Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Claim First Win of 2023
Goals by Mikayla Cluff, Haley McCutcheon, and Adriana lift the Pride to their first win of the year.

The Orlando Pride (1-4-0, 3 points) pulled off a shocking result tonight, defeating San Diego Wave FC (3-2-0, 9 points) 3-1 at Snapdragon Stadium in Southern California. The hosts took an early lead through Jaedyn Shaw and it looked like it would be a long night for the Pride. But Mikayla Cluff equalized and Haley McCutcheon gave the Pride the lead just before halftime. Adriana scored her long-awaited first goal in the second half and the Pride got their first points of the 2023 NWSL regular season.
With the win, Orlando remains unbeaten in the series, improving to 2-0-1 in three meetings with San Diego.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made several changes to tonight’s lineup. Anna Moorhouse returned as starting goalkeeper for the first time since April 2 against Angel City. Caitlin Cosme, Jordyn Listro, and Ally Watt all started in the 2-0 loss to the Kansas City Current last weekend but were on the bench for this one. They were replaced by Cluff, Erika Tymrak, and Messiah Bright.
The back line in front of Moorhouse in this game consisted of McCutcheon, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Kylie Strom. Viviana Villacorta and Cluff were the defensive midfielders behind Marta, Tymrak, and Adriana, with Bright alone up top.
San Diego looked like one of the best teams in the league early in this game. The Pride tried continuously to get the ball out of their own end, but the Wave’s high press forced multiple turnovers in the Pride’s own third of the field.
Despite their early struggles, it was the Pride that got the first chance in the second minute. Strom played the ball back for Cluff on the left and the midfielder lifted the ball into the box for Bright. The rookie striker had a pair of San Diego defenders around her, but got her head to the ball. Unfortunately, her header was wide of the far post.
The Wave got their first chance in the fifth minute from a Pride turnover. After dribbling through two defenders, Madril played a simple pass back for Cluff. But the pass was well wide of Cluff’s reach, allowing Shaw to take over. The attacker dribbled towards the Pride box and Cluff did well to recover. The challenge forced Shaw into an off-balance shot that went right to Moorhouse.
The Pride had a second opportunity in the sixth minute when Bright carried the ball to the end line and attempted a cross, but Kaleigh Riehl stayed close and deflected it out for a corner kick. The ensuing corner by Adriana was into the box, but San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was able to catch it.
Following that chance by the Pride, the hosts began to take over. In the 11th minute, It was another turnover, this time by Tymrak on San Diego’s half of the field, that started a chance for the Wave. The home side broke the other way in numbers, led by Danielle Colaprico, who played it wide for Sofia Jakobsson. McCutcheon was on the midfielder in the box and Montefusco joined for support. However, that left Shaw wide open near the penalty spot. Her first touch was too strong, but the ball went right to Jakobsson, who continued her run towards goal. The Swedish international shot, but Moorhouse got low to block it and Strom headed the ball away.
San Diego opened the scoring a minute later when Christen Westphal found Colaprico in the middle of the field. She sent Makenzy Doniak to the end line, whose first touch was towards the near post. Shaw beat Montefusco to the ball and Moorhouse to her near post with a great finish from the top of the six-yard box.
In the 16th minute, another good break down field by San Diego nearly doubled the Wave’s lead. Kristen McNabb found Shaw near midfield and the forward did well to shield Montefusco, spinning around the defender to continue the attack. After Belle Briede received the ball behind the Pride defense, she beat an oncoming Moorhouse and shot on goal. Fortunately, Madril was there to block it out for a corner and the Pride avoided a two-goal deficit.
The Pride were on their back foot for the better part of 20 minutes, but took advantage of a San Diego mistake. In the 25th minute, Naomi Girma played a bad pass back for Sheridan who tried to keep it in play, knocking it out for a corner. Adriana took the set piece, sending it to the back post, where Cluff got her head to it and put it past Sheridan for the equalizer. It was Cluff’s first goal of the season.
“We worked through corners, obviously, leading up to this game,” Cluff said about her goal. “Our target was the back post and it was actually, the play was designed for Kylie to get onto it. But it wasn’t really flowing the way we had expected. And so me and Kylie kind of made an adjustment right before and luckily it fell where we wanted it to.”
“Set pieces can be turning points, whether you’re going up in the game or coming back in the game,” Hines said about the goal’s impact. “You could see the confidence after that goal went in with the players. We performed much better, we worked for each other, and, you know me, I love a good set piece headed goal.”
The goal was only the Pride’s second of the NWSL regular season and their first away from Exploria Stadium in all competitions.
