Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Continue Unbeaten Run
The Pride extended their unbeaten run to five games with a 1-0 win over the San Diego Wave.
The Orlando Pride (2-0-3, 9 points) remained undefeated and won their second consecutive game with a 1-0 win over San Diego Wave FC (1-2-1, 4 points). Summer Yates’ 26th-minute goal was the difference as the Pride continue their strong start to the 2024 NWSL season.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes from the team that beat the Utah Royals 1-0 last week in Sandy, UT. Haley McCutcheon replaced Morgan Gautrat in the defensive midfield and Marta replaced Adriana in the attack after the Brazilian went down injured last weekend.
The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Bri Martinez. Angelina was joined in the defensive midfield by McCutcheon behind an attacking midfield of Julie Doyle, Marta, and Yates. Ally Watt was the lone striker for the fourth consecutive game.
The Pride dominated this game from start to finish. Chances by the visitors were few and far between as the Pride continued to create opportunities against Wave goalkeeper and Canadian international Kailen Sheridan. The final score should’ve been more decisive, but the Pride were unable to convert throughout the game, enabling the visitors to stay within reach. However, they were able to keep a clean sheet for the second straight week.
The Pride created the first chance of the game in the fourth minute when Yates sent Doyle behind Kristen McNabb on the right. Watt was behind the back line and looking to run onto the Doyle cross, but it was just out of her reach, enabling the Wave to clear.
The hosts had another attempt in the 12th minute and it was Doyle looking for Watt again. This time it was a forward pass, sending Watt behind the Wave back line. The speedster ran onto the ball, but Sheridan did well to come off her line and block the shot.
In the 16th minute, the Pride got behind the Wave defense on the right again, but this time it was Watt starting it. The forward’s pass for Yates was behind the midfielder, but the second-year player was able to find McCutcheon. After a brief touch, McCutcheon shot from distance, but it was blocked by Danielle Colaprico.
The attacking pressure by the Pride paid off in the 26th minute. It started on the right with Doyle again. The midfielder dribbled herself out of room but cut back to lose her defender and shot. While Sheridan did well to block it away, the Pride maintained possession. Abello ended up with the ball on the left and found enough space for her own shot. This attempt was also blocked by Sheridan, but right in front of the goal, where Yates volleyed it in to give the Pride a deserved 1-0 lead.
“I think I blacked out a little bit, but I know Kerry had the ball and she was driving and I was just trying to flow and find the second ball shot and it deflected and I was just in the right place at the right time,” Yates said about her goal. “I think my role in the box is just trying to hunt and try to put myself in position so I can score goals. So that’s what I try to do and I was in the right place at the right time.”
After playing sparingly in her rookie season, Yates has become a key part of the Pride attack this year. This is her second goal of the season and her first game-winner.
“Last year she was in and out. She played a lot of Challenge Cup games, but wasn’t right. She wasn’t ready for the league. And so we had a hard conversation and said ‘Listen, you have all the ability in the world. You’ve got to dedicate more time in yourself,’ and so she took that on board,” Hines said about Yates’ recent success. “She’s done so well in the off-season, which is now shown in her performance of late. And so, we’re really pleased with Summer, because it’s all come down to her and the dedication that she’s put into herself.”
“It means the world to me. Just to have the coaches’ trust means so much,” Yates said about her impact this year. “And being able to make an impact every game has been huge for me. I think I’m just continuing to learn and continue to be more consistent in and around the goal and every single game it just feels like it’s coming easier and easier.”
It looked like the Pride might have a second goal in the 34th minute when Marta sent Watt down the right. The forward’s cross was looking for Angelina or Yates in the box, but McNabb got to it first. The deflection was heading towards the near post, rolling just wide. However, the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside right after the block, canceling the play.
In the 37th minute, Abello found Angelina near the middle of the field and just outside of the box. The defensive midfielder lifted the ball into the box, where Doyle was between two defenders. Despite being outnumbered, Doyle won the ball, heading it on target. Unfortunately, it was right at Sheridan, who made the easy save.
