Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win But Fall Short of Playoffs
A late Marta penalty saw the Pride defeat the Houston Dash but miss the playoffs due to tiebreakers.
The Orlando Pride (10-11-1, 31 points) ended their 2023 campaign with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash (6-8-8, 26 points) at Exploria Stadium. Marta drew a late penalty and converted it in the 87th minute for the winner. However, results around the league saw the Pride come up just shy of qualifying for the playoffs for the second time in team history.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change from the team that lost 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC last weekend. Erika Tymrak entered the lineup for the first time since Aug. 9 and the first time in a league game since July 7, replacing Celia. Haley McCutcheon moved into the defensive midfield last weekend, but returned to her regular right back position tonight.
“You go into film and you see areas that you can exploit. I think Erika’s been buying her time and waiting for her opportunity,” Hines said about starting the veteran. “We felt this was the right time to put her in. Also, the leadership that she brings, the experience that she brings also, and we needed a calm head in those moments. So, yeah, I want to make sure that everyone feels like they’re part of it. And sometimes it may not always be a start, it might be a substitution or, you know, just waiting for the opportunity. And between myself and the staff, we felt Erika was the right person to put in and in this game.”
“That’s part of the game,” Tymrak said about making her first appearance since Aug. 9. “Like, sometimes you don’t play for a month and then you start a game. That’s happened in my career more times than I can remember. So I think that’s just being a pro. You have to stay ready.”
The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kylie Strom, Rafaelle, Emily Madril, and McCutcheon. Jordyn Listro and Kerry Abello were in the defensive midfield behind Tymrak, Marta, and Adriana, with Messiah Bright up top.
The Pride were the better team throughout most of the game. Houston had two golden opportunities late in the first half, but few other chances. The hosts were unable to convert most of their opportunities until the late penalty. Those misses will live in their memories during the postseason as they came up short of a playoff spot on goal difference.
The Pride were the aggressors early. In the fourth minute, Tymrak played Bright down the left. Katie Lind got a piece of the ball, sending it out of play. The ensuing corner kick by Marta found Rafaelle, but Maria Sanchez blocked it out for a second attempt. Houston was able to clear the second corner.
McCutcheon created an opportunity in the eighth minute when she sprinted down the right with the ball and sent a cross in before reaching the end line. The ball was aimed for Tymrak near the top of the six-yard box, but was just over her head.
Two minutes later, Marta almost created a moment of magic after a give-and-go with Bright. The Pride captain used quick footwork to beat Lind and Natalie Jacobs, keeping the ball glued to her feet. Unfortunately, the last touch got a little too far away and Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell collected it. Had Marta been able to get a shot off, it probably would’ve been the NWSL’s goal of the season.
In the 15th minute, Tymrak sent Bright behind the Dash defense. The forward’s touch was too strong, forcing her to attempt a cross instead of shooting. The cross was cleared, but only to Adriana at the top of the box. The Brazilian shot with her second touch, but sent the attempt over the target.
Houston got its first attacking opportunity in the 24th minute when Michelle Alozie won a corner kick. The set piece was to the near post and Sophie Schmidt was the first to it, but her header was wide.
Following a hydration break, the Dash created a chance in the 33rd minute when Schmidt sent a beautiful ball behind the back line for Nichelle Prince. The forward got behind Madril and shot, but sent the attempt straight to Moorhouse.
In the 34th minute, Adriana attempted a cross on the right, but it was blocked out of play by Sarah Puntigam. The ensuing corner kick by Marta found the head of Rafaelle, but the center back sent the attempt just over the crossbar.
On the other end, McCutcheon conceded a corner kick and the Dash looked to take advantage. The set piece resulted in multiple shots by the visitors, but the Pride defense stood strong, blocking them away.
Marta made a run through the midfield in the 38th minute and played it wide for Adriana on the right with space. The midfielder attempted a long-distance shot, but it was into the arms of Campbell, who easily collected it.
In the 41st minute, Marta carried the ball into the Houston third again, but this time took it herself. She took a shot from a tight angle that looked to be heading just inside the near post, but Campbell blocked it away. Her ensuing corner kick was headed out, ending up with Listro. The defensive midfielder shot from just outside of the box, sending it right to Campbell.
