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Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win Sixth Straight

Adriana’s penalty conversion lifts the Pride to their sixth straight win and ninth straight result.

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12 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (6-0-3, 21 points) won their sixth straight game and claimed their ninth straight result with a 1-0 home win over NWSL newcomers Bay FC (2-7-0, 6 points). Adriana’s 32nd-minute penalty conversion was the only scoring in the game as the Pride continue their league-leading run.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that beat Racing Louisville 1-0 Sunday night. Morgan Gautrat and Adriana re-entered the starting lineup after returning from injury and coming off the bench last weekend. They replaced Ally Lemos and Ally Watt.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Rafaelle, and Emily Sams. Morgan Gautrat and Haley McCutcheon were the defensive midfielders behind Julie Doyle, Adriana, and Summer Yates with Barbra Banda up top.

Despite the close scoreline, the Pride dominated this game from start to finish. Opportunities from the visitors were few and far between. While Moorhouse wasn’t challenged, Bay FC goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland had to make several key saves and finished with nine on the night.

The Pride had the first decent attack of the game in the second minute through Banda down the right. The Zambian beat her defender and sent a low cross into the middle, but only one Pride player was in the Bay FC 18, and nobody was able to get on the end of it.

Seconds later, Abello made a run to the end line and her cross was blocked out by Savy King. The ensuing set piece ended up with McCutcheon, who shot from just outside of the box, but Scarlett Camberos got in front to block it.

Banda made a run into the box from the left side in the fifth minute and was looking for Adriana near the penalty spot, but her pass was behind the attacker.

In the 15th minute, Doyle sent a cross to the top of the six-yard box, looking for Banda. Unfortunately, it was too far in front of the striker, enabling Rowland to reach it first. Banda slammed into the Bay FC goalkeeper and was called for a foul.

Deyna Castellanos recorded Bay FC’s first chance of the game and it was an ambitious one. Far from the Pride box, the midfielder attempted to beat Moorhouse over the top. However, the ball landed in her arms instead for an easy save.

The visitors had another chance in the 20th minute when Yates put a shoulder to Tess Boade and Sams finished her off with another shoulder, resulting in a free kick. The set piece was lifted into the box, but sailed over everyone and out of play.

Four minutes later, Bay FC created its best shot of the night to that point when King sent a low ball to the top of the box. It was behind Asisat Oshoala, but went directly to Racheal Kundananji. The Zambian international’s shot was right at Moorhouse, who made the easy catch.

The Pride nearly took the lead in the 28th minute when Doyle made a good run to the back post and Abello played a great ball across. However, a Bay FC foot got to it before the Pride midfielder, tapping it just beyond her reach.

The Pride maintained possession, resulting in Banda entering the box from the left side. Castellanos challenged the striker from behind, resulting in Banda going to the ground. Referee Danielle Chesky immediately pointed to the spot, awarding the Pride a penalty. Banda was down for a while after the foul and required some medical attention, but eventually got up and was able to continue.

With Banda off the field, Adriana stepped up to take the spot kick. Rowland guessed the right way, but it was a terrific penalty by the Brazilian, who put it into the corner to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.

“Well, usually when I get the ball, I just focus on concentrating for the PK. Just focusing on the ball hitting the net and me scoring that goal,” Adriana said. “So I was just thinking about that goal and to be able to score and help our team.”

Abello nearly scored an accidental goal in the 36th minute when she sent a poor cross in from the left. The ball curved towards goal and hit the crossbar, going beyond everyone in the box and enabling Bay FC to clear.

In the 37th minute, Banda was sent forward by Yates and dribbled the ball behind the Bay FC back line and into the box. Kayla Sharples did well to keep up with the speedy attacker, putting her body on her. Banda attempted to tap the ball around Rowland, but the goalkeeper was able to make the stop.

A minute later, it was Banda again making a long run into the Bay FC box. She attempted to reach the end line and send in a cross, but Emily Menges got a foot in to knock it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was headed out to Abello, who sent her shot well wide of the target.

Banda had another chance in the 45th minute when she received a short pass from Adriana. The striker attempted a long shot that was on target, but Rowland did well to tip it over the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick was headed out to Abello at the top of the box. This time, the defender used the outside of her left foot in an attempt to send it inside the post. It was also on target, but Rowland got down to tip it wide.

The Pride had a good chance in stoppage time when Abello’s initial cross was blocked, but she won it right back. The defender sent a second ball in for Gautrat outside of the six, but it was a bit behind the midfielder. As a result, she couldn’t get enough on it to challenge Rowland. That was the last chance by either team as the Pride entered halftime leading Bay FC 1-0.

