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Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride host the Washington Spirit in a clash between the top two teams in the NWSL.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (16-0-6, 54 points) look to secure the NWSL Shield as they welcome the Washington Spirit (15-5-2, 47 points) to Inter&Co Stadium. This is the second and final time these two teams will meet during the regular season, though both have already secured playoff spots.

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

History

The Pride and Spirit have faced off 24 times since the Pride joined the NWSL in 2016. Orlando has a record of 8-9-7 in all competitions against Washington. This includes a 7-6-6 record in NWSL play and a 5-3-4 record at home.

The last time these two teams met was on April 26 in Washington, D.C. Angelina gave the Pride the lead early, before Ouleymata Sarr equalized shortly before halftime. A Barbra Banda strike and a Summer Yates penalty conversion in the second half seemed to put the game away, but Anna Moorhouse dropped an easy catch from Ashley Hatch, giving the Spirit a second goal. Fortunately, the Pride held on for the 3-2 win, extending their early-season winning streak to three games.

The first meeting of 2023 was on May 10 at Audi Field in the NWSL Challenge Cup. Tori Hansen gave the Pride a surprising early lead, but late first-half goals by Lena Silano, Sam Staab, and Marissa Sheva made it 3-1 Washington at halftime. Ally Watt scored off the bench early in the second half and Ashley Sanchez put the game away in injury time as the Spirit won 4-2.

The first regular-season matchup of 2023 was on May 20 in Orlando. Marta converted a first-half penalty, but Staab equalized five minutes later. Kylie Strom netted the winner late, and the Pride won 2-1. The Pride dominated the Spirit in the second regular-season matchup on July 1. Julie Doyle had a brace in the first 16 minutes and a Tara McKeown own goal put the game out of reach as the Pride won 3-0.

The final meeting in 2023 was in the Challenge Cup on Aug. 4 in Orlando. The game appeared to be headed for a scoreless draw until Mariana Speckmaier scored eight minutes into second-half injury time, lifting her team to a 1-0 win.

The first game between the teams in 2022 came on May 27 at Exploria Stadium. Trinity Rodman gave the Spirit an early lead and Hatch doubled the advantage after halftime. As the game entered second-half stoppage time, it appeared as though the Pride would fall for the second straight time, but a pair of late goals by Mikayla Cluff and Darian Jenkins stunned Washington with a 2-2 draw. The teams met again on July 17 at Audi Field and the Spirit dominated the game statistically. They had more possession, shots, and shots on target but couldn’t find the back of the net, resulting in a scoreless draw.

Prior to the draw in May, the Pride and Spirit played two games in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. The first was on March 19 in Orlando. The Pride had less possession and fewer shots, but a strong defensive effort allowed them to come away with a scoreless draw. The second Challenge Cup meeting came on April 3 at Audi Field. Gunny Jonsdottir scored the team’s first goal in four games. However, the Spirit already had a 3-0 lead. Rodman scored a late goal to put the game away as the Pride fell 4-1.

The two teams played four times during 2021. The first was on April 21 in the Challenge Cup. Sydney Leroux’s goal was the only scoring as the Pride won 1-0. Just two games later, the Pride opened their regular season by hosting the Spirit on May 16. Hatch gave Washington the lead, but Alex Morgan equalized to claim a 1-1 draw. The second regular-season meeting that year was on June 6 in Washington. Hatch opened the scoring, but Taylor Kornieck equalized minutes later, resulting in a 1-1 draw. The final meeting of 2021 came Aug. 22 at Audi Field. Marta gave the Pride the lead, but Hatch equalized just two minutes later. It looked like it would be a third straight 1-1 draw but Sanchez won it for Washington late.

Due to the pandemic, the Pride and Spirit didn’t play in 2020 but faced off three times in 2019. The first was on July 6 in Orlando. Marta scored a brace in the second half, leading the Pride to a 4-3 win. They played again on Aug. 24 in Washington. Crystal Thomas gave the hosts the lead and Marta equalized. But Hatch’s goal lifted the Spirit to a 2-1 win. The final game was supposed to be the following weekend but was postponed due to Hurricane Dorian. Instead, the game was played Oct. 9 in Orlando. The Spirit dominated the rubber match, beating the Pride 3-0.

