Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Final Score 2-2 as Pride Blow Two-Goal Lead in Home Finale

The Orlando Pride (5-9-7, 22 points) took a 2-0 lead over San Diego Wave FC (10-6-5, 35 points) but two late goals saw the teams draw 2-2. Meggie Dougherty Howard and Gunny Jonsdottir scored first two goals for the hosts while Makenzy Doniak and Taylor Kornieck scored for the visitors.
Pride Interim Head Coach Seb Hines made four changes from the team that lost 3-0 to the North Carolina Courage Wednesday night. Toni Pressley, Courtney Petersen, Dougherty Howard, and Thais Reiss entered the lineup for Ally Watt, Kylie Strom, Jordyn Listro, and Kerry Abello.
The back four in front of Erin McLeod consisted of Celia, Pressley, Carrie Lawrence, and Petersen. For the first time, the Pride lineup had two sixes in Montefusco and Haley Hanson. Dougherty Howard, Jonsdottir, and Reiss were in the attacking midfield with Leah Pruitt up top.
Your @orlandohealth Starting XI 💜#PrideOfOrlando | #ORLvSD pic.twitter.com/R4ME2Twbym
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 25, 2022
With a unique lineup and a unique formation for this team, it was expected that San Diego would jump all over the Pride. However, Orlando played well for most of the game, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. They got a second in the second half and looked to be on their way to all three points. But a common problem occurred as they conceded two late goals to claim only one point.
The Pride jumped out to a fast start in this game, creating a pair of corners inside the first three minutes. After the first corner was cleared, the Pride had the game’s first chance when quick passing between Dougherty Howard and Hanson allowed the latter to play Reiss in behind the Wave defense. Reiss got inside the six but Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan closed her down and blocked the shot out of play with her leg. The ensuing corner was quickly cleared by San Diego.
The visitors’ first chance came in the eighth minute when former Pride midfielder Emily van Egmond won control of the ball on the Pride half of the field. The Australian international played it forward for Sofia Jakobsson, who found enough space for a shot at the top of the box. Jakobsson was looking to sneak the ball inside the far post but it rolled just wide.
The Pride had another good opportunity in the 17th minute off a Wave mistake. Naomi Girma attempted to play the ball outside for Christen Westphal but it was a weak pass and easily intercepted by Dougherty Howard. The Pride midfielder got into the box and took a shot on goal but it was right at Sheridan.
In the 25th minute, Kornieck almost made it through the Pride’s back line to get a chance on goal. After receiving the ball from Girma, Jodie Taylor’s first touch sent Kornieck through. She had a step on Montefusco but the defensive midfielder caught up to the former Pride attacker, tipping the ball and allowing Lawrence to clear it out of play.
The Wave had another good chance in the 31st minute when Petersen got caught too far inside. Jakobsson was left with plenty of space on the right and Jaedyn Shaw found her. Jakobsson carried the ball into the box and tried to chip McLeod, but it was over the crossbar.
The visitors paid for those misses in the 33rd minute. After receiving the ball from Hanson near the corner of the box, Pruitt sent a low cross to the top of the six. Sheridan came out in an attempt to clear the ball, but Dougherty Howard beat her to it. The Pride midfielder tapped it past the Wave goalkeeper to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.
The Pride strike first through @MeggieDH! @ORLPride | #PrideOfOrlando pic.twitter.com/eDg3VPijYN
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 25, 2022
“Obviously a goal helps to have a little bit of a cushion,” Dougherty Howard said about her goal. “But I think it was the work that led up to that goal that produced the opportunity for us to just build off that.”
In addition to being Dougherty Howard’s third goal of the season, the goal broke Orlando’s 356-minute scoring drought dating back to Aug. 26 against OL Reign. Coincidentally, Dougherty Howard scored that goal as well, which came in the 37th minute of a 2-1 loss. The midfielder also scored the only goal in the Pride’s 1-0 win over the Wave in San Diego on Aug. 13, with that goal coming via penalty.
The Wave nearly got that goal back in the 36th minute when Taylor found Kaitlyn Johnson at the top of the box. The midfielder had enough space to shoot from the top of the box and the ball was headed for the far corner but McLeod made a diving stop.
