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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.

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3 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

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.

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NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup: Growing the Game

A look at how this Summer Cup contributes to the growth of women’s soccer in North America.

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2 days ago

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July 24, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium, the Orlando Pride (0-0-1, 1 point) play their first-ever competitive fixture against an international opponent, Rayadas de Monterrey (0-1-0, 0 points). This match is part of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, a short tournament featuring teams from the U.S. and Mexico during a break in NWSL league play for the Olympics.

While the American teams are already 4-0 against Mexican opponents, the Pride should not overlook Monterrey, the 2024 Liga MX Femenil Clausura Champions, especially not when many key Pride players are away with their respective national teams. Later in the week, The Mane Land’s Sean Rollins will publish a preview of the match details, storylines, lineup predictions, and more for this match. Today’s piece will instead show how this relatively modest tournament during the Olympic break demonstrates, and contributes to, the overall growth of women’s soccer in North America.

The Summer Cup is the first time that Liga MX Femenil and NWSL clubs have met competitively, but the leagues, and their respective national soccer federations, already have shared history. In the early 2010s, after the folding of the previous professional women’s soccer league in the U.S., the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) sought to create a more sustainable model for the sport. To do so, the USSF planned to allocate U.S. Women’s National Team players to NWSL clubs and pay their salaries to reduce costs and ensure domestic talent stayed home.

Without domestic professional leagues of their own, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and the Federation of Mexican Football (FMF) joined the USSF in this effort, and more than 50 national team players from the three nations were allocated to the first eight NWSL clubs. While this framework is no longer used for the NWSL, it was critical for the early success of the league and strengthened ties between the North American federations.

As the NWSL grew in talent and popularity, it also demonstrated the viability of professional women’s soccer to its neighbors. After three years of allocating players to the NWSL, the FMF founded its own professional league in 2017, the Liga MX Femenil, composed solely of clubs affiliated with a Liga MX club from the men’s side. Canada, with the backing of big names such as Canadian national team legend Christine Sinclair, is following suit, with a plan to play the first season of an as-of-yet unnamed Canadian professional league in 2025. 

The growth of women’s soccer in North America isn’t just an abstract benefit for the Orlando Pride. It is leading to new competitions, more matches, and more fans. With a growing international soccer ecosystem, Concacaf will be hosting the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup beginning in just under a month. This competition will feature 11 clubs from seven countries and run from August to May, including a winter break. The San Diego Wave, Portland Thorns, and Seattle Reign FC will represent the NWSL in the first iteration of the cup, based on their performance in 2023. Orlando can qualify for the next cup if the Pride continue to play as they have so far this season and win the NWSL Championship or finish in the top two positions in the table.

The one constant for women’s soccer in the U.S. over the years has been change, and more is coming domestically as well. It was announced earlier this year that the United Soccer League (USL) would be applying for professional, division one status for its new league, the USL Super League, slated to kick off this fall. Orlando will soon have a new neighbor, as Tampa Bay Sun FC will be one of the eight founding clubs. The club roster also features two players — Jordyn Listro and Erika Tymrak — from the 2023 Pride roster.

While some fans might be worried about domestic competition diluting the available talent pool or fan attention, Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter sees it differently.

“I think that the USL Super League is a fantastic opportunity for more players in the United States and overseas to be able to come and play here,” she said at the preseason season ticket member open practice in the spring. “There’s just going to be more opportunities, and more opportunities for American players is fantastic. But it also gives us the opportunity to widen the net of athletes that we’re looking at.” 

In the same way that the growth of Liga MX Femenil in recent years has led to the Summer Cup and the Concacaf W Champions Cup, it seems possible, even likely, that the formation of the USL Super League will lead to new domestic competitions, potentially similar to the U.S. Open Cup for the men’s leagues.

Fans of the NWSL should take some personal pride in the growth of the women’s game in the U.S. and abroad. The quality of the product on the field and the number of fans attending games has demonstrated the appetite for women’s soccer in this country and in this hemisphere. This growth is also leading to more opportunities for NWSL clubs, starting with the ongoing NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and continuing to even bigger things. Rest assured that this Saturday may be the first time Orlando plays a competitive fixture against an international opponent, but it will not be the last.

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage, NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Claim a Point

The Pride drew the North Carolina Courage 1-1 to open the Summer Cup but lost 5-4 in the penalty shootout.

