Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 2-0 as the Pride Clinch the NWSL Shield
The Pride defeated the Washington Spirit at home to clinch the NWSL Shield, the first trophy in team history.
The Orlando Pride (17-0-6, 57 points) secured the NWSL Shield with a 2-0 win over the second-place Washington Spirit (15-6-2, 47 points) tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. Marta gave the Pride the lead from the penalty spot in the 56th minute and a Tara McKeown own goal off an Adriana shot in the 73rd minute put the game away.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that beat the Houston Dash 3-1 on Sept. 28. Kerry Abello and Angelina entered the starting lineup in place of Julie Doyle and Summer Yates. The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke, Morgan Gautrat and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Carson Pickett, Marta, and Adriana with Barbra Banda up top.
This was a dominant performance by the Pride. They took the game to the Spirit early and didn’t let up. There were some moments when it looked like the visitors might find a way through, but the Pride took a deserved lead when Marta scored from the spot in the 53rd minute. An Adriana shot in the 73rd minute was deflected in by McKeown and determined to be an own goal. The second goal ensured the Pride would take all three points and secure the shield.
The Pride were the aggressors early, creating chances in the Spirit third of the field. Inside the first minute, Adriana won a corner kick on the right. However, the ball into the box was caught by Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury. Banda created a chance in the seventh minute when she dribbled to the end line and was pulled down by Annaig Butel entering the box. Referee Danielle Chesky gave the Pride a free kick just outside the 18 and it was played back for Adriana, but the Brazilian couldn’t get around the ball to put the shot on target.
Marta was tripped by Andi Sullivan entering the Spirit third of the field in the 16th minute, earning a free kick. The set piece found Banda making a run behind the back line and her cross was blocked out by McKeown. Chesky delayed the corner kick while the video assistant referee took a look at the play as the ball went off of McKeown’s arm. However, they determined it wasn’t a penalty.
The ensuing corner kick was towards the back post but too high for Banda to get over it. As a result, the striker sent her header over the crossbar.
Paige Metayer played Rosemonde Kouassi forward in the 25th minute, giving the Spirit their best chance to that point. The attacker had a step on Strom and took a shot from distance that Moorhouse tipped over the crossbar.
The ensuing corner kick was cleared by the Pride and they broke on the counterattack. Banda dribbled over midfield and found Marta making a run. The Pride captain cut inside to lose Kouassi before playing it back for Banda. However, the striker was offside, ending the threat.
Dyke sent a long ball for Banda in the 31st minute that was a bit too far in front of the striker. However, the Pride continued to put pressure on the Spirit, making it difficult to get the ball out of their own end. Eventually, Marta won the ball back from Butel. It bounced perfectly for Adriana who took a long shot, but the attempt was straight to Kingsbury.
Pickett put pressure on Esme Morgan in the 33rd minute, creating another turnover. Abello sent the ball down the left for Banda, who used her speed to beat McKeown into the box. The striker took her shot from a tight angle but sent the attempt right at Kingsbury.
Dyke made an overlapping run in the 36th minute, and Adriana played her down the right. The defender sent a cross towards the back post for Banda, but it was over the striker’s head. Pickett received the pass instead and sent her shot well wide of the far post.
Pickett won possession from Sullivan in the 39th minute near the Spirit box and Marta was taken out by Heather Stainbrook. Since Marta had already lost possession, the Spirit argued the call and Stainbrook was booked.
Adriana stepped up to take the set piece and attempted to put the ball on goal. However, she hit the wall and the ball deflected high, falling harmlessly into the arms of Kingsbury.
In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Dyke made a long run forward before cutting it back and laying the ball off for Gautrat. The midfielder sent a cross into the box for Banda, but the striker’s header went wide.
A minute later, Pickett played Banda forward into the box. The striker made a run towards the middle and it looked like she would get a free shot on goal, but Gabriele Carle came flying in from the opposite side to block the shot.
Courtney Brown made a run into the box from the left in the third minute of stoppage time and found space in the box. The midfielder tried to beat Moorhouse to her near post, but hit the outside of the net instead.
The final chance of the first half was for the Pride when Angelina won possession from Sullivan in the Spirit third and played her captain into the 18. Marta took a shot towards the goal that went just over the top. The Brazilian argued that Kingsbury got a touch to the ball, but Chesky gave a goal kick. That was the final play of the half as the teams went into halftime scoreless.
