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Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 1-0 as Banda’s Goal Lifts Pride to Fifth Straight Win

Barbra Banda’s 17th-minute goal lifts the Pride over Racing Louisville.

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2 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride (5-0-3, 18 points) won the battle of the unbeatens, defeating Racing Louisville FC (1-1-5, 8 points) 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. Barbra Banda scored her fourth goal in three games and the Pride held onto the lead for 73 minutes.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the team that beat the North Carolina Courage 4-1 on Wednesday night. Angelina was out after suffering a knee injury during that game and was replaced by rookie Ally Lemos, who made her first professional start. 

“There were some nerves but also some excitement,” Lemos said about her first start. “You know, this is what I’ve been working towards ever since preseason and the season started. So I was just really excited to get out on the field and show what I can do and ultimately help the team win today.”

Starting in a 4-4-2 for the second straight game, the back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Emily Sams, Rafaelle, Kylie Strom, and Kerry Abello. Haley McCutcheon, Lemos, Julie Doyle, and Summer Yates were the midfielders, with Ally Watt and Banda again partnering up top.

This was far from the Pride’s best performance of the season, but they were able to grab a first-half lead and hold onto it. Chances by Louisville, which had drawn five of its first six games, were few and far between while the Pride searched for a second goal. Despite the narrow margin, only two late chances caused hearts in the stands to skip a beat.

Louisville took the first shot of the game in the fourth minute when Elexa Bahr received the ball outside the box. With nobody in purple closing her down, the forward turned and shot. However, she was unable to keep the attempt down, sending it over Moorhouse and her goal.

The visitors had a second chance in the seventh minute when Uchenna Kanu sent a cross across the face of goal. Moorhouse got her right hand to it, but only to Bahr on the far side. The forward took her second shot in the opening minutes of the game, again sending it over the target.

The Pride had their first attack in the ninth minute when Watt laid the ball back for Doyle. Dribbling inside, Doyle attempted to play Banda through, but it was well defended by Arin Wright.

In the 10th minute, Yates looked to get to the Louisville end line and send a cross in, but Wright got in front of the attempt, knocking it out of play. The ensuing corner kick by Yates bounced off the knee of Rafaelle, but the Brazilian center back couldn’t control it and the visitors cleared the danger.

Banda had a chance in the 12th minute to give the Pride the lead when Lemos won the ball back from Kayla Fischer. The midfielder sent it forward for Banda whose third touch was a shot from outside of the box. Lund went down to block the attempt away, but it didn’t appear to give the goalkeeper too much trouble.

Doyle had a chance to open the scoring in the 14th minute when Watt sent a great ball across to the back post. The midfielder was wide open to shoot on goal, but missed the target.

The Pride finally broke through in the 17th minute and from a familiar source. It started with a give-and-go between McCutcheon and Sams on the right side. The defender took a touch towards the end line and sent a cross to the back post, where Banda, despite being among the most threatening strikers in the league, was wide open. It was an easy header for the Zambian, who gave the Pride the early lead.

It was Banda’s fourth goal in the last three games, which sees her surpass Yates as the team leader. The cross by Sams resulted in her first professional assist in her second season.

“Just naturally you have to be a little bit higher, both in the attack and defense, higher up on the pitch. So I was just higher already and wanted to support Haley and she gave me the ball back and I just chipped it across and hoped someone was there to finish it. And luckily Barbra was there,” Sams said. “So yeah, I’m super happy to get my first assist.”

Louisville finally had another chance in the 30th minute when Emma Sears knocked the ball off Strom and out. Carson Pickett took the corner looking for Abby Erceg at the far post. The center back and Louisville captain climbed over Strom, but the ball went out of play, ending the threat.

Abello tried to make something happen on her own in the 36th minute. She played a give-and-go with Doyle to get her behind the Louisville defense and sprinted into the box. Banda was making a run and Abello looked for her, but two defenders were on the goal scorer, so Abello shot herself. Unfortunately, the attempt was directly to Lund, giving her no trouble.

In the 39th minute, Yates was trapped on the sideline, but chipped the ball to spring Doyle. Fischer took down Yates after the pass, and referee Alyssa Nichols called the play back when it was clear it wouldn’t result in an attempt on goal, issuing Fischer a yellow card. The ensuing set piece by Yates connected with the head of Rafaelle, but Lund tipped it over the crossbar.

