Connect with us

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 2-1 as Pride Win Battle of Undefeated Teams

Despite going down to 10 players in the first half, the Orlando Pride beat the Kansas City Current on the road.

Published

2 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (11-0-5, 38 points) went on the road and handed the Kansas City Current (10-1-5, 35 points) their first loss of the season, winning 2-1 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. The Pride’s Barbra Banda and the Current’s Temwa Chawinga — the two top scorers in the NWSL — traded goals in the first half, and Marta scored the winner with a penalty kick in the second half.

Orlando was reduced to 10 players in the 42nd minute after Carrie Lawrence received her second yellow card, but the Pride were still able to win their 11th game of the season, claiming the battle of the league’s last two remaining unbeaten teams. The result extended the Pride’s unbeaten streak this season to 16 games — 17 dating back to last year’s season finale — and they are now first in the league standings.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the lineup that won 3-0 against Angel City FC, with Angelina replacing Haley McCutcheon in the midfield. It was Angelina’s first start since undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on her knee on May 9. Anna Moorhouse started in goal behind a back line of Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Lawrence. Julie Doyle, Angelina, Summer Yates, and Adriana made up the midfield, while Marta played a bit further up the pitch with Banda up top.

The Pride wasted no time in attacking and created the game’s first chance in the second minute. Banda charged toward the end line on the right and her shot forced a save from Current goalkeeper Adrianna Franch. Orlando cycled the rebound around until it wound up at the feet of Angelina, who took a low, driven shot from distance that Franch was able to gather.

It was just the start of a frantic battle between the league’s top offenses, as the match featured plenty of counterattacking. The duel between Strom and Michelle Cooper was one to watch up and down the wing and highlighted the back-and-forth nature of the match. Strom defended well against Cooper, but the 21-year-old had the Current’s first real chance in the sixth minute when a decent cross found her in the box, only for her to send it over the bar. Abello then went the other way, winning a corner after her cross was blocked.

Another important battle between individual players was Lawrence’s defense against Chawinga. It was just Lawrence’s second start this season after her injury in last year’s preseason, and stopping Chawinga is arguably the toughest assignment in the league. Chawinga is particularly lethal when counterattacking and Lawrence picked up the first yellow card in the 14th minute when she pulled the Malawian forward’s shirt to slow her down on the break. Though the Pride were able to safely deal with the ensuing free kick, the card put Lawrence in a tough spot early.

Sams made a critical tackle against Chawinga soon after, one of many great contributions from the defender. However, Chawinga was relentless in this match and had another chance in the 17th minute, nearly getting on the end of a loose ball in the box. However, Moorhouse was there to collect it and see out the danger. Moorhouse was called to action again in the 20th minute, making a save but spilling the rebound before chasing it down to push it out of play.

It was a physical match, and Marta received a yellow card in the 23rd minute for her reaction to a hard foul from Claire Lavogez. Marta will likely be heading back to Orlando with some bumps and bruises as it was just one of many times during the match that she was knocked down. Strom spoke after the match about how Marta’s passion in this match was a rallying point of sorts for the team.

“You saw the fire in her eyes today, and that is so contagious,” Strom said. “We see her fighting, and she’s the one throwing her body in front of everything, putting everything on the line. Everybody gets behind that, everybody in the locker room. We are so connected and that’s something so special with this team.”

That passion was evident soon after that foul, as Marta hustled to get in the way of an attempted clearance by the Current soon after. Banda was quick to get to the loose ball in the box, but she was forced into a tough angle and sent her shot wide.

In the 28th minute, the Current picked up their first yellow card of the night after Claire Hutton kicked the back of Marta’s leg while defending her.

The hydration break did little to slow down the breakneck pace of the game. In the 32nd minute, Marta didn’t get all of the ball on an attempted shot and the Current sprinted the other way. Lavogez took a crack at goal herself from outside the box, but the shot went just over the ball. A minute later, Marta was fouled yet again, this time in a decent area from distance. Angelina lobbed the free kick over the Kansas City defense, but Franch was there to catch it.

The Pride finally broke through in the 37th minute. Adriana found a nice pocket of space between Kansas City defenders and Marta found her fellow Brazilian with a nice pass. Adriana didn’t take long to shoot and it never had a chance at going in, but it did deflect off of Elizabeth Ball and Banda was there to jump on the opportunity. The Zambian forward was on it in an instant and beat Franch to give the Pride the lead.

It was Banda’s 12th goal in what has been a fantastic first season in Orlando. With that goal, she took the lead in the NWSL Golden Boot race as well.

