Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 4-0 as Pride Fall Again in Portland
The Orlando Pride (0-1-0, 0 points) started their 2023 NWSL campaign with a 4-0 loss to the Portland Thorns (1-0-0, 3 points) at Providence Park. Goals by Morgan Weaver and Sophia Smith gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at halftime and Hina Sugita and Michele Vasconcelos both scored in the second half to put the game away.
Seb Hines’ first lineup as permanent head coach featured Anna Moorhouse in goal in front of a back line of Kylie Strom, Caitlin Cosme, Emily Madril, and Haley McCutcheon. Kerry Abello and Mikayla Cluff played behind an attacking midfield of Adriana, Marta, and Julie Doyle, with rookie Messiah Bright up top. It was Cosme’s first professional appearance and Madril and Adriana’s first NWSL games.
The surprise in the lineup was veteran center back Megan Montefusco on the bench, resulting in the young partnership of Cosme and Madril.
“They’re both making their NWSL debuts and it’s a great environment to do it,” Hines said after the game. “Playing here in front of a big crowd against the champions and you have to put young players in positions where they feel uncomfortable. And I thought they did well. I thought we were good in possession. Again, it’s a lot to learn from playing against the MVP (Smith) of the league. You know, probably one of the best players in the league. Portland were direct in transition. She’s a threat and I thought they dealt with it pretty well.”
Portland controlled the game from the outset with pressure on the Pride’s back line. Especially early in the first half, pressure from Smith and Christine Sinclair forced the young Pride defenders into crucial mistakes that gave the hosts some golden opportunities.
Portland had the first flurry of chances inside the first five minutes. The ball bounced around the box before being deflected out for a Thorns corner. Sinclair got her head to the ball, sending it to the back post where Smith was making a run. The U.S. international got to it first, but hit it into the outside netting.
The Thorns got their second chance of the game in the ninth minute when Crystal Dunn found Weaver on the left side of the field. The forward attempted an ambitious shot, but it was right at Moorhouse, who made the easy save.
The first Pride turnover that nearly resulted in a goal came in the 12th minute when a poor pass from Adriana to Marta gave possession to Smith. The Thorns attacker attempted to dribble through three defenders into the box, but Madril did well to stay in front and Marta tracked back to win it for the Pride.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Dunn used her speed to keep a ball towards the end line in play, immediately playing it back to Sugita. The Japanese midfielder sent a cross into the box for Sinclair, whose second touch was on goal and forced Moorhouse into a great one-handed save. Unfortunately, Madril and McCutcheon didn’t react and allowed Weaver to split the defenders, putting the Thorns up 1-0.
Portland doubled its lead just six minutes later with some poor play in the back by Madril and Cluff. Madril headed the ball forward for the midfielder, who played it back with Sinclair applying pressure. Rather than playing the ball outside, Madril sent it forward and it bounced off Sinclair, allowing her to win possession. She played it back for Smith near the penalty spot and the striker put it off the head of Cosme and into the Pride’s net, making it 2-0.
It looked like the Thorns might’ve made it 3-0 in the 26th minute when Sinclair pressured Cluff near the top of the Pride box and won possession. As Cluff went to the ground, Sinclair chipped the ball past Moorhouse. However, the referee, Eric Tattersall, called the play back for a foul on Sinclair, keeping the deficit at two goals.
Sam Coffey sent Smith long in the 30th minute, putting her behind the Pride back line. The striker took the ball into the box and to the left of goal, attempting to dribble around Moorhouse. Fortunately, her shot hit the outside of the post and went out for a goal kick.
The Pride’s inability to clear in the 34th minute provided Portland with multiple corners. Eventually, the chances provided an opportunity for Kelli Hubly to shoot from the top of the box, but Moorhouse tipped it wide. After another pair of corners, Sinclair headed the ball right at Moorhouse and the Pride were finally able to clear.
The Pride almost had their first good chance in the 37th minute when Adriana found some space and sent the ball in for Doyle. The cross was a little too far for the forward, and it was knocked out for a corner.
