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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC: Final Score 2-0 as Pride’s Unbeaten Run Comes to an End

The Pride suffered their first loss of the season on the road in Portland in their first match since clinching the NWSL Shield.

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2 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (17-1-6, 57 points) saw their season-long unbeaten run come to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Portland Thorns (9-11-4, 31 points) tonight at Providence Park in Portland, OR. Morgan Weaver gave the hosts an early lead and Christine Sinclair doubled the advantage 10 minutes into the second half, lifting their team to a crucial three points.

After saying during the week there would be some changes to provide rest for key players, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made five changes to the team that beat the Washington Spirit 2-0 Sunday night. Carrie Lawrence, Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Evelina Duljan, and Ally Watt came into the lineup for Emily Sams, Morgan Gautrat, Adriana, Marta, and Barbra Banda.

“Really important,” Hines said about the getting lesser-used players playing time. “You know, job was done on Sunday. Obviously, our home, you know, the celebrations of winning and being the number one team in the league. And with a quick turnaround, coming to Portland, playing on turf as well is, I don’t know why we’re still doing that in today’s game. But there’s challenges within it and we felt like it’s a good opportunity to play players who haven’t played significant minutes this season.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Carson Pickett, Kylie Strom, Lawrence, and Cori Dyke. Yates and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Doyle, Duljan, and Kerry Abello with Watt up top.

It was always going to be a challenge to get anything in Portland and the circumstances made it even more difficult. The Pride were 1-8-0 in the city coming into this game and Hines decided it was the right time to provide rest for some key players. Additionally, the team arrived in Portland on Monday night to avoid Hurricane Milton, spending nearly the whole week on the road.

The Thorns desperately needed three points from this game and, despite missing some key players of their own, they looked like it. They pressed the Pride back line, creating turnovers that resulted in attempts on goal. The lack of Sophia Smith due to injury helped to keep the Pride in the game, but Weaver was a constant irritant as she created opportunities for herself and others. Hines brought Banda, Sams, Adriana, and Marta on later in the game, but they were unable to pull their team back and continue the unbeaten run.

Yates created the first decent chance for either team by carrying the ball past Reyna Reyes on the left, drawing a foul near the Thorns box. The ensuing set piece by Pickett was headed away and the Pride were unable to create any shots from the attack.

The first shot of the game came in the sixth minute. Weaver received the ball on the far side of the box with space but was unable to control it. The forward played it to Sinclair in the middle before receiving it back at the top of the 18. This time Weaver attempted to put a shot on target, but her attempt was weak, enabling Moorhouse to easily collect it.

The Pride created a counterattack in the 11th minute, resulting in Yates sending Watt behind the Thorns’ back line. It was a foot race between Watt and Reyes, which the Pride forward won easily. Her second touch was a shot on goal, but it was right at Shelby Hogan, who made an easy save.

In the 12th minute, Olivia Moultrie made a strong run to the end line, and her cross was blocked out of play by Lawrence for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was long to Reyes, who headed it in front of the goal. The back line stepped up, allowing Weaver to easily slip in behind all alone. She tapped the ball in to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

“Obviously, it was like a ball floated back post and, as we tried to clear our lines, there was obviously a defender between that was onside,” Lawrence said about the goal. “So, yeah, just need to clean that up going forward.”

“It definitely just wakes us up,” Watt added about the goal. “And we need to just start getting moving earlier. Yeah, just woke us up. That’s the best thing to say about it.”

The goal saw the Pride trail for the first time since March 22, when they fell behind against Angel City FC in the second game of the season. The Thorns’ goal broke the Pride’s streak of 1,904 minutes without trailing.

Angelina sent Doyle long in the 16th minute behind the Thorns back line and it looked like the attacker would have a good chance. Isabella Obaze did well to stay on Doyle’s hip, putting pressure on the midfielder and causing her to take a weak shot on goal. Doyle felt a foul should’ve been called on the play, but referee JC Griggs disagreed.

A weak pass by Angelina for Duljan in the 28th minute created a chance for Portland when Sam Coffey took possession and played Payton Linnehan into the Pride box. Strom did well to stay in front of the attacker, driving her wide and creating a difficult angle from which to shoot. Linnehan was unable to get a shot off and the Pride escaped a potentially dangerous situation.

Abello won a corner kick in the 33rd minute, which resulted in a good chance for the Pride. The ensuing set piece by Pickett was long to Angelina, who sent a dangerous cross back into the box. Duljan tried to get on the end of it and the ball bounced around the top of the six, but Hogan was eventually able to collect it.

A minute later, Angelina sent another dangerous ball into the Thorns’ box that went just over the head of Doyle. It bounced off Abello, and Doyle tried to get a shot off, but it was cleared before she could shoot.

