we fought together. And the key word was together,” Montefusco also said about the game. “This team has it in them. And we always have. It’s just a matter of putting the pieces together. And tonight we showed that we could do that.”

With the team scoring three minutes into the game and missing several chances throughout the first 30 minutes, the final hour was primarily spent defending. Everyone tracking back into the box allowed the team to hold on for 87 minutes and claim the season’s first win.

“I think that’s a big reason why we won,” Leroux said about the defensive effort. “I mean, we track back..I think I was playing center back for the last 10 minutes but we’ll do whatever we need to do to put our team in the best position to win.”

“We knew we needed everyone and we needed everyone in the box fighting until the very last minute,” Montefusco said about the team defense. “We looked at the stats from when we were conceding in the last games and it happened to be the first five minutes or the last five minutes of a half. And we knew that going into this game, so we were constantly checking in with each other and making sure that everyone was fighting and everyone was getting back.”

The win is the first for Cromwell in her first season as an NWSL head coach. It also breaks a 12-game Orlando winless streak that dates back to Sept. 11, 2021, when the Pride beat Racing Louisville 3-1 at Exploria Stadium.

With their first win under their belts, the Pride will return to Exploria Stadium next weekend when they face the Kansas City Current.

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Orlando Pride vs. Denver Summit: Final Score 3-1 as 10-Player Pride Fall Again on Road

The Pride get swept by the 2026 NWSL expansion sides in one week with a lopsided loss in Denver.

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3 days ago

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May 16, 2026

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Image of Barbra Banda playing against Denver.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride lost to their second 2026 NWSL expansion team in less than a week, falling behind, seeing Angelina sent off, and getting outclassed by Denver Summit FC. The Summit (3-3-3, 12 points) were the aggressors, picking up their first-ever home win, 3-1, at the expense of the Pride (3-5-2, 11 points).

Orlando conceded another early goal, as Eva Gaetino put the Summit up early, with Janine Sonis doubling the lead in the 54th minute. Barbra Banda pulled one back for the Pride in the 76th minute, but the fragile Pride conceded a second to Sonis a minute later to spoil any comeback bid.

“I think right now we’re going through a really rough patch,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It’s always difficult away from home. Any opponent you play away from home, whether they’re at the bottom or at the top, it’s always a challenge.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse in Hines’ lineup was made up of Oihane, Hannah Anderson, Cori Dyke and Hailie Mace. Ally Lemos and Haley McCutcheon served as the defensive midfielders. Seven Castain, Summer Yates and Julie Doyle took up the attacking midfielder roles with Banda up top.

Other than a brief defensive highlight in the fifth minute—when Castain stole the ball and played it forward to Banda, who ultimately sent it over the endline—the Pride struggled in the first 10 minutes. The Summit maintained relentless pressure, which paid off in the 10th minute with a goal from Eva Gaetino.

The play began with a short corner from Ayo Oke, who delivered a precise ball into the box. Denver completely dominated the set play, beating Orlando players at every level. Melissa Kossler fought hard to head it toward goal near the right post, where Gaetino got the final touch and scored past Moorhouse to make it 1-0.

The Pride gradually regained their composure and began to grow into the match. Still, little in the way of a cohesive attack materialized over the next few minutes. In the 17th minute, Banda attempted a long-distance chip with Abby Smith off her line, after Mace won the ball just past the halfway line, but she sent her shot wide.

Denver responded with a long-range effort, which sailed just over the crossbar.

Oihane pushed forward in the 26th, finding Banda, who forced her way through the Denver defense and into the box, only for her shot to drift wide once more. Ally Lemos delivered a cross in the 28th minute, but it went straight to the Denver defense. She tried again a minute later, but this time she sent the ball over the end line for a Denver goal kick.

Orlando’s best chance of the half came when Banda charged down the right and into the box, sending a cutback that bounced around the penalty area. A Denver player fired it into Castain, and the ball nearly ricocheted into the goal, but it went harmlessly over the end line.

In the 39th minute, Banda met a free kick from distance with a powerful header, but again the effort was wide. Mace launched a long-shot lob into the box in the 40th, but Smith was equal to it, covering the ball the whole way.

Anderson nearly gifted Denver a goal in the 42nd with a soft header back to Moorhouse, allowing Yasmeen Ryan to slip past her and onto the ball, but Denver couldn’t capitalize.

The Summit led in all categories at the break, including possession (53%-47%), shots (11-3), shots on target (1-0), passing accuracy (87%-86%), and corners (3-1).

Hines made a triple substitution at halftime, bringing Angelina on for Yates, Nicole Payne on for Mace, and Marta on for Doyle.

