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Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, NWSL Championship: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win Club’s First League Title

The Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 to become NWSL champions.

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride finished their historic season tonight by capturing the club’s first NWSL Championship with a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Barbra Banda gave the Pride the lead in the 37th minute and, despite defending almost the entire second half, held on to take the title.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed the same lineup that beat the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to advance to this championship game. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Ally Watt, Marta, and Adriana with Banda up top.

For the first time since 2019, the NWSL Championship was between the two teams with the best records in the league. Despite being the lower seed, Washington was the more aggressive team in this game and created multiple early chances. However, the Spirit struggled to put attempts on target, enabling the Pride to take the lead before halftime. The second half was all Spirit, as the Pride sat behind the ball, desperately holding onto the one-goal lead. They were able to keep the opposition at bay and Banda’s goal stood as the Pride claimed their first-ever league title. It caps a season in which the Pride took home both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship, becoming the first team to win the double since the 2021 Portland Thorns.

The Spirit got off to an attacking start, putting the Pride on their heels in the opening minutes. Rosemonde Kouassi received the ball on the left in the third minute and beat Dyke to create enough space for a shot. However, it was from a tight angle and right into the arms of Moorhouse.

The Pride went the other way and created their first chance of the game seconds later. Banda was able to get a shot off, but it was deflected out of play by Hal Hershfelt. The ensuing corner was cleared and the Pride didn’t cause any trouble for Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.

Orlando had a better chance in the 15th minute when the ball popped out to Banda and the striker turned her defender before sprinting down the field. She had Adriana on her left and Marta on her right, ultimately playing it wide to the Pride captain. Marta took a touch inside to find space to shoot between a pair of defenders, sending the ball into the arms of Kingsbury.

Ashley Hatch made an overlapping run in the 22nd minute, receiving the ball from Tara McKeown. Receiving it on the right, Hatch sent a low cross into the six-yard box. However, it was too close to Moorhouse, who collected it.

In the 33rd minute, Kouassi made a run to the top of the Pride box, swerving through multiple defenders before getting a shot off. She was aiming for the near post, and Moorhouse dove for the attempt, but it went just wide.

The Pride took the lead in the 37th minute from the only player that caused problems for the Spirit defense. It started when Angelina won the ball from Leicy Santos, pushing the Colombian in a physical battle to win possession. She then sent Banda down the right, and the Zambian took on defender Esme Morgan one on one. Moving inside to get enough space for a shot, she beat Kingsbury with her left foot to her near post for the opening goal.

“I think that was a great moment for me,” Banda said about her goal  “As that ball came through me, I don’t hesitate. I always want to take on the defenders. So I saw that opportunity and I had to put the ball at the back of the net because I saw the positioning of the goalkeeper. So it was great for me.”

Kingsbury took responsibility for the goal in the Spirit’s postgame press conference, confessing Banda’s shot caught her off guard as she was expecting a cross from that position. The quick shot with her off foot fooled the former Pride shot stopper and got between her leg and the post for the game’s only goal.

Marta tried to create something on her own in the 43rd minute, using multiple stepovers to beat Casey Krueger. The Brazilian sent the ball towards goal from a tight angle, forcing Kingsbury to tip it wide for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was cleared and it remained a 1-0 Pride lead.

Strom conceded a corner kick in the 45th minute and the Spirit nearly found an equalizer. McKeown’s set piece was towards the penalty spot where Hatch and Dyke jumped for the ball. The forward outjumped the right back, getting her head to the ball and sending towards the corner. It was behind Moorhouse but off the post and the Pride barely survived the attack.

Possession was evenly split in the first 45 minutes, but the Spirit created more shots (8-4). However, the Pride put more of their chances on target (3-1). While the Pride had more corner kicks in the first half (3-2), the Spirit had more crosses (9-8) and better passing accuracy (74%-70%).

