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Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Claim Three Points in Front of Record Crowd

The Pride beat the Houston Dash 3-1 in front of a record crowd to extend their unbeaten streak.

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (16-0-6, 54 points) beat the Houston Dash (4-13-5, 17 points) 3-1 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium, extending their season-long unbeaten run in front of a record crowd of 17,087. It is the Pride’s largest crowd since moving into their current stadium and second-largest ever.

The previous record for a Pride game at Inter&Co Stadium was 14,452 on April 22, 2017. The highest attendance in team history is still their first-ever home game of 23,403 on April 23, 2016, at Camping World Stadium.

“I’ve said it from the start, we’ve had to make it our duty to try to attract more fans to come watch us play,”Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about the record crowd. “I know behind the scenes the front office are doing a terrific job to continue to try to promote fans to come out and support this team, and our job is to put the performances together. And I can assure you, the players are giving absolutely everything. They are doing the most to go out there and perform at their highest level and get victories. And I think tonight epitomizes with the crowd coming out and showing their support for this team. Because they’ve done so well this year.”

Carson Pickett gave the Pride the lead in the 29th minute and Angelina doubled the advantage in the 51st minute. Yuki Nagasato got one back for the Dash in the 53rd minute before Marta put the game away in the second minute of second-half injury time.

Hines made two changes to the team that beat Bay FC 1-0 on Sept. 20. Kylie Strom and Summer Yates entered the starting lineup, replacing Kerry Abello and Angelina. Additionally, midfielder Viviana Villacorta was on the bench for the first time this season.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Pickett, Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Morgan Gautrat and Yates were the defensive midfielders behind Julie Doyle, Marta, and Adriana with Barbra Banda up top.

As you might expect from a game between teams at either end of the standings, the Pride dominated this contest. Houston’s chances on goal were few and far between, while the Pride constantly threatened to extend their lead. Nagasato’s 53rd-minute goal kept the Dash in the game until the end, when Marta scored from a great individual effort, ensuring her team would take all three points.

The Pride nearly had the first chance of the game in the third minute when Adriana sent a cross into the center of the box. Doyle was making a run with a defender on her back and couldn’t quite reach the pass.

In the 13th minute, Banda played a give-and-go with Doyle, resulting in Doyle sending the striker into the box. Banda did well to bring the ball down and set herself up for a shot. Unfortunately, the attempt was directly into the arms of Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell.

Yates made a good run forward in the 18th minute as Banda made her way into the Houston box. Yates sent her forward as the striker tussled with Paige Nielsen. It looked like Nielsen was holding onto Banda as she sent a weak shot wide, but referee Iryna Petrunok determined it wasn’t a foul and awarded the Dash a goal kick.

The Pride had another good chance in the 23rd minute when a low Adriana cross was knocked out for a corner kick. The set piece was headed away, but only to Adriana, who was fouled by Barbara Olivieri 25 yards from goal. Marta stepped up to take the free kick, sending it into the wall. The block went right back to the Pride captain and she curled her second shot wide of the target.

The hosts had been knocking on the door and finally broke through in the 29th minute. It started when Banda got her head to Doyle’s cross but sent it wide. Marta collected the ball and played it back for Dyke, who sent a cross towards the back post. After being involved in the initial buildup, Pickett was making a run and got her head to the ball, placing it past Campbell and inside the far post to give the Pride a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Pickett’s first in 43 appearances for the Pride.

“Cori Dyke. What an unbelievable service,” Pickett said. “Like I said on the TV interview, I credit it to her, because I would have never gotten the ball without her. So, yeah, we just, I felt, kind of locked eyes. She saw the back line stepping, I saw the back line stepping, and then she overhit it. And, yeah, I was there. I mean, it was just, it was an unbelievable ball from her. So it’s nice to get my first.”

Doyle sent Marta into the box in the 37th minute, and the Pride captain was in on goal with Nielsen sprinting to get in front of her. However, Marta used a nice touch to her right, causing Nielsen to slide right past. She had space for a shot but sent the attempt right to Campbell.

In the 40th minute, Marta carried the ball to the end line and Avery Patterson caught up to knock it out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was to the near post, where Doyle was making a run. The ball bounced off the midfielder and was close to crossing the line, but Campbell saved it with one hand.

The Pride players threw their arms in the air, claiming it was a goal as Marta retained possession. There was a brief stoppage as the video assistant referee looked at the play, eventually determining there wasn’t enough to have Petrunok review it. Marta won another corner kick and this time took it short to Adriana. The Brazilian shot from outside the box, but it was an easy catch for Campbell.

