Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
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Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-5-6, 15 points) travel west to take on San Diego Wave FC (7-4-4, 25 points) for the first time. It’s the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with the return game in Orlando taking place on Sept. 25, the penultimate game of the season.
Here’s all you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
San Diego joined Angel City FC this season as the newest NWSL expansion sides, expanding the league’s footprint in the western part of the country. While the teams have yet to play each other, the Pride have some history with multiple players. Similar to Angel City, San Diego took advantage of the Pride’s current rebuild, picking up four players that were on the team last season. The Wave currently have Taylor Kornieck, Alex Morgan, Jodie Taylor, and Emily van Egmond on their roster, all acquired from the Pride through trades.
Overview
The Pride enter this game on a five-game unbeaten run (1-0-4) under Interim Head Coach Seb Hines. The streak dates back to the team’s 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville in Daytona on July 3.
The team most recently took the field last weekend at Exploria Stadium against Angel City FC. The Pride went behind twice in that game, first through an Ali Riley wonderstrike in the 40th minute and then through a Cari Roccaro goal in the 72nd minute. However, they responded both times. Julie Doyle opened the Pride’s scoring in the 64th minute and a Paige Nielsen own goal in the 90th minute resulted in a 2-2 draw.
While they’ve only come away with draws, the Pride are coming off two games they should’ve won. On July 31, they took a 2-0 lead in Kansas City against the Current through a Celia goal in the first half and a Doyle goal just after halftime. However, the hosts scored twice in the second half for the Pride’s second 2-2 draw in four games.
It was a different story against Angel City as the Pride were the better team. The attack down the left with Kylie Strom and Kerry Abello created problems for the visitors all night, resulting in the Pride leading nearly every statistical category. Better finishing by Erika Tymrak, who had two golden chances, or Darian Jenkins, who missed a sitter from right in front of goal, likely would’ve seen the Pride take all three points in a crucial match-up.
It will be interesting to see what Hines does with the striker position to start this game. The typical starter has been Jenkins, but she has been unable to find the net recently. Meanwhile, rookie Doyle has been terrific in the last two games, scoring a goal in each. After starting in Kansas City, Doyle provided a second-half spark against Angel City, scoring a goal on a play that she started.
San Diego has had an outstanding inaugural NWSL season, currently sitting second in the standings — just three points behind the Portland Thorns. The team has only had one long unbeaten run this season, which lasted for five games, but has yet to lose consecutive games. This fact is notable as the team is coming off a 2-1 loss at home to the Current last weekend.
Unsurprisingly, San Diego is led by former Pride star Morgan. The USWNT striker has a team- and league-leading 11 goals this season — nine more than the second most scored for the Wave.
While San Diego is fourth in the league in goals scored, with 21, they’ve been the best defensive team in the NWSL this season, conceding just 13 goals. Starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who the Wave picked up from Gotham FC during the off-season, has recorded five clean sheets in 12 games this season.
“(San Diego) are a team on form,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “Last game they didn’t win, but they are at the top of the table and going to be difficult to play against away from home. We have some good momentum and we have been playing some really good football and we have to continue that into the next game.”
While Marta (knee) and Parker Roberts (foot) remain out for tonight’s game, Gunny Jonsdottir and Leah Pruitt are off the injury report. Additionally, Megan Montefusco is available after serving her suspension for yellow card accumulation. However, Carrie Lawrence (concussion protocol) and Abi Kim (concussion protocol) are out.
San Diego only has two players missing tonight. Mia Gyau (foot) is out injured and Jaedyn Shaw (United States) is at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Erin McLeod.
Defenders: Celia, Megan Montefusco, Toni Pressley, Kylie Strom.
Defensive Midfielders: Meggie Dougherty Howard, Jordyn Listro.
Midfielders: Erika Tymrak, Viviana Villacorta, Kerry Abello.
Forwards: Julie Doyle.
Bench: Anna Moorhouse, Thais Reiss, Haley Bugeja, Courtney Petersen, Mikayla Cluff, Darian Jenkins, Caitlin Cosme, Leah Pruitt, Gunny Jonsdottir.
San Diego Wave FC (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan.
Defenders: Kristen McNabb, Naomi Girma, Kaleigh Riehl, Christen Westphal.
Midfielders: Taylor Kornieck, Emily van Egmond, Katie Johnson.
Forwards: Kelsey Turnbow, Alex Morgan, Amirah Ali.
Bench: Sofia Jakobsson, Belle Briede, Marleen Schimmer, Makenzy Doniak, Abby Dahlkemper, Taylor Hansen, Jodie Taylor, Madison Pogarch, Carly Telford.
Referees
REF: Adorae Monroy.
AR1: Stephen McGonagle.
AR2: Fernando Fierro.
4TH: Patricia McCracken.
