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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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1 year 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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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

The captain once again provided the competitive spark for the Pride in 2025.

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3 days ago

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December 11, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Marta 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 last season as she captained her club to two trophies. In 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024. She then signed yet another two-year contract through 2026.

Marta didn’t have the same type of year as she did in 2024, but she was still one of the better players for the Pride. She remains the heart of this team, showing the others what passion and effort looks like even as she edges closer to the end of her playing career. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta started and played the full 90 minutes in the 2025 Challenge Cup match. She did not record a goal contribution and took two off-target shots. However, her free kick was blocked, resulting in Rafaelle’s opening goal. Marta also set a shot up for the defender in the match but the effort was off target. The Brazilian legend completed 26 of her 37 passes (82%), took four corner kicks, and she did not record a completed long ball. Defensively, she recorded three tackles and won three headed duels. She committed one foul, drew one on the Washington Spirit, and was not booked.

During the regular season, Marta made 22 appearances (18 starts), playing 1,599 minutes. She contributed four goals and an assist, putting 13 of her 27 shots on target. She completed 519 of her 731 passes (71%), 13 crosses, and two of her four long balls (50%) with 43 chances created. On the defensive end, the Brazilian contributed 22 tackles, 19 interceptions, and one blocked shot. She committed 14 fouls, drew 28 on the opposition, and was not booked.

Marta started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She took one shot but did not record a goal contribution, although she was involved in both goals against the Reign, working a give-and-go with Julie Doyle prior to Haley McCutcheon’s opening goal and drawing the penalty that handed Luana the late insurance tally. The captain completed 52 of her 69 passes (75.4%), including three of her six long balls (50%) and four key passes. She recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance defensively while committing one foul, drawing six on her opponents, and being booked once.

Marta participated in one of the Concacaf W Champions Cup matches against Pachuca. She played all 90 minutes and scored the Pride’s only goal on two shots, one of which was on target. She completed 27 of 34 passes (79%). Defensively, she recorded three tackles, while committing two fouls, and suffering two fouls. She was not booked.

Best Game

While Marta had several good games, I think her best game was the Pride’s 3-2 victory over the Washington Spirit on Oct. 18. Marta was named Player of the Match by both Michael Citro and myself on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. The captain caused an own goal and scored on a penalty kick to give the Pride an important road win heading into the playoffs. Washington scored first on a Kerry Abello own goal, but Abello then corrected that mistake by scoring one for her own team minutes later. The Spirit took the lead again and held it at halftime. Seb Hines substituted Marta in at the start of the second half, and it’s a good thing he did. It literally only took her 52 seconds to even the score.

In the 70th minute, Ally Watt was fouled in the box, setting up a penalty for the Pride. There was no doubt who would take the kick, and it turned out there was no doubt Marta would bury it in the back of the net for the winning goal.

Marta might have only played 45 minutes plus stoppage but her impact was monumental. In this match, she took one shot, which was on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She had 27 touches, completed nine of her 13 passes (70%), two of her three long balls (67%) and took one corner kick. Defensively, she contributed one block and one clearance. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite rating of 7 out of 10 for her ninth season with the club. This was a point lower than the 8 we gave her last year. Much like many of the Pride’s players, Marta’s 2025 wasn’t as good as her 2024, but she was still a critical part of the successes of the team. In 2024, she had a banner year, but despite being a year older, she was still productive in 2025.

2026 Outlook

The 39-year-old is entering the last year of her contract, and it would be surprising — though not totally inconceivable —that she will get another. Despite the fact she will turn 40-years-old before the beginning of the season, she will remain the Pride’s captain as long as she can take to the pitch. Assuming she’s healthy, there’s no reason to assume she can’t contribute to at least the same level as she did in 2025. There’s even a possibility that she finds something closer to her 2024 form. No one plays with more passion than Marta, and I will not doubt what she can do when she has the look in her eye.

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This concludes our 2025 Orlando Pride player-by-player Season in Review series. We hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on the players’ performances from the past year as we move closer toward seeing what lies ahead in 2026.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Jacquie Ovalle

The Pride broke the world transfer record to land the Mexican international in 2025.