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5 days ago

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July 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (0-0-1, 1 point) opened the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup with a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage (0-0-1, 2 points) in Cary, NC. The hosts took the lead just before halftime through Manaka Matsukubo, and Celia equalized in the 82nd minute. The Courage then won the postgame penalty shootout, 5-4, to claim a second point.

The Pride lost six starters from the team’s 2-1 win over the Kansas City Current on July 6 to the Summer Olympics in Paris, including Rafaelle, Emily Sams, Angelina, Marta, Adriana, and Barbra Banda. Additionally, starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was called up by the England Women’s National Team. As a result, there were significant changes to the team for the start of the tournament.

The back line in front of goalkeeper McKinley Crone was Celia, Kylie Strom, Carrie Lawrence, and Bri Martinez. Haley McCutcheon and Morgan Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, and Amanda Allen with Ally Watt up top.

The fact that the Pride had far more absences than the Courage was apparent in this game. While the Pride dominated most of the previous game in North Carolina, the Courage controlled this one. Crone had a great performance filling in for Moorhouse and kept the game close. The hosts took a deserved lead shortly before halftime and probably should’ve been up more. But the Pride took advantage of their good fortune by finding a late equalizer and taking a point home.

Between the regular season and the Summer Cup, North Carolina has only failed to take three points in a home match twice — both times in draws against Orlando.

The Courage had the first chance of the game in the sixth minute when Ashley Sanchez took the opportunity to shoot from outside of the box. The forward was aiming for the far post and it was close enough for Crone to dive, but the attempt skipped wide.

In the 12th minute, Narumi Miura found Sanchez on her right. After shooting earlier in the game, the forward looked for a teammate during this attack. Matsukubo got her head to the ball, but couldn’t redirect it on target, popping it up and enabling Crone to make the save.

The Courage had a dangerous opportunity in the 17th minute when Yates turned the ball over near midfield. Sanchez darted the other way and found Tyler Lussi on her right. The attacker carried the ball outside and attempted a shot, but Celia was there to block it.

The hosts had a great chance to take the lead in the 24th minute when a bad pass by Strom enabled Lussi to send a long ball forward for Matsukubo. The forward brought it down well and played it forward for Meredith Speck, who got behind Martinez. Fortunately, Crone did well to come off of her line and snatch the ball off of Speck’s foot, ending the attack and keeping the game scoreless.

After sending her teammate through in the previous attack, Matsukubo had her own chance for the opener in the 26th minute when Sanchez sent a great ball to the top of the six-yard box. The forward got her head to the cross and redirected it towards goal, but sent it just over the top.

In the 31st minute, Lussi was sent behind the Pride back line from a long ball out of the back. The attacker was the first to it and it looked like she would have a breakaway, but Lawrence did well to get her body on the forward. The center back put just enough pressure on the attacker to force the shot off target.

In the 32nd minute, Lussi’s shot from the right side of the box was blocked out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Malia Berkely found an open Sanchez. With plenty of time, the U.S. international controlled the ball and shot. Fortunately, it was deflected over the top.

Berkely took another corner kick from the other side and the ball bounced dangerously around the six-yard box, but Crone was eventually able to grab it and clear the danger.

The rain started to come down hard around the 35th minute and it seemed to help the Pride more than the Courage. After playing the entire first 35 minutes behind the ball, Orlando finally started to gain some possession in the opposing third of the field.

The Pride finally got their first shot of the game in the 40th minute when Watt laid the ball off for Yates about 30 yards from goal. The attacking midfielder made a nice move to lose Sanchez and shot from outside of the box, but Miura got in front of the attempt and blocked it.

In the 43rd minute, McCutcheon made an overlapping run around Doyle and the attacking midfielder played her down the left. Watt and Allen were in the six-yard box, but McCutcheon’s cross was a little too close to Courage goalkeeper Marisa Bova. The shot stopper briefly juggled the ball but was able to collect it.

A minute later, the hosts took the lead. A quality give-and-go between Ryan Williams and Sanchez sent Williams towards the end line on the right. Speck made a near post run that opened space for Matsukubo to run into. A perfectly placed ball by Williams made it an easy tap-in for Matsukubo to give the Courage the lead.

The fourth official showed four minutes of stoppage time and the Courage wanted to use that time to add to their advantage. In the third minute, Riley Jackson played the ball wide for Williams. The right back sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal, but nobody in blue was able to get on the end of it.

The Courage had the last chance of the half in the final seconds. Speck sent a shot towards goal that went off the hand of Lawrence, giving the hosts a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Sanchez stepped up to take the set piece and sent an excellent attempt towards the far post. It was around the wall and appeared to be heading in, but Crone did well to dive to her left and pushed it away with both hands.