The Pride had another great opportunity to double their lead in the 41st minute when Marta played the ball back for Yates in the middle of the box. She mishit the ball, but it went right to Doyle near the far post. It appeared to be an easy tap-in for Doyle, but she also was unable to get a solid foot on the ball, sending it off target from close range.
The hosts had one last chance in the first half, which came a minute into stoppage time. Watt laid the ball off for McCutcheon outside of the box and the defensive midfielder lifted a cross in for Watt. The forward was left open to get her head on the ball but sent it wide of the target.
It was an absolutely dominant first-half performance by the Pride as they had more possession (52.2%-47.8%), shots (12-1), shots on target (5-0), corners (2-0), and crosses (17-1), and better passing accuracy (90.3%-83.5%). However, they could only convert on one chance, keeping the visitors in the game.
San Diego forced Moorhouse into rare action shortly after the restart when halftime substitute Kaitlyn Torpey threw the ball in to Jaedyn Shaw on the right. The forward attempted the send the ball across the box, but it was too close to the Pride goalkeeper.
The Pride had their first second-half chance in the 47th minute when Doyle made a long run into the Wave box. She cut outside to lose Naomi Girma and shot, but the attempt was blocked by center back Abby Dahlkemper.
In the 48th minute, Doyle went down with an apparent cramp during a stoppage of play. After receiving treatment by the Pride medical staff, the attacker was replaced by Adriana in the 50th minute.
Yates continued to be a nuisance for the Wave back line in the 56th minute when she made a long diagonal run to the top of the box. Dribbling past multiple defenders, the midfielder took a shot from the top of the 18 but sent it wide.
The 61st minute saw the moment the crowd of 7,701 at Inter&Co Stadium had been waiting for. Barbra Banda, joining the Pride with the second-highest transfer fee in NWSL history, made her league debut, replacing Watt.
“Be mindful of the player’s care,” Hines said about giving Banda 30 minutes. “You know, she’s gone through a lot with qualifying for the Olympics and then coming over here, flying out to Orlando, having her integrate with the team, getting to know the players. But I thought it was really important for her to take a backseat and just watch and analyze the game and the speed of the game.”
It didn’t take long for the forward to get involved, getting her first shot off less than a minute after entering the game. The attempt was blocked and went to Yates at the top of the box. The first-half goal scorer took her own attempt, but that too was blocked.
In the 67th minute, Angelina sent the ball out wide for Yates. The midfielder had space to find her target and sent a cross for Banda making a back-post run. The Zambian international got her head to the ball, but it was right to Sheridan.
It looked like Banda might get her first NWSL goal in the 73rd minute when Adriana sent the forward behind the Wave back line. However, Sheridan did well to come off her line and block the attempt with her legs, keeping the score at 1-0.
Shortly after the attempt, Hines made his final two changes of the game. Ally Lemos and Rafaelle came on for Yates and Marta. It was Rafaelle’s first appearance for the Pride in 2024 after missing the first four games of the season with a fracture in her left foot, suffered while playing for Brazil during the semifinal of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
“We brought her in for a reason last year, and so we wanted to start where she just left off,” Hines said about Rafaelle’s first appearance of the season. “Again, be mindful of where players are at coming back from injury. It’s never easy, especially in this league. So managing her minutes appropriately, constant communication with the medical staff, and see what a player can give.”
The Wave had their best chance of the game in the 82nd minute when a quick give-and-go between Torpey and Kimmi Ascanio saw Torpey send a cross into the box. Savannah McCaskill slid in to send the ball back across goal where Alex Morgan was charging in. Sams and Moorhouse were there to keep the ball out of the goal and Morgan went down behind the goal line with an injured ankle.
Hobbling back to the San Diego bench, the striker was unable to continue in the game. Since the Wave had already used all five subs for the game, they had to play the final minutes with 10 players.