After the first corner was cleared out of play, the second found the head of Bright at the back post. The rookie outjumped the defenders for the ball, but it went over the bar for a goal kick. Despite the Pride not getting anything on target during the string of chances, it was the first time the Pride put the Thorns defense under some pressure.
On the other end, Smith used her speed to create some space for a shot on goal, but it was a low attempt right at Moorhouse. That was the last chance of the half as the Thorns took a 2-0 lead into the break.
The Pride ended the first 45 minutes with more possession (57.2%-42.8%), but they didn’t do much with it. Meanwhile, Portland had more shots (14-3), shots on target (7-0), corners (6-3), crosses (15-10), and duels won (24-13).
“At halftime, we felt like we were in this game,” McCutcheon said. “We were doing well in possession but just progressing that into the final third was something that we talked about. And controlling the transition moments, they obviously punished us on transition this game.”
The Pride needed a goal to get back into the game and they probably should’ve had an opportunity in the 47th minute. Adriana carried the ball into the Thorns box and attempted to cut it back. Hubly stuck her foot in to win it back and Adriana went down. However, Tattersall decided there wasn’t enough contact and waved play on.
On the other end, the Thorns extended their lead. The Pride attempted to play the ball out of the back, but Madril let it get too far out in front of her. Weaver tipped it to Smith, who carried the ball into the Pride box. Her shot was blocked by Moorhouse, but it went right in front of goal, where Sugita was charging in, putting it past Moorhouse to make it a 3-0 Thorns lead.
Following a Marta blocked shot in the 53rd minute, Adriana came the closest to scoring of any Pride player. Her shot from the top of the box was on target and close to Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby. However, Bixby was shielded by multiple players, making it difficult to see. As a result, it took a diving save to keep the ball out of the net.
The first change for the Pride came in the 54th minute. It was Marta’s first competitive game for the Pride since tearing her ACL exactly a year ago and she admitted prior to the game that she wasn’t 100 percent. The club is taking its time bringing her back to full health, so she was taken off after 54 minutes and replaced by rookie Summer Yates, who made her pro debut.
Bright had her second opportunity on goal in the 58th minute, following a set piece by Adriana. However, the header was the same result as her first attempt, missing the target.
Portland had a dangerous chance in the 60th minute, when a cross into the box was blocked right in front of goal by Moorhouse. It was similar to the Sugita goal, but this time the English goalkeeper was able to jump on it, keeping the deficit at three.
Pushing the other way, Adriana made a long run through the Thorns midfield and took a shot from the top of the box, but it was wide right of the target and no trouble for Bixby. Soon after, the Pride made two more changes, bringing Jordyn Listro and Haley Bugeja on for Cluff and Bright.
Portland found its fourth goal in the 76th minute. It started on the Thorns’ side of the field as some nifty footwork by Sugita left two Pride attackers in the dust. She sent the ball forward for Smith, who took it into the box and sent a low, hard cross in front of goal. McCutcheon allowed second-half substitute Vasconcelos to get goal side, allowing her to reach the ball first. Vasconcelos did well with her first touch, putting it past Moorhouse to make the score 4-0.
The assist was the last action of the game for Smith, who left to a rousing ovation from the large Providence Park crowd. Following a goal and an assist, she was replaced by 2023 NWSL first-round pick Izzy D’Aquila.
Olivia Moultrie, who came on for Dunn in the 63rd minute, nearly made it five for the hosts in the 83rd minute with a curling shot from the top of the box. However, Moorhouse did well to dive to her left, getting her fingertips to the ball and sending it wide of the goal.
Two minutes later, Moorhouse was called into action again when Moultrie shot from distance. Moorhouse blocked the shot, but it went right in front of her for the third time in the game. Rocky Rodriguez took the second attempt from close range, but Moorhouse blocked it again. Fortunately, a foul was called on D’Aquila before a third attempt was taken and the Pride were able to clear.
The Pride had one final attempt to get something from the game in injury time when Doyle took a shot from just inside the box, but it was high and wide. That was the last chance for either team.
The Pride ended the game with more possession (51.4%-48.6%), but were dominated in most other statistical categories. The Thorns had more shots (26-9), shots on goal (16-1), corners (10-7), crosses (25-21), duels won (43-40), and passing accuracy (82.6%-79.8%).