The Wave tried to regain the lead in the 31st minute when former Pride forward Rachel Hill dribbled into the box and shot, but Montefusco blocked it out of play. The ensuing corner by Shaw found the head of Riehl with Cluff challenging her. The ball bounced off both heads, ending up at the feet of Doniak, who shot from close distance and over the crossbar.
Getting to halftime at 1-1 would’ve been an accomplishment for the Pride, but they did one better by taking their first lead of the regular season in the 42nd minute. It began when Marta played Villacorta in the middle of the field. A great ball into the Wave box found McCutcheon, who snuck into the space created by Bright’s run and sent a looping header over Sheridan, who was defending her near post. The goalkeeper dove for the ball, but it was too far behind her and found the inside the far post to give the Pride a 2-1 lead. It was the first goal in a Pride uniform for McCutcheon, who joined Orlando midseason last year.
At halftime, the Pride had more possession (52%-48%), but San Diego had more shots (8-5), shots on target (3-2), and corners (5-4). The key to the scoreline was that the Pride scored on both of their accurate attempts.
The Pride continued their late first-half momentum, creating the first chance of the second half. In the 47th minute, Adriana dribbled into the Wave box and used a nice cut to beat Westphal, hitting Riehl with her shot. The Pride players appealed for a handball, but referee Brad Jensen said it was clean and VAR felt the initial call was correct.
Two minutes later, the Pride nearly had a second chance when Strom played a long pass for Marta, streaking behind the Wave defense. If she had bent it a little, the Brazilian might’ve caught up to it, but it was direct and went out of play for a goal kick.
Similar to the beginning of the game, it took five minutes for San Diego to get their first chance of the half. In the 50th minute, Jakobsson used a nice turn to beat McCutcheon and sent a cross to the near post for Shaw. The forward was again the first player to the pass and her first-touch shot was almost identical to her first-half goal. But this time she missed just wide of Moorhouse’s near post.
The Wave had another opportunity in the 53rd minute when Cluff fouled Briede just outside of the Pride box. Shaw stepped up to take the kick, bending it towards the back post. It looked like it would be an easy catch for Moorhouse, but she spilled it to her left where McNabb was charging in. The defender shot towards goal and hit the side netting, allowing the Pride to maintain their one-goal advantage.
Two minutes later, the Pride had a chance from nearly the same spot when Villacorta was fouled by Briede. Marta and Adriana stood over the ball, with the elder Brazilian taking the kick. This one wasn’t as close, with her shot deflecting off of the wall.
Looking for her first goal as a member of the Pride, Adriana shot from long distance in the 61st minute. The shot was deflected by Riehl, sending it towards the corner of the goal. The deflection forced Sheridan to dive as it looked to be heading just inside the post. Regardless of its accuracy, the Canadian international collected it.
In the 64th minute, good passing by Briede and Shaw created a chance for Amirah Ali, who came on two minutes earlier for Hill. She had space and time, but probably rushed her shot a little too much and it went wide.
San Diego’s missed chances came back to haunt the hosts in the 69th minute, when the Pride scored their third goal of the game. A long run by Tymrak to the top of the Wave box allowed her to find Adriana on the right. Girma was on the attacker, but Adriana’s shot went through her legs. Sheridan dove for the ball, but it went under her hand, bounced off the far post, and went in to give the Pride a surprising 3-1 lead.
“I think she really needed that. I think all forwards, they feel good when they come off the field with a goal,” Hines said about Adriana getting her first goal for the Pride. “We had spoke to her about being more selfish, taking on players, getting more shots off. She has a terrific shot. And it’s getting her to use it more often. It’s a brilliant goal, just a half yard and a snap shot, I don’t think any goalkeeper in the world would’ve saved that.”
In addition to being Adriana’s first goal for her new team, it was also the first time the Pride have scored three goals in a game. It was a welcome sight for a team that has struggled offensively prior to this game.
This game also saw some league history in the 71st minute when Melanie Barcenas replaced Briede, becoming the youngest player to appear in the NWSL. The 15-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Wave on March 21 and broke the record previously held by Olivia Moultrie of the Portland Thorns.
The Pride made their first change in the 73rd minute when Ally Watt came on for Cluff. The substitution was a bit of a surprise as it was an attacking change. Additionally, Marta had yet to play more than an hour this season as she returns from a torn ACL, so some expected the Brazilian to come off.
Seven minutes after coming on, Barcenas made her first impact on the game. After receiving the ball from Ali, some nifty footwork provided enough time for Ali to run behind her. Barcenas played it back to Ali who shot towards goal, but the attempt was high.