The first of two meetings in 2018 was on March 31 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Hatch scored a goal and added an assist in a 2-0 win for the Spirit. The Pride got their revenge in the second game in the same location. Alanna Kennedy’s goal was the difference as the Pride won 1-0. The final meeting that year was on July 7 in Orlando. Hatch gave the Spirit the lead, but Leroux scored just before halftime and Marta’s goal gave Orlando the 2-1 win.

The 2017 season was the first time the teams played three times in a year. Their April 22 meeting was the Pride’s first home game that year. Line Sigvardsen-Jensen gave the visitors the lead, but Danica Evans answered as the teams drew 1-1. They met for the second time that year in Maryland on July 8 when Marta and Mallory Pugh both scored braces in a 2-2 draw. The final game in 2018 was on Aug. 8 in Orlando. Marta, Camila, and Morgan all scored as the Pride ran away with a 3-0 win.

The Spirit swept the first two meetings in 2016, winning 2-0 in Maryland and 2-1 in Orlando.

Overview

With only four games remaining in the regular season, the NWSL’s first-ever unbeaten campaign remains within reach for the Pride. They’ve been as hot in recent weeks as they’ve been all year, winning eight of their last nine. The only game they didn’t win was a scoreless draw at home against the Kansas City Current on Sept. 13.

While the team wants to continue its unbeaten season, there’s even more on the line this weekend. The Spirit currently sit in second place, seven points behind the Pride, and no other team can catch Orlando. As a result, three points tonight would clinch the NWSL Shield, giving the Pride their first-ever trophy and securing their spot in next year’s Concacaf W Champions Cup.

There’s a lot on the line tonight for the Pride, but the second-best team in the league is standing in their way. It’s an interesting scenario, because the rebuild that led the Pride to their current success was modeled after tonight’s opponent. Now they have a chance to win the regular-season title against them.

Similar to the Pride, the Spirit have already clinched a playoff spot and are fighting to get the highest seed possible. In addition to chasing the Pride, Washington is tied on points with NJ/NY Gotham FC and sits just one point ahead of the Current. Three points away from home would be huge for the Spirit.

While the Pride have been the best defensive team in the league — conceding 13 goals in 22 games — the Spirit have been an offensive force. Their 44 goals scored this season is second behind the Current’s 49. They’ve also been strong defensively, but not quite at the Pride’s level. They’ve conceded 25 goals this year, fourth fewest in the league.

The team is led by French international Ouleymata Sarr and U.S. star Trinity Rodman, each with eight goals this year. Hatch and Croix Bethune are tied for third on the team with five each, and Brittany Ratcliffe has three. Bethune currently leads the league with 10 assists, followed by Rodman with six, and Casey Krueger with three. While Bethune has been key to the Spirit’s success this season, she’s out for the rest of the year after injuring your knee throwing out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals baseball game. Rodman and Sarr have also missed time recently with injuries, but the Spirit have kept winning anyway.

This will be a tough test for a Pride back line that is trying to set a new league record for fewest goals conceded in the season. They’ll need to avoid conceding four goals in the last four games to achieve that feat, but tonight they’ll face one of the three teams to score twice against them in a game this season. However, the defensive unit has been excellent recently, giving up its first goal in six games in the team’s most recent outing. The Pride haven’t conceded multiple goals in a game since May 19 away to Seattle Reign FC.

“It’s number one versus number two, so we expect a very competitive game,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s match. “Washington has been in a good run of form, as well as us, so I would expect both teams going out to get a win.”

There are no surprises on the Pride’s availability list for this game, with seven players out injured or ill, including Grace Chanda (thigh), Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Sofia Manner (concussion), Haley McCutcheon (foot), Megan Montefusco (heel), and Rafaelle (thigh). Washington will be without Bethune (knee), Lyza Bosselmann (wrist), Anna Heilferty (knee), Civana Kuhlmann (knee), Krueger (hip), Chloe Ricketts (knee), Rodman
(back), Leicy Santos (thigh), Sarr (back), and Hal Hershfelt (suspension).


Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Carson Pickett, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Morgan Gautrat, Angelina.

Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Marta, Adriana.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Julie Doyle, Ally Watt, Carrie Lawrence, Summer Yates, Ally Lemos, Viviana Villacorta, Evelina Duljan, Celia.

Washington Spirit (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Aubrey Kingsbury.

Defenders: Gabrielle Carle, Annaig Butel, Tara McKeown, Paige Metayer.

Defensive Midfielders: Esme Morgan, Andi Sullivan.