Fischer nearly equalized in the 43rd minute when the attacker took a shot from outside the box. It looked to be heading inside the far post, but Moorhouse got down and tipped it wide. The corner kick was headed towards goal by Taylor Flint and Erceg was behind the Pride defense, but Moorhouse was quick to react, reaching the ball before Erceg could tap it in.

Banda nearly had her second goal in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. The forward beat Wright to a long ball by Abello and entered the Louisville box. She cut inside to lose Erceg and had nobody else in front of goal except Lund, but the center back did well to recover. She deflected the ball into the arms of Lund, keeping the score 1-0 at the break.

After 45 minutes of action, Louisville had more possession (56%-44%) and corner kicks (3-2) and better passing accuracy (88%-83%). The Pride had more shots (8-7), shots on target (6-2), and crosses (6-5). They arguably should’ve had a bigger lead, but missed some excellent chances in front of goal.

Despite a strong first half, Hines made two halftime substitutions. Adriana and Cori Dyke came into the game for Yates and Abello.

The Pride came out of halftime strong, immediately creating chances. In the 48th minute, Doyle found McCutcheon at the top of the Louisville box. Since nobody closed her down, McCutcheon went for goal. Lund initially jumped for the ball, but it sailed well over the target.

A minute later, Watt nearly doubled the advantage. After a poor pass into the middle was knocked back out, she quickly won it back from Kanu. The forward took a touch inside and fired towards the far post. It beat the diving Lund, but bounced off the far post.

Hines made the Pride’s third and fourth substitutions in the 58th minute. Amanda Allen and Morgan Gautrat entered the contest for Watt and Doyle.

In the 66th minute, the Pride had a free kick when Adriana was fouled by Lauren Milliet. The ensuing free kick by Lemos into the box was headed out, but only to Banda. The striker attempted a volley towards goal that was nowhere near the target.

Lemos had an opportunity in the 70th minute when she received a ball back from Adriana outside the box. The midfielder took a shot that was deflected by Erceg, resulting in Lund diving the wrong way. However, the deflection sent the ball over the crossbar.

The ensuing corner kick was tipped beyond the box by Lund, but the goalkeeper went down immediately after and required attention. During the set piece, her foot was stepped on by teammate Reilyn Turner. In the meantime, the players headed to the sideline for instructions and, after a brief stoppage, Lund was able to continue.

Louisville lacked any real threat in the second half, but Fischer tried to create something in the 78th minute. Receiving the ball outside the box, she sent a curling low ball towards the back post. It would’ve been dangerous if someone in white had been making that run, but nobody was and it went harmlessly out of play.

In the 82nd minute, Pickett sent a long ball for Bahr, who beat Strom into the opposing third. Moorhouse did well to come out and block the shot, but Turner was following and got to the ball. Fortunately, Rafaelle made a good tackle to knock it away before Turner could put it on goal. Rafaelle’s attempt to carry the ball out of the box was blocked by Sears to Sams and Sears fouled the defender, ending the threat.

“Anna did a really good job today of keeping that clean sheet,” Hines said about the save and her performance. “You know, could easily have been another goal for Louisville.”

The Pride made their last change in the 87th minute. After a strong performance in her first professional start, Lemos was replaced by Carrie Lawrence as the hosts looked to see out the game.

Erceg won a late corner for Louisville in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time when Lawrence knocked the ball out. Pickett’s set piece was into the six-yard box and it looked like Moorhouse had it. But she bobbled the ball briefly, scaring the 6,837 fans in attendance before grabbing the ball and falling to the ground.

At the full-time whistle, Louisville had more possession (54%-46%), corners (5-4), and crosses (12-11) and better passing accuracy (83.4%-80.3%). But the Pride had more shots (14-9), shots on target (8-3), and the all-important goal.

“I think today it was a tough game, obviously with the quick turnaround and everything that we put into on Wednesday. The emotions that we had to go through after Wednesday and then just to turn it around against a good Louisville team, who had a week to prepare for this game with a lot of energy,” Hines said about the game. “You could see towards the end, the players were on their last legs. But I can’t say enough compliments for them. You know, to have that grit, that determination, the attitude, the mentality to see the game out and walk away with three points and end the week with nine points with three games. I’m really, really proud of all the efforts that they put into it.”