The Pride made their second change in the 79th minute. This time it was a defensive change, which made sense with a two-goal lead, as defensive midfielder Jordyn Listro replaced the more attacking Tymrak.
The Wave continued to apply pressure as time wound down. In the 84th minute, a corner was cleared by Montefusco, but Girma sent the ball back into the Pride box. Ali won the ball, heading it back for Shaw, but her shot was over the goal.
It looked like the hosts got one back in the 89th minute when Colaprico sent Ali behind the Pride defense. The forward did well to reach the ball before it crossed the end line and cut back to beat Strom. Her shot was off Madril’s foot and past Moorhouse, but the assistant’s flag went up for offside on Colaprico’s long pass.
As the game entered second-half injury time, the Wave pushed for a goal and the Pride tried to kill the clock. Adriana did well on multiple occasions to take the ball to the corner, even when Marta wanted to be sent into the San Diego box. Additionally, the Pride did well to stay compact defensively, providing few paths through the defense.
The only real chance in the final minutes came two minutes into stoppage time when Shaw sent Ali through. However, this pass was a bit too far, allowing Moorhouse to collect it near the top of the box.
San Diego led most statistical categories at the end, including possession (52.2%-47.5%), shots (17-14), corners (7-4), and crosses (21-12). But the Pride had more shots on target (6-4) and passed more accurately (85.3%-81.4%), leading to their 3-1 win.
“Obviously delighted with the win. It was a great team performance. From all the players, the intensity of in possession and out of possession was terrific and to come to a place like this and come away with three points is really impressive,” Hines said after the game. “Trusting the players because we’ve had glimpses of what we can do in previous games, but today was probably the most, overall, complete performance that we’ve put together. So I’m really happy for the players and all the staff to come away with three points.”
“We’ve been battling every game for it so it’s nice to finally get that result,” Cluff added. “We’ve been super close every game so it’s nice that we finally had a positive finish.”
The Pride had a tough start to the season, losing their first four league games and three at home. They’ve been close to claiming points in each of their home games and Hines said this result could be a turning point.
“I was really pleased that we controlled the game with possession and found the little pockets and played through the lines and still looked threatening in the attack,” he said after the game. “Because we got end product. We managed to get shots. We managed to get through balls, even set pieces. So it’s starting to come together.
“We have to look forward to the next game back at home and do the same at home as well in front of our own fans. That’s important to me and the rest of the staff, that we start putting these performances together in front of our fans as well.”
The Pride will look to do that next Saturday night when they welcome Racing Louisville to Exploria Stadium.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Take Step Forward in Chicago Loss
The Pride took a step forward Saturday night with a dominant performance in Chicago.

The Orlando Pride ended their four-game unbeaten run Saturday night, falling 1-0 to the Chicago Red Stars at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL. Despite the final score, the Pride dominated the entire 90 minutes, putting the opposition under constant pressure. Better finishing likely would’ve seen the Orlando-based side win by multiple goals.
It might seem like a step back, losing to the team at the bottom of the standings a week after beating the league-leading Washington Spirit. However, the performance was something Pride fans haven’t seen much of for years — a game that the team controlled.
The Red Stars got the first shot of the game from a tight angle that went right to Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse. In the 22nd minute, they scored when Megan Montefusco lost Yuki Nagasato at the back post and Casey Krueger found her with a cross. Those were the only two shots Chicago had the entire game. The Pride had out-shot the Red Stars 4-2 at that point and ended up out-shooting the hosts, 19-2.
More impressive was how the Pride approached the second half. They had eight first-half shots and took 11 attempts in the second 45 minutes. Two of their second-half shots hit the crossbar and Alyssa Naeher made her best save of the season in the 49th minute, when Mikayla Cluff’s attempt off the crossbar fell to Marta. In addition to taking 17 more shots, the Pride had nine more corner kicks, 25 more crosses, more possession, and better passing accuracy.
The Pride won three of their previous four games before the loss to Chicago. But of those games, only the match against Gotham FC — a 0-0 road draw — approached the way the Pride dominated the Red Stars Saturday night. They were out-shot and out-possessed by the San Diego Wave in a 3-1 win and Racing Louisville in a 1-0 victory. They were better in last weekend’s 2-1 win over the Spirit, but still conceded more possession. They also haven’t had anything close to their 19-shot performance in Illinois.
The fact that the Pride dominated the game wasn’t a surprise. The young team has been getting better and healthier during its four-game unbeaten run, and Chicago hadn’t won in six games. The Red Stars had only claimed one point in their previous five games and were coming off back-to-back performances that saw them lose by a combined score of 7-0.
