Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (9-11-1, 28 points) wrap up the 2023 regular season hosting the Houston Dash (6-7-8, 26 points) at Exploria Stadium. This is the second time the two teams will meet this season and both teams are fighting for a playoff spot.

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

History

The Pride and Dash have played 19 times since the Pride joined the NWSL in 2016. Orlando has a 6-9-2 record against the Dash in regular-season play and a 4-4-1 record in home regular-season games. Additionally, the teams played two Fall Series games in 2020, both of which were won by the Dash.

The most recent matchup between the two teams was on June 3 in Houston. The Pride had trouble playing the ball out of the back and were hit on the counterattack, leading to a difficult night. Sophie Hirst gave the hosts the lead in the sixth minute and Michelle Alozie doubled the advantage just before halftime. Despite having more possession and shots, the Pride fell 2-0 for their second consecutive loss.

The first meeting in 2022 was on June 3 in Houston. The hosts were led by a Nichelle Prince hat trick, while Rachel Daly and Alozie added goals in a 5-0 Dash win. It was the last game the Pride played before Head Coach Amanda Cromwell was placed on administrative leave. The return game was on July 8, 2022 in Orlando. Ally Prisock’s own goal was the only scoring as the Pride took the 1-0 win, the second result in a seven-game unbeaten run.

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2021 season. The first game was on June 26 in Houston. Maria Sanchez and Veronica Latsko gave the hosts a 2-0 lead. Gunny Jonsdottir got one back, but it wasn’t enough as the Dash won 2-1. The second meeting came on Sept. 5 at Exploria Stadium. The Dash took an early lead through Daly. However, Taylor Kornieck equalized late, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

The 2020 NWSL season was canceled due to COVID but these two teams were matched up in the Fall Series. On Sept. 26, 2020 in Houston, Prince put the Dash ahead, but Marisa Viggiano responded just before halftime. Sophie Schmidt gave the hosts another lead and Shea Groom put the game away as Houston took a 3-1 win. The two teams played again on Oct. 9 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee — the only time the Pride have played at the venue. Groom opened the scoring early and Latsko soon made it 2-0. Sydney Leroux got one back for the hosts, but Houston held on for a 2-1 win.

The Pride and Dash played three times in 2019, with the Pride going 0-2-1. During the first game in Houston on May 5, the Pride only recorded one shot on target. However, Houston only got one goal through Kealia Ohai in a 1-0 win. The second game on June 15 was also in Houston. Joanna Boyles scored her first professional goal to give the Pride the lead, but the Dash scored twice to take the advantage. A Danica Evans conversion allowed the Pride to escape the Oven with a 2-2 draw.

The third and final meeting in 2019 occurred on Aug. 10 in Orlando. The Pride ended the game with nine players as Julie King was sent off in the 61st minute and Marta was sent off in the 85th minute. However, the Dash were only able to convert once — a late penalty by Daly — and won 1-0.

The teams played three times during the 2018 season. The first game was on April 22 in Orlando. Chioma Ubogagu scored the lone goal, leading the Pride to a 1-0 win. They met again in Orlando on June 27. Alex Morgan opened the scoring and the Pride held that lead at the break. But the second half was all Houston, as Ohai and Sofia Huerta scored, resulting in a 2-1 Houston win. The final meeting that season was on July 11 in Houston, where Daly’s brace led the Dash to a 3-1 win. 

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2017 season and the visiting team won both games. The first was on June 17 in Houston. Camila and Alanna Kennedy added to a Marta brace as the Pride took a commanding 4-0 lead. The Dash tried to come back with goals by Poliana and Prince, but the Pride took home a 4-2 win. A week later in Orlando, Carli Lloyd and Daly scored in a 2-0 Houston win. 

The teams met four times during the 2016 season — the Pride’s first in existence. The first meeting was the Pride’s first-ever regular-season home game on April 23. An Andressa own goal gave the Pride the lead just after the half before Lianne Sanderson and Morgan made it 3-0 for the hosts. Andressa scored one for her own team, but that was it for Houston as the Pride won 3-1 in front of a then-NWSL record 23,403 fans.