“It’s tremendous,” Sams added. “I mean, all of us just had that determination to get that shutout and get those three points for all 90 minutes. It was a grind for 90 minutes. We came into this game not as fresh as we could have been, or especially as the other team, but we didn’t let that be an excuse to not play our best or try to play our best at least.”

The Pride have now won five consecutive games, tied for the team record. The other five-game winning streak came during the 2017 NWSL season, the only year in which they qualified for the playoffs.  The win also extends their unbeaten run to eight games, one short of the team record, also set in 2017.

The Pride have shown an ability to win games in different ways this season. They won a high-scoring 3-2 game against the Washington Spirit 10 days ago and have now won three games 1-0. It’s a team-wide approach and the success didn’t go unnoticed by their coach.

“I can’t just pinpoint on the back line because they are doing a great job, but it’s the whole team,” Hines said about the defensive effort. “Everyone’s doing their role and it’s really nice to see. And even the players who are coming onto the field, they have to do their job and their roles and responsibilities to, again, see the game out.”

The three points lifts the Pride over the Kansas City Current, who drew earlier in the day, to claim first place by a point. While the Current have a game in hand, it’s something to celebrate for a Pride team that has missed out on the playoffs in all but one of its previous seven NWSL seasons.

 “It’s just all smiles. We’re so happy,” Sams said about how the team feels about being in first place. “The team chemistry that we have, it’s just great. You know, we’re all joking and trying to have a good time around the facility and in the locker room. I think that carries over to the field too. We all just want to work for each other and play for each other. So it’s great. I mean, we’re all just having a good time all the time.”

After playing three games in 10 days, the Pride will now have nearly a week before they take the field again. Their next game is Saturday when they welcome league newcomers Bay FC to Orlando.

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Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Final Score 2-1 as Pride Blow Second-Half Lead in Loss

The Pride fell to Boston Legacy FC in one of the most disappointing results in team history.

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2 hours ago

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May 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (3-4-2, 11 points) fell to league bottom-dwellers Boston Legacy FC (2-5-2, 8 points) 2-1 tonight at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. Marta gave the Pride the lead from the spot in the 14th minute, but a 72nd-minute goal by Aleigh Gambone and an Amanda Gutierres penalty in stoppage time sealed Boston’s second win of the year. 

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that beat the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Friday night. Ally Lemos, Solai Washington, and Barbra Banda were replaced by Julie Doyle, Marta, and Simone Jackson.

“We put a lot into the last game against North Carolina. Some of the players had minor injuries,” Hines said about the changes. “Didn’t want to rule them out of this game, so had to rotate Barbra out of the lineup. Solai was forced with an injury. I thought Julie at the 10 did really well, running in behind, getting in some dangerous areas. SJ, getting her first start today, did well also.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Hailie Mace. Angelina and Haley McCutcheon were the defensive midfielders behind Doyle, Summer Yates, and Jackson with Marta up top.

On paper, this should’ve been a win for the Pride. They’ve been one of the top teams in the league the last three seasons and were playing an expansion side with only one win. But Boston was the better team throughout the 90 minutes. The Legacy controlled possession and chances, but some poor decision-making left little to do for Moorhouse.

Allowing the hosts to control the game came back to haunt the Pride as they conceded two goals in the final 20 minutes. They’ll feel aggrieved as Boston should’ve had a player sent off right before its first goal and a video review on the late penalty that the Pride weren’t provided. But it never should’ve come to that, even with the changes to the starting lineup.

The hosts had the first attack in the third minute when Oihane lost the ball to Nichelle Prince in her own third. Aissata Traore took possession and attempted to cross, but Angelina knocked it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was sent to the back post where Lais Araujo took the game’s first shot. However, it was blocked and the Pride were able to clear.

The Pride created their first attack in the fourth minute when a poor touch by Araujo allowed Yates to take control. She played Marta into the box, but Emerson Elgin did well to shield the attacker, allowing Casey Murphy to collect it.