The Pride dominated the first half statistically with more possession (60%-40%), shots (17-2), shots on target (12-2), corner kicks (8-0), and crosses (17-2), and better passing accuracy (84%-82%). However, Rowland had a strong first half with six saves, and some excellent ones to keep her team in the game.

Hines made one halftime substitution, replacing Doyle with Marta. It was Marta’s first appearance for the Pride since April 19, after missing the previous three games with an injury.

The Pride got the first good chance of the second half in the 50th minute when quick passing by McCutcheon and Adriana saw the Brazilian send Banda down the right. The striker was looking for Yates in the box, but the ball was a little behind the midfielder. She got her head to it, but couldn’t get a strong attempt on goal, enabling Rowland to make the stop.

In the 57th minute, Kunananji tried to make something happen for the visitors on her own. She attempted to dribble through several Pride players, but the ball was eventually cleared.

The Pride darted the other way and created a chance of their own. Banda initially tried to get behind the Bay FC defense, but her attack was halted. She found Adriana on her right, who tried a shot to the near post, but Rowland had it well covered for her seventh save of the night.

Hines made his second change and used his first substitution window in the 60th minute. After starting the last five games, Watt was on the bench for this one. The Pride had dominated chances and possession but were looking for a second goal, so Watt replaced a defensive-minded player in Gautrat.

Rowland had been sure-handed all game, but had a brief lapse in the 62nd minute on a Pride corner kick. The set piece by Yates was too close to the goalkeeper and she looked to have it covered, but the ball got through her hands. Fortunately for her, King was at the back post and headed the ball away before anyone in purple could get to it.

As the game entered the final 20 minutes, Bay FC started to create some opportunities. The visitors weren’t getting many shots off, and the ones they took weren’t threatening Moorhouse much. However, they began to push forward, holding more possession in the final third. Looking to see out the game and maintain the 1-0 lead, Hines made a pair of changes in the 74th minute. Defenders Bri Martinez and Cori Dyke came in for attackers Adriana and Yates.

In the 77th minute, the Pride created a pair of chances when Abello entered the box. Her shot was blocked, but it went back to Dyke at the top of the 18. The substitute’s second touch was a shot that was deflected out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Marta didn’t cause any trouble for the visitors as they cleared the danger.

Marta caused some oohs and ahhs from the crowd in the 84th minute. McCutcheon won possession near midfield and laid it off for the captain. The Brazilian spun on the ball to split her defenders and sent Banda forward. The striker took a shot from distance, but it didn’t create much trouble for Rowland, who easily collected it.

A minute later, Marta sent Banda forward again. While the striker worked on trying to beat Menges, Sharples caught up with the play. Banda caused Menges to twist and turn, but Sharples slid in to block the shot out of play.

The Pride made their final change in the 89th minute. After her first start without a goal and failing to convert for the first time in four games, the striker was replaced by Ally Lemos. Again, it was a defensive change as the team looked to see out the result.

The only chance for either team in second-half injury time came five minutes in when Watt carried the ball to the top of the Bay FC box. She attempted a low shot towards the far post, but Rowland got down to make the save.

The Pride absolutely dominated this game with more possession (52%-48%), shots (25-6), shots on target (18-4), corner kicks (12-2), and crosses (31-12), and better passing accuracy (83%-81%). If not for some impressive goalkeeping by Rowland, the final score would likely have been more lopsided. However, Adriana’s penalty lifted the hosts to the win.

“Bay FC caused us a lot of problems in the second half,” Hines said about the game. “They started to add more numbers into their attack. The defenders did a terrific job overall of not really allowing Bay FC to create a lot of goal-scoring opportunities. But yeah, it’s a full team effort. And, you know, it’s nice to come away with another 1-0 win and three points.”

“We didn’t really know how they were going to come out. So we were kind of prepared for anything. They’ve pressed in certain games and they’ve sat back in certain games,” Strom added about the performance. “So they sat back a bit. I think we probably could have been a little more patient in our attack, but we found ways to break them.”

There are pros and cons to the fact that the Pride have won back-to-back games 1-0. On the one hand, they have two straight clean sheets and four in their last six games. It’s something that Hines and Strom say has been a team effort.

“It starts from the front and having the structure and the organization from the front and reading those triggers,” Hines said about the defensive effort. “And obviously, you talk about the midfield and then the back line and goalkeeper. You know, it’s a real togetherness to keep the ball out of the net,”

“We take so much pride in our defending and, you know, when we get these clean sheets, it’s not just the back line or the goalkeeper, it’s every single player,” Strom added. “Our forwards work so hard. Our midfielders work so hard to put some pressure on, make it predictable and make it easy for us to read the play and step in. So it’s a team effort and it feels good. That’s the main emphasis for us.”