The scorelines and problems the Red Stars have had this season, especially without their best player, Mallory Swanson, might make it seem as though they scored and parked the bus. However, this wasn’t the case. Chicago attempted to play the ball out of the back but had trouble because of the Pride’s effective press. Messiah Bright, Adriana, and Marta were on the defenders before they received the ball from Naeher and won it back immediately on multiple occasions.
Chicago only had sustained possession twice in the second half, spending some time in the Pride’s third of the field. But didn’t get any shots off in either of those moments. They felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 84th minute when Cook was played into the Pride box and challenged by Marta. Cook went down when Marta lowered her shoulder, but it wasn’t enough contact to deserve a penalty.
Meanwhile, the Pride continued to create chances and near-chances on the other end of the field. Whether it was out of fatigue or frustration, the Pride weren’t as accurate in the second half. They put four of their eight first-half shots on target and only two of their 11 second-half chances on frame. They had some other opportunities, primarily on crosses that just missed connecting with teammates in the box.
The Pride likely would’ve come back to win in the second half had they hit the target like they did in the first half. It’s something that Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about during his postgame press conference.
“It’s frustrating, of course, because we’re not just talking about half chances. We’re talking about clear-cut opportunities,” Hines said. “There was some really good deliveries in the box, some opportunities from distance, and I think Naeher had probably the game of her season so far.”
“We had a lot of the ball,” Cluff added. “We had plenty of opportunities and we just had to finish our chances when we had them.”
The 2023 NWSL season was always going to be one of steps. The Pride are one of the youngest teams in the NWSL with a very experienced starting lineup. While the lineup often features veterans like Montefusco, Marta, and Erika Tymrak, they also have five players who were drafted in the last three years. That’s not including Julie Doyle, who was drafted in 2022 and started at the beginning of the season, but missed the last six games with an ankle injury suffered on April 2.
The first step for this young team was putting results together, which they did during their four-game unbeaten run. They even secured back-to-back wins against San Diego and Louisville. Saturday night showed that the team can put together a full performance for 90 minutes, something that Hines said he’s been looking for in his team.
The next step for the Pride is to convert their chances and put away teams they should beat. According to Hines, that’s the difference between a team struggling to climb into a playoff position and competing with the league’s top teams.
“If we want to be a top team, competing in obviously the playoffs, we have to win games like this,” Hines said. “It’s a reminder that we can’t take the foot off the gas.”
A big question going into this past weekend was whether the Pride would be motivated facing the team at the bottom of the standings after beating the team at the top. Despite the result, they definitely outplayed their opponent Saturday night. Now the question will be whether they can rebound after a disappointing result and get back on track. That will be something to watch when the Pride take on the Houston Dash in Texas Saturday night.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Dominate But Fall in Chicago
The Pride dominated from the opening kickoff but couldn’t convert a single chance, falling to the Chicago Red Stars.

The Orlando Pride (3-5-1, 10 points) ended their four-game unbeaten run in a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Red Stars (2-6-1, 7 points) Saturday night at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL. Despite the Pride controlling the chances, Yuki Nagasato’s 22nd-minute goal was the difference as the Pride fell for the first time since April 23.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the starting lineup that beat the Washington Spirit 2-1 last weekend. Viviana Villacorta exited the lineup in favor of Erika Tymrak, who made her sixth start of the season. Tymrak moved into an attacking midfield role and Kerry Abello played alongside Mikayla Cluff in Villacorta’s place.
The back line in front of starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse remained the same with Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Cluff and Abello were the defensive midfielders behind Abello, Marta, and Adriana with Messiah Bright up top.
The Pride dominated this game from start to finish. Chicago had an early chance and scored its goal, but created nothing beyond two shots. Meanwhile, the Pride kept the ball in the Chicago third for the majority of the game, creating chance after chance. In the end, the Pride should’ve won by multiple goals.
The first opportunity of the game came in the sixth minute when Ava Cook moved outside and found Bianca St-Georges making a diagonal run. The midfielder split Montefusco and Madril, receiving the ball in the box, but her shot was right at Moorhouse. It appeared as though she was offside, so it likely wouldn’t have counted anyway.
The Pride had their first chance of the game in the ninth minute. After receiving the ball from Abello, Bright played it back to McCutcheon and made a long run down the right. McCutcheon quickly played it forward for the sprinting striker. Bright made a long run, knocking it past Tatumn Milazzo and shielding Tierna Davidson before playing it across for Adriana. With a defender in front, Adriana dumped it off for the oncoming Abello, who shot right at Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
A minute later, the Pride almost opened the scoring when Strom sent a dangerous ball into the six-yard box. Cook got back to defend the back post, heading the ball down but right in front of goal. It went off Arin Wright’s thigh and McCutcheon was able to poke the ball towards the Red Stars’ net, but Naeher was able to keep it out.