Houston nearly ended the first half by taking the lead. Four minutes into first-half stoppage time, Snachez sent a low pass across the top of the six-yard box that went behind Alozie. It reached Andressa, who flicked it with her heel past Madril and Moorhouse. The ball bounced off the inside of the left post and rolled across the goal line before Strom cleared it away.
That was the final touch of the half as the game went into the break scoreless. Houston had more first-half possession (55.1%-44.9%), but the Pride had more shots (10-8), shots on goal (3-2), corner kicks (4-3), and crosses (11-8). The Dash also had better passing accuracy (79.9%-77%) in the first 45 minutes.
The Pride got the first attempt of the second half in the 49th minute when McCutcheon found Bright in the Houston box. The striker redirected the ball towards goal with her first touch, but sent it wide.
They had another opportunity in the 52nd minute when Bright’s ball into the box was blocked out of play by Schmidt for a corner kick. Marta’s set piece was towards the top of the six-yard box, but too close to Campbell, who caught it.
With the Pride needing goals to keep their postseason chances alive, Hines made his first change of the game in the 55th minute. Forward Ally Watt came on for Tymrak.
The Pride continued to create chances in the 60th minute. First, Strom dribbled in from the left, shooting towards the near post. It went through Campbell’s hands and off the crossbar. Seconds later, Marta took a shot from the top of the box. The attempt was on target, but Campbell made a diving stop, pushing the ball wide.
Hines made two more changes in the 71st minute. Usual starters Julie Doyle and Mikayla Cluff came on for Bright and Listro.
A throw-in for Houston in the 73rd minute resulted in a chance for an opener by the visitors. Receiving the ball on the right, Caprice Dydasco played a short pass to Joelle Anderson, who came on for Prince in the 63rd minute. The substitute shot for the far post and didn’t miss by much, forcing Moorhouse to dive for it. Fortunately, the ball skipped wide.
Out of a hydration break in the 78th minute, Marta nearly connected with Doyle. The Brazilian lifted the ball into the box and the substitute dove for it. However, the ball was just beyond her reach, glancing off her head and wide of the far post.
Adriana felt she should’ve had a penalty in the 79th minute when Schmidt challenged for the ball in the box. The attacker went down, but referee Natalie Simon didn’t see a foul. Adriana appealed for a penalty, but the call was correct as Schmidt got the ball.
In the 84th minute, Doyle sent a long ball into the Houson box. Marta beat Lind to the ball and the defender pushed the attacker down from behind. Simon didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, awarding the Pride a late penalty.
After a brief VAR check, Marta stepped up to take the spot kick. Campbell guessed the correct way, but the shot was under her arm to give the Pride a late 1-0 lead.
“You need to feel the moment, you know? I’m trying to read what the goalkeeper think about and I’m trying to play a little bit with my eyes. Like to try to make sure she don’t take the ball,” Marta said about her penalty. “But it’s about the moment. And then I just, at the last second, I just decide to take her, I think it was her right side. And then it was a goal.”
Immediately following the goal and needing more to make the playoffs, Hines made two final attacking changes. Summer Yates and Mariana Larroquette came on for Abello and Madril.
In the 89th minute, Watt fouled Sanchez and was booked for the challenge. Sanchez’s free kick found the foot of Schmidt, who’s first touch was a redirect on goal. But it was to Moorhouse, who made the stop.
A minute into stoppage time, Adriana blocked a Diana Ordonez cross out for a corner kick. Sanchez’s cross to the near post connected with Schmidt, but the midfielder’s shot was wide.
Two minutes later, Doyle sent a cross into the box. Yates couldn’t handle the pass, but it went to Larroquette, who played it forward for Yates behind the Houston back line. The rookie shot, but sent the ball over the crossbar.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Doyle carried the ball inside and took the shot herself. Campbell got down to make the stop, but it went right to Adriana. The Brazilian chested the ball down and touched it to the side to create space, but the shot was into the arms of Campbell.
The final chance of the game for either team came in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Schmidt fouled Yates outside of the box, giving the Pride a dangerous set piece to the left of goal. Adriana sent it to Cluff at the back post. The midfielder’s head connected with the pass, but she couldn’t get enough of it, putting it wide.
