Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 4-2 as the Pride End a Busy Week With Defeat

The Orlando Pride (2-2-1, 7 points) were dominated by the Chicago Red Stars (2-1-0, 6 points), falling 4-2 at Exploria Stadium. The Pride didn’t get their first shot until the 61st minute, at which point they were trailing 2-0. A late flurry saw three goals and two penalty saves in six minutes before the game ended.
Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell displayed a much different team tonight compared to the one that played Wednesday night against the North Carolina Courage. The Courage were missing several key players due to COVID protocol, which allowed the Pride to come away with a 2-1 win earlier this week. Tonight, the team was similar to the one that beat Angel City FC and drew the Kansas City Current last weekend. The only difference was that Viviana Villacorta returned to the lineup, replacing Mikayla Cluff.
Your Starting XI for today's matchup ✨@orlandohealth | #ORLvCHI pic.twitter.com/IgLKDWDMMk
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) May 22, 2022
After claiming an unlikely point in North Carolina, the Pride were expected to have a great showing in front of their home crowd. But they were flat from the jump and were never a threat in the game, even when they scored two late goals.
“I think there’s some chemistry issues with the lineup,” Cromwell said after the game. “Actually, Michelle Akers turned to me right before the game and was like ‘I really liked this lineup.’ But it didn’t come to fruition. So I think we had a look at some of the partnerships and why they don’t work. Because clearly there was a partnership that didn’t work.”
Despite deploying a more experienced lineup, the Pride found themselves defending from the start. The game’s first attempt came in the second minute when a giveaway by Megan Montefusco allowed Yuki Nagasato to send Ava Cook into the box with a chip. The forward had the time to get a shot on goal, but it was well off target.
While Chicago played with high pressure early in the game, it was the poor passing by the Pride that created the most trouble. Rather than sending balls into spaces where a teammate could reach it, most balls went directly to the opposition. It was a problem that plagued the team all night.
After failing to convert on their first chance, the visitors opened the scoring in the 11th minute. For the second time, Chicago got behind the Pride defense as Zoe Morse played a through ball for Vanessa DiBernardo. The Red Stars captain played Sarah Griffith into the box right in front of goal. Carrie Lawrence blocked the initial shot, but it went right back to the midfielder and she put it in, giving the Red Stars the early lead.
.@SarahGriffithh gets Chicago on the board!@chicagoredstars | #MKOT pic.twitter.com/ETUXU57z5f
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 22, 2022
Griffith got behind the Pride defense again in the 16th minute, sent through by Danielle Colaprico. She had a decent angle to shoot on Erin McLeod, but the shot wasn’t taken very well and she sent the ball well wide of the far post.
In the 22nd minute, Sydney Leroux turned the ball over on her own side of the field, resulting in a break by Chicago. Griffith’s shot from outside the box was on target, but McLeod did well to block it over the crossbar for a corner kick.
Former Pride forward Rachel Hill got in on the action for Chicago in the 25th minute, taking a shot from just outside the box. However, Lawrence was there again to make the block.
A minute later, DiBernardo took a shot that was blocked before regaining control of the ball and heading towards the end line. As a result, the midfielder’s second shot was from a very difficult angle and McLeod made the relatively easy save.
The Pride finally got a chance in the 29th minute when Courtney Petersen received the ball on the left and sent in a low cross. She had teammates in the box, but the cross wasn’t hit well and went straight to Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Leroux and Jenkins also had crosses in the 37th and 38th minutes, but both were easily cleared away.
A poor clearance by Celia just outside the box in the 42nd minute traveled into the middle of the field and Griffith took over directly in front of goal. Fortunately, Lawrence was there again to make a good challenge and Griffith was unable to get a shot off.
It was a dominant first-half performance by the Red Stars. At the break, they had more shots (7-0), shots on target (3-0), corners (1-0), passes (303-219), and better passing accuracy (85.8%-78.5%). The only stat led by the Pride were crosses (5-4) and duels won (20-19).
“The possession to me was the number one thing that caused the chaos in the first half,” Cromwell said after the game. “But I thought we were lucky to get out of there. One nil, I mean, right off the bat. I think they had a chance in the first five minutes.”
“I feel like we did come out a little slow,” forward Leah Pruitt added. “I don’t know if it’s like a lack of chemistry, because I think we all wanted to work for each other.”