That lead, both for the Pride and Banda, lasted all of two minutes. Chawinga bested Lawrence and was then off to the races, dribbling through Orlando’s defense and putting her shot past Moorhouse for the equalizer in the 39th minute. It was Chawinga’s 12th goal of the season as well.

The game wasn’t done changing though, as Lawrence received her second yellow card in the 42nd minute and was sent off. Lawrence had been defending Chawinga yet again and left her feet to tackle the forward from behind, leaving the Pride with just 10 players for the remainder of the match. Even though halftime was looming, Seb Hines immediately made a change with his first substitution in the 44th minute, bringing off Doyle to add another defender in Rafaelle. Hines has spoken often about the importance of goals right before halftime, so it made sense for him to bring on Rafaelle immediately to prevent conceding a late, first-half goal.

Chawinga nearly had her brace in the 46th minute after a nice first touch to beat Sams and set up a shot. Moorhouse redeemed herself with a phenomenal diving save to nudge the curling shot just wide and out for a corner. While she had some worrying moments in this match, this save was one of Moorhouse’s best of the season.

Although down a player, the Pride didn’t stop pushing for a goal offensively to close out the first half. However, despite a flurry of corner kicks from Orlando, the first half ended with the game tied 1-1 and the Pride at a disadvantage due to Lawrence’s exit.

The Pride had more possession (53%-47%), shots (7-6), shots on target (5-4), corner kicks (4-1),and crosses (9-8). The Pride also completed 76% of their passes, while the Current were successful on 72% of theirs.

Hines made another change at halftime, replacing Yates with McCutcheon in the midfield.

It didn’t take long into the second half for Marta to be fouled again, with Lo’eau LaBonta receiving a yellow card this time. The medical team came out as she stayed down, but Marta was ultimately able to continue.

It was hard to tell that the Pride were down a player at times, as Banda and Marta required plenty of attention from the Current and the team remained organized and consistent with its pressure. This wasn’t the first time the Pride have played well after a red card this season and it showed.

“You have to manage those moments. You have to not find excuses,” Hines said. “It could have been very easy to give up and say, ‘You know what, we’re playing the top of the table tonight at their grounds, we’re down to 10 players.’ That could have been your excuse, but we’re not like that. That’s not the attitude. That’s not the character that we have in this group. They embrace it. They use it as fuel. Even when things are going against them, they step up and have great attitudes throughout the whole game.”

Adriana, Banda, and Marta all had their shots blocked in a barrage of chances for Orlando in the 51st minute, earning a corner for their efforts. That corner was cleared by the Current and Chawinga was wreaking havoc at the other end in a flash. Her cross skipped in front of goal, but Moorhouse collected it before the Current could capitalize. In the 55th minute, Chawinga sent a shot directly at Moorhouse. The goalkeeper couldn’t handle it, but her back line was able to clear away the danger during the panic.

Kansas City Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski made his first substitution in the 56th minute, bringing in Bayley Feist for Lavogez. In the 57th minute, Hailie Mace was shown a yellow card for yet another foul against Marta.

Things took an unexpected turn in the 60th minute. Sams came up with another important tackle to spark a counterattack that sent Banda downfield in a hurry. The forward dribbled towards the box and then slipped a nice pass in to tee up a shot for Adriana. The Brazilian’s first shot was blocked, and she rushed to poke at the rebound, getting fouled by Franch in the process. Franch was shown a yellow card while Adriana remained down and the Pride were awarded a penalty. Marta took it and beat Franch to give Orlando an unlikely lead while down a player on the road. Purists may say her penalty kick was too driven to be a panenka, but it was crafty, deceptive, and wound up in the back of the net all the same.

The goal showcased Orlando’s commitment to keep attacking for a winner despite being a player down in the second half.

“It didn’t change,” Hines said in regards to the team’s game plan after the red card. “We came into this game with the intention that we wanted to win. Whether we have 10 players or 11 players, it doesn’t matter. We always feel like there’s an opportunity for us to win.”

Chasing a result, Feist had a shot from distance in the 66th minute. It took a deflection, but Moorhouse was able to make the save without any trouble. Hutton had a shot from distance in the 68th minute, but it went over the crossbar. The Pride’s defense did a great job limiting the Current to tougher shooting opportunities and pressed when needed to stop Kansas City from gaining momentum.

Hines then added some fresher legs with a pair of substitutions in the 69th minute, with Cori Dyke and Ally Watt replacing Adriana and Angelina. Watt did fairly well when defending and applying pressure, although she did concede a foul in the 74th minute that gave the Current a free kick in a dangerous area. Debinha is lethal from set piece situations, but the Pride’s wall did its job to stop the shot.