That was the last good chance of the first half as the Pride took a 1-0 lead into the break. After 45 minutes of play, San Diego had more possession (55.5%-44.5%) and shots (6-4). However, the Pride had more shots on target (3-1), crosses (8-4), and, most importantly, scored the half’s lone goal.
“To be honest, I think we kind of let our foot off the gas last bit of the first half. So that was something we touched on in the second half,” Dougherty Howard about the team’s halftime thoughts. “In the past, we have been complacent once we score and that was something we talked about going into the start the second half, that we wanted to get back to the way we started the game, kind of clean slate, not dwell on the fact that we were up 1-0 because that’s dangerous to just get comfortable in that league.”
The Wave got off to the better attacking start in the second half. The visitors won the first corner of the second period of play when Carrie Lawrence cleared a ball out of play. The ensuing corner ended up with Westphal at the top of the box but her weak shot was easily cleared. They had another chance in the 54th minute when Westphal sent a cross into the six-yard box for a charging Kornieck. The attacker went up for the ball, but McLeod beat her to it and the Pride were able to clear.
The Wave made three changes before the hour mark, but the Pride soon followed. Instead of making defensive changes to hold onto the 1-0 lead, Hines brought on Ally Watt and Haley Bugeja in the 62nd minute for Pruitt and Reiss. The team’s third change came in the 67th minute when Kylie Strom entered for Celia.
Despite the attacking moves, San Diego continued to pressure. In the 64th minute, a van Egmond cross found the head of Kornieck. The forward redirected the ball towards goal but it was right at McLeod.
A minute later, a turnover by Celia in her own end created another chance for San Diego. Doniak took control of the poor pass and dribbled towards the end line. The midfielder sent a cross to the top of the box that found Kelsey Turnbow, but the shot was blocked by Pressley.
Once again, the missed opportunities by San Diego cost the visitors as the Pride doubled their lead. In the 68th minute, Petersen sent a cross into the San Diego box. Jonsdottir got her head to the ball, sending it low and towards goal. Sheridan got down in an attempt to block it but was too late and the Pride increased their lead to 2-0.
Gunny Jónsdóttir doubles the lead for the Pride!@ORLPride | #PrideOfOrlando pic.twitter.com/DTKkrPfLmY
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 26, 2022
“We were able to, in the second half, get the ball down, play, get into a really good spot for Courtney Petersen to deliver a really good ball,” Hines said about the second Pride goal. “And a commitment from Gunny to get there and get a good head on it.”
Following the goal, San Diego continued to attack, looking to get back into the game. Jakobsson’s shot in the 71st minute was blocked and Kristen McNabb missed the target in the 75th minute. But the Wave finally got one in the 76th minute.
Turnbow sent a cross from the right into the box where Doniak was charging in. The second-half substitute barely got her head to the ball, but enough to send it just over the fingertips of McLeod and into the far corner, cutting the Pride lead to 2-1.
It's not over yet! @makenzy_allyson pulls one back for the Wave.@sandiegowavefc | #WaveFC pic.twitter.com/DwmX9l45MW
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 26, 2022
Until that goal, the Pride had attempted to keep their foot on the pedal. The substitutions were more like-for-like and attacking. However, with only a one-goal lead, a change in shape was necessary.
“Once we were 2-1, we felt like we had to change shape so we went to a five back,” Hines said about the move. “We dropped Megan (Montefusco) in. We had 5-4-1. Anytime a team is down and you play a direct team, they’re gonna even be more direct.”
In the 78th minute, Bugeja switched the ball to Petersen on the left side, allowing the defender to get a shot off. However, it was from distance and a poor angle, allowing Sheridan to easily catch it.
A minute later, a Jakobsson cross reached McNabb on the far side. The defender fired on goal but got under the ball and it sailed over the crossbar.
The Wave found their long-awaited equalizer in the 87th minute. It started with a free kick after Jonsdottir fouled Doniak. McNabb sent the free kick to the top of the six where it was softly cleared out to Kornieck in the middle of the box. The former Pride player didn’t miss this opportunity, slamming it past McLeod to make it 2-2.
THE EQUALIZER! @taylorkornieck comes up big for San Diego late.#WaveFC | @sandiegowavefc pic.twitter.com/K8U0grWm4M
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 26, 2022
“It’s the second phase and it lands to her feet,” Hines said about San Diego’s second goal. “You know, if it’s a foot away from Kornieck, Abello gets it. It’s just one of the things that happens.”