The Dash had their best first-half chance in the third minute of stoppage time when Strom gave the ball away to Andressa in the Pride third of the field. Andressa dribbled towards the Pride box and nobody stepped up to challenge her. The Brazilian accepted the invitation to shoot, sending her attempt straight into the arms of Moorhouse.

The Pride dominated the first 45 minutes with more possession (58%-42%), shots (12-3), shots on target (4-1), crosses (14-5), and corner kicks (6-2). They also had better passing accuracy (87%-78%) in the first half.

Hines made one halftime change, replacing Gautrat with Angelina.

“It’s always a tough decision. I thought Morgan was brilliant,” Hines said. “I thought, you know, she did so well intercepting passes, getting on the ball, linking it, linking play. But I felt at times in that first half, it was getting too stretched at times. You know, Summer is doing a role for us in midfield. She’s more of an attacking player and just getting Ang on the field for 45 minutes, it’s really important that we keep the players fresh and ready to go.”

Shortly after the restart, the Pride set yet another NWSL record, passing 548 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.

The Pride doubled their lead in the 51st minute when Angelina played the ball forward for Adriana. The midfielder sent a pass into the box for Marta, who had the ball knocked off her foot. It went to Banda, who also had the ball knocked away. However, this time it went to Angelina, who sent a rocket past Campbell to give the Pride a 2-0 lead.

“I’m just really happy to have the opportunity to put the ball in the net. Been working hard for that,” Angelina said. “We’ve been doing a lot of finishing in training, so I’m really glad that I got that one.”

It didn’t take long for the visitors to get on the board, doing so just two minutes later. Receiving the ball in the middle of the field, Elin Rubensson turned Yates and played it to Nagasato, who had gotten behind Dyke. It only took a slight redirection from Nagasato to knock the ball past Moorhouse and cut the Pride’s deficit in half.

The goal was the first conceded by the Pride since a 39th-minute goal by Temwa Chawinga on July 6, a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Current. The Pride had gone 554 minutes without conceding a goal and it was the first since the Olympic break.

“It was just like a tiny, I don’t know. We blacked out that moment,” Angelina said about conceding the goal. “Got too many spaces, let them drive with the ball into the final third, and we don’t need to give them that much space in the game.”

The Pride had a chance to extend their lead for a second time in the 57th minute when Doyle sent Banda down the left. The striker found Adriana making a run towards the six and connected with her in front of goal. The Brazilian tried to use the outside of her foot to redirect the ball on target but sent it wide.

A poor clearance by Houston in the 64th minute gave the Pride another chance when Marta sent Pickett behind the back line. The right back shot from close distance, but Campbell did well to get a piece of the ball, sending it wide.

In the 68th minute, Sophie Schmidt touched the ball off of Banda’s foot and out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was cleared away, but the Pride retained possession. Adriana sent a curling ball towards the back post where Strom was making a run and the center back connected with it. However, Campbell made an excellent recovery to get in front of the shot and make the save.

After the play, there was a stoppage for an injury. Hines took the opportunity to make two more changes. Carrie Lawrence and Evelina Duljan came into the game for Dyke and Doyle.

Olivieri tried to make something happen for the visitors in the 80th minute, carrying the ball inside and shooting for the far post. However, she was unable to get over the ball, sending the shot off target.

Hines made his final substitution in the 89th minute, bringing Villacorta into the game for Adriana. It was Villacorta’s first appearance for the Pride since Sept. 17, 2023, after she suffered a torn ACL, her second since being drafted by the club.

“I’ve been here from the start with Viv’s Orlando Pride career and it’s been very stop-start. She’s suffered with a lot of major injuries and she’s worked tremendously hard,” Hines said. “You know, going back to the end of last year and seeing her rehab and the medical staff had done a terrific job of getting her into this position. We’ve been a little bit more cautious than most players who were coming back from an ACL based on this past history, but we felt she was ready to go. And, you know, she took her opportunity. It’s nerve-wracking, obviously, that first time you go back onto the field. But we decided just to throw her in and she did a good job in midfield.”

The Dash had a chance to equalize shortly after the substitution when an initial shot was blocked and fell to Olivieri. The Venezuelan international laid it off for Diana Ordonez, who took a shot but sent it off target.

