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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 2-0 as Pride Waste Chance to Climb Back into Contention

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3 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (5-8-7, 21 points) fell 2-0 to Racing Louisville FC (3-8-8, 17 points), putting a dagger in the team’s playoff chances. Nadia Nadim and Savannah DeMelo scored the goals for the hosts, who hadn’t won any of their previous 13 matches and hadn’t scored more than one goal since July 3 — the last time Louisville faced the Pride.

Sitting in ninth with 21 points, the Pride needed three points out of this game to give themselves any realistic chance of claiming a postseason spot. They are now seven points behind OL Reign for the final playoff spot with only three games remaining. While they can mathematically catch some of the teams currently in playoff positions, they have a -17 goal differential.

Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to the Portland Thorns last weekend. Haley Hanson and Darian Jenkins entered the lineup in place of Celia and Kerry Abello, who started on the bench. The back four in front of Anna Moorhouse consisted of Hanson, Megan Montefusco, Toni Pressley, and Kylie Strom. Meggie Dougherty Howard, Mikayla Cluff, and Jordyn Listro were in the midfield and the attack was Jenkins, Julie Doyle, and Erika Tymrak.

The Pride had more possession and chances in this game but were unable to convert on any of them. They forced Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund into seven saves but half of their shots were off target. The lack of finishing and an early poor defensive play were the keys to the result.

The Pride had a great chance to score the first goal in the third minute when Dougherty Howard drew a foul just outside of the box. Strom played the free kick short and forward to Dougherty Howard, who immediately touched it to Tymrak. The attacker had a great look but hit the crossbar. The rebound ended up at the feet of Pressley, but she sent it right to Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund.

Louisville got its first chance a minute later when Wang Shuang found Emina Ekic in the box. The midfielder had enough space for a shot on goal but sent the ball over the crossbar.

In the seventh minute, a defensive mistake by the Pride nearly resulted in the first goal. Ekic sent a long ball over the top for Nadim, who was charging behind the back line. Pressley attempted to slide and knock the ball away, but completely missed, allowing Nadim to take control. The Danish international tried to chip Moorhouse but sent the shot over the goal.

The hosts took the lead in the 10th minute through their leading scorer. A good ball by Lauren Milliet sent Jessica McDonald down the right. The U.S. international let the ball run through her legs, which completely fooled Strom. McDonald used the space to blow past Strom easily and feed Nadim, who beat Montefusco, right in front of goal. It was an easy finish for the striker, who scored her sixth goal of the season.

“It always sucks to go down,” Jenkins said about conceding first. “But we’ve been down the first half a lot of times this season and come back from it.”

The Pride had an excellent chance to equalize in the 17th minute when Dougherty Howard sent a great ball across the box. The ball rolled right to the feet of Doyle who had an open goal in front of her. As she attempted to tap the ball into the goal, she somehow managed to completely miss it, squandering a golden opportunity.

Louisville nearly doubled its lead in the 19th minute when Milliet sent a cross towards the back post. McDonald was at the post but the ball sailed closer to the goal and looked as though it might sneak inside the far post. However, it ended up going out of play and the Pride were able to survive the danger.

In the 26th minute, Jenkins made a nice run into the box. Pulling up at the top of the box, she fired towards the far post but Lund made a nice diving block to maintain Louisville’s lead.

Following the chance by Jenkins, Louisville found its footing again and started to create chances. In the 29th minute, DeMelo found Ekic in the box but her shot was right at Moorhouse. Three minutes later, Emily Fox made a good run into the box. After her initial shot was blocked, she beat Hanson down the end line. Her goal was to find McDonald in front of goal but it was blocked out for a corner kick.

The hosts had another chance in the 43rd minute when Shuang sent a low cross inside the six. McDonald was charging in from the far post but Moorhouse beat her to it. The ball popped free, but the referee blew the whistle for a foul on McDonald.

That was the last real chance of the first half. At the break, the Pride had more possession (54%-46%), shots (7-6), corners (4-1), and crosses (4-3). The teams had the same number of shots on goal (2-2) and both completed 78% of their passes. The difference in the two teams during the first 45 minutes was the Pride’s inability to finish.

