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Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 2-1 as Ally Watt Scores Winner in Pride Debut

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (5-5-6, 21 points) defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-11-0, 12 points) 2-1 at Subaru Park in the fourth meeting between the two clubs this season. After a scoreless first half, Orlando gained the lead thanks to a goal from Celia and Ally Watt doubled that lead in her first match with Orlando. Kristie Mewis scored for Gotham just minutes after Watt’s goal, but the Pride were able to hold on for the win and extend their unbeaten run to seven games (3-0-4).

Orlando’s current streak equals the club’s second-longest such run in club history.

Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines opted for the same starting lineup that won 1-0 on the road last weekend against San Diego Wave FC. The club acquired Watt and defender Haley Hanson earlier this week and both players came off the bench in this one.

Erin McLeod started in goal behind a back line of Celia, Megan Montefusco, Toni Pressley, and Kylie Strom. The midfield consisted of Meggie Dougherty Howard, Jordyn Listro, and Viviana Villacorta, with Kerry Abello, Erika Tymrak, and Julie Doyle forming the attacking line.

The Pride’s best chance of the first half came in the third minute as Tymrak dribbled towards goal and slipped a great pass between defenders for Abello in on goal. Abello had time to pick out her shot and beat Michelle Betos but not the post and the ball didn’t take a favorable bounce for the Pride to pounce on.

It was just one of a flurry of early chances for the Pride. Doyle’s shot in the seventh minute was deflected out for a corner. Although the Pride’s ensuing short corner didn’t yield much, Villacorta did well winning the ball back before Gotham could get it out of its half and won a free kick in the eighth minute. Dougherty Howard’s free kick found Montefusco at the far post, but the defender’s shot from a difficult angle went wide of goal.

Gotham was active on the attacking end as well. With Midge Purce out, Taylor Smith fueled Gotham’s offense and had a shot in the 15th minute that Pressley deflected for McLeod to easily collect.

Tymrak and Doyle connected in the 17th minute as Tymrak snuck another ball past Gotham’s defense, but Betos made the save.

Gotham applied pressure throughout the match and it nearly cost the Pride in the 20th minute. While trying to play out of the back, McLeod sent the ball straight to Nicole Baxter in the box. With Pride players closing down on her, Baxter had to get a quick shot off and it was directed at McLeod for the easy save.

The hosts started to find more opportunities as the half went on. Paige Monaghan had a try from distance in the 22nd minute that went wide of the net. In the 31st minute, Ifeoma Onumonu raced down the wing and cut in towards goal to shoot, but her shot went over the crossbar.

Gotham’s best opportunity of the first half was in the 39th minute as Smith and Monaghan charged toward Orlando’s goal on a counter attack. Smith sent the ball into the box for an open Monaghan, but McLeod made a big save to deny her and keep the game scoreless.

Fueled by Tymrak, the Pride had a few opportunities late in the first half as they aimed to score the game’s first goal. Tymrak and Doyle wreaked havoc in the attacking third again in the 43rd minute, but this time Doyle laid the ball off for Dougherty Howard in front of goal and her shot went wide. In stoppage time, Tymrak applied pressure that forced Betos into playing the ball out of bounds. Moments later, after the throw-in, Tymrak dribbled the ball across the top of the box and fired a shot. It was on target, but Betos made the save and the first half ended scoreless.

At the end of the first half, Orlando edged Gotham in possession (51.7%-48.3%). The Pride also had more shots (9-6), although both sides put three of their shots on target. Both goalkeepers came up with three saves, with McLeod’s stop as the biggest one from either side in the half.

Whereas the first half was filled with end-to-end action, the Pride had a bit more control at the start of the second half and it led to them taking the lead. With numbers in the box, Abello used some fancy footwork to turn her defender around and lob a nice cross to Celia at the far post. Celia’s header was saved, but Gotham couldn’t clear it and she pounced on the rebound. The defender’s shot bounced off of Tymrak on the ground and into the back of the net.

After the goal, Gotham understandably dialed up its pressure and found more of the ball. Hines made changes to address the pressure in the 56th minute as Hanson came on for Celia to make her Pride debut and Mikayla Cluff relieved Abello. Watt made her Pride debut as well in the 63rd minute, coming on for Doyle to give the Pride some speed to capitalize on counters.

