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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 3-0 as Pride Suffer Third Straight Road Shutout Loss

The North Carolina Courage dominated the Pride, handing them their fifth loss in seven road games.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (4-7-1, 13 points) were dominated by the North Carolina Courage (6-4-2, 20 points) tonight in Cary, NC, falling 3-0. Kerolin opened the scoring in the first half and Meredith Speck doubled the lead after the break. A late own goal by Haley McCutcheon in the 83rd minute put the game away as the Pride lost for the fifth time in seven games away from Exploria Stadium and the third straight without scoring a goal.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the team that beat the Portland Thorns 3-1 last weekend. Marta was unavailable due to a thigh injury, replaced by Messiah Bright. The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse remained the same, with Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and McCutcheon. Mikayla Cluff and Viviana Villacorta were in the defensive midfield behind Julie Doyle, Adriana, and Ally Watt. Bright returned to the starting lineup after starting on the bench last weekend as the lone striker.

The Pride had the first attack of the game inside the first minute through Bright on the left, but her cross sailed out of play. Two minutes later, Adriana intercepted a poor pass by Kaleigh Kurtz. The Brazilian found Watt to her right, but her shot was deflected out by Malia Berkely for a corner kick. Unfortunately, the ensuing set piece was cleared away at the near post.

Watt had a second chance in the fifth minute with a long run down the right. The speedy attacker got into the box, but her shot was weak, from a poor angle, and right at Casey Murphy, allowing the goalkeeper to make an easy save.

The Courage got their first chance in the sixth minute when Narumi Miura carried the ball into the Pride box. She cut back to beat Montefusco and create a shot, but it was always going wide of the far post.

It looked like North Carolina would open the scoring in the seventh minute when Narumi played a long ball over the top of the Pride back line for Kerolin to run onto. She beat Madril to the ball, but the center back did well to catch up. Meanwhile, Moorhouse came off her line to clear the ball and Kerolin wasn’t able to get off a shot.

In the 12th minute, Berkely sent Tess Boade behind the Pride defense. Madril went in to challenge the attacker, but Boade came away with the ball and only Moorhouse to beat. The Pride goalkeeper came off her line to cut down Boade’s angle and made a great save to keep the game scoreless.

The Pride nearly created something in the 20th minute when Watt made a strong run through the midfield and played it long for Doyle. The second-year attacker almost reached it near the top of the box, but Murphy got there just before Doyle to clear it away.

Adriana created an opportunity in the 28th minute after McCutcheon won the ball from Mille Gejl near the North Carolina box. The Brazilian sent a low cross into the box that was flicked on by Watt for Doyle making a run behind. But Doyle couldn’t get to the ball and it went harmlessly through.

In the 32nd minute, North Carolina broke through. It started with a great ball forward by Gejl for Boade behind the Pride defense. Boade’s first touch didn’t allow for a shot, but she laid it off for Kerolin, who put it past Moorhouse and in off the post to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

A long ball by Montefusco for Doyle in the 42nd minute created a chance for the Pride. Doyle caught up to the ball before it crossed the end line and sent it in for Watt. The ball was cleared, but only to Bright near the top of the box. The striker attempted to create space to shoot, but couldn’t get around Berkely, who blocked it.

That was the last decent chance of the half as the Pride went into the break down, 1-0. At halftime, North Carolina had more possession (70.8%-29.2%), shots (6-4), shots on target (3-1), and crosses (8-5), and passed more accurately (90.3%-68.1%). Both teams had two corner kicks and the Pride didn’t lead in any meaningful statistical categories.

“We had a good talk in the locker room,” Watt said about the team’s mood at halftime. “We need to get our energy up. We need to fix our press. And we did. And it was working in the second half.”

The Courage had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the 48th minute when Emily Fox made a run into the Pride box behind Villacorta. Kerolin spotted the run and played it forward, sending Fox in on goal. Moorhouse came off her line to challenge Fox, staying on her feet and blocking the shot to keep the deficit at one.

