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Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 5-0 as Pride Dominate Chicago in Regular-Season Return

The Pride equaled the biggest win in team history with a 5-0 thumping of the Chicago Red Stars.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (7-8-1, 22 points) had their best performance of the year in their first game after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup break, crushing the Chicago Red Stars (5-10-1, 16 points) 5-0. Rafaelle and Mariana Larroquette both scored on their debuts for the team and Messiah Bright scored the first brace of her young career. The fifth goal was by midfielder Mikayla Cluff.

The return of the World Cup participants meant that Marta and Adriana rejoined the lineup. Rafaelle also entered the lineup at center back, replacing Megan Montefusco and making her Pride debut. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Rafaelle, and Haley McCutcheon. Viviana Villacorta and Kerry Abello were in the defensive midfield behind Julie Doyle, Marta, and Adriana, with Bright up top.

Similar to their first meeting in Illinois on May 27, the Pride dominated this game from start to finish. Other than a brief flurry of blocked shots in the first half, Chicago couldn’t get anything going offensively. However, while the Pride were unable to hit the target in their first meeting, they put five behind Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher in this one.

The Pride dominated possession in the opening minutes, creating all of the opportunities in the opposing end. In the 11th minute, Marta attempted to play Bright behind the Chicago defense, but the rookie striker wasn’t expecting it. Two minutes later, Rafaelle sent a terrific ball behind the back line for Bright. Unfortunately, her first touch was too heavy, allowing Naeher to collect it.

The first shot of the game came in the 13th minute, when Doyle, who the Pride were constantly playing to outside early, sent a low cross into the box. It looked like the defense would easily clear, but there was some miscommunication. Marta took advantage, reaching in to put the ball on goal. However, the close-range shot was right to Naeher.

The Pride finally took the lead in the 14th minute from a corner kick. Adriana and Marta stood over the ball, with Adriana stepping over it. Marta’s cross was outside of the six-yard box and beyond the back post, where Rafaelle got her head to it. The newly-signed Brazilian sent the ball towards the opposite post where it beat Naeher for the opening goal.

“Obviously, Rafa is a world class center half,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about the opening goal. “And you know, she’s been threatening in her career off set pieces, and it’s nice to get that early goal. Nice for her to get that goal early on as well.”

Less than a minute later, McCutcheon nearly doubled the Pride’s lead. She attempted to play the ball across for Bright, but it was blocked right back to her. The right back’s second ball was a shot towards the far post that sent Naeher diving, but it went just wide of the post.

Marta came close to scoring in her first game back with the team in the 19th minute, when Doyle’s low cross was cleared out by Kayla Sharples. The clearance went to Marta outside of the box and the Pride captain took an ambitious shot on goal. It was a good strike, but went just over the crossbar.

The Pride doubled their lead in the 24th minute when McCutcheon blocked a long-distance attempt by Penelope Hocking — Chicago’s first shot of the game. She played the ball forward for Doyle, who immediately sent Bright into the Red Stars half. Hocking slid in with a very late challenge on Doyle, but referee Anya Voigt waved play on. Taylor Malham was on the striker, but left her too much space. Bright took advantage of the room, sending the ball inside the far post to give the Pride a 2-0 lead.

“I think when you just think about it in the moment and think it’s just picking your moments, I’m usually more of an attacking player that looks to go in the box,” Bright said about her first goal of the night. “So I think just trusting myself with my shot and knowing that I do have the range to kick it outside of the 18 as well. So I just took a chance and just really just had a good technique on it.”

“I think we’ve had games before where we’ve had those chances in the first 15, 20 minutes and we haven’t put them away,” Madril said about scoring two goals early. “And then it just puts more pressure on us to try to get that goal and then we have to work harder to just get those goals. So I think it’s great to get those two goals early and kind of let things calm down and kind of play or composed soccer and keep the ball and have Chicago chase the whole time.”

Before the Red Stars could restart, Voigt went back to the challenge on Doyle, issuing Hocking a yellow card for the late challenge.

Bright had a chance for a first-half brace in the 29th minute when a quick give-and-go between the rookie and Marta sent Bright behind the Red Stars defense. She got herself in position to shoot as she entered the box with Malham closing in, but the attempt was right to Naeher.