While the recent defensive performances have been excellent, they’ve only scored a goal in each of their last two games.

“It may come down to a few (better decisions), execution in the final third, but we’re getting in the right areas,” Hines said about the lack of scoring. “We’re getting into good, positive positions. And I’d have more concern if we weren’t doing that, rather than not getting in those positions and not finding the back of the net. Listen, the goalkeeper played well today and could arguably be the player of the match. But, you know, we’ll reflect and we’ll look back and we’ll continue to work on those things.”

Despite the lack of offensive production, the Pride have now won six straight games and extended their unbeaten run to nine games to start the season. The winning streak is the longest in club history and the unbeaten run ties the team record set in 2017.

The Pride will look to continue their impressive form next Sunday when they travel to the west coast to take on Seattle Reign FC in Washington.

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Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Complete Comeback Win

The Pride scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a win.

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16 hours ago

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April 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) bounced back from last week’s loss, coming back to defeat Angel City FC (2-2-2, 8 points) 3-2 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The visitors took an early lead through Riley Tiernan in the ninth minute and Katie Zelem doubled the advantage just before halftime. But the Pride came storming back in the final 20 minutes with goals by Marta in the 72nd minute, Barbra Banda in the 76th minute, and an own goal by M.A. Vignola in second-half stoppage time.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Washington Spirit on April 19. Cori Dyke started in place of Oihane, who left injured at halftime against Washington, and Ally Lemos also got the start for Haley McCutcheon. Prisca Chilufya got her first start as a member of the Pride, replacing Ally Watt.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Dyke. Lemos and Morgan Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Angelina, Marta, and Chilufya with Banda up top.

The first half was hard to watch for Pride fans. Despite flying across the country, Angel City dominated the first 45 minutes. The Pride looked much better coming out of the half, putting the opposition on the back foot. After failing to challenge Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson in the first half, the Pride put her under constant pressure as the game wound down. The pressure paid off as the Pride netted three goals in the final 20 minutes.

Angel City was the team on the attack early in this game. The first shot came in the sixth minute when Zelem received a pass back and attempted a shot from long distance. However, the shot sailed over the top of the goal.

In the ninth minute, the visitors took the lead. Kennedy Fuller sent a long ball down the right sideline where Tiernan was making a run behind Nadaner. The forward cut back to lose Nadaner before entering the box. It was a tight angle, but Tiernan went for the near post anyway. Moorhouse should have had that space covered, but the ball slipped between her and post to give Angel City an early 1-0 lead.

Angel City nearly scored a second in the 25th minute when Fuller used some nifty footwork before knocking the ball off Chilufya for a corner kick. Her set piece into the box found Vignola near the penalty spot and the defender put the ball on target. It looked to be past Moorhouse, but the Pride goalkeeper did well to dive backwards and tip it wide.

The visitors should’ve had a second in the 31st minute when Tiernan was sent forward. The attacker dribbled to the end line before playing the ball across the box. It was a bit too far in front of Fuller, but it went straight to Zelem with an open goal. However, the midfielder lost her footing and sent the attempt wide.

The Pride finally took their first shot of the game in the 33rd minute off a set piece. Marta’s corner kick was to Dyke near the top of the box. The right back fired on goal but sent her attempt well off target.

In the 40th minute, Abello got down the left and sent a cross into the box. She was aiming for Banda at the near post, but Savy King got her head to it first, cleaning it across the box.

The Pride kept possession and it ended up back up with Abello. The left back’s ball towards the six was blocked by Sarah Gorden, but it went right back to Abello. The defender took a second shot, sending it well wide of the target.

On the other end, Angel City extended their lead. Claire Emslie found Zelem to her left just outside of the box and the midfielder played Fuller just inside the 18. After making a move to lose her defender, Fuller took a shot at goal, forcing Moorhouse to tip it over the crossbar.

The ensuing corner kick was won by Alanna Kennedy, but she couldn’t put her header on goal. Gautrat and Abello both had a chance to clear the danger, but neither were able to get anything on the ball. It fell right to Zelem, who put it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a commanding 2-0 lead shortly before halftime.

The final chance of the first half came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Banda fouled Tiernan from behind as she entered the Pride third of the field, earning a yellow card. The ensuing set piece went to Nadaner and Kennedy. It was redirected towards goal, but Moorhouse was there to catch it.

After 45 minutes of play, the Pride had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), crosses (12-5), corner kicks (7-4), and passing accuracy (85%-79%). But Angel City took more shots (8-5) and put more on target (4-0).