The Pride felt they should’ve had a free kick in a dangerous position in the 49th minute, when Cluff found Doyle making a run behind Ryan Williams. Murphy came out to the top of the box to challenge the attacker. Doyle went down and the ball was caught between Murphy’s legs. The Courage goalkeeper scooted back inside the box to pick up the ball. It seemed as though Doyle wanted a penalty, but referee Calin Radosav allowed play to continue.

Hines made his first change of the game in the 53rd minute, bringing Kerry Abello in for Bright. It was a forgetful night for the rookie striker, who was rarely in possession of the ball and only threatened the Courage back line once in the first half.

The Pride were given a great opportunity in the 56th minute when Denise O’Sullivan fouled Watt at the edge of the North Carolina box and directly in front of the goal. Adriana stepped up to take the set piece, but sent it directly into the wall. It went to Villacorata, who took a shot, but it was blocked. Eventually, the ball ended in the arms of Murphy and North Carolina was able to clear.

In the 63rd minute, it appeared as though the Courage found their second goal when Kerolin lifted a ball towards the back post for Boade. McCutchen challenged the attacker, but was behind her, allowing Boade to get to the ball first. The attacker fell forward, knocking the ball off Moorhouse and inside the far post.

Immediately following the goal, the assistant’s flag went up for offside. Radosav put his hand to his ear as the video assistant referee checked to see if Boade was in an offside position when the ball was played. While she was behind McCutchen, Madril, and Montefusco, it was much closer with Strom at the opposite post. However, the call was upheld and the Pride stayed within a goal.

The Pride had conceded a significant amount of possession without hitting the Courage on transition. They made a change in the 72nd minute, replacing Doyle with veteran midfielder Erika Tymrak.

In the 73rd minute, an Adriana corner kick was punched out by Murphy. It ended up with Montefusco, who laid it off for McCutcheon, but the pass was too soft and North Carolina sprinted the other way with an advantage in numbers. Fortunately, Villacorta got back to put pressure on the cross and McCutcheon cleared it out of play.

The Courage finally doubled their lead in the 78th minute when second-half substitute Olivia Wingate played the ball into the box for fellow substitute Speck. The midfielder used a good first touch to beat Montefusco and create enough space for a shot. Moorhouse got down to get a hand on the ball, but she didn’t get enough of it. The ball rolled just inside the post to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

North Carolina struck again in the 83rd minute when a long ball from the back found Kerolin sprinting down the right. Madril tried to catch up, but Kerolin reached the ball first and sent a cross into the box. Montefusco intercepted the cross, but a bad touch gave it back to Kerolin. The Brazilian redirected the ball towards goal, but it went off the post. McCutcheon tried to clear it, but sent it off Montefusco and in for an own goal and a 3-0 lead for the Courage.

Hines made two final changes in the 86th minute. With the game out of hand, Amanda Allen and Summer Yates entered for Cluff and Watt.

Despite the result being beyond doubt, the Pride did their best to avoid being shut out. They created three consecutive corner kicks in second-half injury time. Strom was charging in on the second, but the cross was headed away just before it reached her. The other two were cleared much easier, maintaining the clean sheet.

In the end, the Courage ended up with more possessions (67%-33%), shots (16-11), shots on target (6-1), and passing accuracy (86.9%-69.7%). The Pride had more corner kicks (6-4) and crosses (14-13), but couldn’t break through the North Carolina defense.

“We weren’t at it today,” Hines said about the performance. “Every second ball of North Carolina was there. They pressed effectively, (we) didn’t have that sharpness, and it’s becoming a theme away from home. And that was the message after the game. We’ve got to figure this out away from home, we need to start picking up points away from home. You know, we can’t always rely on our home form.”

“Energy,” Watt said about the difference between the Portland win last weekend and tonight’s loss. “We just had to want it more. We were just a little passive and just wasn’t getting it done right.”

The Pride’s game plan was clear from the outset. They’d give up plenty of possession in the game and hit the hosts on the transition. For this reason, the Courage had 70% of the ball in the first half and 67% at full time, leaving the Pride defending for the majority of the game.

“The game plan was to be threatening in transition,” Hines said after the game. “I felt early on we caused them problems. They weren’t able to play through the lines as often as they’re probably used to in previous games. And there was moments where we could have been threatening in transition and we just weren’t threatening in transition.”