Chicago started the second half where they left off the first, dominating possession and the chances. In the 53rd minute, halftime substitute Mallory Pugh dribbled through the Pride back line, finding enough space for a shot on goal. McLeod blocked the shot away, but it was right at Hill, who fired from close range and hit the post.
Just a minute later, the visitors did get their second goal. Bianca St. Georges was left with plenty of space on the right side of the Pride box and Pugh fed her the ball. The right back quickly shot on goal with no defenders near her, beating McLeod to her far post from a narrow angle.
.@biancastgeorges 2nd of the year gives Chicago a ✌️ goal lead!@chicagoredstars | #MKOT pic.twitter.com/LrgM1qeXXx
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 23, 2022
It took 61 minutes before the Pride were finally able to get a shot off. Pruitt had space from long distance and decided to take a shot on goal. The shot wasn’t very close to the target, sailing well to the left, but it was the first attempt of the game for the home team.
The Red Stars got their third goal in the 64th minute. It started from an innocuous situation, with Amy Turner playing the ball out of the back. However, like many of the Pride’s passes in this game, the ball went straight to a Red Star. Pugh tipped the pass to Cook, who immediately gave it right back to her. Pugh’s accurate shot beat McLeod, making it 3-0 Chicago.
.@MalPugh gets in on the fun!@chicagoredstars | #MKOT pic.twitter.com/PQ7DEZQuSX
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 23, 2022
Pugh nearly scored another goal in the 69th minute. She found some space to the left of goal and fired on target, but McLeod did well to tip it over the crossbar.
It appeared as though the Pride might get one back in the 81st minute when Amanda Kowalski pulled Leroux down as she entered the box. The referee pointed to the spot and the Pride had the game’s first penalty.
Leroux stepped up to take the kick herself and appeared confident in her approach. However, it was a poorly taken penalty and didn’t take much for Naeher to make the stop. The goalkeeper guessed the right way and was able to block the kick with her leg, keeping the three-goal advantage.
The Pride were able to get one back two minutes later when Morse fouled Leroux just outside the box. Petersen stepped up to take the kick, sending it toward the far post. Turner was first to get her head to the ball, putting it past Naeher and making it 3-1.
Set piece perfection from @ORLPride 😍@amy_turner4 | #PrideOfOrlando pic.twitter.com/zM5dkgZF0U
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 23, 2022
The comeback didn’t last long as the Red Stars got their own penalty in the 85th minute. Receiving the ball in the box. Ella Stevens got behind the Pride defense and Petersen tripped her up near the corner of the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Chicago was issued a spot kick.
Pugh stepped up to the spot to take the kick. It was down the middle, allowing McLeod to block it away. Unfortunately, the ball went right back to Pugh, who quickly closed in and put it past her for her second goal of the game.
.@MalPugh will not be denied 👊@chicagoredstars | #MKOT pic.twitter.com/EY6qW4s3N4
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 23, 2022
The wild sequence of events continued two minutes later when the Pride got its second goal. Abi Kim dribbled into the box near the end line, finding Pruitt between two defenders. The forward had a tough angle, but beat Naeher for her first Pride goal to cut the deficit to two.
IT'S RAINING GOALS IN ORLANDO @leahpruitt44 | #PrideOfOrlando pic.twitter.com/e6xzL3d0Un
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 23, 2022
“I’m a forward so I really want to score goals,” Pruitt said about the goal. “So it was nice to get my first one under my belt and hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”
The Pride continued to press in an attempt to score another goal before full time, but the attempted comeback was too late. That would be the last of the scoring as the Pride fell 4-2.
In the end, it was a dominant performance by the Red Stars. They had more possession (55.9%-44.1%), shots (14-5), shots on goal (9-3), corners (3-0), passes (492-376), and better passing accuracy (84.6%-78.2%). The Pride only ended the game with more crosses (11-8).
“Our passing percentage was poor, our pressure covered defense was poor, our ability to track. Obviously we had tired legs. We had three games this week, they did not, but there’s still no excuse for that at halftime,” Cromwell said after the game. “We rested players so we would be ready for this game. We had multiple players get minutes on the Wednesday game so the lack of energy is inexcusable.”