Annie Karich tried to surprise Moorhouse in the 10th minute with the goalkeeper slightly off her line. The shot from well outside the box was on target and caused Moorhouse to tip it over the crossbar. The corner kick was headed away by McCutcheon, ending the threat.

Mace played the ball over the top on the right sideline in the 11th minute for Doyle. The midfielder played the ball through the legs of Araujo before firing on target, forcing Murphy to block the ball out of play.

As the ensuing set piece went into the box, Traore pushed Rafaelle over near the far post. While Murphy caught the ball, referee Ekaterina Koroleva blew her whistle and pointed to the spot.

Angelina and Marta stood at the penalty spot as the Boston players argued the decision. Unsurprisingly, it was Marta who took the spot kick. The Pride captain placed the ball under Murphy’s arm on a diving save attempt to give the Pride the early 1-0 lead.

Boston tried to beat Moorhouse from distance again in the 17th minute when Bianca St-Georges received a pass from Karich at the top of the box. The Canadian international’s second touch was a shot that was easily handled by Moorhouse.

Jackson played a beautiful ball down the right in the 25th minute for Doyle. The attacker got behind her defender and sent a cross toward the penalty spot where Yates was making a run. It looked like she might have a free shot on goal, but Jorelyn Carabali stuck her foot in to tap it away.

Boston quickly went the other way, earning a corner kick when St-Georges’ shot was blocked out of play. The ensuing set piece bounced around the box before Traore turned to shoot. However, her attempt was blocked and the Pride were able to clear.

Down a goal, Boston held the majority of possession, continuing to look for a breakthrough. However, nearly all of its chances came from low-percentage attempts from outside the box. Prince sent a shot from outside that sailed over the target, and Karich shot from even further out a minute later, which also went over everything.

Boston had one of itsr few close-range chances in the 34th minute when Carabali made a run to the top of the Pride box before finding Alba Cano making a diagonal run. The attacker turned to shoot, forcing Moorhouse to make a save.

Barbara Olivieri played the ball through Cano to Prince on the right side, creating one of Boston’s best chances of the half. Prince’s first touch was a ball to Olivieri, who continued her run into the box. The Venezuelan had space for a shot but sent her attempt over the top.

Boston had one last attack in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Olivieri made a strong run to the end line before her cross was blocked out of play by Mace. The corner kick to the near post was knocked down by Prince for Traore, whose shot was blocked into the side netting. Cano’s second corner kick skipped off the head of St-Georges, the last chance for either team.

After 45 minutes, Boston had the advantage in possession (61%-39%), shots (14-3), shots on target (3-2), crosses (17-3), corner kicks (6-2), and passing accuracy (80%-74%). But the penalty was the difference as the Pride took a one-goal lead into the break.

Hines made three changes at halftime. Banda, Lemos, and Hannah Anderson came on for Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle.

“Really, just stay with the game. Don’t, don’t overthink. Don’t overcomplicate,” Raabe said about the message to the substitutes. “Go in, do your thing, work with the team, work together.”

Rafaelle’s departure was due to a concussion, so the teams were given a sixth substitution.

Boston continued to hold possession, but it also continued to shoot from long range. In the 47th minute, Karich played the ball square for Olivieri. The Pride left the attacker alone, daring her to shoot from distance. Olivieri took the opportunity and put the shot on target, but it didn’t cause any trouble for Moorhouse.

Banda made her presence felt in the 48th minute when she shielded Araujo and drew a foul in the Boston third of the field. Lemos’ set piece was initially headed away by St-Georges, but it went to Banda, who turned to shoot. The attempt was off Doyle to McCutcheon, who sent a weak shot to Murphy.

While neither attempt caused any problems for Boston, they were the Pride’s first shots since Marta’s 14th-minute goal.

Jackson intercepted a poor pass in the 52nd minute and played it forward for Doyle. The attacker initially looked to lay the ball off before seeing Banda one-on-one with Araujo. The Zambian did well to shield the defender, forcing Elgin to leave Mace making a run from the back. Banda found her teammate with plenty of space for a shot, but the right back sent it wide of the target.

Hines made his fourth change in the 57th minute. Doyle, who was on a yellow card, came off for Luana.

Luana immediately made an impact, drawing a foul on Josefine Hasbo in the Boston third. Lemos sent the set piece into the box, finding the head of Banda. The striker tried to tuck the shot inside the far post but missed wide.

