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

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (5-9-6, 21 points) welcome San Diego Wave FC (10-6-4, 34 points) to Exploria Stadium. This is the second and final time the two teams will meet this season.

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

History

The San Diego Wave are nearing the end of their inaugural season. Since the teams weren’t matched up in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, they’ve only played once against each other. The game came near the end of the Pride’s seven-game unbeaten run and was the first of a two-game winning streak.

The first-ever game between the two teams came on Aug. 13 in San Diego. The lone goal in the game came from the penalty spot after a Julie Doyle cross hit the arm of Kaleigh Riehl. In the 23rd minute, Meggie Dougherty Howard stepped up and buried the penalty. The Pride held on for 67 minutes to beat one of the top teams in the league, 1-0 away.

Overall

The Pride come into this game on a four-game losing streak. After going seven unbeaten, they lost 2-1 to OL Reign, 2-0 to the Portland Thorns, 2-0 to Racing Louisville, and 3-0 to the North Carolina Courage. Three of those four losses were at home and they’ve now been held scoreless for 323 consecutive minutes.

Tonight is the final home game of the 2022 NWSL season for the Pride. It’s their penultimate game of the year as they’ll finish the season next Saturday night in Seattle against OL Reign.

While the Pride have only pride to play for, tonight’s opponent is fighting for the top spot in the league. The Wave sit just one point behind the Thorns for the number one seed in the playoffs with just two games remaining.

With an attack that features former Pride players Alex Morgan and Jodie Taylor, the Wave are fourth in the league in goals scored, with 30. They’ve also been very strong defensively, conceding only 19 goals. That ties San Diego with OL Reign for the fewest goals conceded in the league.

As was expected when the trade occurred last off-season, Morgan has led the Wave attack this year. Her 15 goals scored leads the league and is three more than Thorns striker Sophia Smith. Morgan has been the go-to player in the attack for San Diego, with the next-highest number of goals on the team being just three by Jaedyn Reese. Two Wave players top the team in assists with three, including former Pride midfielder Taylor Kornieck.

Defensively, Kailen Sheridan has had a remarkable season in goal for San Diego. She’s currently third in the league in clean sheets, with seven, and has a league-high goals-against average of 0.94. However, she’s only had to make 46 saves this year, the second-fewest by any goalkeeper in the league with at least 10 starts.

Since the loss to the Pride, which was the second in a two-game losing streak, San Diego has won three of its last four games. The only loss since the 1-0 win for the Pride came on Sept. 10 away to the Washington Spirit.

The Pride have their second-longest availability list of the season, with nine players listed as out or questionable. Marta (knee), Viviana Villacorta (ankle), Caitlin Cosme (knee), Chelsee Washington (ankle), Kaylie Collins (wrist), and Parker Roberts (COVID protocol) are out. Mikayla Cluff (ankle), Anna Moorhouse (hand), and Erika Tymrak (thigh) are questionable.

Only Amirah Ali (knee) and Kayla Bruster (foot) are out for San Diego tonight. However, Morgan (knee) is listed as questionable for her first return to Orlando.

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Erin McLeod.

Defenders: Celia, Toni Pressley, Carrie Lawrence, Courtney Peteresen.

Defensive Midfielders: Megan Montefusco, Haley Hanson.

Midfielders: Meggie Dougherty Howard, Gunny Jonsdottir, Thais Reiss.

Forwards: Leah Pruitt.

Bench: Kelly Rowswell, Haley Bugeja, Darian Jenkins, Kylie Strom, Julie Doyle, Jordyn Listro, Ally Watt, Kerry Abello.

San Diego Wave FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan.

Defenders: Kristen McNabb, Naomi Girma, Abby Dahlkemper, Christen Westphal.

Midfielders: Taylor Kornieck, Emily van Egmond, Katie Johnson.

Forwards: Jodie Taylor, Sofia Jakobsson, Jaedyn Shaw.

Bench: Alex Morgan, Kelsey Turnbow, Belle Briede, Makenzy Doniak, Kaleigh Riehl, Madison Pogarch, Marleen Schimmer, Mia Gyau, Carly Telford.

Referees

REF: Matt Thompson.

AR1: Joe Suchoski.

AR2: Jeffrey Skinker.

4TH: Alejo Calume.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Exploria Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Paramount+ (U.S.), Twitch (International).

Twitter: For live updates and rapid reaction, following @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

Enjoy the match. Go Pride!