After only taking one shot in the first 34 minutes, the Red Stars had two good chances in the 35th minute. Strom attempted to shield St-Georges from the ball near her own end line, but St-Georges was able to play it back for Ava Cook. The forward took a touch to create space from Rafaelle and shot. Fortunately, Madril was backing her fellow center back up and blocked it. The rebound went right back to Cook, who laid it off for Yuki Nagasato behind her. Nagasato’s shot beat Rafaelle, but was blocked by Strom.

A minute later, the Red Stars forced Moorhouse into her first stop of the game when Casey Krueger found Hocking to her left. Hocking had some space for a shot and tried to beat Moorhouse to her near post, but the Pride goalkeeper got down to block it out of play.

The Red Stars had one more first-half opportunity in the 36th minute, when Nagasato found Julia Bianchi outside of the Pride box. The midfielder took a shot from distance, but Madril stepped in front of it for the block. The small flurry of chances was the only Chicago threat in the first half and the Pride were able to take a 2-0 lead into the break.

After 45 minutes, the Red Stars had more possession (51.7%-48.3%), but the Pride had more shots (9-5), shots on target (4-1), and crosses (11-7), and better passing accuracy (85.5%-81.2%). Both teams had two corners in the first half.

It looked like the Red Stars might get back into the game in the 49th minute when Krueger sent a long ball for Jenna Bike, who came on at halftime for St-Georges. Bike got behind the Pride defense, but Strom slid in to take the ball away. Hocking and Bike, who went down on the play, threw their arms in the air, claiming it should’ve been a penalty. But Voigt decided it was a clean challenge.

The Pride quickly went the other way with Adriana playing it forward for Marta. The Brazilian used the outside of her left foot to send Bright behind the Red Stars defense. Naeher came out of the box to challenge the striker, but Bright remained calm, dribbling around her and putting it in for her second goal of the night.

“The main thing that was going through my mind was just making sure I stayed even with the back line so I wouldn’t be caught offside,” Bright said about the goal. “But also just having that separation as well to break off once she passed. It is quite amazing how she got the ball through there. It’s Marta, so I mean, couldn’t expect nothing less. But my main thing was once she played it, I saw Naeher coming out, so I just went around her and the goal was wide open. I was kind of getting off balance a little bit so my main thing was just placing it, putting a little heat on it, and just redirecting it in the goal.”

It was Bright’s sixth goal of the season, tying her for fifth in the league. It’s also her first career brace, something the rookie says she’s been aiming for.

“I’ve been searching for that career brace for a minute now,” Bright said. “So it was pretty, you know, good to just get that. And I was actually aiming for a hat trick but, you know, take it a game at a time.”

Chicago had a chance to get one back in the 59th minute when Bianchi’s long-distance shot was blocked out of play by Rafaelle. The ensuing corner kick got under the arm and Moorhouse, but, fortunately, the Pride were able to clear.

Hines made his first changes of the game in the 60th minute. Cluff, Larroquette, and Jordyn Listro entered the game for Doyle, Bright, and Villacorta.

It didn’t take long for Larroquette to make an impact as she scored 3:46 into her Pride debut. The new forward received the ball on the left side of the box from Cluff and cut inside to beat her defender. The Argentine placed her shot with her right foot past Naeher and into the top corner to give the Pride a 4-0 lead.

“For Larroquette, you know, coming in and, you know, you can see the hunger that she brings to try and score.”Hines said about the new striker. “Every moment she wants to score.”

Four minutes later, the Pride scored a fifth and it was another substitute. Cluff played Adriana down the right and the Brazilian used some good footwork to beat Amanda Kowalski. Cluff continued her run into the box and Adriana found her. Cluff’s first touch was a soft shot inside the far post to give the Pride a 5-0 lead.

With the game well under control, the Pride made two final changes. Megan Montefusco came on for Rafaelle in the 70th minute and Summer Yates replaced Adriana in the 73rd minute.

The Pride nearly had a sixth in the 82nd minute when Abello beat her defender and sent a cross towards the top of the six-yard box. Naeher tried to knock the ball away, but only put it in front for Larroquette. Unfortunately, the Argentinian couldn’t get her foot on the ball and the Red Stars cleared.

Chicago had a chance to get on the scoresheet in the 85th minute when Ella Stevens sent fellow substitute Ally Schlegel behind the Pride defense. Schlegel’s first touch should’ve been a shot on goal, but it was a heavy one instead. Moorhouse came out to challenge and the two collided, resulting in the ball rolling out of play. Moorhouse was down briefly and required medical attention, but was able to continue.