Despite being down a player, San Diego continued to push for an equalizer. In the first minute of stoppage time, Kennedy Wesley sent a long ball for Sofia Jakobsson. The Swedish international sent a cross into the box for Kyra Carusa, who turned and fired. She had space, but the shot was right to Moorhouse.
The Pride held possession on the right side of the field with Adriana and Banda, winning a late corner to avoid another San Diego attack. After eight minutes of stoppage time, the referee blew his final whistle, and the Pride came away with another three points.
San Diego ended the game with more possession (54.2%-45.8%), but the Pride dominated the other statistical categories. The hosts had more shots (20-4), shots on target (8-1), corner kicks (5-0), and crosses (26-7), and better passing accuracy (84.4%-84.1%).
“I’m really pleased with the players, the work and dedication that they’ve put in and everyone playing their role also. I felt that we dominated from start to finish,” Hines said about the performance. “I know San Diego had a lot of passes but passes around the back, which is fine for us, because it opens up the door for us to be lethal in transition. Would I have liked more goals? Absolutely. You know, it would be nice to get a couple more, but it wasn’t to be and we’ll continue to work on that area so we’re not just 1-0 towards the end of the game.”
“I just feel like we were in good spots tonight,” Angelina said about the game. “We saw the spaces and Ally (Watt) did a really good job at running behind them. We knew they were going to have a high press and we were just trying to be in the right spot at the right time. So I think the team did a really good job at that.”
While the team comes away with three points, the lack of goals remains a concern. They’ve outshot their opponents 55-18 in their last three games, but have only come away with one goal in each one.
“I think we’re still finding our composure around the box,” Yates said about the lack of goals. “I know I should have had another one. So I probably think about the one I missed more than the one I scored. But all of us just finishing our individual battles, beating our defenders, combining in around the attack, being patient. But yeah, I think it will come.”
Despite the lack of finishing, the Pride now have back-to-back clean sheets and the most in the league. They’re now undefeated through five games and have nine points, tying them on points with the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit for second, one point behind the Kansas City Current.
After a short homestand, the Pride will head back out on the road as they take on the Spirit next Friday night at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 4-1 as Pride Win Their Fourth Straight
Goals by Ally Watt, Barbra Banda, and Julie Doyle saw the Pride beat the Courage for their fourth straight win.
The Orlando Pride (4-0-3, 15 points) won their fourth straight match and extended their unbeaten run to seven games (4-0-3) with a 4-1 win over the North Carolina Courage (4-3-0, 12 points). The hosts’ goals came from Ally Watt, Julie Doyle, and a Barbra Banda brace, while an Emily Sams own goal was the only score for the visitors.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made just one change to the starting lineup that beat the Washington Spirit 2-1 Friday night. Bri Martinez was suspended after receiving two yellow cards and was replaced by Watt. Hines changed from his usual 4-2-3-1 formation to a 4-4-2 for this game with a back line of Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Rafaelle, and Sams in front of Anna Moorhouse. Doyle, Summer Yates, Haley McCutcheon, and Angelina were in the midfield, with Banda and Watt up top.
“We felt today going into the game that there might be an area that we can exploit with North Carolina,” Hines said about the formation change. “You know, they like to high press, be really aggressive in those positions. And so to have two outlets with both Ally and Barbara, it was a joy to watch.”
The game was put out of reach in the last 10 minutes of the first half. Banda and Watt were put together up top for the first time and looked spectacular. Their speed was too much for the opposition to handle, as they both had an impact on the first three goals.
“That was our first game playing together in the front two and, honestly, just learning to play with each other, like just learning from each other in training and just watching her tendencies, and we just had to be there for each other as much as we can,” Watt said about the new partnership with Banda. “I think that’s all we depend on. When one of us has the ball, we need to be forward and be an option for them. And either they’ll find us or they’ll be on the way to goal.”
While the team wasn’t as threatening offensively in the second half, North Carolina wasn’t able to create many chances. They held far more possession, but little of it was in dangerous spaces. As a result, the Pride remained in control throughout.
