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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 3-0 as Pride Shut Out for Third Straight Game

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4 years ago

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The Orlando Pride (5-9-6, 21 points) fell 3-0 to the North Carolina Courage (8-8-4, 28 points) in their penultimate home game of the season, continuing their free fall with a fourth consecutive loss and the third straight without scoring. The visitors were led by their Brazilian star, Debinha, who scored a brace and assisted Tess Boade’s late first-half goal.

Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines made seven changes from the team that lost 2-0 to Racing Louisville over the weekend. Erin McLeod returned to the lineup for the first time in three games after sitting out due to concussion protocol. Mikayla Cluff had been starting in place of the injured Viviana Villacorta but was out for this game with an ankle injury. Ally Watt received her first start as a member of the Pride and Carrie Lawrence returned to the starting lineup in place of Toni Pressley.

The back line in front of McLeod consisted of Kylie Strom, Lawrence, Megan Montefusco, and Celia. Haley Hanson played as the six with Leah Pruitt, Gunny Jonsdottir, and Jordyn Listro in front of her. The team went with two up top in this game in Kerry Abello and Watt.

While there were noticeable changes in the lineup, the biggest move was Hanson playing in the midfield. She’s played that position before, but has spent her NWSL career as an outside back.

“We knew that she (Hanson) was capable of playing that position and she was more than willing to do it,” Hines said about playing Hanson further up field. “We were short on midfield options. Viviana’s been out and then Mikayla picked up an injury, so we had to get someone to fill that hole.”

While the Pride were already eliminated from playoff contention coming into this game, the Courage are still fighting for a playoff spot. The two teams played to their situations as the Pride looked defeated for most of the game and the Courage played with hunger.

The Pride got the first chance of the game inside the first minute off a North Carolina mistake. Merritt Mathias tried to make a simple pass to Kaleigh Kurtz but it was off target, allowing Pruitt to take control. Instead of going for goal, the forward played it across for Watt, who sent a low cross through the box. However, nobody could get on the end of it.

“It’s a moment where Haley Hanson gets the ball, she gets a cross, it deflects, and Ally’s there,” Hines said about the early chance. “It was a tap-in moment.”

Just a minute later, the Courage opened the scoring. Kurtz played a long ball forward looking for Debinha. Montefusco had a bead on the ball and it looked like she would clear. But the header went to where Debinha was running through instead of outside. McLeod was caught on the right side of the six-yard box, expecting the header to come her way. Instead, it continued on for Debinha who tapped it in, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“Obviously, unlucky to start,” Hanson said about conceding so early. “And that’s kind of been the theme of, I would say the last couple games. Just unlucky.”

The Courage had another chance in the fifth minute when Debinha attempted to send Boade through. It looked like the midfielder would get a shot on goal, but Lawrence did well to get in the way and block it out of play.

In the 12th minute, Debinha played a nice ball down the right for Rikke Madsen. It appeared that the forward’s ball into the box was behind everyone, but Boade came back for it and got a shot off from near the penalty spot. It didn’t look as though Lawrence was aware of the situation, but she was in the right place at the right time as the ball bounced off her, allowing the Pride to clear.

As the half continued, the rains came in, soaking the field. It rained hard for a good period of the first half before lightening up as the game approached halftime. Once the rain arrived, the chances became fewer for both teams.

In the 28th minute, Watt had a chance to the left of goal but her shot hit the side netting and the assistant raised the flag for offside anyway. Eight minutes later, a turnover by Meredith Speck created a chance for the hosts. Jonsdottir played the ball forward for Pruitt, providing a chance in the box, but the shot was wide of the near post.

There was only one minute of first-half stoppage time but that was enough for the Courage to double their lead. Abello carried the ball across the field and looked to pass to Jonsdottir, but the ball was behind her and was taken away by Boade. The midfielder immediately played it forward to Debinha, who flicked it on for Boade, who continued her run into the box. The midfielder slipped the ball past McLeod, giving the Courage a 2-0 lead with almost the last touch of the first half.

