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Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 1-1 as Another Stoppage Time Goal Denies Pride a Win

The Pride had a second goal overturned after video review and conceded yet another game-changing, stoppage-time goal.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride will be happy to see the end of the NWSL Challenge Cup. The Pride scored first, had a second goal controversially overturned after video review, and conceded yet another stoppage-time goal to draw NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-1 at Red Bull Arena.

Messiah Bright gave the Pride the lead on the road just past the half-hour mark and a shot by Kerry Abello bounced in off the shoulder of Haley McCutcheon, but the referee overturned the second goal. Mana Shim scored an easy equalizing goal early in stoppage time when she was left completely unmarked on the right side of the Pride defense and the teams split the points.

Orlando exits the competition without a single win in six tries, but the draw allowed the Pride to take Gotham out of the tournament with them. With just two points, Orlando finished dead last in the Challenge Cup.

“I’ve been pleased with the progress we’ve made (in the Challenge Cup),” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “Obviously results haven’t gone our way but some of the performances have been brilliant and the attitude of the players has been great. It really showed today. We knew what was at stake for Gotham but it was more about ourselves and getting back to what we’re good at.”

Hines’ lineup was a strong one for the team’s Challenge Cup finale, with Anna Moorhouse in goal behind a back line of Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Viviana Villacorta and Mikayla Cluff played in central midfield behind an attacking line of Kerry Abello, Julie Doyle, and Erika Tymrak, with Bright up top.

The first half was a bit back-and-forth, with the Pride getting an early corner but Gotham had some opportunities with Delanie Sheehan firing wildly off target. The hosts nearly got through on goal but Yazmeen Ryan couldn’t control the ball moments later.

Doyle and Abello each had a shot inside the box blocked off a corner in the ninth minute as the Pride searched for the opener. Katie Stengel took down Doyle in the box two minutes later, but the referee judged it to be a legal challenge and the video assistant referee did not overturn it or have Jeremy Scheer go to the monitor for a second look.

The teams exchanged long-range free kicks over the next 15 minutes but couldn’t make them pay off.

Gotham had an opportunity on the counter in the 26th minute but Midge Purce tried to beat Madril with Moorhouse off her line and appeared to be free to take a shot but opted to make a second move. Madril got the better of her on the second and took it away. A cross through the box came right to Moorhouse seconds later.

Two minutes later, Moorhouse was fortunate not to have to pay for a howler. Well off her line, the goalkeeper passed the ball to Purce outside the box, who couldn’t control it with the net wide open.

Bright broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Abello blazed past defender Ellie Jean down the left flank and sent a great ball into the middle for Bright to make an easy finish.

“I just saw Abello running down the field, so my main concern was just getting in the width of the goal and whatever popped out, just making that run centrally,” Bright said. “I knew she was going to cross it, so I just wanted to be there for the tap-in.”

Doyle had a chance to double the lead in the 39th minute when she was played a ball over the top behind the defense. She reached the ball before goalkeeper Mandy Haught but couldn’t finesse it past for a shot attempt.

That almost proved costly two minutes later. Ryan cut inside from the left and fired a shot at Moorhouse. The ball squirted through Moorhouse’s hands but it deflected just over the bar. Allie Long then fired a shot at the end of the half but it was right at the Orlando keeper on the last decent look of the half for either side.

At the half, the Pride had the advantage in possession (53.2%-46.8%) and corners (4-1), but the hosts led in shots (6-5), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (74.7%-72.3%). Orlando led where it counted most, but only because Gotham couldn’t take advantage of the Moorhouse mistakes.

“I thought the first-half performance was really good,” Hines said. “We started the game fast, caused them a lot of problems, and we deserved that goal from Messiah. It was a great run from Abello and a great ball into a dangerous area and Messiah was there to put it in.”

The hosts were much more assertive after the break and the Pride were much more passive. There were long spells of play in the Pride end and, as we’ve sometimes seen in the past, a lot of nervy half-clearances and failures to relieve pressure by the Orlando defense.

Gotham won a couple of early corners in the second half and a cross by Ryan nearly was able to sneak in but it went just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net in the 48th minute. A minute later, Stengel got to a Purce cross but headed it straight at Moorhouse.

