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Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Advance to NWSL Championship

The Pride advance to the NWSL Championship after a gutsy home win over Kansas City.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium this afternoon to claim a spot in the NWSL Championship. The Current took the lead through Debinha, but Haley McCutcheon scored eight minutes later to make it 1-1 at the break. Barbra Banda gave her team the lead in the 53rd minute and an excellent individual effort by Marta in the 82nd minute appeared to put the game away. Vanessa DiBernardo converted a penalty deep in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride advanced to their first-ever final.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed almost the same lineup that beat the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 on Nov. 8. The only change was Adriana re-entering the lineup for Summer Yates, who left the Chicago game with a first-half injury. However, Yates was on the bench for this one.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Ally Watt, Marta, and Adriana, with Banda up top.

This game started slowly with neither team able to create chances in the early minutes. Once the teams settled in, both had opportunities to take the lead. A great cross by Michelle Cooper in the 33rd minute and a missed clearance by Sams assisted Debinha in the opener. But the Pride fought back and equalized through McCutcheon shortly before halftime.

The Pride were the better team through most of the second half, mainly because of the power and speed of Banda. They took the lead in the 53rd minute and continued to push for a third goal, eventually converting in the 82nd minute. The Current were given a lifeline with 12 minutes of stoppage time and won a penalty with a handball by Abello in the box, but they nearly had an equalizer in the 15th and 16th minutes of stoppage time. The Pride ultimately survived and advanced to the NWSL Championship for the first time.

The first chance of the game didn’t come until the 11th minute and it was due to a mistake by Adriana. After the Pride won a throw-in, Adriana’s pass for Abello was directly to Cooper. The attacker split Abello and Adriana before shooting for the far post. Moorhouse seemed to have the shot the whole way, watching it roll wide.

Banda used a strong move on the left in the 15th minute to beat Hailie Mace and get into the box. As Mace caught up to her from behind, Banda went down. However, while Banda threw her arms up, there was very little contact and referee Danielle Chesky didn’t consider pointing to the spot to award a penalty.

The Pride maintained possession and created another pair of chances. It started when Marta’s cross was knocked out of play by Alana Cook, earning a corner kick. The set piece was chested out by Cook, but only to Abello, whose shot was blocked. Angelina took possession just outside the box and shot, but she fired her shot attempt wide.

The visitors created their second chance in the 14th minute when Claire Hutton dribbled towards the Pride box before pulling up and shooting from distance. The midfielder was unable to get over the ball and it sailed over the target without threatening Moorhouse.

In the 18th minute, Banda had a chance when Watt played her wide on the right. The forward created enough space from Ellie Wheeler for a tight-angle shot that was blocked over the crossbar by Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult. The ensuing corner kick was blocked out by Cook and the second corner went out of play for a goal kick, ending the attack.

Marta intercepted a pass in the 32nd minute, moved around her defender and made a long run to the Kansas City box. She had Banda and Adriana on either side of her, but decided to take the shot herself. Unfortunately, the attempt was directly into a defender.

On the other end, the Current took the lead in the 33rd minute. DiBernardo played the ball wide for Cooper, who sent a gorgeous ball across the face of goal. It was just beyond the reach of Sams and found Debhina at the far post. The Brazilian didn’t make any mistakes, tapping it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“I think just to stay calm and we knew that we were better than them and that we could score on them,” Sams stated about what was said in the team huddle after the goal. “It was unfortunate that we had to go down, but I think too, we just kept our composure and stuck together as a team and knew that we would be able to break them down at some point.”

Eight minutes later, the Pride found their equalizer and it was McCutcheon for the second straight game. Watt made a strong run to the end line, beating Wheeler to get a cross off. It initially looked like Adriana would tap it in, but McCutcheon was making a run completely unmarked into the six. The defensive midfielder tapped it in and, after not scoring since April 29, 2023, she has now scored in back-to-back playoff games.

“The first goal was brilliant,” Hines said after the game. “You know, playing through the middle to then get out wide. Ally Watt, you know, dribbling, driving, great cross. And McCutcheon scores a goal. And, you know, she’s two in two right now. So it’s not bad for a holding midfielder.”

The Pride nearly got a second just before halftime when Watt played a dangerous ball into the box for Banda. The striker had her back to goal and tried to backheel it, but she couldn’t get anything on it and the Current were able to clear. That was the last chance for either team as the game went into the break at 1-1.

At halftime, the Current had more possession (55%-45%), but the Pride had more shots (7-5), shots on target (2-1), corner kicks (3-2), and crosses (12-6). Both teams completed 79% of their first-half passes.

Watt dribbled from the right to the top of the Kansas City box in the 49th minute. Chawinga challenged her from behind and the attacker ran directly into Nichelle Prince. It appeared as though Watt had her breath knocked out of her after being caught in the neck area, requiring attention. After receiving some treatment, she walked off on her own and was able to continue.

Marta and Angelina stood over the ball, with Marta taking the set piece. Her shot was aimed for the near post, but Schult had it well covered, collecting the free kick.

The Pride took their first lead of the game in the 53rd minute when Strom lifted the ball into the Kansas City box. Banda used her body to turn Kayla Sharples before hitting a hard shot past Schult to give her team a 2-1 lead.

“Defenders will always be tight, but as a striker, you need to have a lot of creativity as a striker for you to score,” Banda said about her goal. “I’m a goal machine, so I had to figure it out how I’m going to score for this. So it came into my mind, and I saw the defender. Then I had to take my advantage.”