“We were watching the first 20 minutes and we’re like what is going on?” she continued. “It wasn’t even that we were under that much pressure. Some of the balls we were giving away. There was lack of movement for each other. It was very stagnant, very predictable, in the play. So it wasn’t just the player on the ball that was having an issue. I think our movement off the ball was poor. We didn’t work for each other, which is what we’ve been doing. The last three games we’ve been working really hard for each other. So that was lacking.”
“Tonight, we were really spread,” Montefusco added. “We didn’t have enough numbers around the ball defensively and offensively. So I think that it starts there. We need to work together. We can’t do this all individually and I think we kind of had some individual performances tonight and you can’t win in this league with just one or two people. You got to have numbers around the ball at all times.”
The Pride will now have to put this tough loss behind them and bounce back quickly. After playing three games in nine days, the team will have a short week as they host the Washington Spirit Friday night at Exploria Stadium. Cromwell says fans can expect a different lineup than the one that started tonight.
“We have to play a lot better for Friday, that’s for sure,” Cromwell said. “And the lineup will look different for sure.”
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Midfielder Haley McCutcheon to New Contract
The midfielder extends her stay in the City Beautiful with a new deal through 2028.

Orlando Pride veteran midfielder Haley McCutcheon extended her stay in Central Florida after agreeing to a new contract through the 2028 season. The club officially announced the new deal this afternoon.
The 29-year-old native of Overland Park, KS joined the Pride on Aug. 18, 2022 in a trade with the Houston Dash in exchange for $75,000 in Allocation Money and a 2023 second-round draft pick the Pride had acquired from OL Reign. She was still known as Haley Hanson at the time. Since then, McCutcheon has become a mainstay in the Pride lineup — first as a right back before moving to the defensive midfield in recent seasons. She helped the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024.
Two months after her arrival, McCutcheon signed a new contract through the 2024 season. The University of Nebraska product signed a new three-year contract through the 2026 season on Dec. 20, 2023. As has become customary for the Pride, the club has locked her down well before her current contract was set to expire.
“Haley’s leadership on the pitch, her versatility in multiple positions, and her unwavering commitment to our community make her an invaluable part of our foundation,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her clutch performances in our 2024 playoff run, including crucial goals against Chicago and Kansas City, demonstrated why she’s such a vital piece of our championship culture. This extension reflects our commitment to retaining the core players who helped bring the NWSL Shield and championship to Orlando, and we’re excited to continue building on that success with Haley leading the way.”
McCutcheon has appeared in 73 matches across all competitions in her time with the Pride, logging five goals and one assist in her time in purple. Two of those goals and her assist have come during the 2025 season, in which she has appeared in all 13 matches (12 starts), playing 1,059 minutes and recording 17 tackles, a 68% tackle success rate, and nine interceptions.
After her arrival in 2022, The Mane Land staff gave the defender/midfielder a composite grade of 5 out of 10, although she had only appeared in six matches and started four, playing 373 minutes without a goal contribution. That rating improved to a 6 after a 2023 season that saw her start all 22 matches in the regular season, subbing off only twice and playing 1,955 minutes. She scored her first goal with the Pride that season in a win over the San Diego Wave in April and appeared in her 100th NWSL match in Orlando’s 3-0 road win over the Washington Spirit on July 1, 2023. She again improved her performance in 2024, receiving a 6.5 from our staff for a steady season that saw her appear in 22 matches (18 starts), playing 1,700 minutes without a goal contribution in the regular season. However, she shone in the postseason, starting all three games and playing all 270 minutes, scoring two vital goals to help the Pride navigate through Chicago, Kansas City, and Washington en route to the NWSL Championship.
The Houston Dash selected McCutcheon seventh overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft. She is approaching 200 career NWSL appearances — currently sitting on 173 — scoring six times and adding four assists. She was a part of the Dash side that won the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
McCutcheon was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree during her time at Nebraska, where she played in 75 games, scored 19 goals, and chipped in seven assists.
What It Means for Orlando
By retaining McCutcheon through 2028, the Pride have solidified a central midfield slot for the next three seasons. McCutcheon will turn 30 in February, so she will be 32 when this deal expires. Her play is important, but her leadership is equally valuable to the Pride. McCutcheon’s clutch play and experience are important to have on the roster. She’s also versatile enough to fill in at multiple spots.