The fourth official put up six minutes of second-half stoppage time, but the Pride were content with their five-goal lead. The only chance in the dying minutes came in the first minute of added time when Krueger did well to keep possession in the Pride box and send the ball towards the penalty spot. Cari Roccaro met the ball and took a shot, but Madril got in front of the attempt, blocking it wide.

The Red Stars finished the game with more possession (51.1%-48.9%) and corner kicks (6-4), but weren’t able to create much from them. The Pride had more shots (13-9), shots on target (7-1), and crosses (17-15), and better passing accuracy (85.6%-82.8%).

“The players were brilliant today,” Hines said about the performance. “From start to finish, the intensity of how they did everything, from attacking to defending. We talked heavily about taking our opportunities, end product in the final third. And, you know, they were brilliant. I can’t speak highly (enough) of them. You know, we’ve felt like that performance has been coming. But it’s nice to finally get a good score line at the end of it.”

The five goals are the most the Pride have scored in a game since May 26, 2018 when they beat the Red Stars in Illinois, 5-2. It’s their largest win since Aug. 12, 2017 when they won 5-0 over Sky Blue FC at Exploria Stadium. It’s also the first time that the Pride have beaten the Red Stars in Orlando, now with a record of 1-7-1 at home against tonight’s opposition.

In addition to team history, the Pride also set some league history tonight. They did that earlier this year by conceding the latest goals in league history, but this time it was positive. Brazilians Marta, Adriana, and Rafaelle all had a part in goals, the first time in NWSL history that three players from the same country other than the United States had goal contributions in the same game.

It was a clutch performance for the Pride as they attempt to qualify for the NWSL playoffs for the first time since 2017. Racing Louisville lost last night, so the Pride move in front of them into seventh place. The final playoff spot is currently held by San Diego Wave FC, which is three points ahead of the Pride after this weekend’s games.

The win makes the Pride’s next match even more essential as they welcome the Wave to Exploria Stadium Friday night with a chance to climb even on points for the sixth and final playoff spot.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fail to Score at Providence Park

The Pride’s Portland problems popped up to punish the team once again.

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1 day ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-2-0, 15 points) continued to have difficulty when visiting Providence Park, losing 1-0 tonight to the Portland Thorns in Oregon. The home team took the early lead on Reyna Reyes’ 16th minute goal. The Pride were unable to generate any good chances on goal no matter who Pride Head Coach Seb Hines put on in the second half.

Hines made five changes to the team that won against Angel City. Oihane once again replaced Cori Dyke at right back, Zara Chavoshi got the start next to Emily Sams in place of Kylie Nadaner. Carson Pickett took over at left back, with Kerry Abello moving into the midfield. Ally Watt also returned to the starting lineup in place of Prisca Chilufya. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Pickett, Chavoshi, Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Abello were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Ally Lemos with Banda up top.

Early in the match, the Pride tried the route one approach, sending long balls up to Banda. The first two times it worked well enough for Banda to get the ball cleanly, but she was unable to make anything from it. After that, the Pride continued to try this approach, but it was less successful.

Portland made things difficult for the Pride, pressing early and often. In the 16th minute it paid off for the home team. Pickett played a defensive ball out for a Thorns throw-in. Portland worked the ball across to Reyes. She moved the ball onto her left foot and put a very good shot inside the left post for what ended up being the game-winning goal.

The curl on that left foot 🙌Reyna Reyes with a special goal for @thornsfc.com!

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-05-04T01:18:37.428Z

The Pride did have some chances but nothing with any type of power behind it to beat McKenzie Arnold. The Pride looked flat through most of the first half, and the Thorns brought more energy. Orlando looked disjointed and disinterested.

In the 37th minute, Pride supporters got a big scare. Banda took the ball into the box, but then pulled up as if she had a noncontact injury. Play was eventually stopped for the trainers to check on her. Mercifully, Banda was not injured and was able to continue.

Things almost got much worse for the Pride in the 39th minute. Reilyn Turner took a through ball into the box, rounded Moorhouse and put the ball on frame. Fortunately, Chavoshi recovered and made a clutch goal-line save to keep the score at 1-0.

After 45 minutes of play, the Thorns had the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on target (4-1). The Pride had the advantage in possession (53%-47%) and corners (3-0), but were not able to generate much of a threat.

Hines did not make any changes to start the second half despite the lack of scoring. The Thorns started quickly as Deyna Castellanos got on a long ball in the box. Luckily, her shot went wide. One minute later, Moorhouse was fouled. She took a shin to the head, and boot to her right hand. After several minutes she was subbed off for McKinley Crone.