“I feel like when I have the ball, I always have a couple of options to play out,” Hanson said about dealing with Gotham’s press in her first game with new teammates. “The players are first class and the coaches want us to play free football. Even though they were high pressing, we can always find a solution out.”

Nahomi Kawasumi came off the bench for Gotham in the 63rd minute as well and things started to open up for Gotham’s other players as a result. McCall Zerboni had a shot that went just wide of the left post in the 67th minute. Jenna Bike then took a crack at goal in the 69th minute. Her attempt was from long range, but that gave it enough time to dip towards goal and McLeod had to tip it over the crossbar for a corner.

Orlando then doubled its lead in the 72nd minute. Dougherty Howard did well to poke a loose ball further up the field for Watt to take it towards the goal. Watt dribbled past Mandy Freeman and then expertly got her shot past Betos and off the far post and in.

“I remember that the coaches always were telling me during the only two practices I had with the team to just dribble, dribble at people, drive at them. So I just made sure I did that,” Watt said in regards to her thoughts during the goal. “I could hear in my head ‘just go, go, go, dribble, dribble, dribble at them,’ and I did. I was so happy that it hit inside the post instead of the other side of it and it didn’t bounce out, but just to drive at them was what I was telling myself.”

It was Watt’s first goal in NWSL this season.

“That’s why we brought them [Watt and Hanson]. We brought them in to make an impact,” Hines said. “Ally being a forward, we spoke about how to turn goals into wins and one of the things is putting the ball in the back of the net and that’s what she did, so she makes an immediate impact by scoring.”

Gotham didn’t take long to respond though. In the 74th minute, Kawasumi faked a cross to create space away from Hanson and then whipped in a cross that Kristie Mewis headed past McLeod to give Gotham life.

The Pride didn’t take long to resume its attack after that, eager to widen the lead again. Just two minutes after Gotham’s goal, Tymrak fired a shot that forced Betos to knock it away for a corner kick. The corner was cleared though and Gotham went on the attack. Smith had a shot inside the box, but Montefusco was there to deflect it before it could trouble McLeod.

But as the game neared its conclusion, Gotham started to find more of the ball as it hunted for an equalizer. However, the Pride did well preventing Gotham players from finding dangerous areas and Gotham had to take its chances from tough spots. Mewis sent a shot from distance wide of goal in the 80th minute and Kawasumi didn’t make clean contact on her shot in the box following a corner in the 81st and sent the ball high into the sky.

Like with their second goal, the Pride’s best opportunities following Gotham’s goal came when counter attacking. Watt was able to find Tymrak with a cross in the 85th minute, but the forward’s header wasn’t on target. A minute later, Cluff won the ball in the midfield and then dribbled to take a shot at the top of the box. There was enough behind it that Betos had to make a diving save before scrambling to clear away the danger before Watt could jump on the rebound.

Orlando then applied pressure of its own late in the match to keep the ball pinned in Gotham’s half of the field and burn minutes off the clock. In stoppage time, Zerboni won the ball from Cluff in the midfield and got the ball to Imani Dorsey, who then sent in a cross that connected with Mewis’s head but went off target. McLeod had to make a save on a low shot from Mewis as well and the Pride were able to hold on for all three points on the road.

Gotham finished with more possession (51.8%-48.2%). The Pride had more shots (17-16) and also put more of them on target (8-6). McLeod finished the game with five saves while Betos had six. After a scoreless first half, both sides were able to find the back of the net by the end of the game, but Watt provided the winner for Orlando.

“Every game by now is massive,” Hines said. “We’re not settled with where we’re at and we want to be in the playoffs. This is another big step to where we want to be. We have some tough games coming up, and we’ve just got to continue with this momentum that we have. Players have a lot of confidence, a lot of belief, and really sticking to the game plan we want to play.”

