Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 2-1 as Pride’s Home Winning Streak Ends
Two first-half goals doom the Pride as they fall to Kansas City for the second time this season.
The Orlando Pride (4-8-1, 13 points) lost for the first time at Exploria Stadium in four games, falling 2-1 to the Kansas City Current (4-9-0, 12 points). Debinha gave the visitors the lead in the 29th minute and Cece Kizer doubled the advantage just before halftime. Marta converted a penalty in the second half, but the Pride couldn’t find an equalizer, getting swept by the Current in the season series.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes from the team that lost 3-0 to the North Carolina Courage last weekend. Jordyn Listro, Kerry Abello, and Marta entered the lineup for Julie Doyle, Ally Watt, and Messiah Bright. The lineup changes resulted in a formation shift, with Listro playing in the defensive midfield and Mikayla Cluff moving into more of an attacking role.
The Pride came out in a 4-1-4-1 formation instead of their usual 4-2-3-1. The defensive unit remained the same with Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon in front of Anna Moorhouse. Listro was the defensive midfielder behind Abello, Viviana Villacorta, Cluff, and Marta. Adriana was the lone forward.
“Just wanted to have more midfielders, control the game a little bit better,” Hines said about the lineup and formation change. “Obviously, you know, against North Carolina, we didn’t control the game at all. It’s very transitional, so we needed to change that.”
“I think we expected them to come out with two sixes and they came out with two 10s,” Madril said about the formation. “And so we switched our midfield to play one six.”
Marta’s appearance was her 95th as a member of the Pride, passing former center back Toni Pressley for the most appearances in club history.
The Pride’s lineup changes greatly impacted the game with the team looking out of sorts during the first half. Hines shifted the team back to its usual 4-2-3-1 formation, but it was too late. The Pride looked much better in the second half with their usual formation and starters, but they already trailed 2-0 and Kansas City was able to hold onto their lead.
The visitors suffered an odd injury to their starting left back in the fourth minute when Hailie Mace reached out for Cluff as she streaked through the midfield. The defender immediately held her left arm, apparently injuring her shoulder. Mace was in tears as she left the field and was replaced by Izzy Rodriguez four minutes later.
The Pride took advantage of Mace’s absence, creating the game’s first attack in the fifth minute. Cluff took the game’s first shot, but it was blocked by Elizabeth Ball. The Pride retained possession when Adriana headed it back to Marta, who shot from long distance. But her attempt was easily collected by Current goalkeeper Cassie Miller.
Kansas City had its first chance of the game in the 12th minute when Rodriguez’s cross was cleared to the far side of the box. Kate Del Fava ended up with the ball, sending it back to the top of the six-yard box. Kristen Hamilton was there to receive the pass with no defenders in front of her, but Moorhouse did well to get down and block the shot out of play.
The Current had a second opportunity in the 16th minute when Cluff challenged Michelle Cooper, getting the ball, but the young attacker went down and got the call just outside of the Pride box. Debinha stepped up to take the set piece, but sent it into the arms of Moorhouse.
In the 18th minute, Adriana made a run through the midfield behind Gabrielle Robinson and Villacorta sent her through. Robinson did well to keep up with the Brazilian, but Adriana used her quick change of pace to create enough space for a shot. Unfortunately, her low shot towards the back post rolled wide.
The visitors took the lead in the 29th minute when Abello lost the ball to Vanessa DiBernardo immediately after receiving a pass from Strom. DiBernardo’s touch was forward to Debinha, who quickly lifted the ball over Moorhouse, who was off her line, and in to give Kansas City the 1-0 lead.
“We gave them a gift,” Hines said about the opening goal. “And they scored a simple goal.”
In the 33rd minute, Adriana created a chance for the Pride after using a nice first touch to beat Morgan Gautrat. Abello was making a diagonal run into the box with Del Fava on her hip and the Brazilian playmaker sent her through. Abello got a shot off, but Del Fava got in front to block the attempt.
On the other end, Kansas City created an opportunity when Debinha’s attempt was blocked out by Madril. The ensuing corner found the head of Robinson in the box and the ball appeared to be headed just under the crossbar. But Moorhouse did well to tip it over the goal.