Orlando appeared to double its lead against the run of play in the 61st minute. A great individual effort by Doyle enabled her to work the ball from the right flank into the penalty area. She crossed it in for Abello, who couldn’t get her footing right and sent the ball off of McCutcheon and into the net. This time, the referee did go to the monitor to check it, in keeping with the Professional Referee Organization’s consistent policy of inconsistency.

Scheer looked at the replay and ruled that the ball was low enough on McCutcheon’s arm to constitute an offensive handball, which has different standards than a defensive handball. McCutcheon, to her credit, could not have possibly had her arm tucked in against her body any further than it was, shy of anything other than amputation. Nevertheless, the goal was disallowed, eventually costing the Pride a road win.

The play can be seen around the 3:19 mark of this video:

“I mean, it hit me in like the shoulder/chest area, I thought,” McCutcheon said. “But I know they’re pretty strict about those attacking handball rules, so I was bummed to see it called back, but I thought it gave us good momentum to push for another goal.”

“I’d rather not comment on the referee’s performance tonight,” Hines said, when asked if the ref or fourth official gave him an explanation after the overturned call. “We can only control what we can control, and, yeah, I’d rather not talk about the referee.”

The game was still there for the Pride, however, and second-half sub Jordyn Listro opted to try a shot from the top of the area on the half-volley rather than try to get in deeper and her shot sailed well over the bar in the 66th minute.

Gotham then got a flurry of chances with Stengel sending a shot out of play off a defender and Maitane Lopez sending a shot straight to Moorhouse.

Substitute Ally Watt got into the box in the 83rd minute but took a heavy touch. By the time she caught up to it, all she could do was knock it off the goalkeeper for a corner kick. Watt went to ground on the ensuing corner but no foul was given, nor did the play appear to be reviewed, and she did seem to go down easily.

Much of the rest of the match consisted of Orlando conceding set pieces and then failing to convincingly clear a ball away from the penalty area. A shot by Ryan was fumbled out of play by Moorhouse to give up another corner and Jenna Nighswonger sent a shot over the bar in the 87th minute.

The equalizer came just after normal time expired and the eight minutes of injury time had begun. Purce crossed the ball from the right side to the left, where no one tracked Shim’s run. It was an easy finish to tie the match in the 91st minute.

“It is a hard lesson to learn especially, you know, numerous times,” McCutcheon said of the team conceding again in stoppage time. “We’ve definitely shown that we can get the shutout, even with waves of pressure, but I think just looking at it from a standpoint of we can be in control of those late-game moments, even when we don’t have the ball. And then when we do have the ball, just valuing that and having a plan to waste time or to find another goal.”

“They had a majority of the possession second half, so, I think they were putting us on our back foot a lot,” Bright said. “They were being very aggressive, and they got the goal from it. I think it was just important for us to just stay locked in in those moments and to just keep it as best as we can, which we did not do, but we’ll continue to grow from it and learn for the next game.”

With time winding down and Gotham needing a win to advance out of the group stage, the hosts kept coming. Long headed over the bar in the 93rd and Shim sent a one-hopper to Moorhouse moments later.

But the Pride came within inches of finding a late winner out of nowhere against the run of play. Substitute Summer Yates sent Watt into the right side of the box and the forward’s shot beat Haught but hit the left post and stayed out in the 97th minute.

Orlando survived the final minute and a half and finished with a draw.

Gotham dominated the stat sheet by putting the Pride on their heels through much of the second half. The hosts finished with more shots (17-8), shots on target (7-2), possession (56.9%-43.1%), and passing accuracy (76%-67.7%). The teams each won six corners.

“We had a lot of good moments. Luck hasn’t gone our way,” Hines said. “You look back in the second half and there was obviously the goal that gets chalked off for a handball and you’re thinking, ‘Aw, here we go again.’ And they score really late on but we had enough to hold on for a draw, and I think that’s an important moment for us — to not lose the game tonight.”

“It’s disappointing. We definitely were hungry to win today, which is why we’re going to continue to grow from our mistakes,” Bright said.