Similar to the first half, the Spirit were the more dangerous team in the opening minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, Kouassi got her head to a Trinity Rodman cross at the top of the six-yard box, forcing Moorhouse to push it away for a corner kick. 

The short set piece resulted in Marta fouling Kouassi just outside of the box. Makenna Morris’ free kick found Hatch, who was left alone in the middle. The forward got her head to the ball and sent it towards the far post, but the attempt was wide.

The Spirit continued to put pressure on the Pride, creating a pair of chances in the 52nd minute through Morris and McKeown, but the Pride were able to clear the danger without conceding.

It looked like the Pride might double their lead in the 58th minute when Banda used her strength to turn McKeown and sprint into the Spirit third of the field. The striker slowed down as she approached Morgan and decided how to attack the center back. That gave McKeown time to get back and win the ball for Washington.

The Pride were finally able to cause some problems for the Spirit in the 61st minute when their press forced a turnover in Washington’s defensive third of the field. Watt took possession and played it back for McCutcheon, who lifted the ball for the far post. Unfortunately, she was unable to get around the ball and it sailed wide.

A minute later, Banda played the ball back for Marta, who sent a low shot towards the far post. Watt was making a run, stopping when the shot was taken. Adriana let the shot go through, and the ball bounced wide. It appeared like Watt also might have gotten on the end of it had she continued her run. Instead, it was a goal kick for the Spirit.

Hines made his first change of the game in the 66th minute, replacing Adriana with Summer Yates.

Hatch had several good chances in front of goal, and she had another in the 68th minute. McKeown received a loose ball on the right and sent the cross into the middle of the box. As she had all night, Hatch beat the Pride defenders to the ball, redirecting it on goal. However, the header was directly at Moorhouse.

Hines’ second change came in the 74th minute as Julie Doyle came into the game for Watt.

The Pride were on their back foot most of the second half, so it didn’t help when they needlessly gave the ball away in their own third. In the 85th minute, the ball slipped out of Abello’s hands as she threw it in, going straight to Kouassi. The attacker played it forward for Morris, whose cross was blocked by Sams.

Santos took possession and took a step forward before shooting, but Strom was there to block it. The ball went to Hatch at the top of the box, and the forward took a shot of her own. This time, McCutcheon was the one who got in the way, enabling the Pride to clear without Moorhouse having to make a save.

Hines made his final two changes of the game in the 86th minute, as the Pride looked to see out the win. They were defensive moves, as Carson Pickett and Morgan Gautrat came into the game for Abello and Angelina.

Kouassi was active in the final third all game and had a chance in the 88th minute. The Ivory Coast international cut to get past Pickett and shot for the near post, sending the attempt just wide.

The Spirit wanted a penalty as the game entered six minutes of stoppage time when Hatch dribbled around Gautrat and into the box. Gautrat extended her arm as Hatch entered the 18 and went to the ground. However, Hatch was already slipping and referee Alyssa Nichols determined that to be the case.

Rodman was sent down the right in the third minute of stoppage time before playing it back to Morris behind her in the box. The rookie sent her right-footed shot between a pair of defenders and towards goal, but it curled away from the target.

The Spirit felt they should’ve had a penalty again in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Kouassi won the ball from Banda and cut to split McCutcheon and Yates before going down. However, Kouassi seemed to go down easily and Nichols again let play continue.

The final chance for the Spirit came in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Kouassi’s shot was blocked and Gabrielle Carle crossed the ball towards the back post. Rodman and Dyke went up for the ball with the final touch going off the Pride right back.

Kingsbury came up as Rodman sent the ensuing corner kick into the box. The goalkeeper headed the ball towards the goal, but Gautrat was there for the block. Despite protests it was a corner kick, Gautrat’s clearance was blocked out of play by McKeown for a goal kick. That was all the Pride needed to see out the game.