The second meeting was in Houston on May 20. Kristen Edmonds scored the only goal in the 81st minute as the Pride won 1-0. The third meeting that year came on June 23 in Orlando. Jasmyne Spencer broke the scoreless deadlock in second-half injury time as the Pride won 1-0. The fourth and final meeting came on Sept. 3 in Houston. The Dash took a 3-0 lead with goals by Janine Beckie, Poliana, and Ohai. Morgan and Edmonds got the Pride back into the game, but Ohai put it away with her second in a 4-2 Dash win.

Overview

After a four-game losing streak to start the season, the Pride have fought their back into the playoff hunt. They inched closer to the coveted sixth position with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Angel City FC on Oct. 2, but blew a 2-0 lead to Racing Louisville FC the following Friday night, falling 3-2.

The loss in Kentucky means it all comes down to tonight. The Pride got almost all the help they needed following their game, so a win will likely see them clinch a playoff position for the first time since 2017. The North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit both sit two points ahead, but they play each other, so three points will see the Pride pass one of them. The only way the Pride can win and miss the postseason is if they only pass one team and Angel City makes up the goal difference. However, there are multiple ways the Pride can clinch a playoff spot.

Houston comes into this game after a devastating home finale last weekend against Angel City. The Dash took a 1-0 lead just before halftime and conceded in the 68th minute when rookie Alyssa Thompson scored. The game looked to be headed for a draw, the perfect result for the Pride, but Savannah McCaskill’s goal in second-half injury time allowed the Los Angeles-based team to take all three points.

The Dash are the best defensive team in the league, so scoring won’t be easy. They’re the only team to concede fewer than 20 goals (17) this season and have given up five fewer goals than the next team. Three points tonight will largely depend on the play of attacking midfielders Adriana, Marta, and Julie Doyle, setting up opportunities for the forward. Adriana came off before halftime against Louisville after suffering a knock leading up to the game, but Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said it was a precaution.

On the attacking end, Houston has scored the fewest goals in the NWSL this year, netting just 16. That’s seven fewer than NJ/NY Gotham FC, which sits next on the list. The Houston attack has come from three players this season, and it’s the three you would expect. Alozie and Maria Sanchez both have four goals and Diana Ordonez has three. Sanchez has been the main playmaker for the team this year, contributing a team-leading four assists. Keeping the Mexican international in check will be a focal point for the Pride defense tonight.

“We’re feeling good,” Hines said heading into tonight’s game. “We’ve had a couple of training sessions since the trip from L.A. to Louisville. They feel ready to go. It’s one game and that’s what it comes down to. We’ve put ourselves in a terrific position and, yeah, we are going to leave everything out on the field and that should be enough.”

The Pride will play this game without Carrie Lawrence (knee), who has been out all year, and Viviana Villacorta (knee), who suffered a season-ending injury during training last month. They’re joined by Thais Reiss (hip), but everyone else is available for selection.

Houston is without several injured players tonight, including Ella Dederick (knee), Emily Curran (knee), Shea Groom (knee), and Havana Solaun (foot). Devon Kerr and Allysha Chapman are also away with excused absences.

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kylie Strom, Rafaelle, Emily Madril, Haley McCutcheon.

Defensive Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Jordyn Listro.

Midfielders: Erika Tymrak, Marta, Adriana.

Forward: Messiah Bright.

Bench: Carly Nelson, Ally Watt, Mikayla Cluff, Celia, Mariana Larroquette, Julie Doyle, Megan Montefusco, Brianna Martinez, Summer Yates.

Houston Dash (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Jane Campbell.

Defenders: Sarah Puntigam, Natalie Jacobs, Katie Lind, Caprice Dydasco.

Midfielders: Maria Sanchez, Marisa Viggiano, Andressa, Sophie Schmidt.

Forwards: Nichelle Prince, Michelle Alozie.

Bench: Emily Alvarado, Joelle Anderson, Madelyn Desiano, Ryan Gareis, Sophie Hirst, Barbara Olivieri, Diana Ordonez, Courtney Petersen, Ally Prisock.

Referees

REF: Natalie Simon.
AR1: Katarzyna Wasiak.
AR2: Brian Marshall.
4TH: Marie Durr.
VAR: Adorae Monroy.
AVAR: Tom Felice.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 5 p.m.

Venue: Exploria Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

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

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

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Enjoy the match. Go Pride!