Banda had a chance to expand Orlando’s lead in the 80th minute, but Franch managed an impressive kick save to deny her. She had another chance in the 84th minute while surrounded by Kansas City players, but her shot went wide.

Andonovski made another change in the 85th minute, with Brazilian defender Lauren coming on for Ball. The Current started to pick up the pace, creating better opportunities as the game neared its end. Feist had a shot from distance that went over the bar like many others, but it wasn’t off by much.

Hines responded by bringing in another defender, with Bri Martinez coming off the bench for Marta to help see out the match. Moorhouse came up with another big save in stoppage time against Ellie Wheeler after the ball took a weird bounce off of Abello. The Current were relentless, but the Pride proved why they have the best defense in the league.

“I think it says so much about our mentality,” Abello said after the match. “Going a player down obviously isn’t the best situation, but you can still get points. We’ve played some of our better football when we’re a player down. We still found the spaces. We still played well. It’s all about making good decisions and just being gritty in the defensive third.”

Mace had a shot with plenty of heat on it that went just off target and Chawinga put a header wide of goal in the final moments in the Current’s best chances of an onslaught of attacks successfully endured by the Pride. The final whistle blew after a little over 10 minutes of stoppage time and the Pride claimed all three points on the road.

Lawrence’s red card shifted things as far as statistics go, but it was far from one-sided, as the Current finished with more possession (57%-43%), shots (23-15), shots on target (13-11), and crosses (26-11). The Current also completed 74% of their passes while the Pride completed 68% of theirs. Both teams had five corner kicks. Moorhouse finished the game with seven saves, and Franch ended up with three.

“We showed so much character, so much heart,” Strom said. “To be honest, even when we went a man down, we were never in doubt. We knew we could win this game. From the beginning of this year, we knew we had something special with this team and we just proved it.”

There was plenty of attention on this match as it pitted the league’s two previously undefeated sides against each other for the first time this season. It was the most impressive result yet for a team that has far exceeded expectations this season. Seb Hines has spoken often this year about the team’s tenacity and this match was a testament to the work the Pride have put in to reach the top of the table.

“To go down to 10 players so early in the game and show the character that we’ve been talking about all season long is just incredible,” Hines said. “To come into this environment, we knew that was going to be a tough game. Same amount of points, same amount of wins, same amount of ties, there was nothing between us going into this game. I think we showed our character, our personality.”

The win gives the Orlando Pride sole possession of first place in the NWSL standings after 16 games. They are in a great spot as the league takes a break for the Olympics and the Summer Cup. Marta, Adriana, Rafaelle, Angelina, Banda, and Grace Chanda will all be in Paris for the tournament.

The Pride’s next game will come in the group stage of the inaugural NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup when they take on the North Carolina Courage on July 20. Their next NWSL match isn’t until Aug. 23, when they face the Houston Dash on the road.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Denver Summit: Final Score 3-1 as 10-Player Pride Fall Again on Road

The Pride get swept by the 2026 NWSL expansion sides in one week with a lopsided loss in Denver.

Published

3 days ago

on

May 16, 2026

By

,
Image of Barbra Banda playing against Denver.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride lost to their second 2026 NWSL expansion team in less than a week, falling behind, seeing Angelina sent off, and getting outclassed by Denver Summit FC. The Summit (3-3-3, 12 points) were the aggressors, picking up their first-ever home win, 3-1, at the expense of the Pride (3-5-2, 11 points).

Orlando conceded another early goal, as Eva Gaetino put the Summit up early, with Janine Sonis doubling the lead in the 54th minute. Barbra Banda pulled one back for the Pride in the 76th minute, but the fragile Pride conceded a second to Sonis a minute later to spoil any comeback bid.

“I think right now we’re going through a really rough patch,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “It’s always difficult away from home. Any opponent you play away from home, whether they’re at the bottom or at the top, it’s always a challenge.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse in Hines’ lineup was made up of Oihane, Hannah Anderson, Cori Dyke and Hailie Mace. Ally Lemos and Haley McCutcheon served as the defensive midfielders. Seven Castain, Summer Yates and Julie Doyle took up the attacking midfielder roles with Banda up top.

Other than a brief defensive highlight in the fifth minute—when Castain stole the ball and played it forward to Banda, who ultimately sent it over the endline—the Pride struggled in the first 10 minutes. The Summit maintained relentless pressure, which paid off in the 10th minute with a goal from Eva Gaetino.