Houston ended up with more possession (51.8%-48.2%), but the Pride had more shots (21-11), shots on target (8-2), corner kicks (6-5), and crosses (21-11). The Dash passed more accurately (75.7%-74.9%) and the Pride came away with a 1-0 win to end the season.
“It’s like, we win the game but we lose. So it’s difficult,” Hines said about the game. “I thought the game, we started a little bit slow and not as threatening as I would have liked us to be. But I get it, you know, there’s a lot at stake in this game and a lot of pressure. And I felt like in the second half we were more aggressive. The goal comes from a terrific ball from Julie, a great run from Marta, and she gets in behind the back line and gets brought down. And you think, you know, you’re 1-0 up and you’re looking towards next week. But, you know, it wasn’t meant to be and yeah, it’s a tough one.”
Despite the three points, the Pride fell just short of a playoff spot. OL Reign beat the Chicago Red Stars 3-0, NJ/NY Gotham FC drew the Kansas City Current 2-2, and Angel City FC stunned everyone with a 5-1 win over the Portland Thorns. As a result, the Pride finished tied on points with Angel City and Gotham for fifth, but fell on goal difference.
“I’ve played in leagues all around the world and you always have top teams and then kind of like this big gap and then lower teams. And I think what’s special about the NWSL is that there is no weak team,” Tymrak said about the number of teams fighting for playoff spots. “Every game you play is so hard. There’s no easy game. There’s no break game. But that’s why I think we’re the best league in the world is you have that competitiveness regardless.”
“I’m so proud of this team because from beginning everybody put us in the last. You know, like when you see the list, Orlando Pride was the last one,” Marta said about overcoming preseason expectations. “And look now, so it was too close. And I hope we can, of course we’re going to be sad, but learn about this today and don’t make this happen again next year. Because we’re going to come back strong.”
While the team fell short of the postseason, they have plenty to look forward to in 2024. The hiring of Hines as head coach appears to have been the right decision as they finished in their second-highest position in team history. Additionally, Marta indicated after the game that she’ll be back to captain the team next year, the last of her two-year deal.
It will be a difficult off-season for the Pride as they attempt to reconcile the missed opportunities that could’ve seen them continue their season. However, there’s plenty of optimism going forward with a young squad that’s proven it can compete in this league.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 3-1 as Banda Brace Leads Pride to Victory
Barbra Banda bags a brace and an assist but goes down injured late in the victory.
After dropping two games to expansion teams and stealing a win in San Diego, the Orlando Pride looked to enter the summer break on a good note. The Pride (5-5-2, 17 points) had never lost to Bay FC (3-6-2, 11 points) and used a second-half burst to maintain that winning record and won 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium.
Barbra Banda opened the scoring in the fourth minute and followed it up in the 51st minute with her second. She added an assist to Cori Dyke in the 55th minute to close out the Pride scoring. Caroline Conti scored the lone Bay FC goal at the seven-minute mark.
“No better gift than a 3-1 victory at home in front of our fans,” Pride Head Coach (and birthday boy) Seb Hines said after the game. “It feels good that we’re ending this period on a high. I think it’s the first time this season we’ve got back-to-back victories.”
The Pride made one change in the lineup, giving Kerry Abello her first start of the season over Julie Doyle. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Oihane on defense. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos played midfield in front of them with Mace, Luana, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Banda and her leading-leading nine goals played alone up top.
After an hour weather delay, the Pride went with the in-vogue start these days by kicking the ball straight out of bounds deep on the start and pressing high. It led to an opening three minutes of play in which the Pride kept the pressure up and forced the ball to stay on the Bay FC side. In the fourth minute, Luana headed a ball towards the center which Banda controlled, bodied Bay FC’s Joelle Anderson off the ball, and slotted the opening goal with her left foot.
Bay FC fought right back in the seventh minute as the visitors didn’t have to fight through the press off their kickoff. Claire Hutton crossed the ball into the box, Abello deflected it wide but there was no Pride defender there and it fell to Caroline Conti. Abello tried to fight all the way over but Conti was able to put it past Moorhouse before any help arrived.
The entire back line got pulled to the right on the play and Mace could not get back to help out wide.