The second half was much like the first. The Pride had difficulty breaking Portland’s lines. When they did, the chances did not threaten Arnold. A perfect example of this came in the 64th minute. Watt stripped the ball from a Portland player and fed it to Banda, who gave it back to Watt for the chance, but there was nothing on it.

In the 68th minute, Hines brought on Dyke, Angelina, and Viviana Villacorta for Oihane, Lemos, and Pickett. One minute later, Banda had a chance, but her near-post shot was saved by Arnold. On the other end, Crone saved a shot by Payton Linnehan in the 74th minute. In the 75th minute, Chilufya came on for Marta.

Hines made his final substitution in the 83rd minute, bringing on Grace Chanda for Watt. Between Moorhouse’s injury and various other fouls, there were 11 minutes of second-half stoppage time. Being up a goal against the defending champs, Portland players immediately headed for the corner whenever they got the ball.

Despite double digits to work with in stoppage time, the Pride failed to equalize and suffered their second loss of the season. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (58%-42%), corner kicks (7-2), and passing accuracy (80%-75%). Portland had the advantage on shots (15-11), shots on target (7-4), and, most importantly, on the scoreboard.

“You have got to try and create the space. You have got to move, make unselfish runs and you have got to be proactive rather than reactive,” Hines said about the team’s lack of offense. “I felt today that Portland were one step ahead of us in their defensive structure. We didn’t create too many opportunities. They were well organized. You have got to find different ways, and we had different solutions during the run of game and changed different buildup shapes, but it wasn’t enough to get that equalizer.” 

Hines praise the play of Chavoshi and Crone in the match, with both players short on experience.

“I think they are the main positives out of the game,” Hines said. “Giving Zara [Chavoshi] the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start. [McKinley Crone] has been waiting a long time for that opportunity. It is in a way that we didn’t want it to happen, obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. Mac has been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.” 

Fortunately for the Pride, the Kansas City Current and the Washington Spirit also lost their matches, meaning the Pride remain tied for first with the Current. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity to put some daylight between those other top teams.

“My head is all over the place at the moment, honestly,” Crone said about getting on the pitch. “I don’t really (know) if I can pinpoint a singular emotion. I am really honored, especially being from Orlando, just to be able to represent the city. This is such a tough place to come in and play. I thought the team fought hard. Now at this point, it is about turning our focus to the next game. It is such a long season, and we have so many more games ahead of us, it is now about how can we respond to this result today.”

The Pride remain on the road next weekend for an away match against the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

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

The Pride look to claim their second-ever win in Portland as they take on the Thorns away from home.

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2 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) travel west to take on Portland Thorns FC (2-2-3, 9 points) at Providence Park in Portland, OR. This is the first two games these teams will play with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Oct. 10.

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

History

The Pride have struggled historically against the Thorns, with a record of 4-14-2 in 20 games (4-13-2 in league play and 0-1-0 in the playoffs). They’re 1-8-0 in Portland with the only win occurring in 2018.

The most recent meeting between the two teams came on Oct. 11, 2024 in Portland. The Pride secured the NWSL Shield the previous game, so several starters were given a break. It showed on the field as the Pride lost 2-0, ending a 23-game unbeaten run. Morgan Weaver gave hosts the lead in the 13th minute and Christine Sincalir doubled the advantage in the 55th minute.

The meeting prior to that loss came on May 24 in Orlando. It was the Barbra Banda show as the Pride striker scored two goals 10 minutes apart, giving her team a 2-0 halftime lead. Izzy D’Aquila got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1.

The first game between the two teams in 2023 was on March 26 at Providence Park. Weaver opened the scoring early and Sophia Smith doubled the advantage a few minutes later. Hina Sugita made it three, and Michele Vasconcelos wrapped up the scoring as the Thorns won 4-0. On June 11, 2023, in Orlando, Smith gave the visitors the lead, but the Pride took over after that. Adriana scored a brace and Messiah Bright’s 69th-minute strike lifted the Pride to a 3-1 win. 

The teams met twice in 2022, with the first coming on Sept. 9 at Exploria Stadium. Yazmeen Ryan gave the visitors the lead and Sugita doubled the advantage as the Thorns won 2-0. That was the second meeting of the season after the teams met on June 19 in Portland. In Seb Hines’ second game as interim head coach, the Thorns smashed the Pride, 6-0.

