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Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Cap Historic Regular Season with a Win

The Pride beat the Reign at home to grab three more points and put the finishing touches on a historic season.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride (18-2-6, 60 points) wrapped up their 2024 NWSL regular season with a 3-2 win over Seattle Reign FC (6-15-5, 23 points). Ally Watt and Jordyn Huitema traded goals in the first 10 minutes before Kerry Abello gave the Pride a 2-1 halftime lead. Marta made it 3-1 in the 56th minute, seemingly putting the game away. Maddie Mercado got one back in the 83rd minute, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took all three points.

The win saw the Pride break two more league records before the postseason begins. It was their 18th win of the year — the most of any team in league history —  and they reached 60 points —  the highest point total in league history.

With the NWSL Shield wrapped up, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made several changes to the team that lost 3-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC on Oct. 20. Haley McCutcheon, Viviana Villacorta, Watt, and Summer Yates entered the lineup for Morgan Gautrat, Angelina, Julie Doyle, and Adriana.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. McCutcheon and Villacorta were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Yates with Barbra Banda up top.

The Pride were the better team in this game and deserved to claim all three points. They held more possession and created more chances, but fell asleep multiple times in the back. The defensive unit has been the best in the league this season, but this is the third straight game in which defensive lapses cost the team goals. Regardless, the Pride scored more than they conceded, finishing the regular season on a good note.

It looked like the Pride got off to the perfect start in the second minute when Watt made a great run down the left, beating her defender to the end line. She found Banda behind the back line, who used a nifty backheel to beat Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. However, the flag went up for offside, keeping the game scoreless.

The Pride did strike first in the ninth minute when Yates played a beautiful ball from the left through the back line for Watt making a run on the far side. The forward made no mistake with the chance, opening up and placing the ball past Dickey to give the hosts an early lead.

“I just remember Summer had the ball. I think it was Summer, one of the midfielders. Summer, probably, hits it long, straight line to the goal. ‘Just make sure you put it on frame, Ally.’ That’s all that was in my head,” Watt said about her goal. “Just put it on frame. And yeah, it worked out.”

It didn’t take the visitors long to equalize, doing so in the 10th minute. A long ball by Dickey from inside her own box was flicked forward by Huitema. As Tziarra King took possession, Huitema continued her run into the box with nobody following her. King put a perfect cross in for the forward who tapped it in to even the game at 1-1.

“I think on the first goal, it’s a classic kind of what we talked about the big five moments. And the five minutes after a goal is scored is when both teams are most susceptible to be scored on again. And so I think we switched off for a second,” Abello said. “You know, they’re a really aerial dominant team, and we lost the first aerial battle, and they got in behind us. And then we were scrambling in the box. So that’s definitely something to tighten up. And we need to stay locked in in those moments.”

The Pride regained the lead in the 26th minute when Watt played a cross into the box with Yates making a run to the middle of the six and Abello to the back post. Yates shielded Veronica Latsko from reaching the ball, enabling it to reach Abello, who was shielding Emeri Adames. The left back did well to win possession and play the ball in to give the Pride a 2-1 lead. There was a long delay while the play was reviewed for a possible foul on Abello, and there was contact with the defender, but ultimately the goal counted.

“I was just trying to get in there, you know, the cross is coming in. And we’ve talked a lot about gambling in the box, having movement in the box, more numbers. And I don’t always get up in there playing left back,” Abello said. “You know, I’ve kind of got to cover some ground first, but I was in there and I just wanted to get across my defender. And the ball popped out for me and found its way into the back of the net. So, it was a very Bello goal. So, I’ve been telling people, I’m not surprised that that’s how I scored my first goal of the season. You know, better late than never.”

The Pride had a chance for a third in the 33rd minute when Banda found Watt making a run into the right side of the box. Watt had plenty of time and could see her second goal of the day as she opened herself up and aimed for the top far corner. Unfortunately, her left-footed shot sailed a little high and wide of the target.

The Reign struggled to find shots and the only one on target was their goal until the 44th minute, when Ji So-Yun cut back and took a shot from the top of the box. She had enough space but took a little too long. As a result, the ball was blocked, popping up in the air and allowing Moorhouse to make the easy catch.

That was the final first-half chance for either team as the Pride took a 2-1 lead into the break. The Pride had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), shots (11-4), shots on target (3-2), corner kicks (3-0), crosses (9-5), and passing accuracy (87%-82%) in the first 45 minutes. Most importantly, they carried a lead into the break.

Hines made one halftime change, bringing on regular starter Angelina for Villacorta.

The Pride created their first second-half chance shortly after the restart when Marta lifted the ball outside for Yates in the 47th minute. The midfielder spotted Banda making a run into the box, playing her in on goal. Dickey did well to come off her line, cutting down the angle of Banda and blocking the shot.