The Pride were the better side in the first 45 minutes with the advantage in possession (52%-48%), shots (9-2), shots on target (3-2), corner kicks (2-1), crosses (9-4), and passing accuracy (87%-83%).
The second half started slower than the first. In the 54th minute, Angelina sent a great ball forward for Banda behind the Spirit back line. As the striker entered the box, McKeown caught up to her from behind. Banda went down as soon as she felt contact and Chesky immediately pointed to the spot. McKeown was booked for the challenge and Banda required some medical attention. However, she was able to continue.
After a brief VAR check to confirm the penalty, Marta stepped up to take the spot kick. It wasn’t very well taken, and Kingsbury guessed correctly, getting her hand to the ball, but the strike was too strong, getting through the Spirit goalkeeper and giving the Pride a 1-0 lead.
“I was thinking that maybe she is going to wait and then think that I’m going to shoot as I did against Kansas. And I just used another technique,” Marta said about her penalty. “And then I put it in a good place. Because I used the technique, she jumped a little bit later. So there was luck to me. And I was happy we scored. So, yeah, I was thinking about that. I did. She knows me so good, you know, so you need to have some tricks in this moment.”
The Pride didn’t take long to push forward, looking for a second goal. In the 59th minute, Morgan tapped the ball away from Banda but sent it to Adriana. The Pride midfielder dribbled into the Spirit box before Morgan caught up and knocked the ball away. After regaining possession, she played it back to Gautrat, but her shot was blocked.
Pickett took possession after receiving an overlapping pass from Abello. She sent the ball towards the back post, where Carle got a slight touch to it, but not enough to keep it from reaching Adriana. The Brazilian wasn’t able to get much on the volley, sending the ball off target.
Again, the Spirit were unable to clear. However, Marta wasn’t able to control the ball and it went behind her to Abello. The right back took a shot from outside the box that went over the top.
Hines made his first substitution in the 63rd minute, replacing Gautrat with Yates.
In the 69th minute, Metayer took Abello one-on-one, beating her into the box. Pickett took possession but couldn’t keep control. However, Abello had recovered and Metayer sent the ball off of Abello and out for a corner kick.
The set piece was taken short to Kouassi, who sent a dangerous ball through the box. Moorhouse jumped for the ball and it went over her hands. Fortunately, nobody was at the back post to put it in, and the ball went all the way out of play for a Pride throw-in.
Hines took the stoppage in play to make his second substitution of the game, replacing Pickett with Doyle.
On the other end, the Pride’s pressure created problems for the Spirit again in the 73rd minute, resulting in a second goal. Marta’s pressure on McKeown forced a short pass to Stainbrook, which was taken away by Adriana. The midfielder took a shot from the top of the box and it looked like Kingsbury had it. But the ball took a deflection off of McKeown and snuck inside the near post to give the Pride a 2-0 lead.
The Pride nearly gave a goal right back in the 75th minute when Kate Wiesner sent Lena Silano into the Pride box. Silano sent a low cross in front of goal for Brittany Ratcliffe, but Abello got it first. She redirected it on goal, but it went off Moorhouse. Silano recovered the ball before it left the field and took a shot, but Strom was there to block it out. The ensuing corner kick was cleared and the Pride kept their 2-0 lead.
The Spirit had another great chance to find a goal in the 85th minute when Kouassi found Ratcliffe at the back post. The second-half substitute got behind Abello and put her foot on the ball, but she didn’t make clean contact with it and Moorhouse made a good save to keep it out.
In the 88th minute, Yates got by Sullivan to enter the box and the Spirit midfielder put her forearm into Yates face. Yates came down on Sullivan’s leg and both players went to the ground. While Yates got up quickly, Sullivan required medical attention. Eventually, she was stretchered off and replaced by Jenna Butler.
The fourth official showed eight minutes of second-half stoppage time and neither team created much before the final whistle. Marta dribbled into the middle in the seventh extra minute and shot but sent her attempt over the top. A minute later, Kouassi took a weak shot from the top of the box that gave Moorhouse little trouble. That was the final chance as the Pride came away with the 2-0 win.
At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (51.2%-48.8%), shots (16-11), and passing accuracy (83.6%-80.1%). The Spirit had more corner kicks (6-3) and both teams had four shots on target and 10 crosses.
