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Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 2-1 as Pride Increase Unbeaten Run to Four Games

Marta’s goal and assist lifted the Pride to their third win in four games.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (3-4-1, 10 points) handed the Washington Spirit (4-1-3, 15 points) their first loss of the 2023 NWSL season, beating them 2-1 at Exploria Stadium. A 23rd-minute penalty by Marta gave the Pride the lead, but the Spirit answered in the 28th minute through Sam Staab. The Pride found a winner in the 77th minute when a Marta corner found the head of Kylie Strom, securing the team’s fourth consecutive result.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change from the team that had remained the same for the last three games. Kerry Abello got her first regular-season start since April 15, replacing Erika Tymrak. He also changed from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-3-3 setup. Anna Moorhouse was in goal in front of the now-normal back line of Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Mikayla Cluff, Viviana Villacorta, and Abello were in the midfield behind a forward line of Marta, Adriana, and Messiah Bright.

“We had to respect Washington and there are some really good individuals on that team and we changed the way that we pressed tonight,” Hines said about the team’s formation and style. “It was a little bit different. We went with a 4-3-3, and it does require a lot of work in that pressing, but, you know, the players fully bought into what we’re trying to do. And it was a little bit unusual for them because they hadn’t experienced it and we did some work in training leading up to this game.”

Despite facing a Spirit team atop the NWSL standings, the Pride created more chances in this game. However, they were unable to hit the target with most of those chances, keeping the opposition close. Fortunately, Moorhouse had arguably her best game of the year to maintain the lead and eventually claim the win.

The game got off to a rough start when McCutcheon collided with Trinity Rodman eight seconds after kickoff. McCutcheon’s elbow appeared to contact the back of Rodman’s head, so Washington’s medical staff came on to look at the star forward. After taking her off the field for a few minutes for a concussion test and to test her mobility, she returned to the field.

The Pride had the first dangerous attack in the eighth minute when Cluff won the ball near midfield. Bright picked it up and dribbled down field, attempting to play it around Tara McKeown. She beat the center back, but Amber Brooks did well to catch up from behind and clear it away.

In the 18th minute, the Spirit got their first chance of the game, when Paige Metayer lifted the ball to the far post from the top of the box. Ashley Sanchez was left unmarked and shot on goal from a tough angle. But Moorhouse was there to make the easy save.

A minute later, Bright had a chance on the other end. Dribbling into the box on the right, the striker’s first shot was blocked by Staab. But it went right back to the rookie, providing a second attempt. Similar to Sanchez’s shot, it was from a tight angle, enabling Aubrey Kingsbury to make the relatively easy stop.

The Pride broke through when Adriana made a nice run down the left in the 21st minute. She used her speed to beat Brooks, forcing the right back to make a desperate dive to stop the Brazilian. Adriana immediately went to the ground and referee Thomas Snyder pointed to the spot.

Unsurprisingly, Marta stood over the ball, ready to take the penalty. Kingsbury dove to her left and the Pride captain sent the ball the other way, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. It was the Brazilian’s first goal since she tore her ACL during the 2022 Challenge Cup, keeping her out all of last season.

“I’m so happy that I scored my first goal,” Marta said about her first goal for the Pride since 2021. “You know, I just didn’t think about it so much, maybe because of the moment in the game. And I just think like, ‘Yes, we score.’ I scored a penalty, you know? I think it’s more like double pressure because if you miss, you don’t know how the game is gonna be for you and for your team. So I was so happy that I did (score).”

“Any forward wants to get that feeling back, and it’s a testament to her and her recovery coming back from a longterm injury,” Hines said about Marta’s penalty. “And you don’t want anyone else stepping up for that penalty other than her. She’s been in them moments so often, on the biggest stage, so we have full confidence in her hitting the back of the net in that moment.”

It’s the second time this year that the Pride have scored first against the Spirit. On May 10, it was Tori Hansen scoring a backheel in the Challenge Cup. This one was more expected, as it was created and converted by two of the Pride’s best attacking players.