The teams met earlier in the year during the 2021 season, playing on May 26 in Orlando. The Pride won for only the second time against Portland since the team’s inception. Orlando won 2-1 with goals from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux.

The second meeting that year came on July 18 in Portland, and the home team won again. Smith gave the hosts the lead and Marissa Everett doubled the advantage. Marisa Viggiano got one back in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Thorns won, 2-1.

They met a third time on Aug. 14. The Pride took an early lead when Courtney Petersen found Jodie Taylor for the opening goal. But Simone Charley equalized and the teams drew 1-1.

The Pride and Thorns didn’t play in 2020 after the season was canceled due to the global pandemic and they weren’t in the same group for the NWSL Fall Series. As a result, the most recent meeting prior to 2021 was in 2019.

The teams opened the 2019 season against each other in Orlando, but the Thorns got the better of the clash. The game was decided on either side of halftime as Caitlin Foord scored just before the break and Tobin Heath scored four minutes after the restart, lifting Portland to a 2-0 win. They met again in Orlando on May 11 and the visitors won again. Toni Pressley gave the Pride an early lead, but it was all Portland after that. Dagny Brynjarsdottir equalized, Andressinha gave Portland the lead, and Foord finished it off.

The final meeting between the two in 2019 was a goal fest in Portland and another Thorns win. Hayley Raso gave the Thorns the lead just three minutes into the game and Midge Purce’s goal made it look like it would be a dominant performance by the hosts. But Marta got one back to make it 2-1. Sinclair made it 3-1, followed by a Thorns own goal by Emily Menges. It looked like the Pride would get a rare point through Erin Greening’s 90th-minute goal, but Tyler Lussi scored in second-half injury time, dooming the Pride to another loss in Oregon.

The teams faced off three times in 2018, which featured the Pride’s lone win in Portland. The Thorns won the first game, 2-1 on April 15. But on May 12, goals by Morgan and Christine Nairn gave the Pride a 2-0 lead. Sinclair got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for their only result at Providence Park. The third meeting went back to usual, with the Thorns winning 2-0 through Lindsey Horan and Raso.

The teams started the 2017 season against each other in Portland with the Thorns winning 2-0. They met again in the penultimate game of the season in Orlando, ending in a scoreless draw. The most important game between the two teams was the Pride’s only playoff appearance. Unfortunately, it was all Portland, as the Thorns beat the Pride 4-1.

The first meeting of 2016 was the Pride’s first-ever game. Steph Catley gave the visitors a surprising lead, but Brynjarsdottir equalized and Horan won it for Portland. They met again on June 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Two second-half goals by Brynjarsdottir and Horan lifted the Thorns to another 2-1 win.

Overview

The Pride got off to a great start this season, winning their first four games. A 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit on April 19 and a slow start against Angel City on April 25 was a little worrisome. But the Pride came back from a 2-0 deficit to score three goals in the final 20 minutes, defeating the California-based visitors 3-2.

Tonight, the Pride head back out on the road for the first time since they beat Seattle Reign FC 1-0 on April 12. It’s no surprise the team is led offensively by Banda. The Zambian netted a late brace in a 6-0 win over the Chicago Stars to start the season before failing to score in the following two games. However, she’s converted in two of the last three games, including a 76th-minute header in the most recent contest.

The team’s been very solid defensively this season, only conceding four goals. Two of those goals came in the most recent game against Angel City. They’re currently tied with the Kansas City Current on 14 goals scored and four conceded for a +10 goal differential.

Tonight, the Pride head to a stadium they’ve struggled in since the team’s inaugural season. They’ve only taken points once in nine games in Portland over the past 10 years. While many of those years the Thorns were near the top of the league and the Pride near the bottom, even last year the Pride couldn’t find a way to beat the Thorns.

One thing that should make the task a little easier is the Thorns’ absences. Sinclair retired following the 2024 season after over a decade in Portland. Sophia Wilson is also out for this game due to pregnancy. The U.S. international’s absence creates a tremendous challenge for the Portland attack.

The Thorns currently sit in sixth in the NWSL standings with nine points. However, they’re only three points behind the Spirit for third. A win at home tonight against the Pride would put them only three points back of second and possibly first, depending on how the Current do.

Portland’s led offensively this season by second-year professional Reilyn Turner with three of the team’s 10 goals. Rookie Jayden Perry sits second on the team with two goals and several players have one, including Olivia Moultrie, Jessie Fleming, and Deyna Castellanos.