In the 62nd minute, Yates went down as Mace shielded Sammy Smith to earn a goal kick. As Yates limped off the field, she was replaced by Seven Castain.

The Pride should’ve been a player up in the 69th minute when Carabali went studs up over the ball on Banda. The forward went down and received attention, though she was able to continue. Koroleva didn’t even call a foul on a play that should’ve been a red card.

Hines made his final change of the night in the 71st minute, replacing Jackson with Reagan Raabe.

A minute later, Boston found its equalizer. A long ball into the Pride box was headed back nicely by Gutierres for Gambone making a trailing run. The second-half substitute struck the ball cleanly past Moorhouse to even the game at 1-1.

The Pride quickly went on the attack, nearly finding their second goal in the 74th minute. Castain sent a long ball down the field for Banda, who collected it in a seemingly innocuous position. But the striker cut back and fired for the far post. The ball took a deflection off a defender, likely keeping it from going in.

The ensuing set piece found Castain, who headed it wide.

In the 79th minute, Gutierres sent a long ball forward for Smith. But Oihane knocked it out for a corner kick. The corner kick by Gambone was to the top of the box where Gutierres was waiting. The attacker volleyed the ball just wide of the post, keeping the game even.

The Pride felt they should’ve had a second penalty in the 86th minute when Banda dribbled into the Boston box and sent a cross towards the penalty spot. The ball hit the arm of Karich as she attempted to tuck it behind her. Banda’s arm went up, but Koroleva decided Karich didn’t make herself bigger.

The fourth official showed five minutes of stoppage time and the Pride nearly found a winner in the third minute. Banda used her physicality to win a long ball that Elgin looked to have under control. She dribbled into the box before firing at the near post.

Murphy blocked the ball and it appeared to be heading out of play, but Raabe kept it in. She sent a very dangerous ball across the face of goal with Castain approaching it, but it was just beyond her reach.

Boston went to the other end and won a corner kick when Oihane cleared the ball over the end line. The ensuing set piece went beyond the far post where Karich collected it. The midfielder took a touch inside before firing on goal. Anderson blocked the attempt, though Moorhouse was in position to make the save.

The next time the ball went out of play, Koroleva signaled for a video review. The corner kick went off the hand of Luana, whose arms were above her head. As a result, Boston was awarded a penalty.

Gutierres stepped up to take the spot kick. The Brazilian sent Moorhouse the wrong way and tucked the ball into the corner to give the hosts a late 2-1 lead.

With only a minute added onto added time, the Pride were unable to create anything on the attacking end and came away with a devastating loss.

At full time, Boston had the edge in possession (62%-38%), shots (22-11), shots on target (7-4), crosses (31-8), corner kicks (11-4), and passing accuracy (79%-72%). The Pride defended for nearly the entire game, a strategy that came back to haunt them.

“Frustrated. Disappointed. Never like losing, especially in the manner that we lost the game,” Hines said. “It was a tough game, physical game, took the lead. Going into halftime, lots of positives. Trying to maintain that defensive structure, not give them too many opportunities. A lot of their opportunities in the first half came from distance. I felt in moments we could have been more threatening in transition, making sure that we have the willingness to run and support the attack. Obviously had to make some changes at halftime that were forced on us. And then, obviously, overall, we’re not happy with the defeat.”

The biggest surprise about this game was how much Boston controlled it. The hosts were the aggressors throughout the game, putting the Pride on their heels. Chances for the visitors were few and far between, even in the second half when they brought on Banda.

“We knew what we were going into. We knew that they were aggressive. We knew that they, at times, want to press individually,” Hines said about the gameplan. “So how do you create that space when the team is so aggressive in those moments? You have to pull them out of positions and then exploit the space that they’ve left in behind. And I think that’s where we had a lot of joy in the first half, with Marta as the nine dropping down and Julie as the 10 running in behind. I would have liked to see that a little bit more with other players, other than Julie running in behind as well.”

The loss sees the Pride tied with Seattle Reign FC on 11 points for the eighth and final playoff spot after nine games. It’s a crowded group as the Houston Dash and Bay FC are one point behind and one point behind the Kansas City Current.