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last long as the Spirit answered right back. In the 28th minute, Marta wasn’t quick enough to the ball near the top of the box, giving the ball up to Brooks. The right back’s cross was deflected out by Adriana for a corner kick.

Ashley Hatch took the corner, playing it short to Ines Jaurena. The French midfielder sent a cross into the box that found the head of Staab. Cluff was defending the center back, but fell as the ball came in. Since Cluff was between Montefusco and Staab, the center back couldn’t challenge for the ball, and Moorhouse initially decided to come out, then changed her mind, getting caught in between decisions, as Staab put it past her to even the game at 1-1.

The Pride had a decent chance to regain the lead in the 39th minute, when quick play between Marta and Abello resulted in the latter attempting a cross. Gabrielle Carle blocked it out of play for a corner kick. Adriana’s cross found Montefusco at the near post, but her header was wide.

Less than a minute later, Rodman showed her skill and speed, dribbling past McCutcheon and into the Pride box. She had a split second before Madril came over for support, getting her shot off between the two. Rodman got over the ball, but it was right at Moorhouse, who caught the attempt.

The Pride had another chance in the 44th minute when Strom played the ball for Bright making a diagonal run in the box. Bright received the ball with her back to goal, but McKeown knocked it out for a corner. The ensuing set piece by Adriana found Strom near the back post, but she couldn’t get over the ball and it sailed over the target.

After 45 minutes, the Spirit had more possession (55.9%-44.1%), shots on goal (4-2), crosses (9-7), and passing accuracy (80.6%-72.5%). The Pride had more shot attempts (6-5), and both teams had three corner kicks.

The Spirit almost got the first chance of the second half when Sanchez played a great ball down the left for Rodman, sending her behind McCutcheon. The forward sent a dangerous ball through the Pride box, but nobody was there to get on the end of it.

The Pride’s first second-half chance came in the 49th minute when Bright made a long run from near midfield into the Washington box. She used her speed to get by Staab, but the center back was able to stay with her, forcing Bright’s shot into the side of the net.

Moorhouse has taken some criticism for her early-season play, but she came up with some big saves to keep her team in the game. In the 53rd minute, Jaurena found Rodman on the right and the forward sent Sanchez through on goal. Moorhouse came off her line to greet the attacker, taking it off her foot. However, the assistant’s flag went up for the initial ball to Rodman.

Two minutes later, Andi Sullivan attempted a long-distance shot. It looked to be headed just under the crossbar, but Moorhouse did well to tip it over.

The ensuing corner landed at the foot of Dorian Bailey, who came on at halftime for Brooks,. She attempted her own long shot, but Moorhouse dove to her right to knock it wide.

“She didn’t have a lot to do last week against Gotham, but today she came up massive for us,” Hines said about Moorhouse’s performance against Washington. “It’s so important that everyone does their job. You know, the work that the players in front, have to run, have to battle, have to fight, and she’s there as a safety. And the saves that she made really, they were so important for us to get the three points today.”

The Pride had their own close attempt in the 63rd minute. After Bailey knocked the ball out for a corner, Adriana sent the ball to the near post where Strom was charging in. The left back got her head on the ball, flicking it towards the far post, but missed just wide.

In the 66th minute, Strom sent a long ball into the box for Bright, just missing the striker. That was the last action for the rookie, as she was replaced by Ally Watt, the Pride’s first substitution of the game.

The Pride retook the lead in the 77th minute from a set piece. It started when Adriana’s shot was blocked wide by McKeown. Marta’s corner was perfectly placed, sailing just over Lena Silano and finding the head of Strom at the back post. The left back’s header was past Kingsbury, giving the Pride a 2-1 lead.

“We’ve been working on that exact play,” Strom said about the game-winner. “(Pride Goalkeeper Coach) Paul (Crichton) has drew that up time and time again, every game, scouting set pieces, so credit to him. Marta, absolutely perfect service. I really honestly didn’t have to do too much. I was just in the right place at the right time. And yeah, it was great. Great delivery, great goal.”