“Angel City are a good team in transition. And so, if you give away the ball in dangerous areas, they can punish you,” Hines said about the halftime deficit. “And ultimately, the first goal comes from a transition moment. The second goal is a set piece, and it’s unfamiliar territory for us. You know, it’s been a while since we’ve been a couple of goals down in games. But, again, two halves are never the same. We rectified it in our halftime team talk. And, yeah, we went after it. You know, nothing to lose at that point.”

“I think we just weren’t ourselves individually,” Abello added about the first half. “I think our press was a little off and we kind of got it in our heads. And they broke it a few times. And when they break it with players like Alyssa Thompson and Gisele and Emslie, you feel that, right? Because those players can do really dangerous things and then we weren’t connecting our passes. On the flip side, we’d win the ball and give it right back to them. And honestly, I think that was the hardest part for us, is just keeping possession. Because, again, they have dangerous players that can exploit you when you give the ball away. So yeah, not our best half.”

The Pride were the more attacking team coming out of the locker room and created a pair of chances in the 50th minute. It started when Marta’s cross was off Gisele Thompson and out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece went to the far side of the box, where Marta redirected it towards goal. But Kennedy was there to head it away.

Orlando recycled, creating an even better chance. Abello found Marta at the back post from the left with nobody on the Brazilian. Marta tried to volley the ball into the empty net, but it got caught in her feet and she was unable to get a shot off, allowing Anderson to collect it.

The Pride won another corner kick in the 51st minute, this time taken by Marta. She found Nadaner at the far post. The center back tried to get over the ball, but it was a little behind her and Nadnaer’s header was wide of the target.

A scary moment occurred in the 53rd minute. Gautrat and Kennedy went up for the ball and the Pride defensive midfielder elbowed Kennedy in the face. The former Pride player was down for several minutes before rising with a black eye. After a medical examination, it was determined she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Madison Hammond.

In the 59th minute, Hines made a triple substitution trying to get his team back into the game. Watt, McCutcheon, and Oihane came on for Chilufya, Gautrat, and Dyke.

It looked like the Pride had a chance to get a goal back in the 66th minute when Marta beat Vignola to a free ball and sprinted down the field. She played Banda forward and the striker had Watt — the fastest player on the field—  on her right. It looked like Banda tried to play her the ball but put it into the feet of King instead.

The Pride got a goal back in the 72nd minute when Lemos sent Oihane down the right. Nobody closed down the right back, allowing her to send a cross into the box. It was behind Banda, but went straight to Marta, who turned it on goal. Anderson got a hand to the ball, but knocked it into the bottom corner, cutting the Pride deficit to 2-1.

“I think it gave us belief,” Pickett said about the goal. “I think we, deep down, have belief, but we kind of need that, ‘Okay, we’re really in this game, and we can fight back, claw back.’ It gave us that extra bit of confidence to go there and continue to score, because we saw that we can. We could find a way to break them down, and we need to do it again and again.”

“That goal was everything,” Abello added “I think, up until that goal, we had so much momentum, and we all thought we were going to score that first goal to get us back in the game. But, as time drags on, you’re like, is it going to come? Is it going to come even with good chances? And so, for her to put that away early enough for us to be like, oh, we still have so much time left. We have the momentum. We can do this. So, that goal changed everything.”

Immediately after the goal, Hines made the final two changes for the Pride. Grace Chanda and Carson Pickett came on for Angelina and Nadaner.

The Pride found their equalizer in the 76th minute. Watt sent a cross through the box from the right, but it went over everyone. Pickett recovered the ball before it crossed the touchline, sending in a cross of her own from the left. Banda and Zelem attacked the ball at the near post and the Zambian got there first, heading it off the inside of the post and in to even the game at 2-2.

“I love a good left-footed service,” Pickett said about her assist. “So, when you see people like Ally Watt and Barbra Banda in the box, you put it on their head. Or you try to find their head. So, I think that’s what I was aiming for.”

The goal was Banda’s fourth of the season, allowing her to maintain her team lead.

Oihane had a chance to give the Pride the lead in the 79th minute when she played Banda forward into the box. King got there first and knocked the ball off Banda’s foot, but it went straight to Oihane. The Spanish international had a clear shot on Anderson and the goalkeeper did well to get down and make the stop.

Seconds later, Marta played Watt into the box. The attacker had gotten behind her defender and had a clear chance on goal. But, again, Anderson did well to get down and tap the ball wide. Anderson palmed the ensuing corner kick away and a foul was called on the Pride, ending the threat.

In the 85th minute, Watt received a throw-in before being pushed over by Vignola. Marta’s free kick was headed out, falling to the foot of Oihane. The defender took a right-foot volley towards goal, but sent it well off target.