Midfielders: Courtney Brown, Heather Stainbrook, Rosemonde Kouassi.

Forward: Ashley Hatch.

Bench: Nicole Barnhart, Jenna Butler, Kaylie Collins, Makenna Morris, Brittany Ratcliffe, Lena Silano, Kate Wiesner.

Referees

REF: Danielle Chesky.
AR1: Ricardo Ocampo.
AR2: Matt Trotter.
4TH: Jade Mallea.
VAR: Abdou Ndiaye.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.


How to Watch

Match Time: 5 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes.

Streaming: ESPN+.

Twitter: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).


Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 4-1 as Barbra Banda Brace Lifts Pride to First-Ever Playoff Win

The Pride advance to the NWSL semifinals with a 4-1 win in their first-ever home playoff match.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride kicked off their 2024 NWSL playoff campaign with a dominant 4-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars. Haley McCutcheon opened the scoring in the 26th minute before Barbra Banda netted a first-half brace with goals in the 39th minute and first-half injury time. A Marta penalty put the game away in the 56th minute, though Jameese Joseph got a consolation goal for Chicago at the hour mark.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the team that beat Seattle Reign FC 3-2 in the regular season finale as Angelina started in place of Viviana Villacorta. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Angelina and McCutcheon were the defensive midfielders behind Summer Yates, Marta, and Ally Watt with Banda up top.

This game was never in doubt for the Pride as they dominated the entire 90 minutes. They were better than the 3-0 halftime scoreline and it would’ve been a clean sheet if not for a Moorhouse mistake in the 60th minute and two Orlando shots off the woodwork. Overall, it was a great way to start the playoffs for the club.

The Pride kicked off the game and started quickly. Immediately after the start, Angelina found Banda making a run behind the Chicago back line. The striker was looking to slip the ball inside the far post but missed just wide.

A minute later, Banda played a nice long ball to the right side of the field where Watt was making a run. She took Taylor Malham one-on-one and found enough space for a shot but missed the target.

The Pride’s third chance of the game came in the fifth minute when Yates made a run into the middle of the field. She let her final touch get a little too far in front of her, but Angelina was there to shoot from just outside the box. Unfortunately, this attempt also went wide.

It looked like the Pride would open the scoring in the 10th minute when Marta and Angelina combined to send Banda behind the Red Stars’ back line. The striker was in on goal with only goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher to beat, but decided to pass it across for Yates instead of shooting. The pass was behind the midfielder and Bea Franklin was able to clear.

“We always talk about setting a tone early. And so, you know, having that fear factor when a team comes to our environment, and, you know, we always want to make it difficult,” Hines said about creating four chances in the first 10 minutes. “So that first 5-10 minutes is really important to set a tone.”

In the 19th minute, McCutcheon found Watt on the right. The attacker attempted a shot from a tight angle, but Malham blocked it out for a corner kick. The set piece by Marta was headed back out to the Pride captain and her second ball in was cleared, ending the threat.

The Pride finally broke through in the 26th minute from another set piece. It started with a give-and-go between Abello and Watt, enabling the former to send a cross into the box that was cleared behind the goal by Cari Roccaro. The ensuing corner kick was short to Yates, whose cross was blocked to Angelina. Franklin got in front of the Brazilian midfielder’s shot, but it went straight to Watt, who tried to put it on target. While the attacker couldn’t get much on the ball, McCutcheon was in the right place at the right time to redirect the ball in with her head, giving the Pride a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

“I think we started on the front foot. We almost had one from kickoff I think. So yeah, we had just put the pressure on, you know, going forward. And I was happy to be the one to score,” McCutcheon said about the early conversion. “I honestly thought I was offside, so I didn’t really celebrate, but I’m happy that it was onside. And then, yeah, got the team going from there.”

Yates made a cut to beat Joseph in the 34th minute and the two bumped knees when the Orlando midfielder tried to move past her. The second-year player grimaced as the Pride medical staff looked at her and, after receiving more treatment off of the field, was forced to depart. She was replaced in the 38th minute by Adriana.

“Summer got a dead leg, charley horse, whatever you call it, which is pretty significant,” Hines said about Yates’ condition after the game. “But we’ll assess it going into next week. We had to bring her off because it was really painful for her.”