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the result and the goals that we conceded. But I think there’s a lot of positives to take away,” Hines said about the game. “We came here and tried to play the right way. We tried to control the game in possession. And when you do that there has to be an objective to score and I don’t think we created enough opportunities to score. And that’s something that we’ll review and look back in video and ultimately, you know, going into the season we want to possess to score goals. Credit to Portland, they got us on those transitions, very direct, very front-footed. And, you know, again, we just have to evaluate moving forward.”
“Obviously disappointed. You know, everybody wants to start the season off strong and we were more than prepared to do so,” McCutcheon added. “And, you know, this is a tough place to play, but we’re going to keep our heads held high because we came here and tried to play the way we want to play so we’ll be happy with that.”
Hines’ first trip to Portland as the interim head coach last year ended in a 6-0 drubbing. With this 4-0 defeat, he’s now seen his team lose by a combined score of 10-0 at Providence Park. However, Hines is not the only Pride coach to experience this. The Pride are now 1-8-0 all-time in Portland and have been outscored 27-9 in those nine contests.
The team will look to bounce back next Sunday when it welcomes Angel City FC to Exploria Stadium for the Pride’s home opener.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 3-1 as Banda Brace Leads Pride to Victory
Barbra Banda bags a brace and an assist but goes down injured late in the victory.
After dropping two games to expansion teams and stealing a win in San Diego, the Orlando Pride looked to enter the summer break on a good note. The Pride (5-5-2, 17 points) had never lost to Bay FC (3-6-2, 11 points) and used a second-half burst to maintain that winning record and won 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium.
Barbra Banda opened the scoring in the fourth minute and followed it up in the 51st minute with her second. She added an assist to Cori Dyke in the 55th minute to close out the Pride scoring. Caroline Conti scored the lone Bay FC goal at the seven-minute mark.
“No better gift than a 3-1 victory at home in front of our fans,” Pride Head Coach (and birthday boy) Seb Hines said after the game. “It feels good that we’re ending this period on a high. I think it’s the first time this season we’ve got back-to-back victories.”
The Pride made one change in the lineup, giving Kerry Abello her first start of the season over Julie Doyle. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Oihane on defense. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos played midfield in front of them with Mace, Luana, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Banda and her leading-leading nine goals played alone up top.
After an hour weather delay, the Pride went with the in-vogue start these days by kicking the ball straight out of bounds deep on the start and pressing high. It led to an opening three minutes of play in which the Pride kept the pressure up and forced the ball to stay on the Bay FC side. In the fourth minute, Luana headed a ball towards the center which Banda controlled, bodied Bay FC’s Joelle Anderson off the ball, and slotted the opening goal with her left foot.
Bay FC fought right back in the seventh minute as the visitors didn’t have to fight through the press off their kickoff. Claire Hutton crossed the ball into the box, Abello deflected it wide but there was no Pride defender there and it fell to Caroline Conti. Abello tried to fight all the way over but Conti was able to put it past Moorhouse before any help arrived.
The entire back line got pulled to the right on the play and Mace could not get back to help out wide.
“Hailie Mace came into NWSL as a winger. She’s got some tendencies that fit a winger profile. We knew Bay FC had a high back line. How do we get behind that back line? Having someone to support Barbra and not just Nicole but add in another player who can get into the attack,” Hines said regarding the switch.
In the 16th minute, Rachael Kundananji beat Oihane and crossed the ball to Hannah Bebar, who headed it into the net, but Cristiana Girelli was in an offside position threatening the goal, so the assistant referee ruled that it put Moorhouse off enough to interfere with the play.
The teams settled down a bit and traded possession until the 27th minute when Oihane centered the ball to Payne, who scuffed the shot high. One minute later, Luana sent a through ball for Banda to run onto and she went down in the box in a collision with Brooklyn Courtnall. It was fairly evident, however, that Banda got her leg into Courtnall’s to either try to control the ball or draw a foul, and the referee, Jaclyn Metz, saw it the same way.
In the 33rd minute, Oihane was subbed out for Hannah Anderson. Oihane had been laboring a little and may have picked up a knock somewhere.