After the first 45 minutes, the Courage had significantly more possession (64%-36%) as well as more shots (7-2) and shots on target (2-0).

The Courage began the second half the way they ended the first half. In the 49th minute, Kaleigh Kurtz sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal but nobody was there to get on the end of it. Seconds later, Sanchez and Jackson played a give-and-go that sent Sanchez into the box. The forward shot on goal, but it was right at Crone and the Pride goalkeeper caught it to keep the deficit at one.

In the 51st minute, quick passing between Kurtz and Jackson sent Sanchez down the right side of the box. The forward was looking for her teammates making runs into the six, but her pass was deflected into the arms of Crone.

The first second-half attack for the Pride came in the 54th minute when Doyle found herself with the ball dribbling into the Courage box. Two defenders were in front of the midfielder as she used some moves to find some space for a shot. Unfortunately, she was well defended and her shot was easily blocked.

Lussi had a chance from distance in the 57th minute when Matsukubo used her chest to send Speck forward towards the top of the box. Laying it off for Lussi enabled the forward to take a long-distance shot. The Pride let her shoot from about 25 yards out and, while the shot was on target, it went straight to Crone.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made his first change in the 58th minute. Rookie Ally Lemos entered the game for Gautrat, providing the Pride with some much-needed fresh legs.

The Pride nearly found an equalizer in the 59th minute when Doyle was sent towards the top of the box on the right. Doyle took a hard shot that beat Bova, but bounced off the crossbar. Watt collected it on the other side and sent a ball into the six-yard box that couldn’t find any teammates.

The Courage had a great chance of their own in the 61st minute when Matsukubo sent the ball wide for Williams. The right back sent a great ball into the box with Jackson and Speck making runs into the six. The two appeared to run into each other as the ball sailed through, going out of play.

Celia provided a good opportunity for the Courage in the 62nd minute when she unnecessarily fouled Olivia Wingate just outside of the Pride box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. Sanchez took the set piece with Wingate and Speck in the six, nearly connecting with both of them. Fortunately, neither could get on the end of it and the Pride were able to clear.

In the 66th minute, Watt carried the ball to the end line on the right and sent a cross that hit the side netting. Hines used the stoppage to make his second and third changes, as Mariana Larroquette and Alex Kerr came into the game for Allen and Yates.

Shortly after entering the game in the 69th minute, Haley Hopkins had Martinez tugging at her shirt as she dribbled over the midfield stripe towards her own goal. Martinez went down and appeared to be in severe pain as she received attention on the ground. The right back required help coming off the field as she was unable to put any weight on her left leg.

Since Martinez needed to leave the game and it was the final available window for substitutions, Hines made two changes in the 73rd minute. Martinez and Doyle were replaced by Claire Winter — signed on Thursday as a national team replacement player — and Evelina Duljan. For Duljan, a young Swedish international, it was her Pride debut.

In the 76th minute, Watt was sent wide and played a great play into the box. Larroquette was making a run and nearly reached it before Bova, but the Courage goalkeeper got there first. While she struggled to control it, no other Pride players were nearby and the hosts were able to clear.

The Courage got the ball out of the box, but they soon lost possession and Duljan got a chance on the other side. The substitute found space to take a shot from a tight angle, but Bova blocked it out of play for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece went through the box for Watt on the far side. The Pride forward shot for the near post, but hit the outside of the net.

Jackson bumped into Duljan in the 81st minute and the young attacker went down, earning the Pride a free kick. Lemos sent the set piece into the box, which appeared to be handled by the defense. However, they were unable to clear the ball further than the top of the box. Duljan was there to collect and shot for the far post. It beat Bova, but Miura was there to clear it off the line.

Miura was just trying to keep the ball from crossing the line, but her clearance gave Celia possession on the right side of the six-yard box for an open shot. Despite the tight angle, the right back put the chance in the back of the net to even the game at 1-1.

The Courage came close to retaking the lead in the 83rd minute when one-touch passing by several players resulted in Jackson sending Wingate behind the Pride back line. Crone did well to get down and make the save on the second-half substitute. The ball continued rolling toward the goal and Lawrence cleared it away before it got there.

Williams received the ball on the right in the 87th minute and sent a dangerous ball towards the penalty spot. Victoria Pickett and Miura were there to get on the end of it, with Pickett taking the shot, but Lemos got in front and blocked the attempt.

