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How Orlando Pride Players Have Performed in Olympics Past and Present and Predictions for the Future

A deep dive into the history of the Orlando Pride at the Summer Olympics.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Charles Dickens I am not, but being that much of the women’s soccer world is focused on the Olympic football (soccer) tournament, I want to write a little about the (ghosts of) Orlando Pride’s Olympics past, present, and future. The good news is that we are going to be looking at the fun topic of players who played, or still play, for the Pride. The bad news is, again, you will be reading my prose and not that of Charles Dickens.

It would take some real David Copperfield (you English majors out there see what I did there) type magic for Dickens to write this since he died in 1870, 26 years before the first-ever Summer Olympics and 126 years before the inclusion of women’s soccer in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. We will not be going all the way back to 1996, but let’s go back to 2016 and 2021 (and yet, somehow, also 2020), and from there we will look at the current Paris games and I will close with a prediction about which Pride players I think have a chance to participate in a future Olympiad.

The Pride’s inaugural season was 2016, and that team sent five players to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics: Steph Catley and Laura Alleway represented Australia; Mônica represented Brazil; Josée Bélanger represented Canada; and the face of the franchise, Alex Morgan, represented the U.S. All four nations advanced out of the group stage and into the knockout stage, and all of the Pride players averaged playing at least 60 minutes per match, with two players even averaging more than 90 minutes per match due to playing in games where there was extra time.

Here is a chart of some of the 2016 Pride players’ key statistics during those Olympic games, laid next to their stats from the NWSL season (all data from fbref.com, and it should be noted that Alleway, Catley, and Mônica were defenders):

A few items on these players and their performances in the 2016 Olympics:

  • There were several Pride vs. Pride matchups, with only Morgan going through the tournament without seeing one of her teammates on the opposing side of the field.
  • Canada defeated Brazil in the third-place game, with both Bélanger and Mônica going the full 90 for their respective teams. Also on the field during that match for Brazil were future Pride players Marta and Rafaelle, though neither were playing in the NWSL at the time.
  • Morgan’s two goals tied her for sixth in the Olympics, despite the Yanks’ early departure in the quarterfinals, when they were defeated by Sweden.
  • It is rather crazy to see that both Alleway and Mônica averaged more than 90 minutes per game, but Brazil went into extra time in two separate matches and Australia did in one.

The next Olympics should have been during the 2020 season, but despite the branding staying as the 2020 Summer Olympics, the games actually took place in 2021 in Japan due the pandemic. The Pride sent four players to Japan: Marta represented Brazil; Erin McLeod represented Canada; Ali Riley represented New Zealand; and Morgan once again represented the United States.

New Zealand did not make it out of the group stage, but the other three nations did, with Brazil losing in the quarterfinals, the U.S. winning bronze, and Canada winning the gold medal. It was somewhat of a backwards performance for the Pride players, as the best two individual performers (Marta, Riley) had their teams go out the earliest, and of the two who earned medals, one did not play at all (McLeod, who was a backup goalkeeper) and the other had a poor performance by her high standards (Morgan).

Here is a chart of some of the 2021 Pride players’ key statistics during those Olympic games laid next to their stats from the NWSL season (note: McLeod was an unused goalkeeper in the Olympics and Riley is a defender):

A few items on these players and their performances in the “2020” Olympics held in 2021:

  • There were once again several Pride vs. Pride matchups, and this time every Pride player played at least one game against a teammate. Well, McLeod did not play, but you know what I meant. You did. I know you did.
  • Both Marta and Riley were the captains for their respective nations, though neither captained even one match throughout the entire 2021 Pride season (Ashlyn Harris captained most matches, with Ali Krieger and Toni Pressley captaining the other matches).
  • Marta’s three goals tied her for eighth overall, and when she scored her first goal it marked the fifth — let me repeat the fifth — straight Olympics where she had scored at least one goal. Ranking second overall in goals scored during that Olympics? A 19-year-old Barbra Banda, then playing her club soccer in the Chinese Women’s Super League.

This brings us to the current Olympiad, in which the Pride are tied with Gotham FC for the highest representation across the NWSL with seven players on Olympic rosters: Adriana, Angelina, Marta and Rafaelle representing Brazil; Emily Sams representing the U.S.; and Banda and Grace Chanda representing Zambia.