Orlando started the second half with much more energy and purpose, delivering two threatening crosses within the first two minutes but the Pride were unfortunate not to convert either.

Early in the second half, Marta made herself known with some signature footwork just outside Denver’s 18-yard box, sending a through ball in for Castain, but Denver just managed to snuff out the chance.

The shift in energy was electric, with Orlando looking like a completely different team. However, an overzealous challenge in the box by Oihane handed Denver a penalty, completely changing the complexion of the game from that point forward. Sonis took the penalty, firing to the right and past Moorhouse, who guessed the wrong way, putting Denver up 2-0 in the 54th minute.

The Pride were fortunate not to go down 3-0 in the 56th minute, doing little to slow a Denver attack that allowed Kossler to get off a shot—though she put it wide. Then, Devin Lynch stole the ball from Marta, drove straight down the middle of the pitch, and sent a pass out left to Natalie Means, who fired at Moorhouse, forcing a save.

In the 60th minute, Banda managed a shot, but it didn’t trouble the Denver keeper.

Angelina pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair and was shown a red card for violent conduct. It appeared she was trying to grab Sheehan’s jersey and let go immediately, but after reviewing the video, the referee made the call, leaving the Pride with 10 players and leaving Angelina suspended for the San Diego game.

Simone Jackson subbed on for Castain in the 64th minute.

At this point, the Pride were firmly on the back foot, and even Marta struggled at times, losing the ball more than once in uncharacteristic fashion.

After the sending-off, the Pride shifted into a defensive posture and looked to counterattack.

Against the run of play, the Pride struck back in the 76th minute. Haley McCutcheon did well to steal the ball after a poor touch from Sheehan and fed a nice through ball for a charging Banda, who took a touch to throw off the keeper and fired past Smith to make it 2-1.

Denver struck right back in the 77th following a throw-in. The ball was back heeled to Ryan who passed to Natasha Flint. Payne parried Flint’s shot, but Sonis put away the rebound to restore the two-goal lead.

Kerry Abello subbed on, after a six-month absence, replacing a gassed Banda in the 78th minute.

“It’s been six months to the day since I’ve stepped on the pitch, and so it was definitely emotional, but I felt really good despite the breathing and the altitude,” Abello said. “I think coming on for your first minutes, you know, in Denver, a man down, goal down, is really challenging fitness-wise, but no, I feel really good, and I’m just excited to build on that.”

Denver nearly added another when Moorhouse bobbled a long-range shot from former Orlando Pride forward Ally Brazier (née Watt), but she managed to cover up the ball and keep the score at 3-1.

The Summitt put the ball in the net again in the 83rd minute, but the play was offside, letting the Pride off the hook.

In the 84th minute, Abello delivered a cross that sailed high over the 18-yard box and harmlessly into touch. About a minute later, she followed up with an acrobatic head-over-heels throw-in, which was flashy but ultimately resulted in nothing threatening for the Pride.

Denver kept pressing, with Ryan sending a shot straight at Moorhouse for an easy save in the 91st minute.

In the late stages, the Pride looked a bit gassed, seeing out the final minutes with nothing to show for their efforts on a tough night at high altitude against strong competition, including some familiar former Pride players.

In the end, the Summit held their lead in all categories, finishing with the advantage in possession (56%-44%), shots (23-9), shots on target (7-2), passing accuracy (90%-86%), and corners (3-1).

“We made some good adjustments at halftime, you know. I thought we started the second half really well,” Hines said. “The sending off changes the whole game and yeah, we were just battling to the end, obviously. We’ll analyze it and move on, you know. We’ve got to bounce back, show some resilience, and come back stronger against San Diego.”

“Credit to Denver, they came out there with lots of energy, with a full week to prepare, whereas ourselves, you know, we had the game on Tuesday against Boston, which was a game that went all the way to the end, and then today was another one, where it was a tough challenge,” Hines said.

The Pride travel to take on the San Diego Wave on Sunday, May 24.

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

The Pride travel to Colorado for the first time ever as they take on Denver Summit FC.

Published

4 days ago

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May 16, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-4-2, 11 points) continue their road trip in Colorado as they face Denver Summit FC (2-3-3, 9 points) on the road (8:45 p.m., Ion). This is the final game of the regular season between these two teams.

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

History

This is the inaugural season for Denver, so the first meeting this year in Orlando was the first-ever matchup between the two clubs, which are both 0-0-1 against the other. This is the first meeting in Denver. The visitors shocked the Pride, taking the lead in the first half through Melissa Kossler. Barbra Banda equalized in the second half, allowing the Pride to come away with a 1-1 draw.