“I think we just, in these games, can’t lose focus, even if we’re 2-0 up,” Jonsdottir said about conceding the two late goals. “We need to just be turned on and then we switched off for a second there and they’re a good team. So they punish us and that’s how it is.”
The Pride tried to find a late winner in the 90th minute when Lawrence received the ball from about 40 yards out off a clearance. The center back took her chance and fired on goal. It looked as though it might’ve been dipping under the crossbar, so Sheridan tipped it over.
The Pride had one more chance in the final minute of injury time when Watt chipped a ball towards the far post. Madison Pogarch got the final touch, providing the Pride with a corner kick. The ensuing corner by Jonsdottir was the final ball into either team’s box but it was cleared away by San Diego.
San Diego finished the game with more possession (58.1%-41.9%), shots (15-6), and crosses (21-20). The Pride did end the game with more shots on target (5-4) but it wasn’t enough as they blew a two-goal lead in their final home game of the season.
“I’m really proud of the players,” Hines said about the game. “It’s been tough the last four games — injuries, three-game week. And you can see today they went above and beyond to try and get results and the effort and the commitment and players coming into the lineup and playing their part and players coming off the bench and playing their part and we took it all the way to the final whistle. So, I’m really proud of the players and everything that they’ve put into this week to get a result today.”
“We’ve been through a bit of a rough patch. So today’s game was all about character,” Jonsdottir added. “That’s what the team showed today. And I’m so proud of them. It kind of feels like a loss because I thought we were good in this game. That’s a tough one to take. But as I said, I’m so proud of the team.”
The Pride will end the season with a home record of 1-5-5. The fans also showed up for this game as 6,466 were in attendance. That’s the second-highest home attendance of the year and the highest this season at Exploria Stadium. The team drew 7,573 when it faced Racing Louisville on July 3 at Daytona International Speedway.
“Great crowd tonight,” Dougherty Howard said about the support. “It makes a difference when we’re on the field, just giving that extra energy, and I felt like hopefully (we) made the fans proud and we put out a performance that represents who we want to be.”
The draw has an impact on both teams. While the Wave clinched a playoff spot, the Pride remain in ninth in the league with one game remaining in the season. The team can’t finish any lower than 10th and can only be caught by the Washington Spirit. It’s a situation that most people didn’t expect from the team during a rebuilding year.
The Pride will now travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on OL Reign next Saturday night in the season finale.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Forward Simone Jackson Through 2028
The Orlando Pride have signed 22-year-old forward Simone Jackson through the 2028 NWSL season.

The Orlando Pride announced the signing of former University of Southern California forward Simone Jackson today. The 22-year-old’s deal is through the 2028 season.
“We are thrilled to welcome Simone Jackson to the Orlando Pride family through 2028. Her versatility, technical ability, and quickness immediately impressed our technical staff, but it’s her character and personality that truly make her a perfect fit for our culture,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Simone represents exactly the kind of player and person we want to invest in as we build the future of this club. Her signing reflects our commitment to bringing in talent that will help us compete at the highest level while embodying the values that make the Pride special.”
While Jackson is a new signing, the attacker isn’t new to the Pride. She was with the team during preseason as a non-roster invitee, playing well enough to earn a spot on the roster.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored to join the Orlando Pride. From the moment I arrived, I felt the special culture this club has built and knew this was where I wanted to be,” Jackson said in the club’s release. “The vision the coaching staff shared with me aligns perfectly with my goals as a player, and I can’t wait to contribute on the field and connect with our amazing fans. Orlando has such a rich soccer community, and I’m thrilled to call this city home for the next chapter of my career. I’m ready to put in the work every day to help bring championships to this club and make an impact both on and off the field.”
Prior to joining the Pride for preseason, Jackson spent four years at the University of Southern California. She played in 75 games for the Trojans, scoring 22 goals and adding 13 assists. Her best season was her senior year, where she accumulated 1,304 minutes and scored six goals, second most on the team.
The Redondo Beach, CA native was a member of the All-Big Ten third team in 2024, first-team All-Pac-12 in 2022, third-team All-Pac-12 in 2023 and 2021, and a Pac 12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2021.
