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

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-5-1, 10 points) take on the Houston Dash (3-3-3, 12 points) tonight in Texas (8:30 p.m., Paramount+). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with the second scheduled for Oct. 15 in Orlando.

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

History

The Pride and Dash have played 18 times since the Pride joined the NWSL in 2016. Orlando has a 6-8-2 record against the Dash in regular-season play and a 2-5-1 record in regular-season games in Houston. Additionally, the teams played two Fall Series games in 2020, both of which were won by the Dash.

The most recent matchup between the two teams was on July 8, 2022 in Orlando. Ally Prisock’s own goal was the only scoring as the Pride took the 1-0 win, the second result in a seven-game unbeaten run. They previously played on June 3 in Houston. The hosts were led by a Nichelle Prince hat trick, while Rachel Daly and Michelle Alozie added goals in a 5-0 Dash win. It was the last game the Pride played before Head Coach Amanda Cromwell was placed on administrative leave.

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2021 season. The first game was on June 26 in Houston. Maria Sanchez and Veronica Latsko gave the hosts a 2-0 lead. Gunny Jonsdottir got one back, but it wasn’t enough as the Dash won 2-1. The second meeting came on Sept. 5 at Exploria Stadium. The Dash took an early lead through Daly. However, Taylor Kornieck equalized late, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

The 2020 NWSL season was canceled due to COVID but these two teams were matched up in the Fall Series. On Sept. 26, 2020 in Houston, Prince put the Dash ahead, but Marisa Viggiano responded just before halftime. Sophie Schmidt gave the hosts another lead and Shea Groom put the game away as Houston took a 3-1 win. The two teams played again on Oct. 9 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee — the only time the Pride have played at the venue. Groom opened the scoring early and Latsko soon made it 2-0. Sydney Leroux got one back for the hosts, but Houston held on for a 2-1 win.

The Pride and Dash played three times in 2019, with the Pride going 0-2-1. During the first game in Houston on May 5, the Pride only recorded one shot on target. However, Houston only got one goal through Kealia Ohai in a 1-0 win. The second game on June 15 was also in Houston. Joanna Boyles scored her first professional goal to give the Pride the lead, but the Dash scored twice to take the advantage. A Danica Evans conversion allowed the Pride to escape the Oven with a 2-2 draw.

The third and final meeting in 2019 occurred on Aug. 10 in Orlando. The Pride ended the game with nine players as Julie King was sent off in the 61st minute, and Marta was sent off in the 85th minute. However, the Dash were only able to convert once — a late penalty by Daly — and won 1-0.

The teams played three times during the 2018 season. The first game was on April 22 in Orlando. Chioma Ubogagu scored the lone goal, leading the Pride to a 1-0 win. They met again in Orlando on June 27. Alex Morgan opened the scoring and the Pride held that lead at the break. But the second half was all Houston, as Ohai and Sofia Huerta scored, resulting in a 2-1 Houston win. The final meeting that season was on July 11 in Houston, where Daly’s brace led the Dash to a 3-1 win. 

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2017 season and the visiting team won both games. The first was on June 17 in Houston. Camila and Alanna Kennedy added to a Marta brace as the Pride took a commanding 4-0 lead. The Dash tried to come back with goals by Poliana and Prince, but the Pride took home a 4-2 win. A week later in Orlando, Carli Lloyd and Daly scored in a 2-0 Houston win. 

The teams met four times during the 2016 season — the Pride’s first in existence. The first meeting was the Pride’s first-ever regular-season home game on April 23. An Andressa own goal gave the Pride the lead just after the half before Lianne Sanderson and Morgan made it 3-0 for the hosts. Andressa scored one for her own team, but that was it for Houston as the Pride won 3-1 in front of a then-NWSL record 23,403 fans.