The Pride couldn’t re-establish the high press so they turned into a lot of possession by Bay FC. Any attack by the Pride ended in a turnover off a bad pass or ill-conceived long shots as Orlando’s attackers were impatient in building play. Turnover after turnover plagued the Pride for the remainder of the half as they did not threaten at all until the 45th minute, when Banda took on Maddie Moreau and Kundananji, shook them both loose, and then crossed the ball into an empty area at the back post with no one to finish.
It was a fitting final piece of sound and fury, signifying nothing, as the half wrapped without any plays of interest. The Pride weren’t able to lead any of the statistics, tying Bay FC in shots (4-4), while Bay FC led in shots on target (3-1), possession (53%-47%), and passing accuracy (85%-83%). Neither team was able to force a corner in the first half.
To start the second half, Hines subbed in Summer Yates for Abello, which pushed Mace back to the back line. In the 48th minute, Kundananji got behind when Anderson got caught out and was sizing up a one-on-one with Moorhouse. Dyke hustled back and blocked the shot.
“We started the game super strong, super intense, but I think we fell off towards the end of that first half,” Dyke said. “We got a little too stretched between the lines and weren’t getting enough pressure on the ball and we talked about that at halftime. We needed to stay more compact and then pick our moments to go.”
Go they did. Three minutes later, Yates sent a through ball angled behind Banda which allowed her to run onto the ball unopposed. She beat goalkeeper Emmie Allen, who came out of the box aggressively to defend, and then passed the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Four minutes later, Banda pressured Allen, forcing the goalkeeper into a clearance out of play. On the ensuing throw-in, Banda held off Bebar in the box, spun, and crossed the ball to Dyke, who put the ball in off the crossbar. The ability of the Pride to retain possession and work the ball in against a lesser opponent opened up the scoring and turned the game on its head.
Bay FC didn’t have a lot to do over the next stretch of time and Taylor Huff went down with an injury in the 61st minute, prompting a change as she was subbed out for Karlie Lema. Dorian Bailey came on for Joelle Anderson in the same stoppage but at the 62nd minute.
The teams went back and forth for a bit until the Pride drew a corner in the 71st minute. It deflected off a Bay FC defender and fell to Rafaelle at the far post, who headed it just wide. Three minutes later, Jacquie Ovalle and Zara Chavoshi wrapped up the Pride substitutions by coming in for Payne and Mace. Bay FC also took the stoppage in the 74th minute to sub two players in, bringing on Keria Barry and Onyeka Gamero for Kundananji and Girelli.
Unfortunately, in the 81st minute, Banda was dribbling down the left side when she pulled up lame and went to the ground off the pitch. She stayed there until tended to and was obviously upset. We’ll have to wait for any injury news on her. Bay FC made its final substitution in the ensuing stoppage in the 82nd minute, bringing on Kelli Hubly for Conti.
The injury to Banda left the Pride playing with only 10 players for the remaining 15 minutes (including added time) due to using up all three substitution windows. They stayed fairly solid in defense and played a lot of keep-away ball to see out the victory while playing short.
“A great way to finish this part of the season with a win at home. I think we were consistent today and we took the chances we created,” Luana said. “We’ve been having highs and lows in this part of the season but we bounced back in these two wins and it brought us a lot of confidence.”
Orlando City was ahead in the only stat that matters, goals, but trailed in every other major stat. Bay FC finished ahead in shots (14-8), shots on target (5-4), possession (54%-46%), passing accuracy (85%-84%), and corners (4-1).
The Orlando Pride now will be off until early July for the NWSL World Cup break. The next match is scheduled for July 3 in Los Angeles against Angel City FC.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home to face Bay FC in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break.
Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (4-5-2, 14 points) return home from a three-game road trip to take on Bay FC (3-5-2, 11 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams with the return game scheduled for Sept. 27 in San Jose.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
Bay FC is one of two expansion teams that entered the NWSL for the 2024 season. The teams have met four times, with the Pride holding a 3-0-1 record and a 1-0-1 mark at home in the series.