“We told the players that we needed just a little bit more energy, closing down a little bit quicker,” Hines said about his halftime message. “In possession move the ball a little bit quicker, threats in behind.”

While the Pride dominated much of the first half, Louisville came out of the break on the front foot. In the 49th minute, McDonald found Jaelin Howell in the box. There was contact in the box and Howell went down but the referee determined that it wasn’t a penalty.

A minute later, the hosts doubled their lead. The goal started as a give-and-go between DeMelo and Wang, allowing DeMelo to find space at the top of the box. The midfielder sent a shot into the top corner of the goal, beyond the reach of Moorhouse, giving Louisville a commanding 2-0 lead.

Racing nearly scored a third in the 52nd minute when Shuang took a shot from the left of goal. Moorhouse got down to block the shot but was unable to collect it, resulting in a rebound at the top of the six-yard box. Nadim was there but went to the ground and handled the ball before tapping it in.

In the 56th minute, the Pride got their first chance of the second half, thanks to a mistake in the back by Louisville. After winning the ball on the right side and in her own third, Satara Murray played it forward for Wang. The Chinese international played it right back to Murray but it was a poor pass, forcing Murray to reach out for the ball.

Tymrak took control and dribbled towards the Louisville goal. She was looking to use her right foot to curl the ball just inside the near post from outside of the box but Lund did well to get a hand to it and knock it away.

Down 2-0 and needing three points, Hines made three of his five substitutions in the 59th minute. Gunny Jonsdottir, Abello, and Leah Pruitt came on for Listro, Strom, and Doyle. While Doyle is a forward, the other two changes were attacking substitutions.

In the 64th minute, Hanson made a good run to the end line and attempted a cross into the six-yard box but it was blocked out for a corner kick. The ensuing corner ended up with Abello but she sent the ball right into the arms of Lund. Two minutes later, a poor clearance gave Tymrak a chance from outside of the box. She hit the ball well, but Lund blocked it away.

Hines made two final changes in the 67th minute as the Pride looked to climb back into the game. However, these changes weren’t quite as attacking as Courtney Petersen and Ally Watt came on for Jenkins and Tymrak.

In the 76th minute, Pressley cleared the ball out for a corner. Shuang’s corner was bending towards the far post, went over the arms of Moorhouse, and appeared to be headed in. There were Louisville players at the back post but none could get on the end of the ball and it went out of play for another corner kick.

A minute later, Louisville came inches away from making it 3-0. Milliet sent a curling ball into the box that met the head of Howell. The midfielder redirected the ball towards goal and over Moorhouse who was caught too far off her line. But it bounced off the bottom of the crossbar, allowing Pressley to clear it away.

Lund nearly made a critical mistake in the 81st minute that would’ve given the Pride some life. Pruitt sent a seemingly harmless shot from well outside of the box towards goal. Even though the ball appeared to be heading wide, Lund decided to play it with her feet. The ball bounced off her foot and out of play for a corner kick. However, a bounce in the opposite direction could’ve easily resulted in an own goal.

A minute later, Pruitt sent Petersen down the right from near midfield. The second-half substitute was behind the Louisville defense and got a shot off from inside the box. She was looking for the far post but sent the shot well wide of the target.

Two minutes into second-half injury time, Watt had a chance to score her second Pride goal when she got her head to a Jonsdottir free kick. But the header was wide of the post. That was the final chance for either team as Louisville finished off the 2-0 win, their first since May 22.

In the end, the Pride had more possession (53.7%-46.3%), shots (14-11), shots on target (7-5), corners (9-5), crosses (12-11), and passed more accurately (74.9%-72.5%). But they were unable to find the back of the net, resulting in a devastating result.

“Disappointed,” Hines said about his feelings about the game. “We felt that coming in here would be a great opportunity to bounce back from the last couple of results. The game’s built on taking chances and Louisville took their chances and we didn’t.”

“Goals change games,” he continued. “We score within the first couple of minutes and that changes the whole momentum of the game and we build on that. But it wasn’t meant to be and resulted in us losing the game.”