The Thorns got the season off to a rocky start, losing 3-1 in Kansas City. But the back line quickly got it together, only conceding three goals in the next five games. That strong defensive effort went away on April 27 when the Thorns conceded three goals  for the second time this season in a 3-3 home draw with Racing Louisville FC.

“Historically, it hasn’t always been a great place for us to go play. But we’re a different team now,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “I think different contexts, different circumstances. We’re still early on in the season, so we are wanting to continue that momentum from last week. We showed great character to come back from two goals down. The players are in good spirits. It shows the collective as well, players coming off the bench and playing a role and influencing the game. So there’s a real togetherness here. It’s going to be a good environment. It’s always a nice place to go play with the fans, the opponent, everything that comes with it. So, yeah, we’re excited to get across there and play another game of football.”

There aren’t any changes to the Pride availability report for the second consecutive game. They’ll be without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), Aryssa Mahrt (knee), Julie Doyle (knee), Rafaelle (thigh), and Summer Yates (ankle).

The Thorns are without Daiane (knee), Caiya Hanks (hip), Marie Muller (knee), Nicole Payne (knee), Olivia Wade-Katoa (maternity leave), Morgan Weaver (knee), and Sophia Wilson (maternity leave).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Zara Chavoshi, Emily Sams, Oihane.

Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos, Ally Watt.

Forwards: Barbra Banda, Marta.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Cori Dyke, Brianna Martinez, Kylie Nadaner, Morgan Gautrat, Viviana Villacorta, Angelina, Grace Chanda, Prisca Chilufya.

Portland Thorns FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Mackenzie Arnold.

Defenders: Reyna Reyes, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze, Sam Hiatt.

Defensive Midfielders: Sam Coffey, Hina Sugita.

Attacking Midfielders: Olivia Moultrie, Mimi Alidou, Reilyn Turner.

Forward: Deyna Castellanos.

Bench: Bella Bixby, Kaitlyn Torpey, Sophie Hirst, Jessie Fleming, Carissa Boeckman, Mallie McKenzie, Payton Linnehan, Pietra Tordin, Alexa Spaanstra.

Referees

REF: Nabil Bensalah.
AR1: Fernando Fierro.
AR2: Cameron Siler.
4TH: Dion Coxe-Trieger.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Providence Park — Portland, OR.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @manelanddave.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Complete Comeback Win

The Pride scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a win.

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1 week ago

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April 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) bounced back from last week’s loss, coming back to defeat Angel City FC (2-2-2, 8 points) 3-2 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The visitors took an early lead through Riley Tiernan in the ninth minute and Katie Zelem doubled the advantage just before halftime. But the Pride came storming back in the final 20 minutes with goals by Marta in the 72nd minute, Barbra Banda in the 76th minute, and an own goal by M.A. Vignola in second-half stoppage time.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Washington Spirit on April 19. Cori Dyke started in place of Oihane, who left injured at halftime against Washington, and Ally Lemos also got the start for Haley McCutcheon. Prisca Chilufya got her first start as a member of the Pride, replacing Ally Watt.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Dyke. Lemos and Morgan Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Angelina, Marta, and Chilufya with Banda up top.

The first half was hard to watch for Pride fans. Despite flying across the country, Angel City dominated the first 45 minutes. The Pride looked much better coming out of the half, putting the opposition on the back foot. After failing to challenge Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson in the first half, the Pride put her under constant pressure as the game wound down. The pressure paid off as the Pride netted three goals in the final 20 minutes.

Angel City was the team on the attack early in this game. The first shot came in the sixth minute when Zelem received a pass back and attempted a shot from long distance. However, the shot sailed over the top of the goal.

In the ninth minute, the visitors took the lead. Kennedy Fuller sent a long ball down the right sideline where Tiernan was making a run behind Nadaner. The forward cut back to lose Nadaner before entering the box. It was a tight angle, but Tiernan went for the near post anyway. Moorhouse should have had that space covered, but the ball slipped between her and post to give Angel City an early 1-0 lead.

Angel City nearly scored a second in the 25th minute when Fuller used some nifty footwork before knocking the ball off Chilufya for a corner kick. Her set piece into the box found Vignola near the penalty spot and the defender put the ball on target. It looked to be past Moorhouse, but the Pride goalkeeper did well to dive backwards and tip it wide.