The Pride were able to keep possession, setting Angelina up for a shot. The midfielder’s chance was blocked and she appealed for a hand ball in the box, but referee Melinda Homa determined it wasn’t enough to point to the spot.

Marta nearly connected with Yates in the 53rd minute after receiving the ball wide from Abello. However, the defender got to the ball first, knocking it out for a corner. After the first set piece was blocked into the outside of the net, the second was cleared by the Reign.

The Pride found their third goal in the 57th minute through their captain. Receiving the ball from Sams just inside the opposing half, the Brazilian carried the ball into the final third. Rather than closing her down, the defenders chose to close off potential passes. As a result, Marta continued with the ball into the box before firing it past Dickey to make it 3-1.

“I think Marta’s goal was tremendous,” Hines said about the third conversion. “Em plays a great ball through a line, she turns, she dribbles, and she gets a great shot of goal.”

Hines made his second change and used his first substitution window in the 61st minute, replacing Marta with Adriana.

Latsko received an overlapping pass on the right in the 65th minute. She attempted a cross, but Abello got in front in time to block it. It took some time for the Pride defender to catch her breath, but she was able to continue.

The ensuing set piece went to the far post, where it met the head of Huitema. The Canadian international wasn’t able to get over the ball and it went just over the crossbar.

So-Yun made a run into the box in the 67th minute, receiving a pass near the penalty spot. The Japanese international had space for a clear shot, but she hit it directly into the arms of Moorhouse.

On the other end, the Pride created a chance when Banda made a long run towards the end line. She played it across where Angelina was approaching the penalty spot. The halftime substitute’s first touch was a shot, but it was a weak attempt that didn’t cause any trouble for Dickey.

A give-and-go near midfield between Yates and Banda in the 73rd minute resulted in the striker making a long run into the Reign box. Jordyn Bugg was the first to close her down, but Banda used her strength to get past the center back. Latsko came from the far side to defend, but Banda forced her to change directions too quickly. It looked like it would be another wonderful goal for the Zambian, but she was unable to get much on the shot, sending it to Dickey for an easy save.

Shortly after the chance, Hines made two more changes. Gautrat and Ally Lemos came into the game for McCutcheon and Yates.

Adriana took a shot at goal from distance in the 78th minute after playing Angelina and receiving it right back. It was an ambitious attempt and didn’t cause Dickey any trouble as she went down and made an easy stop.

The Reign got a goal back in the 85th minute when Latsko received a throw in and sent a long ball into the box. It looked like it would get over the head of Maddie Mercado, but the attacker did well to lean back and get her head on it. Moorhouse probably should’ve made the stop, but she was caught flat-footed and the ball snuck inside the far post, cutting the Pride lead to 3-2.

“On the second goal, it came off a throw in. So you can always look at what happened in the box,” Abello said about the goal. “But I think we need to stop that service at the start of it, at the throw in.”

Gautrat tried to put her mark on the game in the 89th minute with an excellent attempt from outside the box. It took a diving block by Dickey to prevent a fourth goal for the Pride. The ball ended up with Angelina, who put it in, but the midfielder was judged to be offside.

The Pride made their final change of the game in the fourth minute of stoppage time as Evelina Duljan came on for Watt.

With a one-goal lead, the Pride were able to keep possession in the dying moments, enabling them to see out the win. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (56.4%-43.6%), shots (24-7), shots on target (9-4), corner kicks (6-2), and passing accuracy (87.2%-83.6%). Both teams ended the game with 15 crosses.

“It was so important that we had a reaction after the last two games,” Hines said. “You know, it’s an incredible season — not only to finish top of the table, but to set new records, you know, 18 wins, 60 points. That was our motivator going into this game. A lot of talk has been these last three games after winning the shield, you know, what are you playing for? And we put a big emphasis on finishing with the most points in NWSL history, most wins in NWSL history. So, we can ultimately take that record and make it difficult for anyone else to try to beat it. So I’m incredibly proud of the players, today’s performance, and throughout the season.”

The Pride lost both games on their recent two-game road trip, coming three games short of an unbeaten season. However, they finished the season 10-0-3 at home, a potentially important fact, considering they’ll host the quarterfinal round of the playoffs and if they advance, they’ll also host in the semifinal round.

On the negative side, the Pride conceded multiple goals for the third consecutive game and the first time at home this season. Prior to the two-game road trip, the Pride hadn’t conceded multiple goals in consecutive games all year. It’s a concern heading into the most important games of the season.


With the 2024 NWSL regular season now in the books, the Pride look to Friday when they host the quarterfinal round of the NWSL playoffs against an opponent to be determined in the remaining games tonight and Sunday.

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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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