The Pride got the first chance of the game inside the first minute. Angelina played the ball forward for Yates, who attempted to lift it over the top for Banda. Kaleigh Kurtz got to the ball first, heading back out but only to Yates. The Pride’s leading goal scorer attempted a shot from just outside the box, but it was right to Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who blocked it away.
Less than a minute later, the Courage got their first chance of the game. A give-and-go between Ryan Williams and Tyler Lussi enabled the former to send a low cross into the box. It found Narumi Miura near the penalty spot, but the midfielder’s shot was wide.
Yates almost had another opportunity in the sixth minute when Banda made a good run to the end line and played the ball back for her teammate. Yates attempted to turn and shoot with Williams closing down, but the ball got caught under her feet and she was unable to turn it on goal.
In the eighth minute, Doyle sent a good ball down the right for Banda. The forward got behind the Courage defense and caught up to the ball before it went out of play. Her first touch was a pass back for Angelina entering the box, but it was just out of the Brazilian’s reach.
Banda had a chance for her second goal in as many games in the 17th minute when she was sent forward by Yates. The striker was in a foot race with Felicitas Rauch, winning the ball and entering the box. Malia Berkely caught up with Banda, forcing her to cut back, and Murphy came out to block the attempt. Banda won a corner kick, but the Pride couldn’t do anything with it and North Carolina evaded any further danger.
The Pride had another chance in the 22nd minute when Doyle sent a cross into the Courage box. Watt flicked the ball towards the far post, where Abello was making a run, but she couldn’t control it and the ball went out of play.
North Carolina quickly went the other way and created a shot. Ashley Sanchez tried to send the ball into the box, but it was blocked out. It ended up with Lussi, who fired from distance. The shot was beyond the reach of Moorhouse and bounced off the crossbar.
The Pride took the lead in the 29th minute on a fantastic counterattack. Banda intercepted the ball in her own third and sprinted forward. The Zambian was much faster than the opposing defenders and had an equally fast teammate in Watt running alongside. Banda sent a gorgeous ball forward as Watt got behind the North Carolina defense and placed it past Murphy to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.
“The one thing I know is if Barbra’s running towards the goal, you better be up there with her,” Watt said about the goal. “And she played a beautifully weighted ball to my right and so I had to put it on goal, put it on frame. So I just did that and, yeah, it was one of the probably easier goals I’ve scored. Barbra put an easy ball in.”
Despite being up a goal, the Pride remained on the attack. In the 33rd minute, Doyle dribbled towards the box and sent a low pass towards Watt between the penalty spot and the six-yard box. Unfortunately, it was intercepted before it could reach the forward.
The Pride doubled their lead in the 40th minute when Banda sent the ball out wide for Watt. The attacker beat Kurtz and sent a beautiful ball into the box. Banda, who continued her run after the original pass, only had to touch the ball past Murphy to give the Pride a commanding 2-0 lead.
“I just know I got the ball wide. That’s kind of part of our game plan. We just feel, hey, play it wide and we’ll be on the ball,” Watt said about her assist. “And I just trust that we have people in the box. We’ve been really focusing on that and we’ve just really been trying to focus on finally timing our runs down and then we got it. I kind of swooped it with my left foot knowing that Julie and Barbra would be there and it fell perfectly to Barbra and she executed it perfectly.”
In the second minute of first-half stoppage time, the Pride scored a third. It started in their own half when McCutcheon won the ball from Denise O’Sullivan. She sent it forward for Watt, who quickly play Banda behind the Courage defense. Cutting inside to beat Berkely, Banda shot on goal. However, Murphy was there to make the stop. The rebound bounced right to Doyle, who put it in to give the Pride a 3-0 lead at halftime.
After 45 minutes, the Courage had much more possession (67%-33%), but the Pride led every other significant statistical category. The hosts had more shots (8-3), shots on target (8-0), corners (1-0), and crosses (5-4), and better passing accuracy (86%-77%). The biggest surprise in the first half was the Pride, a team that has struggled to hit the frame, put all eight shots on target.