“Hailie Mace came into NWSL as a winger. She’s got some tendencies that fit a winger profile. We knew Bay FC had a high back line. How do we get behind that back line? Having someone to support Barbra and not just Nicole but add in another player who can get into the attack,” Hines said regarding the switch.
In the 16th minute, Rachael Kundananji beat Oihane and crossed the ball to Hannah Bebar, who headed it into the net, but Cristiana Girelli was in an offside position threatening the goal, so the assistant referee ruled that it put Moorhouse off enough to interfere with the play.
The teams settled down a bit and traded possession until the 27th minute when Oihane centered the ball to Payne, who scuffed the shot high. One minute later, Luana sent a through ball for Banda to run onto and she went down in the box in a collision with Brooklyn Courtnall. It was fairly evident, however, that Banda got her leg into Courtnall’s to either try to control the ball or draw a foul, and the referee, Jaclyn Metz, saw it the same way.
In the 33rd minute, Oihane was subbed out for Hannah Anderson. Oihane had been laboring a little and may have picked up a knock somewhere.
The Pride couldn’t re-establish the high press so they turned into a lot of possession by Bay FC. Any attack by the Pride ended in a turnover off a bad pass or ill-conceived long shots as Orlando’s attackers were impatient in building play. Turnover after turnover plagued the Pride for the remainder of the half as they did not threaten at all until the 45th minute, when Banda took on Maddie Moreau and Kundananji, shook them both loose, and then crossed the ball into an empty area at the back post with no one to finish.
It was a fitting final piece of sound and fury, signifying nothing, as the half wrapped without any plays of interest. The Pride weren’t able to lead any of the statistics, tying Bay FC in shots (4-4), while Bay FC led in shots on target (3-1), possession (53%-47%), and passing accuracy (85%-83%). Neither team was able to force a corner in the first half.
To start the second half, Hines subbed in Summer Yates for Abello, which pushed Mace back to the back line. In the 48th minute, Kundananji got behind when Anderson got caught out and was sizing up a one-on-one with Moorhouse. Dyke hustled back and blocked the shot.
“We started the game super strong, super intense, but I think we fell off towards the end of that first half,” Dyke said. “We got a little too stretched between the lines and weren’t getting enough pressure on the ball and we talked about that at halftime. We needed to stay more compact and then pick our moments to go.”
Go they did. Three minutes later, Yates sent a through ball angled behind Banda which allowed her to run onto the ball unopposed. She beat goalkeeper Emmie Allen, who came out of the box aggressively to defend, and then passed the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Four minutes later, Banda pressured Allen, forcing the goalkeeper into a clearance out of play. On the ensuing throw-in, Banda held off Bebar in the box, spun, and crossed the ball to Dyke, who put the ball in off the crossbar. The ability of the Pride to retain possession and work the ball in against a lesser opponent opened up the scoring and turned the game on its head.
Bay FC didn’t have a lot to do over the next stretch of time and Taylor Huff went down with an injury in the 61st minute, prompting a change as she was subbed out for Karlie Lema. Dorian Bailey came on for Joelle Anderson in the same stoppage but at the 62nd minute.
The teams went back and forth for a bit until the Pride drew a corner in the 71st minute. It deflected off a Bay FC defender and fell to Rafaelle at the far post, who headed it just wide. Three minutes later, Jacquie Ovalle and Zara Chavoshi wrapped up the Pride substitutions by coming in for Payne and Mace. Bay FC also took the stoppage in the 74th minute to sub two players in, bringing on Keria Barry and Onyeka Gamero for Kundananji and Girelli.
Unfortunately, in the 81st minute, Banda was dribbling down the left side when she pulled up lame and went to the ground off the pitch. She stayed there until tended to and was obviously upset. We’ll have to wait for any injury news on her. Bay FC made its final substitution in the ensuing stoppage in the 82nd minute, bringing on Kelli Hubly for Conti.
The injury to Banda left the Pride playing with only 10 players for the remaining 15 minutes (including added time) due to using up all three substitution windows. They stayed fairly solid in defense and played a lot of keep-away ball to see out the victory while playing short.
“A great way to finish this part of the season with a win at home. I think we were consistent today and we took the chances we created,” Luana said. “We’ve been having highs and lows in this part of the season but we bounced back in these two wins and it brought us a lot of confidence.”