“Today it was not my best day with the set pieces, especially in the corner. Maybe I have three or four on my side and two was so bad,” Marta said about her assist. “And then I come to the third one, and then I talked to myself and talked to God and say, ‘Hey, I know I can do that.’ And then I put the ball in the right place and then she was there to score.”

In the 84th minute, the Pride had a chance when McKeown pushed Adriana down from behind near the Spirit box, picking up a yellow card in the process. Marta stepped up to take the kick, sending a low shot towards the bottom of the near post. But Kingsbury did well to get down and save it.

On the other end, Carle had a chance when she got behind Marta. She moved in towards goal from the left, allowing Marta to catch up to her. The Brazilian deflected the shot into the arms of Moorhouse at the near post.

The Spirit had one last chance at the end of the game when McCutcheon fouled Rodman just inside their own half of the field. Stabb sent the set piece into the box, but Moorhouse came out to catch and fall on it. That was the last play of the game as Snyder blew the final whistle.

The Pride ended the game with more shots (14-9), but the Spirit had more possession (55.9%-44.1%) and shots on target (6-4). Additionally, the Pride had more corners (7-5) and the Spirit had more crosses (18-17).

“We knew it was gonna be a tough game,” Hines said about the performance. “You know, Washington are unbeaten in the league. Very physical and I thought we managed the game really well. Pleased with the goals. You know, we changed shape, we changed our formation, having played them earlier on in Challenge Cup, so we knew what they’re capable of. We knew that they were threatening and I thought it was a big collective effort to get the three points.”

With this win, the Pride have now won three of their last four regular season games and their last two at home. After losing their first four games, they’re now on a four-game unbeaten run (3-0-1), lifting them up to seventh in the NWSL standings, with 10 points from eight games.

Having beaten the NWSL’s first-place team, the Pride will now look to continue their unbeaten run against the team at the bottom of the standings, when they face the Chicago Red Stars next Saturday night in Illinois.

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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Pride need to do to secure a victory against Racing Louisville on the road?

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43 minutes ago

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June 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Pride are riding a three-match winning streak heading into Friday’s match against Racing Louisville — the team’s final game before the NWSL’s summer break. Given this is the last match until August, it is important that the Pride make a statement and leave an impression on the competition. What do the Pride need to do to take all three points from Racing Louisville at Lynn Family Stadium Friday night?

More Offense

The Orlando Pride have scored six goals in the last six matches. That might not seem too bad, but three of those goals came on Barbra Banda’s hat trick against the Utah Royals. That means in the other five matches, the Pride have only scored three goals. That isn’t enough for a team that wants to repeat the double.

I don’t think the team has found a proper replacement for the departed Adriana. Seb Hines has tried using Ally Watt, Prisca Chilufya, and Julie Doyle, though none have contributed to a commensurate level. Without another threat up top, teams can focus more heavily on Banda, making it difficult for her to score. Hines needs someone to step it up a notch by being a legitimate scoring threat, thus freeing Banda to deal with only two defenders and not three or four. This is the last chance before the break to figure it out.

Stop Sears and Co.

The Pride will face a capable Racing Louisville offense. Emma Sears leads the way for Louisville with six goals this season. The opposition also has Savannah DeMelo, Taylor Flint (née Kornieck), and Kayla Fischer. Louisville has 17 goals this season compared to the 20 scored by Orlando. I’m saying that Louisville is a legitimate threat.

I feel that Hines found the best back line in the last match with Oihane at right back, Emily Sams and Kylie Nadaner at center back, and Cori Dyke on the left. This is the back four that I think will provide the best defense in front of Anna Moorhouse. That is the back line that will need to deal with Sears and the others. A clean sheet may be a lot to ask on the road, but this defense could make it happen.

