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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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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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Orlando Pride Sign Forward Simone Jackson Through 2028

The Orlando Pride have signed 22-year-old forward Simone Jackson through the 2028 NWSL season.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride announced the signing of forward Simone Jackson today. The 22-year-old’s deal is through the 2028 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome Simone Jackson to the Orlando Pride family through 2028. Her versatility, technical ability, and quickness immediately impressed our technical staff, but it’s her character and personality that truly make her a perfect fit for our culture,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Simone represents exactly the kind of player and person we want to invest in as we build the future of this club. Her signing reflects our commitment to bringing in talent that will help us compete at the highest level while embodying the values that make the Pride special.”

While Jackson is a new signing, the attacker isn’t new to the Pride. She was with the team during preseason, playing well enough to earn a spot on the roster.

“I’m incredibly excited and honored to join the Orlando Pride. From the moment I arrived, I felt the special culture this club has built and knew this was where I wanted to be,” Jackson said in a club press release. “The vision the coaching staff shared with me aligns perfectly with my goals as a player, and I can’t wait to contribute on the field and connect with our amazing fans. Orlando has such a rich soccer community, and I’m thrilled to call this city home for the next chapter of my career. I’m ready to put in the work every day to help bring championships to this club and make an impact both on and off the field.”

Prior to joining the Pride for preseason, Jackson spent four years at the University of Southern California. She played in 75 games for the Trojans, scoring 22 goals and adding 13 assists. Her best season was her senior year, where she accumulated 1,304 minutes and scored six goals, second most on the team.

The Redondo Beach, CA native was a member of the All-Big Ten third team in 2024, first-team All-Pac-12 in 2022, third-team All-Pac-12 in 2023 and 2021, and a Pac 12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2021.

Internationally, Jackson represented the United States at multiple youth levels, including at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She scored her team’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Japan in that tournament. Jackson participated at every youth level for the U.S., starting at U-14.

What This Means For Orlando

Having successfully put a strong starting lineup together, Carter and Pride Head Coach Seb Hines now work on the team’s depth. And that’s where Jackson comes in. The forward will be behind starter Barbra Banda and Ally Watt on the depth chart. However, Banda could depart at times for international duty with Zambia, giving Jackson a spot on the bench.

At 22 years old, the young attacker has plenty of time to develop. She’ll be playing with seasoned professionals in the same position, providing valuable role models. Barring injuries, she probably won’t get much playing time this year but could be a key player for the Pride in the future.

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Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Win Behind Barbra Banda Hat Trick

A first-half Barbra Banda hat trick lifted the Pride to a much-needed road win over the Utah Royals.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (6-3-1, 19 points) rode Barbra Banda’s hat trick to a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals (1-7-2) tonight at America First Field in Sandy, UT. Banda gave the Pride the lead in the sixth minute and Brecken Mozingo equalized in the 14th minute, but Banda took over late in the first half, scoring two goals in two minutes to net the first hat trick in Pride history.

The win snapped Orlando’s three-game winless skid and marked the first time the Pride scored more than one goal since a 3-2 home win over Angel City on April 25.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Current last week. Kerry Abello and Marta, who had started every game until tonight, began the game on the bench. They were replaced in the lineup by Cori Dyke and Ally Watt.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Oihane. Angelina, Morgan Gautrat, Haley McCutcheon, and Carson Pickett were in the midfield, with Banda and Watt up top.

This was a game of two halves with the best chances coming in the first 45 minutes. It looked like it would be a high-scoring affair, but the game slowed down considerably in the second half. The Pride were unquestionably the better team throughout, causing problems for the Utah back line. In the end, it was a fair result, as the Pride come home with all three points.

The hosts nearly created the game’s first chance in the fifth minute when Janni Thomsen played Cece Kizer down the right. The veteran midfielder’s first touch was a low ball into the box for Mozingo, but Oihane got there first to clear it away.

A minute later, the Royals created the first shot on goal. Ally Sentnor tried to dribble through Nadaner, who got a touch on the ball but couldn’t win it. The ball went straight to Mozingo, who shot, but the attempt was right to Moorhouse at the near post.

The Pride immediately went the other way with Oihane finding Watt down the right . The attacker sprinted down field before playing it into the box where Banda was making a run. The striker’s first touch guided the ball inside the far post to give the Pride the early 1-0 lead.

“It was a quality goal,” Hines said about the opener. “A breakaway with Ally and she does a really good job of finding Barbra and it’s a quality finish from Barbra.”

The Pride had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 10th minute when Claudia Zornoza pulled down Angelina from behind near the top of the Utah box. Angelina stepped to the ball first before backing off and letting Pickett take the set piece. Oihane ran onto the ball and tried to flick it on goal, sending it just wide of the right post.