Bright took her first shot of the game in the 15th minute. Tymrak played the ball for the rookie, making a diagonal run towards the right sideline. After dribbling into the Chicago box and cutting inside to beat Davidson, Bright’s shot was blocked by Milazzo. The deflection rolled across the top of the six, but Adriana wasn’t close enough to redirect it on goal.
In the 16th minute, a poor St-Georges pass was intercepted by Tymrak, who immediately played Bright up field. The striker made another long run into the Chicago half, passing through Milazzo and Cari Roccaro for Abello making a run up field. Abello had plenty of space behind the Red Stars back line and shot, but it was right at Naeher.
The Pride almost had a great chance in the 20th minute when Marta found Strom to her left and the defender sent a low pass into the box. Adriana was making a run into the six behind Milazzo, but the center back was able to break up the play. If the ball had reached Adriana, the Brazilian would’ve had a free shot on goal.
The Red Stars got the game’s lone goal in the 22nd minute, after Abello fouled Sandra Starke near midfield. Wright took the free kick, sending it wide right for Casey Krueger. The defender cut back to lose Adriana and lifted the ball towards the far post where Nagasato got behind Montefusco, heading it past Moorhouse to give the Red Stars the surprising 1-0 lead.
“I think it came off of us giving the ball away and, you know, that happens and we need to deal with it,” McCutcheon said about the goal. “An uncontested ball in the box and then they just had numbers and we need to do better with our line and do better with marking up.”
The Pride tried to respond quickly after the restart. Abello entered the Red Stars box, but found resistance so she played it back for Strom. The left back quicky played it across for Abello, who fired from just outside of the box, but the low attempt curled well wide of the far post.
Bright had another chance in the 34th minute when Adriana and Tymrak blocked a St-Georges pass that went right to the big striker. The rookie turned Davidson, who slightly blocked the ball, and it went right to Naeher, who made her fourth save of the night.
Chicago had their first real threat after the goal in the 39th minute when Marta turned the ball over near midfield. St-Georges was sent to the end line by Julia Bianchi, but her cross attempt was into the hands of Moorhouse at the near post.
The Pride went the other way with Adriana attacking Krueger one on one. Tymrak sprinted into the box, receiving the ball from the Brazilian playmaker. The veteran midfielder had some space between the defenders and attempted a first-touch shot from near the penalty spot, but mishit it and the ball rolled harmlessly wide.
In the 41st minute, Tymrak took control of the ball after Bright won an aerial duel. Tymrak sent a great cross to the top of the six, where Adriana got her head to it between Milazzo and Krueger. Unfortunately, the Brazilian couldn’t get over the ball and it went over the target.
Despite entering halftime with a 1-0 lead, Chicago only had two chances, the game’s first shot by St-Georges and the goal by Nagasato. Meanwhile, the Pride created eight shots, putting four on target, and should’ve had more opportunities if not for some successful desperate defending by the hosts.
The Pride started the second half where they left off the first. Just seconds after the restart, Starke’s pass attempt was blocked by Motnefusco and chested down by Bright to Tymrak. The midfielder took a long-distance shot beyond the stretched arms of Naeher, but missed the far post.
In the 49th minute, the Pride nearly equalized when Milazzo mishit her clearance attempt, sending the ball towards her own end line, and Krueger helped the ball out of play for a Pride corner kick. Naeher reached out for Adriana’s set piece, but Cluff beat her to it, heading it off the crossbar. Marta attempted an acrobatic shot off the rebound, but Naeher reached back and tipped it off the line to maintain Chicago’s one-goal lead.
The save was Naeher’s 519th in NWSL play, passing former Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris for the most saves in league history.
In the 52nd minute, the Pride almost connected when Strom sent a dangerous ball to the top of the six-yard box. Bright and McCutcheon were both making runs behind the Red Stars back line, but the ball was a little too far in front of both players, going out for a goal kick.
A minute later, Marta sent a curling ball towards the back post, where Adriana beat Krueger. The Brazilians almost connected on the far side, but the ball was just out of the reach of Adriana, going out for another goal kick.
Marta found McCutcheon to her left in the 56th minute making an overlapping run. Cook slid in with an attempt to win the ball, but McCutcheon got past her and lifted the ball into the middle of the box. Tymrak was there, but the ball was just over her head.