Internationally, Jackson represented the United States at multiple youth levels, including at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She scored her team’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Japan in that tournament. Jackson participated at every youth level for the U.S., starting at U-14.
What It Means For Orlando
Having successfully put a strong starting lineup together, Carter and Pride Head Coach Seb Hines now work on the team’s depth. And that’s where Jackson comes in. The forward will be behind starter Barbra Banda and Ally Watt on the depth chart. However, Banda could depart at times for international duty with Zambia, giving Jackson a spot on the bench.
At 22 years old, the young attacker has plenty of time to develop. She’ll be playing with seasoned professionals in the same position, providing valuable role models. Barring injuries, she probably won’t get much playing time this year but could be a key player for the Pride in the future.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Win Behind Barbra Banda Hat Trick
A first-half Barbra Banda hat trick lifted the Pride to a much-needed road win over the Utah Royals.

The Orlando Pride (6-3-1, 19 points) rode Barbra Banda’s hat trick to a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals (1-7-2) tonight at America First Field in Sandy, UT. Banda gave the Pride the lead in the sixth minute and Brecken Mozingo equalized in the 14th minute, but Banda took over late in the first half, scoring two goals in two minutes to net the first hat trick in Pride history.
The win snapped Orlando’s three-game winless skid and marked the first time the Pride scored more than one goal since a 3-2 home win over Angel City on April 25.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Current last week. Kerry Abello and Marta, who had started every game until tonight, began the game on the bench. They were replaced in the lineup by Cori Dyke and Ally Watt.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Oihane. Angelina, Morgan Gautrat, Haley McCutcheon, and Carson Pickett were in the midfield, with Banda and Watt up top.
This was a game of two halves with the best chances coming in the first 45 minutes. It looked like it would be a high-scoring affair, but the game slowed down considerably in the second half. The Pride were unquestionably the better team throughout, causing problems for the Utah back line. In the end, it was a fair result, as the Pride come home with all three points.
The hosts nearly created the game’s first chance in the fifth minute when Janni Thomsen played Cece Kizer down the right. The veteran midfielder’s first touch was a low ball into the box for Mozingo, but Oihane got there first to clear it away.
A minute later, the Royals created the first shot on goal. Ally Sentnor tried to dribble through Nadaner, who got a touch on the ball but couldn’t win it. The ball went straight to Mozingo, who shot, but the attempt was right to Moorhouse at the near post.
The Pride immediately went the other way with Oihane finding Watt down the right . The attacker sprinted down field before playing it into the box where Banda was making a run. The striker’s first touch guided the ball inside the far post to give the Pride the early 1-0 lead.
“It was a quality goal,” Hines said about the opener. “A breakaway with Ally and she does a really good job of finding Barbra and it’s a quality finish from Barbra.”
The Pride had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 10th minute when Claudia Zornoza pulled down Angelina from behind near the top of the Utah box. Angelina stepped to the ball first before backing off and letting Pickett take the set piece. Oihane ran onto the ball and tried to flick it on goal, sending it just wide of the right post.
In the 13th minute, Pickett, Gautrat, and Angelina combined to send Banda into the final third. The low cross was right to Ana Tejada, but the defender got it caught in her feet. The ball slipped through to Watt behind her, and the attacker had two chances. However, Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made a pair of saves to keep her team in the game.
The Pride paid for the missed chance a minute later when the Royals equalized. Zornoza sent Mozingo into the Pride half of the field. Nadaner kept the play onside, and the attacker got behind the back line and in on goal. Moorhouse came out to cut down the angle, but the shot was past her and inside the far post to even the game at 1-1.
There was a stoppage while the video assistant referee examined the play to see if Mozingo was offside. However, Nadaner never stepped up with the rest of the back line, and the goal correctly stood.
Banda nearly had a second in the 20th minute when Sentnor knocked the ball off McCutcheon’s foot, but right to the Pride striker. However, Lauren Flynn made a last-ditch tackle, knocking the ball off of Banda’s foot to prevent a likely goal.
A minute later, Banda won a long punt by Moorhouse and got into the Royals’ box. Kate Del Fava did well to push her outside, and the striker’s shot was right to McGlynn.
Banda made a long run in the 26th minute, getting behind the Royals’ defense and into the box. McGlynn came off her line to challenge the striker and blocked the attempt. The rebound went to Watt with an empty net, but Nuria Rabano made a goal-saving block.