“It’s a punch in the face, really,” Hines said about conceding so late in the first half. “Because I felt like we were growing into that, let’s say, second half of the first half of the game. And we had good momentum. We started to have more courage and bravery on the ball and it just came at such a bad time for us. You go into halftime 1-0 down you go, ‘We can go. We can get after them,’ and that was our message as well. It’s only 2-0. Stranger things have happened. We’ve been here where we were 2-0 down in the 90th minute and managed to get a tie. So yeah, it was disappointing to concede so late on, but like I said, it’s a game, it happens, and you get to recognize who we are in that moment as well.”

After 45 minutes, the Courage had more possession (61%-39%), shots (5-4), shots on target (3-0), and corners (1-0). Both teams had five crosses in the first half of play.

The start of the second half was similar to the start of the first half with a flurry of chances taking place. In the 50th minute, Darian Jenkins, who came on at halftime for Abello, found Watt in the box. The forward turned and shot but it was right at Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy.

Three minutes later, Montefusco knocked a Courage cross out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing corner was cleared to the far side by Celia, but fell to Debinha. The first-half goal scorer had Speck and Boade at the far post and sent the ball in that direction. Whether it was a cross or a shot, the ball sailed over the defensive players and landed inside the far post for her second goal of the game, giving North Carolina a commanding 3-0 lead.

Hines made an attacking pair of changes in the 60th minute, looking for a spark to get the team back into the game. Erika Tymrak came on for Watt and Meggie Dougherty Howard entered the game for Celia.

Just after the substitutions, North Carolina nearly made it four. Jaelene Daniels sent a long ball down the left for Boade but Montefusco beat her to it. However, Montefusco sent a weak pass for either McLeod or Lawrence, allowing Boade to win it back. She shot for the far post from close distance, but McLeod stuck her foot out and knocked it away.

On the other end, Jenkins found enough space to take shots for herself. After the Pride only took two shots in the first 45 minutes, Jenkins took three in her first 20 minutes on the field. However, only one of those three shots was on target and it was right at Murphy.

In the 71st minute, the Pride brought on 18-year-old striker Haley Bugeja. The teenager was signed by the club on July 1 but this was her first appearance for the team. Her debut made her the fourth-youngest player to enter a game in NWSL history.

“I’m just happy to get my first game out of the way obviously,” Bugeja said about her debut. “It’s quite a surreal moment for me and I’m sure my family back home are watching, even though it’s like two in the morning for them. I’m just super happy and hopefully now we can kick on and obviously I’m very grateful for the faith that Seb has showed in me.”

The Pride nearly got one back in the 72nd minute when Tymrak found space from the right side of the box and shot on goal. The shot forced Murphy to tip it over the bar, giving the Pride their first corner kick of the night. The ensuing corner resulted in a chance for Dougherty Howard, but her attempt was off target, allowing the Courage to clear.

The Courage nearly got a fourth goal in the 84th minute when a good buildup set up substitute Brittany Ratcliffe for a chance. Brianna Pinto’s pass to Boade was quickly flicked forward for Ratcliffe. The substitute timed her run perfectly, getting behind the Pride defense for a shot. She aimed for the far post but missed just wide.

The Pride had some chances in the final minutes but were unable to get anything on target. Meanwhile, the Courage played to see out the game, holding onto possession in the dominating win.

In the end, the Courage had more possession (60%-40%), shots on target (5-4), and corners (5-2). The Pride had more shots (16-8), but only four of those shots were on target. The number of off-target shots was a big factor in this game as the Pride had nine shots off target and the Courage only had one off frame.

“Defined by three moments really,” Hines said after the game. “It’s always difficult when you go down a goal so early on, but I felt like we didn’t really get out of control. I didn’t think the game really got away from us. I mean, it was defined by a couple of moments that North Carolina took. And we had chances. We had chances to attack and get something on frame and could be a completely different result if we take them moments.”

After their seven-game unbeaten run, the Pride have now lost four consecutive games and three of those games were at Exploria Stadium. They’ve been outscored in those four games 8-1, failing to get on the scoreboard in the last three.

The Pride will look to end their losing streak on Sunday night when they welcome San Diego Wave FC to Exploria Stadium for their final home game of the 2022 NWSL season.

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

The Pride look to build on their home win against North Carolina against Boston Legacy FC tonight in a midweek contest.

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4 hours ago

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May 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) take on Boston Legacy FC (1-5-2, 5 points) in Foxborough, MA. This is the first of two games between the teams this year, with the return game in Orlando scheduled for July 15.