The Current doubled their lead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. After receiving a pass back outside of the Pride box, Ball sent DiBernardo towards the end line. The midfielder’s first touch was back across goal, where Kizer was running in. McCutcheon was with Kizer, but she got a fortunate bounce, enabling her to pass the ball inside the far post to give the Current a 2-0 lead.
“You never want to give up goals but especially towards the end of the first half,” Hines said about the goal. “We talk about the big five moments, the start of the first half, the end of the first half as well. That’s where you have to be switched on, clued in. You know, we had numbers behind the ball. We had players in the back third, but we just didn’t get close enough. Like we didn’t get close enough to put a body on Kansas and, you know, they took their goals well.”
Despite the scoreline, it was a pretty even first half. The Pride had slightly more possession (53.1%-46.9%) and both teams had six shots. But Kansas City put five of their six shots on target and the Pride only put one on frame. The Pride also had more crosses (8-7) and the Current had more corners (3-1) and better passing accuracy (85.8%-83.8%).
Down a pair of goals after 45 minutes, Hines made two halftime changes, bringing in Messiah Bright and Julie Doyle for Abello and Listro. The Pride also went back to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half, dropping Cluff and Villacorta to their usual positions in the defensive midfield and Adriana back to attacking midfield so Bright could move up top.
“You’re chasing the game a little bit in the first half. So we felt like we needed to change some personnel,” Hines said about the halftime substitutions. “We needed to change formation, have a little bit more intent in our press, put them under pressure.”
The Current had the first chance of the second half when Debinha sent Cooper behind the Pride defense. The attacker cut twice to lose Madril, but Montefusco moved over for support and Moorhouse came off her line to prevent Cooper from getting a shot off.
In the 56th minute, Bright sent a cross into the box for Adriana making a near-post run, but Robinson knocked it out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Adriana bounced around before arriving with Doyle at the top of the box. The shot by the halftime substitute went off Hamilton and wide.
Referee Eric Tattersall immediately decided the ball went off the arm of Hamilton, issuing the forward a yellow card and awarding the Pride a penalty. Replays showed that Hamilton’s arm was initially at her side, but she stuck her elbow out to block the attempt. After a review by the video assistant referee, the penalty was confirmed.
Marta stepped up to take the penalty. Miller dove to her right, but Marta used a panenka, softly chipping the ball down the middle to cut the Pride’s deficit in half at 2-1.
Hines made his third change of the game in the 65th minute, as Celia came on for Cluff. The Spanish defender took over at right back and McCutcheon moved up into the defensive midfield alongside Villacorta.
The Current had a chance for a third in the 68th minute when a poor pass attempt by Montefusco allowed Debinha to take over. She played it to the top of the box for Kizer, whose pass attempt for Hamilton on the far side was blocked. It went right to DiBernardo just outside of the box and the midfielder attempted a shot from distance, but it was wide of the goal.
With 11 minutes left and still trailing by a goal, Hines made his fourth substitution an attacking one. Forward Ally Watt came on for defensive midfielder Villacorta.
“Once we got that goal back from Marta, we changed it again. Had more attacking threats,” Hines said about the substitution. “But like I said earlier, it was too little, too late.”
The Pride had a great opportunity in the 80th minute when Miller played the ball short to Robinson. The center back attempted to play it back, but it was a weak pass and Watt took over. About a minute after coming on, Watt attempted a first-touch shot, but Miller did very well to come off her line and block it. Watt had Bright breaking in with her wide open but either didn’t see the rookie or simply opted to try it herself.
A minute later, Strom found Adriana at the top of the Kansas City box with enough room for a shot on goal. The Brazilian’s attempt was headed just inside the near post, but Miller dove to knock it wide. The save required some medical attention for Miller, but she was able to continue and caught the ensuing corner kick.
The fourth official showed 11 additional minutes, giving the Pride plenty of time to find an equalizer. However, as the rain came down, the Pride’s chances became fewer. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Del Fava tripped Doyle, giving the Pride a free kick to the left of goal. The set piece by Marta was headed out, but the Pride claimed it was handled. The VAR took a moment to review the play, but decided there wasn’t enough evidence for a penalty.
In the 10th minute of injury time, Madril sent a cross to the back post where Celia was charging in. The right back out jumped the defender and got her head to the ball, but sent it right into the arms of Miller.