A bad turnover by Gautrat under pressure in the 28th minute nearly resulted in Utah taking the lead. Kizer took possession and found Mina Tanaka in the box. The Japanese international laid it back for Zornoza, who shot, sending her attempt over the goal.
Banda struck again in the 37th minute when Thomsen played a terrible pass back and the striker intercepted it. Flynn was on her back the whole time, but Banda dribbled around McGlynn and touched it in to make it 2-1.
A minute later, Banda made history. McCutcheon sent the striker down the left behind Del Fava. The defender caught up, but decided to block her pass into the middle rather than get to the goal side. Banda fired to McGlynn’s near post, slipping it between the post and the goalkeeper to give the Pride a 3-1 lead.
In the 224th Pride game in all competitions, it was the first hat trick in team history, the third in NWSL history to take place in the first half, and the first time an NWSL player has scored a road hat trick in the first half.
“She’s a constant threat. It was three different types of goals, which is pleasing to see,” Hines said about Banda’s hat trick. “She’s been waiting patiently. She’s been hitting half chances, but no real clear-cut opportunities. And so I was really pleased for her. Obviously, it’s the first hat trick in Pride history. That’s been a long wait for that opportunity, but she took it really well.”
Banda also became the first African international to score a hat trick in the NWSL.
The Pride nearly had a chance in the third minute of first-half stoppage time when Pickett sent a beautiful ball into the box for Angelina. It was right there for the Brazilian, but she couldn’t control it.
After 45 minutes of action, the Pride had more possession (54%-46%), shots (10-7), shots on target (9-2), crosses (7-5), and corner kicks (2-1). They also had better passing accuracy (84%-82%) in the first half.
While the Pride were the more attacking team to start the first half, the Royals were on the front foot in the second. In the 48th minute, Mozingo found Zornoza near the top of the box. Sentnor made a diagonal run and Zornoza found her. However, the U.S. international sent her attempt well wide of the target.
The Royals created the second shot of the second half in the 63rd minute when Tanaka laid the ball off for Sentnor. Despite being far from goal, the striker fired. The shot was on target but into the arms of Moorhouse.
A minute later, Kizer dribbled into the right side of the box and took a shot from a tight angle. However, Moorhouse had her near post covered and the attempt didn’t cause her any trouble.
The next time the ball went out of play, Hines made his first two changes. Abello and Summer Yates came on for Oihane and Angelina.
Shortly after the substitution, the Pride created their first shot of the second half. A poor pass out of the back by McGlynn was intercepted by Yates. The midfielder played the ball to Banda on the right and the striker took a shot, but it didn’t cause much trouble for McGlynn.
McCutcheon had a great look in the 72nd minute, when Pickett sent Yates down the left. The second-half substitute played it into the six-yard box, where McCutcheon found herself all alone. However, she seemed surprised by the situation, sending the ball wide from very short distance.
In the 77th minute, Dyke found Yates in the box. The midfielder did well to turn Ana Tejada and fired on target. However, McGlynn did well to get a hand to it. Watt had position on Del Fava in front of an empty net near the left post, and the defender pushed the attacker over to win the ball. Pride players in the area wanted a penalty, but the referee disagreed.
The Pride won a free kick in the opposing third in the 78th minute when Watt was pushed over by Flynn. Pickett sent the set piece into the box and Lemos got her foot to it, but she sent the attempt wide.
The Royals nearly got one back in the 80th minute when Sentnor sent a low cross into the box from the left. Bianca St-Georges was behind her defender and right in front of the goal, but the pass was just behind her.
Play stopped in the 82nd minute as McCutcheon went down with an injury. The Pride medical staff came out to examine the defensive midfielder, eventually resulting in the team’s final change of the night. In the 84th minute, Viviana Villacorta came into the game for McCutcheon.
St-Georges had a chance in the 87th minute when a long ball bounced away from Abello. The Royals substitute turned and shot, but sent the attempt well wide of the target.
Tanaka received a pass forward in the 89th minute and fired from distance. However, Lemos got her foot in from behind, getting a piece of the ball and allowing Moorhouse to make the easy stop.
The Royals had a good chance to get one back in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Madison Pogarch sent a dangerous ball to the back post. St-Georges was behind Abello and Moorhouse was trying to get over, but the ball went out of play.