The tournament is still ongoing, so these stats may change, but here is how the players have been doing thus far, as compared to their NWSL stats (Angelina is an alternate for Brazil and was in the lineup for only one match, and Sams is an alternate for the USA and was in the lineup for only one match. Chanda was only recently signed by the Pride, so she has not yet dressed for a Pride match.):

A few items on these players and their performances in the 2024 Olympics:

  • Thus far, there have not been any Pride vs. Pride matchups. Although the U.S. played Zambia, Sams was not in the lineup for that match.
  • Banda scored her third career Olympic hat trick in Zambia’s matchup against Australia, which makes her the only woman ever with three hat tricks in the Olympics. She now has scored 10 goals total in her Olympic career, which ranks her tied for fourth all-time on the Olympic scoring list.
  • Marta is playing in her sixth straight Olympics. Very few athletes in any sport are able to compete in six consecutive Olympics, and those who do generally play in sports which require less physical exertion than that is required from soccer (shooting, equestrian and sailing have the most athletes who have six or more Olympic appearances) .
  • Both Rafaelle and Chanda suffered injuries and missed games during the group stage.
  • Banda and Marta both captained their teams in every game they played.
  • Brazil and the U.S. have both advanced to the quarterfinals, while Zambia is out, so the stats for Banda and Chanda are final, but the stats for the other five Pride players could change.

I would be remiss not to mention that Marta has said she will be retiring from playing for Brazil after this season, but I certainly hope that she plays at least one more match for the Seleção (Brazil’s nickname for their national team), so that her final match for her country does not end with her having received a straight red card, which is currently the case after Brazil’s match against Spain on Wednesday. Marta will be suspended for the quarterfinal match, but if Brazil wins, I am sure she will be back in the lineup for the semifinal.

That said, let’s transition to looking at the future and consider which current Pride players are most likely to make an appearance in a future Olympiad. Looking at this by nation:

Argentina — Mariana Larroquette started all three matches during the 2023 World Cup and is still a common call-up for the national team. Argentina has a decent chance to qualify for an Olympics, though it did not this year, but Larroquette may need to be playing more minutes to still be a viable selection in four years, and minutes are going to be hard to come by for the Pride as long as Banda is still on the team. My confidence level (on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the highest level of confidence): 2.

Brazil — Luana, Marta, and Rafaelle will be likely nearing the end of their careers or possibly already retired in four years (and Luana’s soccer future is currently uncertain), so although I would never put anything past any professional athlete, I am going to remove all three from consideration. That leaves Adriana and Angelina from the Brazilian contingent, and I think it is likely Brazil will qualify and that both have excellent chances of being on that team in four years. My confidence levels: Adriana 7, Angelina 9.

Canada — Amanda Allen has already been called up to the senior team once and has played frequently for the youth national teams of Canada, one of the strongest teams in the world. Canada is likely to make every Olympic tournament until other nations in Concacaf get stronger, and since Allen is only 19, she likely has several chances to make the team at least once. She will have the same issue as Larroquette in terms of earning minutes while on the Pride, but I think her talent will get her on the field somewhere, and she will make a future Canadian Olympic Team. My confidence level: 9.

England — Anna Moorhouse was called into camp for England just a few weeks ago on the strength of a solid performance in the first few months of this season. England is very deep in goalkeeping talent though, with three players around her age or younger with eight or more starts for England and several others who are starters in the Women’s Super League in their home country. England also did not qualify for this year’s Olympics, and is in a difficult area of the world to feel confident that it will qualify in the next cycle. My confidence level: 1.

Spain — Celia has not played for the national team since 2019, and being that Spain is the reigning World Cup champion, it feels unlikely she will return to the team in the near future, let alone in four years’ time. My confidence level: 1.

Sweden — Evelina Duljan is in a similar situation to Allen, though at a different position and at a slightly older age. Duljan has played quite a few matches for the youth national teams of Sweden and seems a likely part of the senior team’s future, but she will need to get minutes at the club level in the next few years. As fellow Mane Land writer Sean Rollins wrote recently, the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup (which should be sponsored by Dos Equis…think about it), is a great opportunity to get some minutes for players like Duljan, who have been on the bench for most of the season. Sweden did not qualify for the 2024 Olympics and is in the tough European region, so that does knock down my confidence level for Duljan, but she is still young enough that I think she will have multiple chances in her future. My confidence level: 5.