How to Watch
Match Time: 10:30 p.m. ET.
Venue: Torero Stadium — San Diego, CA.
TV: None.
Streaming: Paramount+ (USA), Twitch (International).
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheMandLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).
Enjoy the match. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Goalkeeper McKinley Crone to New Contract
The Pride have signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone through 2026.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JRPRIDE130242055-scaled.jpg)
The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone to a new contract. The deal runs through the 2026 NWSL season.
“Mac has played an important role in our goalkeeping corps, continuing to push our group each day while investing in herself both on and off the pitch,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We are very excited for her to continue her career with us here in Orlando, where we can continue to support her development as a player. We believe she can become a competitive goalkeeper in this league, and we look forward to providing her with the resources and environment to reach her potential.”
Crone went undrafted in 2023 before joining the Pride as a non-roster invitee during preseason. The Maitland native continued with the Pride as a training player and was awarded with a National Team Replacement Player contract on June 27, 2023 when Marta and Adriana departed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 25-year-old signed a second National Team Replacement Player contract and was signed for the remainder of the season on Sept. 13, 2023.
Her play in training and during her call-ups earned Crone a NWSL contract for the 2024 season. She only made the team sheet once in 2023, but became the regular backup this year. Anna Moorhouse was called up to the England National Team when the NWSL went on break for the Olympics, opening a spot for Crone. She made her professional debut in a 1-1 draw with the North Carolina Courage on July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The young goalkeeper made five saves on six shots while conceding once and helping the Pride maintain their unbeaten record this year in all competitions.
“To be staying here in Orlando, the place I grew up, means everything to me. Being given the chance to represent this city as well as this club has been a huge honor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue living out my dream,” Crone said in a club press release. “What we are building here is really special and I can’t wait to continue to be a part of it for years to come. This club and this city mean so much to me and I will do everything I can to help bring championships to the City Beautiful. Roll Pride!”
Prior to joining the Pride, Crone played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama. Her final three seasons for the Crimson Tide saw her make 66 starts, play 9,519.77 minutes, and concede 70 goals while making 229 saves. She had a goals-against average of 1.10 and saved 76.6% of the shots she faced. She finished her collegiate career with Alabama’s record for single-season wins (10), career shutouts (23), and career wins (41).
What This Means for Orlando
Crone has worked her way from a non-roster invitee last preseason to the team’s primary backup. When the club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner during the off-season, it was expected the newcomer would be behind Moorhouse. However, Crone has been on the team sheet for every game this season, while Manner only appeared during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
During the summer break tournament, Crone’s five saves topped the Pride’s goalkeeping group, which saw Crone, Manner, and Moorhouse start one game each. In addition to equaling Moorhouse with a team-best one goal conceded, she saved two penalties in the shootout, more than Moorhouse and Manner.
Crone’s role as the primary backup this season and her play in the Summer Cup makes her the obvious choice for the same role next year. For this reason, it was a matter of when and not if the Pride would attempt to sign her to a new contract. With Moorhouse and Manner already signed through the 2025 season, the Pride now have their goalkeeping corps for next year.
Orlando Pride
Finding Glory? The Orlando Pride “Just Keep Winning”
As Orlando’s NWSL rivals stumble, the Pride have shown no signs of slowing down.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OPvNJNY-2024.09.01-72-1-scaled.jpg)
Nearly two months ago, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1 for a gritty road win to enter the Olympic break on top of the league table and favorites for the NWSL Shield. If any fans were anxious about the Pride’s form dipping in their return to action, they should now let go of those fears.
While Orlando has continued to rack up points with stingy defense and timely goals, the other credible contenders for the shield, the Current and the Washington Spirit, have both dropped points. Now, there are just eight matches remaining in the regular season, and the Pride have a six-point lead in the table. So, to paraphrase the ever-optimistic Dory from Finding Nemo (and also from the sequel, Finding Dory), “just keep winning.”
Since returning from the break, Orlando has won at the last-place Houston Dash and against fourth-place NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. The latter match featured 12 Olympians, and could have passed for a gold medal rematch due to Gotham’s U.S.-heavy squad and Orlando’s Brazilian contingent. Both the Dash and Gotham games were ones Orlando would be disappointed not to win, but winning is never a given in a league as competitive as the NWSL. Just ask the Current, who started the season unbeaten through 15 matches and set the pace at the top of the table, only to lose three straight and drop to third. On the other end of the table, both Utah Royals FC and Seattle Reign FC are on two-match winning streaks, showing just how quickly things can change for better or worse.
Orlando, however, leads the league and is not slowing down, because the Pride have avoided the trap games and off nights that can bite most teams. It is a testament to values instilled in the squad by Head Coach Seb Hines, now the winningest coach in Pride history, that the players have remained focused and ready for each match. Following the win over Gotham, Orlando’s fifth straight, center back Kylie Strom put it simply, “at the end of the day, we have to stick to our principles, and we did exactly that.”