“We’re really unlucky to not score in the first half, myself included. We just need to take better advantage of our scoring opportunities because other teams are taking advantage on theirs, especially against us,” Jenkins said after the game. “And we just really need to put away our chances and kind of get on the same page. I think we’re kind of all over the place, which led us down ultimately to the loss in our game.”

It’ll be a short break between games for the Pride as they take the field again on Wednesday night when they welcome the North Carolina Courage to Exploria Stadium.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

The captain once again provided the competitive spark for the Pride in 2025.

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1 day ago

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December 11, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Marta signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed last season as she captained her club to two trophies. In 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024. She then signed yet another two-year contract through 2026.

Marta didn’t have the same type of year as she did in 2024, but she was still one of the better players for the Pride. She remains the heart of this team, showing the others what passion and effort looks like even as she edges closer to the end of her playing career. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta started and played the full 90 minutes in the 2025 Challenge Cup match. She did not record a goal contribution and took two off-target shots. However, her free kick was blocked, resulting in Rafaelle’s opening goal. Marta also set a shot up for the defender in the match but the effort was off target. The Brazilian legend completed 26 of her 37 passes (82%), took four corner kicks, and she did not record a completed long ball. Defensively, she recorded three tackles and won three headed duels. She committed one foul, drew one on the Washington Spirit, and was not booked.

During the regular season, Marta made 22 appearances (18 starts), playing 1,599 minutes. She contributed four goals and an assist, putting 13 of her 27 shots on target. She completed 519 of her 731 passes (71%), 13 crosses, and two of her four long balls (50%) with 43 chances created. On the defensive end, the Brazilian contributed 22 tackles, 19 interceptions, and one blocked shot. She committed 14 fouls, drew 28 on the opposition, and was not booked.

Marta started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She took one shot but did not record a goal contribution, although she was involved in both goals against the Reign, working a give-and-go with Julie Doyle prior to Haley McCutcheon’s opening goal and drawing the penalty that handed Luana the late insurance tally. The captain completed 52 of her 69 passes (75.4%), including three of her six long balls (50%) and four key passes. She recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance defensively while committing one foul, drawing six on her opponents, and being booked once.

Marta participated in one of the Concacaf W Champions Cup matches against Pachuca. She played all 90 minutes and scored the Pride’s only goal on two shots, one of which was on target. She completed 27 of 34 passes (79%). Defensively, she recorded three tackles, while committing two fouls, and suffering two fouls. She was not booked.

Best Game

While Marta had several good games, I think her best game was the Pride’s 3-2 victory over the Washington Spirit on Oct. 18. Marta was named Player of the Match by both Michael Citro and myself on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. The captain caused an own goal and scored on a penalty kick to give the Pride an important road win heading into the playoffs. Washington scored first on a Kerry Abello own goal, but Abello then corrected that mistake by scoring one for her own team minutes later. The Spirit took the lead again and held it at halftime. Seb Hines substituted Marta in at the start of the second half, and it’s a good thing he did. It literally only took her 52 seconds to even the score.

In the 70th minute, Ally Watt was fouled in the box, setting up a penalty for the Pride. There was no doubt who would take the kick, and it turned out there was no doubt Marta would bury it in the back of the net for the winning goal.

Marta might have only played 45 minutes plus stoppage but her impact was monumental. In this match, she took one shot, which was on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She had 27 touches, completed nine of her 13 passes (70%), two of her three long balls (67%) and took one corner kick. Defensively, she contributed one block and one clearance. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite rating of 7 out of 10 for her ninth season with the club. This was a point lower than the 8 we gave her last year. Much like many of the Pride’s players, Marta’s 2025 wasn’t as good as her 2024, but she was still a critical part of the successes of the team. In 2024, she had a banner year, but despite being a year older, she was still productive in 2025.

2026 Outlook

The 39-year-old is entering the last year of her contract, and it would be surprising — though not totally inconceivable —that she will get another. Despite the fact she will turn 40-years-old before the beginning of the season, she will remain the Pride’s captain as long as she can take to the pitch. Assuming she’s healthy, there’s no reason to assume she can’t contribute to at least the same level as she did in 2025. There’s even a possibility that she finds something closer to her 2024 form. No one plays with more passion than Marta, and I will not doubt what she can do when she has the look in her eye.