In the first minute of stoppage time, a dangerous ball into the box found Miura and the Japanese international turned to shoot, but Strom was there to deflect it out for a corner kick. Brianna Pinto took the ensuing set piece, which the Pride were able to handle. That was the final chance for either team as the game ended 1-1.

North Carolina dominated most of the game and it took a great performance by Crone to claim a point. The Courage had more possession (64.2%-35.8%), shots (16-8), shots on target (6-2), and corners kicks (4-2), but Celia’s 82nd-minute strike ensured the Pride would get a point for the second time in North Carolina this season.

“Overall in terms of the game, we’re very pleased to come (out of) here with a point,” Hines said about the game. “There’s no hiding in it, we’ve got a lot of players away on international duty. North Carolina didn’t have that case, so they were a little bit more fluid with how they played. You could see those connections, that team chemistry, which took us a bit. But fair play to the players to come here one-nil down and have the desire and the character to come back and score the goal. It’s brilliant to see. And we continue that momentum that we had in the league into the tournament now.”

“I thought, for us, it was a really good point,” Gautrat said. “It’s hard fought on the road, a lot of people got minutes, which is great, and obviously we’re using every person on our team, which I think is huge and pays dividends in the length of the season. And, for us, it’s a good point and a good time to try and get some penalty kick shootout practice. So yeah, I think that’s a good point.”

While both teams gained a point in the new NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup competition, the game went directly to penalties to see who got a second point.

After Larroquette barely got her shot beyond the reach of Bova to give the Pride the early lead, Crone knocked Riley’s shot off the post and the Pride had a 1-0 advantage after one round. All eight penalty takers converted in the subsequent four rounds, enabling Celia — the Pride’s lone goal scorer during the 90 minutes — to step up with a chance to end it. However, Bova guessed correctly, diving to her right to save the attempt and keep the Courage alive.

Pinto converted her attempt to keep the shootout going and McCutcheon stepped up to give the Pride the advantage. But it was a poor attempt by the defensive midfielder, enabling Bova to make an easy save.

Now it was North Carolina’s chance to win the shootout and former Pride midfielder Dani Weatherholt stepped up with an opportunity to end the contest. She was aiming to the right side of the goal — the same side Crone dove to. Similar to McCutcheon’s shot, it was at a good height and position for Crone to block it away.

Duljan took the seventh attempt for the Pride and became the only player in the shootout to miss. She was looking for the right side and Bova dove in that direction, but the ball sailed wide of the post. Miura stepped up with a chance to end the game and sent her shot to the left. Crone guessed correctly again and got her hand to the ball, but the shot had too much power and the Courage won the shootout 5-4 in seven rounds to take the extra point.

“I think the experience of a shootout was one we haven’t experienced ever, so having gone through that, it gives the players that sort of experience going forward,” Hines said. “You can’t replicate a shootout, as much as you can practice putting the pressure on, you just can’t do that in training. I thought the players dealt with it well.”

While the Pride will be disappointed to lose the extra point, there are positives to take away from the game. Several players that have seen few, if any, minutes gained valuable experience in a competitive environment. It’s something that will be beneficial down the stretch of the regular season.

“I think you could see that there were some players who hadn’t played significant minutes during the season,” Hines said. “Also coming after a mandatory break and the travel. I hate making excuses, because that’s a cop-out. But for us, we wanted to stay the same and we wanted to have that same identity regardless who was on the field for us. And I think looking back it’s a good result for us and a lot to continue to work on throughout this time.”

While the Pride were unable to win the shootout, the draw extends their unbeaten run this season to 17 games in all competitions.

The other game in Group E saw Racing Louisville beat CF Monterrey Femenil 3-1 in Kentucky. As a result, the Pride sit in third place after the first round of group games, one point behind the Courage and two points behind Louisville.

The Pride will take the field next on Saturday when they welcome Monterrey to Orlando for the club’s first game against a foreign opponent.

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride begin the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup away to the North Carolina Courage.

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6 days ago

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July 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride return to action tonight as they begin the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup away to the North Carolina Courage. This is the third time the two teams will meet this season, but the first in this tournament.

