Connect with us

Orlando Pride

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

Published

on

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.

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.

“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.

“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.

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.

“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 vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Claim Point on Late Equalizer

The Pride claimed a point for the second consecutive week, again coming from behind.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (0-0-2, 2 points) started their 2024 NWSL home schedule tonight with a 1-1 draw against Angel City FC (0-1-1, 1 point). The visitors opened the scoring early in the second half through Claire Emslie from the penalty spot, but a late Marta volley enabled the hosts to leave with a point.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that drew Racing Louisville FC 2-2 last weekend. Emily Sams was out with an illness and Kylie Strom was suspended after being sent off Saturday, while Luana was left out of the starting lineup. They were replaced by Brianna Martinez, Celia, and Ally Watt.

The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Haley McCutcheon, Martinez, Kerry Abello, and Celia. Morgan Gautrat and Angelina were the defensive midfielders behind a familiar attacking midfield of Julie Doyle, Marta, and Adriana. It was the season debut for Watt, who started alone up top.

The most noticeable part of the lineup was the changes in the back line. Three of the four starting defenders were injured, sick, or suspended, causing Hines to make some unusual choices. As a result, the center back pairing included a midfielder and a fullback.

“The back line was very young too. That’s another point. Not only was it a makeshift back line, it was a very young back line,” Moorhouse said about the forced defensive changes. “I think I was the oldest one by like quite a lot, like four years maybe. So yeah, it was an inexperienced back line.”

The Pride were the better team for most of the game, creating more chances and better opportunities. It looked like they might break through late in the first half, but couldn’t finish. Angel City came out stronger to start the second half, punishing the Pride for their missed chances in the first 45 minutes. However, the Pride continued pushing and eventually found a late equalizer through their captain.

It was a slow start for both teams with neither getting any opportunities in the opening minutes. The first shot of the game came in the fifth minute, when Abello sent a long ball for Doyle on the left. It appeared as though the midfielder was looking to cross, but sent it towards the near post instead. Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson had little trouble handling the attempt, catching it on one bounce.

The visitors had their first chance in the 10th minute when Gautrat fouled rookie Kennedy Fuller and received the first booking of the game. The ensuing free kick by Emslie found former Pride striker Messiah Bright behind the back line. Fortunately, the second-year professional sent the volley over the crossbar for a goal kick.

In the 14th minute, Marta attempted an ambitious effort. A goal kick towards midfield was chased by the Pride captain and Alyssa Thompson. The Angel City forward attempted to shield Marta, but the Brazilian got her foot to the ball, knocking it off the opponent. Marta called for a handball but it wasn’t called, so she continued. Seeing Anderson well off her line, Marta attempted a shot from near the midfield line. However, it never challenged the Angel City goalkeeper, who easily collected it inside her box.

The Pride had a pair of chances that nearly saw them take a lead, beginning in the 22nd minute. Fuller was a little careless with the ball just outside of the Angel City box, enabling Adriana to take control. The midfielder found some space and shot for the far post, but Anderson made a nice diving save.

A minute later, Doyle intercepted Angel City’s goal kick. The midfielder quickly played the ball across the box for Marta at the back post, who put it in. However, while the ball was rolling across for Marta, Watt gave Paige Nielsen a hard shove, sending the defender to the ground. Referee Alex Billeter didn’t hesitate to blow the whistle, halting play and keeping the game scoreless.

Angel City was forced into the first change of the game in the 36th minute when Adriana made a somewhat uncontrolled run into the box. She passed a pair of defenders before M.A. Vignola stopped the midfielder with a slide tackle. However, the Brazilian attacker fell on the left back, injuring Vignola in the process. After receiving treatment, Vignola determined she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Merritt Mathias.

In the 40th minute, Thompson had a chance when Bright sent her behind Celia on the right. The USWNT attacker dribbled into the box and got a shot off towards the near post, but Moorhouse did well to cover and blocked the ball away with her leg.

The Pride nearly opened the scoring a minute into first-half stoppage time when Doyle received the ball on the left and laid it back for Marta. The Brazilian sent a dangerous ball to the back post, where Watt was sprinting in, but Nielsen did well to get to it first, knocking it out of play before it could reach the Pride forward.