Lawrence gave the ball away to Jessie Fleming in the 43rd minute, giving the Thorns another counterattack. The midfielder played Weaver forward and she sent the ball into the middle of the box for Moultrie. The teenager was able to get behind Lawrence, but Strom stayed in front of her and blocked the attempt.

Duljan sent Watt forward on the right in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. The forward got around Reyes to create a shot, but it was from a tight angle and created no trouble for Hogan.

The Thorns got the last chance of the half in the final minute of stoppage time. Moultrie dribbled along the left side of the box while Duljan and Lawrence tugged on her jersey. Eventually, she went down and won a free kick in a dangerous position.

Fleming played the set piece short to Moultrie, whose first touch was a shot. The crowd erupted as they saw the ball ripple the net, but it hit the outside. That was the final touch as the game went into the break with the hosts leading 1-0.

It was an even first half with both teams creating multiple chances. Portland had more possession (51%-49%), shots (6-4), and corner kicks (3-2). The Pride had more crosses (11-7) and better passing accuracy (82%-81%), while both teams put two of their shots on target.

The Thorns created the first second-half chance in the 52nd minute when Sinclair laid the ball off for Moultrie, who took a touch inside to create space from Strom. The attacker got a shot off but sent it wide.

Portland created another chance in the 54th minute when Moultrie found Weaver in the box. The forward’s first shot was blocked by a sliding Lawrence, but it went right back to her. Her second shot was blocked by a sliding Dyke.

Shortly after the pair of chances, Hines made his first change of the game, replacing Yates with Ally Lemos.

Immediately after the substitution, Portland doubled its lead. Reyes played the ball to Coffey from the left and the U.S. international made an excellent run to the top of the box before laying the ball off for Sinclair. The veteran’s second touch was a shot into the corner to give the Thorns a 2-0 lead.

“Obviously, they were loud,” Lawrence said about the crowd’s reaction to Sinclair’s goal. “And especially when she scored, that was not great for us. But I think we need to learn to do better in those situations and flip it to get the momentum on our side.”

The Thorns put the Pride under pressure at the back, creating another chance for the hosts. In the 60th minute, Weaver took possession after a poor pass by Angelina in the Pride half of the field. She laid the ball off for Moultrie who shot for the bottom corner, but the ball skipped just wide.

The Pride made a trio of subs in the 65th minute as they looked to get back into the game. Regular starters Banda, Adriana, and Sams came on for Pickett, Lawrence, and Duljan.

The game restarted with a goal kick and the Pride won possession, resulting in Abello sending Banda down the left. The striker beat her defender to the end line and shot, but it was from a tight angle and was easily collected by Hogan.

Abello lost possession in the Portland side of the field in the 75th minute and Sinclair sent it long for Linnehan. The midfielder got behind the back line and took a shot from distance, but sent it to Moorhouse.

Shortly after the attempt, Hines made his final substitution bringing Marta on for Watt. The substitution saw the Pride use the best attacking unit as they tried to climb back into the game.

Linnehan took possession in the 77th minute, turning Dyke inside and out to create space for a shot. However, her attempt from the left side of the box was straight into the arms of Moorhouse.

Banda drew multiple defenders in the 81st minute, causing them to leave Adriana open near the top corner of the box. The Brazilian received a pass back from the striker and tried to curl the ball inside the far post, sending it just wide.

Adriana got behind Marie Mueller in the 85th minute, causing the Thorns substitute to pull her back and earning a yellow card. Angelina and Marta stood over the set piece with the Pride captain taking it. Rather than sending the ball into the box, she tried to beat Hogan, sending the shot just over the top.

A Strom giveaway in her own box in the 88th minute nearly resulted in a third goal for Portland when Obaze took possession and played it back for Izzy D’Aqulia. The attacker sent a shot on goal, but it was caught by Moorhouse.

The Pride had a chance in the 89th minute when Doyle lifted the ball into the box for Adriana. The attacker flicked the ball on with her head, but nobody was making a run, enabling Hogan to fall on the ball.

Banda was fouled in the second minute of added time, giving the Pride a free kick in a dangerous position. Angelina sent the set piece into the box and Doyle was making a run, but the midfielder couldn’t reach it. It ended up going past everyone and out for a goal kick. That was the final chance for either team as the Pride fell for the first time this season.

The Pride ended the game with the edge in possession (58%-42%), crosses (19-10), and passing accuracy (84%-78%), but Portland created more shots (16-10) and put more on target (6-4). Additionally, both teams had four corner kicks.

“I think it’s always a tough place to come play, regardless of the form of Portland,” Hines said. “You know, it was a different team to what everyone has seen in recent games. We decided to make changes that was justified by the efforts of what other players have done throughout the season. And it was also an opportunity to give players a chance to go out and express themselves and get on the field. And I think overall, there wasn’t a lot between the two teams. I think it came down to a defensive set piece and a throw in. And so it’s a good opportunity for us to reflect, review the game, and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

The loss is the Pride’s first of the season and ends a 24-game unbeaten run in NWSL play, dating back to Oct 6, 2023. While they can no longer become the first team in league history to finish a season unbeaten, Hines said the team can learn from the experience.