Immediately after the substitution, the Pride doubled their lead. Angelina won the ball off of Mallory Swanson and Sams picked it up, playing a long pass on the ground for Banda, who let it run and then blazed past the Red Stars back line, putting herself in alone on goal. Nobody could catch up with the speedster, who slipped it past Naeher to give the Pride a 2-0 advantage.

Banda nearly had her second goal in the 44th minute when she played a quick give-and-go with Adriana, getting in behind the back line on the left side. The striker was too fast for Natalia Kuikka to keep up, setting herself up for a curling shot around Naeher. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to get around it enough and the ball bounced wide of the far post.

Banda scored her second of the night and gave her team a 3-0 lead in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time after Watt sent the ball long into the Chicago half of the field. Roccaro tried to keep up with the striker, but was unable to as Banda played the ball past Naeher.

“Honestly, those balls are always very dangerous,” Banda said about her second goal of the night. “And I think I saw the keeper, she came out, but my instincts were right because I knew if she had to touch me, it was going to be a penalty. That’s why I had to put the ball down and I had to find the post. So I think my instincts were not wrong.”

“2-0 is always a dangerous scoreline, especially when you go into halftime,” Hines said about the importance of the third goal. “You know, the next goal is really important. So to go into halftime with 3-0 it kind of puts us at ease a little bit.”

It was an absolutely dominant first half by the Pride as they outshot their opponents 13-0 and put three of those shots on target. While Chicago had slightly more possession (53%-47%), the Pride also had more crosses (11-2) and corner kicks (4-1).

Hines made one halftime change, replacing Watt with Julie Doyle. It was the second substitution after Yates was forced off with an injury in the first half.

Marta tried to chip the ball into the Red Stars box in the 49th minute and it hit Hannah Anderson’s arm just outside the 18-yard box. The Pride captain took the set piece and went for goal, rattling the crossbar just above the upper right corner of the net.

A minute later, Marta found Doyle on the left and the midfielder’s second touch was forward for Banda into the Chicago area. She tapped the ball around Naeher and it looked like she would score the first hat trick in Pride history but hit the near post with the net empty.

In the 54th minute, Dyke’s throw-in for Banda in the box saw the striker get behind her defender. Anderson reached out and grabbed her shirt just as Banda entered the box. Referee Alyssa Nichols didn’t award a penalty, but the video assistant referee had the official go to the monitor. After a short check, Nichols pointed to the spot.

It seemed like Banda might take the penalty as she was sitting on a hat trick, but Marta — the regular penalty taker — took it instead. The captain didn’t take any chances with the attempt, hitting the ball hard past Naeher to give the Pride a 4-0 lead.

“Fully deserved the penalty as well, which Barbra won. Class that as an assist. Anytime a player gets a penalty, we class that as an assist,” Hines said. “So Barbra contributed to that also, and Marta puts it away like she’s done all season.”

The only way the Red Stars were going to get on the board in this game was from a mistake and that happened in the 60th minute. Dyke played the ball back to Moorhouse and the goalkeeper took a touch with Joseph putting pressure on her, rather than simply clearing it up the field. As a result, Moorhouse’s attempted clearance was blocked into the net by Joseph, cutting the Pride lead to 4-1.

A Chicago corner kick in the 72nd minute gave the Red Stars their best attack of the game. The set piece went long to Anderson, who headed the ball towards goal. Moorhouse was caught in a bad position, but Sams cleared it off the line.

The Pride broke the other way with Marta sprinting towards the Chicago box. Banda was making a run on the far side but was covered, so the captain played it back for Adriana instead. Taking a touch to create space, the Brazilian’s shot was straight to Naeher.

Abello dribbled the ball into the Red Stars’ box in the 78th minute before running out of space and playing it back for Doyle. The midfielder had plenty of time to shoot and forced Naeher to tip the attempt over the crossbar. The ensuing set piece was punched away by Naeher.

A similar play occurred on the other side of the box in the 81st minute, but this time it was Adriana playing the ball back for second-half sub Morgan Gautrat. The defensive midfielder’s first touch was a shot that was tipped over the top by Naeher. Again, the Pride were unable to create anything from the corner kick.

Chicago broke out of the back in the 84th minute after Gautrat gave up possession near midfield. Swanson found Jenna Bike charging down the right. The second-half substitute took a touch inside to lose her defender and shot, but the attempt was right into the arms of Moorhouse.

Hines made his final two changes in the 87th minute as Banda and Marta made way for Carson Pickett and Villacorta.