The final chance of the game came in the 11th minute of second-half injury time. A Pride corner kick ended up with McCutcheon in the box, but she mishit the ball and attempted to dribble around the defenders to create a shot. Before she could get a cross off, it was blocked and went out of play. Tattersall determined it was off McCutcheon, giving Kansas City a goal kick and ending the game with a 2-1 Pride loss.
At full time, the Pride had more possession (54.4%-45.6%), shots (14-9), corners (7-3), and crosses (27-9), and better passing accuracy (81.7%-79.9%). Both teams put six shots on target, but the Current converted one more than the Pride.
“Game of two halves,” Hines said about the game. “I think the first half wasn’t good enough, it wasn’t ourselves. And then second half was better, more intent, more commitment, both in the attack and defending, but it was too little too late. You know, Kansas were already 2-0 up at the half and we tried to get back into the game. But it was too late.”
“I think we’re all pretty disappointed,” Madril added. “I think if we would have come out in the first half like we did in the second half, I think it would have been a little different game. I don’t think we would have given up those two goals. I think it’s unfortunate that we have to get scored on to kind of wake ourselves up and take it up to that next level. But yeah, I think if we can just come out like we did in the second half, I think it’s a completely different game.”
The loss ends a three-game home winning streak that dated back to May 6 against Racing Louisville. The winning streak included wins over two of the best teams in league in the Washington Spirit and Portland Thorns, but the Pride fall again to one of the league’s worst teams.
”Mentality. Period,” Doyle said about losing again to a team near the bottom of the table. “We just got to come out and show up every single game no matter who our opponent is. I don’t know what that is. I think just individually we have to be better.”
The Pride will now turn their attention to Wednesday night when they welcome NJ/NY Gotham FC to Exploria Stadium in the NWSL Challenge Cup.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Drop Second Straight Game
One loss turned into two in a row as the Orlando offense and defense both struggled again on the road.
The Orlando Pride (17-2-6, 57 points) fell for the second straight game, losing 3-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC (16-4-5, 53 points) at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The hosts took the lead in the 13th minute through Sam Hiatt and the Pride answered when Adriana converted a penalty in the 31st minute. Gotham retook the lead in first-half stoppage time through Rose Lavelle and Ella Stevens put the game away in the 49th minute.
After making five changes to the lineup for the 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns on Oct. 11, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines went back to his usual team. Anna Moorhouse was in goal behind a back line of Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Morgan Gautrat and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Julie Doyle, Marta, and Adriana, with Barbra Banda up top.
Despite having their regular starting lineup back in action, this was a poor performance by the Pride. They struggled to clear the ball out of their own box and only put two shots on target. The first two Gotham goals should have been cleared, but the Pride were slow to react. Meanwhile, they rarely threatened Gotham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, enabling the hosts to walk away with a stress-free win.
The Pride created the first shot on goal in the seventh minute when Angelina sent Banda down the left. The striker used some nifty moves to beat Jess Carter before playing the ball to Adriana, who was approaching the top of the box. The Brazilian took a touch inside to lose Jenna Nighswonger and tried to beat Berger to her left post but missed just wide.
In the 13th minute, Sams headed the ball away, but Stevens collected it. The midfielder found Esther near the top of the box and the striker continued it to Yazmeen Ryan on the far side. Abello left the midfielder, providing her with a free shot on goal, but Moorhouse tipped it over the top.
Stevens and Adriana challenged for the ensuing set piece in the box with the Gotham attacker getting her head to it. Hiatt was in front of goal and it didn’t appear as though she got a touch to it, but Moorhouse’s view was blocked and the ball went in to give the hosts an early 1-0 lead.
The goal was originally given to Stevens before it was changed to Hiatt when they determined the defender got a slight touch to the ball before it went in. Regardless of who scored, it was the second straight week that the Pride trailed in a game after playing the previous 21 without trailing.
In the 29th minute, Angelina sent a long pass behind the Gotham back line for Banda to run onto. Hiatt got back to defend the striker in the box, but Banda did well to tap the ball past her. It was an ill-advised challenge by Hiatt as she stuck her foot in and tripped the Zambian. Referee Ricardo Fierro immediately pointed to the spot, awarding the Pride a penalty.
Adriana stepped up to take the spot kick and sent Berger the wrong way, putting her penalty into the bottom right corner of the goal to even the game at 1-1.