At halftime, the Pride had more possession (51.8%-48.2%) shots on target (4-3), and corners (3-2). Angel City had more shots (8-7), crosses (8-7), and passing accuracy (78.2%-77.8%). Despite having fewer overall shots, the Pride had the better chances and probably should’ve had the lead at halftime.

Hines made one change at the break, and it was a somewhat surprising one, as Luana entered the game in place of Watt.

“Ally Watt coming into the game was on restricted minutes,” Hines said. “You’ve got to be very careful with a player of Watt’s quality. She runs at high speeds, and coming off a hamstring injury, you have to be careful. So, we thought it was best for her to play the first half and set a tempo.”

Angel City got off to the better second-half start, creating the first chance less than two minutes after the restart. Dougherty Howard found Bright in the box and the forward had space for a shot on target, but missed.

In the 51st minute, the visitors broke through. Dougherty Howard received the ball just outside the box and cut to enter the penalty area. Angelina stuck her foot out in an attempt to win the ball, but took down the midfielder. It was hard to tell whether Dougherty Howard had entered the area when the contact occurred, but Billeter didn’t hesitate in pointing to the spot.

After a brief review by VAR, a penalty was awarded and Emslie stepped up to take the kick. As Moorhouse dove to her left, Emslie sent the penalty the opposite way, tucking inside the post and giving Angel City a 1-0 lead.

The Pride felt they should’ve had a good chance of their own in the 55th minute when Adriana went down just outside of the box. While Billeter didn’t award a free kick, the ball soon fell to Doyle right in front of the goal. Unfortunately, she slipped while attempting to shoot and Anderson made an easy save.

Angel City nearly had another chance in the 64th minute when Gautrat gave the ball away to Thompson near midfield. The attacker sent a dangerous ball towards the back post, but Abello was the first to reach it, clearing it out of play.

The Pride felt they should’ve had a breakaway seconds later when Marta won the ball with a pair of teammates sprinting forward. However, Billeter determined that Marta had fouled Sarah Gorden in the process of winning possession. It was clearly a call Marta disagreed with as she slammed her fist into the ground in anger.

After the missed opportunity, Hines made three more changes. Amanda Allen, Ally Lemos, and Summer Yates entered the game for Gautrat, Doyle, and Celia.

Thompson tried to double the Angel City lead in the 71st minute when she was left alone on the left. She sent a long ball searching for the far post, but the ball sailed on her and didn’t trouble Moorhouse.

The Pride had their own chance in the 74th minute when Lemos found Adriana in the box. The Brazilian quickly turned and shot, but Anderson was there to make the stop.

Hines made his final change of the game in the 76th minute and it was an attacking one. Forward Mariana Larroquette replaced defender McCutcheon, as the Pride searched for a late equalizer.

In the 81st minute, the Pride felt like they should’ve had a penalty when Adriana carried the ball into the box and went down with some contact. She threw her arms up in the air, but Billeter didn’t feel it was enough to point to the spot.

Adriana had another chance in the 85th minute, when she found space at the top left corner of the box. The Brazilian attempted to curl the ball into the top corner and inside the far post, but couldn’t get around it enough and it sailed wide of the target.

Allen made her impact on the game in the 88th minute with a strong run into the Angel City box. After initially losing the ball, the young Canadian won it back and forced Madison Curry to clear it out of play. The ensuing corner kick by Angelina was sent to Marta near the top of the box, away from the crowd of players around the six. The Brazilian volleyed the ball calmly past Anderson and inside the post to even the game at 1-1.

“I had the perfect view of Marta’s goal. I saw it go all the way over the top and then Marta’s just at the back post,” Moorhouse said about her view of the equalizer. “Yeah, it was a really good finish.”

“She fully deserved the goal,” Hines said about Marta’s conversion. “Because of what she’s done in this game, in previous games, and, you know, I’m really happy for her to get rewarded with the goal and the equalizer.”

The Pride created another chance a minute into injury time when Larroquette won a corner kick. Angelina sent this one shorter when Adriana was approaching. The Brazilian’s first touch was a shot, but missed the target.

