Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Three Keys to Victory

The Orlando Pride start their quest for a second trophy this season against the Chicago Red Stars this Friday night at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride got back on track with a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Reign in their last match to finish the regular season. Now, the stakes are higher in a win-or-you’re-done game against the eighth-place Red Stars.

What do the Pride need to do to defeat Chicago and move on to the next round of the NWSL playoffs?

Defend this House

The Orlando Pride defense was dealt a continuation of a blow when it was announced that Rafaelle has a season-ending injury. It’s not that she had been playing, but some of us were hoping she’d return to help bolster a back line that has given up more goals lately. That help is not coming, and the Pride will have to deal with one Mallory Swanson.

The USWNT and Chicago star has seven goals and four assists this season. She is a seasoned international player who is always dangerous in the attack. Emily Sams will once again anchor the Pride defense, but she can’t do it alone. In fact, one of the reasons the Pride defense was so stingy was that every player on the pitch took offense if the opponents were able to score a goal. As such, they put their bodies on the line over and over to make sure it didn’t happen.

My hope is that the last three matches that saw the Pride give up seven goals was a result of those matches not mattering since the Pride had already won the NWSL Shield and secured the first seed in the playoffs. Now, the stakes matter again. It is a must-win match, so it’s time to get back to the sacrifice-for-the-defense mentality this team had most of the year.

Perhaps a Banda Goal…or Two?

I mentioned in the Three Keys article last week that it was time for Barbra Banda to start scoring goals again. That didn’t happen. She found herself in some dangerous positions, however, and on our latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast, Michael Citro said he feels like she’s about to break back out.

I certainly hope that’s the case, since the Pride need a victory or Banda will have to wait until next season to start scoring again. I agree with Michael about Banda. She is long overdue to score a goal with her foot, and once she does, I think the floodgates will open.

Precision Scoring

Regardless of whether it is Banda, Marta, Adriana, Ally Watt, or any other Pride player, they will need to be precise when taking their scoring chances. The Red Stars have Swanson on one end of the pitch, and on the other they have Alyssa Naeher in goal. The USWNT’s number one keeper is one of the better keepers in the world, and scoring on her won’t be easy.

The Pride scored just one goal in each of the two regular-season matches against the Red Stars, winning 1-0 on the road and drawing 1-1 at home. Just to be safe, I think multiple goals will be better. It is something we know the Pride can do, since in their last three wins, the Pride have scored eight goals. Continuing that type of attack will go a long way to seeing the Pride advance to the next match.

That is what I will be looking for Friday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!