Gotham tried to retake the lead in the 33rd minute when Nighswonger built an attack on the left. Receiving the ball at the top of the box, Esther laid it back for Lavelle just outside the 18, where the U.S. international fired towards goal. The midfielder was unable to get over the ball, sending it over the top.
Marta played Adriana forward in the 39th minute and the Pride had a promising attack with Banda on her right. Hiatt kept the striker onside and Adriana should’ve sent Banda into the box but kept the ball to herself instead. Eventually, Adriana took a shot that went right to Berger.
Gotham nearly regained the lead in the 41st minute when Lavelle played a dangerous ball across the box for Ryan. Sams was in front of the goal, but the midfielder had plenty of space for a shot. However, she was unable to connect with the ball, enabling the Pride to avoid conceding for a second time.
After Gotham recycled the ball, it ended up with Ryan again, providing the attacker with a second opportunity. She sent this chance over the top, again enabling the Pride to clear.
Abello lost the ball to Ryan in the 43rd minute while trying some fancy turns, giving Gotham another good chance to retake the lead. The midfielder dribbled through Angelina and Strom before Sams knocked it off of her foot. It went straight to Stevens, who tried to tuck it inside Moorhouse’s far post, but the ball rolled just wide.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Stevens used some quick turns to lose Angelina and sent a cross towards the back post. Esther tried to redirect the ball with her head, but only got a brief touch to it. However, the ball went to the far post, where Mandy Freeman was making a run. The defender took a shot on goal that Moohouse blocked with her foot.
Nobody in orange was able to clear the ball and it went to Lavelle with nobody on her. It was an easy finish for the midfielder, giving her team a 2-1 lead.
It was the first time the Pride have conceded twice in the first half since the season opener against Racing Louisville FC on March 16. The opposition that day scored twice inside the first 20 minutes.
The Pride had more first-half possession (55%-45%), but Gotham created more shots (10-5) and put more chances on target (4-2). Gotham also had more crosses (8-7) while the Pride had more corner kicks (3-1) and better passing accuracy (81%-79%).
Hines made one halftime change, replacing Gautrat with Summer Yates.
In the 48th minute, Stevens carried the ball into the Pride third and sent Delanie Sheehan into the box. Sams was on the attacker and forced her to tap the ball towards goal, but Strom was there. It wasn’t a simple clearance as the center back got the ball caught in her feet, but she eventually sent it out for a corner kick.
The ensuing set piece was cleared, but only to Nighswonger. The right back played it forward to Lavelle, who played a beautiful ball with the outside of her foot for Bruninha. The Brazilian’s first touch was into the six where Stevens beat her defenders and put it past Moorhouse to give Gotham a 3-1 lead.
The goal saw the Pride concede three goals in a game for the first time this season. The last time they conceded three times was on Oct. 6, 2023, the last loss they suffered prior to Portland and one they lost 3-2.
“I think we just gifted them goals,” Hines said about conceding three times. “You know, it’s another set piece that we conceded from. And, yeah, it’s a couple of giveaways that have led to the opportunities to score. So we haven’t showed (that) the whole season long. And so it’s such a critical time in the season that we can’t afford to give teams like Gotham those types of gifts.”
The Pride had a chance to get one back in the 53rd minute when Nighswonger pulled Adriana down from behind just outside the Gotham box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. Marta took the set piece, but sent it into the wall.
Hines made his second and third changes in the 60th minute, replacing Adriana and Doyle with Ally Watt and Haley McCutcheon.
Nealy Martin took out Marta from behind in the 66th minute, giving the Pride a free kick. Angelina sent the set piece to the back post, where it found the head of Watt, but the substitute forward’s chance went wide.
Immediately after the missed chance, Hines made his fourth change of the game. It was a more attacking one as Viviana Villacorta came on for Abello.
Yates sent a dangerous ball into the box and towards the back post in the 72nd minute. Banda and Watt were making runs, but Hiatt got to it first and headed it out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Marta was too high and rolled out of play untouched for a goal kick.
Yates sent Banda down the left in the 74th minute and Carter did well to shield the striker, knocking the ball out for a corner kick. Hines took the stoppage in play to make his final change of the game, replacing Marta with Evelina Duljan.
The set piece was sent into the six-yard box where Duljan and Watt went after it. Duljan got to the ball first and headed it towards goal, but it bounced off the top of the crossbar and out for a goal kick.