Adriana was sent behind her defender in the 88th minute but was unable to get enough space for a shot. Moving towards the center of the box, she played it back for Angelina, running behind her. However, Angelina’s shot was right to Naeher.

The final chance of the game came in the third minute of stoppage time when Swanson sent Bike down the right again. Slipping behind her defender, Bike sent a shot towards goal that Moorhouse tipped wide. The ensuing corner kick was headed by Anderson and Ally Cook, before Joseph sent it over the crossbar with her right foot.

The Pride finished the game with the advantage in possession (50.7%-49.3%), shots (27-8), shots on target (9-4), crosses (13-7), corner kicks (8-7), and passing accuracy (82.7%-82%).

“Brilliant, brilliant from start to finish,” Hines said about the performance. “Started the game really well, created two opportunities within the first two minutes. You can see the hunger within the team. You can see the commitment and fully deserved. I think we were phenomenal today.”

“Oh my gosh, I think we’re finding form at the perfect time,” McCutcheon added. “Getting Barbra going is massive for us. And so, yeah, we’re just firing on all cylinders. And can’t be more excited to make history again.”

In a season full of making history, the Pride did it again in this game. They lost 4-1 to the Portland Thorns in 2017 and matched that score tonight but were on the right side this time. The first home playoff game in team history resulted in the first postseason win in team history in front of 11,496 fans.


The Pride have already advanced to the NWSL semifinals for the first time and can reach the NWSL Championship if they beat the winner of the match between the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage at Inter&Co Stadium next weekend.

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Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride face the Chicago Red Stars in their first-ever home playoff game.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride prepare for their first-ever playoff home game against the Chicago Red Stars. This is the first time the two teams have met in the postseason and the third time they’ll play this year.

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

History

The Pride and Red Stars have played every season since Orlando’s entrance into the NWSL except 2020. The teams have played 20 games, with the Pride going 6-12-2. The Pride have struggled against the Red Stars in Orlando with a record of 1-7-2.

The Pride and Red Stars last met on Sept. 8 in Illinois. Marta’s 37th-minute goal was the difference as the Pride came away with a 1-0 win. On March 29 in Orlando, the Pride took the lead early through a Taylor Malham own goal, but Mallory Swanson equalized in the 64th minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

The first meeting of 2023 was on May 27 in Illinois. Orlando dominated the entire 90 minutes, with Chicago only getting two chances on its home field. But the Pride struggled to hit the target, and Yuki Nagasato’s goal was the difference as the Pride fell 1-0.  The Aug. 20 matchup was the debut of Pride center back Rafaelle and the Brazilian scored in the 15th minute to give Orlando the lead. The hosts continued their attack, resulting in four more goals. Messiah Bright scored a pair, new signing Mariana Larroquette scored her first Pride goal, and Mikayla Cluff capped off the night with a goal as the Pride won 5-0.

The first meeting of 2022 took place on May 22 in Orlando. Sarah Griffin gave the visitors the lead, and Bianca St. Georges and Swanson made it 3-0 Chicago. It appeared as though the Red Stars would run away with the game, but the final 10 minutes saw three goals and two penalties for an exciting finish. Sydney Leroux missed a penalty, but Amy Turner scored the Pride’s first goal late. Swanson converted her penalty moments later, and Leah Pruitt scored her first goal for the Pride a minute after that in a 4-2 Red Stars win. The second meeting of the 2022 season was on June 12 in Illinois. Swanson capitalized on an early Pride turnover and the Red Stars held on for the 1-0 win.

The teams met three times during the 2021 season, but didn’t play until Aug. 8 in Illinois. Jodie Taylor and Leroux scored for the Pride before halftime. The 2-0 win ended a six-game winless streak and was the first NWSL victory for interim head coach Becky Burleigh.

The second meeting was Oct. 13 in Bridgeview, a rescheduled game that was originally supposed to take place Oct. 2. Kealia Watt scored early and the Red Stars defended that lead for 84 minutes on their way to a 1-0 result. The teams met again Oct. 29, 2021, in Orlando in the final game of the regular season. The Red Stars controlled the game but the Pride held off the Chicago attack for 65 minutes, at which point Watt scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Chicago win.