The Pride looked to extend their lead in the 49th minute when Banda made a run behind the Courage back line near midfield. Angelina lifted the ball forward to send Banda through, but she was offside.
In the 51st minute, Haley Hopkins and Sanchez worked together to play the ball across for Lussi. The attacker’s shot was blocked by Abello, but it went right back to her. This time, Lussi attempted to play the ball back across for Sanchez, but Angelina intercepted it and eliminated the threat.
A minute later, the visitors got a goal back. It started with a ball to the top of the box for Manaka Matsukubo. The forward laid it back to Williams, who quickly played it to Hopkins wide open on the far side. Sams moved over to defend and got in front of Hopkins’ shot. Unfortunately, the deflection went past Moorhouse and in, cutting the Pride lead to 3-1.
Watt was looking for her second goal in the 55th minute when she took Berkely one-on-one in the Courage box. After one last cut outside, Watt shot for the near post. Murphy did well to cover that part of the goal and blocked the attempt away.
The Pride put a fourth one in the net in the 61st minute when Yates’ shot was deflected over the goal by Kurtz. Yates took the first corner, sending it to the back post. Banda headed the ball back in front of goal, but it was knocked out for another corner kick. Yates’ second corner was, again, to the back post. Watt got her head to the ball and Doyle beat Murphy to it. The last touch was by Strom, knocking it in and seeming to give the Pride a 4-1 lead.
However, the video assistant referee checked the goal and determined that referee Natalie Simon needed to have another look. After viewing the monitor, Simon determined that Strom was offside.
Right after the call, Hines made his first change of the game as Carrie Lawrence came on for Doyle.
The Pride had another chance for a fourth in the 70th minute when Sams sent Banda down the right. The forward had Watt making a run into the box, but the pass was a bit too far in front.
In the 76th minute, Hines made two more changes. Amanda Allen and Cori Dyke came into the game for Yates and Abello.
Right after the substitutions, Lawrence threw the ball in to Banda. The forward turned Miura, dribbled towards the penalty spot, and put the ball past Murphy to give the Pride a 4-1 lead. It was Banda’s third goal in the last two games, in addition to her two assists. She became the first player in NWSL history to record five goal contributions in her first two starts.
A scary moment occurred in the 81st minute. As Banda closed down Berkely, who was looking to send the ball down field, Berkeley’s foot hit Banda’s right leg. The forward went down in pain as the Pride’s medical staff came out to examine her. That was the last action for Banda as she was replaced by Ally Lemos. At the same time, Mariana Larroquette came on for Watt.
In the 89th minute, the Pride lost another key player to injury when Angelina went down holding her right knee. It occurred during a battle with Riley Jackson. As the two fought for the ball, Angelina’s knee turned the wrong way and she went to the ground. The Pride medical staff attended to the midfield and ended up having to help her back to the locker room. Since the Pride had already used all of their substitutions, they had to finish the game with 10 players.
The fourth official showed 11 minutes of stoppage time, but the Courage struggled to create chances. In the seventh minute, Berkely laid the ball off for Rauch. It was well struck by the left back, but Moorhouse got down to make the stop. That was the last chance by either team as the Pride held on for a dominating 4-1 win.
At full time, the Courage had far more possession (66%-34%), but the Pride had the advantage in shots (14-7), shots on target (12-2), corner kicks (6-2), crosses (10-5), and passing accuracy (83.8%-67.9%).
“I’m really, really pleased with the attitude of the players coming in here after being on the road against Washington and then a quick turnaround for tonight’s game,” Hines said about the performance. “They started really, really well on the front foot, a level intent to put North Carolina under pressure, especially in transition. I thought we were really threatening in transition. And so to be up in the game in the first half was really pleasing.”
It might surprise some to see a 4-1 Pride win when the Courage held so much more possession and 599 passes to the Pride’s 302. Hines said they understood the type of team North Carolina is and were ready to handle being off the ball for much of the 90 minutes.