Watt made a long run towards the top of the Gotham box in the 87th minute. Dribbling to the right and away from goal, the forward tried to turn and shoot. However, she was slightly unbalanced while shooting, sending the weak attempt wide.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Nighswonger went over Duljan and was called for a foul. Angelina lifted the free kick into the box and Berger punched it away. After Duljan’s ball back in was cleared, Sams’ poor touch enabled McCall Zerboni to knock it forward for Lavelle. The midfielder quickly sent it wide for Bruninha, who charged up field before sending an ambitious shot towards goal. Moorhouse seemed to know it was going over the whole time, but the ball barely missed the crossbar.
That was the last chance of the game as the Pride fell for the second straight time. The Pride ended the game with more possession (55%-45%), but Gotham took more shots (15-9) and put more on target (5-2). The visitors also had the advantage in crosses (16-10), corner kicks (5-2), and passing accuracy (78%-74%) despite losing by two goals.
“We showed our quality at times and we showed that if we don’t handle the ball with better care, you know, you get punished for it,” Hines said. “The goals that we conceded we’re really disappointed with. And so, yeah, we’ll review it and we’ll reflect, and again, make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We know it was not our best showing. We know we’re a way better team than that, so that’s frustrating,” Dyke added. “But with that, we know we just have to remember everything we did right leading up to this point and not let our confidence drop from that.”
The Pride entered this two-game road trip on the heels of clinching the NWSL Shield and maintaining an unbeaten record this season. It was a pair of games to forget as they lost their first two games of the year and were outscored 5-1 by the opposition. Despite the recent struggles, the players are still expressing confidence in their abilities.
“This team, this culture, is so great. And it’s easy to have a good culture when you’re winning, but, In instances like this, that culture kind of gets put to the test,” Dyke said about the losing streak. “And I think there’s a lot of growth that we can have in that through this adversity going into playoffs. I think when we learn from these mistakes. We can be even better going into the postseason.”
“Just to get back to where we were before the shield,” Hines added about his message to the team after the two losses. “We showed some really good form. We were hungry, we had desire, we’re very committed. And I feel at this period where whatever happens in the game, it doesn’t have any dividends on our position. So we just have to get back to who we are, our identity, you know, working extremely hard, not allowing teams to work harder than us once we step onto that field.”
The Pride will have two weeks before they take the field again. Next weekend is an international break and the NWSL will stop to avoid teams losing key players. It’s something that could enable the Pride to refocus before their last game of the season.
The Pride will return home on Nov. 2 for their last game of the regular season as they take on Seattle Reign FC.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride head north as they take on NJ/NY Gotham FC in their final road game of the season.
Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (17-1-6, 57 points) wrap up their 2024 road schedule with a trip up north to face NJ/NY Gotham FC (15-4-5, 50 points). This is the second and final time the two teams will meet during the regular season.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Pride have faced Gotham 24 times since joining the NWSL in 2016. They’re 8-9-7 in all competitions and 4-2-5 away from home. The Pride’s record in NWSL regular-season games is 8-6-5 and 4-2-3 in New Jersey.
The most recent meeting between the two teams was on Sept. 1 in Orlando. The game was delayed by inclement weather, but the Pride took control when it began. Adriana gave the hosts the lead in the sixth minute and completed her brace in the 19th minute. Those were the only two goals as the Pride won 2-0.
The first meeting of 2023 was a regular-season clash on April 15 in Orlando. It looked to be headed for a draw, but Gotham struck twice in the dying minutes. Midge Purce converted a penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time and then assisted on Lynn Williams’ goal seven minutes later, setting a record for the latest goal in NWSL history as the Pride fell 2-0. They played again on May 14 in New Jersey, where the Pride were the better team and created more chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. The game ended in a scoreless draw.