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This concludes our 2025 Orlando Pride player-by-player Season in Review series. We hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on the players’ performances from the past year as we move closer toward seeing what lies ahead in 2026.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Jacquie Ovalle

The Pride broke the world transfer record to land the Mexican international in 2025.

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2 days ago

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December 10, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Mexican international winger Jacquie Ovalle for a then-world record transfer fee on Aug. 21, acquiring the attacker’s services from Tigres UANL in Liga MX Femenil. While the club did not announce the transfer fee, it was reportedly around $1.5 million. That transfer record has since been broken a couple of times since, but it was an ambitious move by the Pride to try to provide Barbra Banda a playmaking wing of the highest caliber.

The move ultimately didn’t pay many dividends in 2025, as Banda went down with a season-ending injury before Ovalle arrived, and the Mexican international struggled to get comfortable with her new team, the new league, and a new culture in what could best be described as an inconsistent performance after she joined the Pride.

Let’s take a look at Ovalle’s first season in the City Beautiful.

Statistical Breakdown

Ovalle was signed well after the season-opening NWSL Challenge Cup, so she saw no action in the competition. She made her Pride debut in the regular season on Sept. 7 off the bench. It was an inauspicious start, as Orlando got flattened 5-2 at Chicago that day, with all of the goals happening in the second half. Ovalle played in eight regular-season matches with Orlando, starting seven and logging 666 minutes. She contributed a goal and two assists in her time on the pitch with the Pride, attempting 20 shots and putting seven on target. She completed 84% of her 201 passes during the regular season, with 18 key passes. Ovalle was accurate on 19 of her 48 crosses (39.6%) and three of her seven long balls (42.9%). Defensively, Ovalle chipped in 13 tackles, three interceptions, and five clearances but no blocks during the regular season. She committed six fouls, drew five, and received one yellow card.

In the playoffs, Ovalle started both of the Pride’s matches and played 173 minutes. She did not log a goal contribution in the postseason, putting one of her six shot attempts on target. The winger completed 34 of her 42 passes (81%) with two key passes but completed just three of her 13 crosses and neither of her two long balls. On the defensive end, Ovalle recorded three tackles, one clearance, and two interceptions. She committed three fouls, drew two on her opponents, and was not booked.

Ovalle appeared in two of Orlando’s games in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, logging 57 minutes off the bench without a goal contribution, attempting one off-target shot. She completed 10 of her 13 passes (76.9%) without a key pass, chipping in three tackles on the defensive end. She committed two fouls, drew two on her opponents, and she wasn’t booked in the competition.

Best Game

There were a few possible games to choose from in this category, and while I was close to choosing the match with her lone goal of the season (Sept. 26 in a 2-1 road win over San Diego), I ended up going a different route. Still, she scored a nice goal, so here it is:

Instead, I’m going back to her first NWSL start. Ovalle started for Orlando for the first time on Sept. 13 in a 1-1 home draw against Bay FC. She was excellent all game long, but her best moment came in the 70th minute, when La Maga sent in a perfect cross for Ally Watt to flick home with a header to equalize, rescuing a point for Orlando.

Ovalle was Fotmob’s highest rated player in the match from either side with a rating of 8.4 and was a danger all night. She fired eight shot attempts, putting three on target and one off the woodwork. She also completed six of her nine crosses in the game, creating four scoring chances in the game with key passes. One of those should have been an assist on a Marta goal on a beautiful back-post ball, but the captain hit the left post with her shot. She chipped in two tackles, one interception, a clearance, and a recovery on the defensive end, committing two fouls and drawing one in what was a standout performance.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Ovalle a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for her 2025 season. While the Mexican winger played inconsistently, that was to be expected after a midseason move to a new team that was missing its attacking focal point with Banda out. There were signs of the kind of magic moments Ovalle can bring to the Pride attack, they were too few and far between. In fairness, in most of the matches she played there was no one close to her level in the attack with her, and she looked at times too eager to make something happen. Three goal contributions isn’t bad for her first eight NWSL games, but Ovalle clearly needs another threat up top with her to help provide her the space she needs to shoot or deliver one of her lethal passes.