Thus concludes Orlando’s participation in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup. The Pride will return to regular-season action at home on Aug. 20 when they host the Chicago Red Stars.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Anna Moorhouse

The Pride’s starting goalkeeper improved during her second season as the team’s number one.

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59 mins ago

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December 14, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride acquired goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse from French D1 Feminine side Bordeaux on Jan. 31, 2022. Her first year in Orlando was spent as the backup behind Canadian international Erin McLeod. When McLeod moved to Iceland following the 2022 NWSL season, Moorhouse was promoted to starting goalkeeper.

The English shot stopper was inconsistent during her first year as a starter, but played well enough to earn the spot for this year. It was a historic season that saw her set new club and league records for most clean sheets in a season. She also got her first call-ups for the England Women’s National Team.

Let’s take a look at how Moorhouse did in her third season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Moorhouse started every game of the regular season, making 26 appearances and recording 2,340 minutes. She faced 107 shots, making 87 saves (81%), and conceded 20 goals. Her 13 clean sheets set a new league record for the most single-season shutouts and lifted her to the most in Pride history. Additionally, Moorhouse completed 72% of her 824 regular season passes. As she started every game, her record as a starter in the regular season was 18-2-6.

The Pride’s number one started all three playoff games, going 3-0-0 and recording 270 minutes in the postseason. She faced 12 shots on target in those three games, making nine saves (75%), and conceded three goals, with one of those on a penalty kick. Her lone clean sheet was in the NWSL Championship when the Pride beat the Washington Spirit 1-0. Her distribution was worse than in the regular season as she only completed 54% of her 46 passes, and her lone booking came in the playoffs, receiving a yellow card in the semifinal against Kansas City.

Moorhouse was on international duty for the first NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup game and was an unused sub in the second game. She started the third and final matchup against Racing Louisville FC, playing all 90 minutes. She saved two of the three shots she faced (66.7%) in that game, conceding once in a 1-1 draw. She completed 77% of her 42 passes out of the back, helping to keep the Pride unbeaten in all competitions.

Best Game

The Pride’s stellar defense this season meant Moorhouse often had little to do. However, there were some games in which she had to be solid between the sticks, and one of those games was on June 30 in Los Angeles when the Pride defeated Angel City 3-0 to remain unbeaten on the season.

Moorhouse made a season-high seven saves in back-to-back games, beginning with the Angel City matchup. But while she conceded a goal in Kansas City the following weekend, Moorhouse claimed her third consecutive clean sheet in LA. Her distribution was also solid in this game, completing 17 of 21 passes (81%).

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Moorhouse a grade of 7 out of 10 for the 2024 NWSL season. That’s an improvement from her 2023 grade when she was given a 6 out of 10. It’s hard to give anyone in the Pride’s defensive unit a poor grade when they conceded the fewest goals in the NWSL and were on pace to set a new league record for fewest goals conceded until the final three games. They also recorded 13 clean sheets in an outstanding season.

The grade might seem a bit high to some because Moorhouse made some mistakes that cost her team goals. On April 26 in Washington, D.C., Moorhouse failed to catch an easy-to-handle shot by Ashley Hatch, watching it go through her hands and in. Fortunately, the Pride were already up 3-1, so it didn’t cost them the game. She made another mistake against the Chicago Red Stars in the playoffs, taking too long to clear the ball and allowing Jameese Joseph to block the attempt. While the block resulted in a Red Stars goal, the Pride were already up 4-0 and the game was out of reach.

Despite a few errors, it was a solid year for the goalkeeper, who made great strides in reducing the frequency of those types of mistakes. She was better than 2023 and will likely remain the Pride’s starter in net for the foreseeable future.

2025 Outlook

Moorhouse signed a new contract on Oct. 5, 2023, keeping her in Orlando through the 2025 season. The deal meant that Haley Carter didn’t need to worry about re-signing her starting goalkeeper after the season and could focus on more pressing matters. However, Moorhouse will undoubtedly be a priority in 2025.

In addition to Moorhouse, the entire back line will also return for 2025. While Moorhouse was solid in the net, Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke, along with the other defenders who were pressed into action, made sure to limit her workload. The pressure will be on the goalkeeper next season to see if she can improve and help the Pride remain the best defensive team in the NWSL.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Morgan Gautrat

The veteran holding midfielder brought stability and experience to the Pride in 2024.