“I thought, in terms of the game, we created a lot of good opportunities in the first half,” Hines said. “I thought in the second half, we still continued to create opportunities. There was a few moments where they played around our press, or played through our press, but, you know, they problem solve and they figure it out. And it might be that little bit more commitment into the press. And you can see moments where, if they’re committed, they win the ball and we transition to go to goal. And so, yeah, I’m just super proud of them, because it’s obviously a difficult position. A lot of pressure coming here, there’s a lot of hype around it. You’ve got the (NWSL) president here, you’ve got people here, and everyone is expecting for you to win the shield. And so, yeah, it does play a part in it, but I’m so glad that they stuck to who they are and they stuck to their identity and managed to get the job done tonight, because they deserve it.”
The win clinches the NWSL Shield for the Pride, giving them their first trophy in team history and clinching the top overall seed in the NWSL playoffs. The only playoff game they can play away from home is the NWSL Championship, which will be held in Kansas City.
“I mean, a lot of praise has to go to the players and what they’ve done. They’ve been incredible, their efforts and what they’ve put into this year,” Hines said. “And, you know, I said to them before, it wasn’t our time last year. They were bitterly disappointed how the season ended and it just wasn’t meant to be. And so they took that into fuel going into this year. And, you know, I can’t doubt them. They’ve been absolutely amazing from start to finish. And I’m so happy for them that they finally got the job done in front of our own fans.”
“Like I said on the field after the game, we worked so hard from the beginning and every single game,” Marta said. “And we looked to have this moment, especially here in our house. You know, in front of our fans and families and friends. It’s unbelievable. Something that I dreamed about. But, to be honest, like, never believe that was going to happen the way that we did it. And then I can tell you guys, I don’t think they’re going to have a game with this team or another team. I’m sorry, but it’s so special. And the way that we did it was incredible.”
Additionally, the Pride tied the record for most points in a single NWSL season (57) and the most wins in a single season (17). Both records were previously set by the 2018 North Carolina Courage. One win in their final three games would see the Pride hold both records on their own.
The Pride continue their unbeaten run, which now stands at 23 on the season and 24 dating back to last year. Including the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, the Pride are undefeated in 27 straight games. Their last loss was exactly a year ago when they fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC on Oct. 6, 2023.
While the Pride have clinched the top spot in the playoffs, they still have more to play for in the final three games. No NWSL team has finished an entire season unbeaten in the 12 years of the league’s existence. Avoiding defeat in the final three games would see the team be the first to reach that milestone.
The Pride will continue their quest for an unbeaten season on Friday night when they take on the Portland Thorns at Providence Park in Oregon.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 3-1 as Banda Brace Leads Pride to Victory
Barbra Banda bags a brace and an assist but goes down injured late in the victory.
After dropping two games to expansion teams and stealing a win in San Diego, the Orlando Pride looked to enter the summer break on a good note. The Pride (5-5-2, 17 points) had never lost to Bay FC (3-6-2, 11 points) and used a second-half burst to maintain that winning record and won 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium.
Barbra Banda opened the scoring in the fourth minute and followed it up in the 51st minute with her second. She added an assist to Cori Dyke in the 55th minute to close out the Pride scoring. Caroline Conti scored the lone Bay FC goal at the seven-minute mark.
“No better gift than a 3-1 victory at home in front of our fans,” Pride Head Coach (and birthday boy) Seb Hines said after the game. “It feels good that we’re ending this period on a high. I think it’s the first time this season we’ve got back-to-back victories.”
The Pride made one change in the lineup, giving Kerry Abello her first start of the season over Julie Doyle. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Oihane on defense. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos played midfield in front of them with Mace, Luana, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Banda and her leading-leading nine goals played alone up top.
After an hour weather delay, the Pride went with the in-vogue start these days by kicking the ball straight out of bounds deep on the start and pressing high. It led to an opening three minutes of play in which the Pride kept the pressure up and forced the ball to stay on the Bay FC side. In the fourth minute, Luana headed a ball towards the center which Banda controlled, bodied Bay FC’s Joelle Anderson off the ball, and slotted the opening goal with her left foot.
Bay FC fought right back in the seventh minute as the visitors didn’t have to fight through the press off their kickoff. Claire Hutton crossed the ball into the box, Abello deflected it wide but there was no Pride defender there and it fell to Caroline Conti. Abello tried to fight all the way over but Conti was able to put it past Moorhouse before any help arrived.