United States — Americans make up approximately half of all members of the Pride, but I think really only a few have a chance to play for the national team: Ally Lemos, Emily Sams, and Summer Yates. Although Yates has played for the youth national team in the past and is having an excellent second season in the NWSL, I think she is a longshot to get a call-up and to be on the the team for the next Olympics, even though I have been impressed by her play this season. Lemos has been part of the youth national team since she was 14 and frequently starts for the U-20 team. She is one of only 37 players in NWSL history to have played more than 250 minutes in a season at the age of 20 or younger. I think she has a decent chance to be called up the senior national team, and then she will have a chance to prove herself and earn a full-time role. Sams is already on the team today as an alternate (recently moved to the active roster as a replacement for the injured Tierna Davidson) and will definitely be involved in the program during the next few years. My confidence levels: Lemos 5, Sams 8, Yates 2.

Zambia — Without Banda, it is doubtful that Zambia makes the Olympics, so as she goes, they go. She is one of the best players in the world, and I think she can get the team into the Olympics on her own at least once, if not multiple times during the rest of her career. Chanda I have not seen enough from yet, but she made the team and played in this Olympics and is still young enough (27) that she likely would be in contention if Zambia qualifies for 2028 and possibly also 2032. My confidence levels: Banda 10, Chanda 6.


So, there it is. I am not Jacob Marley, but we were visited by the ghosts of Pride Olympic past, present, and future, and hopefully for all of you it was as enjoyable a read as are the sounds of the music of another famous Marley — Bob, who obviously would have been a Pride fan. All the remaining Pride players will play again on Saturday in the Olympic quarterfinals, and the bracket is set up for a possible Brazil vs. U.S. gold medal game if each team can win two more games.

I will be rooting for that final, as even though it would delay the return of five players, it would be amazing to see Marta potentially close out her international career with a gold medal. No matter what, it will be exciting to see, and I look forward to watching this coming weekend.

Orlando Pride

Pride Opponents Reducing Barbra Banda’s Available Space in 2025

How changes in the opposition’s defensive strategies have led to a decline in Barbra Banda’s statistics.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A few years ago, I heard a basketball analyst talking on a podcast about Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and how his shooting prowess completely changed the geometry of how his opponents were trying to defend him. Geometry, as you all remember from high school, is the area of mathematics that is focused on understanding space and the positions of items in space.

As a mathematician, my ears perked up, since geometry is rarely referred to on NBA podcasts, and I immediately understood his point was that because Curry was such an offensive shooting threat, the opposition had to think differently about their positioning than they would with just about any other player, and they could not afford to give Curry any space on the court or else he would punish them with his proficiency at shooting the basketball.

Basketball is a much different game than soccer, in particular because hoops shots from behind the arc are worth three points while shots from inside the arc are worth two. Defenses have to consider the talents of their opponents at shooting three-pointers and adjust accordingly. Curry is the only player in NBA history with more than 4,000 made three-pointers made during the regular season (4,058), and is nearly 1,000 ahead of the next player on that list, James Harden, who has made 3,175. It can be argued that the only person to make better use of an arc than Curry was Noah, but that is for another article.

What does any of this have to do with Barbra Banda? Well, nothing and everything. I have no idea what kind of basketball player Banda is, but I know that just as defenses in basketball have had to dramatically change their normal styles to defend Curry, so too have they changed in how they defend Banda. If we take a look at some of Banda’s style-of-play statistics from the 2024 regular season and compare them to 2025, we can see the evidence of how defenses are clearly making changes to their positioning and to the space they are allowing Banda to operate in on the field (all data is from fbref.com, all metrics are on a per-90-minute basis except shot distance and expected goals, which are per shot taken):

Metric20242025Difference
Passes Received22.715.7-31%
Progressive Passes Received7.416.57-11%
Shots5.234.14-21%
Shot Distance in Yards14.615.6+7%
Expected Goals0.140.12-14%
Progressive Carries5.803.71-36%
Attempted Take-Ons5.233.14-40%
Touches in the Attacking Third21.918.0-18%
Touches in 1810.68.0-25%
Shot-Creating Actions4.603.58-22%

I called these her style-of-play statistics because I think these describe what she is doing on the field and where she is doing it, or in this case, not doing it as much as she was doing it in 2024.

Let’s start with the top two: passes received and progressive passes received per 90 minutes. The Pride are completing nearly the same number of passes per 90 minutes in 2025 (357.3) as they did in 2024 (364.4), but Banda is receiving 31% fewer passes this season than she did last season. She is also receiving 11% fewer progressive passes, which are passes of 10 yards or more that move the ball closer to the goal in the attacking area of the field. Banda is healthy and still in her athletic prime, so it is not that she has lost a step and is unable to run as she did in 2024, but it is clear that opponents are making concerted efforts to track her more closely and deny her the ball all over the field.