The Pride and Gotham met twice in the NWSL Challenge Cup following those regular-season matchups. The first was on July 23 in Orlando. A Megan Montefusco header gave the Pride an early lead, but they were unable to hold on. Jenna Nighswonger converted a penalty later in the first half and Gotham took over the second half with goals by McCall Zerboni and Yazmeen Ryan, beating the Pride 3-1. On Aug. 9 in New Jersey, Messiah Bright gave the Pride the lead in the first half, and the team was in line for all three points until Meleana Shim equalized in second-half stoppage time, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
The two teams met four times during the 2022 season — twice in the NWSL regular season and twice in the Challenge Cup. The first was a Challenge Cup meeting on March 30 at Exploria Stadium. It looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw before Purce scored a late winner. The next Challenge Cup meeting was April 23 at Red Bull Arena. Gunny Jonsdottir gave the Pride the lead, but Toni Pressley got tangled up with Ifeoma Onumonu, resulting in a penalty. Kristie Mewis leveled the game from the spot just before the half. Neither team could find a winner and it ended 1-1.
The teams met in the 2022 NWSL regular-season opener on May 1 in Orlando. After two close matchups in the preseason tournament, this one was all Gotham, as goals by Zerboni, Purce, and Mewis lifted the visitors to a 3-0 win. On Aug. 20, they played for the final time in 2022 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. Celia and Ally Watt built the Pride a 2-0 lead. Mewis got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win.
The Pride and Gotham also met four times in 2021, with the first coming in the Pride’s inaugural Challenge Cup campaign. On April 14, Paige Monaghan’s goal lifted Gotham to a 1-0 win. The first regular-season game that year came on June 20 in Orlando. The visitors took the lead through Caprice Dydasco, but Courtney Petersen equalized, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
On Aug. 29, the teams played at Red Bull Arena. Erika Tymrak’s long-range goal lifted the Pride to a 2-1 win. The teams played one final, high-scoring game on Oct. 9. It was a bad start for the Pride as Gaetane Thiney scored a brace and Purce made it 3-0 late. The Pride came storming back with goals by Tymrak and Marta, falling just short in a 3-2 final.
The Pride and Gotham were in different groups for the 2020 Fall Series, so the last time they met prior to 2021 was in 2019, when the New Jersey-based club was still called Sky Blue FC. They first met that year on June 22 at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ. Chioma Ubogagu gave the Pride the lead from the penalty spot and Sarah Killion equalized. The difference was a Gina Lewandowski own goal as the Pride won 2-1.
On July 20 the teams met at Exploria Stadium. Marisa Viggiano’s goal won it for the Pride, 1-0. The final game occurred on Sept. 29 in New Jersey. Shelina Zadorsky gave the Pride the lead, but Carli Lloyd equalized in a 1-1 draw.
The teams met three times in 2018, starting on June 16 in Orlando, when a Sydney Leroux brace led the Pride to a 3-2 win. They met again in Orlando on Aug. 5, with the Pride giving up a 1-0 lead after Marta’s opening goal. But Dani Weatherholt equalized in a 2-2 draw. The final meeting in 2018 came on Sept. 8 in New Jersey — the final game of the season. There was only one goal in this one as Lloyd won it for Sky Blue FC.
The 2017 season saw the Pride and Sky Blue meet three times. The first was May 27 in New Jersey, where the Pride lost 2-1. They met again in New Jersey on June 28 and the Pride won, 3-2. The final meeting was on Aug. 12 in Orlando and the Pride won by its largest margin in team history, beating Sky Blue, 5-0.
The 2016 season was the first time the two teams met, with the inaugural game coming on Sept. 7 in New Jersey. Alex Morgan and Sam Kerr swapped goals in a 1-1 draw. They met again three days later in Orlando, with Sky Blue winning, 2-1.
Overview
It’s been a while since the Pride had faced adversity heading into their Oct. 11 game in Portland. They hadn’t trailed since March 22, a game they came back to draw. However, having already clinched the NWSL Shield, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made five changes to the team that beat the Washington Spirit 2-0. It was noticeable, as the Pride fell behind and eventually lost 2-0.
While the loss was disappointing, regular starters Marta, Adriana, Emily Sams, and Barbra Banda got most of the game off as they prepare for the postseason. Playing over 2,500 miles from home and on artificial turf made it the perfect game to provide rest. Unfortunately for Gotham, those players will likely be back in the starting lineup tonight and looking to break the record for most wins in a single NWSL season.
Standing in their way are the reigning NWSL champions. Gotham currently sits in fourth, tied for third on points with the Washington Spirit and two points behind the Kansas City Current with a game in hand. The New Jersey-based club is 6-1-1 since the league’s Olympic break, with the only loss coming to the Pride in Orlando. Tonight’s hosts have five wins and a draw since that game and have won their last two against Bay FC and the Chicago Red Stars.
