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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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7 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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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Kylie Strom

In her fourth season in Orlando, the veteran changed positions to help the NWSL’s best defense.

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11 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride originally signed Kylie Strom from Atletico Madrid in July 2021. Prior to her time overseas, Strom spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the NWSL with the Boston Breakers. Her initial contract in Orlando was through 2022 with an option for 2023 that was exercised prior to that year. Despite being briefly out of contract this past off-season, Strom, now 32 years old, re-signed for the Pride, extending her stay in Orlando through the 2026 season. This ended up as one of the most important moves of the off-season, as Strom went on to partner Emily Sams in the league’s best defense, earning an NWSL Defender of the Year nomination and playing in all but one game of the 2024 season.

Let’s take a look back at Kylie Strom’s 2024 season, her best in Orlando so far.

Statistical Breakdown

Strom made 25 appearances for the Pride in the NWSL regular season, starting 24 times and playing 2,158 minutes, less than 200 minutes from playing the entire regular season. Most of the game time she missed was due to the red card and one-match ban she picked up on opening day at Louisville. Strom only took six shots in the regular season with two on target and no goals scored. She contributed her lone assist against Gotham at home in September. In possession, Strom completed 1,298 of her 1,503 passes (86%), the highest number of completed passes in the squad and the third-highest completion percentage among the regular starters, closely following Sams and Morgan Gautrat. She recorded 10 key passes, no completed crosses, and 46 successful long balls. Defensively, she succeeded in 20 of her 40 tackles (50%), contributed 39 interceptions, and won 73 headed duels. She was fouled 23 times, committed 17 of her own, and earned two yellow cards in addition to the previously-mentioned red card.  

Strom started and played every minute of Orlando’s three NWSL playoff wins (270 minutes). She attempted no shots but did provide an assist for Barbra Banda’s goal against the Kansas City Current. In the playoffs, Strom completed 144 of her 169 pass attempts (85%), with one key pass, no completed crosses, and four successful long balls. In defense, she added four tackles and six interceptions without committing a foul, suffering a foul, or receiving a card. 

Strom also started all three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, playing 239 minutes in total. She did not take a shot and thus could not score a goal in the tournament, nor did she record an assist. The defender completed 136 of her 158 passes (86%) without a key pass or successful cross, but she managed 11 accurate long balls. She added three tackles in four duels (75%) and four interceptions with one headed duel won on the defensive end. She also committed two fouls and was on the receiving end of two herself, but she was not shown a card.

Best Game

Looking at her availability, passing, and defending, Strom was remarkably consistent in 2024, across all competitions. This makes it difficult to pick one game from the bunch, so it would be tempting to pick any shutout against high-profile opponents, such as the NWSL Championship game or the NWSL Shield-clinching game, both wins against the Washington Spirit. Instead, the best game and best representation of Strom’s work was the 1-0 victory over the struggling Utah Royals on the road in April, the first win of the year.

In the victory over Utah, Strom completed 61 of her 68 passes (90%). She also added two tackles and four interceptions en route to holding Utah to just 0.1 expected goals per FBRef.com. With Marta coming off the bench in this match, this was also the first time Strom wore the captain’s armband for Orlando, though she went on to wear it for six additional starts in the NWSL. 

Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Strom a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season, a significant improvement over her score of 6 out of 10 in 2023. Previously,  Strom received a grade of 4.5 in 2022 and an incomplete during what was a rough stretch run in 2021 after joining the club midseason.

Going into the 2024 season, it was assumed that Rafaelle would be the primary center back partner for Sams, and Strom would play at fullback, her natural position to that point in her career. Instead, Rafaelle struggled with injuries, including at the start of the year, so Strom paired with Sams for four of the first five games, with the Pride having to employ a four-fullback back line in the second game due to player unavailability. Rafaelle then played with Sams in the middle for one match, before Seb Hines pushed Sames out to right back with Rafaelle and Strom paired together for the next five matches. From that point on, it was Sams and Strom in the middle the rest of the year.

The new position suited Strom and accentuated her strengths as a soccer player. She defended well as a unit with Sams and the fullbacks, using her physicality to win many tackles and headed duels while cutting out the mistakes she’d previously made when playing out wide. In possession, she was steady in building play through short- and medium-distance passes without taking too many risks. She was a vocal leader on the pitch and adept at snuffing opposition attacks before they could materialize. That she was able to adapt so quickly to a new role in the latter stages of her career is all the more impressive.