That was the last chance as the Pride claimed a huge three points away from home.
At full time, the Pride had more possession (52%-48%), shots on target (11-5), crosses (12-10), and corner kicks (4-1). Utah had better passing accuracy (83%-82%) and more shot attempts (14-13).
“Priority was to come away with three points before we go into the international break,” Hines said. “I think in recent games we played well, but we haven’t really got the results. So, we wanted to make sure that we performed well and got the result. It’s great to come away from this game with three points and a nice 3-1 win.”
“Interesting match,” Banda added. “Coming back from the loss, we wanted to win this game, so we had to put all what it takes. We didn’t want to leave anything on the field, but to get the maximum three points.”
The win vaults Orlando back into second place, two points behind the first-place Current. However, the Current have yet to play this weekend. They’re also two points ahead of the San Diego Wave, who also have a game in hand.
Following the international break, the Pride have three games before the summer break, which will last over a month. Two of those three games are away from home, but they’re all winnable.
“We need to take that confidence going into these last three games before the summer break,” Hines said. “Obviously, we’re going into the international break, so players are representing their country. But when they come back, we need to carry on that momentum into the last three games going into the summer break.”
The Pride will have an extra week to soak in this win, as they don’t play next weekend. They’ll return to action on June 7 when they host the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride look to return to their winning ways as they travel to face the struggling Utah Royals.

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (5-3-1, 16 points) travel west to take on the Utah Royals (1-6-2, 5 points) in Sandy, UT. This is the first of two matchups between these teams with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Aug. 3.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Royals first played in 2018 and 2019 before the team was purchased and relocated to Kansas City. The new owners of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake bought an expansion side, so 2024 was the first season the two teams met since 2019, although this is an all-new side. The Pride are 3-3-2 against the Royals all-time, with all games coming in the NWSL regular season. Orlando is 2-0-0 against this current iteration of the Royals (1-0-0 on the road) and 2-1-1 all-time in the state of Utah.
The last time the Pride met the Royals was on June 21, 2024 in Orlando. It was a dominant performance from start to finish as the Pride roared to a 6-0 win. Barbra Banda started the scoring, and Summer Yates made it 2-0 just before halftime. The Pride took off in the second half with goals by Banda and Ally Watt, along with a Marta brace.
On April 12 in Sandy, UT. Marta started on the bench and came on for Adriana in the 62nd minute. It didn’t take long for the Pride captain to make an impact, netting the game’s lone goal six minutes later, as the visitors left the Beehive State with a 1-0 victory.
The 2019 season was the final one for the original Royals and the Pride faced this opponent three times that year. The first game between the teams was on April 27 in Orlando, and the difference was Christen Press, who netted the lone goal early in a 1-0 result. On May 25 in Utah, Amy Rodriguez opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Makenzy Doniak made it 2-0 late. The third meeting was on Aug. 17 in Orlando. Press gave the visitors the lead in the 60th minute and Rodriguez doubled the advantage late as the Royals won 2-0.
The 2018 campaign was the Royals’ inaugural season, and Orlando got the better of the newcomers, going unbeaten in three matches (1-0-2). In the 2018 season opener, Utah and the Pride played to a 1-1 draw in Orlando. The Royals scored on their first chance of the game. They had an excellent spell of early possession. Diana Matheson put in a cross and Gunny Jonsdottir — who later played for the Pride for two seasons in 2021 and 2022 — volleyed it into the back of the net. Marta tied things up from the spot later in the first half, and the game ended 1-1.
About a month and a half later, the teams met again, playing to a 0-0 draw, this time in Rio Tinto Stadium. It was a relatively dull night with no goals and the majority of the action in the middle of the field. Both teams struggled on the attacking end. There were no shots on target in the first half and just three in the second.
While those first two matches ended in draws, the last meeting of 2018 finally saw a winner. On July 14, 2018, there was end-to-end action, and both teams saw chances in front of the net. Utah found an early goal from Rodriguez, and then Alex Morgan tied it up with a penalty kick just before halftime. In the second half, a good through ball from Ali Krieger found Kristen Edmonds one-on-one with Utah goalkeeper Abby Smith, who was caught out of position. Edmonds chipped the ball past Smith for the game-winner, and Orlando got its first-ever victory against the Royals, 2-1.
