The Orlando Pride (4-6-1, 13 points) used a brace by Adriana and a Messiah Bright goal off a poor pass to beat the Portland Thorns (5-2-4, 19 points) 3-1 at Exploria Stadium. Sophia Smith started the scoring in the 20th minute, but the Pride scored three unanswered to beat the Thorns for the first time since 2021.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the attack for this game. Marta returned to the starting lineup after coming on at halftime against the Houston Dash last weekend. She was joined by Ally Watt and Julie Doyle, who got her first start since her injury on April 2.

The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Viviana Villacorta and Mikayla Cluff were in the central midfield behind Marta, Adriana, and Watt with Doyle up top.

Starting XI 🗣️ Let’s Gooooo 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/z5gQQOjPlw

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) June 11, 2023

The Pride conceded in the 20th minute, which is around when they’ve given up the first goal against Portland in the last three meetings. But while they’ve conceded a quick second in those games, they bounced back in this one. They were led by Adriana, who scored on a great free kick and converted in the second half after a great pass from Watt.

The Pride were the first team to go on the attack. They won the first corner inside the first minute and Watt forced Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby into her first stop in the third minute when she sent the ball into the six-yard box.

Watt sent a dangerous cross through the box a minute later, but nobody in purple could get on the end of it and it went harmlessly out of play.

The Thorns had their first chance of the game in the sixth minute, when Christine Sinclair found Morgan Weaver near the top of the six. McCutcheon and Moorhouse closed down the attacker, but Weaver didn’t get much of the ball anyway and it was sent out of play for a corner kick.

The Pride kept going to the right through Watt, who was playing on the wing. In the 12th minute, Watt did well to beat Meghan Klingenberg and create a shot, but it was blocked. Two minutes later, Strom played a great ball down the left for Doyle. The second-year player dribbled into the box, but got tripped up and was unable to get a shot off.

Portland had a good chance to open the scoring in the 16th minute when Klingenberg sent a cross towards the far post. Sinclair was there to get her head on the ball and sent it directly towards the end line, but she was beyond the post, so it went out for a goal kick.

Smith had her first chance of the game in the 18th minute when she dribbled into the box from the left. Montefusco did well to keep her wide, forcing her to shoot from a tough angle and right at Moorhouse.

Two minutes later, Smith opened the scoring. Weaver, who was causing problems for the Pride back line down the left, sent a cross to the center of the box. Hina Sugita made a run into the box, trailed by Smith. Strom followed Sugita to the near post and nobody was there to cover Smith, allowing her to beat Moorhouse and give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Just like @thornsfc drew it up 👌 for @sophsssmith's sixth goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/E3eyrCt00p

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 11, 2023

“Definitely disappointing,” McCutcheon said about conceding the first goal. “Because we scouted that inline cutback ball and made it a point to think about marking up in the box. And unfortunately, it was just a good transition moment on their part. But we chose to again, just put it behind us and do better next time.”

Watt had a chance in the 24th minute to equalize when she took a shot from just outside of the box. It was on target inside the near post, but Bixby dove to catch it. Despite the dive, the Portland goalkeeper seemed to have it the whole way.

Three minutes later, the Pride found their equalizer. Natalia Kuikka fouled Doyle just outside of the Thorns box, picking up a yellow card and providing the Pride with a great free kick opportunity. Marta and Adriana stood over the ball with the latter taking the set piece. Bixby dove to her right and was close to stopping it, but Adriana’s free kick snuck just inside the near post to even the game at 1-1.

Adriana free kick banger, 10/10 no notes ‼️ pic.twitter.com/DNkTnHdLu5

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 11, 2023

Marta had an opportunity to give the Pride the lead in the 34th minute, when she challenged Klingenberg one on one. The Brazilian attempted a curling shot with her right foot that looked as though it would’ve been on target, but the left back did well to block it wide. The ensuing free kick found the head of Strom, but she was falling backwards and Bixby eventually caught it.

After a flurry of chances in the first half hour, there was only one in the final 10 minutes. Crystal Dunn took a shot from near the top of the six-yard box, but Moorhouse was there to make the stop.

At halftime, Portland had more possession (52.8%-47.2%), shots on target (5-4), corners (4-2), and better passing accuracy (79.1%-71.9%). The Pride had more crosses (10-6) and both teams had nine first-half shots.

The Pride got off to a great second half start, taking the lead in the 47th minute. It started when Watt sent a great ball forward for Adriana. The Brazilian dribbled into the box and cut inside to beat Meaghan Nally, opening space for a shot. She placed the shot perfectly inside the far post for her second goal of the game and gave the Pride a 2-1 lead.

Adriana is so fun to watch 🍿

Ally Watt to Adriana and the Pride take the lead to start the half! pic.twitter.com/9HZLwbvQfT

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 12, 2023

“I’m very, very happy and I have been putting pressure on myself to have a great performance to be able to help even more my teammates,” Adriana said about her brace. “So I’m really happy that I got to score on the opportunities I was given, so I could help the team with this win and my goals.”

In addition to being the second of the game by Adriana, it was the 100th goal by a Brazilian player in NWSL history.