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1 day ago

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December 13, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride acquired former United States Women’s National Team midfielder Morgan Gautrat along with $50,000 in Allocation Money in exchange for a 2024 international spot on Jan. 11. Midfield depth was an area of need after the Pride had lost Mikayla Cluff in the NWSL Expansion Draft, with Viviana Villacorta also recovering from a serious knee injury. The team had already signed Brazilian internationals Angelina and Luana, so adding Gautrat ensured that there would be competition for the starting lineup and improved depth in that position group.

Gautrat added stability, experience, her high soccer IQ, and talent to the squad in an area of need, and she was rewarded on Sept. 12 with a new contract through the 2025 season with an option year for 2026. Players like Gautrat, who were willing to serve in any role (or multiple roles) needed, helped the club achieve remarkable accomplishments in 2024, including the NWSL Shield, NWSL Championship, and numerous league and team records.

Let’s look back at Gautrat’s first season in Orlando as she experienced somewhat of a homecoming, having grown up in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Statistical Breakdown

Gautrat made 17 appearances during the regular season, starting 11 games and amassing 850 minutes. She did not contribute a goal or assist, attempting just six shots and putting two of them on target. She passed well at an 88.5% rate on 504 attempts without a key pass, connecting on two crosses and 14 long balls. Defensively, she contributed 13 tackles, 16 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. Gautrat committed 10 fouls on the season, drew six on the opposition, and was booked three times (all yellow cards).

In the postseason, Gautrat appeared in two of the Pride’s three playoff games — both off the bench — logging just 19 minutes. She did not contribute to a goal, attempting two shots and putting one of them on target. The midfielder completed 85% of her 13 passes without a key pass, cross, or long ball. She recorded one tackle, no interceptions, no fouls committed, no fouls drawn, and no bookings.

Gautrat appeared in all three of Orlando’s games in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, starting the last two and tallying 122 minutes. Again, she did not register a goal or assist, and she did not attempt a shot. She completed an impressive 95% of her 57 passes but did not log a key pass or successful cross, connecting on two long balls. She won two of her three tackle attempts (67%), adding an interception on the defensive end. Gautrat committed two fouls, suffered two fouls, and was not booked in the tournament.

Best Game

Several games leap out as strong defensive outings for Gautrat, including her part in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home against the Chicago Red Stars on March 29, in which she tallied four tackles and passed at a 96% rate.

I’ll go with her lone 90-minute outing of the season, which came in a 1-0 road victory at the Utah Royals April 12, because it was a similar performance and helped the team win on the road. This was before Barbra Banda appeared in a match with the Pride, who had scored only four goals in the first three games of the season, drawing all three. The offense again scored just one goal at Utah, but this time it was enough to provide Orlando with its first win in a season full of them, largely due to Gautrat’s part in the collective team defensive effort.

Gautrat started and went the distance without contributing anything offensively. However, she turned in one of her best passing performances of the season, connecting 94% of the time on her 50 attepts — her second-most passes of the year. She didn’t record a tackle, but she managed three interceptions, which ended up tying for her high in a game for the 2024 season. She committed one foul in the match but was not booked. Her efforts helped the Pride limit Utah to just five shots in the match.

The win was an important one, because it kicked off a league record eight straight victories for the Pride, who built momentum and didn’t lose a match until after they’d won the NWSL Shield.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Gautrat a solid rating of 6 out of 10 for the 2024 season. While the veteran midfielder provided stability in helping to shield the back line and goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse well throughout the year, the offensive side of the game was not a strength, as shown in her 517 pass attempts in NWSL regular season and playoff games without a single key pass or assist and only two successful crosses. While offense isn’t her primary job, and she was by no means the only holding midfielder short on goal contributions, the occasional critical through ball to free up an attacker is essential in the way the team plays. Gautrat also had to fight through some injuries in April and June, which may have affected her to some degree, because she began the year starting frequently but was more of a bench player after her second injury spell.