“There’s different ways to win a game of football. You know, there’s going to be games where we don’t have as much possession as we would like. You know, we have to respect the opponent. North Carolina are a brilliant team,” Hines said. “They like to possess, they get over 500 passes per game, they make it really difficult for you to get any sort of pressure on the ball, and so I thought we identified the moments when to be aggressive, when to win the ball and play that pass forwards, and yet still be threatening. There’s not always going to be games like that. There’s going to be games where we have to possess and ourselves we’re getting 500 passes and maybe more percentage of possession. But, at the end of the day, we scored four goals against a really good side and managed to win the game at the end.”
The Pride are now tied in second with the Spirit on 15 points, just one point behind the Kansas City Current. They’re one more win from evening the team’s all-time record for consecutive wins and two results from equaling the team record for number of games unbeaten.
They’ll look to continue their good form Sunday night when they welcome Racing Louisville FC to Orlando.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home looking to extend their winning streak and unbeaten run against the North Carolina Courage.
The Orlando Pride (3-0-3, 12 points) return home tonight as they face the North Carolina Courage (4-2-0, 12 points), looking for their fourth consecutive win. This is the first of two regular-season games the teams will play this season, with the return game in North Carolina scheduled for June 15.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Pride and Courage have played 23 times since the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina and became the Courage. The Pride are 5-13-5 in those games (5-10-1 in the NWSL regular season, 0-0-2 in the Fall Series, and 0-3-2 in the NWSL Challenge Cup).
The most recent meeting between the two teams was on Sept. 17, 2023 in Orlando. Ally Watt got the Pride off to a great start, scoring inside the first minute. After assisting on the first goal, Adriana doubled the lead before halftime. Manaka Matsukubo got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough and the Pride won 2-1.
The Pride didn’t show up for the July 29 Challenge Cup contest in North Carolina, getting demolished by the Courage. Brittany Ratcliffe and Malia Berkely gave the hosts a 2-0 halftime lead before Frankie Tagliaferri made it three, and a late brace by Haley Hopkins completed the 5-0 result.
The game prior to that was on June 17 in North Carolina and, again, it was all Courage. Kerolin and Meredith Speck gave the hosts a 2-0 lead before a Haley McCutcheon own goal made it 3-0 to North Carolina. On April 19 in Orlando, the Pride took the lead after halftime when Summer Yates set up Ally Watt for the opening goal. But Denise O’Sullivan equalized in the ninth minute of second-half injury time, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
Prior to that game, the teams last played on Sept. 21, 2022, at Exploria Stadium. The Courage got off to a great start when Debinha scored in the second minute. The Brazilian then assisted Tess Boade in first-half injury time to double the lead, and later added another, dooming the Pride to a 3-0 defeat.
The previous 2022 meeting came on May 18 in North Carolina. The Pride got off to a great start in that game, with Sydney Leroux scoring early. Mikayla Cluff doubled the lead with her first professional goal. A late goal by Brianna Pinto got the Courage back within one, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took the 2-1 win.
The Pride and Courage were placed in the same division for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, so the teams played twice before the regular season started. The first game was on March 26 in North Carolina. Merritt Mathias converted a penalty after Gunny Jonsdottir was called for a handball in the box, lifting the hosts to a 1-0 win. The return match in the tournament took place on April 16 in Orlando. The Courage got off to a fast start, scoring three goals in the first nine minutes. Darian Jenkins netted a brace to make it 3-2, but a late Debinha goal put the game away and North Carolina won 4-2.
The teams played three times during the 2021 NWSL season. On May 22 in North Carolina, goals by Leroux and Alex Morgan gave the Pride a 2-0 lead late into the game. Jessica McDonald scored late to pull one back but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win. On July 4 in Orlando, Debinha and Havana Solaun goals helped the Courage take home a 2-0 win. The final game came on July 31 in North Carolina. Leroux opened the scoring but Brittany Ratcliffe equalized moments later and the teams drew 1-1.
The two teams were also matched up in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup but they only played once in that tournament. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in that game in a scoreless draw.