The Dash were searching for the equalizing goal, but the Pride were the ones to strike, putting the game away. In the second minute of stoppage time, Marta made a long run into the Houston box. She used a stepover to beat Jyllissa Harris and sent a strong shot to the far corner past Campbell and in to give the Pride a 3-1 lead.

“Pretty amazing,” Angelina said about Marta’s goal. “I mean, the whole team was just jogging forward and she took it herself and made it happen. She’s amazing.”

In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Angelina pushed Andressa over from behind, earning a yellow card. Schmidt and Andressa stood over the ball with the latter taking the free kick. It was a solid strike, but Moorhouse tipped it over the crossbar.

The ensuing corner kick was redirected on goal, but Moorhouse was there again to make the catch.

A minute after that chance, Patterson dribbled down the right and into the Pride box. The midfielder took the shot herself, but it was from a tight angle and didn’t cause any trouble for the Pride goalkeeper.

The Dash continued to push forward in an attempt to get a second goal, but they were unable to create any other threats and the Pride came away with the win.

The Pride led every significant statistical category in this game, with more possession (55.2%-44.8%), shots (22-14), shots on target (9-6), crosses (17-8), and corner kicks (8-4). They also had better passing accuracy (83.2%-77.3%) than the Dash.

“We knew that we had more goals on the table. We knew that we could go and get that third goal and that showed in the performance after Houston scores. We created more opportunities, more passages of play,” Hines said. “But I think we’ve got to respect the competition as well. There’s no easy games in this league. As much as people might look at the standings, teams like Houston, Utah, Seattle, they’re good teams with good players. And they can punish you. And tonight, we let our guard down a little bit. You know, we allowed them to get back into the game, but our reaction was brilliant.”

While the team set a new league record for consecutive minutes without a goal, the Pride failed to set another record. Coming into this game, Orlando was tied with the 2016 Seattle Reign and 2021 North Carolina Carolina with five consecutive games without conceding. One more shutout would’ve seen the Pride hold that record alone, but a brief lapse in concentration saw them concede in the league for the first time in nearly three months.

The team now sits on 54 points, tying the 2014 Seattle Reign and just three points behind the 2018 North Carolina Courage for the most points in a single season in NWSL history. The Pride’s 16 wins place them only one behind the 2018 Courage for the most in league history.

Most importantly, the Pride claimed all three points. The win extends the team’s unbeaten run to 23 games, dating back to last season, and 26 games if you include the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. They continue to be on pace to become the first NWSL team to finish a season undefeated. The Washington Spirit beat Angel City FC 2-1 Friday night, so the three points gained lifts the Pride back to seven points clear with four games remaining in the season.

The Pride will return to Inter&Co Stadium on Oct. 6 to wrap up their two-game homestand against the Spirit. Only the Spirit, Current, and NJ/NY Gotham FC can catch the Pride and both the Current and Gotham play on Oct. 5. So the Pride could clinch the NWSL Shield with a win against Washington.

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Seb Hines Has Decisions To Make For Orlando Pride’s Back Line

What will the Pride’s back line look like when everyone is healthy?

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1 week ago

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February 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

As the 2025 NWSL season approaches, the Orlando Pride’s roster is taking shape. While the lineup will mostly remain the same, the departure of Adriana and the addition of Prisca Chilufya will impact changes. Additionally, the team has a key previously injured player returning for next season, something that will force Head Coach Seb Hines to make some tough decisions.

One of the most interesting situations impacting the Pride is the back line. Last season, Rafaelle went down with an injury that forced Emily Sams back to her natural center back position, partnering with Kylie Strom. The duo were terrific down the stretch, lifting their team to 14 shutouts, including in the NWSL Championship.

The move forced rookie Cori Dyke to take a more significant role, starting at right back. It was a tough situation for the 24-year-old, but she handled it brilliantly. Dyke was excellent during the final stretch of the season and especially during the playoffs, helping the team win the league title.

When Rafaelle returns from her injury and is fit to play, Hines will have three center backs, all of which have proven to make strong pairings on the back line. So how will the Pride boss handle the situation? Let’s take a look at some of his options.

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

While Rafaelle is a Brazilian international and a great center back, Sams and Strom were fantastic together for much of last season. Sams began the year at right back, while Rafaelle and Strom were the center back pairing. When Sams was forced to move to her natural position, Dyke took over as the starting right back.

Dyke had a strong rookie campaign, especially after taking over. Taking her out of the starting lineup with how she performed would be difficult for Hines. It would be surprising to see Rafaelle healthy and on the bench, but the back line of Kerry Abello, Strom, Sams, and Dyke was the best in the league last year and Hines might not want to rock the boat.