In the 51st minute, Cluff received the ball outside of the Thorns box and attempted to give her team a two-goal lead. But the attempt was right to Bixby, who made the easy stop. Hines made his first change of the game shortly after that attempt, bringing Messiah Bright on for Doyle.

Adriana was looking for her third in the 61st minute when Watt played another great ball into the box. Adriana met it with her head near the penalty spot, but it was a little too high and she wasn’t able to redirect it on target.

Attempting to maintain the lead, something the Pride struggled with early in the season, Hines made a second change in the 66th minute, replacing Watt with Kerry Abello.

In the 68th minute, Dunn made a good run to the top of the Pride box. She had Smith making a run past the penalty spot, but played it across for Michele Vasconcelos instead. The second-half substitute shot from just outside of the box, but it was blocked by Madril.

Shortly after that attempt, the Pride scored their third of the game. However, this time it was from a Portland mistake. Izzy D’Aquila received the ball on the left from Dunn and played it back for Kuikka. But the pass was way off target, going behind the defender. Bright took advantage of the opportunity, taking possession, using a good first touch to beat Bixby, and putting it in to give the Pride a surprising 3-1 lead.

Defense to offense and @messiah_bright doubles Orlando's lead! pic.twitter.com/7Bxc5AmR9C

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 12, 2023

“I know she’s been working hard and she puts a lot of pressure on herself,” Hines said about Bright. “I know every forward is always gonna get judged on goals and we’re really pleased with her, the staff, that she was able to get a goal and she took it really well.”

Marta had a chance to score a fourth for the Pride in the 73rd minute when Bixby punched a free ball out, but only to the top of the box. The Pride captain shot, but Bixby did well to get her right foot to the attempt, knocking it out of play.

That was the final action of the game for Marta, who was immediately replaced by Erika Tymrak. Hines also made a defensive change, replacing Cluff with Celia.

The Thorns were able to create some opportunities inside the final 15 minutes as they looked to get back into the game. Vasconcelos attempted a shot in the 77th minute and Hubly in the 78th minute, but neither attempt had much space and didn’t cause much trouble for Moorhouse. Vasconcelos and D’Aquila attempted shots in the 71st and 73rd minutes, respectively, but neither of those were on target.

Six minutes were added to the second half and the Pride did well to pack the middle, decreasing Portland’s chances on goal. In the second minute of stoppage time, Smith took a long-distance shot that was on target, but it was right into the arms of Moorhouse.

The Pride did well to keep possession and run down the clock, keeping the ball in the Thorns’ end for much of the final 10 minutes. The visitors had one last chance with a cross into the box, but Moorhouse came out to catch it. Referee Danielle Chesky blew the final whistle before Moorhouse could send the ball downfield, securing the 3-1 win for the Pride.

At full time, Portland had more possession (58.6%-41.4%), shots (19-16), corners (7-4), and better passing accuracy (79.6%-72.5%). The Pride had more shots on target (8-7) and crosses (16-12) and secured their third-ever win over the Thorns.

“It was good,” Hines said about his team’s performance. “You can see the effort that the players have put in. We had a good chat after the Houston game about what we need to do. Bring it back, back to our identity, our style of play, and we showed today the commitment from the players, the desire, the attention to detail, and sticking to the game plan was brilliant. And you have to win the game in multiple ways. And today we saw an opportunity to soak up a little bit of pressure and try to be lethal in the counterattack and the goals were well taken.”

The win snaps a three-game losing streak to the Thorns during the past two seasons that saw the Pride outscored 12-0. The result also snapped a three-game unbeaten run for Portland and a two-game losing streak for the Pride.

From a statistical standpoint, it’s also a surprising result. The Thorns had more shots from inside the box (13-8), touches inside the opponent’s box (39-20), and passes in the final third (123-88). But of the team’s seven shots on target, four came from Smith and no other players had more than one, allowing the Pride to focus on their primary attacking threat.

With this win, the Pride now have victories over the top three teams in the league, having beaten the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit earlier this season. It’s a surprising fact since they’ve struggled against teams further down the table and are fighting to get into a playoff position.

“We have to stick to our principles, and maybe sometimes against opponents that are not top teams, we think maybe we can get away with that a little bit just subconsciously,” McCutcheon said about defeating those opponents. “And again, it’s just lessons that we’re learning throughout the season. And so I think we go into these big games, knowing that we have to be at our absolute best. And now, as we continue on, we know that we have to do that every single game.”

The win is also the Pride’s third consecutive at Exploria Stadium after two straight losses to start the season. Hines has spoken several times about making the stadium a fortress and it seems as though the team is doing that, tonight in front of a season-high 7,319 fans.

“I said that at the start of the year, we had to make this a fortress,” Hines said about the home wins. “We had to make this an environment that’s difficult to play in. And with the last three games, we’ve shown that. The crowds are terrific. The crowd fully get behind the team and push them on and that helps. Having that 12th man in the stand is brilliant to have.”

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The three points move the Pride up to eighth in the NWSL standings, just two spots and four points behind the final playoff spot. They’ll look to continue the momentum gained tonight when they face the North Carolina Courage away next Saturday night.