The second meeting was in Houston on May 20. Kristen Edmonds scored the only goal in the 81st minute as the Pride won 1-0. The third meeting that year came on June 23 in Orlando. Jasmyne Spencer broke the scoreless deadlock in second-half injury time as the Pride won 1-0. The fourth and final meeting came on Sept. 3 in Houston. The Dash took a 3-0 lead with goals by Janine Beckie, Poliana, and Ohai. Morgan and Edmonds got the Pride back into the game, but Ohai put it away with her second in a 4-2 Dash win.

Overview

The Pride are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Red Stars last weekend, breaking a four-game unbeaten run (3-0-1). Despite the result, the Pride dominated every statistical category except the final score, as they were unable to find the back of the net. The performance was another step forward for a young team that continues to develop and improve.

The Dash haven’t been much better than the Pride this season, sitting just two points ahead of their opponents. They started the season with a four-game unbeaten run (1-0-3), but only earned six points in those four games. They followed up that streak by losing three out of four, but beat the league-leading Portland Thorns, 2-1 on May 12. Two of those losses were against OL Reign and the San Diego Wave, two of the best teams in the league. They bounced back last weekend with a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park and will look to build on that tonight.

The Dash are led offensively by Mexican internationals Sanchez and Diana Ordonez, who both have two goals. While Sanchez has spent the last two seasons with the Dash, Ordonez was previously with the North Carolina Courage. Sanchez also leads the team in assists, with two.

Defensively, Jane Campbell is still the starting goalkeeper and has been since she was drafted in 2017. Natalie Jacobs, Katie Lind, and Prisock have all three have spent time at center back, but Allysha Chapman and Caprice Dydasco have been the regular outside backs.

The strength of the Dash has definitely been their defense this season. They’ve only scored seven goals, tied with the Pride for fewest in the NWSL this season,  but they’ve only conceded nine, one more than the league-leading NJ/NY Gotham FC and Washington Spirit. The Pride’s back line has been much better in recent games and has a chance for a third clean sheet, but Marta and Adriana will have to find ways to break down that back line and create chances for Messiah Bright.

“(The Dash) have been inconsistent this season,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of the match. “You know, they’ve won games, they’ve lost games, I know that coming off the back of a positive result, you go into that environment, it’s always difficult. But the players are hungry. They’re not too disappointed. They want this next game to come around quickly and that’s why we want them to be looking forward to it. It’ll be a tough physical game, but we’re more than ready for it.”

Carrie Lawrence (knee) is still the only Pride player out injured and Amanda Allen is on international duty with the Canadian U-20 team. Kaylie Collins (hand) and Jordyn Listro (thigh) are listed as questionable for tonight’s game.

The Dash have several players out, including Prince (calf), Ella Dederick (knee), Emily Curran (knee), Makame Gomera-Stevens (knee), Annika Schmidt (knee), Devon Kerr (excused absence), Prisock (thigh), and Groom (knee).

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, Haley McCutcheon.

Defensive Midfielders: Mikayla Cluff, Viviana Villacorta.

Midfielders: Adriana, Kerry Abello, Erika Tymrak.

Forwards: Messiah Bright.

Bench: Carly Nelson, Celia, Caitlin Cosme, Tori Hansen, Brianna Martinez, Marta, Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Ally Watt.

Houston Dash (3-4-3

Goalkeeper: Jane Campbell.

Defenders: Allysha Chapman, Natalie Jacobs, Katie Lind.

Midfielders: Maria Sanchez, Sophie Schmidt, Sophie Hirst, Caprice Dydasco.

Forwards: Diana Ordonez, Joelle Anderson, Michelle Alozie.

Bench: Emily Alvarado, Madelyn Desiano, Ryan Gareis, Courtney Petersen, Ebony Salmon, Havana Solaun, Cameron Tucker, Marisa Viggiano.

Referees

REF: Adam Kilpatrick.
AR1: Art Arustamyan.
AR2: Melissa Beck.
4TH: Emily Gomez.
VAR: Christopher Spivey.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 8:30 p.m.

Venue: Shell Energy Stadium — Houston, TX.

TV: None.

Streaming: Paramount+ (U.S.), NWSLsoccer.com (International).

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

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Enjoy the match. Go Pride!