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

History

Since this is the first year in the existence of Boston Legacy FC and the first time the two clubs will meet in 2026, there’s no history between the teams. However, Boston’s roster does include forward Amanda Allen, who played for the Pride from 2023 to 2025. Additionally, the Pride will be familiar with several of the opposing players as they have extensive experience in the league.

Overview

This has been an up-and-down season for the Pride so far. It began with a disappointing start as they fell 2-1 to Seattle Reign FC and drew 1-1 with Denver Summit FC. They bounced back from the homestand with an impressive 3-0 win over the Chicago Stars, a scoreless draw with defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC, and a 2-1 win over Angel City FC.

Unfortunately, those highs didn’t last long. Orlando fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC and 4-2 to the Washington Spirit, before defeating the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Friday night.

The Pride have been carried offensively by striker Barbra Banda, who has eight goals and has scored the team’s five most recent goals. All five have come in the last three games. The team has only played two games in which other players have scored. Jacquie Ovalle and Hannah Anderson converted against Chicago and Haley McCutcheon had a surprising brace against Angel City.

The team got off to a good start defensively, conceding just four goals in the first five games, including two clean sheets. But the Pride were torn apart by Louisville and Washington, giving up seven goals in those two games.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines responded by making adjustments to the back line Friday night. While it was the same back four, Cori Dyke moved from left back to center back, Oihane moved from right back to left back, and Hailie Mace moved from center back to her natural right back position. The changes resulted in the team’s first clean sheet in five games.

They’ll look to build on their most recent result tonight against a team that sits at the bottom of the NWSL standings. Through five games, Boston has just one win, a 3-2 victory over fellow newcomers Denver at home. However, they sandwiched that win with a 2-2 draw against the Courage and a 1-1 draw with Gotham away from home on Saturday.

With only seven goals this season, there hasn’t been much of a threat from this new team. Aissata Traore and Alba Cano lead the way with two goals each, while Bianca St-Georges, Sammy Smith, and Nichelle Prince have one goal each. Prince also has a team-leading two assists.

Defensively, Boston is led by league veteran goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who spent the last five seasons with the Courage and has made her way into the U.S. National Team setup. The team has seen several defensive units and formations since the start of the season as it looks to find the best lineup.

Tonight’s hosts face a tough challenge as they welcome the league-leading goal scorer in Banda. Meanwhile, the Pride will undoubtedly see this game as an opportunity to create some momentum as the schedule creeps closer to the FIFA World Cup break.

“I think it is going to be a tough game. I think any game in this league is tough, regardless of where the standings are,” Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “Boston are in good form right now. I think they are unbeaten in three games, so we are looking to build on our performance this last week against North Carolina. Hopefully, get three points away from home and start that journey on our away form as well. Always expect a tough match. They have some tough players as well, and we have to put our best game forward.”

The Pride will take the field tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Boston will be without Kaka (ankle) and Fauzia Najjemba (thigh), while Nicki Hernandez (thigh) is listed as questionable.

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Summer Yates, Haley McCutcheon, Marta.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Boston Legacy FC (3-1-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Casey Murphy.

Defenders: Lois Araujo, Bianca St-Georges, Emerson Elgin.

Defensive Midfielder: Annie Karich.

Attacking Midfielders: Sammy Smith, Josefine Hasbo, Alba Cano, Nichelle Prince.

Forwards: Amanda Gutierres, Barbara Olivierei.

Referees

REF: Katja Koroleva.
AR1: Sharon Gingrich.
AR2: Kristin Patterson.
4TH: Jeremy Scheer.
VAR: Brad Jensen.
AVAR: Matthew Seem.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, MA.

TV: None.

Streaming: Victory+.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win on Banda’s Late Goal

North Carolina hadn’t allowed a goal in the second half all season until Banda’s breakthrough.

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4 days ago

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May 8, 2026

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Image of Barbra Banda celebrating her winning goal against the Courage.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

A sloppy first 85 minutes finally gave way to a moment of brilliance from Barbra Banda as she worked her way free for the one and only goal to get the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) back to their winning ways. Banda’s eighth of the season led to a 1-0 Pride win over the North Carolina Courage (2-3-3, 9 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride are still waking up from the international break, having lost the last two to Racing Louisville, a team well below them in the standings, and the Washington Spirit at home. Banda has scored five goals in the last three games, leading the NWSL in goals, but she’s the only one scoring.