The Pride had a chance to extend their lead in the 57th minute when Mace fouled Banda hard near the Kansas City box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. After Banda received some treatment, Adriana stepped up to take the set piece. However, she hit the attempt over the top of the goal.

The Current had a chance to get back on even terms in the 61st minute when Chawinga was sent long by Mace. Dyke kept up with the attacker and slid in to win the ball but didn’t connect with it. Sams was between Chawinga and goal as the forward shot for the near post, missing wide.

The visitors nearly found an equalizer in the 65th minute when Cooper volleyed a ball across the box in front of the goal. Prince volleyed the ball on target, but it was blocked by Sams. It went straight to Chawinga, who tried to put a first-touch shot on target, but she sent it over the top.

A mistake at midfield nearly cost the Pride in the 71st when Angelina lost possession. Chawinga carried the ball to the top of the box while Pride defenders tried desperately to get in front. The forward shot before entering the 18, but hit the attempt wide.

Hines made his first changes of the game in the 79th minute, as Julie Doyle and Yates came on for Adriana and Watt.

Banda won the ball from Sharples in the 82nd minute before going down, knocking it to Marta, who took it from there. The Pride captain dribbled to her left and cut back, resulting in Sharples and Cook going down. She dribbled past Schult before passing the ball in to make it 3-1.

“It was so amazing. I just saw all the defenders went down, but I know that’s what Marta can do,” Banda said about Marta’s goal. “So, I know it’s an assist because I was down, unfortunately. But she scored and we know her for that.”

“I feel like she’s been in situations like that before,” Sams added. “And, you know, I feel like she might take the shot earlier. So just to see her like, you know, see two players go to ground and slide, and Marta cuts them back, and then cuts back the goalkeeper and just slots it home. I mean, it’s just such a hard goal. I mean, she’s the GOAT and she proves it. And she proved it tonight.”

It was a fantastic goal by Marta, but the celebrations were cut short as Banda remained down near midfield and required medical assistance. She had to be helped off the field and was replaced by Carson Pickett. Fortunately, she was soon seen laughing on the bench with Watt, which suggests she was fine.

The fourth official showed 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time and the Current had to find something quick trailing by two goals. In the sixth minute, they won a corner kick and sent Schult to the other end. The Pride knocked the first attempt out of play and cleared the second one.

Hines made his third change of the game in the seventh minute of added time, replacing Dyke with Celia. While the substitution might’ve been to waste some time, it also gave Celia one last chance to play at Inter&Co Stadium as she announced she’s retiring following the season.

Marta looked for her second goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, dribbling into the left side of the box. She split a pair of defenders and shot, but the attempt sailed well wide.

In the 10th minute of stoppage time, Mace took a shot from just inside the Pride box. Abello blocked the attempt, sending it out of play for a corner kick. However, the ball was off of Abello’s arm and the video assistant referee indicated that Chesky should have a second look.

After a brief check, Chesky returned to the field and pointed to the spot. DiBernardo stepped up to take the spot kick and took it well. As Moorhouse dove to her right, DiBernardo sent the attempt the other way to make it 3-2.

The visitors continued to push as the game neared its end. In the 15th minute of stoppage time, Wheeler cut back to lose her defender and fired on goal, but she missed the target. A minute later, Chawinga was sent down the right and took possession when Moorhouse came way off her line and missed the ball. Chawinga had Sharples making a run into the six as Celia came over to cover her. The center back got her head to the ball, but sent the attempt over the crossbar. That was the last chance as the Pride came away with a 3-2 win.

The Current ended the game with more possession (51.8%-48.2%), shots (20-13), and corner kicks (4-3). The Pride had the advantage in shots on target (5-4), crosses (11-9), and better passing accuracy (78%-75.2%).

“They sat back, waited for transition moments. And, you know, they’re very good at it,” Hines said about the game. “You know, they’ve built that in the last second half of the season. Get the threatening players running in behind. But I thought in moments we were really good.

“What an effort from the players. I can’t speak highly enough for them. They’ve put so much work and effort, and they really wanted this tonight. You know, in front of our home fans and their hunger and desire.”

The Pride have played ahead most of the season, not needing to come from behind. The last time they came back from a deficit to win prior to this game was a 3-1 win over the Portland Thorns on June 11, 2023. They hadn’t come from behind to claim points since the second game of the season on March 22, something they did in each of the first two games of the season.

It’s rare that playoffs go according to plan, but this NWSL postseason has done just that. The higher-seeded team has won every game in this postseason, resulting in the top two teams meeting in Kansas City for the championship. That might bode well for the Pride, who finished the season with the league’s best record, making them the higher seed for the final.

“It’s great,” Hines said about reaching the championship. “You know, you’ve put all the hard work and effort into it. Obviously, in the regular season, 26-game group stage to then get into a three-game tournament. So we’ve done two of it, and there’s one more to go. So obviously, the spirits are really high right now, and we’re ready to go on Saturday.”


The Pride have six days before they take the field again. The Washington Spirit drew NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-1 Saturday and advanced on penalties to claim the other spot. So the top two teams will meet at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City Saturday night at 8 p.m. for the NWSL Championship.

Orlando Pride

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 former University of Southern California 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 as a non-roster invitee, 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 the club’s 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 It 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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