The fourth official showed eight minutes of stoppage time and the Pride completed their comeback in the third minute. Pickett sent a curling ball into the box where Vignola was first to reach it. Watt was charging in from the right, forcing Vignola to make a quick decision. The ball went off Vignola’s chest, past Anderson, and in to give the Pride a 3-2 lead.

There was a video review, because Watt extended her arms slightly as she reached the back of Vignola, but it was a quick decision that there wasn’t a foul and the Pride kept the lead.

Pressing opposing defenders into own goals has been a strong point for the Pride this season. They benefited from own goals in the season opener against Chicago and the following game against NJ/NY Gotham FC. This was the third own goal just six games into the season.

Angel City defended furiously as the clock wound down but was forced to push for an equalizer. However, the Pride were able to keep some possession, holding on for the 3-2 win.

At full time, the Pride had had the advantage in possession (53.7%-46.3%), shots (15-10), crosses (27-11), corner kicks (10-6), and passing accuracy (82%-77.1%). Both teams ended the game putting five chances on target.

“Tale of two halves,” Hines said about the game. “I think, obviously, being 2-0 down in this league is incredibly difficult to get back into it. But we showed our character. We showed our mentality. That never say die, never give up. You know, we showed what we’re capable of doing in that second half by scoring three goals and missed some chances as well. So it could have been a lot easier and different, but thankful for the three points and we move on.”

While the Pride have a 100% record in Los Angeles (3-0-0), this is the first time the Pride have beaten Angel City at home (1-1-2). Tonight also marked the first time in club history that the Pride have won a game after trailing by multiple goals.

The three goals late in the game were also significant coming off a performance where finishing was a problem. It looked like poor finishing would doom the Pride for the second straight week, but they were able to find the net three times in the final 20 minutes.

“Last week, whether it was the final cross or final pass or not getting across defenders, what I need to give credit to with our players is they take on feedback really well,” Hines said. “They take information from all the coaching staff really well, and if they listen and continue to grow and learn, then they get their rewards up like they did. You know, by scoring three goals, the crosses were phenomenal from Oihane, Carson, the finishes from Barbra, getting across the defender, Marta, getting in the right area. And, you know, if you have enough players in that area, you can force an error from the defender.”

The win moves the Pride back into a tie for first place with the Kansas City Current. However, the Current have a better goal difference and a game in hand. They’ll play their sixth game tomorrow night in North Carolina.

After this two-game homestand, the Pride now head back out on the road. They’ll face the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on May 3.

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

The Pride look to bounce back from their first loss of the season as they welcome Angel City FC to Orlando.

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1 day ago

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April 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (4-1-0, 12 points) look to bounce back from their first loss of the year tonight when they face Angel City FC (2-1-2, 8 points). This is the first of two games the teams will play this year, with the return game in Los Angeles scheduled for Aug. 21.

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

History

Angel City was one of the NWSL’s two expansion teams entering the league in 2022. As a result, the Pride have only played tonight’s opponents six times. The Pride are 3-1-2 in the six games, all in NWSL regular-season play and the home team has never won. The Pride are 0-1-2 against Angel City at Inter&Co Stadium.

The most recent matchup between these two teams took place on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles. Adriana gave the Pride the lead in the 20th minute and scored a second goal in the 26th minute. Barbra Banda netted a goal of her own six minutes into stoppage time, leading the Pride to a dominating 3-0 win. On March 22, 2024, in Orlando, former Pride attacker Claire Emslie gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot, and it looked as though the Pride would drop their first game of the season. But Marta volleyed home an equalizer from an Angelina corner kick late, pulling out a 1-1 draw.

The first meeting of the 2023 season was on April 2 in Orlando. Emily Sams took down Alyssa Thompson in the first half, giving the visitors a penalty. Emslie stepped up and converted to give her team a 1-0 lead. Messiah Bright responded just after halftime to make it 1-1, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw. But Katie Johnson scored the winner in the 10th minute of second-half injury time. On Oct. 2, 2023 in Los Angeles, an Adriana volley beat Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson to her near post for the only goal as the Pride won a crucial late-season game.

The first-ever game between the teams took place on May 8, 2022 in Los Angeles. In the third minute, Gunny Jonsdottir’s cross was tipped by Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic, but it went right to Sydney Leroux. The Pride striker fired right at Morgan Reid standing in front of goal. The ball bounced off the defender and went in to give the Pride an early lead. The hosts controlled the final hour, but the Pride held on for 87 minutes to claim their first win of the season.