Statistically, North Carolina dominated the game. They consistently sent long balls behind the back line for Kerolin to run onto, creating trouble for the Pride defense. Two of those passes resulted in goals. It looked as though Madril and Montefusco weren’t ready for those balls, but Hines said they’ve worked on those plays.

“One thing North Carolina did more than Portland was they played a lot more longer balls in behind the back line,” Hines said. “And we work on that quite often, dealing with long balls, making sure that we’re race ready, dealing with the space behind. You know, it looked like today we just weren’t prepared for that.”

The game had a significant impact on the crowded NWSL standings. The three points for North Carolina saw them jump from sixth to first. Meanwhile, the Pride remain in eighth, three points behind the Houston Dash and five points behind NJ/NY Gotham FC for the final playoff spot.

The Pride will look for a better performance next Saturday night when they face the Kansas City Current. While they lost to the Current earlier this season, they’ll be returning to the friendly confines of Exploria Stadium against the last-place team in the league.

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

The Pride head to Louisville to wrap up the first half of the NWSL season ahead of the summer break.

Published

7 hours ago

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June 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride (8-3-1, 25 points) end the first half of the 2025 NWSL season against Racing Louisville (5-5-2, 17 points) in Kentucky. This is the first of two meetings with the second scheduled for Aug. 9 in Orlando.

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

History

This is the fifth season of existence for Racing Louisville. The two teams have played 11 times so far, with the Pride going 3-3-5 (3-3-3 in NWSL games, 0-0-1 in the NWSL Challenge Cup, and 0-0-1 in the NWSL x Liga MX Fememil Summer Cup). The Pride are 0-3-1 against Louisville on the road in league play.

The most recent meeting between the two teams occurred in the Summer Cup last year on Aug. 1, 2024. Evelina Duljan scored her lone Pride goal in the 38th minute to give the Pride the lead. However, Reilyn Turner equalized in the 67th minute, sending the game into penalties. The Pride took the early shootout lead when Jaelin Howell missed, but saves by Jordyn Bloomer on Morgan Gautrat and Ally Watt saw Louisville take the extra point.

On May 5, 2024, in Orlando, an Emily Sams cross in the 17th minute found the head of Barbra Banda at the back post for the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Pride win. The first game of the 2024 season was on March 16 in Louisville, the season opener for both teams. It looked like it would be a long day as Elexa Bahr and Uchenna Kanu gave the hosts a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. The Pride got on the board in the 24th minute with an own goal by Elli Pikkujämsä, but the task was made more difficult when Kylie Strom received her second yellow card in the second half. However, Amanda Allen and Summer Yates combined on a late goal by Yates, as the Pride pulled out an unlikely 2-2 draw.

The first game of 2023 occurred on May 6 at Exploria Stadium. Messiah Bright gave the Pride an early lead and the hosts held on for 69 minutes for the 1-0 win. It was the first home win of 2023 for the Pride and their second win of the season. The second meeting was on Oct. 6, 2023 in Louisville. The Pride got off to a great start with goals by Marta from the spot early and an excellent individual effort by Kerry Abello to make it 2-0. However, Bright took Savannah DeMelo down in the box just before halftime and Nadia Nadim converted the penalty. A five-minute swing started in the 70th minute with goals by Kristen Davis and an own goal by Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, resulting in the Pride losing the critical game 3-2.

The first meeting between the two teams in 2022 took place Sept. 16 in Louisville. Racing struck first when Nadim was left open in front of goal for a tap-in. The hosts doubled their lead on a great strike by DeMelo from outside of the box, and the Pride fell 2-0.

The first meeting of 2022 was in a unique setting, taking place at Daytona International Speedway on July 3. The game was a part of the 2022 Daytona SoccerFest and was the first time a professional soccer game was played at a racetrack. Emina Ekic gave Louisville a halftime lead and DeMelo doubled the lead shortly after the break. However, the Pride fought back with goals by Strom and Darian Jenkins, pulling out a 2-2 draw. The game launched a seven-game unbeaten run that pulled the Pride back into the playoff race.