The visitors should’ve had a second in the 31st minute when Tiernan was sent forward. The attacker dribbled to the end line before playing the ball across the box. It was a bit too far in front of Fuller, but it went straight to Zelem with an open goal. However, the midfielder lost her footing and sent the attempt wide.

The Pride finally took their first shot of the game in the 33rd minute off a set piece. Marta’s corner kick was to Dyke near the top of the box. The right back fired on goal but sent her attempt well off target.

In the 40th minute, Abello got down the left and sent a cross into the box. She was aiming for Banda at the near post, but Savy King got her head to it first, cleaning it across the box.

The Pride kept possession and it ended up back up with Abello. The left back’s ball towards the six was blocked by Sarah Gorden, but it went right back to Abello. The defender took a second shot, sending it well wide of the target.

On the other end, Angel City extended their lead. Claire Emslie found Zelem to her left just outside of the box and the midfielder played Fuller just inside the 18. After making a move to lose her defender, Fuller took a shot at goal, forcing Moorhouse to tip it over the crossbar.

The ensuing corner kick was won by Alanna Kennedy, but she couldn’t put her header on goal. Gautrat and Abello both had a chance to clear the danger, but neither were able to get anything on the ball. It fell right to Zelem, who put it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a commanding 2-0 lead shortly before halftime.

The final chance of the first half came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Banda fouled Tiernan from behind as she entered the Pride third of the field, earning a yellow card. The ensuing set piece went to Nadaner and Kennedy. It was redirected towards goal, but Moorhouse was there to catch it.

After 45 minutes of play, the Pride had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), crosses (12-5), corner kicks (7-4), and passing accuracy (85%-79%). But Angel City took more shots (8-5) and put more on target (4-0).

“Angel City are a good team in transition. And so, if you give away the ball in dangerous areas, they can punish you,” Hines said about the halftime deficit. “And ultimately, the first goal comes from a transition moment. The second goal is a set piece, and it’s unfamiliar territory for us. You know, it’s been a while since we’ve been a couple of goals down in games. But, again, two halves are never the same. We rectified it in our halftime team talk. And, yeah, we went after it. You know, nothing to lose at that point.”

“I think we just weren’t ourselves individually,” Abello added about the first half. “I think our press was a little off and we kind of got it in our heads. And they broke it a few times. And when they break it with players like Alyssa Thompson and Gisele and Emslie, you feel that, right? Because those players can do really dangerous things and then we weren’t connecting our passes. On the flip side, we’d win the ball and give it right back to them. And honestly, I think that was the hardest part for us, is just keeping possession. Because, again, they have dangerous players that can exploit you when you give the ball away. So yeah, not our best half.”

The Pride were the more attacking team coming out of the locker room and created a pair of chances in the 50th minute. It started when Marta’s cross was off Gisele Thompson and out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece went to the far side of the box, where Marta redirected it towards goal. But Kennedy was there to head it away.

Orlando recycled, creating an even better chance. Abello found Marta at the back post from the left with nobody on the Brazilian. Marta tried to volley the ball into the empty net, but it got caught in her feet and she was unable to get a shot off, allowing Anderson to collect it.

The Pride won another corner kick in the 51st minute, this time taken by Marta. She found Nadaner at the far post. The center back tried to get over the ball, but it was a little behind her and Nadnaer’s header was wide of the target.

A scary moment occurred in the 53rd minute. Gautrat and Kennedy went up for the ball and the Pride defensive midfielder elbowed Kennedy in the face. The former Pride player was down for several minutes before rising with a black eye. After a medical examination, it was determined she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Madison Hammond.

In the 59th minute, Hines made a triple substitution trying to get his team back into the game. Watt, McCutcheon, and Oihane came on for Chilufya, Gautrat, and Dyke.

It looked like the Pride had a chance to get a goal back in the 66th minute when Marta beat Vignola to a free ball and sprinted down the field. She played Banda forward and the striker had Watt — the fastest player on the field—  on her right. It looked like Banda tried to play her the ball but put it into the feet of King instead.

The Pride got a goal back in the 72nd minute when Lemos sent Oihane down the right. Nobody closed down the right back, allowing her to send a cross into the box. It was behind Banda, but went straight to Marta, who turned it on goal. Anderson got a hand to the ball, but knocked it into the bottom corner, cutting the Pride deficit to 2-1.