Strom was referring specifically to the team’s defensive performance, but around the pitch, players are staying true to the other key principles that got them here. In recent matches, defense, as well as squad depth and versatility, have set this club apart from the competition.
Defensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Orlando now has five clean sheets in its past six NWSL matches and has only conceded 12 times in 18 matches. During the previous six matches, the Pride have started seven different players in the back four positions, and that does not include Rafaelle, who has been struggling with leg injuries this season. One of the players deputizing due to injuries to Rafaelle and Bri Martinez is Cori Dyke, who despite only starting three matches to this point in her debut season, is beginning to thrive in the environment the staff and other players have created.
Dyke exemplifies how squad depth has also been key to this defensive run. Despite a couple of injuries, the Pride still have not trailed in a match since the first month of the season, nor have they conceded a goal past the 75th minute. This stat could only be achieved because the roster is ready top to bottom to do the dirty work of defending, whether the players on the pitch are regular starters, or late game specialists. Also, it never hurts to be able to bring on Orlando’s newest addition, veteran defender Carson Pickett, to help see out games.
Orlando’s depth and versatility have also shown for the attack in recent weeks. While outsiders may wrongly view the Pride offense as a one-player “Barbra Banda show” due to her team-high 12 goals, the Dash and Gotham games demonstrated how lethal Orlando can be even without a goal from Banda. Against Gotham, it was Adriana who contributed two great goals within 20 minutes to put the game out of reach right after kickoff. Despite a slower start to 2024 following her electric debut campaign, Adriana now sits on five goals for the season. This tally brings her level with Marta, who has hit her highest individual goal mark since 2019, and Summer Yates, who subbed on and scored her fifth of season, a game winner, against the Dash.
Again, Yates’ goal highlights how the Pride players continue to perform well, whether they start or come off the bench. Goals are not the only way Pride attackers have contributed from the bench either, though Julie Doyle did almost have the goal of the season on Sunday if not for the offside flag. Doyle was also critical to seeing out the win and clean sheet because she drove the ball into the opposition half and toward the corner flag repeatedly to kill time and disrupt the flow of the match. Watt performed much the same role after her introduction as well, ensuring that Gotham did not have as many chances to score towards the end of the match.
At the end of the day, these are the types of contributions that Orlando will need to keep winning and maintain their lead at the top of the table. This includes the way the defense doesn’t let the opposition breathe, no matter who is playing. It includes timely goals from the entire Pride roster and not just Banda. And, it includes players in each position remaining focused and doing what they have done to be in the position they are in today. That position is one where they finally have daylight between them and their rivals at the top.
While there are still eight matches to go, the Pride will know that if they can take care of business against the teams outside of the top four in the NWSL, such as this weekend’s against the Chicago Red Stars, the path for other teams to catch them will get much trickier.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Loan Amanda Allen to Lexington SC
The Pride have sent Canadian international forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/MarkThor-PridevChicagoRedStars-032924-OCOP1702-1-scaled.jpg)
The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has sent forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC. The loan is for the 2024-25 USL Super League season, which runs through May, and includes a right to recall.
“Amanda has shown her potential and maturity during her time here in Orlando and we’re happy to find an opportunity for her to get more minutes on the field,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Amanda has played an important role so far this season and we are happy to be able to give her the opportunity to compete in Lexington. We look forward to watching her play and will continue to support her from afar during this loan spell.”
The Mississauga, Ontario, native joined the Pride on April 3, 2023 on a three-year deal running through the 2025 season. She made her debut on May 6, 2023 against Racing Louisville FC, becoming the youngest player to play for the Pride at 18 years, two months, and 15 days old.
In her two years in Orlando, Allen has made 17 appearances with two starts while recording 293 minutes with one assist in all competitions. That includes 11 NWSL regular season appearances, three Challenge Cup appearances, and three NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup appearances. Her assist came in this year’s season opener in a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville when she found Summer Yates for the late equalizer.
Allen has spent time with the Canadian National Team and the youth squads. The 19-year-old forward is currently at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she started in the team’s first two group games.
What This Means for Orlando
The Pride have two primary forwards this season in Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, with the other forwards usually being left on the bench or out of the matchday squad. Even veteran and Argentina international Mariana Larroquette has found it hard to see the field. The club views Allen as part of the future of this team, but she was unlikely to see much more time this year in the regular season or postseason.
This loan gives the 19-year-old an opportunity to see first-team minutes at a high level, as the USL Super League is a first division league. The team was already heavy on forwards, resulting in the waiving of rookie Alex Kerr on Aug. 29. This move clears more space at the position while stating that Allen is part of the future of the team.
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