The most recent meeting took place on Sept. 13, 2025, in Orlando. The visitors took the lead just before halftime when Racheal Kundananji headed in a long pass by Caprice Dydasco. The Pride equalized in the second half, when Ally Watt headed a Jacquie Ovalle cross past Jordan Silkowitz to claim a 1-1 draw.
On June 13 of last year in San Jose, CA, Bay FC led almost every statistical category, but the Pride defense held strong until Barbra Banda scored shortly after halftime. The Pride withstood attack after attack, coming away with a hard-fought 1-0 win.
The teams met twice in 2024, with the first-ever game between the clubs occurring on May 11. Just prior to the half-hour mark, Banda dribbled inside and Deyna Castellanos attempted an ill-advised challenge, resulting in a foul in the box and a Pride penalty. Adriana put the ball into the bottom left corner for the only goal, lifting the Pride to a 1-0 win. It was the sixth win in an NWSL-record, eight-game win streak.
The teams met for the second time on Sept. 20, 2024. It looked like the game might be headed for a scoreless draw until Banda got her head on the end of a Carson Pickett cross, redirecting it past Katelyn Rowland to give the Pride the 1-0 win.
Overview
The Pride return home tonight after a difficult road trip that saw the team fall 2-1 to Boston Legacy FC and 3-1 to Denver Summit FC. Having already lost to both expansion teams, they headed west to face San Diego Wave FC, a team near the top of the standings. But Nicole Payne’s first professional goal lifted Orlando to a 1-0 win.
Despite not scoring in two of the last three games, Banda still leads the league with nine goals in 10 games this season. She has a two-goal lead on Ashley Sanchez, who is second in the league. Haley McCutcheon is the only other Pride player with multiple goals, scoring twice in the same game. Ovalle, Marta, and Hannah Anderson have the team’s other three goals. The assists have been spread out much more evenly with Ovalle, McCutcheon, and Rafaelle all sharing the team lead with two.
The clean sheet against San Diego was big for the back line as the team has conceded too many goals recently. Dating back to their 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC on April 24, the Pride have conceded multiple goals in four of the last six games. The only other game in which they didn’t concede at least twice was a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on May 8, their last home game.
Tonight is the Pride’s last game before the league breaks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the game, they won’t play again until July 3 and won’t play at home until July 10. That makes getting a quality result tonight essential for momentum going through the remainder of the season.
If you’re looking for a team to win against, Bay FC is one of the most likely candidates. The Bay -area side sits 13th in the NWSL on 11 points, just four points ahead of Louisville for last place. Tonight’s visitors are currently on a four-game winless run (0-2-2) and a two-game losing streak. Their last win was a 1-0 victory against San Diego on May 3. The club’s most recent games are a 2-0 loss to Portland Thorns FC on May 20 and a 1-0 loss to Chicago Stars FC on May 24.
Bay FC has struggled this year on both ends of the field. Its eight goals are second fewest in the league and Bay is one of three teams with single-digit goals this year. Meanwhile, the team’s 14 goals conceded are sixth in the league. The California side has been better defensively overall than the Pride, who have conceded 16 goals, but worse offensively, as the Pride have scored 15 goals so far this year.
Bay FC has been led in the attack by Alex Pfeiffer and Dorian Bailey with two goals each. Kundananji, Taylor Huff, Keira Barry, and Joelle Anderson have one apiece. Pfeiffer also leads the team in assists with two, tied with Cristina Girelli. Huff and Sydney Collins are the only other players with assists this season.
It should help the Pride tonight that Bay FC will be missing two key players. Silkowitz and starting center back Aldana Cometti were sent off against Chicago Sunday, meaning they’ll miss tonight’s game.
However, the Pride have their own key absences. In addition to injuries that have accumulated this season, Angelina was handed an additional game’s suspension after being sent off on May 16 for pulling Delanie Sheehan’s hair.
“We’re looking forward to it. Looking forward to being back home,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “It’s been a long road trip. Excited to get in front of our own fans. Want to create that atmosphere, make it hostile for Bay FC. We know it’s a quick turnaround for both teams as well, so we want to make sure that we start off on the front foot, build on what we achieved last Sunday in San Diego, and finish this part of the season on a high.”