Gotham’s 34 goals this season are tied for fourth most in the league. The goals have been well distributed, with Esther Gonzalez leading the way with seven, followed by Ella Stevens and Rose Lavelle with six, and Williams and Ryan with four. Gonzalez and Ryan also lead the team with four assists each, followed by Stevens’ three.
Similar to the Pride, Gotham’s defense has been its strongest asset. The team has only conceded 18 goals this year, second in the league to the Pride. The Pride and Gotham are the only two teams to concede fewer goals than the number of games played.
“It’s two teams that are at the top of the table. Obviously, it’s going to be competitive,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “They’ve got a lot of good quality players, and so it will be a good challenge for us to go away from home and hopefully bring back three points.”
The Pride will play this game without Rafaelle (thigh), Megan Montefusco (heel), Luana (illness), Simone Charley (ankle), Carson Pickett (thigh), and Grace Chanda (thigh).
Gotham has an extensive number of players out, including Tierna Davidson (thigh), Crystal Dunn (excused absence), Sinead Farrelly (concussion), Svava Gudmunsdottir (excused absence), Kelley O’Hara (knee), Midge Purce (knee), Jessica Silva (knee), Abby Smith (lower leg), Emily Sonnett (suspension) and Cece Kizer (foot).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.
Defensive Midfielders: Morgan Guatrat, Angelina.
Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Marta, Adriana.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Celia, Ally Watt, Carrie Lawrence, Summer Yates, Ally Lemos, Viviana Villacorta, Evelina Duljan, Haley McCutcheon.
NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-1-4-1)
Goalkeeper: Ann Katrin Berger.
Defenders: Jess Carter, Sam Hiatt, Mandy Freeman, Jenna Nighswonger.
Defensive Midfielder: Nealy Martin.
Midfielders: Yazmeen Ryan, Rose Lavelle, Delanie Sheehan, Ella Stevens.
Forward: Esther Gonzalez.
Bench: Michelle Betos, Bruninha, Maitane Lopez, Cassie Miller, Taryn Torres, McCall Zerboni.
Referees
REF: Ricardo Fierro.
AR1: Joe Suchoski.
AR2: Sharon Gingrich.
4TH: Marie Durr.
VAR: Brad Jensen.
AVAR: Tom Supple.
How to Watch
Match Time: 5 p.m.
Venue: Red Bull Arena — Harrison, NJ.
TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes.
Streaming: ESPN+.
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).
Enjoy the match. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
How the Orlando Pride Went 24 Matches Without a Loss
How the Pride set the record for the longest undefeated streak in NWSL history.
After an astounding 24 matches unbeaten, the Orlando Pride have finally lost a game, falling to the Thorns in Portland on Friday night. During a streak that began by winning on the final day of the 2023 NWSL regular season, the Pride set many NWSL records. Among them are longest consecutive winning streak, longest time without conceding a goal, and tying the most points in an NWSL season with two matches left to play.
The loss, when it finally came, was after the Pride won the NWSL Shield and clinched the top position for the playoffs, significantly reducing the stakes for Orlando. Now that the streak has ended, it is worth analyzing how incredible it was and what made it possible for the Pride to achieve it.
Looking at the anatomy of the unbeaten streak shows just how many players on the roster had a hand in keeping the run alive. Between the last match of 2023 and the loss to Portland, 30 different players logged minutes on the pitch for the Pride, and 21 of those players tallied more than 90 minutes. Of those players, 14 recorded at least one goal or assist during the streak, and everyone on the pitch contributed to both the team’s defensive and buildup play. While the big-name players like Marta and Barbra Banda have often grabbed the headlines, even players like Amanda Allen made a big difference to keeping the streak alive. After all, it was her assist on a Summer Yates goal in the first match of 2024 that secured the draw against Racing Louisville and started the year on the right foot.
Over the course of 24 matches, it is not possible to dominate every opponent. The opponent, their form, and the venue, as well as injuries, suspensions, and a myriad of other factors make it impossible. During the unbeaten streak, the Pride played in many tight games where one kick of the ball in either direction could end or extend the streak. Using the expected goal (xG) statistics provided by FBRef.com, it is possible to draw big-picture conclusions from the streak. The xG statistic estimates how many goals a player or team would score based on the quality of the shooting chances being created in the match. While there are limitations to diving too deeply on one game’s numbers, with a sample size the length of a full season, clear patterns emerge.