The teams met again on Aug. 7 in Orlando. Then-Pride defender Ali Riley opened the scoring with a wonderful strike from the left side. The Pride responded in the second half through Julie Doyle, three minutes after she entered the game, to even it at 1-1. The visitors took another lead when Cari Roccaro beat Viviana Villacorta to a corner kick, putting it past Erin McLeod. The Pride equalized for a second time in the 90th minute when Doyle and Paige Nielsen raced for a Thais Reiss cross, with the defender reaching it first. But Nielsen’s attempted clearance went into her own net, allowing the Pride to claim a 2-2 draw and extend their unbeaten run to five games.

Overview

After drawing the Washington Spirit in the Challenge Cup and falling on penalties, the Pride got the season off to a roaring start. They thrashed the Chicago Stars 6-0 in the season opener and followed that with wins over NJ/NY Gotham FC, San Diego Wave FC, and Seattle Reign FC. It looked like it would be another long unbeaten streak like last year until Saturday evening.

The Pride dominated the Spirit in their return to Orlando, but finishing doomed the hosts. The Pride held 60% possession and outshot the Spirit 20-9. However, only six of their shots were on target. In the 63rd minute, Anna Moorhouse made one of her typical gaffes, giving the ball to Gift Monday on her own goal line and allowing the Nigerian to tap it in. That was the only goal as the Pride fell 1-0 for their first home loss since 2023.

Despite the loss, the Pride are still off to a great start this year. They currently sit second in the league, three points behind the Kansas City Current, and have the second-best goal difference behind the same team.

The Pride have been very strong defensively with a back line of Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Sams, and Cori Dyke. Oihane started the last game and played well but was taken off at halftime Saturday after suffering an injury. Other than Moorhouse’s mistake, there isn’t much to complain about when it comes to the team defensively.

While the Pride have scored the second-most goals in the league with 11, that’s largely because of their six-goal output on March 14. They scored two in each of the following two games, one against Seattle, and were held goalless Saturday for the first time this season. Seven of the team’s goals have been scored by Banda (3), Haley McCutcheon (2), and Marta (2). Ally Watt and Julie Doyle both scored in the opener, and the Pride benefited from an opposing own goal in each of the first two games.

Angel City currently sits in sixth place with eight points from the team’s first five games. Tonight’s visitors have netted seven goals and conceded eight for a negative-one goal difference.

The team is led offensively by U.S. international Alyssa Thompson, who has three goals and an assist in four games. Riley Tiernan joined the club this season and the rookie has been a solid signing, adding two goals and an assist in five appearances. The other two goals have come from Macey Hodge and Kennedy Fuller, scoring one each.

Despite giving up eight goals, Angel City has been quite fortunate defensively on the injury front. The club had the same defensive unit in its first four games before moving right back Gisele Thompson forward to take her sister Alyssa’s spot in the attack.

Angel City is coming off a tough match Friday night, falling 4-0 to Gotham FC at home. Flying across the country for a Friday night game, this seems like a good opportunity for the sputtering Pride attack to get back into form.

“I think LA are a new team. New to different philosophies, different styles of play,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “Obviously have a lot of young players and brought in some new players, so it’ll be an interesting matchup. Again, we want to get back to winning ways. Obviously, we’re disappointed after the last result, and there’s no better way to do that than this Friday against Angel City.”

There’s no change to the Pride availability report tonight. They remain without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), Aryssa Mahrt (knee), Julie Doyle (knee), Rafaelle (thigh), and Summer Yates (ankle).

Angel City will be without Jun Endo (knee), Macey Hodge (upper leg), Sydney Leroux (excused absence), and Ali Riley (upper leg).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Morgan Gautrat.

Attacking Midfielders: Angelina, Marta, Prisca Chilufya.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Carson Pickett, Oihane, Brianna Martinez, Zara Chavoshi, Haley McCutcheon, Viviana Villacorta, Grace Chanda, Ally Watt.

Angel City FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Angelina Anderson.

Defenders: M.A. Vignola, Savvy King, Sarah Gorden, Gisele Thompson.

Defensive Midfielders: Alanna Kennedy, Katie Zelem.

Attacking Midfielders: Alyssa Thompson, Kennedy Fuller, Claire Emslie.

Forward: Riley Tiernan.

Bench: Julie Dufour, Madison Hammond, Miyabi Moriya, Bre Norris, Casey Phair, Christen Press, Megan Reid, Hannah Stambaugh.

Referees

REF: Matt Thompson.
AR1: Tom Felice.
AR2: Stephen Milhoan.
4TH: Russell Miller.
VAR: Alexandra Billeter.
AVAR: Matthew Seem.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 1-0 As Pride Drop Points For First Time in 2025

A goalkeeping error and poor finishing were costly as the Pride fell at home to the Washington Spirit.