Orlando City was ahead in the only stat that matters, goals, but trailed in every other major stat. Bay FC finished ahead in shots (14-8), shots on target (5-4), possession (54%-46%), passing accuracy (85%-84%), and corners (4-1).
The Orlando Pride now will be off until early July for the NWSL World Cup break. The next match is scheduled for July 3 in Los Angeles against Angel City FC.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home to face Bay FC in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break.
Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (4-5-2, 14 points) return home from a three-game road trip to take on Bay FC (3-5-2, 11 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams with the return game scheduled for Sept. 27 in San Jose.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
Bay FC is one of two expansion teams that entered the NWSL for the 2024 season. The teams have met four times, with the Pride holding a 3-0-1 record and a 1-0-1 mark at home in the series.
The most recent meeting took place on Sept. 13, 2025, in Orlando. The visitors took the lead just before halftime when Racheal Kundananji headed in a long pass by Caprice Dydasco. The Pride equalized in the second half, when Ally Watt headed a Jacquie Ovalle cross past Jordan Silkowitz to claim a 1-1 draw.
On June 13 of last year in San Jose, CA, Bay FC led almost every statistical category, but the Pride defense held strong until Barbra Banda scored shortly after halftime. The Pride withstood attack after attack, coming away with a hard-fought 1-0 win.
The teams met twice in 2024, with the first-ever game between the clubs occurring on May 11. Just prior to the half-hour mark, Banda dribbled inside and Deyna Castellanos attempted an ill-advised challenge, resulting in a foul in the box and a Pride penalty. Adriana put the ball into the bottom left corner for the only goal, lifting the Pride to a 1-0 win. It was the sixth win in an NWSL-record, eight-game win streak.
The teams met for the second time on Sept. 20, 2024. It looked like the game might be headed for a scoreless draw until Banda got her head on the end of a Carson Pickett cross, redirecting it past Katelyn Rowland to give the Pride the 1-0 win.
Overview
The Pride return home tonight after a difficult road trip that saw the team fall 2-1 to Boston Legacy FC and 3-1 to Denver Summit FC. Having already lost to both expansion teams, they headed west to face San Diego Wave FC, a team near the top of the standings. But Nicole Payne’s first professional goal lifted Orlando to a 1-0 win.
Despite not scoring in two of the last three games, Banda still leads the league with nine goals in 10 games this season. She has a two-goal lead on Ashley Sanchez, who is second in the league. Haley McCutcheon is the only other Pride player with multiple goals, scoring twice in the same game. Ovalle, Marta, and Hannah Anderson have the team’s other three goals. The assists have been spread out much more evenly with Ovalle, McCutcheon, and Rafaelle all sharing the team lead with two.
The clean sheet against San Diego was big for the back line as the team has conceded too many goals recently. Dating back to their 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC on April 24, the Pride have conceded multiple goals in four of the last six games. The only other game in which they didn’t concede at least twice was a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on May 8, their last home game.
Tonight is the Pride’s last game before the league breaks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the game, they won’t play again until July 3 and won’t play at home until July 10. That makes getting a quality result tonight essential for momentum going through the remainder of the season.
If you’re looking for a team to win against, Bay FC is one of the most likely candidates. The Bay -area side sits 13th in the NWSL on 11 points, just four points ahead of Louisville for last place. Tonight’s visitors are currently on a four-game winless run (0-2-2) and a two-game losing streak. Their last win was a 1-0 victory against San Diego on May 3. The club’s most recent games are a 2-0 loss to Portland Thorns FC on May 20 and a 1-0 loss to Chicago Stars FC on May 24.
Bay FC has struggled this year on both ends of the field. Its eight goals are second fewest in the league and Bay is one of three teams with single-digit goals this year. Meanwhile, the team’s 14 goals conceded are sixth in the league. The California side has been better defensively overall than the Pride, who have conceded 16 goals, but worse offensively, as the Pride have scored 15 goals so far this year.
Bay FC has been led in the attack by Alex Pfeiffer and Dorian Bailey with two goals each. Kundananji, Taylor Huff, Keira Barry, and Joelle Anderson have one apiece. Pfeiffer also leads the team in assists with two, tied with Cristina Girelli. Huff and Sydney Collins are the only other players with assists this season.