“We’ve met as units. We watch film, we go over things,” Pride forward Simone Jackson said in preparation for this game. “We’re talking to each other. We’re working on shifting faster and covering splits and making change for this North Carolina game and making sure that our press is matching their style of play.”

Head Coach Seb Hines put the same lineup on the field as the previous game against the Spirit, with Anna Moorhouse in goal. The only changes were in where the players started. Cori Dyke moved from left back to right center back, with Oihane and Rafaelle to her left and Hailie Mace at right back. Additionally, Haley McCutcheon dropped into central midfield with Ally Lemos, while Angelina joined Summer Yates and Solai Washington in the attacking midfield with Banda up top.

“We felt we had conceded seven goals in two games and we needed to make a shift in the back line,” Hines said after the game. “Cori Dyke has played center back for me and Hailie Mace is a new player to the club and just finding a bit more comfort with her playing right back. We just felt we needed to shift a bit — not change the personnel but shift the personnel.”

The Pride opened the match with a free kick from 40 yards out that Lemos sent straight to Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. North Carolina was able to get to the end line four minutes later but the cross went straight to Moorhouse. At the eight-minute mark, Angelina intercepted a long ball and headed it to Yates at the top of the box, whose first touch failed her and snuffed out the counter.

Banda got her elbow up high in the 10th minute and caught Natalia Staude in the chin. That prompted a delay as the video assistant referee evaluated it for a red card offense but eventually play resumed without incident. Banda then showed her immense talents three minutes later, outracing and outmuscling center backs, Staude and Uno Shiragaki for 40 yards, but the double team eventually won out.

Moorhouse and Lemos collided defending a free kick at the 18-minute mark, which caused Lemos to take a moment to gather herself. Yates picked up a yellow card in the 21st minute for sliding under Riley Jackson and catching her with her studs in the fallout of a foul she herself had drawn on the play. Washington slipped by Jackson with a great move in the 25th but the play ended up with a corner that turned into nothing.

As a light rain (that eventually turned into a full-on downpour) settled in with 18 minutes to play in the half, the Pride definitely had shown more promise on offense but no real threats. It was a good start for a team that had fallen behind early previously but more precision was going to be needed on the offensive side. Washington worked herself free in the box but, again, the shot went wide.

The first real threat from the Courage came in the 31st minute as Manaka Matsukubo got on the end of a deflected corner and pushed it just wide of the far post. Yates went to the ground a minute later after she took a shot to the ribcage by Lauryn Thompson.

Whether it was the rain picking up or a tactical adjustment, the game flowed to where North Carolina started owning possession but without any real threats. The Pride couldn’t get out of their own end until the 40th minute when a pass from Lemos to Banda at the top of the box allowed her to open up enough space to rocket a shot just wide of the near post.

Thompson tried to chip a cross towards the Pride goal but ended up skying it into the stands in the 43rd minute. With five minutes added to the first half for the various video reviews and injuries, The Courage kept Orlando bottled up in their own defensive end. Trying to escape, Oihane overhit a touch and kicked the legs out of Thompson, picking up a yellow card in the third minute of added time. A shot by McCutcheon a minute later deflected off Banda just wide.

To wrap up the half, Lemos picked up a yellow card in the fifth minute of added time for tripping Matsukubo. North Carolina’s ensuing free kick went long and ended the half just as the rain let up.

It wasn’t a great half of soccer by either team, highlighted by minimal threats and mostly defined by turnovers. The Pride trailed possession (58%-42%), crosses (7-5) and passing accuracy (83%-76%) but led on shots (4-3). Both teams had two corners and neither put a shot on goal.

The Pride came out with energy in the second half trying to change that. Just 30 seconds in, Washington crossed it to Banda at the penalty spot but she scuffed the volley. One minute later, Banda held off Shiragaki to open up a shot but put it just over the bar.

“Honestly, to be switched on from the beginning,” Angelina said when asked about the halftime message. “We know that in past games we got scored on pretty early coming back from the half. That was a big goal for us to come and be disciplined.”