The Pride and Red Stars didn’t play in the 2020 Fall Series, so the last meeting prior to 2021 came in 2019. The first game was June 30 at Exploria Stadium. Goals by Chioma Ubogagu and Marta were topped by a Sam Kerr hat trick as the Red Stars won 3-2. The second game was on Aug. 21 in Bridgeview. The Pride took a 2-0 lead with goals by Rachel Hill and Ubogagu. Tierna Davidson cut the lead in half for Chicago, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1

The third meeting in 2021 came on Sept. 11 in Orlando. Casey Short stole the game for Chicago with the game’s lone goal five minutes into second-half injury time as the Red Stars won, 1-0.

The 2018 NWSL season saw the Pride and Red Stars meet three times. On May 2 in Bridgeview, Hill and Ubogagu scored in a 2-0 Pride win. They met in the same location May 26, with a Leroux brace and goals by Hill, Alex Morgan, and Dani Weatherholt leading to a 5-2 Pride win. The Red Stars were led by a Kerr brace, resulting in a 3-1 victory over the Pride on Aug. 25 in Orlando in the third meeting of 2018.

The Pride and Red Stars met three times in 2017 — the first year that they played that many games against each other. A Christen Press goal on July 1 lifted Chicago to a 1-0 win. On July 22 in Bridgeview, a Press brace led her team to a 2-1 win. The final meeting came a week later in Orlando. Morgan and Sofia Huerta traded goals in a 1-1 draw.

The Red Stars won both meetings in 2016 by 1-0 final scores.

Overview

The Pride went unbeaten through their first 23 games of the season, capping off the run with a 2-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Oct. 6 to clinch the NWSL Shield. A heavily-rotated team lost to the Portland Thorns 2-0 the following game and a mostly-first choice lineup lost 3-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC for their second-consecutive loss.

Returning home for the season finale Saturday, the Pride were able to gain a little momentum by defeating Seattle Reign FC 3-2. However, the final three games were arguably the three worst performances of the regular season. Fortunately, the Pride didn’t lose any more players during the season’s final stretch, so Head Coach Seb Hines will have his full complement of players who led the team since the Summer Cup break ended.

Tonight, the Pride will play in just their second playoff game all-time and the first in Orlando. The only other playoff game was on Oct. 7, 2017, in Portland, which the Pride lost 4-1 away from home. That was back when only four teams made the postseason, with the Pride being the fourth seed.

The big question for the Pride in this game is how the defense will perform. The Pride conceded just 13 goals in the first 23 games of the season and then gave up seven in the final three. Rather than spectacular performances by the opposition, those goals largely were due to defensive errors and a lack of concentration, especially on set pieces.

The Pride took a commanding lead atop the league earlier this season, giving them plenty of room for a poor performance here and there. They won’t have that luxury tonight as the winners will move on to the semifinals and the losers will see their season come to an end.

The Red Stars had an opportunity to avoid the league’s best team in the quarterfinal round but lost 3-1 to the Kansas City Current at home on Sunday. As a result, they finished the regular season in the eighth and final playoff spot. The Red Stars were in the middle of the league in both goals scored and conceded this year. Their 31 goals scored were eighth most and their 38 goals conceded were seventh most.

While Chicago has leaked goals at times this year, the Pride have struggled to break the Red Stars down, only scoring once in each of their two matchups this season. However, the meeting in Orlando was in the third game of the season when the Pride were still finding themselves.

Defensively, the key to the game will be stopping Swanson. The U.S. international leads the team with seven goals and four assists in 24 games this season. The key to the Pride’s success in Bridgeview was their ability to keep Swanson off the ball. If they can do similar tonight, they’ll create most of the chances and have a good chance of getting through.

“We feel good. We feel excited,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “First game in Pride history that we’re hosting a playoff game. Hopefully, we’ll get a good turnout. We’ll need the fans to push us forward to get the win. But the players are excited, they’re ready, they’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. So, yeah, we’re excited that we get to host the Chicago Red Stars in the first playoff game.”

The Pride moved Rafaelle (thigh), who has been out since the Olympics, to the season-ending injury list on Tuesday. Other Pride players out for this game include Megan Montefusco (heel), Luana (illness), Simone Charley (ankle), and Grace Chanda (thigh). All of those players have season-ending injuries or illnesses.

Chicago will play tonight without Ludmila (suspension), Ava Cook (knee), Sam Staab (Achilles), and Sarah Griffith (ankle).


Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Angelina.