Receiving the ball less often certainly contributes to taking fewer shots, and, unsurprisingly, Banda is taking approximately 1.1 fewer shots per 90 minutes thus far this season. In addition, she is, on average, taking her shots from 7% farther (not further, thank you, Finding Forrester) away from the goal and from areas of the field which historically have produced fewer goals, as evidenced by the decrease in expected goals per shot. I did not include her conversion rates on her shots in this table, because that is not about style of play and rather about her proficiency. It is interesting, however, to note that her proficiency is nearly exactly the same: shots on target percentage of 44.6% in 2024 and 44.8% in 2025 and a slight increase in goals per shot from 13% in 2024 to 14% in 2025. It is not that Banda’s skill has diminished, it is how her opponents are changing the geometry of their defense.

The biggest drops from year to year tie right into this, which are Banda’s 36% decrease in progressive carries per 90 minutes (progressive carries are the dribbling equivalent of progressive passes received, when a player dribbles the ball for 10 or more yards towards the goal in the attacking area of the field) and 40% decrease in attempted take-ons. Teams are simply not allowing her to get a head of steam and get into space like they did last season, to the tune of two fewer progressive carries per 90 minutes and two fewer attempted take-ons PER MATCH. Banda has actually been slightly more successful in her take-ons in 2025 (50% success vs 47.5% success in 2024), but as teams are working to have her receive the ball in less dangerous places she is choosing not to try to take on a defender as often and is less often able to receive the ball and turn on the burners towards the goal.

With fewer passes received and fewer progressive carries she is also not touching the ball as often in the opponents’ attacking third and 18-yard box, which ties back to the reduction in shots taken, and also the final metric, shot-creating actions. Banda was fourth in the NWSL last season with nearly five shot-creating actions per game, and she has dropped to 16th this season with only 3.58 thus far. Being in the top 20 is still excellent, but goals generally come from shots, and Banda’s shot creation is down through seven games. The eye test does not reveal a player who is tentative or shying away from trying to create. I think she is just being defended differently, and as yet she has not unlocked a good counter.

Even with all of this said, it is not like Banda is having a bad year or is in any danger of losing her starting role. She has dropped in shot-creating actions, but she is making use of the ones she does create, ranking fourth in goal-creating actions by averaging 0.72 per 90 minutes. She is also fifth in goals scored per 90 minutes and third in goals scored. Her goal output is also lower in 2025 than it was in 2024, but as I noted, it is still better than most of the league’s offensive players.

Increasing her output is partly on her and partly on her teammates, as they need to work together to counteract how Banda is being defended by making some changes of their own. The losses of Adriana to a new team and Julie Doyle and Summer Yates to injury have hurt the offense, as the attack cannot build on all the cohesion that those players built with Banda last season, and Ally Watt and Angelina have not contributed as much as was expected, at least not yet. As The Mane Land’s Dave Rohe said on this week’s SkoPurp Soccer podcast though, all of this is true and the team is still tied for first place and tied for the league lead in goals scored.

The Pride have two tough games coming up — on the road at North Carolina, always a tough opponent, and then at home against Kansas City, the team currently tied with Orlando at the top of the table. Winning both games will be an acute challenge, but if the Pride can do that they will create a degree of space at the top of the table, though it would be more of an algebraic than a geometric sequence, since they would be adding three points and then another three points.

Whether algebraic or geometric, the Pride will continue to work to calculus, sorry…calculate, how best to sequence their offense to unlock Banda and improve an offense that, excluding own goals, has scored only six times in their last six games. They will surely be considering all the angles in practice this week, but let’s hope that in the end the angle they choose to go with for their offensive strategy is right.

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Orlando Pride Depth Tested Early This Season

The Pride are being forced to test their newly acquired depth early in the 2025 NWSL season.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride started a full rebuild in 2022, which culminated in the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024. With the core of the team well set, Haley Carter and Seb Hines began work on building depth in the squad. Early this season, that work is being put to the test.

Just seven games into the 2025 NWSL season, the Pride have already suffered several key injuries. The first occurred in the NWSL regular season opener when midfielder Julie Doyle suffered a knee injury 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute. The following week, Rafaelle was replaced at halftime. Hines insisted it was precautionary, but the center back has yet to return.

Summer Yates, expected by many to replace Marta when the club captain retires, was injured on April 12 while assisting Barbara Banda’s game-winning goal in Seattle. The most recent injury occurred Saturday night when starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was kicked in the head by Mimi Alidou in the 47th minute, forcing her departure from the game.