Dani Weatherholt elbowed Washington to the ground in the 50th minute, picking up the Courage’s first yellow card. Matsukubo unleashed a 40-yard through ball to Thompson at the 53-minute mark, freeing Thompson for a shot wide.

Hines decided to try to bring some precision to the attack in the 55th minute, bringing in Marta for Yates and Seven Castain for Washington. It didn’t lead to anything immediately and, in the 60th, Shinomi Koyama got free at the top of the box and put it just over the bar.

However, just seconds later, Banda held off her defender at midfield and dribbled to the middle, laying it off to Marta in the box, who worked herself free for the first shot on target for either team. Sheridan kept it out with a huge save. The ensuing corner by Lemos rattled off the near post, leading to nothing. Lemos was subbed off a minute later in the 64th, with Julie Doyle taking her place.

Marta’s influence on the game started to become even more apparent with a slick left-footed inside-of-the-boot pass that curled perfectly to Banda, but she dribbled in too deep and didn’t get a shot off, losing the ball to Sheridan while trying to round the keeper. Ryan Williams put a shot over the bar 90 seconds later off a block.

Marta rifled a corner in the 69th minute that Sheridan parried right to McCutcheon, who fired it just wide. The Courage then made their first substitutes, bringing in Chioma Okafor for Thompson and Ally Schlegel for Evelyn Ijeh. Ijeh is listed as the forward for the Courage, yet this is the first mention she got in this writeup.

There was a lot of back-and-forth play over the next few minutes until Sanchez pushed a shot just past the far post in the 76th minute. North Carolina then brought in Carly Wickenheiser for Jackson in the 77th minute.

Marta shook herself loose in the 81st and thought she had a corner off a Sheridan tip but it was judged as a missed shot. Angelina went down in the ensuing Courage possession and was subbed off for Luana at the 84th-minute mark. The Courage made a substitution in the 85th, bringing in Ivy Younce for Sanchez.

In the 87th, the Pride broke the scoreless deadlock. Rafaelle intercepted a long pass and fired it over the top to Banda, who was kept onside by Staude. Banda worked her way into the box on the left. The Zambian international sent a curling shot around Sheridan and inside the right post, finally converting and giving the Pride the lead they had been knocking on for a while. Banda had been wasteful all game, but a striker just needs one. The Courage had not surrendered a second-half goal all season but they hadn’t played Banda yet either.

Banda went down in the ensuing celebration and then again five minutes later after a tough shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. She was able to return and, 60 seconds later, held off three defenders while transitioning the ball all the way down the field. She looked winded at this point, but the Pride had used all their subs.

Rafaelle picked up a yellow card in the seventh minute of added time for an over-the-top challenge. That produced the last meaningful action of the half as the Pride wrapped up the win.

The Pride ended up with roughly the same amount of possession as in the first half, finishing behind the Courage (56%-44%). They trailed in shots (12-9) but led in shots on target (2-1). The Courage led in crosses (13-8), but the Pride had one more corner (5-4). Passing accuracy picked up for the Pride in the second half, but they still ended up trailing (82.4%-79.6%).

The Pride now head out on a long road trip. They’ll head to Boston for a game against the Legacy on Tuesday, fly to Denver for a Saturday game against the Summit. Orlando will then get an eight-day break before going to San Diego to play the Wave.

“Sometimes road trips are nice, because you get to bond as a team,” Moorhouse said. “You’re with your teammates 24/7, so you get to bond a bit and hopefully this win will now snowball.”

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to end their two-game losing streak as they welcome the North Carolina Courage to Inter&Co Stadium.

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4 days ago

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May 8, 2026

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Image of Rafaelle playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (2-3-2, 8 points) look to bounce back from a tough loss as they welcome the North Carolina Courage (2-2-3, 9 points) to Inter&Co Stadium (8 p.m., Prime Video). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with the return game in Cary, NC scheduled for July 31.

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

History

The Pride and Courage have played 28 times since the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina and became the Courage in 2017. The Pride are 6-11-3 in the all-time series in NWSL play and 6-14-8 in all competitions (0-0-2 in the Fall Series, 0-3-2 in the NWSL Challenge Cup, and 0-0-1 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.). Orlando is 3-6-0 at home in league play and 3-7-2 in home matches against the Courage in all competitions.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place Sept. 19, 2025. The game appeared to be headed towards a scoreless draw until the end of normal time, when Shinomi Koyama converted to give the Courage the 1-0 win.