Published

7 days ago

on

April 19, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride (4-1-0, 12 points) dropped points for the first time this season, falling 1-0 to the Washington Spirit (4-1-0, 12 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball to Gift Monday right in front of her own goal in the 63rd minute, resulting in the game’s only goal and it could hardly have been easier for the visitors to produce the winning goal.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that beat Seattle Reign FC 1-0 on April 12. Morgan Gautrat, Angelina, and Oihane entered the lineup for Ally Lemos, Summer Yates, and Cori Dyke.

The back line in front of Moorhouse in goal was Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Angelina, Marta, and Ally Watt, with Barbra Banda up top.

The Pride dominated the majority of the game. They created nearly all of the chances and should’ve taken the lead on multiple occasions. Meanwhile, the Spirit didn’t get their first chance on target until the 62nd minute. That attempt and the goal a minute later were the only two chances the Spirit put on frame all game. The mistake by Moorhouse and lack of finishing ended up being the difference as the Pride stumbled for the first time this season.

The Pride got the first chance of the game in the fourth minute when Oihane played Banda down the right. The striker got behind the Spirit back line and played the ball into the box where Angelina was running on. The Brazilian tried to get on the end of the pass, but it was just beyond her reach.

Banda dribbled into the box from the right in the ninth minute and, after beating Tara McKeown, met Narumi Miura. The midfielder made contact with the striker and the Pride players appealed for a penalty, but the referee signaled for a goal kick.

Gautrat blocked a clearance attempt in the 20th minute. The ball went straight to Banda, who was in on goal from the right. The striker’s shot for the near post, but it was right into the arms of Kingsbury.

Two minutes later, Abello received a long pass on the left side of the field. Nobody stepped up to the left back, so she carried the ball towards the top of the box. She was aiming for the far post, but Kingsbury did well to dive to her left and touch it wide.

The Pride were unable to create anything from the ensuing corner and Washington cleared the danger.

In the 26th minute, Angelina and Abello played a give-and-go, sending Angelina towards the end line. The left-sided midfielder sent a cross into the six-yard box for Banda, but it was just behind her. Watt reached the free ball and played it back to Gautrat at the top of the box, but her shot was blocked.

The Pride dominated the first half hour, making it difficult for the Spirit to get any possession in the final third. In the 30th minute, McKeown sent a cross towards the back side of the six where Esme Morgan was waiting. The defender tried to volley a shot towards goal but couldn’t get over the ball.

The Pride gave away the ensuing goal kick, creating another chance for the Spirit. This time, Ashley Hatch had a chance. The league’s top goal scorer tried to guide the ball past Moorhouse and into the top corner but sent it just high and wide.

On the other end, a long ball forward was misplayed, allowing Banda to get behind the Spirit back line. The striker dribbled in from the right and shot, but the attempt was right at Kingsbury.

In the 43rd minute, Watt carried the ball past her defender on the right and sent a low shot towards the near post. However, Kingsbury had it covered and didn’t have any trouble collecting it.

A minute later, Marta played the ball to Angelina at the top of the box. The Brazilian lifted the ball over the back line for McCutcheon, who tried to guide the ball inside the far post. Unfortunately, she sent it wide.

Despite their inability to score, the Pride dominated the first half. They ended the first 45 minutes with the advantage in possession (58%-42%), shots (10-4), shots on target (3-0), crosses (12-3), corner kicks (3-0), and passing accuracy (84%-81%).

“We were doing really well. Our press was working really well. We were blocking them in, weighing the ball,” Watt said about the halftime message. “So, yeah, coach Seb was just saying we just need to finish those chances.”

Hines made one halftime change. After suffering an injury in the first half, Oihane was replaced at right back by Dyke.

The Pride took the first shot of the second half in the 46th minute when Banda sent a long shot towards goal. Kingsbury wasn’t able to collect the ball, knocking it wide and out of play for a Pride corner kick.

The first set piece was cleared out of play and the second corner was wide, ending the threat.

In the 52nd minute, Gabrielle Carle knocked the ball back for Leicy Santos, who sent a hard shot towards goal. The ball slammed off the head of Hatch, going out of play and sending the striker to the ground. Hatch had to go through a concussion test before play was able to resume.

Hatch went down again in the 58th minute. This time she failed the concussion test and was replaced by Rosemonde Kouassi.

The Spirit finally got their first shot on target in the 62nd minute. Makenna Morris entered the Pride box from the right and took a shot, but it didn’t cause any trouble for Moorhouse.

A minute later, Moorhouse made one of the mistakes she’s known for, and it was a big one. Receiving a pass back from Sams, the goalkeeper tried to dribble out of pressure from Gift Monday. Instead, she gave the ball to the forward right in front of her own goal. It was an easy tap-in for Monday, giving the Spirit a 1-0 lead.