The Pride will be without Angelina (suspension), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Marta (thigh) and Ovalle (thigh) are listed as questionable. Bay FC will be without Cornetti (suspension), Abby Dahlkemper (maternity leave), Anouk Denton (lower leg), Dydasco (maternity leave), Heather Gilchrist (knee), Alyssa Malonson (knee), Emily Menges (maternity leave), Pfeiffer (knee), and Silkowitz (suspension).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon.
Attacking Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Luana, Nicole Payne.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Zara Chavoshi, Hannah Anderson, Julie Doyle, Marta, Jacquie Ovalle, Summer Yates, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson.
Bay FC (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Emmie Allen.
Defenders: Sydney Collins, Joelle Anderson, Brooklyn Courtnall, Maddie Moreau.
Defensive Midfielders: Hannah Bebar, Claire Hutton.
Attacking Midfielders: Racheal Kundananji, Caroline Conti, Taylor Huff.
Forward: Cristiana Girelli.
Bench: Camryn Miller, Kelli Hubly, Jamie Shepherd, Dorian Bailey, Karlie Lema, Onyeka Gamero, Tess Boade, Keira Barry.
Referees
REF: Jaclyn Metz.
AR1: Art Arustamyan.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Edson Carvajal.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Katarzyna Wasiak.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: NWSL+.
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!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Pride need to do to earn all three points against Bay FC?
The Orlando Pride welcome Bay FC to Inter&Co Stadium this Friday night for the last match before the World Cup break. This is an opportunity to get a win over a team lower in the table and move up in the standings. What must the Pride do to earn all three points against Bay FC this weekend?
Keep the Chip
I have been asking all season on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for the Pride to play with the chip on their shoulder that they had when they won the double in 2024. We saw that against the San Diego Wave. My hope is that the players have now remembered what that feels like and will execute with the same level of intensity going forward.
The task is potentially a little easier against Bay FC, as the California-based side has scored less than half the number of goals that the Wave have this season. Of course, that is the trap. The Pride cannot slack off against Bay FC. Having Rafaelle anchoring the defense is a big help, and moving Hailie Mace out to right back has proven effective. In 2024, this team hated — with a capital “H” — conceding goals. They took it personally. That is the passion I want again. The chip on the shoulder.
Overwhelm and Outscore
As I mentioned above, Bay FC is not a prolific scoring team. Friday’s visitors have also given up 14 goals this season. That’s not the best or the worst in the league, but they haven’t faced Barbra Banda yet. The Orlando Pride don’t have any trouble creating chances, but they have had trouble getting anyone other than Banda to finish them this season. Banda leads the league in goals, and she has an opportunity to maintain or extend that lead against Bay FC.
What will truly make the difference for the Pride against Bay FC is if any of the other players can contribute a goal. We saw the space that Banda can provide her teammates when Nicole Payne scored her first goal against San Diego. Now I want other players to take advantage of that space to provide some goals for the Pride.
More Luana
Luana got her first start since coming back to the squad cancer-free. I think we’ve forgotten that she was a starter on the 2024 squad before her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. She was a starter on a team that won the double. Now she is back and she is a leader and an inspiration for her fellow players.
Given Marta’s limited minutes, having Luana out there as a stabilizing presence is important. Obviously, she brings a different skill set than Marta but still a critical one. Much like the defense, the midfield was better last match, and I feel she was a big part of that.
That is what I will be looking for on Friday night. The Pride can head into the World Cup break on a high with a victory. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links: 6/1/26
Orlando City B vs. Chattanooga FC: Final Score 5-2 as OCB Dominates Second Half
An Early Look at Orlando City’s Contract Decisions
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks agoBarbra Banda Keeps Scoring But the Orlando Pride Aren’t Winning
-
Orlando City2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. Atlanta United, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Maul Five Stripes
-
Orlando City2 weeks agoIntelligence Report: Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati
-
Lion Links2 weeks agoLion Links: 5/22/26
-
Orlando Pride1 week agoOrlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. Atlanta United, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City1 week agoOrlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 6-2 as Leaky Lions Suffer Another Heavy Road Loss
-
Orlando City1 week agoOrlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More