This is probably the first of many announcements the Pride will make in the coming weeks and months. Without games to focus on for several weeks during the NWSL break, the club can spend time assessing future roster needs and addressing them without distracting players from upcoming matches. By our unofficial count, there are nine Pride players who are on contracts that expire at the end of 2025 and four more who have option years for 2026 as part of their deals.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Must Improve Attack During Summer Break
The Pride have been great defensively but struggled offensively this season. That must change.

The Orlando Pride got the 2025 season off to a flying start. But, while the defense has largely been great, the team has struggled in the attack. It’s something that must be fixed during the summer break if the Pride hope to repeat as NWSL champions.
The Pride started the season about as strong as you could hope. It began with a 6-0 thumping of the Chicago Stars, followed by wins over NJ/NY Gotham FC and San Diego Wave FC, two of the best teams in the league. The Pride outscored their competition 10-1 in those first three games, netting multiple goals in each.
However, things have gone downhill on the attacking side since then. Only twice in the last 10 games have the Pride scored multiple goals — a 3-2 comeback win over Angel City FC on April 25 and a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals on May 23.
The attack has largely been placed on the foot of striker Barbra Banda, who has eight goals this season. However, five of those eight goals were in two games — a brace against Chicago and a hat trick against Utah.
Marta is second on the team this season with three goals, with her last coming in the April win over Angel City. Since that game, only three players have scored. Adding to Banda’s four goals, Prisca Chilufya and Cori Dyke have netted one each — their only goals of the season.
A big problem for the Pride this year has been support up top for the star striker. Too often Banda ends up alone in the opposing third surrounded by defenders. The Zambian does her best to create space, but usually slams a shot into a defender or takes an off-balance attempt that sails wide and high of the goal.
Making this situation more confounding is that the Pride often have the fastest player in the league on the field. Ally Watt can outrun any player in the NWSL, including Banda. But the team-wide defense often sees the speedster defending in her own box. It’s something Pride Head Coach Seb Hines prioitizes.
Defending as a team has been a focal point since Hines took over partway through the 2022 season. It’s been successful, as the Pride have built a reputation as one of the best defensive squads in the league. They conceded a league-fewest 20 goals last year and lead the league again this season with just 10 allowed.
While putting numbers behind the ball keeps the opposition from scoring, it hurts the team going forward. The Pride has a tendency to take the route one appraoch of sending Banda into the opposing half. But since everyone else is behind the ball defensively, nobody is supporting the striker, leaving her to take on the entire opposing defense on her own.
As the Pride enter the lengthy summer break, the task for Hines and Haley Carter is clear. The duo must find a way to improve the number of goals scored.
One option is to change the attacking strategy. Turning Watt from essentially a midfielder into a strike partner and keeping her further upfield will provide some help for Banda. Since Banda likes to attack the opposition on her own, they can also push the striker to use her support when it arrives.
Another option is to change the typical starting lineup. Hines has turned Angelina from a defensive midfielder into an attacking midfielder this season — a position she can, and has played, but not necessarily her best role. While the Brazilian has played well, she doesn’t have the pace of Julie Doyle.
Doyle and Watt have flanked Marta in the attacking midfield before, causing problems for defensive back lines. The duo are the two of the fastest players on the team and could provide more support for Banda.
Doyle has been working back to form after returning from a knee injury suffered on March 14. The attacker has been on and off the availability report, listed as questionable Friday night in Louisville. But the extended break could see her ready for action when the season reconvenes.
Regardless of their decision, something has to change for the Pride in the second half of the season. The defense will likely contnue to be among the best, but you can’t expect the team to keep opponents to one goal or fewer every game.
If the Pride can find a way to score goals, they have a great opportunity to catch the Kansas City Current for the NWSL Shield and compete for a second consecutive league title. Whether that happens may depend on if the team can fix its offensive woes.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Final Score 2-0 as Pride Still Can’t Win in Kentucky
The Pride lacked quality but not effort in a frustrating 2-0 road loss at Louisville.

The Orlando Pride were looking to end the first half of the season on a high note, but ended up doing just the opposite in a forgettable performance at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville. Orlando (8-4-1, 25 points) continued to waste scoring opportunities, but instead of playing the stalwart defense of the last couple of games, the Pride also failed to mark at the back post on a set piece and conceded an unnecessary penalty to gift the hosts a two-goal advantage in a 2-0 loss to Racing Louisville (6-5-2, 20 points).