Comparing the xG generated by both teams in each of Orlando’s matches during the undefeated run, it is possible to say how many matches the Pride would be expected to win or lose and how many would be tight games. In matches in which the Pride generated 0.5 xG greater than their opponent, it can be said that they generally played well enough to win. When the Pride generated 0.5 xG lower than the opponent, the opposition played well enough to win. Any result between these two would be a tight contest. Below are the tabulated results of applying this method over the entire unbeaten streak, compared with the actual results during this time.
| Expected Pride Wins | Expected Tight Games/Draws | Expected Pride Losses |
| 14 | 9 | 1 |
| Actual Pride Wins | Actual Pride Draws | Actual Pride Losses |
| 18 | 6 | 0 |
As shown above, the Pride outperformed their expected outcomes during the unbeaten streak by avoiding one expected loss (a 1-1 home matchup with Angel City FC) and turning several tight contests into wins. What is most impressive from these statistics is how the Pride managed to play in 10 matches in which they were not clearly the better team but still managed to win or draw. They did all this without enduring bad luck, a mistake, or a world-class goal from the opposition that changed the result. This shows clearly that reality doesn’t always match the statistics. For one thing, this formulation relies on how an average team would fare, while Orlando has been the best team in the league during this run. The Pride also demonstrated all of the attributes needed for securing results and avoiding losses.
On the attacking front, the Pride were not prolific so much as they were timely and efficient in their scoring during the streak. Their output of 40 goals (plus four own goals) was slightly lower than the xG of 45 goals generated in that stretch. This shows two things. First, Orlando exhibited below-average finishing during the unbeaten streak and therefore did not rely on a hot run of form in front of net to shoot their way out of tough positions. Second, it shows that Orlando was creating a lot of good scoring chances in their matches — enough to score once or twice per match en route to stacking up results.
Once again, at the other end of the pitch, the defensive metrics were the real star of the show, following a common theme for the season. During the unbeaten streak, the Pride’s opponents generated 24.9 xG, a moderately low tally. Compare this to the 13 actual goals conceded for things to look truly impressive. This over-performance of the expected goals model is well outside the norm and shouldn’t be attributed to just luck or chance, and it merits a deeper review.
Since the unbeaten streak began, the Pride have conceded the fewest goals. It’s then reasonably intuitive that they have also faced the fewest shots on target at just 92. On top of all this, Anna Moorhouse currently boasts the highest save percentage in the league in 2024. So, the Orlando Pride are conceding the fewest goals by facing the fewest shots and saving the highest percentage of them. But how have they managed to do that for such a long stretch of games?
The key is hiding in a relatively obscure statistic that tracks the quality of the opposition’s shooting chances — “post-shot expected goals per shot on target.” Long-range shots and shots straight at the keeper have low values for this metric, while close-range, well-struck shots measure highly. In 2024, the Orlando Pride have performed best in the league by this metric, meaning opponents are taking their worst shots against the Pride.
Orlando’s opponents’ shots have been so poor that they are only expected to score from one in every five shots on target. This is due in large part to Orlando’s defense allowing nothing easy, requiring the opposition to score from either long-range efforts or quick sequences and half-chances, when they don’t have time to place the ideal shot. Taken all together, the way that Orlando has been able to outperform every other team in the league, as well as what would be statistically expected of them, is by allowing the fewest shots, only allowing them to come in the form of bad shots from longer distances, and then saving a very high percentage of the shots they’re facing. As the league saw for 24 Pride matches without a defeat, this has been a lethal combination.
Going a full season unbeaten would have been an incredible feat, but the 24-match streak was just as impressive on its own. It is no surprise that the streak ended after winning the shield enabled the staff to rest key players. It is even more understandable considering that the Pride were playing a Thorns team fighting for their playoff lives in one of the most challenging venues in the NWSL after a short week (Sunday to Friday) which included hurricane-interrupted travel plans.
After the loss to the Thorns, there are just two more low-stakes matches to go until the playoffs. At the end of the day, it may not be a bad thing that the pressure of trying to go unbeaten is lifted as the Pride focus solely on winning an NWSL championship.
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