The play began with a short corner from Ayo Oke, who delivered a precise ball into the box. Denver completely dominated the set play, beating Orlando players at every level. Melissa Kossler fought hard to head it toward goal near the right post, where Gaetino got the final touch and scored past Moorhouse to make it 1-0.

The Pride gradually regained their composure and began to grow into the match. Still, little in the way of a cohesive attack materialized over the next few minutes. In the 17th minute, Banda attempted a long-distance chip with Abby Smith off her line, after Mace won the ball just past the halfway line, but she sent her shot wide.

Denver responded with a long-range effort, which sailed just over the crossbar.

Oihane pushed forward in the 26th, finding Banda, who forced her way through the Denver defense and into the box, only for her shot to drift wide once more. Ally Lemos delivered a cross in the 28th minute, but it went straight to the Denver defense. She tried again a minute later, but this time she sent the ball over the end line for a Denver goal kick.

Orlando’s best chance of the half came when Banda charged down the right and into the box, sending a cutback that bounced around the penalty area. A Denver player fired it into Castain, and the ball nearly ricocheted into the goal, but it went harmlessly over the end line.

In the 39th minute, Banda met a free kick from distance with a powerful header, but again the effort was wide. Mace launched a long-shot lob into the box in the 40th, but Smith was equal to it, covering the ball the whole way.

Anderson nearly gifted Denver a goal in the 42nd with a soft header back to Moorhouse, allowing Yasmeen Ryan to slip past her and onto the ball, but Denver couldn’t capitalize.

The Summit led in all categories at the break, including possession (53%-47%), shots (11-3), shots on target (1-0), passing accuracy (87%-86%), and corners (3-1).

Hines made a triple substitution at halftime, bringing Angelina on for Yates, Nicole Payne on for Mace, and Marta on for Doyle.

Orlando started the second half with much more energy and purpose, delivering two threatening crosses within the first two minutes but the Pride were unfortunate not to convert either.

Early in the second half, Marta made herself known with some signature footwork just outside Denver’s 18-yard box, sending a through ball in for Castain, but Denver just managed to snuff out the chance.

The shift in energy was electric, with Orlando looking like a completely different team. However, an overzealous challenge in the box by Oihane handed Denver a penalty, completely changing the complexion of the game from that point forward. Sonis took the penalty, firing to the right and past Moorhouse, who guessed the wrong way, putting Denver up 2-0 in the 54th minute.

The Pride were fortunate not to go down 3-0 in the 56th minute, doing little to slow a Denver attack that allowed Kossler to get off a shot—though she put it wide. Then, Devin Lynch stole the ball from Marta, drove straight down the middle of the pitch, and sent a pass out left to Natalie Means, who fired at Moorhouse, forcing a save.

In the 60th minute, Banda managed a shot, but it didn’t trouble the Denver keeper.

Angelina pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair and was shown a red card for violent conduct. It appeared she was trying to grab Sheehan’s jersey and let go immediately, but after reviewing the video, the referee made the call, leaving the Pride with 10 players and leaving Angelina suspended for the San Diego game.

Simone Jackson subbed on for Castain in the 64th minute.

At this point, the Pride were firmly on the back foot, and even Marta struggled at times, losing the ball more than once in uncharacteristic fashion.

After the sending-off, the Pride shifted into a defensive posture and looked to counterattack.

Against the run of play, the Pride struck back in the 76th minute. Haley McCutcheon did well to steal the ball after a poor touch from Sheehan and fed a nice through ball for a charging Banda, who took a touch to throw off the keeper and fired past Smith to make it 2-1.

Denver struck right back in the 77th following a throw-in. The ball was back heeled to Ryan who passed to Natasha Flint. Payne parried Flint’s shot, but Sonis put away the rebound to restore the two-goal lead.

Kerry Abello subbed on, after a six-month absence, replacing a gassed Banda in the 78th minute.

“It’s been six months to the day since I’ve stepped on the pitch, and so it was definitely emotional, but I felt really good despite the breathing and the altitude,” Abello said. “I think coming on for your first minutes, you know, in Denver, a man down, goal down, is really challenging fitness-wise, but no, I feel really good, and I’m just excited to build on that.”

Denver nearly added another when Moorhouse bobbled a long-range shot from former Orlando Pride forward Ally Brazier (née Watt), but she managed to cover up the ball and keep the score at 3-1.

The Summitt put the ball in the net again in the 83rd minute, but the play was offside, letting the Pride off the hook.

In the 84th minute, Abello delivered a cross that sailed high over the 18-yard box and harmlessly into touch. About a minute later, she followed up with an acrobatic head-over-heels throw-in, which was flashy but ultimately resulted in nothing threatening for the Pride.