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

History

The Pride and Courage have played 25 times since the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina and became the Courage in 2017. The Pride are 6-13-6 in those games (6-10-2 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 June 15 in Cary, NC. The Pride were the better team on the night with more possession, shots, and shots on target, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. While they were disappointed with the result, the Pride were the first — and so far, only — team to take points in North Carolina this season. On May 1 in Orlando, Barbra Banda and Ally Watt started up top together for the first time, a move that paid off in the game. Banda set up Watt for the opener in the first half, and Watt repaid the favor just over 10 minutes later, as the Pride went up 2-0. Julie Doyle added a goal just before halftime, giving the Pride a commanding lead. Emily Sams’ own goal was the only scoring for the Courage and Banda’s second of the night gave the Pride a 4-1 win.

The first game between the Pride and Courage in 2023 was on April 19 in Orlando. The Pride took the lead after halftime when Summer Yates set up 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. On June 17 in North Carolina 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.

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 Pride finally got a win on Sept. 17, 2023 at home. 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 first meeting in 2022 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. On Sept. 21, 2022 at Exploria Stadium, it was the Courage that got off to the better 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 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 having their best season in club history, going undefeated through 16 games. The most recent match was a clash between the only two unbeaten teams in the NWSL in Kansas City. The Pride showed they were better than the Current, winning 2-1 despite being down a player for the second half after Carrie Lawrence was sent off just before halftime.

While the NWSL has played through international tournaments in the past, the league is taking a break for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. It’s beneficial for the Pride, as they’ll be missing fiveof their most important players. Captain Marta, leading scorer Banda, playmaker Adriana, starting center back Rafaelle, and starting defender Sams are all at the tournament, joined by Angelina and new signing Grace Chanda. Rather than risking losing their unbeaten run, the Summer Cup will provide Head Coach Seb Hines with the ability to get meaningful minutes for less-used players who can help down the stretch.

The Courage also have players away at the Olympics, but fewer essentials than the Pride. Starting goalkeeper Casey Murphy is with the United States and starting left back Feli Rauch is with Germany. Additionally, 2023 NWSL Most Valuable Player Kerolin was selected by Brazil, despite tearing her ACL in last year’s season finale. The Courage will still be difficult to beat as the Pride’s draw in June is still the only time they’ve dropped points at home.

“Obviously, we’ve got a lot of players who are representing their country, which is massive for us as a team but also for the club. It’s not the same case for North Carolina, so they’ve only got I think three players missing from their current squad, which will be a challenge for us,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “They’ve got that consistency within their team selection. We’ll have a lot of changes to this opening game. We know it’s always difficult going to a place like North Carolina, but we’re going to build on what we’ve started this year, so it’s not going to change, regardless of the changes within the selection. We want to go out there and show everyone that even with our internationals away, we are still going to stick to our high standard and level.”

The Pride are without several players tonight due to injuries and international call-ups. Simone Charley (leg), Luana (illness), Megan Montefusco (heel), Viviana Villacorta (knee), Anna Moorhouse (excused absence), and Cori Dyke (excused absence) are out, while Kerry Abello (knee) is listed as questionable. Adriana (Brazil), Angelina (Brazil), Marta (Brazil), Rafaelle (Brazil), Barbra Banda (Zambia), and Emily Sams (USA) are all on international duty at the Olympics.

Estelle Johnson (maternity leave) and Bianca St-Georges (leg) are the only Courage players out injured. However, Casey Murphy (USA), Feli Rauch (Germany), Kerolin (Brazil), and Sydney Collins (Canada) are on international duty.

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: McKinley Crone.

Defenders: Celia, Kylie Strom, Carrie Lawrence, Bri Martinez.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Morgan Gautrat.

Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, Amanda Allen.

Forward: Ally Watt.

Bench: Sofia Manner, Kerry Abello, Alex Kerr, Ally Lemos, Evelina Duljan, Mariana Larroquette, Claire Winter, Kenna Caldwell.

North Carolina Courage (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Marisa Bova.

Defenders: Malia Berkely, Kaleigh Kurtz, Dani Weatherholt, Ryan Williams.

Defensive Midfielders: Narumi Muira, Riley Jackson.

Midfielders: Ashley Sanchez, Meredith Speck, Tyler Lussi.

Forward: Manaka Matsukubo.

Bench: Hensley Hancuff, Brianna Pinto, Haley Hopkins, Denise O’Sullivan, Landy Mertz, Olivia Wingate, Natalia Staude, Victoria Pickett, Jenna Winebrenner.

Referees

REF: Lorenzo Hernandez.
AR1: Kendall McCardell.
AR2: Stephen Milhoan.
4TH: Marie Durr.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park — Cary, NC.

TV: None.

Streaming: Paramount+.

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

Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

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