The Pride will have to shake this loss off as they stay out on the road against expansion sides, facing Denver Summit FC in Colorado Saturday night.

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

The Pride look to build on their home win against North Carolina against Boston Legacy FC tonight in a midweek contest.

Published

13 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) take on Boston Legacy FC (1-5-2, 5 points) in Foxborough, MA. This is the first of two games between the teams this year, with the return game in Orlando scheduled for July 15.

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

History

Since this is the first year in the existence of Boston Legacy FC and the first time the two clubs will meet in 2026, there’s no history between the teams. However, Boston’s roster does include forward Amanda Allen, who played for the Pride from 2023 to 2025. Additionally, the Pride will be familiar with several of the opposing players as they have extensive experience in the league.

Overview

This has been an up-and-down season for the Pride so far. It began with a disappointing start as they fell 2-1 to Seattle Reign FC and drew 1-1 with Denver Summit FC. They bounced back from the homestand with an impressive 3-0 win over the Chicago Stars, a scoreless draw with defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC, and a 2-1 win over Angel City FC.

Unfortunately, those highs didn’t last long. Orlando fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC and 4-2 to the Washington Spirit, before defeating the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Friday night.

The Pride have been carried offensively by striker Barbra Banda, who has eight goals and has scored the team’s five most recent goals. All five have come in the last three games. The team has only played two games in which other players have scored. Jacquie Ovalle and Hannah Anderson converted against Chicago and Haley McCutcheon had a surprising brace against Angel City.

The team got off to a good start defensively, conceding just four goals in the first five games, including two clean sheets. But the Pride were torn apart by Louisville and Washington, giving up seven goals in those two games.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines responded by making adjustments to the back line Friday night. While it was the same back four, Cori Dyke moved from left back to center back, Oihane moved from right back to left back, and Hailie Mace moved from center back to her natural right back position. The changes resulted in the team’s first clean sheet in five games.

They’ll look to build on their most recent result tonight against a team that sits at the bottom of the NWSL standings. Through five games, Boston has just one win, a 3-2 victory over fellow newcomers Denver at home. However, they sandwiched that win with a 2-2 draw against the Courage and a 1-1 draw with Gotham away from home on Saturday.

With only seven goals this season, there hasn’t been much of a threat from this new team. Aissata Traore and Alba Cano lead the way with two goals each, while Bianca St-Georges, Sammy Smith, and Nichelle Prince have one goal each. Prince also has a team-leading two assists.

Defensively, Boston is led by league veteran goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who spent the last five seasons with the Courage and has made her way into the U.S. National Team setup. The team has seen several defensive units and formations since the start of the season as it looks to find the best lineup.

Tonight’s hosts face a tough challenge as they welcome the league-leading goal scorer in Banda. Meanwhile, the Pride will undoubtedly see this game as an opportunity to create some momentum as the schedule creeps closer to the FIFA World Cup break.

“I think it is going to be a tough game. I think any game in this league is tough, regardless of where the standings are,” Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “Boston are in good form right now. I think they are unbeaten in three games, so we are looking to build on our performance this last week against North Carolina. Hopefully, get three points away from home and start that journey on our away form as well. Always expect a tough match. They have some tough players as well, and we have to put our best game forward.”

The Pride will take the field tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Boston will be without Kaka (ankle) and Fauzia Najjemba (thigh), while Nicki Hernandez (thigh) is listed as questionable.

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Haley McCutcheon.

Attacking Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, Marta.

Forward: Simone Jackson.

Bench: Cara Martin, Hannah Anderson, Nicole Payne, Ally Lemos, Reagan Raabe, Luana, Seven Castain, McKinley Crone, Barbra Banda.

Boston Legacy FC (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Casey Murphy.

Defenders: Emerson Elgin, Lais Araujo, Jorelyn Carabali.

Midfielders: Josefine Hasbo, Annie Karich, Barbara Olivierei, Alba Cano.

Forwards: Bianca St-Georges, Aissata Traore, Nichelle Prince.

Bench: Laurel Ivory, Amanda Allen, Sammy Smith, Amanda Gutierres, Ella Stevens, Chloe Ricketts, Aleigh Gambone, Nicolette Hernandez, Laurel Ansbrow.