The Pride did suffer a key injury last season when Rafaelle was injured during the Summer Olympics while representing Brazil. However, the solution was rather simple as Emily Sams moved to center back and Cori Dyke took over at right back. Despite being a rookie, Dyke was exceptional the remainder of the season, securing the starting right back spot through the NWSL Championship.

Neither Doyle nor Yates were starters at the beginning of the season. While Doyle has started many games for the Pride in her career, Hines has gone to Ally Watt and Angelina as the outside attacking midfielders. But with Angelina playing regularly for Brazil, Doyle and Yates were expected to play significant roles during the season.

Fortunately, the Pride were well prepared for this situation. They signed Zambian internationals Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda, who have filled those roles so far this season. Both are more than capable of starting for the Pride and filling the gaps left by Angelina and Watt when necessary.

Rafaelle is a more significant injury for the Pride. Her replacement in the lineup was a simple decision. Sams is a natural center back and started most of the 2024 games alongside Kylie Nadaner. The duo was arguably the best center back pairing in the league last season, resulting in Sams being awarded NWSL Defender of the Year. The bigger issue was who would be behind the starters.

Dyke and starting left back Kerry Abello both played games at center back last season. It wasn’t a completely foreign position for them as they’d spent time there in college. However, moving your starting right back or left back to the central defender position is less than ideal. Preferably, you would have a player able to come off the bench and replace Sams and Nadaner when needed.

Hines showed his preference Saturday night when Nadaner was given the night off. Rookie Zara Chavoshi had played minimal minutes this season, taking part in only two games. However, the Pride boss decided to throw the 22-year-old into the fire, giving her the first start of her professional career. Making the decision more questionable was sending her into arguably the league’s most hostile atmosphere at a venue where the Pride have only claimed points once.

Despite the tough circumstances, the rookie defender did very well, holding her own. It was a valuable experience for the young center back, who will likely be called upon again as the season continues.

“Giving Zara the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start,” Hines said of his rookie center back after the game.

The final injury occurred during the game Saturday night when Moorhouse suffered an injury. The shot stopper has been the Pride’s number one since Erin McLeod left the club following the 2022 NWSL season. There was only one choice as her replacement, the team’s backup goalkeeper the past two seasons. While it was McKinley Crone’s first appearance in an NWSL game, it wasn’t her first appearance for the team.

The Maitland, FL native originally joined the club in 2023 as a preseason non-roster invitee. She was signed as a National Team Replacement Player later that season, but didn’t make any appearances. The club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner prior to the 2024 campaign, putting Crone’s future with the club into question. But Crone beat out her Finnish teammate to earn the backup spot behind Moorhouse.

Crone made her professional debut last season during the NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup against the North Carolina Courage. The game ended 1-1, with the Pride losing 5-4 on penalties. It was the last appearance by Crone, as Manner and Moorhouse started the other two Summer Cup games. Saturday night may not have been her first professional appearance, but it was unquestionably her most significant.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper wasn’t forced to do much, saving the only shot she faced. Despite the lack of action, it was good for the Pride to get their backup some meaningful minutes in case Moorhouse is called into international duty or is unable to return next week.

“Mac’s been waiting a long time for that opportunity,” Hines said. “It’s in a way that we didn’t want it to happen. Obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. But Mac’s been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.”

So far, the Pride have passed the test. While they’re not on a record-breaking unbeaten run like last year, they sit tied with the Kansas City Current atop the NWSL standings. The two teams are tied in every way, with the same record, the same number of goals scored, and the same number of goals conceded.

The recent experiences of the Pride reserves should only help the team moving forward. Whether Hines wants to provide more rest for his starters before the playoffs, someone gets injured, or international callups result in missing players, the Pride coach must have more confidence now that he can plug in less experienced players and trust them to do the job. That will only benefit the Pride as they look to defend their crown as NWSL champions.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fail to Score at Providence Park

The Pride’s Portland problems popped up to punish the team once again.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-2-0, 15 points) continued to have difficulty when visiting Providence Park, losing 1-0 tonight to the Portland Thorns in Oregon. The home team took the early lead on Reyna Reyes’ 16th minute goal. The Pride were unable to generate any good chances on goal no matter who Pride Head Coach Seb Hines put on in the second half.

