Connect with us

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 0-0 as Pride Run League Unbeaten Streak to Three Games

Aside from not scoring a goal, it was a dominating performance by Orlando and the Pride’s third consecutive result in league play.

Published

3 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride outplayed NJ/NY Gotham FC on the road at Red Bull Arena but have only a point to show for it after a wasteful afternoon in front of goal allowed the hosts to salvage a point. Orlando (2-4-1, 7 points) dominated first-half play and played an even second half against Gotham FC (4-2-1, 13 points) but couldn’t put a ball in the net and have to settle for a road draw.

The Pride are 2-0-1 in their last three league contests, but will feel they dropped two points after a dominating road match in which they simply couldn’t make the most of their scoring chances.

“Disappointed that we haven’t come away with three points. I think all the players feel the same way,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It was a complete performance. We were very difficult to play against. Considering they’ve got some of the best players in the league, I thought the back line, our midfielders, forwards, they all worked extremely hard to get a clean sheet and I’m really happy with that.”

Hines ran out his recently successful lineup with Anna Moorhouse in goal behind a back line of Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Viviana Villacorta and Mikayla Cluff played central midfield behind an attacking line of Adriana, Erika Tymrak, and Marta, with rookie Messiah Bright up top.

The hosts began the game pressing hard up the pitch and trying to create turnovers in Orlando’s half. The Pride were able to settle in after a nervy start and bossed much of the first half, although the team couldn’t find a breakthrough.

After an early Orlando counter that somehow didn’t result in a free kick after Adriana was knocked down from behind, Gotham got the first quality look of the game. Taylor Smith roasted McCutcheon in a footrace, took the ball into the area and fired off the left post. The Pride were able to clear the rebound before it could create any further trouble.

The Pride then started to settle into the match. Bright got down the right side in the 14th minute and sent in a cross but it was straight at goalkeeper Abby Smith. Moments later, Orlando won a corner and Marta picked out an unmarked Strom who couldn’t get her header on frame, popping it over the crossbar in the 17th minute.

Two minutes later, Adriana got forward on the break and fired a shot but it was right at Smith. Bright headed wide off a Strom cross in the 23rd minute but the whistle went quickly so the play may have been offside. Two minutes after that, Cluff made a great steal in the attacking half and fired a shot from outside the box that may have been going just high but Smith’s fingertips made sure that ball stayed over the bar.

A promising attack in the 32nd minute fell apart when Bright collected a loose ball near the top of the box and tried to pass to Marta, who wasn’t expecting it.

Four minutes later, the Pride had a dangerous free kick from the left. Cluff called repeatedly for the ball as Marta and Adriana lined up behind the ball. Marta took the cross and did pick out Cluff but the midfielder couldn’t get her header anywhere close to the goal frame.

The Pride broke in transition in the 41st minute and should have scored. Adriana had a decent look at goal and took the shot herself, but Smith went up and caught it. Bright was off to the right side and would have had an easy tap-in had the Brazilian crossed on that attacking move.

Smith made a good diving save to deny Cluff in the 44th minute. In stoppage time, Tymrak nearly got a gift when Smith spilled a good cross from McCutcheon out in front. Tymrak dug the ball out as Smith never fully possessed the ball but the referee blew the whistle in Gotham’s favor.

Orlando’s dominant half showed on the stats sheet. The Pride had more shots (9-1), shots on goal (5-0), and passing accuracy (75%-73.6%). Both teams earned two corner kicks and Gotham held a possession advantage (55.1%-44.9%).

After holding the hosts to one shot attempt in the first half, the Pride gifted one to Gotham early in the second half. Strom made a poor pass near the corner of her own penalty area that Lynn Williams stepped onto and then blasted a shot toward goal. Fortunately, the shot was off target.

The second half was a lot more choppy, with more stops and starts. Gotham had the first opportunity of the second period when Strom made a poor pass deep in her own end and gave Lynn Williams the ball near the left corner of the box. Williams smashed a shot but it was high and wide of the goal in the 50th minute.

The Pride had a chance five minutes later when Marta popped a ball over the top and into the box for Bright. The rookie stumbled and never got to fire a shot at the target.

Madril snuffed out a Gotham attack in the 66th minute beating Sinead Farrelly to a ball and then absorbing a terrible challenge that got Farrelly booked.

Adriana nearly picked out Marta in the 68th minute but a tug from the defender slowed her down and she couldn’t get to it. Marta got under a bouncing ball at the top of the area in the 78th and skied her shot well over the crossbar.