Prior to that game, the teams met on May 10 in Cary, NC. Feli Rauch scored in the first half to give the hosts the lead and it looked like they would hold on for all three points. But Prisca Chilufya’s equalizer in second-half stoppage time saw the game end in a 1-1 draw.

The first meeting in 2024 was held on May 1 in Orlando. Barbra Banda set up Ally Watt for the opener in the first half, and Watt repaid the favor just over 10 minutes later, as the Pride went up 2-0. Julie Doyle added a goal just before halftime, giving the Pride a commanding lead. Emily Sams’ own goal was the only scoring for the Courage, and Banda’s second of the night gave the Pride a 4-1 win.

On June 15, the Pride were the better team with more possession, shots, and shots on target, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. While they were disappointed with the result, the Pride were the first team to take points in North Carolina in 2024. On July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup in North Carolina, Manaka Matsukubo gave the hosts the lead just before halftime before Celia equalized late for the Pride. The game went into penalties and the Courage won the shootout 5-4. 

The first game between the Pride and Courage in 2023 took place April 19 in Orlando. The Pride took the lead after halftime when Summer Yates set up Watt for the opening goal, but Denise O’Sullivan equalized deep in second-half injury time, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On June 17 in North Carolina, it was all Courage. Kerolin and Meredith Speck gave the hosts a 2-0 lead before a Haley McCutcheon own goal made it 3-0 to North Carolina.

The Pride didn’t show up for the July 29 Challenge Cup contest in North Carolina, getting demolished by the Courage. Brittany Ratcliffe and Malia Berkely gave the hosts a 2-0 halftime lead before Frankie Tagliaferri made it three, and a late brace by Haley Hopkins completed the 5-0 beating. The Pride finally got a win over the Courage in 2023 on Sept. 17 at home. Watt scored inside the first minute. After assisting on the first goal, Adriana doubled the lead before halftime. Matsukubo got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough and the Pride won 2-1.

The first meeting in 2022 came on May 18 in North Carolina. Sydney Leroux scored early and Mikayla Cluff doubled the lead with her first professional goal. A late goal by Brianna Pinto got the Courage back within one, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took the2-1 win. On Sept. 21, 2022, at Exploria Stadium, Debinha scored early, assisted Tess Boade in first-half injury time to double the lead, and later added another goal, dooming the Pride to a 3-0 defeat.

The Pride and Courage were placed in the same division for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, so the teams played twice before the regular season started. The first game took place March 26 in North Carolina. Merritt Mathias converted a penalty after Gunny Jonsdottir was called for a handball in the box, lifting the hosts to a 1-0 win. The return match in the tournament took place on April 16 in Orlando. The Courage scored three goals in the first nine minutes. Darian Jenkins netted a brace to make it 3-2, but a late Debinha goal put the game away and North Carolina won 4-2.

The teams played three times during the 2021 NWSL season. On May 22 in North Carolina, goals by Leroux and Alex Morgan gave the Pride a 2-0 lead late into the game. Jessica McDonald scored late to pull one back but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win. On July 4 in Orlando, Debinha and Havana Solaun goals helped the Courage take home a 2-0 win. The final game was played July 31 in North Carolina. Leroux opened the scoring but Ratcliffe equalized moments later and the teams drew 1-1.

The two teams were also matched up in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup but they only played once in that tournament. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in a scoreless draw.

Similar to the Challenge Cup, the teams were in the same group of the 2020 Fall Series, meeting twice. The first took place Sept. 19 in North Carolina and ended in a scoreless draw. The second was held on Oct. 17 at Exploria Stadium. Led by a Debinha brace, the Courage went up 3-0. But the Pride came back with goals by Marisa Viggiano, Kristen Edmonds, and Ally Haran for an exciting 3-3 draw.

The Pride and Courage played three times during the 2019 season. The first game was on April 17 in North Carolina. The Courage took a 1-0 lead into halftime but scored four times in the second half to win 5-0. They played a second time on June 1 in Orlando. Again, it was a dominant performance by the Courage as the Pride fell 3-0. The final meeting that year was another thrashing by North Carolina as the Pride fell 6-1.