Midfielders: Summer Yates, Marta, Ally Watt.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Celia, Carrie Lawrence, Carson Pickett, Julie Doyle, Morgan Gautrat, Ally Lemos, Viviana Villacorta, Adriana.

Chicago Red Stars (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher.

Defenders: Natalia Kuikka, Hannah Anderson, Cari Roccaro, Taylor Malham.

Defensive Midfielders: Bea Franklin, Julia Grosso.

Midfielders: Mallory Swanson, Shea Groom, Jameese Joseph.

Forward: Ally Schlegel.

Bench: Mackenzie Wood, Camryn Biegalski, Tatumn Milazzo, Julia Bianchi, Chardonnay Curran, Leilanni Nesbeth, Rosella Ayane, Jenna Bike, Ally Cook.

Referees

REF: Alyssa Nichols.
AR1: Stephen McGonagle.
AR2: Rhett Hammil.
4TH: Nabil Bensalah.
VAR: Ekaterina Koroleva.
AVAR: Tom Felice.


How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

Twitter: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).


Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

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Orlando Pride Defender Celia Announces Her Retirement

Veteran Pride right back Celia has announced she will retire from professional soccer after the 2024 season.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that defender Celia Delgado Jimenez, better known as Celia, announced her retirement following the 2024 NWSL season. The right back joined the club via a trade with the OL Reign following the 2021 season.

“Celia has contributed so much to our club and our city. She is an important leader in our locker room and has always challenged her teammates and everyone around her to be their best,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We want to thank her for all the work she has put in for the Pride, both on and off the pitch, and the role she has played in making Orlando a place people want to play and work. Celia will always be a part of our Pride family, and we are certain she is going to be successful in this next chapter of her life. We are excited to support her in any way she needs in this transition and appreciate all she has done for us, the community, the NWSL, and the women’s game at large.” 

The 29-year-old defender joined the Pride on Dec. 18, 2021, in a draft-day trade with OL Reign. The deal also included the acquisition of Leah Pruitt and the pick used on center back Caitlin Cosme for Phoebe McClernon. She signed a new two-year contract on Jan. 16, 2023, which expires at the end of the 2024 season.

In three seasons with the Pride, Celia has made 37 appearances with 26 starts and recorded 2,137 minutes in all competitions. She’s scored three goals and provided one assist. The right back was a main feature in the 2022 squad, appearing 21 times with 19 starts. However, her time on the field has diminished the last two seasons, making 16 appearances with seven starts.

This year, the former Spanish international made three league appearances with one start for 74 minutes. She also started all three games in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, recording 270 minutes with a goal and an assist.

“I have given my all to soccer, and in return, soccer has given me everything. While I am courageously competitive, this sport has always meant more to me than just the results,” Celia said in the club’s press release. “Soccer has taught me that the journey — the actions and decisions taken to reach the finish line — truly defines us. This principle has been my guiding star throughout my career. After more than 15 years as a professional athlete, I have been fortunate to play internationally in the most competitive leagues and teams and to represent the Spanish National Team in World Cups and Euros. I couldn’t ask for a better gift than to conclude this chapter by winning the (NWSL) Shield and being surrounded by the most genuine and extraordinary group of people. To Orlando, my team, and the incredible community that embraced me, thank you for giving me a place to call home.”

The Spaniard came to the United States in 2013 to attend Iowa Western. She transferred to Alabama in 2015 and was selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft by the Seattle Reign. While with the Reign, Celia spent time with Australian club Perth Glory and French club Lyon during the off-season.

Celia represented Spain 23 times and was on the country’s 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup rosters. She started all three games in the 2015 competition as the youngest player on the team. Additionally, she helped Spain to win the 2018 Cyprus Women’s Cup.

The veteran has also made an impact off the field while in Orlando. She was the Pride’s nominee for the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award for her work with SpaceKids Global. She used her aerospace engineering degree to inspire young girls interested in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM).

What It Means for Orlando

Celia joined the Pride at the beginning of the club’s rebuild. She was the primary starting right back until October 2022, when the club made a trade with the Houston Dash to acquire Haley McCutcheon. This year, she found herself behind Brianna Martinez, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke.

Her position on the depth chart in 2024 means she was rarely involved in games, even though she was on the team sheet for 18 regular-season matches. As a result, her departure won’t impact the team very much on the field. However, it does provide more roster space. The Pride have now seen two veteran defenders announce their retirements after Megan Montefusco called it a career on Nov. 1.

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