The Spirit dominated the game statistically with the advantage in possession (58%-42%), shots (26-9), shots on target (5-3), corner kicks (8-3), crosses (25-11), and passing accuracy (79%-69%). However, the Pride were able to stay strong defensively and Banda’s first-half goal held up.

As the stats show, the Spirit dominated play in the second half, forcing the Pride to show the defensive prowess that led them to their 14th clean sheet this season. They’ve been more porous in recent games, but were solid in this one. It’s largely due to the play of center backs Sams and Strom, something the rest of the team noticed.

“Our back line was incredible today, but nothing that they didn’t do before. It was like that the whole season,” Marta said about the defending. “Like, Em (Sams) won the best defender of the year, and I think she deserves it. I’m a little bit sad because I did see Kylie in one of the teams, the best teams. But for us, for Orlando, both are so important. And both inside and outside the field, they just proved, they just show this kind of stuff every single game. And for me, they’re the best defenders in this league.”

“Tremendous,” Hines added about the center backs. “You know, I think you forget that Em is only a two-year pro. What she’s done this year is unimaginable. She’s won an Olympics, she’s won an NWSL Shield, she’s won an NWSL Championship, she’s (NWSL) Defender of the Year. You know, to replicate this year is incredible. And so, I’m very grateful for her trust in me and my experiences as a center back and Kylie as well. You know, (Strom) transitioned from a left back into center back. It’s not something that we planned at the start of the year, but it’s a testament to these players and doing a job for the best of the team.”

The Pride defense especially showed its abilities in the final 15 minutes. While the Pride defended most of the second half, the team was put under tremendous pressure in the final moments. It took some desperate defending, including diving in front of shots, to keep the clean sheet and come away with the win in 90 minutes.

“We’ve been put through those moments. If you ever watched us throughout the year, you know, you would have seen a team who’ve had to deal with those moments in the last 15 (minutes),” Hines said about his team’s defending. “And I’m not sure if this is still a record as well, but I think we’ve conceded the least amount of goals in that last 15. And so nothing changed in that last 15. You could see the players throw their bodies on the line, working together, tracking back, trying to stop the service to Orlando getting close to them, blocking shots. And so it’s no different to what we’ve done all season long, especially in this championship game.”

Despite the defensive performance, it’s no surprise that the game’s MVP award went to Banda. The Pride striker scored the lone goal and was a problem for the Spirit back line. The clean sheet was impressive, but it was a team effort.

This win is especially meaningful for Marta. The Brazilian joined the Pride in 2017, playing in the club’s first playoff game that season. She went through some terrible years and a complete roster overhaul, being the lone player from the club’s only successful campaign to experience the rebuild. After eight years with the Pride, she’s finally a champion.

Arguably the best player in the history of women’s soccer, Marta showed how much this win meant to her when being interviewed on stage after the game. “I f***ing wait eight years for this moment!” she yelled into the microphone.

“I’ve been in Orlando for so long, and then I see players come and then leave, come and leave,” Marta said after the game. “We had ups and downs. Some seasons we were okay, but not good enough. And I always ask myself what I’m looking for, because I’m still staying in Orlando. I was not satisfied with all of the other seasons, and I feel like I don’t want to leave this place without doing something really big, because it was like that in every single place that I’ve played.”

“I was just so happy for her,” Hines said about Marta finally winning the championship. “You know, she’s put everything into this club. She’s never played for any other team than Orlando Pride since she moved over to the U.S. So, I was just so happy for her to just share that moment. It’s a moment that she has been waiting for so long, and just to give her a hug at the end of the game, just meant the world to me. And obviously the club in general, because the players are working so hard for her to have that moment.”

In a season full of breaking records, the Pride had some more in this game. Moorhouse became the first international goalkeeper to win an NWSL Championship, Sams became the first player to win an Olympic goal medal and an NWSL Championship in the same year, Angelina became the first international player to record an assist in a NWSL Championship game, and Seb Hines became the first Black head coach to win an NWSL Championship.