It looked as though the Pride might get one last chance in the final minute of stoppage time when Adriana carried the ball over the midfield line and was taken down by Amandine Henry, resulting in a booking. However, the Pride couldn’t go forward on the restart and the game ended.

The Pride ended the game leading in most statistical categories, including possession (50.8%-49.2%), shots (14-12), shots on target (8-4), and corners (6-4). Angel City had more crosses (22-15) and passed more accurately (78.1%-76%).

“It’s an emotional game of course. You have the highs and lows, but overall I’m super proud of the team and the players to show that sort of resilience to never give up,” Hines said after the game. “You know, it’s difficult when everything’s going against you, but you look at that group of players and they wear their hearts on their sleeves and they give absolutely everything, and I’m so proud of them to to get something at the end of it, because they fully deserved it.”

The Pride will be disappointed not to claim all three points after leading most statistics against a team traveling across the country. However, they’ve come away with results in their first two games of the season and come from behind in both instances. It’s a much better start than last year, when it took five games to claim points and the team conceded second-half injury time winners twice.

“We learned the hard way last year, especially early on in the season, giving up late goals, and it’s something that we spoke about coming into the season, how we manage the game and having that self belief that, even when we’re 1-0 down, that we can still get something out of the game,” Hines said about the change from early last year. “And so, the players have fully bought into that. You can see their desire, their determination, their belief towards the end of the game. And I even think towards the end we’re actually seeing it out all the way. This is a good point for us.

“Of course we would love three, but again, under the circumstances, same as last week, getting these points, we’re two points better off than we were last year, and we finished the season really well. We’ve still got players to come back from injury and can play a part in the squad, so we’re in a really good place right now.”


After a short week between the first two games, the Pride have a full seven days before they’ll take the field again. They also won’t have to travel, as the next contest is at home against the Chicago Red Stars next Friday night.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

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

The Pride look for their first win of 2024 as they welcome Angel City FC.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride play their first home game of 2024 against Angel City FC. This is the first of two games the teams will play against each other this year, with the return game in Los Angeles coming on June 30.

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

History

Angel City was one of the NWSL’s two expansion teams entering the league in 2022. As a result, the Pride have only played tonight’s opponents four times. The Pride are 2-1-1 in the four games, all in NWSL regular-season play.

The most recent matchup between these two teams took place on Oct. 2, 2023 in Los Angeles. An Adriana volley in the 22nd minute beat Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson to her near post for the only goal of the game as the Pride won a crucial late-season game.  On April 2 of last year in Orlando, Emily Sams (nee Madril) took down Alyssa Thompson, giving the visitors a penalty. Former Pride forward Claire Emslie stepped up and converted to give her team a 1-0 lead. Messiah Bright responded just after halftime to make it 1-1, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw. But Katie Johnson scored the winner in the 10th minute of second-half injury time — the latest goal in NWSL history.

The first-ever game between the teams took place on May 8, 2022 in Los Angeles. In the third minute, Gunny Jonsdottir’s cross was tipped by Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic, but it went right to Sydney Leroux. The Pride striker fired right at Morgan Reid standing in front of goal. The ball bounced off the defender and went in to give the Pride an early lead. The Pride dominated the first 15 minutes, before Angel City took over. The hosts controlled the final hour, but the Pride held on for 87 minutes to claim their first win of the season.

The teams met again on Aug. 7 in Orlando. Former Pride defender Ali Riley opened the scoring with a wonderful strike from the left side. The Pride responded in the second half through Julie Doyle, three minutes after she entered the game to even the game at 1-1. The visitors took another lead when Cari Roccaro beat Viviana Villacorta to a corner kick, putting it past Erin McLeod. The Pride equalized for a second time in the 90th minute. Doyle and Paige Nielsen raced for a Thais Reiss cross, with the defender reaching it first. But Nielsen’s attempted clearance went into her own net, allowing the Pride to claim a 2-2 draw and extend their unbeaten run to five games.