Go Back To The Start of 2024

Another option is to go back to how the back line looked at the start of 2024. While Sams was a regular at center back in 2023, Hines moved her to right back to begin last season. In a corresponding move, Strom — who had been the starting left back since 2022 — moved to center back alongside Rafaelle.

With everyone healthy, Hines could give that lineup another chance. After all, Strom was more solid at center back than left back and Sams proved she’s more than capable of playing right back. This is probably the most likely option and would ensure the team’s three best defenders are on the field.

Return to 2023

The Pride acquired Rafaelle on July 3, 2023, while the league was in the middle of the FIFA Women’s World Cup break. When the Brazilian joined the team, she started with Sams at center back and Strom was the starting left back. Strom has much more experience at left back than Sams does at right back, so Hines could send her back to her original position.

However, Strom had her best season as a member of the Pride in 2024 while playing center back. It’s hard to believe that Hines would send his vice captain back to left back after playing her in the middle all of last year. Rafaelle and Sams are the team’s only other experienced center backs, so this option is a possibility, even if it is unlikely.

Take Advantage of Versatility

When it comes to acquiring defenders, one of the primary things Hines and Haley Carter consider is versatility. Almost everyone on the back line can play center back and at least one of the outside back positions. This gives Hines an opportunity that few coaches have with their rosters.

Hines could move the players around, pairing all three center backs at times and moving Strom to the left and Sams to the right occasionally. Even Dyke can play center back, as she did in college. Moving players around would give them breaks during the season, keeping them fresh.

This decision could also backfire. Players get comfortable with their positions, so moving them around constantly could impact their quality. It would be a risky choice and is unlikely, but given the versatility of the players, it is an option for Hines. He could also take advantage of their versatility by playing a back line of three center backs, using Strom, Rafaelle, and Sams, while pushing Kerry Abello and Dyke up to wingback.

The Pride won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024, one of the best seasons for any team in league history. They have most of the team returning, so they’ll be a favorite to repeat in 2025. While most of the lineup will be back, there are still some questions to be answered. One of those is who will start along the back line. We’ll find out soon enough, and it will be interesting to see what Hines decides.

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Orlando Pride Sign Zambian Forward Prisca Chilufya

Pride add to their attack by signing Zambian international Prisca Chilufya from FC Juarez.

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2 weeks ago

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January 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Zambian forward Prisca Chilufya to a three-year deal that runs through the 2027 season. She’s the third Zambian attacker to join the Pride in the last 10 months.

“We are thrilled to welcome Prisca to the Orlando Pride. Prisca is a dynamic forward who brings exceptional ability, speed, and a proven scoring record to our attack,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her experience in both international competition with Zambia and her success in Liga MX Feminil demonstrates the kind of top-tier talent we’re committed to bringing to Orlando. She represents both immediate impact and long-term potential, and we believe she will thrive in our environment. Her three-year commitment reflects our shared vision for building something special. We can’t wait for our fans to see her take the pitch in purple.” 

The 25-year-old attacker joins the Pride from FC Juarez in Mexico. Since joining the team in 2023, she’s made 48 appearances and scored 14 goals. She’s scored four goals this year in just over half a season.

“I am honored to be joining Orlando Pride, a club with such a strong vision and commitment to excellence in women’s soccer,” Chilufya said in the club’s release. “I’m excited to bring my experience and skills to the NWSL, which is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. The opportunity to play alongside such talented teammates and learn from the coaching staff here in Orlando is something I’ve dreamed about. I’ve watched as the Pride have been built something special, and I want to contribute to the team’s success both on and off the field.” 

Before moving to Mexico, Chilufya played for Tomris Turan of the Kazakh Women’s Championship, making 14 appearances and scoring 18 goals during the 2022-2023 season. She moved to that club from fellow Kazakh club BIIK Kazygurt — which she helped win the championship in 2021.

On the international level, Chilufya has been a regular for Zambia since making her debut in the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics. She took part in all three of Zambia’s games in the 2024 Paris Olympics, serving as an alternate for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Most recently, she played in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

What It Means for Orlando

This signing comes on the heels of the Pride transferring Brazilian star Adriana to the Saudi Women’s Premier League. It’s not surprising the club made a move to bring in an attacker and that the player was Zambian.