The entire back line got pulled to the right on the play and Mace could not get back to help out wide.
“Hailie Mace came into NWSL as a winger. She’s got some tendencies that fit a winger profile. We knew Bay FC had a high back line. How do we get behind that back line? Having someone to support Barbra and not just Nicole but add in another player who can get into the attack,” Hines said regarding the switch.
In the 16th minute, Rachael Kundananji beat Oihane and crossed the ball to Hannah Bebar, who headed it into the net, but Cristiana Girelli was in an offside position threatening the goal, so the assistant referee ruled that it put Moorhouse off enough to interfere with the play.
The teams settled down a bit and traded possession until the 27th minute when Oihane centered the ball to Payne, who scuffed the shot high. One minute later, Luana sent a through ball for Banda to run onto and she went down in the box in a collision with Brooklyn Courtnall. It was fairly evident, however, that Banda got her leg into Courtnall’s to either try to control the ball or draw a foul, and the referee, Jaclyn Metz, saw it the same way.
In the 33rd minute, Oihane was subbed out for Hannah Anderson. Oihane had been laboring a little and may have picked up a knock somewhere.
The Pride couldn’t re-establish the high press so they turned into a lot of possession by Bay FC. Any attack by the Pride ended in a turnover off a bad pass or ill-conceived long shots as Orlando’s attackers were impatient in building play. Turnover after turnover plagued the Pride for the remainder of the half as they did not threaten at all until the 45th minute, when Banda took on Maddie Moreau and Kundananji, shook them both loose, and then crossed the ball into an empty area at the back post with no one to finish.
It was a fitting final piece of sound and fury, signifying nothing, as the half wrapped without any plays of interest. The Pride weren’t able to lead any of the statistics, tying Bay FC in shots (4-4), while Bay FC led in shots on target (3-1), possession (53%-47%), and passing accuracy (85%-83%). Neither team was able to force a corner in the first half.
To start the second half, Hines subbed in Summer Yates for Abello, which pushed Mace back to the back line. In the 48th minute, Kundananji got behind when Anderson got caught out and was sizing up a one-on-one with Moorhouse. Dyke hustled back and blocked the shot.
“We started the game super strong, super intense, but I think we fell off towards the end of that first half,” Dyke said. “We got a little too stretched between the lines and weren’t getting enough pressure on the ball and we talked about that at halftime. We needed to stay more compact and then pick our moments to go.”
Go they did. Three minutes later, Yates sent a through ball angled behind Banda which allowed her to run onto the ball unopposed. She beat goalkeeper Emmie Allen, who came out of the box aggressively to defend, and then passed the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Four minutes later, Banda pressured Allen, forcing the goalkeeper into a clearance out of play. On the ensuing throw-in, Banda held off Bebar in the box, spun, and crossed the ball to Dyke, who put the ball in off the crossbar. The ability of the Pride to retain possession and work the ball in against a lesser opponent opened up the scoring and turned the game on its head.
Bay FC didn’t have a lot to do over the next stretch of time and Taylor Huff went down with an injury in the 61st minute, prompting a change as she was subbed out for Karlie Lema. Dorian Bailey came on for Joelle Anderson in the same stoppage but at the 62nd minute.
The teams went back and forth for a bit until the Pride drew a corner in the 71st minute. It deflected off a Bay FC defender and fell to Rafaelle at the far post, who headed it just wide. Three minutes later, Jacquie Ovalle and Zara Chavoshi wrapped up the Pride substitutions by coming in for Payne and Mace. Bay FC also took the stoppage in the 74th minute to sub two players in, bringing on Keria Barry and Onyeka Gamero for Kundananji and Girelli.
Unfortunately, in the 81st minute, Banda was dribbling down the left side when she pulled up lame and went to the ground off the pitch. She stayed there until tended to and was obviously upset. We’ll have to wait for any injury news on her. Bay FC made its final substitution in the ensuing stoppage in the 82nd minute, bringing on Kelli Hubly for Conti.
The injury to Banda left the Pride playing with only 10 players for the remaining 15 minutes (including added time) due to using up all three substitution windows. They stayed fairly solid in defense and played a lot of keep-away ball to see out the victory while playing short.