Overview

The Pride opened the 2024 NWSL season Saturday afternoon against Racing Louisville FC in Kentucky. They got off to a tough start, conceding two goals in 19 minutes. An Elli Pikkujämsä own goal in the 24th minute got the visitors back in it, trailing 2-1 in the second half. Kylie Strom was sent off with a second yellow in the 62nd minute and it looked nearly impossible that Orlando would get something out of the game, but Summer Yates came up big, netting the equalizer in the 86th minute as the Pride took a point from their opening game.

Tonight, the Pride start their 2024 home schedule against Angel City FC. They’ll possibly be without three of their four starting defenders, including both center backs, through injuries, suspensions, and illnesses. The lineup losses could be significant because Angel City has a potent attack with Emslie, Leroux, and Thompson.

The absences mean the team will likely need production out of their attack. Adriana caused headaches for Louisville last weekend and the hosts will depend on her to produce tonight. They’ll also need a better performance on the opposite side of the field by Julie Doyle. When at her best, Doyle can be trouble, but she was largely absent last weekend.

Angel City began its third season in the NWSL against newcomers Bay FC at home Sunday. They outshot the opposition 19-8, but Bay FC was more efficient, putting six of the team’s eight shots on target. Meanwhile, Angel City only put nine of its 19 shots on frame. Lysianne Proulx claimed the first clean sheet in the history of the San Jose-based side as Bay FC won 1-0 — the first win in team history.

Angel City brings back a strong roster that will make a first win of the season difficult for the Pride. In addition to the aforementioned lethal attack, Angel City has an experienced back line that includes M.A. Vignola, Nielsen, Sarah Gorden, and Riley. After falling in its own home opener, Angel City will be desperate to claim its first win, despite traveling across the country.

Last week, the Pride took on familiar faces in former Pride defender Carson Pickett and midfielder Taylor Flint (nee Kornieck). Marisa DiGrande (nee Viggiano) was on the bench but didn’t appear. Even more familiar faces are on the Angel City roster, including Emslie, Leroux, Meggie Dougherty Howard, Bright, and Riley. 

“I feel like it’s a common theme, even going back to Louisville. There was familiar players that we know. But with Angel City, there’s a couple that we’re aware of,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “They played on Sunday. Traveling cross country is always difficult, and so the emphasis is on us. We’re at home in front of our own fans and it’s really important that we put a performance together that they’re proud of.”

The Pride will be without several players for this game, including forward Simone Charley (SEI-leg), midfielder Villacorta (SEI-knee), and defenders Megan Montefusco (SEI-heel), Rafaelle (foot), and Strom (suspension). Additionally, Sams is listed as questionable with an illness.

Angel City is dealing with its own injuries to key players. The visitors will be without Jun Endo (SEI-knee), Christen Press (SEI-knee), Rocky Rodriguez (concussion protocol), and Gisele Thompson (lower leg).


Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Celia, Kerry Abello, Brianna Martinez, Haley McCutcheon.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Morgan Gautrat.

Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Marta, Adriana.

Forward: Ally Watt.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Ally Lemos, Amanda Allen, Luana, Mariana Larroquette, Evelina Duljan, Carrie Lawrence, Cori Dyke, Summer Yates.

Angel City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Angelina Anderson.

Defenders: M.A. Vignola, Paige Nielsen, Sarah Gorden, Ali Riley.

Midfielders: Kennedy Fuller, Amandine Henry, Meggie Dougherty Howard.

Forwards: Alyssa Thompson, Messiah Bright, Claire Emslie.

Bench: Madison Curry, Madison Hammond, DiDi Haracic, Katie Johnson, Clarisse Le Bihan, Mathias, Lily Nabet, Jasmyne Spencer, Hannah Stambaugh.

Referees

REF: Alex Billeter.
AR1: Katarzyna Wasiak.
AR2: Jeremy Smith.
4TH: Alejo Calume.
VAR: Kevin Broadley.
AVAR: Maggie Short.


How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium —Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Amazon Prime Video.

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


Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Final Score 2-2 as 10-Player Pride Finish Two-Goal Comeback

The Pride earn a good road point from a bad position despite being shorthanded in the second half.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride fought back from two goals down, coming from behind despite being down a player in a wild 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, KY. Summer Yates’ first career goal pulled a valuable road point out of Louisville (0-0-1, 1 point) for the Pride (0-0-1, 1 point), with Orlando getting its first ever point in four trips to Kentucky (0-3-1).