Back to Basics

The last few matches the Pride have taken short corners at almost every opportunity presented. Please stop doing that. No more Pepper Shakers or Loki’s Toboggan — see Ted Lasso season 1, episode 10. Put the ball in the box and let things happen. Between Marta, Angelina, Carson Pickett, and Summer Yates, the Pride have enough players who can put in a good ball from a corner kick or free kick.

Weird and sometimes wonderful things happen when you simply put the ball in the box. A player can score a header, the ball can bounce to a player for a shot, there could be an own goal, or even a handball resulting in a penalty. Yes, the ball might go out for a goal kick or a Pride player could commit a foul, but the team’s success rate on short corners is not good and Orlando has capable scorers who can finish in close. Leave the tricksy training ground antics at home and put the ball in the darn box.

That’s what I’ll be looking for Friday night. Where do you think the game will be won or lost? Let us know in the comments section.

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Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 1-0 as the Pride Hold On After Banda’s Goal

The Pride earn their second straight clean sheet with a hard-fought away win against Bay FC.

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5 days ago

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June 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (8-3-1, 25 points) scored in the second half and then held on for dear life in the final moments tonight to claim their third straight victory with a 1-0 win over Bay FC (4-5-3, 15 points) at PayPal Park in San Jose, CA. Barbra Banda’s 58th-minute goal was the difference as the Pride claimed their fifth clean sheet of the season.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made five changes from the team that beat the Houston Dash with a last-second goal on June 7. Cori Dyke, Angelina, Summer Yates, Marta, and Banda all entered the lineup for Oihane, Ally Lemos, Morgan Gautrat, Kerry Abello, and Julie Doyle.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Carson Pickett. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Yates, Marta, and Ally Watt with Banda up top.

Similar to the 1-0 win over Houston, the first half was one to forget. Both teams looked sloppy, turning the ball over time and time again. However, the Pride came out attacking in the second half, putting the hosts on their heels. Once Banda gave her team the lead, the Pride couldn’t keep possession and had to withstand attack after attack with Bay FC nearly scoring on multiple occasions. But they kept the ball out of the net to take home all three points.

Both teams won early corner kicks, but it wasn’t until the 10th minute when the game’s first clear chance occurred. Caprice Dydasco played Karlie Lema down the right and the midfielder sent a cross in for Asisat Oshoala. Nadaner got a piece of the pass, but it went directly to Taylor Huff. The forward had a chear shot on goal with Moorhouse coming up with a big save.

The Pride’s first shot came in the 15th minute when Dyke sent a cross into the box. There was a group of players in the area, but Banda rose above them all to get her head to it. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get enough contact on the attempt, sending it wide.

Yates beat Lema in the 30th minute and the Bay FC midfielder pulled her back, earning the first booking of the game. The set piece was a give-and-go between Pickett and Angelina that sent Pickett down the left. It looked like the defender would cross the ball, but she played it back to Yates instead. The shot was bobbled by Bay FC goalkeeper Emmie Allen before her defenders cleared it.

Bay FC nearly had a chance in the 34th minute when Watt’s clearance was blocked. It went straight to Oshoala, who played it to Huff, who was making a run into the box. However, Dyke did well to shield the striker, and Moorhouse came out to cover the ball.

Marta played a ball forward a minute later that was won by Banda. The striker shielded Hubly enough to get a shot off, but Emmie Allen pushed it over the crossbar.

McCutcheon played the ball forward for Banda in the 42nd minute, but Abby Dahlkemper won it back for Bay FC. As Banda fell to the ground, the hosts broke the other way. Receiving the ball on the left from Huff, Racheal Kundananji dribbled into the Pride box. She was looking for space to shoot, but Nadaner stuck her foot in to win it back.

Once the ball was cleared, the referee stopped play as both Banda and Kundananji were down. However, they eventually got up and were able to continue.

A collision on a free ball allowed Angelina to take possession in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. The Brazilian made a long run up the field before playing the ball to Marta in the center. The Pride captain dribbled to the left before sending a ball into the six-yard box that Allen stepped up to collect.