Chilufya is the third Zambian international the Pride have signed in the last year. It started with the acquisition of striker Barbra Banda, who quickly became a focal point of the Pride’s attack. Then they signed Grace Chanda, whose injury during the Olympics has thus far kept her from making her Pride debut.

The impact Chilufya will make on the team is unknown, but it won’t be easy to break into the lineup. With Adriana gone, Chanda will likely move into the attacking midfield if she’s healthy. Meanwhile, the club re-signed club captain Marta to a new two-year deal, and she’ll obviously play the 10 role. Julie Doyle and Summer Yates both played on the left side in 2024 and are expected to continue sharing responsibility there in 2025. Such competition for a starting spot can only help the club, pushing all of these attackers to develp their game.

Regardless of which players seize a starting spot, the Pride have added depth, something Carter continually tries to do. Head Coach Seb Hines will have plenty of choices in an attacking midfield that can be devastating to NWSL defenses at times. It’s a good move for the Pride after losing a key piece in the attack.

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Orlando Pride Transfer Adriana to Saudi Side Al Qadsiah FC

The club has secured one of the highest transfer fees in NWSL history for the Brazilian attacker after she requested a transfer.

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2 weeks ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has secured a club-record transfer fee from Al Qadsiah FC of the Saudi Women’s Premier League in exchange for Brazilian international attacking midfielder/forward Adriana. The club announced that the sale was one of the three highest in NWSL history, with Jeff Kassouf of The Equalizer reporting the fee as $500,000.

“We are incredibly grateful for Adriana’s contributions to the club, and while we will miss her presence both on and off the pitch, we are happy to support her in this next chapter of her career,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “At the Pride, we believe in empowering our players to pursue opportunities that align with their personal and professional goals. The record transfer fee we received reflects both Adriana’s exceptional talent and our commitment to building mutually beneficial relationships in the global transfer market. These resources will help us continue to attract world-class talent to Orlando as we build for the future. We wish Adriana all the best and she will always be part of the Pride family.” 

The move, which was requested by Adriana, comes shortly after the start of training camp as the Pride prepare to defend their NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship titles.

“I want to thank the Orlando Pride, my teammates, and especially our amazing fans for making Orlando feel like home,” Adriana said in the club’s release. “This club gave me an incredible opportunity to grow as a player and person, and I will always be grateful for my time here. The Pride organization has been very supportive of my desire to take on this new challenge overseas. They worked hard to make this move possible while ensuring it benefited everyone involved. Orlando will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to watching the club continue to grow and succeed.” 

The Pride signed Adriana almost exactly two years ago on Jan. 19, 2023, from Brazilian giants Corinthians. That deal was through the 2025 season, meaning her contract would have been up at the end of this year. As Orlando typically extends players’ deals before they expire, the timing makes some sense, despite it happening during the Pride’s preseason.

In two seasons with Orlando, Adriana was a key player for the Pride with the versatility for Seb Hines to deploy her in multiple ways. She was primarily used as a winger during her time in Orlando, appearing in 46 NWSL regular-season games with 38 starts, logging 3,333 minutes. She scored six goals and added four assists, sharing the team lead in those categories in 2023. Her contributions in 2024 raised her career regular-season totals with the Pride to 12 goals and five assists across two seasons.

Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s playoff games during her stay in Orlando, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball in the Pride’s run to the title.

Additionally, the Brazilian made one appearance in the NWSL Challenge Cup, playing just eight minutes off the bench in 2023 without a goal contribution. She was on international duty during four of the Pride’s six matches in that competition. Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in that competition.

What It Means for Orlando

Losing a player of Adriana’s caliber does not make a team better, but the club got a big return for an attacking piece that had started splitting time with Summer Yates during Orlando’s final stretch of the season in 2024. The Pride’s younger players are starting to demand more minutes with their performances, and while the team’s depth takes a hit with Adriana’s departure, the club has the resources to find a roster replacement.

Someone will have to replace Adriana’s six goals per year. Yates scored five in her second season in the league, but a jump to 11 in her third year seems unrealistic. However, more minutes for Yates may mitigate some of Adriana’s lost offense. Others who can contribute to replacing those goals include Grace Chanda, Simone Charley, Ally Watt, and Julie Doyle. The first two on that list are talented, but still have yet to play their first game for the Pride. It’s also conceivable that Barbra Banda can score more goals in her second NWSL season.

In Adriana, the Pride also lost one of the team’s better penalty takers. Adriana was two-for-two from the spot in 2024. Someone else will need to step up and take up the secondary penalty-taker role (to Marta) in 2025.

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