Overview

The Pride are coming off their most disappointing loss in quite some time. Facing a Boston Legacy FC team that only had one win on the season — a 3-2 win over Denver Summit on May 3 — Orlando took the lead when Marta converted an early penalty. But goals by second-half substitutes Aleigh Gambone and Amanda Gutierres saw the Pride drop the 2-1 decision.

Since the Pride had played three days earlier — a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage — Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made multiple changes to the lineup. The most notable omissions from the lineup were Banda and Ally Lemos, who started on the bench and came on at halftime. Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle all started, but came off at halftime.

Banda is the league leader in goals through nine games with eight, three more than Ashley Sanchez. Unfortunately, she’s been one of the team’s few sources of offense this year. Haley McCutcheon is the only other player with multiple goals, a brace against Angel City on April 3.

Defensively, the team’s been strong except for a 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC and a 4-2 loss to the Washington Spirit in back-to-back games. Hines responded with a shift to the back line that resulted in a clean sheet against the Courage on May 8. The loss Tuesday night is the fourth time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this season.

Similarly to the Pride, Denver has struggled this season, claiming just two wins in its first eight games. However, one of those was away to the defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC and a 4-1 win in Houston on May 9, the Summit’s last game.

Unlike the Pride, Denver’s gotten offensive production from multiple players. Kossler and Natasha Flint each have four goals so far this year. They’re followed by Janine Sonis with two and Yazmeen Ryan with one goal. Ryan leads the team with three assists and Flint has two, the only players with multiple assists.

Denver’s total of 12 goals this year is only three behind the league-leading Spirit and Portland Thorns. The league newcomers have also been strong defensively with the exception of two games. They suffered back-to-back 3-2 losses to San Diego Wave FC on April 25 and Boston on May 3. Other than that, they’ve had three clean sheets and conceded once on two occasions.

The Pride will take the field without Kerry Abello (hip), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Rafaelle (head), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Zara Chavoshi (lower leg) is listed as questionable. Denver will be without Jasmine Ailey (knee) and Jordan Baggett (maternity leave), while Olivia Thomas (illness) is listed as questionable.

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Hannah Anderson, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Marta.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Denver Summit FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Abby Smith.

Defenders: Carson Pickett, Kaleigh Kurtz, Megan Reid, Janine Sonis.

Defensive Midfielders: Devin Lynch, Delanie Sheehan.

Attacking Midfielders: Yazmeen Ryan, Natasha Flint, Yuna McCormack.

Forward: Melissa Kossler.

Referees

REF: Cristian Campo Hernandez.
AR1: Matt Trotter.
AR2: Matthew Schwartz.
4TH: Patricia McCracken.
VAR: Corbyn May.
AVAR: Alicia Messer.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8:45 p.m.

Venue: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City, CO.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Final Score 2-1 as Pride Blow Second-Half Lead in Loss

The Pride fell to Boston Legacy FC in one of the most disappointing results in team history.

Published

1 week ago

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May 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (3-4-2, 11 points) fell to league bottom-dwellers Boston Legacy FC (2-5-2, 8 points) 2-1 tonight at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. Marta gave the Pride the lead from the spot in the 14th minute, but a 72nd-minute goal by Aleigh Gambone and an Amanda Gutierres penalty in stoppage time sealed Boston’s second win of the year. 

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that beat the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Friday night. Ally Lemos, Solai Washington, and Barbra Banda were replaced by Julie Doyle, Marta, and Simone Jackson.

“We put a lot into the last game against North Carolina. Some of the players had minor injuries,” Hines said about the changes. “Didn’t want to rule them out of this game, so had to rotate Barbra out of the lineup. Solai was forced with an injury. I thought Julie at the 10 did really well, running in behind, getting in some dangerous areas. SJ, getting her first start today, did well also.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Hailie Mace. Angelina and Haley McCutcheon were the defensive midfielders behind Doyle, Summer Yates, and Jackson with Marta up top.

On paper, this should’ve been a win for the Pride. They’ve been one of the top teams in the league the last three seasons and were playing an expansion side with only one win. But Boston was the better team throughout the 90 minutes. The Legacy controlled possession and chances, but some poor decision-making left little to do for Moorhouse.

Allowing the hosts to control the game came back to haunt the Pride as they conceded two goals in the final 20 minutes. They’ll feel aggrieved as Boston should’ve had a player sent off right before its first goal and a video review on the late penalty that the Pride weren’t provided. But it never should’ve come to that, even with the changes to the starting lineup.