“I think, for us, we want to play out of the back. And I think it’s all about finding the open player. Because obviously when a team presses the way that they do, you put yourself under pressure,” Gautrat said about the goal. “And I think, for us, since sometimes when they press well, sometimes you just have to clear it. And I think, for us, we got a little bit caught in between who was even dropping to help Anna in the moment.”

The Pride nearly equalized in the 65th minute when Abello beat Carle to get a cross off. Banda tried to flick the ball from the near post to the far post, hitting the crossbar. The ball fell to Watt and the attacker fired on target, but Morgan blocked it wide. The Pride couldn’t create anything from the ensuing corner kick and the chance ended.

“I was just focusing so hard to make sure I didn’t clear the ball over the net,” Watt said about her chance. “And I just happened to hit it right to my defender. So, I need to finish those chances.”

Hines made two more changes in the 69th minute. Lemos and Prisca Chilufya came into the game for McCutcheon and Watt in a pair of straight swaps.

Banda nearly sent Angelina through on goal in the 70th minute. The Brazilian was behind the back line, but the pass was just beyond her reach and Kingsbury was able to collect it.

In the 72nd minute, Banda was sent behind the Spirit back line. However, McKeown did well to get her body on the striker. Banda got a shot off, but she sent her shot sailing wide of the target.

Hines made his fourth change of the game in the 79th minute, replacing Gautrat with Carson Pickett.

In the 83rd minute, Banda tried to play Marta at the near post, but the ball was knocked out of play for a corner kick. Kingsbury pushed away the ensuing set piece off Carle’s head and in to even the game at 1-1.

As the Pride players celebrated, referee Elton Garcia was called to the monitor. Nadaner backed into Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball. It was a quick review and the goal was correctly overturned, retaining the Spirit’s lead.

Immediately after the review, Hines made his fifth and final change of the game. Grace Chanda came on for Angelina.

In the 88th minute, Marta made a nice cut to create space from a pair of defenders. Despite the long distance, Kingsbury could only push the ball over the top for a corner kick. Unfortunately, the ensuing set piece was too close to the former Pride goalkeeper, who caught the ball and ended the attack.

Abello sent Chilufya down the right in the third minute of stoppage time. Carle slid in to intercept, but missed the ball, allowing Chilufya to get into the Spirit box. The Zambian then beat Morgan and shot for the far post. However, the ball rolled just wide for a goal kick.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Rebeca Bernal put her hand on Marta’s back and the Pride captain went down. Bernal contested the foul call, but the Pride had a free kick in a dangerous position. Lemos’ free kick was just over Banda’s head, but sent back in by Pickett. A poor clearance went to Marta, but the Brazilian mishit the ball.

The final chance of the game came in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Marta’s cross went through the legs of Banda at the near post. Kingsbury collected it and the Pride dropped points for the first time this season.

The Pride ended up with the advantage in possession (59.9%-40.1%), shots (20-9), shots on target (6-2), crosses (22-7), corner kicks (11-1), and passing accuracy (82.3%-77.3%). However, the poor finishing cost them dearly as the Spirit take home all three points.

“I think 99% of the match we did well. I thought we played with a real intensity,” Hines said about the performance. “I thought we put Washington under immense pressure, and obviously we need to capitalize on those moments. And the frustration is, when you dominate a game, to not get anything out of it. We should put ourselves in that position. So obviously, bitterly disappointed with the result. I thought the performance was good, but we have to move on.”

This is the first loss for the Pride at Inter&Co Stadium since Aug. 25, 2023, a 2-1 loss to San Diego Wave FC. It snapped a 22-game points streak at home (16-0-6) in all competitions after claiming points in every home game last year.

“Tough one. Obviously, we don’t like to lose. We haven’t lost at home in a long, long time,” Gautrat said. “But, I think for us, we’re still early on in the season. I thought the performance was there. Thought we dominated in all facets of the game, honestly. And I just felt like we didn’t put one away. And we gave up one chance, maybe, and I think that we were unfortunate in that. But for us, I think we move on. We learn from the loss, and it’s still early on.”

The Pride will undoubtedly see this as three points lost. They had plenty of chances to put the game away much earlier. Their inability to do so and a simple mistake cost them a home loss against a team they’ll likely be challenging for the NWSL Shield at the end of the season.

“I think we got a little bit too lax for just maybe 5-10 minutes,” Gautrat said. “And I think that that makes a huge difference in this league, because teams are good enough and the quality is good enough to punish you for that. And I think we have to have a better performance for the full 90 minutes.”

The Pride will look to bounce back from this loss Friday night when they welcome Angel City FC to Orlando Friday night.

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