The Pride hit the crossbar for the second time in the game in the 59th minute. After receiving the ball on the left from Abello, Adriana took a touch inside and shot before Krueger could get in front of her. The ball was over Naeher, but bounced off the woodwork.
The Red Stars got their first real possession of the second half in the 60th minute. The hosts passed the ball around, looking for their third shot of the game. But the Pride defended it well and Krueger eventually lost the ball to Adriana without Chicago getting a shot off.
The Pride made the first change in the 62nd minute, replacing Bright with Julie Doyle. It was Doyle’s first appearance since she went off in the 23rd minute with an ankle injury against Angel City FC on April 2.
“She’s an exciting player, she’s always active,” Hines said about Doyle. “We felt like it was the right time to bring her in chasing a goal. She’s always on the move, making defenders defend, and it’s nice to have another attacking option come off the bench.”
In the 65th minute, Cluff lifted the ball behind the Red Stars’ back line, where Doyle was calling for it. The striker was challenged by Milazzo, but still got a shot off. Naeher made a great stop with her right shin, but the flag went up for offside.
Cluff created another chance in the 66th minute when she lifted the ball into the box from the right. Adriana chested it down, but lost her balance, allowing Krueger to clear it. However, it went right to Abello just outside of the box. The midfielder used a quick change of pace to beat Krueger and create enough space for a shot, sending it right into the hands of Naeher.
Chicago tried to play the ball out of the back and the Pride continued to apply pressure, nearly creating a pair of opportunities in the 67th minute. After Marta blocked a ball forward, Tymrak and Doyle attempted a give-and-go, but they couldn’t connect the return pass. Quickly winning the ball back, Cluff and Marta attempted their own one-two in the box with the same result.
Controlling possession and chances but needing a goal, Hines made an attacking change in the 68th minute. After making a like-for-like change earlier in the half, forward Ally Watt came on for Tymrak.
Marta used a stepover in the 71st minute to create space from Cook, sending a dangerous ball into the box. Doyle and Watt were making runs towards goal, but the ball was a little too far in front again, going out of play for a goal kick.
The Red Stars felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 84th minute when Ella Stevens, who came on for Starke in the 74th minute, sent Cook into the Pride box. Marta defended her with a shoulder challenge and Cook went down, but referee Rebecca Pagan decided it wasn’t enough for a spot kick and awarded the Pride a goal kick.
The Pride made their final change in the 85th minute and it was another attacking one. This time rookie attacking midfielder Summer Yates replaced left back Strom.
“It shows that we were being more aggressive towards the end of the game trying to get ourselves back in it,” Hines said about the attacking changes. “We felt with the likes of Julie, Ally, Adri, Marta, Summer, we had an opportunity to get back in the game and ultimately win the game in the end.”
A Marta corner in the 86th minute looked to be heading in, but was palmed out of play by Naeher. Adriana took the corner from the other side, but Krueger came up with it and cleared. The Pride players raised their arms because they felt Krueger had handled the ball, but Pagan thought otherwise.
In the 89th minute, Yates made a good run to the top of the box and sent the ball out wide for Doyle. Reaching the ball just before it went out of play, the forward sent a cross into the box. Watt did well with her first touch, bringing it down and setting up a second-touch shot, but sent it just wide of the near post.
The final chance of the game came in the fourth minute of second-half injury time. Marta sent a cross into the box from the left that was headed out by Wright. Yates kept it in and her block went right to Doyle. The second-half substitute had room for a shot, but her first-touch attempt was off her shin and way off target.
At full-time, the Pride led in every offensive statistical category. They had more possession (54.5%-45.5%), shots (18-2), shots on target (6-2), corners (9-0), crosses (29-4), and passing accuracy (81.8%-76.6%). After their 22nd-minute goal, Chicago didn’t create a single chance, but held on for the 1-0 win.
“Disappointed with the result,” Hines said about the game. “You know, it was a great opportunity for us to keep that momentum going. Anytime you play a team like Chicago who are short of confidence, you have to not give them any hope and that’s what we did. We gave them hope by allowing them to score first. But, at the end of the day, you can’t dominate a game the way that we did and not come away with three points and that’s the disappointing thing. The game is built on goals and we didn’t take our opportunities.”
“We played some good football tonight,” McCutcheon added. “The second half, we had them on the back foot the entire half. Even in the first half, there were some good moments, and so we just need to know what we’re capable of and continue to push in training. Continue to reach higher levels as a group, individually, collectively.”
The story of this game is the Pride not putting away their chances. They hit the crossbar twice and had multiple opportunities that missed the target. That’s in addition to the eight shots on frame and excellent goalkeeping by Naeher that kept the Red Stars in front.