In the 13th minute, Pickett, Gautrat, and Angelina combined to send Banda into the final third. The low cross was right to Ana Tejada, but the defender got it caught in her feet. The ball slipped through to Watt behind her, and the attacker had two chances. However, Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made a pair of saves to keep her team in the game.

The Pride paid for the missed chance a minute later when the Royals equalized. Zornoza sent Mozingo into the Pride half of the field. Nadaner kept the play onside, and the attacker got behind the back line and in on goal. Moorhouse came out to cut down the angle, but the shot was past her and inside the far post to even the game at 1-1.

There was a stoppage while the video assistant referee examined the play to see if Mozingo was offside. However, Nadaner never stepped up with the rest of the back line, and the goal correctly stood.

Banda nearly had a second in the 20th minute when Sentnor knocked the ball off McCutcheon’s foot, but right to the Pride striker. However, Lauren Flynn made a last-ditch tackle, knocking the ball off of Banda’s foot to prevent a likely goal.

A minute later, Banda won a long punt by Moorhouse and got into the Royals’ box. Kate Del Fava did well to push her outside, and the striker’s shot was right to McGlynn.

Banda made a long run in the 26th minute, getting behind the Royals’ defense and into the box. McGlynn came off her line to challenge the striker and blocked the attempt. The rebound went to Watt with an empty net, but Nuria Rabano made a goal-saving block.

A bad turnover by Gautrat under pressure in the 28th minute nearly resulted in Utah taking the lead. Kizer took possession and found Mina Tanaka in the box. The Japanese international laid it back for Zornoza, who shot, sending her attempt over the goal.

Banda struck again in the 37th minute when Thomsen played a terrible pass back and the striker intercepted it. Flynn was on her back the whole time, but Banda dribbled around McGlynn and touched it in to make it 2-1.

A minute later, Banda made history. McCutcheon sent the striker down the left behind Del Fava. The defender caught up, but decided to block her pass into the middle rather than get to the goal side. Banda fired to McGlynn’s near post, slipping it between the post and the goalkeeper to give the Pride a 3-1 lead.

In the 224th Pride game in all competitions, it was the first hat trick in team history, the third in NWSL history to take place in the first half, and the first time an NWSL player has scored a road hat trick in the first half. 

“She’s a constant threat. It was three different types of goals, which is pleasing to see,” Hines said about Banda’s hat trick. “She’s been waiting patiently. She’s been hitting half chances, but no real clear-cut opportunities. And so I was really pleased for her. Obviously, it’s the first hat trick in Pride history. That’s been a long wait for that opportunity, but she took it really well.”

Banda also became the first African international to score a hat trick in the NWSL.

The Pride nearly had a chance in the third minute of first-half stoppage time when Pickett sent a beautiful ball into the box for Angelina. It was right there for the Brazilian, but she couldn’t control it.

After 45 minutes of action, the Pride had more possession (54%-46%), shots (10-7), shots on target (9-2), crosses (7-5), and corner kicks (2-1). They also had better passing accuracy (84%-82%) in the first half.

While the Pride were the more attacking team to start the first half, the Royals were on the front foot in the second. In the 48th minute, Mozingo found Zornoza near the top of the box. Sentnor made a diagonal run and Zornoza found her. However, the U.S. international sent her attempt well wide of the target.

The Royals created the second shot of the second half in the 63rd minute when Tanaka laid the ball off for Sentnor. Despite being far from goal, the striker fired. The shot was on target but into the arms of Moorhouse.

A minute later, Kizer dribbled into the right side of the box and took a shot from a tight angle. However, Moorhouse had her near post covered and the attempt didn’t cause her any trouble.

The next time the ball went out of play, Hines made his first two changes. Abello and Summer Yates came on for Oihane and Angelina.

Shortly after the substitution, the Pride created their first shot of the second half. A poor pass out of the back by McGlynn was intercepted by Yates. The midfielder played the ball to Banda on the right and the striker took a shot, but it didn’t cause much trouble for McGlynn.

McCutcheon had a great look in the 72nd minute, when Pickett sent Yates down the left. The second-half substitute played it into the six-yard box, where McCutcheon found herself all alone. However, she seemed surprised by the situation, sending the ball wide from very short distance.

In the 77th minute, Dyke found Yates in the box. The midfielder did well to turn Ana Tejada and fired on target. However, McGlynn did well to get a hand to it. Watt had position on Del Fava in front of an empty net near the left post, and the defender pushed the attacker over to win the ball. Pride players in the area wanted a penalty, but the referee disagreed.

The Pride won a free kick in the opposing third in the 78th minute when Watt was pushed over by Flynn. Pickett sent the set piece into the box and Lemos got her foot to it, but she sent the attempt wide.