The hosts had the first attack in the third minute when Oihane lost the ball to Nichelle Prince in her own third. Aissata Traore took possession and attempted to cross, but Angelina knocked it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was sent to the back post where Lais Araujo took the game’s first shot. However, it was blocked and the Pride were able to clear.

The Pride created their first attack in the fourth minute when a poor touch by Araujo allowed Yates to take control. She played Marta into the box, but Emerson Elgin did well to shield the attacker, allowing Casey Murphy to collect it.

Annie Karich tried to surprise Moorhouse in the 10th minute with the goalkeeper slightly off her line. The shot from well outside the box was on target and caused Moorhouse to tip it over the crossbar. The corner kick was headed away by McCutcheon, ending the threat.

Mace played the ball over the top on the right sideline in the 11th minute for Doyle. The midfielder played the ball through the legs of Araujo before firing on target, forcing Murphy to block the ball out of play.

As the ensuing set piece went into the box, Traore pushed Rafaelle over near the far post. While Murphy caught the ball, referee Ekaterina Koroleva blew her whistle and pointed to the spot.

Angelina and Marta stood at the penalty spot as the Boston players argued the decision. Unsurprisingly, it was Marta who took the spot kick. The Pride captain placed the ball under Murphy’s arm on a diving save attempt to give the Pride the early 1-0 lead.

Boston tried to beat Moorhouse from distance again in the 17th minute when Bianca St-Georges received a pass from Karich at the top of the box. The Canadian international’s second touch was a shot that was easily handled by Moorhouse.

Jackson played a beautiful ball down the right in the 25th minute for Doyle. The attacker got behind her defender and sent a cross toward the penalty spot where Yates was making a run. It looked like she might have a free shot on goal, but Jorelyn Carabali stuck her foot in to tap it away.

Boston quickly went the other way, earning a corner kick when St-Georges’ shot was blocked out of play. The ensuing set piece bounced around the box before Traore turned to shoot. However, her attempt was blocked and the Pride were able to clear.

Down a goal, Boston held the majority of possession, continuing to look for a breakthrough. However, nearly all of its chances came from low-percentage attempts from outside the box. Prince sent a shot from outside that sailed over the target, and Karich shot from even further out a minute later, which also went over everything.

Boston had one of itsr few close-range chances in the 34th minute when Carabali made a run to the top of the Pride box before finding Alba Cano making a diagonal run. The attacker turned to shoot, forcing Moorhouse to make a save.

Barbara Olivieri played the ball through Cano to Prince on the right side, creating one of Boston’s best chances of the half. Prince’s first touch was a ball to Olivieri, who continued her run into the box. The Venezuelan had space for a shot but sent her attempt over the top.

Boston had one last attack in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Olivieri made a strong run to the end line before her cross was blocked out of play by Mace. The corner kick to the near post was knocked down by Prince for Traore, whose shot was blocked into the side netting. Cano’s second corner kick skipped off the head of St-Georges, the last chance for either team.

After 45 minutes, Boston had the advantage in possession (61%-39%), shots (14-3), shots on target (3-2), crosses (17-3), corner kicks (6-2), and passing accuracy (80%-74%). But the penalty was the difference as the Pride took a one-goal lead into the break.

Hines made three changes at halftime. Banda, Lemos, and Hannah Anderson came on for Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle.

“Really, just stay with the game. Don’t, don’t overthink. Don’t overcomplicate,” Raabe said about the message to the substitutes. “Go in, do your thing, work with the team, work together.”

Rafaelle’s departure was due to a concussion, so the teams were given a sixth substitution.

Boston continued to hold possession, but it also continued to shoot from long range. In the 47th minute, Karich played the ball square for Olivieri. The Pride left the attacker alone, daring her to shoot from distance. Olivieri took the opportunity and put the shot on target, but it didn’t cause any trouble for Moorhouse.

Banda made her presence felt in the 48th minute when she shielded Araujo and drew a foul in the Boston third of the field. Lemos’ set piece was initially headed away by St-Georges, but it went to Banda, who turned to shoot. The attempt was off Doyle to McCutcheon, who sent a weak shot to Murphy.

While neither attempt caused any problems for Boston, they were the Pride’s first shots since Marta’s 14th-minute goal.

Jackson intercepted a poor pass in the 52nd minute and played it forward for Doyle. The attacker initially looked to lay the ball off before seeing Banda one-on-one with Araujo. The Zambian did well to shield the defender, forcing Elgin to leave Mace making a run from the back. Banda found her teammate with plenty of space for a shot, but the right back sent it wide of the target.