That was the last decent first-half chance for either team as the game reached the break scoreless. The Pride finished the first half with the advantage in possession (63%-37%), shots (4-2), shots on target (3-1), crosses (12-4), corner kicks (4-1), and passing accuracy (85%-74%). But it was a disappointing first 45 minutes for both teams as the game went into halftime scoreless.

The Pride got the second half off to an attacking start, creating the first chance in the 47th minute. Nadaner sent a long ball forward that Banda tapped around Dahlkemper and got to first. The Zambian attacker cut inside to lose her defender as Dydasco came flying in. Seeing the approaching support, Banda took a quick shot that sailed wide.

Yates beat Kiki Pickett in the 50th minute and was pulled back, earning a free kick in the opposing third. The short set piece was sent into the box by Carson Pickett, but it was headed away. However, it only went to Dyke just outside the box, whose shot was blocked.

The hosts nearly took the lead in the 57th minute when Hannah Bebar won a corner kick. The rookie’s set piece was off Pickett to the top of the box, where Dydasco was running on. It was a terrific strike by Dydasco that hit the crossbar.

Bay FC kept possession of the ball, which eventually ended up with Kundananji. However, the striker sent her shot wide, ending the attack.

The Pride didn’t take long to respond. Yates was fouled near midfield seconds after the Kundananji miss and Pickett immediately sent the ball forward for Banda before Bay FC was ready. The striker cut inside to create some space and fired. The shot took a deflection off the heel of a sliding Hubly, tucking inside the far post to give the Pride the 1-0 lead on Banda’s eighth goal of the season.

In the 60th minute, Banda was sent long by Dyke. She did well to shield Hubly before sending a dangerous ball into the box. Marta was making a run but couldn’t quite get on the end of it and the ball went all the way through.

Kundananji made a great run down the field in the 63rd minute, shielding Sams to get a shot off in the Pride box. It was on target, but Moorhouse did well to tip it over the top.

The ensuing corner kick was headed to the far side where Dydasco collected the ball. The defender used a nice touch to beat Banda and send a dangerous cross to the far post. Hubly got her head to it but sent the attempt over the crossbar.

After a flurry of action, Hines made his first changes in the 66h minute, sending Oihane and Doyle on for Pickett and Marta. The Pride boss used his third sub and second window to replace Watt with Lemos in the 73rd minute.

In the 74th minute, Penelope Hocking played the ball off Oihane, winning her team a corner kick. The service into the box found the head of Kundananji, but the striker’s header was right at Moorhouse. A minute later, Kundananji tried to create a shot, but Sams knocked it off her foot. Unfortunately, it went straight to Hocking, whose shot was straight to Moorhouse.

In the 77th minute, Rachel Hill made a good run down the right and sent a dangerous ball into the middle, where Kundananji was waiting. It likely would’ve been an equalizer, but Sams came flying in to knock it away.

Dorian Bailey sent a cross to the back post in the 77th minute that Dyke sent out for a corner kick. Moorhouse stepped up to collect the set piece but dropped it after making contact with Dyke. It fell right to Hocking, who fired on goal, but Nadaner cleared it off the goal line. The clearance went to Kundananji, who sent her shot off target.

Alyssa Malonson sent a dangerous ball into the box in the 79th minute with Kundananji making a run. Fortunately, the cross was off line. Dydasco found Conti at the top of the box in the 81st minute. The second-half substitute’s shot was on target, but Moorhouse tipped it over the top.

The ensuing corner kick went out to Conti near the top of the Pride box and she was immediately fouled by Banda. Conti took the set piece herself but sent it over the crossbar.

Hines made his final two changes in the 88th minute as Prisca Chilufya and Abello came on for Banda and Yates. Like the earlier substitutions, they were defensive minded as the Pride clung to their 1-0 lead.