2025 Outlook

Strom has two more years on her contract going into 2025. Orlando will hope to get healthier in defense in the off-season and may sign some reinforcements, as both Megan Montefusco and Carrie Lawrence retired. But Strom has earned the starting center-back spot next to Sams. Given Cori Dyke’s late emergence at right back, there is less of a need to move Sams out wide. At the same time, Kerry Abello’s Best XI Second Team performance throughout 2024 would make it difficult to move Strom back to fullback on the left. It will be interesting to see how a position group that has become a strength of the team.

Regardless of how it unfolds, the goal for Strom moving forward should be to continue to play at the level she did during Orlando’s championship season, and given her consistency all year, this is a reasonable expectation for the player.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana

The Brazilian attacker was a key player in the Pride’s magical 2024 season.

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1 day ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international Adriana on Jan. 19, 2023 to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. One of the brighter spots of the Pride during the 2023 season, it seemed Adriana was on the verge of becoming a dominating NWSL player. Seb Hines again deployed her mainly as an attacking player, particularly on the wing, but sometimes as a second forward. While she was still a key player for the Pride in 2024, there were some bumps in the road when she would disappear from games and consistency was sometimes an issue.

Let’s take a look at Adriana’s second NWSL season.

Statistical Breakdown

Adriana appeared in 23 regular-season games, starting 19 and playing a total of 1,688 minutes. She scored six goals, which was third most on the team, and added one assist. It is notable that two of her six goals came from the penalty spot, where she went two-for-two in the regular season. She completed 71% of her 557 passes, which was a slight dip from a year ago, with 31 key passes, seven completed crosses, and 14 successful long balls. Defensively, Adriana chipped in nine tackles, 13 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. She committed just 10 fouls while drawing 30 on the opposition, and she did not receive a card.

In the playoffs, Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s games, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. Her passing wasn’t up to its usual level in the postseason, as she connected on just 63.9% of her 36 passes, including only two of nine in the NWSL Championship. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball, but no accurate crosses. On defense, she finished the postseason with three tackles and an interception. The Brazilian international committed five fouls, suffered two, and was not booked.

Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in the competition.

Best Game

Adriana had several big games in 2024, but perhaps her best was Orlando’s 2-0 home win over Gotham FC. She scored both Orlando goals in the match, lifting the Pride to their 19th straight game without a loss, tying the club’s single-season record for home wins (7), and pushing Hines past Tom Sermanni and into sole possession of the most coaching wins in club history (26). It didn’t take long for her to get involved, scoring just five and a half minutes after the opening kickoff. Angelina’s ball into the box was knocked into the air, and Adriana ran onto it and volleyed a blast into the net to make it 1-0 with one of the most impressive Pride goals of the season.

Not content with just one goal, Adriana struck again in the 19th minute. Summer Yates switched the play to send Adriana down the right side, where she took on USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger, then used Barbra Banda’s presence in the box to create space for her shot, which she placed perfectly inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Adriana played the full 90 minutes in the match and fired six shots in all against Gotham that night, putting all six of them on target and giving her a season high in the latter statistic. She led all players in the match in both categories. She completed 87% of her 23 passes on 48 total touches, with one key pass, one accurate cross, and two successful long balls. Defensively, she made three recoveries, and she committed one foul while drawing two and did not pick up a booking. It was a great performance by the attacking midfielder against one of the NWSL’s elite defensive clubs.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Adriana a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 campaign. This is a slight dip from the 7.5 we gave her last season, but there were times when she struggled to find her game in 2024. When she was on her game, she was outstanding, but there were games and even stretches of matches when she didn’t provide her usual quality. Her form isn’t the only reason she was dropped at times from the starting XI, because some of her teammates elevated their own, but it was a factor. While she increased her goal total by one, it came in more appearances and minutes, and her assist total fell, despite having a better cast around her. The Brazilian is capable of more, but the staff still felt it was a solid season.

2025 Outlook

Like her Brazilian teammate Rafaelle, Adriana’s contract runs through the 2025 season, so she’ll be working hard to earn a new deal beyond the upcoming season. If she starts the season well, the Pride will no doubt offer a new contract midseason if there’s not already a new deal in place before opening day. At 28 years old, Adriana is in the prime of her career and can still be an effective player. With the Pride improving, she’ll need to play more consistently or at a higher level to keep starting with this club, but she’s capable, and I expect her to fight to hold onto her starting spot in Hines’ XI.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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