“I appreciate it,” Hines said about being the first Black coach to win the NWSL Championship. “Obviously. I think it’s a historic moment for America, the NWSL. You know, my journey has been a different one. I started as a volunteer, I finished my career. I had a great playing career. I finished that journey and then transitioned to coaching. I want to be that role model for other people to get the opportunity that I got. It’s a big responsibility. I fulfilled a lot of joy in this, in this opportunity, and so I just want to continue to be an advocate for more Black coaches and create a more diverse league within the NWSL.”

Additionally, Banda scored four goals in three games during the postseason. That makes her the leading goal scorer in a single NWSL postseason in league history.

It’s not just an historic occasion for the Pride, but for the city of Orlando. The Pride are the first major professional sports team in the city to win a league championship. The NBA’s Orlando Magic have been to two NBA finals — losing in both — and Orlando City has never made it past the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.

“It’s massive. I obviously did my research. When I took this job on, I’d seen that Orlando had never won a championship between City, Pride, Orlando Magic, just to name a few,” Hines said about the accomplishment. “And so, yeah, I always wanted to have that open bus (ride) through the streets of Orlando. I think it’s a monumental moment for the city of Orlando, because they’ve been through so much since I’ve been here. You know, I’ve been here 10 years and I’ve seen a lot of things. Not only with the Pride, but Orlando in general. And so, to give back to the city is a massive achievement for everyone.”

This is only the beginning of the celebrations for the Pride. The city of Orlando has planned a parade that will start at 4:30 p.m. on Orange Avenue and arrive at City Hall for a celebration ceremony on Monday.

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Orlando Pride Depth Tested Early This Season

The Pride are being forced to test their newly acquired depth early in the 2025 NWSL season.

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1 day ago

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May 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride started a full rebuild in 2022, which culminated in the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024. With the core of the team well set, Haley Carter and Seb Hines began work on building depth in the squad. Early this season, that work is being put to the test.

Just seven games into the 2025 NWSL season, the Pride have already suffered several key injuries. The first occurred in the NWSL regular season opener when midfielder Julie Doyle suffered a knee injury 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute. The following week, Rafaelle was replaced at halftime. Hines insisted it was precautionary, but the center back has yet to return.

Summer Yates, expected by many to replace Marta when the club captain retires, was injured on April 12 while assisting Barbara Banda’s game-winning goal in Seattle. The most recent injury occurred Saturday night when starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was kicked in the head by Mimi Alidou in the 47th minute, forcing her departure from the game.

The Pride did suffer a key injury last season when Rafaelle was injured during the Summer Olympics while representing Brazil. However, the solution was rather simple as Emily Sams moved to center back and Cori Dyke took over at right back. Despite being a rookie, Dyke was exceptional the remainder of the season, securing the starting right back spot through the NWSL Championship.

Neither Doyle nor Yates were starters at the beginning of the season. While Doyle has started many games for the Pride in her career, Hines has gone to Ally Watt and Angelina as the outside attacking midfielders. But with Angelina playing regularly for Brazil, Doyle and Yates were expected to play significant roles during the season.

Fortunately, the Pride were well prepared for this situation. They signed Zambian internationals Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda, who have filled those roles so far this season. Both are more than capable of starting for the Pride and filling the gaps left by Angelina and Watt when necessary.

Rafaelle is a more significant injury for the Pride. Her replacement in the lineup was a simple decision. Sams is a natural center back and started most of the 2024 games alongside Kylie Nadaner. The duo was arguably the best center back pairing in the league last season, resulting in Sams being awarded NWSL Defender of the Year. The bigger issue was who would be behind the starters.

Dyke and starting left back Kerry Abello both played games at center back last season. It wasn’t a completely foreign position for them as they’d spent time there in college. However, moving your starting right back or left back to the central defender position is less than ideal. Preferably, you would have a player able to come off the bench and replace Sams and Nadaner when needed.