Center back Arin Wright scored her first goal of the season and Taylor Flint added a penalty kick goal for Racing. The Pride dropped to 0-4-1 at Louisville since the series began and fell eight points adrift of first-place Kansas City, although the focus for now should perhaps be on finding their offense rather than catching the Current.
“Obviously disappointed with the result,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It’s come down to two set pieces.”
Hines’ starting lineup included goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse behind a back line of Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Ohihane. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were the central midfielders with Summer Yates and Ally Watt outside and Marta and Barbra Banda up top.
Louisville came out pressing high and pinning Orlando back in its own end. The Pride eventually settled into the game, worked hard and seized the advantage in terms of possession and chances. However, they were wasteful with their few clear-cut opportunities, and rather than build an early lead, Orlando ended up gifting Racing an early advantage and had to play catch-up — something the Pride simply couldn’t do on this night.
Marta was called for an early foul that she knew little about, jumping up between two defenders. Ary Borges backed into her space, and there was contact, with Marta getting saddled with the foul. Sarah Weber got her head to the cross on the free kick, sending it just inches over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net in the fourth minute.
Orlando’s first shot came in the seventh minute after the Pride broke Racing’s pressure. The ball found Banda, who cut inside from left to right and fired from the top of the box. The Zambian international left her shot too close to goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, who got down and made the save.
The Pride suffered a blow moments later as Oihane went down without contact trying to keep a ball in play at the sideline. She was clearly in a lot of pain and had to be subbed off. While waiting for the sub, the game played on with Orlando using just 10 players.
Racing kept the pressure on and that resulted in shots from distance as the Pride left too much space just outside the area. Taylor Flint had a go from 30 yards out but sent her rising effort over the bar in the 11th minute. A minute later, Savannah DeMelo sent a shot from the top of the area over the goal.
Hines was finally able to send Kerry Abello on in the 13th minute, slotting her in on the left and moving Dyke to right back.
McCutcheon’s foul near the left corner of the box just past the quarter-hour mark gave Louisville a dangerous set piece shortly after the substitutions. DeMelo fired the free kick on target, and Moorhouse caught it and then got bundled over by Ary Borges who was pressed from behind by Sams.
Orlando started to settle into the game a bit after that, but did not execute well in the attack. Banda allowed Ellie Jean to knock the ball away from her in the box in the 17th minute. Moments later, Marta’s set piece delivery into the box from near the right corner of the penalty area was too low and easily cleared.
The Pride started winning corners but took all of them short, possibly to avoid Racing’s height, but they created nothing with the opportunities except a few long-range shots. On the first, Yates was knocked down in the box in the 23rd minute after getting to the end line, but the referee ruled it was a fair challenge.
Orlando should have scored in the 28th minute. Watt put in a fantastic cross to a wide-open Yates at the back post. With plenty of open net to shoot at, Yates pushed her free header wide of the left post, wasting a sitter.
“I mean, goals change games,” Hines said. “We had a chance just before their set piece (goal) where the ball gets to Ally (Watt), she takes on Courtney Petersen, puts in a really good cross. And (Yates) gets her head on it, but it wasn’t on target. And I think if that had gone in, it might have changed the trajectory of the game. You know, you’re then asking Louisville to be even more aggressive. There’s more space for us to manipulate.”
A minute later, the game turned in Louisville’s favor. Banda was too indecisive after receiving the ball in the attacking third. Leaving the ball at her feet and trying to head fake, Racing easily dispossessed the forward and broke in transition, winning a corner at the other end. Louisville paid off the set piece when Orlando left two players completely unmarked at the back post. Unlike Yates earlier, Wright got her head on the ball and didn’t miss the net, putting the hosts up 1-0 in the 30th minute. Former Pride fullback Courtney Petersen got the assist for her delivery.
Angelina fired from outside the box on a couple of short corners but the first, which may have been a back-post pass to Nadaner, went wide and out of play in the 34th minute.
Orlando again should have scored in the 35th minute. Watt did well to steal the ball in the attacking third and immediately played it to Banda. The goalkeeper was caught out, but Banda was deliberate in lining up her shot. Once she did, she missed the net entirely.