“I think it gave us belief,” Pickett said about the goal. “I think we, deep down, have belief, but we kind of need that, ‘Okay, we’re really in this game, and we can fight back, claw back.’ It gave us that extra bit of confidence to go there and continue to score, because we saw that we can. We could find a way to break them down, and we need to do it again and again.”

“That goal was everything,” Abello added “I think, up until that goal, we had so much momentum, and we all thought we were going to score that first goal to get us back in the game. But, as time drags on, you’re like, is it going to come? Is it going to come even with good chances? And so, for her to put that away early enough for us to be like, oh, we still have so much time left. We have the momentum. We can do this. So, that goal changed everything.”

Immediately after the goal, Hines made the final two changes for the Pride. Grace Chanda and Carson Pickett came on for Angelina and Nadaner.

The Pride found their equalizer in the 76th minute. Watt sent a cross through the box from the right, but it went over everyone. Pickett recovered the ball before it crossed the touchline, sending in a cross of her own from the left. Banda and Zelem attacked the ball at the near post and the Zambian got there first, heading it off the inside of the post and in to even the game at 2-2.

“I love a good left-footed service,” Pickett said about her assist. “So, when you see people like Ally Watt and Barbra Banda in the box, you put it on their head. Or you try to find their head. So, I think that’s what I was aiming for.”

The goal was Banda’s fourth of the season, allowing her to maintain her team lead.

Oihane had a chance to give the Pride the lead in the 79th minute when she played Banda forward into the box. King got there first and knocked the ball off Banda’s foot, but it went straight to Oihane. The Spanish international had a clear shot on Anderson and the goalkeeper did well to get down and make the stop.

Seconds later, Marta played Watt into the box. The attacker had gotten behind her defender and had a clear chance on goal. But, again, Anderson did well to get down and tap the ball wide. Anderson palmed the ensuing corner kick away and a foul was called on the Pride, ending the threat.

In the 85th minute, Watt received a throw-in before being pushed over by Vignola. Marta’s free kick was headed out, falling to the foot of Oihane. The defender took a right-foot volley towards goal, but sent it well off target.

The fourth official showed eight minutes of stoppage time and the Pride completed their comeback in the third minute. Pickett sent a curling ball into the box where Vignola was first to reach it. Watt was charging in from the right, forcing Vignola to make a quick decision. The ball went off Vignola’s chest, past Anderson, and in to give the Pride a 3-2 lead.

There was a video review, because Watt extended her arms slightly as she reached the back of Vignola, but it was a quick decision that there wasn’t a foul and the Pride kept the lead.

Pressing opposing defenders into own goals has been a strong point for the Pride this season. They benefited from own goals in the season opener against Chicago and the following game against NJ/NY Gotham FC. This was the third own goal just six games into the season.

Angel City defended furiously as the clock wound down but was forced to push for an equalizer. However, the Pride were able to keep some possession, holding on for the 3-2 win.

At full time, the Pride had had the advantage in possession (53.7%-46.3%), shots (15-10), crosses (27-11), corner kicks (10-6), and passing accuracy (82%-77.1%). Both teams ended the game putting five chances on target.

“Tale of two halves,” Hines said about the game. “I think, obviously, being 2-0 down in this league is incredibly difficult to get back into it. But we showed our character. We showed our mentality. That never say die, never give up. You know, we showed what we’re capable of doing in that second half by scoring three goals and missed some chances as well. So it could have been a lot easier and different, but thankful for the three points and we move on.”

While the Pride have a 100% record in Los Angeles (3-0-0), this is the first time the Pride have beaten Angel City at home (1-1-2). Tonight also marked the first time in club history that the Pride have won a game after trailing by multiple goals.

The three goals late in the game were also significant coming off a performance where finishing was a problem. It looked like poor finishing would doom the Pride for the second straight week, but they were able to find the net three times in the final 20 minutes.

“Last week, whether it was the final cross or final pass or not getting across defenders, what I need to give credit to with our players is they take on feedback really well,” Hines said. “They take information from all the coaching staff really well, and if they listen and continue to grow and learn, then they get their rewards up like they did. You know, by scoring three goals, the crosses were phenomenal from Oihane, Carson, the finishes from Barbra, getting across the defender, Marta, getting in the right area. And, you know, if you have enough players in that area, you can force an error from the defender.”

The win moves the Pride back into a tie for first place with the Kansas City Current. However, the Current have a better goal difference and a game in hand. They’ll play their sixth game tomorrow night in North Carolina.

After this two-game homestand, the Pride now head back out on the road. They’ll face the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on May 3.

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