Referees

REF: Katja Koroleva.
AR1: Sharon Gingrich.
AR2: Kristin Patterson.
4TH: Jeremy Scheer.
VAR: Brad Jensen.
AVAR: Matthew Seem.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, MA.

TV: None.

Streaming: Victory+.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win on Banda’s Late Goal

North Carolina hadn’t allowed a goal in the second half all season until Banda’s breakthrough.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 8, 2026

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Image of Barbra Banda celebrating her winning goal against the Courage.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

A sloppy first 85 minutes finally gave way to a moment of brilliance from Barbra Banda as she worked her way free for the one and only goal to get the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) back to their winning ways. Banda’s eighth of the season led to a 1-0 Pride win over the North Carolina Courage (2-3-3, 9 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride are still waking up from the international break, having lost the last two to Racing Louisville, a team well below them in the standings, and the Washington Spirit at home. Banda has scored five goals in the last three games, leading the NWSL in goals, but she’s the only one scoring.

“We’ve met as units. We watch film, we go over things,” Pride forward Simone Jackson said in preparation for this game. “We’re talking to each other. We’re working on shifting faster and covering splits and making change for this North Carolina game and making sure that our press is matching their style of play.”

Head Coach Seb Hines put the same lineup on the field as the previous game against the Spirit, with Anna Moorhouse in goal. The only changes were in where the players started. Cori Dyke moved from left back to right center back, with Oihane and Rafaelle to her left and Hailie Mace at right back. Additionally, Haley McCutcheon dropped into central midfield with Ally Lemos, while Angelina joined Summer Yates and Solai Washington in the attacking midfield with Banda up top.

“We felt we had conceded seven goals in two games and we needed to make a shift in the back line,” Hines said after the game. “Cori Dyke has played center back for me and Hailie Mace is a new player to the club and just finding a bit more comfort with her playing right back. We just felt we needed to shift a bit — not change the personnel but shift the personnel.”

The Pride opened the match with a free kick from 40 yards out that Lemos sent straight to Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. North Carolina was able to get to the end line four minutes later but the cross went straight to Moorhouse. At the eight-minute mark, Angelina intercepted a long ball and headed it to Yates at the top of the box, whose first touch failed her and snuffed out the counter.

Banda got her elbow up high in the 10th minute and caught Natalia Staude in the chin. That prompted a delay as the video assistant referee evaluated it for a red card offense but eventually play resumed without incident. Banda then showed her immense talents three minutes later, outracing and outmuscling center backs, Staude and Uno Shiragaki for 40 yards, but the double team eventually won out.

Moorhouse and Lemos collided defending a free kick at the 18-minute mark, which caused Lemos to take a moment to gather herself. Yates picked up a yellow card in the 21st minute for sliding under Riley Jackson and catching her with her studs in the fallout of a foul she herself had drawn on the play. Washington slipped by Jackson with a great move in the 25th but the play ended up with a corner that turned into nothing.

As a light rain (that eventually turned into a full-on downpour) settled in with 18 minutes to play in the half, the Pride definitely had shown more promise on offense but no real threats. It was a good start for a team that had fallen behind early previously but more precision was going to be needed on the offensive side. Washington worked herself free in the box but, again, the shot went wide.

The first real threat from the Courage came in the 31st minute as Manaka Matsukubo got on the end of a deflected corner and pushed it just wide of the far post. Yates went to the ground a minute later after she took a shot to the ribcage by Lauryn Thompson.

Whether it was the rain picking up or a tactical adjustment, the game flowed to where North Carolina started owning possession but without any real threats. The Pride couldn’t get out of their own end until the 40th minute when a pass from Lemos to Banda at the top of the box allowed her to open up enough space to rocket a shot just wide of the near post.

Thompson tried to chip a cross towards the Pride goal but ended up skying it into the stands in the 43rd minute. With five minutes added to the first half for the various video reviews and injuries, The Courage kept Orlando bottled up in their own defensive end. Trying to escape, Oihane overhit a touch and kicked the legs out of Thompson, picking up a yellow card in the third minute of added time. A shot by McCutcheon a minute later deflected off Banda just wide.

To wrap up the half, Lemos picked up a yellow card in the fifth minute of added time for tripping Matsukubo. North Carolina’s ensuing free kick went long and ended the half just as the rain let up.