Denver kept pressing, with Ryan sending a shot straight at Moorhouse for an easy save in the 91st minute.

In the late stages, the Pride looked a bit gassed, seeing out the final minutes with nothing to show for their efforts on a tough night at high altitude against strong competition, including some familiar former Pride players.

In the end, the Summit held their lead in all categories, finishing with the advantage in possession (56%-44%), shots (23-9), shots on target (7-2), passing accuracy (90%-86%), and corners (3-1).

“We made some good adjustments at halftime, you know. I thought we started the second half really well,” Hines said. “The sending off changes the whole game and yeah, we were just battling to the end, obviously. We’ll analyze it and move on, you know. We’ve got to bounce back, show some resilience, and come back stronger against San Diego.”

“Credit to Denver, they came out there with lots of energy, with a full week to prepare, whereas ourselves, you know, we had the game on Tuesday against Boston, which was a game that went all the way to the end, and then today was another one, where it was a tough challenge,” Hines said.

The Pride travel to take on the San Diego Wave on Sunday, May 24.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

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

The Pride travel to Colorado for the first time ever as they take on Denver Summit FC.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 16, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-4-2, 11 points) continue their road trip in Colorado as they face Denver Summit FC (2-3-3, 9 points) on the road (8:45 p.m., Ion). This is the final game of the regular season between these two teams.

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

History

This is the inaugural season for Denver, so the first meeting this year in Orlando was the first-ever matchup between the two clubs, which are both 0-0-1 against the other. This is the first meeting in Denver. The visitors shocked the Pride, taking the lead in the first half through Melissa Kossler. Barbra Banda equalized in the second half, allowing the Pride to come away with a 1-1 draw.

Overview

The Pride are coming off their most disappointing loss in quite some time. Facing a Boston Legacy FC team that only had one win on the season — a 3-2 win over Denver Summit on May 3 — Orlando took the lead when Marta converted an early penalty. But goals by second-half substitutes Aleigh Gambone and Amanda Gutierres saw the Pride drop the 2-1 decision.

Since the Pride had played three days earlier — a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage — Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made multiple changes to the lineup. The most notable omissions from the lineup were Banda and Ally Lemos, who started on the bench and came on at halftime. Marta, Angelina, and Rafaelle all started, but came off at halftime.

Banda is the league leader in goals through nine games with eight, three more than Ashley Sanchez. Unfortunately, she’s been one of the team’s few sources of offense this year. Haley McCutcheon is the only other player with multiple goals, a brace against Angel City on April 3.

Defensively, the team’s been strong except for a 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC and a 4-2 loss to the Washington Spirit in back-to-back games. Hines responded with a shift to the back line that resulted in a clean sheet against the Courage on May 8. The loss Tuesday night is the fourth time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this season.

Similarly to the Pride, Denver has struggled this season, claiming just two wins in its first eight games. However, one of those was away to the defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC and a 4-1 win in Houston on May 9, the Summit’s last game.

Unlike the Pride, Denver’s gotten offensive production from multiple players. Kossler and Natasha Flint each have four goals so far this year. They’re followed by Janine Sonis with two and Yazmeen Ryan with one goal. Ryan leads the team with three assists and Flint has two, the only players with multiple assists.

Denver’s total of 12 goals this year is only three behind the league-leading Spirit and Portland Thorns. The league newcomers have also been strong defensively with the exception of two games. They suffered back-to-back 3-2 losses to San Diego Wave FC on April 25 and Boston on May 3. Other than that, they’ve had three clean sheets and conceded once on two occasions.

The Pride will take the field without Kerry Abello (hip), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Rafaelle (head), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Zara Chavoshi (lower leg) is listed as questionable. Denver will be without Jasmine Ailey (knee) and Jordan Baggett (maternity leave), while Olivia Thomas (illness) is listed as questionable.

Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Hannah Anderson, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Marta.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Denver Summit FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Abby Smith.

Defenders: Carson Pickett, Kaleigh Kurtz, Megan Reid, Janine Sonis.

Defensive Midfielders: Devin Lynch, Delanie Sheehan.

Attacking Midfielders: Yazmeen Ryan, Natasha Flint, Yuna McCormack.

Forward: Melissa Kossler.

Referees

REF: Cristian Campo Hernandez.
AR1: Matt Trotter.
AR2: Matthew Schwartz.
4TH: Patricia McCracken.
VAR: Corbyn May.
AVAR: Alicia Messer.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8:45 p.m.

Venue: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City, CO.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

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!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

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.

Published

1 week ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

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.

Continue Reading

Trending