“A great way to finish this part of the season with a win at home. I think we were consistent today and we took the chances we created,” Luana said. “We’ve been having highs and lows in this part of the season but we bounced back in these two wins and it brought us a lot of confidence.”
Orlando City was ahead in the only stat that matters, goals, but trailed in every other major stat. Bay FC finished ahead in shots (14-8), shots on target (5-4), possession (54%-46%), passing accuracy (85%-84%), and corners (4-1).
The Orlando Pride now will be off until early July for the NWSL World Cup break. The next match is scheduled for July 3 in Los Angeles against Angel City FC.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home to face Bay FC in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break.
Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (4-5-2, 14 points) return home from a three-game road trip to take on Bay FC (3-5-2, 11 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams with the return game scheduled for Sept. 27 in San Jose.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
Bay FC is one of two expansion teams that entered the NWSL for the 2024 season. The teams have met four times, with the Pride holding a 3-0-1 record and a 1-0-1 mark at home in the series.
The most recent meeting took place on Sept. 13, 2025, in Orlando. The visitors took the lead just before halftime when Racheal Kundananji headed in a long pass by Caprice Dydasco. The Pride equalized in the second half, when Ally Watt headed a Jacquie Ovalle cross past Jordan Silkowitz to claim a 1-1 draw.
On June 13 of last year in San Jose, CA, Bay FC led almost every statistical category, but the Pride defense held strong until Barbra Banda scored shortly after halftime. The Pride withstood attack after attack, coming away with a hard-fought 1-0 win.
The teams met twice in 2024, with the first-ever game between the clubs occurring on May 11. Just prior to the half-hour mark, Banda dribbled inside and Deyna Castellanos attempted an ill-advised challenge, resulting in a foul in the box and a Pride penalty. Adriana put the ball into the bottom left corner for the only goal, lifting the Pride to a 1-0 win. It was the sixth win in an NWSL-record, eight-game win streak.
The teams met for the second time on Sept. 20, 2024. It looked like the game might be headed for a scoreless draw until Banda got her head on the end of a Carson Pickett cross, redirecting it past Katelyn Rowland to give the Pride the 1-0 win.
Overview
The Pride return home tonight after a difficult road trip that saw the team fall 2-1 to Boston Legacy FC and 3-1 to Denver Summit FC. Having already lost to both expansion teams, they headed west to face San Diego Wave FC, a team near the top of the standings. But Nicole Payne’s first professional goal lifted Orlando to a 1-0 win.
Despite not scoring in two of the last three games, Banda still leads the league with nine goals in 10 games this season. She has a two-goal lead on Ashley Sanchez, who is second in the league. Haley McCutcheon is the only other Pride player with multiple goals, scoring twice in the same game. Ovalle, Marta, and Hannah Anderson have the team’s other three goals. The assists have been spread out much more evenly with Ovalle, McCutcheon, and Rafaelle all sharing the team lead with two.
The clean sheet against San Diego was big for the back line as the team has conceded too many goals recently. Dating back to their 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC on April 24, the Pride have conceded multiple goals in four of the last six games. The only other game in which they didn’t concede at least twice was a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on May 8, their last home game.
Tonight is the Pride’s last game before the league breaks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the game, they won’t play again until July 3 and won’t play at home until July 10. That makes getting a quality result tonight essential for momentum going through the remainder of the season.
If you’re looking for a team to win against, Bay FC is one of the most likely candidates. The Bay -area side sits 13th in the NWSL on 11 points, just four points ahead of Louisville for last place. Tonight’s visitors are currently on a four-game winless run (0-2-2) and a two-game losing streak. Their last win was a 1-0 victory against San Diego on May 3. The club’s most recent games are a 2-0 loss to Portland Thorns FC on May 20 and a 1-0 loss to Chicago Stars FC on May 24.
Bay FC has struggled this year on both ends of the field. Its eight goals are second fewest in the league and Bay is one of three teams with single-digit goals this year. Meanwhile, the team’s 14 goals conceded are sixth in the league. The California side has been better defensively overall than the Pride, who have conceded 16 goals, but worse offensively, as the Pride have scored 15 goals so far this year.
Bay FC has been led in the attack by Alex Pfeiffer and Dorian Bailey with two goals each. Kundananji, Taylor Huff, Keira Barry, and Joelle Anderson have one apiece. Pfeiffer also leads the team in assists with two, tied with Cristina Girelli. Huff and Sydney Collins are the only other players with assists this season.