Watt had a chance to cross into the box in the 38th minute but sent her service right at Bloomer. Angelina fired a good effort from distance in the 40th minute. The dipping shot was on target but Bloomer was able to knock it out for a corner. Orlando played it short again and Angelina fired from distance only to see it deflect out off a defender. The Brazilian then ended up with yet another shot from range on the next corner, but sent it right at Bloomer.
Banda had a chance to play Marta in alone in the first minute of stoppage time, but she didn’t get enough on the pass. Flint was able to close down and knock it out for another corner. Nothing came of that one either, and moments later the half was over with the Pride staring up at a 1-0 deficit in a game they probably should have led.
The Pride finished the first half with the advantage in possession (57%-43%), shots (9-7), shots on target (4-2), corners (6-1), and passing accuracy (82%-79%). But the wasted opportunities and moment of inattentive set piece defending had the hosts out front at the break.
Hines made his second change at the half, sending Carson Pickett on for Yates. After the match, Hines said Yates hadn’t been feeling well and needed to come off, so she became the second unexpected substitution of the match.
“It kind of disrupted the momentum that we had in the first half going into the second half,” Hines said of sacrificing Oihane and Yates. “But we have good players who can adapt, and so I thought we still put them under pressure going to the second half, playing through the press.”
Louisville started the second half much like the first — as the aggressor. Emma Sears blasted wide just after the restart. On the ensuing goal kick, Orlando quickly turned it over and Borges ended up in alone on goal with the ball. With just Moorhouse to beat, the Brazilian smashed the ball off the right post, wasting an opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 49th minute.
Orlando’s first attack of the second half came in the 50th minute and it quickly broke down. Banda tried to find Pickett as she approached the box, but she made a mess of the pass and the defense cleared. The ball went to Marta at the top of the area, and the Pride captain saw her shot blocked. The rebound found Banda, who send a soft shot straight at Bloomer.
“I just think at this moment in time, everyone’s kind of adapted to us,” Hines said. “We’re getting into really good, promising positions, and we just need to execute in that last final part.”
Wright did well to keep a cross from reaching McCutcheon at the back post in the 53rd minute. Both players needed treatment after a clash of heads and were off the pitch for a few minutes.
Sears nearly made it 2-0 in the 61st minute, losing Dyke in the corner, cutting inside and must missing the far post by about a yard.
Louisville put the game away a few minutes later. On a routine throw-in, Sams was positioned well behind Weber just inside the box near the right sideline. Rather than hold her position, she tried to muscle her way around the Louisville forward, pulling her down. The referee pointed to the spot immediately.
Former Pride midfielder Flint took the spot kick. Moorhouse guessed correctly, but Flint placed the shot well to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute.
Shortly after the second goal, Hines pulled Marta, McCutcheon, and Dyke, subbing on Morgan Gautrat, Ally Lemos, and Simone Jackson, who made her NWSL debut. Those three were not likely to provide the missing piece of the attack, and they didn’t, as Orlando continued to struggle in the offensive third.
Banda put a shot on frame from a tight angle on the right in the 78th minute, but it was a comfortable save for Bloomer. The ball fell in the box near the end line where Wright was prone. Banda ran in to try to win it, but Wright wisely knocked it out off the Zambian for a goal kick.
Weber nearly made it 3-0 on another Louisville corner kick opportunity in the 80th minute. This one was slightly more contested than Wright’s and Weber put her shot wide.
Down the stretch, Orlando wasted a couple more short corners and simply couldn’t find any lethality. Banda missed the net four times in the game’s final minutes on what was an apparently frustrating night for the Golden Boot contender.
Orlando’s statistical advantage was not reflective of the final score. The Pride finished with the edge in possession (64%-36%), shots (16-14), shots on target (7-3), corners (11-3), and passing accuracy (82%-74%).
“I learned that nothing’s given, no matter what rank you are as a team,” Jackson said after making her pro debut. “So, it’s like everyone is coming after you. You have a target on your back when you wear this badge. So, I think it was wake-up call for a lot of us, and I think that I’m excited for the second half of this season.”
The Pride have a long break to stew in this performance, as the NWSL schedule won’t resume for several weeks. Orlando’s next NWSL is Aug. 3, when the Utah Royals visit Inter&Co Stadium.
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