Similar to the Challenge Cup, the teams were in the same group of the 2020 Fall Series, meeting twice. The first was on Sept. 19 in North Carolina and ended in a scoreless draw. The second was on Oct. 17 at Exploria Stadium. Led by a Debinha brace, the Courage went up 3-0. But the Pride came back with goals by Marisa Viggiano, Kristen Edmonds, and Ally Haran for an exciting 3-3 draw.
The Pride and Courage played three times during the 2019 season. The first game was on April 17 in North Carolina. The Courage took a 1-0 lead into halftime but scored four times in the second half to win 5-0. They played a second time on June 1 in Orlando. Again, it was a dominant performance by the Courage as the Pride fell 3-0. The final meeting that year was another thrashing by North Carolina. The Pride got a goal in that one but still fell 6-1.
The teams also met three times in 2018 but the results were much closer. On May 23 in Orlando, goals by Alanna Kennedy and Rachel Hill saw the Pride come back from a 3-1 deficit. But McDonald scored a winner in the 90th minute and the Courage won 4-3. The Pride went down by three goals in the final two games that season, but were unable to come back and fell 3-0 in both contests.
The 2017 season saw the teams meet for the first time. The Courage took the first game 3-1 on April 29 in North Carolina. They played a second time two weeks later in Orlando when the Pride took the 3-1 win. The final meeting in 2017 came in the final game of the season on Sept. 30. The Pride took a 2-0 lead but the Courage came back to even it at 2-2. It looked headed for a draw until Kennedy netted a late winner, leading the Pride to a 3-2 win.
Overview
The Pride are coming off of their third consecutive win Friday night, a 3-2 thriller against the Washington Spirit. Goals by Angelina, Barbra Banda, and Summer Yates lifted the Pride to a 3-1 lead on the road, but an Anna Moorhouse mistake made it closer than it should’ve been. The two goals conceded ended a two-game shutout streak after a pair of 1-0 wins.
The season started with three draws before the three most recent wins for a six-game unbeaten run. The Pride are one of three teams in the NWSL to have not yet suffered defeat. The other two are the league-leading Kansas City Current and Racing Louisville FC.
Tonight’s opponent has been one of the most balanced teams during the early season. The Courage’s 11 goals scored are tied for second most in the league and their six goals conceded are tied for the second fewest. They have three shutouts on the season, including last weekend against the Seattle Reign. They’ve only conceded multiple goals twice, giving up two against the Utah Royals on March 22 and Angel City FC on April 21. While they’ve scored 11 goals, five of those came in their season opener, a 5-1 win over the Houston Dash.
North Carolina’s marquee offensive signing was Ashley Sanchez, but she’s only scored once so far this season. Tyler Lussi leads the team with three goals, while Bianca St-Georges and Hopkins are just behind with two goals each. Berkely, Pinto, and Dani Weatherholt are the other players contributing goals this season for the Courage.
“We’ve played them in preseason, we’ve played them obviously last year as well. They’re a team that likes to possess the ball, they like to draw you out, have a number of passes within their game. And again, it’s going to be a tough match,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “We have to be organized. We have to read the times when to press and when to sit back. And I thought this year we’ve done a terrific job of understanding those moments, as well as being threatening in transition also. So yeah, it’s just reading those cues and those triggers and then hopefully we can get some success on the other side of it.”
The Pride still have an extended injury list with Simone Charley (right leg), Luana (illness), Marta (lower leg), Megan Montefusco (right heel), and Viviana Villacorta (left knee) listed as out, as well as Bri Martinez (suspension). Adriana (leg) and Morgan Gautrat (lower leg) are questionable for tonight’s game. The Courage will be without Sydney Collins (ankle), Julia Dorsey (knee), Estelle Johnson (maternity leave), Kerolin (knee), Clara Schilke (lower leg), and Olivia Wingate (leg).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Rafaelle, Haley McCutcheon.
Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Kerry Abello.
Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, Ally Watt.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Ally Lemos, Amanda Allen, Evelina Duljan, Mariana Larroquette, Celia, Carrie Lawrence, Alex Kerr, Cori Dyke.