The Royals nearly got one back in the 80th minute when Sentnor sent a low cross into the box from the left. Bianca St-Georges was behind her defender and right in front of the goal, but the pass was just behind her.

Play stopped in the 82nd minute as McCutcheon went down with an injury. The Pride medical staff came out to examine the defensive midfielder, eventually resulting in the team’s final change of the night. In the 84th minute, Viviana Villacorta came into the game for McCutcheon.

St-Georges had a chance in the 87th minute when a long ball bounced away from Abello. The Royals substitute turned and shot, but sent the attempt well wide of the target.

Tanaka received a pass forward in the 89th minute and fired from distance. However, Lemos got her foot in from behind, getting a piece of the ball and allowing Moorhouse to make the easy stop.

The Royals had a good chance to get one back in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Madison Pogarch sent a dangerous ball to the back post. St-Georges was behind Abello and Moorhouse was trying to get over, but the ball went out of play.

That was the last chance as the Pride claimed a huge three points away from home.

At full time, the Pride had more possession (52%-48%), shots on target (11-5), crosses (12-10), and corner kicks (4-1). Utah had better passing accuracy (83%-82%) and more shot attempts (14-13).

“Priority was to come away with three points before we go into the international break,” Hines said. “I think in recent games we played well, but we haven’t really got the results. So, we wanted to make sure that we performed well and got the result. It’s great to come away from this game with three points and a nice 3-1 win.”

“Interesting match,” Banda added. “Coming back from the loss, we wanted to win this game, so we had to put all what it takes. We didn’t want to leave anything on the field, but to get the maximum three points.”

The win vaults Orlando back into second place, two points behind the first-place Current. However, the Current have yet to play this weekend. They’re also two points ahead of the San Diego Wave, who also have a game in hand.

Following the international break, the Pride have three games before the summer break, which will last over a month. Two of those three games are away from home, but they’re all winnable.

“We need to take that confidence going into these last three games before the summer break,” Hines said. “Obviously, we’re going into the international break, so players are representing their country. But when they come back, we need to carry on that momentum into the last three games going into the summer break.”


The Pride will have an extra week to soak in this win, as they don’t play next weekend. They’ll return to action on June 7 when they host the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.

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

The Pride look to return to their winning ways as they travel to face the struggling Utah Royals.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (5-3-1, 16 points) travel west to take on the Utah Royals (1-6-2, 5 points) in Sandy, UT. This is the first of two matchups between these teams with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Aug. 3.

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

History

The Royals first played in 2018 and 2019 before the team was purchased and relocated to Kansas City. The new owners of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake bought an expansion side, so 2024 was the first season the two teams met since 2019, although this is an all-new side. The Pride are 3-3-2 against the Royals all-time, with all games coming in the NWSL regular season. Orlando is 2-0-0 against this current iteration of the Royals (1-0-0 on the road) and 2-1-1 all-time in the state of Utah.

The last time the Pride met the Royals was on June 21, 2024 in Orlando. It was a dominant performance from start to finish as the Pride roared to a 6-0 win. Barbra Banda started the scoring, and Summer Yates made it 2-0 just before halftime. The Pride took off in the second half with goals by Banda and Ally Watt, along with a Marta brace.

On April 12 in Sandy, UT. Marta started on the bench and came on for Adriana in the 62nd minute. It didn’t take long for the Pride captain to make an impact, netting the game’s lone goal six minutes later, as the visitors left the Beehive State with a 1-0 victory.

The 2019 season was the final one for the original Royals and the Pride faced this opponent three times that year. The first game between the teams was on April 27 in Orlando, and the difference was Christen Press, who netted the lone goal early in a 1-0 result. On May 25 in Utah, Amy Rodriguez opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Makenzy Doniak made it 2-0 late. The third meeting was on Aug. 17 in Orlando. Press gave the visitors the lead in the 60th minute and Rodriguez doubled the advantage late as the Royals won 2-0.

The 2018 campaign was the Royals’ inaugural season, and Orlando got the better of the newcomers, going unbeaten in three matches (1-0-2). In the 2018 season opener, Utah and the Pride played to a 1-1 draw in Orlando. The Royals scored on their first chance of the game. They had an excellent spell of early possession. Diana Matheson put in a cross and Gunny Jonsdottir — who later played for the Pride for two seasons in 2021 and 2022 — volleyed it into the back of the net. Marta tied things up from the spot later in the first half, and the game ended 1-1. 

About a month and a half later, the teams met again, playing to a 0-0 draw, this time in Rio Tinto Stadium. It was a relatively dull night with no goals and the majority of the action in the middle of the field. Both teams struggled on the attacking end. There were no shots on target in the first half and just three in the second.