“It’s frustrating, of course, because we’re not just talking about half chances, we’re talking about clinical opportunities,” Hines said after the game. “There was some really good deliveries in the box, some opportunities from distance, and I think Naeher probably had the game of her season so far.”
Hines has said several times this year that each game is a learning experience, especially with a young team like the Pride. The recent four-game unbeaten run has shown that they can compete with the top teams in the NWSL, but they need to put away the teams at the bottom of the standings.
“If we want to be a top team competing in the playoffs, we have to win games like this,” Hines said. “So it’s a reminder that we can’t take the foot off the gas. We can’t take anyone for granted. Whether it’s Washington at home in front of our fans or coming away to Chicago sitting bottom of the table. Every game is a tough game in this league. So it’s a reminder that we have to keep going, have to keep fighting and challenging.”
The Pride will finish off their two-game road trip next Saturday night when they take on the Houston Dash in Texas. Then they’ll return home to face the league-leading Portland Thorns at Exploria Stadium on June 11.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride look to extend their unbeaten run to five games when they visit the Chicago Red Stars.

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-4-1, 10 points) look to extend their unbeaten run to five games in a road match against the Chicago Red Stars (1-6-1, 4 points) in Bridgeview, IL. This is the first of two games the two teams will play this season, with the return game at Exploria Stadium taking place on Aug. 20.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Pride and Red Stars have played every season since the former’s entrance into the NWSL except 2020. The teams have played 15 games, with the Pride going 4-11-1. All four wins have come in Bridgeview, IL, with the Pride having a record of 4-4-0 when playing the Red Stars away from home.
The Pride and Red Stars last met on June 12, 2022 in Illinois. Mallory Swanson capitalized on a Pride turnover in the 10th minute and the Red Stars held on for the 1-0 win. On May 22 in Orlando, Sarah Griffin gave the visitors the lead, and Bianca St. Georges and Swanson made it 3-0 Chicago. It appeared as though the Red Stars would run away with the game, but the final 10 minutes saw three goals and two penalties for an exciting finish. Sydney Leroux missed a penalty, but Amy Turner scored the Pride’s first goal late. Pugh converted her penalty in the moments later, and Leah Pruitt scored her first goal for the Pride a minute after that in a 4-2 Red Stars win.
The teams met three times during the 2021 season, but didn’t play until Aug. 8 in Illinois. Jodie Taylor and Leroux scored for the Pride before the half. The 2-0 win ended a six-game winless streak and was the first NWSL win for interim head coach Becky Burleigh.
The second meeting was Oct. 13 in Bridgeview, a rescheduled game that was originally supposed to take place Oct. 2. Kealia Watt scored in the sixth minute, which the Red Stars defended for 84 minutes on their way to a 1-0 result. The teams met again Oct. 29 in Orlando in the final game of the regular season. The Red Stars controlled the game but the Pride held off the Chicago attack for 65 minutes, at which point Watt scored the lone goal in a 1-0 game.
The Pride and Red Stars didn’t play in the 2020 Fall Series, so the last meeting prior to 2021 came in 2019. The first game was June 30 at Exploria Stadium. Goals by Chioma Ubogagu and Marta were topped by a Sam Kerr hat trick as the Red Stars won 3-2. The second game was on Aug. 21 in Bridgeview. The Pride took a 2-0 lead with goals by Rachel Hill and Ubogagu. Tierna Davidson cut the lead in half for Chicago, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1. The third meeting in 2021 came on Sept. 11 in Orlando. Casey Short stole the game for Chicago with the game’s lone goal five minutes into second-half injury time as the Red Stars won, 1-0.
The 2018 NWSL season saw the Pride and Red Stars meet three times. On May 2 in Bridgeview, Hill and Ubogagu scored in a 2-0 Pride win. They met in the same location May 26 in a high-scoring affair. A Leroux brace was added to goals by Hill, Alex Morgan, and Dani Weatherholt, as the Pride won 5-2. They met a third time in 2018 on Aug. 25 in Orlando. The Red Stars were led by a Kerr brace, resulting in a 3-1 victory over the Pride.
The Pride and Red Stars met three times in 2017 — the first year that they played that many games against each other. Christen Press scored the lone goal on July 1 in Orlando as Chicago won 1-0. On July 22 in Bridgeview, Press led her team with a brace in a 2-1 Chicago win. The final meeting came a week later in Orlando. Morgan put the Pride ahead, but Sofia Huerta equalized as the teams drew 1-1.
The two teams met for the first time during the Pride’s inaugural season in 2016 on May 1 in Bridgeview. Press’ second-half goal led the Red Stars to a 1-0 win. On July 16 in Orlando, Taylor Comeau scored the lone goal as Chicago again won 1-0.