It should help the Pride tonight that Bay FC will be missing two key players. Silkowitz and starting center back Aldana Cometti were sent off against Chicago Sunday, meaning they’ll miss tonight’s game.
However, the Pride have their own key absences. In addition to injuries that have accumulated this season, Angelina was handed an additional game’s suspension after being sent off on May 16 for pulling Delanie Sheehan’s hair.
“We’re looking forward to it. Looking forward to being back home,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “It’s been a long road trip. Excited to get in front of our own fans. Want to create that atmosphere, make it hostile for Bay FC. We know it’s a quick turnaround for both teams as well, so we want to make sure that we start off on the front foot, build on what we achieved last Sunday in San Diego, and finish this part of the season on a high.”
The Pride will be without Angelina (suspension), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Marta (thigh) and Ovalle (thigh) are listed as questionable. Bay FC will be without Cornetti (suspension), Abby Dahlkemper (maternity leave), Anouk Denton (lower leg), Dydasco (maternity leave), Heather Gilchrist (knee), Alyssa Malonson (knee), Emily Menges (maternity leave), Pfeiffer (knee), and Silkowitz (suspension).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon.
Attacking Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Luana, Nicole Payne.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Zara Chavoshi, Hannah Anderson, Julie Doyle, Marta, Jacquie Ovalle, Summer Yates, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson.
Bay FC (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Emmie Allen.
Defenders: Sydney Collins, Joelle Anderson, Brooklyn Courtnall, Maddie Moreau.
Defensive Midfielders: Hannah Bebar, Claire Hutton.
Attacking Midfielders: Racheal Kundananji, Caroline Conti, Taylor Huff.
Forward: Cristiana Girelli.
Bench: Camryn Miller, Kelli Hubly, Jamie Shepherd, Dorian Bailey, Karlie Lema, Onyeka Gamero, Tess Boade, Keira Barry.
Referees
REF: Jaclyn Metz.
AR1: Art Arustamyan.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Edson Carvajal.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Katarzyna Wasiak.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: NWSL+.
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!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Pride need to do to earn all three points against Bay FC?
The Orlando Pride welcome Bay FC to Inter&Co Stadium this Friday night for the last match before the World Cup break. This is an opportunity to get a win over a team lower in the table and move up in the standings. What must the Pride do to earn all three points against Bay FC this weekend?
Keep the Chip
I have been asking all season on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for the Pride to play with the chip on their shoulder that they had when they won the double in 2024. We saw that against the San Diego Wave. My hope is that the players have now remembered what that feels like and will execute with the same level of intensity going forward.
The task is potentially a little easier against Bay FC, as the California-based side has scored less than half the number of goals that the Wave have this season. Of course, that is the trap. The Pride cannot slack off against Bay FC. Having Rafaelle anchoring the defense is a big help, and moving Hailie Mace out to right back has proven effective. In 2024, this team hated — with a capital “H” — conceding goals. They took it personally. That is the passion I want again. The chip on the shoulder.
Overwhelm and Outscore
As I mentioned above, Bay FC is not a prolific scoring team. Friday’s visitors have also given up 14 goals this season. That’s not the best or the worst in the league, but they haven’t faced Barbra Banda yet. The Orlando Pride don’t have any trouble creating chances, but they have had trouble getting anyone other than Banda to finish them this season. Banda leads the league in goals, and she has an opportunity to maintain or extend that lead against Bay FC.
What will truly make the difference for the Pride against Bay FC is if any of the other players can contribute a goal. We saw the space that Banda can provide her teammates when Nicole Payne scored her first goal against San Diego. Now I want other players to take advantage of that space to provide some goals for the Pride.
More Luana
Luana got her first start since coming back to the squad cancer-free. I think we’ve forgotten that she was a starter on the 2024 squad before her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. She was a starter on a team that won the double. Now she is back and she is a leader and an inspiration for her fellow players.
Given Marta’s limited minutes, having Luana out there as a stabilizing presence is important. Obviously, she brings a different skill set than Marta but still a critical one. Much like the defense, the midfield was better last match, and I feel she was a big part of that.
That is what I will be looking for on Friday night. The Pride can head into the World Cup break on a high with a victory. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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