“We made our substitutions. We were strategic with our substitutions,” Hines said about his changes. “And, you know, towards the end, we weren’t as threatening. But, the game gives you what it gives you.”

Hocking received a long ball at the far post in the 90th minute. She found Kundananji near the penalty spot and, with her back to goal, Kundananji laid it off for Conti. The second-year player shot, but Nadaner stepped up to block the attempt.

Lemos turned the ball over in her own third in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Conti played it to the top left corner of the box for Bebar, who volleyed it centrally for Bailey. A second consecutive volley was meant to go towards goal but went well wide instead.

Kundananji lifted the ball into the box in the eighth minute of stoppage time and Lemos guided it out for another Bay FC corner kick. The short corner went to Bebar, who sent Dydasco into the box. The defender laid it back for Conti, but Abello stepped in front to intercept.

The final chance for Bay FC came in the ninth minute of stoppage time, when Bailey played the ball back for an oncoming Hill. The forward’s first touch was a shot that went over the crossbar.

That was the final chance, and the Pride withstood a barrage of attacks from the hosts to hang on for the 1-0 win.

“It’s a great feeling after the game. And after that whistle blows, all that hard work and the determination to keep that ball out has paid off,” Moorhouse said about hanging on at the end. “Doesn’t particularly feel good in the moment when you’re throwing bodies on the line and having to concentrate like that, but this team, that’s what we do. And that’s how we get the job done.”

At full time, the Pride had more possession (53%-47%) and had most of the chances until their 58th-minute goal. But they put everyone behind the ball as the clock kept ticking and struggled to maintain possession whenever they won the ball back. As a result, Bay FC had the final advantage in shots (20-7), shots on target (6-4), crosses (21-16), corner kicks (7-5), and passing accuracy (79%-75%).

“Again, I sound like a broken record. I thought first half, we played some really good football without really threatening,” Hines said. “They got their goal. You know, they made it difficult for us to find any sort of success in their attacking third. And so, yeah, second half, it was a quick free kick, Barbra does extremely well to get a shot off, and we’re 1-0 up. And then we showed our character towards the end, throwing our bodies on the line, making sure that we don’t concede. And when we take the lead in games, we become very difficult to play against. And so, I was really proud of the players, their effort, their commitment, everything that they’ve put into it to get the three points. And after that, we move on to next week with good momentum.”

“It was a tough game towards the end,” Moorhouse added. “I thought we got back to kind of how we defended last season. You know, with everything, with grit, whole team effort. And, yeah, Barbra scored the goal and it’s a great feeling.”

The clean sheet is the Pride’s fifth of the season, tied for the league lead with the Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC. It’s also their second straight 1-0 victory after beating the Dash by the same score.

“We kind of came away from being ourselves, being hard to beat, hard to score against. And so I think looking at the most recent results, 1-0 victories, clean sheets, it’s more us when we look at those results and we keep clean sheets,” Hines said. “And again, it takes everyone to achieve that goal. So really proud of them. Really proud with the back line and the midfielders and forwards to really solidify that clean sheet today. And hopefully we can get another one next week.”

“We’ve had a lot of rotation. We’ve got a long season to cope with this year, but everyone coming in, like we’ve been saying, has been doing a great job,” Moorhouse added. “And, yeah, it’s finally starting to click defensively. We’re all on the same page, and we’re getting the rewards for it.”

After an impressive start to the season, the Pride failed to win in three straight and four out of five games. But they’ve rebounded well with three straight wins.

The recent run of form has the Pride currently in second place in the standings, just two points behind the Current. However, the Current have a game in hand and take on Racing Louisville Saturday night.

As for the Pride, they’ll finish up the first half of the season on June 20 when they face Racing Louisville in Kentucky before the more than a month-long summer break for the Euros.

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

The Pride look to make it three wins in a row as they travel to the west coast to face Bay FC.

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6 days ago

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June 13, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (7-3-1, 22) head back out on the road to face Bay FC (4-4-3, 15 points). This is the first of two times the teams will face off with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Sept. 13.