It should help the Pride tonight that Bay FC will be missing two key players. Silkowitz and starting center back Aldana Cometti were sent off against Chicago Sunday, meaning they’ll miss tonight’s game.
However, the Pride have their own key absences. In addition to injuries that have accumulated this season, Angelina was handed an additional game’s suspension after being sent off on May 16 for pulling Delanie Sheehan’s hair.
“We’re looking forward to it. Looking forward to being back home,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “It’s been a long road trip. Excited to get in front of our own fans. Want to create that atmosphere, make it hostile for Bay FC. We know it’s a quick turnaround for both teams as well, so we want to make sure that we start off on the front foot, build on what we achieved last Sunday in San Diego, and finish this part of the season on a high.”
The Pride will be without Angelina (suspension), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Marta (thigh) and Ovalle (thigh) are listed as questionable. Bay FC will be without Cornetti (suspension), Abby Dahlkemper (maternity leave), Anouk Denton (lower leg), Dydasco (maternity leave), Heather Gilchrist (knee), Alyssa Malonson (knee), Emily Menges (maternity leave), Pfeiffer (knee), and Silkowitz (suspension).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon.
Attacking Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Luana, Nicole Payne.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Zara Chavoshi, Hannah Anderson, Julie Doyle, Marta, Jacquie Ovalle, Summer Yates, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson.
Bay FC (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Emmie Allen.
Defenders: Sydney Collins, Joelle Anderson, Brooklyn Courtnall, Maddie Moreau.
Defensive Midfielders: Hannah Bebar, Claire Hutton.
Attacking Midfielders: Racheal Kundananji, Caroline Conti, Taylor Huff.
Forward: Cristiana Girelli.
Bench: Camryn Miller, Kelli Hubly, Jamie Shepherd, Dorian Bailey, Karlie Lema, Onyeka Gamero, Tess Boade, Keira Barry.
Referees
REF: Jaclyn Metz.
AR1: Art Arustamyan.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Edson Carvajal.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Katarzyna Wasiak.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: NWSL+.
Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.
Enjoy the game. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Pride need to do to earn all three points against Bay FC?
The Orlando Pride welcome Bay FC to Inter&Co Stadium this Friday night for the last match before the World Cup break. This is an opportunity to get a win over a team lower in the table and move up in the standings. What must the Pride do to earn all three points against Bay FC this weekend?
Keep the Chip
I have been asking all season on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for the Pride to play with the chip on their shoulder that they had when they won the double in 2024. We saw that against the San Diego Wave. My hope is that the players have now remembered what that feels like and will execute with the same level of intensity going forward.
The task is potentially a little easier against Bay FC, as the California-based side has scored less than half the number of goals that the Wave have this season. Of course, that is the trap. The Pride cannot slack off against Bay FC. Having Rafaelle anchoring the defense is a big help, and moving Hailie Mace out to right back has proven effective. In 2024, this team hated — with a capital “H” — conceding goals. They took it personally. That is the passion I want again. The chip on the shoulder.
Overwhelm and Outscore
As I mentioned above, Bay FC is not a prolific scoring team. Friday’s visitors have also given up 14 goals this season. That’s not the best or the worst in the league, but they haven’t faced Barbra Banda yet. The Orlando Pride don’t have any trouble creating chances, but they have had trouble getting anyone other than Banda to finish them this season. Banda leads the league in goals, and she has an opportunity to maintain or extend that lead against Bay FC.
What will truly make the difference for the Pride against Bay FC is if any of the other players can contribute a goal. We saw the space that Banda can provide her teammates when Nicole Payne scored her first goal against San Diego. Now I want other players to take advantage of that space to provide some goals for the Pride.
More Luana
Luana got her first start since coming back to the squad cancer-free. I think we’ve forgotten that she was a starter on the 2024 squad before her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. She was a starter on a team that won the double. Now she is back and she is a leader and an inspiration for her fellow players.
Given Marta’s limited minutes, having Luana out there as a stabilizing presence is important. Obviously, she brings a different skill set than Marta but still a critical one. Much like the defense, the midfield was better last match, and I feel she was a big part of that.
That is what I will be looking for on Friday night. The Pride can head into the World Cup break on a high with a victory. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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