“That we don’t want to feel like that again,” Hines said, referring to what he told his team after the unbeaten run came to an end. “You know, they haven’t experienced that feeling for over a year, so let it sink in and make sure that we don’t experience that feeling again at the end of the game.”

Since the Pride already captured the NWSL Shield against Washington, this game won’t change their position in the standings. However, conceding two goals means they can only give up one in the last two games to break the league record for fewest goals conceded in a season.

After a quick turnaround this week, the Pride will have a longer break before they take the field again. Their next game is the final road contest of the season as they face NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena on Oct. 20.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Kylie Strom

In her fourth season in Orlando, the veteran changed positions to help the NWSL’s best defense.

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9 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride originally signed Kylie Strom from Atletico Madrid in July 2021. Prior to her time overseas, Strom spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the NWSL with the Boston Breakers. Her initial contract in Orlando was through 2022 with an option for 2023 that was exercised prior to that year. Despite being briefly out of contract this past off-season, Strom, now 32 years old, re-signed for the Pride, extending her stay in Orlando through the 2026 season. This ended up as one of the most important moves of the off-season, as Strom went on to partner Emily Sams in the league’s best defense, earning an NWSL Defender of the Year nomination and playing in all but one game of the 2024 season.

Let’s take a look back at Kylie Strom’s 2024 season, her best in Orlando so far.

Statistical Breakdown

Strom made 25 appearances for the Pride in the NWSL regular season, starting 24 times and playing 2,158 minutes, less than 200 minutes from playing the entire regular season. Most of the game time she missed was due to the red card and one-match ban she picked up on opening day at Louisville. Strom only took six shots in the regular season with two on target and no goals scored. She contributed her lone assist against Gotham at home in September. In possession, Strom completed 1,298 of her 1,503 passes (86%), the highest number of completed passes in the squad and the third-highest completion percentage among the regular starters, closely following Sams and Morgan Gautrat. She recorded 10 key passes, no completed crosses, and 46 successful long balls. Defensively, she succeeded in 20 of her 40 tackles (50%), contributed 39 interceptions, and won 73 headed duels. She was fouled 23 times, committed 17 of her own, and earned two yellow cards in addition to the previously-mentioned red card.  

Strom started and played every minute of Orlando’s three NWSL playoff wins (270 minutes). She attempted no shots but did provide an assist for Barbra Banda’s goal against the Kansas City Current. In the playoffs, Strom completed 144 of her 169 pass attempts (85%), with one key pass, no completed crosses, and four successful long balls. In defense, she added four tackles and six interceptions without committing a foul, suffering a foul, or receiving a card. 

Strom also started all three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, playing 239 minutes in total. She did not take a shot and thus could not score a goal in the tournament, nor did she record an assist. The defender completed 136 of her 158 passes (86%) without a key pass or successful cross, but she managed 11 accurate long balls. She added three tackles in four duels (75%) and four interceptions with one headed duel won on the defensive end. She also committed two fouls and was on the receiving end of two herself, but she was not shown a card.

Best Game

Looking at her availability, passing, and defending, Strom was remarkably consistent in 2024, across all competitions. This makes it difficult to pick one game from the bunch, so it would be tempting to pick any shutout against high-profile opponents, such as the NWSL Championship game or the NWSL Shield-clinching game, both wins against the Washington Spirit. Instead, the best game and best representation of Strom’s work was the 1-0 victory over the struggling Utah Royals on the road in April, the first win of the year.

In the victory over Utah, Strom completed 61 of her 68 passes (90%). She also added two tackles and four interceptions en route to holding Utah to just 0.1 expected goals per FBRef.com. With Marta coming off the bench in this match, this was also the first time Strom wore the captain’s armband for Orlando, though she went on to wear it for six additional starts in the NWSL. 

Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Strom a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season, a significant improvement over her score of 6 out of 10 in 2023. Previously,  Strom received a grade of 4.5 in 2022 and an incomplete during what was a rough stretch run in 2021 after joining the club midseason.

Going into the 2024 season, it was assumed that Rafaelle would be the primary center back partner for Sams, and Strom would play at fullback, her natural position to that point in her career. Instead, Rafaelle struggled with injuries, including at the start of the year, so Strom paired with Sams for four of the first five games, with the Pride having to employ a four-fullback back line in the second game due to player unavailability. Rafaelle then played with Sams in the middle for one match, before Seb Hines pushed Sames out to right back with Rafaelle and Strom paired together for the next five matches. From that point on, it was Sams and Strom in the middle the rest of the year.