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 met twice last year, with the first coming on Sept. 20. It looked like the game might be headed for a scoreless draw until Barbra 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.

The first-ever game between these two teams occurred on May 11, 2024. 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.

Overview

After a strong start to the 2025 campaign, the Pride lost three of five games, including a three-game winless streak. But they’ve bounced back strong with back-to-back wins.

The current streak started on May 23 in Utah when Banda netted the first hat trick in Pride history in a 3-1 win. They returned home to face the Houston Dash Saturday night and weren’t threatening in the first 45 minutes. But the Pride came out flying in the second half. It looked like it wouldn’t be enough to gain all three points until Cori Dyke scored the game-winning goal with the last touch of the ball.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made several changes to the starting lineup since many players had gone away to represent their countries during the international break. The two most notable absences were Banda and Marta, but both came on in the second half, helping the Pride claim all three points.

It was another stellar defensive performance as the Pride earned their fourth clean sheet in the first 11 games. The 3-2 win over Angel City on April 25 remains the only time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this season.

Tonight, the Pride face a Bay FC team that’s barely clinging onto the eighth and final playoff spot. The San Jose, CA-based club has been stronger defensively than offensively this season, scoring 13 goals (ninth in the league) and conceding 14 (fifth in the league).

Bay FC has conceded two goals on four occasions this season, only giving up three or more goals once. That came on May 11 when they lost 4-1 to the league-leading Kansas City Current. Meanwhile, Bay has matched the Pride this year with four clean sheets.

Bay FC is coming off a good win over the always dangerous Portland Thorns. While the game was in San Jose, it wasn’t a long trip for the Thorns like the Pride made this week.

Asisat Oshoala led Bay FC with eight goals last year and Racheal Kundananji was second with five. But this season the duo only have a goal between them. It’s Penelope Hocking leading the team with three goals after netting just four last season. She’s followed by Kiki Pickett, Karlie Lema, and Caroline Conti as the only players with multiple goals on the year.

While the attack might not concern the Pride too much tonight, the Bay FC back line will be hard to break down. They’ve shown themselves to be stingy this season and will do everything they can to maintain Banda, Marta, and the rest of the Pride attack.

“I think with every game that we’ve been playing, it’s been a challenge,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “The teams have come with a game plan, and I think that’s to negate our attacking positions as much as they can. Reduce the space that we can exploit and being defensively disciplined. And I expect nothing different against Bay. I think that’s probably one thing they’ve learned from last year is being more defensively solid, being hard to beat, and then look to transition with the likes of Racheal Kundananji.”

There’s no change to the Pride availability list this week. The team is still without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), and Rafaelle (thigh). Bay FC is without Jordan Brewster (lower leg), Emily Menges (excused absence), Princess (excused absence), and Jordan Silkowitz (illness).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Carson Pickett.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Angelina.

Midfielders: Summer Yates, Marta, Ally Watt.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Prisca Chilufya, Viviana Villacorta, Julie Doyle, Oihane, Kerry Abello, Ally Lemos, Zara Chavoshi.

Bay FC (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Emmie Allen.

Defenders: Alyssa Malonson, Kelli Hubly, Abby Dahlkemper, Caprice Dydasco.

Midfielders: Kiki Pickett, Hannah Beber, Karlie Lema, Asisat Oshoala.

Forwards: Taylor Huff, Racheal Kundananji.

Bench: Melissa Lowder, Tess Boade, Jamie Shepherd, Caroline Conti, Joelle Anderson, Dorian Bailey, Rachel Hill, Maddie Moreau, Penelope Hocking.

Referees

REF: Muhammad Hassan.
AR1: Melissa Beck.
AR2: Zeno Cho.
4TH: Kevin Lewis.
VAR: Elton Garcia.
AVAR: Tom Felice.

How to Watch

Match Time: 10 p.m.

Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, CA.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

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!

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