2025 Outlook

Gautrat remains under contract with the Pride for 2025 (and 2026, if the option is exercised), and I expect she will play a similar role next season for Orlando. She will turn 32 in February, and the years, miles, and several injuries over her career have robbed her of some of her lateral quickness. But she’s a savvy player who reads the game well, so she is still mostly able to get herself into the right spots. Gautrat will continue to bring value to Orlando’s midfield group. She will push others in her position group for a starting spot but may end up as a second-half super sub to protect leads or replace teammates on yellow cards while providing spot starts when needed.

Players like Gautrat and Angelina brought a level of composure to the Pride midfield that had never previously been seen in the club’s history. Moving Haley McCutcheon from right back to midfield only added to that. But there’s also the uncertainty of Luana returning to fitness to consider as well as the development of 2024 draft pick Ally Lemos. The Pride midfield is in good shape entering next season, and it showed in 2024 that it could even survive multiple absences and still perform at a high level. This bodes well for the team in 2025.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Julie Doyle

A look at the forward’s third season with the Pride.

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2 days ago

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December 12, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride selected Julie Doyle 11th overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft and signed her on Jan. 27, 2022 to a one-year contract with an option for 2023. On May 8, 2023 the California native was given a new two-year contract through the 2024 season. Doyle was then given another contract on Oct. 1, 2024, a new two-year deal through the 2026 season.

Doyle saw more of the pitch this season but wasn’t able to increase her offensive productivity. Let’s look at how the attacker performed in 2024.

Statistical Breakdown

Doyle played in 25 of the Pride’s 26 games in the regular season, starting 21 and recording 1,377 minutes. She scored two goals and added one assist on one key pass, with seven successful crosses and seven completed long balls. Doyle put 13 of her 23 regular-season shots on target and completed 76% of her 308 passes. Despite playing in the attack, she also helped defensively, recording 17 tackles and four interceptions. She committed 15 fouls, suffered 23 fouls, and earned two yellow cards.

During the NWSL playoffs, Doyle came off the bench in all three of the Pride’s matches, recording 72 minutes. The majority of those minutes came when she subbed on at halftime for Ally Watt in the 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars. Through the three matches, she took five shots, putting one on target, and completed 92% of her 12 passes. Defensively, Doyle recorded two tackles, committed two fouls, and earned one yellow card.

Doyle played in all three of the Pride’s NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup games, starting in the first and third games while recording 189 minutes. Doyle scored one goal on five shots with two on target. She did not register an assist, but completed 19 of her 33 passes (62%) without recording a key pass, a long ball, or a cross, turning the ball over 25 times. Her one goal came in the match against Liga MX Femenil club CF Monterrey. Defensively, the attacker contributed one interception and won two headed duels. She committed one foul, drew one on her opponents, and wasn’t booked.

Best Game

Doyle’s best game came in the 1-1 draw against the San Diego Wave June 7. While it was the match that broke the team’s NWSL-record winning streak after eight victories, the Pride remained undefeated, thanks to a first-half goal from Doyle. She made a good run into the box, and held up just a bit to give herself space between the defenders. It wasn’t an easy goal, as the cross from Barbra Banda was slightly behind her, but she made the most of it to give the Pride the early lead.

The attacker started, played 63 minutes, and was a big part of the Pride’s offensive scheme, touching the ball 30 times and completing 86% of her 14 passes. Two of her three shots were on target, including the goal. She also contributed defensively, adding two tackles and committing one foul.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Doyle a composite grade of 5.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season, which matches the 5.5 grade she received last year. Doyle always brings the energy when she is in a match, but her finishing and decision making in the final third aren’t always the best. Still, the club finds value in her game, and I’m certain she’s a cultural fit within the club and the locker room. A few more goals and she can see her grade go up next year.

2025 Outlook

Doyle will be with the Orlando Pride in 2025 as the club looks to defend two titles. With Banda, Adriana, Ally Watt, Grace Chanda, and Summer Yates all options for Seb Hines, Doyle might find herself in the role of energetic sub again next season. She’ll still get plenty of playing time but is unlikely to get as many starts as she did early in 2024. That doesn’t mean she won’t play an important role, but she’ll need to put the ball in the net a lot more to earn a starting spot.

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