It wasn’t a great half of soccer by either team, highlighted by minimal threats and mostly defined by turnovers. The Pride trailed possession (58%-42%), crosses (7-5) and passing accuracy (83%-76%) but led on shots (4-3). Both teams had two corners and neither put a shot on goal.

The Pride came out with energy in the second half trying to change that. Just 30 seconds in, Washington crossed it to Banda at the penalty spot but she scuffed the volley. One minute later, Banda held off Shiragaki to open up a shot but put it just over the bar.

“Honestly, to be switched on from the beginning,” Angelina said when asked about the halftime message. “We know that in past games we got scored on pretty early coming back from the half. That was a big goal for us to come and be disciplined.”

Dani Weatherholt elbowed Washington to the ground in the 50th minute, picking up the Courage’s first yellow card. Matsukubo unleashed a 40-yard through ball to Thompson at the 53-minute mark, freeing Thompson for a shot wide.

Hines decided to try to bring some precision to the attack in the 55th minute, bringing in Marta for Yates and Seven Castain for Washington. It didn’t lead to anything immediately and, in the 60th, Shinomi Koyama got free at the top of the box and put it just over the bar.

However, just seconds later, Banda held off her defender at midfield and dribbled to the middle, laying it off to Marta in the box, who worked herself free for the first shot on target for either team. Sheridan kept it out with a huge save. The ensuing corner by Lemos rattled off the near post, leading to nothing. Lemos was subbed off a minute later in the 64th, with Julie Doyle taking her place.

Marta’s influence on the game started to become even more apparent with a slick left-footed inside-of-the-boot pass that curled perfectly to Banda, but she dribbled in too deep and didn’t get a shot off, losing the ball to Sheridan while trying to round the keeper. Ryan Williams put a shot over the bar 90 seconds later off a block.

Marta rifled a corner in the 69th minute that Sheridan parried right to McCutcheon, who fired it just wide. The Courage then made their first substitutes, bringing in Chioma Okafor for Thompson and Ally Schlegel for Evelyn Ijeh. Ijeh is listed as the forward for the Courage, yet this is the first mention she got in this writeup.

There was a lot of back-and-forth play over the next few minutes until Sanchez pushed a shot just past the far post in the 76th minute. North Carolina then brought in Carly Wickenheiser for Jackson in the 77th minute.

Marta shook herself loose in the 81st and thought she had a corner off a Sheridan tip but it was judged as a missed shot. Angelina went down in the ensuing Courage possession and was subbed off for Luana at the 84th-minute mark. The Courage made a substitution in the 85th, bringing in Ivy Younce for Sanchez.

In the 87th, the Pride broke the scoreless deadlock. Rafaelle intercepted a long pass and fired it over the top to Banda, who was kept onside by Staude. Banda worked her way into the box on the left. The Zambian international sent a curling shot around Sheridan and inside the right post, finally converting and giving the Pride the lead they had been knocking on for a while. Banda had been wasteful all game, but a striker just needs one. The Courage had not surrendered a second-half goal all season but they hadn’t played Banda yet either.

Banda went down in the ensuing celebration and then again five minutes later after a tough shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. She was able to return and, 60 seconds later, held off three defenders while transitioning the ball all the way down the field. She looked winded at this point, but the Pride had used all their subs.

Rafaelle picked up a yellow card in the seventh minute of added time for an over-the-top challenge. That produced the last meaningful action of the half as the Pride wrapped up the win.

The Pride ended up with roughly the same amount of possession as in the first half, finishing behind the Courage (56%-44%). They trailed in shots (12-9) but led in shots on target (2-1). The Courage led in crosses (13-8), but the Pride had one more corner (5-4). Passing accuracy picked up for the Pride in the second half, but they still ended up trailing (82.4%-79.6%).

The Pride now head out on a long road trip. They’ll head to Boston for a game against the Legacy on Tuesday, fly to Denver for a Saturday game against the Summit. Orlando will then get an eight-day break before going to San Diego to play the Wave.

“Sometimes road trips are nice, because you get to bond as a team,” Moorhouse said. “You’re with your teammates 24/7, so you get to bond a bit and hopefully this win will now snowball.”

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