Hines showed his preference Saturday night when Nadaner was given the night off. Rookie Zara Chavoshi had played minimal minutes this season, taking part in only two games. However, the Pride boss decided to throw the 22-year-old into the fire, giving her the first start of her professional career. Making the decision more questionable was sending her into arguably the league’s most hostile atmosphere at a venue where the Pride have only claimed points once.

Despite the tough circumstances, the rookie defender did very well, holding her own. It was a valuable experience for the young center back, who will likely be called upon again as the season continues.

“Giving Zara the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start,” Hines said of his rookie center back after the game.

The final injury occurred during the game Saturday night when Moorhouse suffered an injury. The shot stopper has been the Pride’s number one since Erin McLeod left the club following the 2022 NWSL season. There was only one choice as her replacement, the team’s backup goalkeeper the past two seasons. While it was McKinley Crone’s first appearance in an NWSL game, it wasn’t her first appearance for the team.

The Maitland, FL native originally joined the club in 2023 as a preseason non-roster invitee. She was signed as a National Team Replacement Player later that season, but didn’t make any appearances. The club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner prior to the 2024 campaign, putting Crone’s future with the club into question. But Crone beat out her Finnish teammate to earn the backup spot behind Moorhouse.

Crone made her professional debut last season during the NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup against the North Carolina Courage. The game ended 1-1, with the Pride losing 5-4 on penalties. It was the last appearance by Crone, as Manner and Moorhouse started the other two Summer Cup games. Saturday night may not have been her first professional appearance, but it was unquestionably her most significant.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper wasn’t forced to do much, saving the only shot she faced. Despite the lack of action, it was good for the Pride to get their backup some meaningful minutes in case Moorhouse is called into international duty or is unable to return next week.

“Mac’s been waiting a long time for that opportunity,” Hines said. “It’s in a way that we didn’t want it to happen. Obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. But Mac’s been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.”

So far, the Pride have passed the test. While they’re not on a record-breaking unbeaten run like last year, they sit tied with the Kansas City Current atop the NWSL standings. The two teams are tied in every way, with the same record, the same number of goals scored, and the same number of goals conceded.

The recent experiences of the Pride reserves should only help the team moving forward. Whether Hines wants to provide more rest for his starters before the playoffs, someone gets injured, or international callups result in missing players, the Pride coach must have more confidence now that he can plug in less experienced players and trust them to do the job. That will only benefit the Pride as they look to defend their crown as NWSL champions.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fail to Score at Providence Park

The Pride’s Portland problems popped up to punish the team once again.

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride (5-2-0, 15 points) continued to have difficulty when visiting Providence Park, losing 1-0 tonight to the Portland Thorns in Oregon. The home team took the early lead on Reyna Reyes’ 16th minute goal. The Pride were unable to generate any good chances on goal no matter who Pride Head Coach Seb Hines put on in the second half.

Hines made five changes to the team that won against Angel City. Oihane once again replaced Cori Dyke at right back, Zara Chavoshi got the start next to Emily Sams in place of Kylie Nadaner. Carson Pickett took over at left back, with Kerry Abello moving into the midfield. Ally Watt also returned to the starting lineup in place of Prisca Chilufya. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Pickett, Chavoshi, Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Abello were the defensive midfielders behind Watt, Marta, and Ally Lemos with Banda up top.

Early in the match, the Pride tried the route one approach, sending long balls up to Banda. The first two times it worked well enough for Banda to get the ball cleanly, but she was unable to make anything from it. After that, the Pride continued to try this approach, but it was less successful.

Portland made things difficult for the Pride, pressing early and often. In the 16th minute it paid off for the home team. Pickett played a defensive ball out for a Thorns throw-in. Portland worked the ball across to Reyes. She moved the ball onto her left foot and put a very good shot inside the left post for what ended up being the game-winning goal.

The curl on that left foot 🙌Reyna Reyes with a special goal for @thornsfc.com!