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4 days ago

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December 10, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Mexican international winger Jacquie Ovalle for a then-world record transfer fee on Aug. 21, acquiring the attacker’s services from Tigres UANL in Liga MX Femenil. While the club did not announce the transfer fee, it was reportedly around $1.5 million. That transfer record has since been broken a couple of times since, but it was an ambitious move by the Pride to try to provide Barbra Banda a playmaking wing of the highest caliber.

The move ultimately didn’t pay many dividends in 2025, as Banda went down with a season-ending injury before Ovalle arrived, and the Mexican international struggled to get comfortable with her new team, the new league, and a new culture in what could best be described as an inconsistent performance after she joined the Pride.

Let’s take a look at Ovalle’s first season in the City Beautiful.

Statistical Breakdown

Ovalle was signed well after the season-opening NWSL Challenge Cup, so she saw no action in the competition. She made her Pride debut in the regular season on Sept. 7 off the bench. It was an inauspicious start, as Orlando got flattened 5-2 at Chicago that day, with all of the goals happening in the second half. Ovalle played in eight regular-season matches with Orlando, starting seven and logging 666 minutes. She contributed a goal and two assists in her time on the pitch with the Pride, attempting 20 shots and putting seven on target. She completed 84% of her 201 passes during the regular season, with 18 key passes. Ovalle was accurate on 19 of her 48 crosses (39.6%) and three of her seven long balls (42.9%). Defensively, Ovalle chipped in 13 tackles, three interceptions, and five clearances but no blocks during the regular season. She committed six fouls, drew five, and received one yellow card.

In the playoffs, Ovalle started both of the Pride’s matches and played 173 minutes. She did not log a goal contribution in the postseason, putting one of her six shot attempts on target. The winger completed 34 of her 42 passes (81%) with two key passes but completed just three of her 13 crosses and neither of her two long balls. On the defensive end, Ovalle recorded three tackles, one clearance, and two interceptions. She committed three fouls, drew two on her opponents, and was not booked.

Ovalle appeared in two of Orlando’s games in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, logging 57 minutes off the bench without a goal contribution, attempting one off-target shot. She completed 10 of her 13 passes (76.9%) without a key pass, chipping in three tackles on the defensive end. She committed two fouls, drew two on her opponents, and she wasn’t booked in the competition.

Best Game

There were a few possible games to choose from in this category, and while I was close to choosing the match with her lone goal of the season (Sept. 26 in a 2-1 road win over San Diego), I ended up going a different route. Still, she scored a nice goal, so here it is:

Instead, I’m going back to her first NWSL start. Ovalle started for Orlando for the first time on Sept. 13 in a 1-1 home draw against Bay FC. She was excellent all game long, but her best moment came in the 70th minute, when La Maga sent in a perfect cross for Ally Watt to flick home with a header to equalize, rescuing a point for Orlando.

Ovalle was Fotmob’s highest rated player in the match from either side with a rating of 8.4 and was a danger all night. She fired eight shot attempts, putting three on target and one off the woodwork. She also completed six of her nine crosses in the game, creating four scoring chances in the game with key passes. One of those should have been an assist on a Marta goal on a beautiful back-post ball, but the captain hit the left post with her shot. She chipped in two tackles, one interception, a clearance, and a recovery on the defensive end, committing two fouls and drawing one in what was a standout performance.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Ovalle a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for her 2025 season. While the Mexican winger played inconsistently, that was to be expected after a midseason move to a new team that was missing its attacking focal point with Banda out. There were signs of the kind of magic moments Ovalle can bring to the Pride attack, they were too few and far between. In fairness, in most of the matches she played there was no one close to her level in the attack with her, and she looked at times too eager to make something happen. Three goal contributions isn’t bad for her first eight NWSL games, but Ovalle clearly needs another threat up top with her to help provide her the space she needs to shoot or deliver one of her lethal passes.