2026 Outlook

Ovalle will be a starter next season and will get to go through a full preseason training camp with the club, which should help her get a better understanding of both what Seb Hines wants from her and how her teammates like to play. She should also get to play with Banda (finally), which could create one of the most dynamic attacking tandems in the league, because some of Banda’s struggles were due to poor service, which Ovalle can help with, and some of Ovalle’s issues were down to a lack of the kind of quick, decisive attacking movements that Banda provides. I expect Ovalle’s production in both goals and assists to jump in 2026 for multiple reasons, but with a healthy Banda, there will be a lot more room for her (and Marta) to operate. A front line of Marta, Banda, and Ovalle is tantalizing.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season In Review: Emily Sams

The center back was once again one of the best defenders for the Pride, helping them reach their second straight NWSL semifinal.

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4 days ago

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December 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride drafted defender Emily Sams with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The former Florida State player signed with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF prior to being selected by the Pride and signing a three-year contract through the 2026 season.

Sams had a breakout year in 2024, winning NWSL Defender of the Year and helping the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. She signed a new deal on Feb. 13, 2025, keeping her in purple through the 2027 NWSL season.

The defender showed her versatility this year, playing several games at right back and center back. She was another key player in a successful season for the Pride, helping them to finish fourth in the league and reach the NWSL semifinals.

Let’s take a look at the defender’s 2025 NWSL campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

The defender’s first appearance this year came in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit. Sams started and played all 90 minutes without recording any shots or goal contributions. She completed 44 of her 52 passes (87%), including four long balls. Defensively, Sams recorded a tackle, an interception, and an aerial duel won.

Sams played in 25 of the team’s 26 regular-season games, starting 24 times and playing 2,183 minutes — the second-most minutes of any Pride player and the most by an outfield player. She took two shots without putting any on target, so she obviously didn’t score any goals. The defender completed 1,284 of her 1,457 passes (88.1%), including 85 of her 146 long balls (58.2%), but didn’t record any assists. Defensively, she added 42 tackles, 33 interceptions, 92 clearances, and 13 blocks. She committed 11 fouls, suffered 25, and was booked once with a yellow card.

Sams started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She didn’t take any shots or record a goal contribution, completing 82 of her 97 passes (84.5%), including five of her 12 long balls (41.7%). She recorded three tackles, four interceptions, a block, and 10 clearances defensively while committing two fouls, drawing five on her opponents, and being booked once.

While a primary starter in the regular season, Sams only played in three of the four Concacaf W Champions Cup games, starting two and playing 164 minutes without a goal contribution. She took one shot that was off target and completed 85 of her 100 passes (85.%). The defender had five tackles and wasn’t booked.

Best Game

Sams’ best game came on Oct. 18 when the Pride traveled to Washington, D.C. for an afternoon clash with the Washington Spirit. The Pride came back from two deficits to defeat their rivals 3-2 and claim a huge three points.

Sams started alongside Rafaelle at center back and was excellent. She completed 41 of her 46 passes (89%), including both long balls, a key pass, and three into the final third. She finished with one tackle, five clearances, four interceptions, and four recoveries. The defender won two of her four duels (50%) in a game where she helped the Pride keep their late lead.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Sams a 7 out of 10 for the 2025 NWSL season. It’s a decrease from her exceptional 9 in 2024, but still higher than her 6.5 grade in 2023. The grade ties Sams with Rafaelle for the second-highest grade on the team, one point behind Barbra Banda, who was given an eight for her injury-shortened season. Overall, Sams was excellent this year and fully deserves one of the highest grades as she further cements herself as one of the best defenders in the NWSL.

2026 Outlook

Perhaps no player on the Pride is a more definite starter next season than Sams. She’s arguably the team’s best defender and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup over the past three seasons. Her new contract in February means she’ll remain in purple through the 2027 season.

The only question will be where she plays. She’s started at center back and right back several times over the past two seasons, but is best in the middle of the field. However, when Kylie Nadaner and Rafaelle are available, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has opted to use her at right back.

Regardless, there’s no question that Sams will be a regular starter on the Pride back line as long as she remains healthy. Her presence is something that will be essential if the Pride hope to make a run for a second NWSL Championship next season.

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