Hines made his fourth change in the 57th minute. Doyle, who was on a yellow card, came off for Luana.

Luana immediately made an impact, drawing a foul on Josefine Hasbo in the Boston third. Lemos sent the set piece into the box, finding the head of Banda. The striker tried to tuck the shot inside the far post but missed wide.

In the 62nd minute, Yates went down as Mace shielded Sammy Smith to earn a goal kick. As Yates limped off the field, she was replaced by Seven Castain.

The Pride should’ve been a player up in the 69th minute when Carabali went studs up over the ball on Banda. The forward went down and received attention, though she was able to continue. Koroleva didn’t even call a foul on a play that should’ve been a red card.

Hines made his final change of the night in the 71st minute, replacing Jackson with Reagan Raabe.

A minute later, Boston found its equalizer. A long ball into the Pride box was headed back nicely by Gutierres for Gambone making a trailing run. The second-half substitute struck the ball cleanly past Moorhouse to even the game at 1-1.

The Pride quickly went on the attack, nearly finding their second goal in the 74th minute. Castain sent a long ball down the field for Banda, who collected it in a seemingly innocuous position. But the striker cut back and fired for the far post. The ball took a deflection off a defender, likely keeping it from going in.

The ensuing set piece found Castain, who headed it wide.

In the 79th minute, Gutierres sent a long ball forward for Smith. But Oihane knocked it out for a corner kick. The corner kick by Gambone was to the top of the box where Gutierres was waiting. The attacker volleyed the ball just wide of the post, keeping the game even.

The Pride felt they should’ve had a second penalty in the 86th minute when Banda dribbled into the Boston box and sent a cross towards the penalty spot. The ball hit the arm of Karich as she attempted to tuck it behind her. Banda’s arm went up, but Koroleva decided Karich didn’t make herself bigger.

The fourth official showed five minutes of stoppage time and the Pride nearly found a winner in the third minute. Banda used her physicality to win a long ball that Elgin looked to have under control. She dribbled into the box before firing at the near post.

Murphy blocked the ball and it appeared to be heading out of play, but Raabe kept it in. She sent a very dangerous ball across the face of goal with Castain approaching it, but it was just beyond her reach.

Boston went to the other end and won a corner kick when Oihane cleared the ball over the end line. The ensuing set piece went beyond the far post where Karich collected it. The midfielder took a touch inside before firing on goal. Anderson blocked the attempt, though Moorhouse was in position to make the save.

The next time the ball went out of play, Koroleva signaled for a video review. The corner kick went off the hand of Luana, whose arms were above her head. As a result, Boston was awarded a penalty.

Gutierres stepped up to take the spot kick. The Brazilian sent Moorhouse the wrong way and tucked the ball into the corner to give the hosts a late 2-1 lead.

With only a minute added onto added time, the Pride were unable to create anything on the attacking end and came away with a devastating loss.

At full time, Boston had the edge in possession (62%-38%), shots (22-11), shots on target (7-4), crosses (31-8), corner kicks (11-4), and passing accuracy (79%-72%). The Pride defended for nearly the entire game, a strategy that came back to haunt them.

“Frustrated. Disappointed. Never like losing, especially in the manner that we lost the game,” Hines said. “It was a tough game, physical game, took the lead. Going into halftime, lots of positives. Trying to maintain that defensive structure, not give them too many opportunities. A lot of their opportunities in the first half came from distance. I felt in moments we could have been more threatening in transition, making sure that we have the willingness to run and support the attack. Obviously had to make some changes at halftime that were forced on us. And then, obviously, overall, we’re not happy with the defeat.”

The biggest surprise about this game was how much Boston controlled it. The hosts were the aggressors throughout the game, putting the Pride on their heels. Chances for the visitors were few and far between, even in the second half when they brought on Banda.

“We knew what we were going into. We knew that they were aggressive. We knew that they, at times, want to press individually,” Hines said about the gameplan. “So how do you create that space when the team is so aggressive in those moments? You have to pull them out of positions and then exploit the space that they’ve left in behind. And I think that’s where we had a lot of joy in the first half, with Marta as the nine dropping down and Julie as the 10 running in behind. I would have liked to see that a little bit more with other players, other than Julie running in behind as well.”

The loss sees the Pride tied with Seattle Reign FC on 11 points for the eighth and final playoff spot after nine games. It’s a crowded group as the Houston Dash and Bay FC are one point behind and one point behind the Kansas City Current.

The Pride will have to shake this loss off as they stay out on the road against expansion sides, facing Denver Summit FC in Colorado Saturday night.

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