The new position suited Strom and accentuated her strengths as a soccer player. She defended well as a unit with Sams and the fullbacks, using her physicality to win many tackles and headed duels while cutting out the mistakes she’d previously made when playing out wide. In possession, she was steady in building play through short- and medium-distance passes without taking too many risks. She was a vocal leader on the pitch and adept at snuffing opposition attacks before they could materialize. That she was able to adapt so quickly to a new role in the latter stages of her career is all the more impressive.

2025 Outlook

Strom has two more years on her contract going into 2025. Orlando will hope to get healthier in defense in the off-season and may sign some reinforcements, as both Megan Montefusco and Carrie Lawrence retired. But Strom has earned the starting center-back spot next to Sams. Given Cori Dyke’s late emergence at right back, there is less of a need to move Sams out wide. At the same time, Kerry Abello’s Best XI Second Team performance throughout 2024 would make it difficult to move Strom back to fullback on the left. It will be interesting to see how a position group that has become a strength of the team.

Regardless of how it unfolds, the goal for Strom moving forward should be to continue to play at the level she did during Orlando’s championship season, and given her consistency all year, this is a reasonable expectation for the player.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana

The Brazilian attacker was a key player in the Pride’s magical 2024 season.

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1 day ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international Adriana on Jan. 19, 2023 to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. One of the brighter spots of the Pride during the 2023 season, it seemed Adriana was on the verge of becoming a dominating NWSL player. Seb Hines again deployed her mainly as an attacking player, particularly on the wing, but sometimes as a second forward. While she was still a key player for the Pride in 2024, there were some bumps in the road when she would disappear from games and consistency was sometimes an issue.

Let’s take a look at Adriana’s second NWSL season.

Statistical Breakdown

Adriana appeared in 23 regular-season games, starting 19 and playing a total of 1,688 minutes. She scored six goals, which was third most on the team, and added one assist. It is notable that two of her six goals came from the penalty spot, where she went two-for-two in the regular season. She completed 71% of her 557 passes, which was a slight dip from a year ago, with 31 key passes, seven completed crosses, and 14 successful long balls. Defensively, Adriana chipped in nine tackles, 13 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. She committed just 10 fouls while drawing 30 on the opposition, and she did not receive a card.

In the playoffs, Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s games, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. Her passing wasn’t up to its usual level in the postseason, as she connected on just 63.9% of her 36 passes, including only two of nine in the NWSL Championship. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball, but no accurate crosses. On defense, she finished the postseason with three tackles and an interception. The Brazilian international committed five fouls, suffered two, and was not booked.

Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in the competition.

Best Game

Adriana had several big games in 2024, but perhaps her best was Orlando’s 2-0 home win over Gotham FC. She scored both Orlando goals in the match, lifting the Pride to their 19th straight game without a loss, tying the club’s single-season record for home wins (7), and pushing Hines past Tom Sermanni and into sole possession of the most coaching wins in club history (26). It didn’t take long for her to get involved, scoring just five and a half minutes after the opening kickoff. Angelina’s ball into the box was knocked into the air, and Adriana ran onto it and volleyed a blast into the net to make it 1-0 with one of the most impressive Pride goals of the season.

Not content with just one goal, Adriana struck again in the 19th minute. Summer Yates switched the play to send Adriana down the right side, where she took on USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger, then used Barbra Banda’s presence in the box to create space for her shot, which she placed perfectly inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Adriana played the full 90 minutes in the match and fired six shots in all against Gotham that night, putting all six of them on target and giving her a season high in the latter statistic. She led all players in the match in both categories. She completed 87% of her 23 passes on 48 total touches, with one key pass, one accurate cross, and two successful long balls. Defensively, she made three recoveries, and she committed one foul while drawing two and did not pick up a booking. It was a great performance by the attacking midfielder against one of the NWSL’s elite defensive clubs.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Adriana a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 campaign. This is a slight dip from the 7.5 we gave her last season, but there were times when she struggled to find her game in 2024. When she was on her game, she was outstanding, but there were games and even stretches of matches when she didn’t provide her usual quality. Her form isn’t the only reason she was dropped at times from the starting XI, because some of her teammates elevated their own, but it was a factor. While she increased her goal total by one, it came in more appearances and minutes, and her assist total fell, despite having a better cast around her. The Brazilian is capable of more, but the staff still felt it was a solid season.

2025 Outlook

Like her Brazilian teammate Rafaelle, Adriana’s contract runs through the 2025 season, so she’ll be working hard to earn a new deal beyond the upcoming season. If she starts the season well, the Pride will no doubt offer a new contract midseason if there’s not already a new deal in place before opening day. At 28 years old, Adriana is in the prime of her career and can still be an effective player. With the Pride improving, she’ll need to play more consistently or at a higher level to keep starting with this club, but she’s capable, and I expect her to fight to hold onto her starting spot in Hines’ XI.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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2 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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