While those first two matches ended in draws, the last meeting of 2018 finally saw a winner. On July 14, 2018, there was end-to-end action, and both teams saw chances in front of the net. Utah found an early goal from Rodriguez, and then Alex Morgan tied it up with a penalty kick just before halftime. In the second half, a good through ball from Ali Krieger found Kristen Edmonds one-on-one with Utah goalkeeper Abby Smith, who was caught out of position. Edmonds chipped the ball past Smith for the game-winner, and Orlando got its first-ever victory against the Royals, 2-1.

Overview

The Pride are coming off a tough stretch where they’ve lost two of their last three games 1-0, and only a last-minute equalizer in North Carolina kept it from being three straight losses. The most recent loss came a week ago tonight when the Pride hosted the Kansas City Current in a battle for first place. Temwa Chawinga’s 52nd-minute goal was the difference, sending the Pride down to third in the NWSL standings.

The problem for the Pride has been the attack. Other than scoring three goals in 20 minutes against Angel City FC in a 3-2 come-from-behind win, the Pride haven’t scored multiple goals in a game since March 29, when they defeated San Diego Wave FC 2-1.

Meanwhile, the Pride’s defense has been fantastic. That Angel City game is the only time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this year. Head Coach Seb Hines even gave starting center backs Kylie Nadaner and Emily Sams a break, replacing each of them with rookie Zara Chavoshi in successive games, but they only gave up one goal in those games combined. Unfortunately, the lack of offense resulted in only getting one point.

Banda got off to a great start this season, netting a brace in the opener. However, she’s only scored twice in the last eight games and hasn’t found the back of the net in the last three matches. Marta has had similar struggles, failing to score since the win over Angel City.

The Pride desperately need three points to get themselves back on track, and they face the perfect team tonight. The Royals were one of the worst teams in the league last year, finishing 11th of 14 teams. They aren’t any better this year so far, with just five points from nine games, good enough for 13th place.

As you might expect from a team with just one win, Utah has struggled offensively and defensively this year. Their seven goals are second fewest in the NWSL, and their 16 goals conceded are tied with Angel City for second most. The only team worse is the last-place Chicago Stars, who have scored five times and conceded 19 goals.

While the Royals have struggled defensively this year, they’re coming off their best game of the season, a 3-3 draw at the Washington Spirit. The sudden production ended a three-game goalless streak. We’ll see if that carries into tonight.

Nobody on the Royals has multiple goals or assists this year, understandable by their lack of scoring. But they’ll have their work cut out for them tonight when they face one of the league’s best defenses. The Pride’s seven goals conceded is tied with Seattle Reign FC for second, just one behind the Current.

The Pride started the season as the most prolific offense, scoring six times in the season opener. But, apart from the three-goal output against Angel City, they’ve cooled off considerably. Facing a team that has leaked goals all year, this could be the game the Pride need to get back to their scoring ways.

“I think they put up a good performance against a good Washington Spirit side. They should be happy walking away with a point,” Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “Obviously, they were close to three points as well, but I think before the game they probably would’ve taken that. So we can’t take them too lightly. We’re trying to bounce back from some disappointing results, not performances. And I think it’s a great opportunity for us to go there and come away with three points.”

The only change to the Pride availability report is the removal of Julie Doyle (knee). Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), and Rafaelle (thigh) remain out.

The Royals will be without Mikayla Cluff (concussion), Macey Fraser (knee), Olivia Griffiths (maternity leave), Cloe Lacasse (knee), Alex Loera (knee), Tatumn Milazzo (knee), Paige Monaghan (foot), and Kaleigh Riehl (lower leg).


Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Morgan Gautrat.

Attacking Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Angelina, Ally Watt.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Julie Doyle, Prisca Chilufya, Summer Yates, Zara Chavoshi, Kerry Abello, Viviana Villacorta, Marta, Ally Lemos.

Utah Royals (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Mandy McGlynn.

Defenders: Nuria Rabano, Lauren Flynn, Kate Del Fava, Janni Thomsen.

Defensive Midfielders: Ana Tejada, Claudia Zornoza.

Midfielders: Brecken Mozingo, Mina Tanaka, Cece Kizer.

Forwards: Ally Sentnor.

Bench: Mia Justus, Ana Guzman, Madison Pogarch, Kherrington Ream, Dana Foederer, Imani Dorsey, Aisha Solorzano, Aria Nagai, Bianca St-Georges.

Referees

REF: JC Griggs.
AR1: Matthew Rodman.
AR2: Darren Bandy.
4TH: Rachel Swett.
VAR: Katherine McCormick.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.


How to Watch

Match Time: 9:30 p.m.

Venue: America First Field — Sandy, UT.

TV: None.

Streaming: FDSN App, NWSL+.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).


Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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