The first year the two teams met was in 2021 during the NWSL Challenge Cup in Louisville. CeCe Kizer gave the hosts the lead early, but Taylor Kornieck equalized just before halftime. It looked like the Pride would win when Abi Kim scored late, but Brooke Hendrix equalized in second-half injury time and the teams drew 2-2.

The teams played three times in the 2021 regular season, with the first meeting coming on July 9 in Orlando. Ebony Salmon gave Louisville the lead, but Sydney Leroux scored to force a 1-1 draw with a goal in second-half injury time. The second meeting was on Sept. 11 in Orlando. The Pride took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals by Leroux and Marta. Kizer got one back, but Alex Morgan’s conversion sealed three points for the Pride.

The final meeting of 2021 was in the penultimate game of the year for both teams. The Pride needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and they got off to a good start when Jodie Taylor scored in the third minute. However, the game slipped away as Salmon and Katie McClure scored on either side of halftime and Yuki Nagasato made the final 3-1.

Overview

A month ago, the Pride’s season was in question. Despite a strong start, they were winless in three straight games and four out of five, falling down the NWSL standings. But they’ve responded well to that adversity, winning three straight.

It started on May 23 when Banda netted the first hat trick in Pride history in a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals. They returned home on June 7 to defeat the Houston Dash 1-0 and took advantage of a quick free kick against Bay FC for a second consecutive 1-0 win.

Banda’s goal in San Jose was her eighth of the season, placing her in a tie for second with Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga. The African pair are only one goal behind NJ/NY Gotham FC’s Esther Gonzlalez for the league lead in goals.

While Banda is one of the league’s top scorers, it’s the defense that has the team near the top of the NWSL standings. The win in California was the Pride’s fifth clean sheet this season. They’ve now won three games this year 1-0 and have still only conceded multiple goals in one game, a 3-2 win over Angel City FC on April 25.

The Pride now sit in second place, just five points behind the Kansas City Current and two points ahead of the San Diego Wave. More importantly, they’ve created momentum heading into the summer break for the 2025 Euros. They’ll desperately want all three points tonight, which would see them enter the break on a four-game winning streak. To do that, they’ll need to win somewhere they’ve never won.

Standing in their way is Racing Louisville, the seventh-place team in the league. Tonight’s opponent has been strong offensively, scoring 17 goals. But Racing’s 22 goals conceded are fourth most. Its -5 goal differential is also fourth worst in the league.

Louisville is led offensively by Emma Sears, who has six goals. Taylor Flint, Kayla Fischer, and DeMelo are tied for second on the team with two goals this season. Janine Sonis leads the team with three assists, followed by Arin Wright, Fischer, and DeMelo, each with two assists.

Louisville went into its last game with a pair of 3-2 wins over Angel City away and the Utah Royals at home. However, the Kentucky-based club went to Kansas City on June 14 to face the league leaders, falling 4-2.

“Physical game,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of tonight’s match. “I think what (Louisville Head Coach) Bev (Yanez) has done in the last five or six games is implemented a different style of play. A very aggressive, high-pressing team now and they’ve had a lot of success with it. They’ll be wanting to bounce back from their last result against Kansas and try to finish this period on a high leading up into the summer break.”

The Pride are still without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), and Rafaelle (thigh). Julie Doyle (ankle) has been added to the availability report this week, listed as questionable.

Louisville is without Bethany Balcer (excused absence), Fischer (suspended), Katie Lund (hip), Maddie Pokorny (hip), Olivia Sekany (knee), and Kirsten Wright (knee).

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Morgan Gautrat.

Midfielders: Angelina, Marta, Ally Watt.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Racing Louisville (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Jordyn Bloomer.

Defenders: Courtney Petersen, Arin Wright, Ellie Jean, Lauren Milliet.

Midfielders: Katie O’Kane, Taylor Flint, Savannah DeMelo.

Forwards: Emma Sears, Sarah Weber, Janine Sonis.

Referees

REF: John Matto.
AR1: Stephen Milhoan.
AR2: Brian Marshall.
4TH: Race Williams.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Melissa Beck.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Lynn Family Stadium — Louisville, KY.

TV: None

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, NWSL+.

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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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?

Published

1 day 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.

Published

7 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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