As the game wound down, Gotham looked like the fresher side, getting more of the ball and generating some chances. Williams swept a shot wide in the 82nd minute. Two minutes later, Moorhouse made a spectacular save with her leg to deny Yazmeen Ryan on what turned out to be Gotham’s only shot attempt on target all game.

“To get the first shot on target where Anna has to make a save in the (84th) minute is a pretty big positive, considering how far we’ve come from the start of the year,” Hines said. ” And it’s not just Anna making the save. It’s everyone who’s in front of her having that desire, that attitude to not allow shots on target.”

“The back line’s job is to keep the goals out of our net, and I think that’s what we did,” Madril said. “We did our job and you know, just try to carry that forward to the rest of the team and it does feel good to get a clean sheet, for sure.”

The game got a little stretched in the final minutes, which favored Gotham, but the Pride had their chances. Adriana lost the ball trying to dig it out of her feet on the attack in the 86th minute. Marta picked it up wide and crossed in but her pass was right at Smith, who made the easy catch. Seconds later, Ryan fired over the bar at the other end of the pitch.

The last good look of the game for either side came in the second minute of stoppage time. Strom sent a good cross into the area for substitute Ally Watt, who got her head to it. The ball was on frame but Smith made a diving, one-handed save to keep it out.

“We created a lot of opportunities, as well, it just didn’t fall our way,” Hines said.

Orlando’s dominance in the game was reflected in the statistics of the match, with the Pride finishing with more shots (13-6), shots on target (6-1), corners (4-3), and crosses (17-7). Gotham held more possession (56%-44%) and passed slightly more accurately (73.4%-71.5%).

“It was a good performance, defensively,” Tymrak said. “We were solid. They didn’t play through the middle much, and we really limited their forwards, who are some of the best in the league.”

Today’s game may have been Orlando’s most complete of the season despite the lack of goals, but it’s a good sign that Hines and his players were disappointed to get this road point when they felt the pride deserved all three.

“I think any professional — you never settle on what you have right now. You’re always searching for more,” Hines said. “You always want more and you know, looking back at the start of the year, we lost a lot of points, and now we have to get them back.”

The Pride will be back in action Saturday night, when they host the Washington Spirit at 7 p.m. at Exploria Stadium.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Jamaican International Forward Solai Washington

The Pride add attacking depth by signing former Florida State forward Solai Washington.

Published

3 days ago

on

January 19, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Jamaican international forward Solai Washington. The former Florida State Seminole  through the 2027 season with a mutual option for the 2028 season.

“Solai is a player we’ve had an eye on for a while during her two years in college,” Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines said in a club press release. “Her composure on the ball, her ability to break lines, and the maturity she showed at Florida State make her a fantastic fit for what we’re building here. She brings energy, versatility, and a real competitive edge, which is what we look for in players. We’re excited to have her here in Orlando and to see the impact she can make in our environment both on and off the field.” 

The 20-year-old attacker from Atlanta made 35 appearances in her two years in Tallahassee, scoring eight goals and adding four assists while helping the Seminoles win the 2025 NCAA national championship and the 2024 ACC tournament. Washington was a member of the 2024 ACC All-Freshmen Team, the 2024 All-ACC Academic Team, and was named to TopDrawerSoccer’s postseason Top 100 Freshman list (at No. 42).

On the international stage, Washington has already represented Jamaica at the senior level on the biggest stage, making three appearances with the Reggae Girlz at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, debuting in a scoreless draw with France.

What It Means for Orlando

The Pride’s need for depth in the attacking positions is well documented, and Washington is a young player with a ton of upside in an area of need. From that perspective alone, this is a signing that makes sense. While it would be nice for the club to sign some proven NWSL-level scorers to provide depth for Barbra Banda, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle, it’s always good to develop young talent. Since the abolition of the NWSL Draft, teams must work harder to secure the services of players like Washington.

It will require some time to know whether Orlando’s faith in Washington will be rewarded, and she wasn’t the most prolific scorer at FSU, but it says something about a player that they can get minutes at age 17 in a World Cup. It will be up to Hines and his staff to develop Washington, who will have no shortage of great mentors as teammates.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

Published

1 week ago

on

January 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

  • March — 4
  • April — 2
  • May — 6
  • June — 0
  • July — 6
  • August — 4
  • September — 4
  • October — 3
  • November — 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

  • Monday — 0
  • Tuesday — 1
  • Wednesday — 2
  • Thursday — 0
  • Friday — 11
  • Saturday — 7
  • Sunday — 9

For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. 

The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

  • Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
  • Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
  • Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
  • Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
  • Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
  • Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
  • Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)
Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

Published

1 week ago

on

January 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

Reinvigorate the Attack

The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

Fill the Roster

Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

Find the Grit

In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending