Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (0-4-1, 1 point) finish their 2023 Challenge Cup schedule with a trip to Red Bull Arena where they’ll take on NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-1-1, 10 points). This is the second time the two teams will meet during this Challenge Cup and during the NWSL’s regular-season break for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

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

History

The Pride have faced Gotham 22 times since joining the NWSL in 2016. They’re 7-9-6 in all competitions and 4-2-4 in New Jersey. In Challenge Cup games, the Pride are 0-3-1 in three games against Gotham and 0-0-1 away from home.

This is the fourth time the two teams have met this year. The most recent meeting came on July 23 at Exploria Stadium in Challenge Cup play. A Megan Montefusco header in the ninth minute gave the Pride an early lead, but they were unable to hold on. Jenna Nighswonger converted a penalty in the 36th minute and Gotham took over the second half with goals by McCall Zerboni and Yazmeen Ryan, beating the Pride 3-1. Prior to that loss, they played on May 14 in regular-season play. The Pride were the better team and created more chances, but couldn’t find the back of the net and the game ended in a scoreless draw.

The Pride and Gotham met for the first time this season on April 15 at Exploria Stadium. The game looked to be headed for a draw, but Gotham struck twice in second-half stoppage time. Midge Purce converted a penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time and then assisted on Lynn Williams’s goal seven minutes later, setting a record for the latest goal in NWSL history as the Pride fell 2-0. The Professional Referee Organization stated publicly that the penalty given for a handball on Caitlin Cosme did not meet its standards for being clear and obvious enough for a review, but that won’t change the standings.

The two teams met four times last season, twice in the NWSL regular season and twice in the Challenge Cup. The first game 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 meeting was April 23 at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. Gunny Jonsdottir gave the Pride the lead, but Toni Pressley got tangled up with Ifeoma Onumonu, resulting in a penalty. Anna Moorhouse guessed the right way, but Kristie Mewis put it into the bottom corner, evening the game just before the half. Neither team could find a winner and it ended 1-1.

The teams opened the 2022 NWSL regular season against each other on May 1 in Orlando. After two close matchups in the preseason, 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. But 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 they 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

The Pride’s Challenge Cup has largely been a story of blown points. They had a 1-0 lead in their first game against the North Carolina Courage, but Denise O’Sullivan’s goal nine minutes into second-half stoppage time stole two points. They dominated the Washington Spirit on Friday night and should’ve had a multi-goal lead late, but couldn’t convert. Mariana Speckmaier scored a long-distance strike eight minutes into second-half stoppage time, taking another point away from the Pride.

The result of these blown chances means that the Pride are out of contention to advance to the Challenge Cup semifinals. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to play for. The Pride are in the hunt for a playoff spot in the regular season, sitting just two points behind the final playoff spot. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has gone back and forth using his starters and reserves, but might use some starters tonight in an attempt to gain some momentum heading back into regular season play on Aug. 20.

The fact that the Pride are even playing tonight is unexpected, as this is a makeup game. The teams were originally supposed to meet on June 7, but the air quality in the New York area was deemed to be unsafe by public officials because of smoke from the eastern Canada wildfires. That match and the subsequent meeting in Orlando on June 28 were postponed until the World Cup break.

Both teams had multiple players compete in the World Cup this summer, but all have been knocked out. Gotham had Kristie Mewis, Kelley O’Hara, and Lynn Williams with the U.S. National Team as well as Ifeoma Onumonu with Nigeria and Sinead Farrelly with Ireland. The Pride had Marta, Adriana, and new signing Rafaelle with Brazil, along with another new signing in Argentina’s Mariana Larroquette with Argentina. None of these players are likely to play this weekend after competing in New Zealand and Australia, resulting in a long trip back to the United States.

While Gotham will likely be without multiple starters, they’ll have solid replacements in their place. Midge Purce was left off the U.S. World Cup team and former captain McCall Zerboni has seen more playing time during the break. Both players caused problems in the most recent meeting and could be trouble in the attack tonight.

Three points tonight would see Gotham jump the Courage to win the East Division and qualify for the semifinals. This opportunity means that Gotham will likely start three of the usual back line of Mandy Freeman, Ellie Jean, and Jenna Nighswonger. However, Ali Krieger is missing so they’ll have to replace her veteran presence. Mandy Haught started the last meeting in Orlando, but they’ll likely have Abby Smith start in goal to ensure the three points.

The biggest concern for the Pride in this game will likely be Purce, who probably would’ve been at the World Cup with the U.S. if not for some recurring injuries. She was a nightmare for Brianna Martinez in the last meeting, drawing a penalty and nearly drawing a second one. Keeping the international in check will be key if the Pride get anything from this game.

“It’s our last (game) this season against them and we’ve played them multiple times. I feel that last time we went to their place, we controlled the game and walked away with a nil-nil draw,” Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “We’re looking to change that and win the game now. We’ve done well in the past when we’ve played against them. Some things haven’t gone our way, but we have to control the controllables and put a performance together to win the game. It’s going to take everyone, and we have to take that mentality until the end of the season because we are so close to what we want to achieve in the season.”

The Pride’s availability report remains the same as it was over the weekend. Carrie Lawrence (knee) is still out for the season and Celia (thigh) remains unavailable. Gotham are without four players for this game, including Imani Dorsey (excused absence), Krieger (excused absence), Svava Gudmundsdottir (foot), and Taryn Torres (knee).

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

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

Defensive Midfielders: Mikayla Cluff, Viviana Villacorta.

Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Erika Tymrak, Julie Doyle.

Forward: Messiah Bright.

Bench: Carly Nelson, Caitlin Cosme, Tori Hansen, Brianna Martinez, Jordyn Listro, Maliah Morris, Summer Yates, Amanda Allen, Ally Watt.

NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-4-1-1)

Goalkeeper: Mandy Haught. 

Defenders: Jenna Nighswonger, Kristen Edmonds, Ellie Jean, Mandy Freeman.

Midfielders: Yazmeen Ryan, Allie Long, Nealy Martin, Midge Purce.

Attacking Midfielder: Delanie Sheehan.

Forward: Katie Stengel.

Bench: Michelle Betos, Abby Smith, Bruninha, Annika Creel, Sabrina Flores, Taylor Smith, Meleana Shim, Maitane López, Cyera Hintzen.

Referees

REF: Jeremy Scheer.
AR1: Tom Felice.
AR2: Jessica Carnevale.
4TH: Joshua Encarnacion.
VAR: Emma Richards.
AVAR: Craig Lowry.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Red Bull Arena — Harrison, NJ.

TV: None.

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

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

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Enjoy the match. Go Pride!