The teams also met three times in 2018. On May 23 in Orlando, goals by Alanna Kennedy and Rachel Hill saw the Pride come back from a 3-1 deficit. But McDonald scored a winner in the 90th minute and the Courage won 4-3. The Pride went down by three goals in the final two games that season, but were unable to come back and fell 3-0 in both contests.

The 2017 season saw the teams meet for the first time. The Courage took the first game 3-1 on April 29 in North Carolina. They played a second time two weeks later in Orlando when the Pride took the 3-1 win. The final meeting in 2017 came in the final game of the season on Sept. 30. Kennedy netted a late winner, leading the Pride to a 3-2 win.

Overview

The Pride went into the three-week international break on a four-game point streak, recording a pair of wins and a pair of draws. However, they’ve had two poor results since then, a 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville on the road and a 4-2 loss to the Washington Spirit at home.

The most recent game got off to a terrible start as Sofia Cantore scored twice in the first five and a half minutes to give the Spirit a 2-0 lead. It looked worse when Ally Lemos had her penalty saved by Sandy MacIver. But Banda scored twice before the break to even the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately, Claudia Martinez and Trinity Rodman scored in the second half, lifting the visitors to a two-goal win and handing the Pride their second consecutive loss. The losses put the Pride in 12th place in the league standings, but just one point behind eighth.

With Kerry Abello and Kylie Nadaner out, the Pride’s back line has consisted of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, and Oihane. Together with starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, the defensive unit has conceded seven goals in the last two games. But that’s not the only reason they’ve struggled the last two weeks.

Finishing has been another problem for the Pride. The only player able to convert has been Banda, who has scored four goals in the two most recent games. As previously mentioned, that included a Lemos penalty saved against the Spirit.

Tonight, the Pride face a foe in a similar position, as the Courage also sit on nine points. They’ve played three games since the break. They returned from the international break with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash before drawing Boston Legacy 2-2 and losing to the Kansas City Current 2-1.

The Courage are tied for the sixth-most goals conceded through their first seven games. That’s despite adding Canadian international goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who joined from San Diego Wave FC, where she was one of the league’s top shot stoppers.

The back line in front of Sheridan has been consistent recently, consisting of Dani Weatherholt, Maycee Bell, Uno Shiragaki, and Ryan Williams. However, Bell missed the team’s loss against Kansas City with a lower body injury.

Offensively, the Courage are led by U.S. international Ashley Sanchez, who has five goals. Matsukubo is second on the team with two goals and Weatherholt has the remaining one.

Williams leads the Courage with three assists so far this season, followed by Carly Wickenheiser, Matsukubo, Payton Linnehan, and Shinomi Koyama with one each.

“I think in any game in this league, it’s always going to be a tough matchup. I think they’re looking to bounce back from a defeat this past weekend. Similarly, we are as well,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said leading into tonight’s game. “We want to get our home form going again. Looking back at the Washington game, we’re very disappointed in the goals we conceded. We created some of our own as well and we have to capitalize on those moments. But there’s been a big emphasis on getting back to who we are as a team and not conceding sloppy goals.”

The Pride will play tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Hannah Anderson (illness), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). The Courage are without Maycee Bell (knee), Payton Crawford (knee), Natalie Jacobs (ankle), Feli Rauch (suspension), and Olivia Wingate (knee).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Raelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Solai Washington, Angelina, Summer Yates.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Nicole Payne, Reagan Raabe, Luana, Seven Castain, Julie Doyle, Simone Jackson, Marta

North Carolina Courage (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan.

Defenders: Dani Weatherholt, Natalia Staude, Uno Shiragaki, Ryan Williams.

Midfielders: Manaka Matsukubo, Shinomi Koyama, Riley Jackson.

Forwards: Ashley Sanchez, Evelyn Ijeh, Lauryn Thompson.

Bench: Molly Pritchard, Sydney Schmidt, Cameron Brooks, Ivy Younce, Carly Wickenheiser, Ally Schlegel, Hannah Betfort, Cortnee Vine, Chioma Okafor.

Referees

REF: Lauren Aldrich.
AR1: Zeno Cho.
AR2: Seun Yinka-Kehinde.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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