The Pride are in eighth in the NWSL standings, but are now just two points behind the Chicago Red Stars for a playoff spot. Orlando will aim to keep this momentum going when it returns to Exploria Stadium on Friday to host OL Reign.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

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4 days ago

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January 15, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

  • March — 4
  • April — 2
  • May — 6
  • June — 0
  • July — 6
  • August — 4
  • September — 4
  • October — 3
  • November — 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

  • Monday — 0
  • Tuesday — 1
  • Wednesday — 2
  • Thursday — 0
  • Friday — 11
  • Saturday — 7
  • Sunday — 9

For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. 

The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

  • Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
  • Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)
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Orlando Pride

How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

Published

4 days ago

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January 15, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

Reinvigorate the Attack

The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

Fill the Roster

Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

Find the Grit

In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando Pride Name Caitlin Carducci Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager

Caitlin Carducci leaves the Kansas City Current to become the Pride’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager.

Published

6 days ago

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January 13, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride have found their replacement for Haley Carter, naming former Kansas City Current general manager Caitlin Carducci as the club’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager. Carducci arrives in Orlando after helping assemble the Current squad that broke some of the Pride’s league records set in 2024, moving from the 2025 NWSL Shield winners to the 2024 NWSL Shield Winners.

“Caitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women’s soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart,” Orlando Pride Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “She emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation, and a vision that aligns with our culture. Caitlin is the ideal person to elevate the strong foundation we have established and position the Pride for sustained success.”

The Pride used Bloom Sports Partners to assist in the club’s search for Carter’s replacement. Carter left behind a team that won the double in 2024, capturing both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship, and came tantalizingly close to a second straight appearance in the NWSL final last season. Carducci, who helped architect the team that won another trophy in 2024 — the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup — now inherits the club Carter left behind on Nov. 18 of last year to take a job with the Washington Spirit.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to take on this role and help elevate the strong foundation that the club’s players, staff, and supporters have already created,” Carducci said in the club’s release. “The chance to work with the Wilf family, whose leadership and investment reflect their commitment to a world-class organization, along with a championship-level roster and technical staff, made this an easy decision. I’m eager to begin this next chapter, strengthen the inclusive and ambitious culture that defines this club, and help push the Pride toward new heights.”

Carducci spent the last three seasons with Kansas City, serving multiple roles, most recently as the Current’s general manager. She joined Kansas City in 2023 as director of soccer operations, becoming interim general manager in May of 2024. Carducci became the club’s GM later that season. Her key accomplishments include bringing in the final piece of the Current’s puzzle — Brazilian international goalkeeper Lorena, who broke Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse’s short-lived NWSL single-season record for shutouts. Carducci also acquired Ally Sentnor during the 2025 season from the Utah Royals. She was also instrumental in the Current re-signing star players Debinha, Temwa Chawinga, Michelle Cooper, and Lo’eau Labonta.

That Current team set new league single-season records for most wins (21), points (65), and shutouts (16), and won the NWSL Shield faster than any previous winner in NWSL history.

During her playing days, Carducci played at Ashland University. The Central Ohio native later served as an assistant coach at Ohio Northern University while completing her law degree.

Like Carter, Carducci has a varied background and numerous skillsets that will serve her well in her new position. She served as a compliance officer at Xavier University and as manager of member programs for U.S. Soccer, overseeing professional player registration and FIFA compliance and acting as the primary point of contact for organization members, including state associations and professional leagues. She returned to U.S. Soccer in 2022, where she became vice president of member programs and stakeholder engagement.

What It Means for Orlando

In the short term, hiring a general manager should help fill out a roster that came close to a second consecutive NWSL final, despite being without star striker Barbra Banda for the final weeks of the season and all of the postseason. That roster needs immediate help at center back after Emily Sams recently requested and received a trade to Angel City. There aren’t a lot of holes in the Pride roster, but the center back group needs help and more production and depth are needed in the attack.

Overall, this seems on the surface to be an addition that mirrors the Pride bringing Carter to Orlando in 2023. She brings a variety of experiences that will help the club in multiple ways. From her law degree to her compliance background to evaluating talent and luring those players to non-marquee market teams, Carducci seems to check all the boxes. It’s easy to understand how the club arrived at this decision. Ultimately, how Carducci’s tenure in Orlando goes will depend on what the club does on the field and how well it develops talent.

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