2026 Outlook

Ovalle will be a starter next season and will get to go through a full preseason training camp with the club, which should help her get a better understanding of both what Seb Hines wants from her and how her teammates like to play. She should also get to play with Banda (finally), which could create one of the most dynamic attacking tandems in the league, because some of Banda’s struggles were due to poor service, which Ovalle can help with, and some of Ovalle’s issues were down to a lack of the kind of quick, decisive attacking movements that Banda provides. I expect Ovalle’s production in both goals and assists to jump in 2026 for multiple reasons, but with a healthy Banda, there will be a lot more room for her (and Marta) to operate. A front line of Marta, Banda, and Ovalle is tantalizing.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season In Review: Emily Sams

The center back was once again one of the best defenders for the Pride, helping them reach their second straight NWSL semifinal.

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6 days ago

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December 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride drafted defender Emily Sams with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The former Florida State player signed with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF prior to being selected by the Pride and signing a three-year contract through the 2026 season.

Sams had a breakout year in 2024, winning NWSL Defender of the Year and helping the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. She signed a new deal on Feb. 13, 2025, keeping her in purple through the 2027 NWSL season.

The defender showed her versatility this year, playing several games at right back and center back. She was another key player in a successful season for the Pride, helping them to finish fourth in the league and reach the NWSL semifinals.

Let’s take a look at the defender’s 2025 NWSL campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

The defender’s first appearance this year came in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit. Sams started and played all 90 minutes without recording any shots or goal contributions. She completed 44 of her 52 passes (87%), including four long balls. Defensively, Sams recorded a tackle, an interception, and an aerial duel won.

Sams played in 25 of the team’s 26 regular-season games, starting 24 times and playing 2,183 minutes — the second-most minutes of any Pride player and the most by an outfield player. She took two shots without putting any on target, so she obviously didn’t score any goals. The defender completed 1,284 of her 1,457 passes (88.1%), including 85 of her 146 long balls (58.2%), but didn’t record any assists. Defensively, she added 42 tackles, 33 interceptions, 92 clearances, and 13 blocks. She committed 11 fouls, suffered 25, and was booked once with a yellow card.

Sams started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She didn’t take any shots or record a goal contribution, completing 82 of her 97 passes (84.5%), including five of her 12 long balls (41.7%). She recorded three tackles, four interceptions, a block, and 10 clearances defensively while committing two fouls, drawing five on her opponents, and being booked once.

While a primary starter in the regular season, Sams only played in three of the four Concacaf W Champions Cup games, starting two and playing 164 minutes without a goal contribution. She took one shot that was off target and completed 85 of her 100 passes (85.%). The defender had five tackles and wasn’t booked.

Best Game

Sams’ best game came on Oct. 18 when the Pride traveled to Washington, D.C. for an afternoon clash with the Washington Spirit. The Pride came back from two deficits to defeat their rivals 3-2 and claim a huge three points.

Sams started alongside Rafaelle at center back and was excellent. She completed 41 of her 46 passes (89%), including both long balls, a key pass, and three into the final third. She finished with one tackle, five clearances, four interceptions, and four recoveries. The defender won two of her four duels (50%) in a game where she helped the Pride keep their late lead.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Sams a 7 out of 10 for the 2025 NWSL season. It’s a decrease from her exceptional 9 in 2024, but still higher than her 6.5 grade in 2023. The grade ties Sams with Rafaelle for the second-highest grade on the team, one point behind Barbra Banda, who was given an eight for her injury-shortened season. Overall, Sams was excellent this year and fully deserves one of the highest grades as she further cements herself as one of the best defenders in the NWSL.

2026 Outlook

Perhaps no player on the Pride is a more definite starter next season than Sams. She’s arguably the team’s best defender and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup over the past three seasons. Her new contract in February means she’ll remain in purple through the 2027 season.

The only question will be where she plays. She’s started at center back and right back several times over the past two seasons, but is best in the middle of the field. However, when Kylie Nadaner and Rafaelle are available, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has opted to use her at right back.

Regardless, there’s no question that Sams will be a regular starter on the Pride back line as long as she remains healthy. Her presence is something that will be essential if the Pride hope to make a run for a second NWSL Championship next season.

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