Overview
The Pride are coming off a tough stretch where they’ve lost two of their last three games 1-0, and only a last-minute equalizer in North Carolina kept it from being three straight losses. The most recent loss came a week ago tonight when the Pride hosted the Kansas City Current in a battle for first place. Temwa Chawinga’s 52nd-minute goal was the difference, sending the Pride down to third in the NWSL standings.
The problem for the Pride has been the attack. Other than scoring three goals in 20 minutes against Angel City FC in a 3-2 come-from-behind win, the Pride haven’t scored multiple goals in a game since March 29, when they defeated San Diego Wave FC 2-1.
Meanwhile, the Pride’s defense has been fantastic. That Angel City game is the only time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this year. Head Coach Seb Hines even gave starting center backs Kylie Nadaner and Emily Sams a break, replacing each of them with rookie Zara Chavoshi in successive games, but they only gave up one goal in those games combined. Unfortunately, the lack of offense resulted in only getting one point.
Banda got off to a great start this season, netting a brace in the opener. However, she’s only scored twice in the last eight games and hasn’t found the back of the net in the last three matches. Marta has had similar struggles, failing to score since the win over Angel City.
The Pride desperately need three points to get themselves back on track, and they face the perfect team tonight. The Royals were one of the worst teams in the league last year, finishing 11th of 14 teams. They aren’t any better this year so far, with just five points from nine games, good enough for 13th place.
As you might expect from a team with just one win, Utah has struggled offensively and defensively this year. Their seven goals are second fewest in the NWSL, and their 16 goals conceded are tied with Angel City for second most. The only team worse is the last-place Chicago Stars, who have scored five times and conceded 19 goals.
While the Royals have struggled defensively this year, they’re coming off their best game of the season, a 3-3 draw at the Washington Spirit. The sudden production ended a three-game goalless streak. We’ll see if that carries into tonight.
Nobody on the Royals has multiple goals or assists this year, understandable by their lack of scoring. But they’ll have their work cut out for them tonight when they face one of the league’s best defenses. The Pride’s seven goals conceded is tied with Seattle Reign FC for second, just one behind the Current.
The Pride started the season as the most prolific offense, scoring six times in the season opener. But, apart from the three-goal output against Angel City, they’ve cooled off considerably. Facing a team that has leaked goals all year, this could be the game the Pride need to get back to their scoring ways.
“I think they put up a good performance against a good Washington Spirit side. They should be happy walking away with a point,” Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “Obviously, they were close to three points as well, but I think before the game they probably would’ve taken that. So we can’t take them too lightly. We’re trying to bounce back from some disappointing results, not performances. And I think it’s a great opportunity for us to go there and come away with three points.”
The only change to the Pride availability report is the removal of Julie Doyle (knee). Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), and Rafaelle (thigh) remain out.
The Royals will be without Mikayla Cluff (concussion), Macey Fraser (knee), Olivia Griffiths (maternity leave), Cloe Lacasse (knee), Alex Loera (knee), Tatumn Milazzo (knee), Paige Monaghan (foot), and Kaleigh Riehl (lower leg).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Oihane.
Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Morgan Gautrat.
Attacking Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Angelina, Ally Watt.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Julie Doyle, Prisca Chilufya, Summer Yates, Zara Chavoshi, Kerry Abello, Viviana Villacorta, Marta, Ally Lemos.
Utah Royals (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Mandy McGlynn.
Defenders: Nuria Rabano, Lauren Flynn, Kate Del Fava, Janni Thomsen.
Defensive Midfielders: Ana Tejada, Claudia Zornoza.
Midfielders: Brecken Mozingo, Mina Tanaka, Cece Kizer.
Forwards: Ally Sentnor.
Bench: Mia Justus, Ana Guzman, Madison Pogarch, Kherrington Ream, Dana Foederer, Imani Dorsey, Aisha Solorzano, Aria Nagai, Bianca St-Georges.
Referees
REF: JC Griggs.
AR1: Matthew Rodman.
AR2: Darren Bandy.
4TH: Rachel Swett.
VAR: Katherine McCormick.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.
How to Watch
Match Time: 9:30 p.m.
Venue: America First Field — Sandy, UT.
TV: None.
Streaming: FDSN App, NWSL+.
Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).
Enjoy the game. Go Pride!
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