Overview
The Pride have caught fire after a tough start to the 2023 season, going 3-0-1 in their last four games. The recent success is due in large part to Pride Head Coach Seb Hines finding a consistent starting lineup.
While the Pride lost their first four games, only in the first game were they thoroughly outplayed. And that was away to the defending champion Portland Thorns. The losses against Angel City FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC were because of second-half stoppage time goals, three times setting new records for the latest goals conceded in NWSL history.
They surprised everyone with their 3-1 win over the San Diego Wave in Southern California and followed that up with a 1-0 home win against Racing Louisville. After drawing Gotham in New Jersey, the Pride had arguably their most impressive result last weekend, beating the previously unbeaten Washington Spirit, 2-1.
The team has created chances most of the season, but their defense has been much better since finding a consistent unit. Anna Moorhouse has solidified her starting position in goal behind a back line of Haley McCutcheon, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Kylie Strom. A healthy Marta, more comfortable Adriana, and experience for Messiah Bright have made the attack much more dangerous as well.
Tonight, the Pride face the last-place Red Stars in a game that they should win. However, coming off a big win over the Spirit, it’s a potential trap game.
“Keep them hungry,” Hines said last week about avoiding a letdown tonight. “Anyone can beat anyone. We were bottom of the table and we go to San Diego and get the ball rolling. So we gotta keep on our toes.”
The Red Stars got off to a poor start, losing their first two games of the year. It got worse when their best attacking player, Swanson, suffered a season-ending injury on April 8 while representing the United States against Ireland in a friendly. They bounced back from that news with their lone win, beating the Kansas City Current 4-2, but have yet to claim another victory. Last weekend, they were pounded 4-0 by the Thorns in Portland, the same score the Pride lost to against the defending champions to start the season.
On paper, the Red Stars should have a strong defense. They feature U.S. international Alyssa Naeher and a back line consisting of Arin Wright, Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, and Tatumn Milazzo. However, they’ve conceded seven goals in their last two games against Louisville and Portland. They haven’t kept their opposition to under two goals since their 1-1 draw against the Spirit on April 29.
The offense has struggled mightily since the team’s four-goal output against the Current. The last goal came in the 54th minute against Gotham on May 7, so it’s been 216 minutes since the Red Stars last scored. It’s a good matchup for the Pride’s stingy defensive unit.
“You can’t look at the table and think a game’s easy,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “They’re a bit short on confidence, but anyone can beat anyone on their day. So we have to be mindful of that. They are still a good team. It just hasn’t gone that way right now. We’ve got momentum and we’ve got to continue that momentum. We have to do the basic right and ultimately, if we do that, we’ll win the game.”
The Pride have a couple of additions to their injury report this week as Jordyn Listro (thigh) and Kaylie Collins (hand) join Carrie Lawrence (knee) as players out injured. Additionally, Amanda Allen is still on international duty with Canada.
The Red Stars will be without Sami Feller (concussion), Sarah Griffith (ankle), Penelope Hocking (leg), Kayla Sharples (knee), and Swanson (knee).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, Haley McCutcheon.
Defensive Midfielders: Mikayla Cluff, Kerry Abello.
Midfielders: Adriana, Marta, Erika Tymrak.
Forwards: Messiah Bright.
Bench: Carly Nelson, Caitlin Cosme, Summer Yates, Celia, Tori Hansen, Viviana Villacorta, Brianna Martinez, Julie Doyle, Ally Watt.
Chicago Red Stars (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher.
Defenders: Arin Wright, Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, Tatumn Milazzo.
Defensive Midfielders: Yuki Nagasato, Julia Bianchi.
Midfielders: Sandra Starke, Cari Rocarro, Bianca St-Georges.
Forwards: Ava Cook.
Bench: Jill Aguilera, Jenna Bike, Emily Boyd, Samantha Fisher, Sophie Jones, Amanda Kowalski, Cheyna Matthews, Allison Schlegel, Ella Stevens.
Referees
REF: Rebecca Pagan.
AR1: Jeremy Smith.
AR2: Cameron Siler.
4TH: Melinda Sopka.
VAR: Shawn Tehini.
AVAR: Joel McKell.
How to Watch
Match Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium — Bridgeview, IL.
TV: None.
Streaming: Paramount+ (U.S.), NWSLsoccer.com (International).
Twitter: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride). Due to simultaneous games, there won’t be live coverage by The Mane Land for this one but we will recap the match late Saturday night.
Enjoy the match. Go Pride!
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