Elexa Bahr and Uchenna Kuna gave the hosts the lead in the first half, but a Louisville own goal threw Orlando a lifeline. Despite Kylie Strom being sent off in the second half with a questionable second yellow, Yates scored on a late set piece and the Pride held on for a draw that felt more like a win. The Pride remain winless in season openers, but earn their third opening day draw (0-5-3) in league play. [Note, this is season nine for the club, but there was no NWSL season in 2020.]

“Hard-fought point. We showed a lot of character towards the end,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It’s never easy to go two goals down in a game, especially in this league. I can’t fault the players and their attitude toward the end. You’re looking at a lot of young players stepping up in that environment to not only get the goal but to see the game out. A really important point for us, moving forward.”

Hines’ starting lineup included goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse behind a back line of Strom, Kerry Abello, Emily Sams (nee Madril), and Haley McCutcheon. Morgan Gautrat and Luana made their Pride debuts in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Julie Doyle, Marta, and Angelina, with Adriana up top.

The Pride started well, pressing together and pinning the hosts back at times. But it didn’t last and the attack left the back disorganized, allowing Louisville to create transitions out of nothing.

Early on, former Pride midfielder Taylor Flint (nee Kornieck) pulled back Adriana just outside the box to halt a transition and was booked for her foul. The Pride couldn’t pay off the set piece, however, as Marta’s shot fizzed wide of the far post, and Katie Lund appeared to have it covered anyway.

The hosts grabbed the lead in the 13th minute. A cross-field long ball from Reilyn Turner sent Bahr in behind Abello. Moorhouse was off her line, but didn’t charge out and was caught in between two minds as Bahr easily chipped the ball over her and in to open the scoring.

Strom was booked two minutes later to prevent an opponent getting in behind again, as the back line’s shape continued to be problematic early.

Louisville doubled the lead in the 19th minute. Bahr sent a ball for Kanu that McCutcheon appeared to have a bead on, but the defender took a poor angle to it and it got through. That allowed Kanu a free shot at goal and despite Moorhouse getting a touch, the game was 2-0 to Racing early.

Adriana’s shout for handball moments later was checked, but it wasn’t a handball, as Louisville started looking content to sit in a lower block with its two-goal lead.

Abello made the hosts pay for that by working her way back and forth before sending a ball across the front of goal. The cross hit defender Elli Pikkujämsä and deflected into the net behind Lund for an own goal, making it 2-1 in the 24th minute and giving the Pride a lifeline in the match.

Much of the rest of the first half was played in Racing’s half of the field, but the Pride didn’t create many clear-cut chances due to the low block. An Adriana flat-footed shot from outside the box that one-hopped straight at Lund served as Orlando’s only shot on target of the half.

Abello tried to pick out the far corner in the 36th minute but the ball stayed wide. A late corner kick cross was sent straight to Lund and that was about it for the opening period.

The Pride held way more possession (60.2%-39.8%) but much of that advantage came after the second Louisville goal. Orlando also had the edge in shots (4-3), passing accuracy (87.6%-87.1%), and corners (4-0). Racing put more shots on target (3-1).

The hosts nearly doubled their lead to start the half. A corner kick landed at Kanu’s feet and appeared to catch her off guard. She sent her shot wide of the net in the first minute after the restart.

The Pride’s first half chance came in the 52nd minute on a good cross into the box from Marta. Lund did well to leave her line and prevented it from reaching Adriana.

Louisville got Kanu in behind a minute later, slicing Orlando’s defense open again with a long diagonal ball, but she fired over the bar and the flag came up anyway.

Orlando squandered a few promising attacks over the next several minutes. Abello did well to jump in front of a pass and started the attack, but she dribbled the ball all the way to the top of the box, got in among too many defenders, and lost possession. Doyle then gave the ball away a couple of times, allowing Louisville to transition. On the second, Bahr ended up near the top of the box with the ball but sent a soft shot wide that Moorhouse caught in the 61st minute.