Hines made five changes to the team that won against Angel City. Oihane once again replaced Cori Dyke at right back, Zara Chavoshi got the start next to Emily Sams in place of Kylie Nadaner. Carson Pickett took over at left back, with Kerry Abello moving into the midfield. Ally Watt also returned to the starting lineup in place of Prisca Chilufya. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Pickett, Chavoshi, Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Abello were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Ally Lemos with Banda up top.

Early in the match, the Pride tried the route one approach, sending long balls up to Banda. The first two times it worked well enough for Banda to get the ball cleanly, but she was unable to make anything from it. After that, the Pride continued to try this approach, but it was less successful.

Portland made things difficult for the Pride, pressing early and often. In the 16th minute it paid off for the home team. Pickett played a defensive ball out for a Thorns throw-in. Portland worked the ball across to Reyes. She moved the ball onto her left foot and put a very good shot inside the left post for what ended up being the game-winning goal.

The curl on that left foot 🙌Reyna Reyes with a special goal for @thornsfc.com!

NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-05-04T01:18:37.428Z

The Pride did have some chances but nothing with any type of power behind it to beat McKenzie Arnold. The Pride looked flat through most of the first half, and the Thorns brought more energy. Orlando looked disjointed and disinterested.

In the 37th minute, Pride supporters got a big scare. Banda took the ball into the box, but then pulled up as if she had a noncontact injury. Play was eventually stopped for the trainers to check on her. Mercifully, Banda was not injured and was able to continue.

Things almost got much worse for the Pride in the 39th minute. Reilyn Turner took a through ball into the box, rounded Moorhouse and put the ball on frame. Fortunately, Chavoshi recovered and made a clutch goal-line save to keep the score at 1-0.

After 45 minutes of play, the Thorns had the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on target (4-1). The Pride had the advantage in possession (53%-47%) and corners (3-0), but were not able to generate much of a threat.

Hines did not make any changes to start the second half despite the lack of scoring. The Thorns started quickly as Deyna Castellanos got on a long ball in the box. Luckily, her shot went wide. One minute later, Moorhouse was fouled. She took a shin to the head, and boot to her right hand. After several minutes she was subbed off for McKinley Crone.

The second half was much like the first. The Pride had difficulty breaking Portland’s lines. When they did, the chances did not threaten Arnold. A perfect example of this came in the 64th minute. Watt stripped the ball from a Portland player and fed it to Banda, who gave it back to Watt for the chance, but there was nothing on it.

In the 68th minute, Hines brought on Dyke, Angelina, and Viviana Villacorta for Oihane, Lemos, and Pickett. One minute later, Banda had a chance, but her near-post shot was saved by Arnold. On the other end, Crone saved a shot by Payton Linnehan in the 74th minute. In the 75th minute, Chilufya came on for Marta.

Hines made his final substitution in the 83rd minute, bringing on Grace Chanda for Watt. Between Moorhouse’s injury and various other fouls, there were 11 minutes of second-half stoppage time. Being up a goal against the defending champs, Portland players immediately headed for the corner whenever they got the ball.

Despite double digits to work with in stoppage time, the Pride failed to equalize and suffered their second loss of the season. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (58%-42%), corner kicks (7-2), and passing accuracy (80%-75%). Portland had the advantage on shots (15-11), shots on target (7-4), and, most importantly, on the scoreboard.

“You have got to try and create the space. You have got to move, make unselfish runs and you have got to be proactive rather than reactive,” Hines said about the team’s lack of offense. “I felt today that Portland were one step ahead of us in their defensive structure. We didn’t create too many opportunities. They were well organized. You have got to find different ways, and we had different solutions during the run of game and changed different buildup shapes, but it wasn’t enough to get that equalizer.” 

Hines praise the play of Chavoshi and Crone in the match, with both players short on experience.

“I think they are the main positives out of the game,” Hines said. “Giving Zara [Chavoshi] the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start. [McKinley Crone] has been waiting a long time for that opportunity. It is in a way that we didn’t want it to happen, obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. Mac has been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.” 

Fortunately for the Pride, the Kansas City Current and the Washington Spirit also lost their matches, meaning the Pride remain tied for first with the Current. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity to put some daylight between those other top teams.

“My head is all over the place at the moment, honestly,” Crone said about getting on the pitch. “I don’t really (know) if I can pinpoint a singular emotion. I am really honored, especially being from Orlando, just to be able to represent the city. This is such a tough place to come in and play. I thought the team fought hard. Now at this point, it is about turning our focus to the next game. It is such a long season, and we have so many more games ahead of us, it is now about how can we respond to this result today.”


The Pride remain on the road next weekend for an away match against the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

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