North Carolina Courage (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Casey Murphy.
Defenders: Felicitas Rauch, Malia Berkely, Kaleigh Kurtz, Ryan Williams.
Defensive Midfielders: Narumi Miura, Denise O’Sullivan.
Midfielders: Manaka Matsukubo, Haley Hopkins, Ashley Sanchez.
Forward: Tyler Lussi.
Bench: Marisa Bova, Jenna Winebrenner, Riley Jackson, Dani Weatherholt, Landy Mertz, Meredith Speck, Bianca St-Georges, Brianna Pinto, Victoria Pickett.
Referees
REF: Natalie Simon.
AR1: Rhett Hammil.
AR2: Chris Schurfranz.
4TH: JJ Bilinski.
VAR: Ekaterina Koroleva.
AVAR: Tom Felice.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: Bally Sports Sun.
Streaming: NWSL+.
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).
Enjoy the match. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Midfielder Luana Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
The Brazilian has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury List.
The Orlando Pride announced this morning that midfielder Luana has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, explaining her recent string of excused absences. The Brazilian international has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury list and will immediately begin chemotherapy treatment with the club’s official medical partner, Orlando Health Cancer Institute.
This news explains Angelina’s celebration on Friday when the midfielder scored her first goal with the Pride. Angelina got onto a ball into the box from Barbra Banda, scored, and made an ‘L’ with her hand. This was obviously a tribute to her teammate both with Orlando and Brazil.
“As a professional athlete I have faced many challenges, on and off the field. I have always fought with courage and determination, and this time will be no different,” Luana said in a club press release. “I really appreciate the support of my family and friends who have strengthened me in this moment. I also want to thank Brazil’s National Team and Orlando Pride for their unconditional support. I kindly ask that my privacy be respected at this time.”
“On behalf of our club, players, and the entire Orlando community, I want to extend our unwavering commitment to Luana as she begins her treatment,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in the club’s press release. “We are thankful to have some of the best medical resources available through our partners at Orlando Health, and we are prepared to do all we can to care for Luana in this moment. We fight our battles together, on and off the field, and the Orlando Pride athletes and staff will be side-by-side with Luana and unified in our support of her throughout this process.”
The Pride signed Luana to a two-year deal through 2025 with a club option year for 2026 on Dec. 14, 2023, bringing her in as part of a complete rebuild of the central midfield, which also included the signings of Angelina and Morgan Gautrat. The move has paid early dividends, with only three clubs allowing fewer goals than Orlando through six matches in 2024.
Luana appeared in the team’s first three games (two starts) prior to her diagnosis and played 192 minutes. The the São Paulo, Brazil native, who will turn 31 on Thursday, has yet to contribute a goal or assist, but as a defensive midfielder, that’s not her primary job. She has passed at an 81% success rate, contributing two tackles and three interceptions. Luana has been cautioned twice, committing five fouls, while drawing six on the opposition.
What It Means for Orlando
This news is awful, and the important thing is not how the loss of a player’s services affects the team on the field. It goes beyond that, obviously, and the important thing is that Luana gets the treatment she needs. The hope is that her condition was caught early and that her treatment is successful.
Without Luana available, the club’s depth will be tested throughout 2024. The Pride will hope to get Gautrat healthy and back on the pitch soon, after she has missed the last two matches with a lower leg injury and has been listed as questionable on the availability report. Angelina and Haley McCutcheon have played as the central midfield partnership the last two matches. While the duo has performed well together, especially in the shutout win over San Diego, the team has missed Gautrat’s control on the ball and ability to anticipate what the opposition will do.
On behalf of The Mane Land, I want to wish Luana and her medical team well on her treatment. Although we want to see her back on the pitch, it is far more important that she beats her illness and regains her health.
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Hoganisme
April 22, 2024 at 11:12 am
The first half of the Pride v. San Diego match was a playground of beauty. Never have I seen the Pride play so well. Abello was a master chef. She was everywhere with perfectly timed steering. Wow!