A minute later, the game turned in Louisville’s favor. Strom stepped up to try to win a ball and clipped Savannah DeMelo’s foot. It wasn’t an egregious foul, nor did it stop a counter or impede the player, but despite being lenient with DeMelo and Flint in the first half after they were booked, the referee showed Strom a second yellow, sending her off in the 62nd minute. Both Flint and DeMelo later had another heavy challenge each but neither saw a second booking.

“Going down a man is hard, especially being down in the game, but I think preseason has really prepared us for that in the sense that, you know, I think we’re in great shape physically,” said rookie Ally Lemos, who made her professional debut in the second half. “We’ve gone through certain situations — up a goal, down a goal, down a man, and stuff like that — so, I think our preparation was really the difference maker and our character was a big part of that too.”

Racing nearly made the extra player pay off immediately. A ball from the left was chipped to the right post, and only a touch from Abello’s head prevented an easy third goal for Louisville. Two minutes later, substitute Emma Sears sent a near post shot that was comfortable for Moorhouse.

Yates should have scored in the 79th minute. A layoff right in front fell for her and she quickly got a foot to it, but sent it sideways across the face of goal, where the defense collected it. Doyle won the ball back and earned the Pride a free kick. The ensuing set piece delivery from Angelina fell in the box but the defense swept it behind for a corner. There was a brief check for handball but none was given.

“Adri played me one, and I thought I had a sitter, and I missed it,” Yates said. “So, I knew after that I was going to put myself in any opportunity to get that goal back. It’s hard to get opportunities in this league. And after I missed that one, my mindset really was not to shut down, but find the next moment, and the next moment you’re going to capitalize on it.”

Adriana had a shot from the top of the box deflect softly to Lund in the 84th minute as the Pride kept looking for the equalizer. That came two minutes later on another free kick.

The service into the area was flicked on by substitute Amanda Allen. Yates got to it first and stuck out a foot, getting just a touch, but it was enough to direct it just inside the right post to make it 2-2 in the 86th minute. In addition to being Yates’ first NWSL goal, it was Allen’s first career assist.

“Angelina played a great ball off the cross, and I just tried to time the run and find an opening,” Yates said. “Once I saw the goal, I knew I could place it in the side. It’s super exciting to get that point here. It was an amazing feeling and a good start to the season.”

“Summer has put the effort in in the off-season,” Hines said. “She’s had moments in preseason when she’s had to come in and made the difference, and today she did exactly what I would ask from her. To get the goal and get the equalizing goal late in the game shows her worth and what we need for us to move forward.”

Neither side got a good look for the rest of normal time, and the fourth official showed a seemingly generous 10 minutes of injury time, which was lengthened when Sams went down with a knock moments later, although Sams was able to continue.

The final minutes of stoppage time saw Racing Louisville throwing numbers into the attacking half to try to steal a late winner. The Pride were content to simply play the ball anywhere to take the pressure off and Orlando even did well to win a corner.

Racing got the last good chance of the game. Allen got the last touch on a diagonal ball to the back post, conceding a late corner. Sears was left wide open at the back post and the ball found her. She made a mess of her volley attempt, however, sending it high in the air. Moorhouse caught it and then got crashed into. No foul was given, so fortunately she was able to keep it from crossing the goal line.

The final whistle came in the 103rd minute and the Pride had courageously fought back against tall odds to get a road point.

Because of the second yellow on Strom, the statistics finished nearly as even as the game did. Orlando won the posession battle (51.5%-48.5%) even though the hosts had more of the ball in the second half. Louisville, and won more corners (6-2). Louisville had the edge in shots (10-9), shots on target (4-2), and passing accuracy (81.6%-80.9%).

“I think this team is really special, and we’re really together, and our mentality this year is to stick together and take every game, game by game,” Yates said. “So we’re all really pumped, really excited, and this is a good point for us and a good start to the season.”

“I think at times, we played some really good football,” Hines said. “We played from back to front by using our midfield, got into some really good spaces. I think an area we can improve on is that final pass, that killer pass to get more success.”


The Pride will be back in action Friday night in their home opener, hosting Angel City FC at 8 p.m. Strom will miss the match with a suspension for getting the second yellow.

Continue Reading

Trending