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-05-04T01:18:37.428Z

The Pride did have some chances but nothing with any type of power behind it to beat McKenzie Arnold. The Pride looked flat through most of the first half, and the Thorns brought more energy. Orlando looked disjointed and disinterested.

In the 37th minute, Pride supporters got a big scare. Banda took the ball into the box, but then pulled up as if she had a noncontact injury. Play was eventually stopped for the trainers to check on her. Mercifully, Banda was not injured and was able to continue.

Things almost got much worse for the Pride in the 39th minute. Reilyn Turner took a through ball into the box, rounded Moorhouse and put the ball on frame. Fortunately, Chavoshi recovered and made a clutch goal-line save to keep the score at 1-0.

After 45 minutes of play, the Thorns had the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on target (4-1). The Pride had the advantage in possession (53%-47%) and corners (3-0), but were not able to generate much of a threat.

Hines did not make any changes to start the second half despite the lack of scoring. The Thorns started quickly as Deyna Castellanos got on a long ball in the box. Luckily, her shot went wide. One minute later, Moorhouse was fouled. She took a shin to the head, and boot to her right hand. After several minutes she was subbed off for McKinley Crone.

The second half was much like the first. The Pride had difficulty breaking Portland’s lines. When they did, the chances did not threaten Arnold. A perfect example of this came in the 64th minute. Watt stripped the ball from a Portland player and fed it to Banda, who gave it back to Watt for the chance, but there was nothing on it.

In the 68th minute, Hines brought on Dyke, Angelina, and Viviana Villacorta for Oihane, Lemos, and Pickett. One minute later, Banda had a chance, but her near-post shot was saved by Arnold. On the other end, Crone saved a shot by Payton Linnehan in the 74th minute. In the 75th minute, Chilufya came on for Marta.

Hines made his final substitution in the 83rd minute, bringing on Grace Chanda for Watt. Between Moorhouse’s injury and various other fouls, there were 11 minutes of second-half stoppage time. Being up a goal against the defending champs, Portland players immediately headed for the corner whenever they got the ball.

Despite double digits to work with in stoppage time, the Pride failed to equalize and suffered their second loss of the season. At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (58%-42%), corner kicks (7-2), and passing accuracy (80%-75%). Portland had the advantage on shots (15-11), shots on target (7-4), and, most importantly, on the scoreboard.

“You have got to try and create the space. You have got to move, make unselfish runs and you have got to be proactive rather than reactive,” Hines said about the team’s lack of offense. “I felt today that Portland were one step ahead of us in their defensive structure. We didn’t create too many opportunities. They were well organized. You have got to find different ways, and we had different solutions during the run of game and changed different buildup shapes, but it wasn’t enough to get that equalizer.” 

Hines praise the play of Chavoshi and Crone in the match, with both players short on experience.

“I think they are the main positives out of the game,” Hines said. “Giving Zara [Chavoshi] the first opportunity to start the game in a hostile environment and get tested in certain situations, I thought she did very well for her first NWSL start. [McKinley Crone] has been waiting a long time for that opportunity. It is in a way that we didn’t want it to happen, obviously, you never want to see a player get injured. Mac has been patient waiting for this opportunity and I thought she did well when she came on.” 

Fortunately for the Pride, the Kansas City Current and the Washington Spirit also lost their matches, meaning the Pride remain tied for first with the Current. Sadly, this was a missed opportunity to put some daylight between those other top teams.

“My head is all over the place at the moment, honestly,” Crone said about getting on the pitch. “I don’t really (know) if I can pinpoint a singular emotion. I am really honored, especially being from Orlando, just to be able to represent the city. This is such a tough place to come in and play. I thought the team fought hard. Now at this point, it is about turning our focus to the next game. It is such a long season, and we have so many more games ahead of us, it is now about how can we respond to this result today.”

The Pride remain on the road next weekend for an away match against the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to claim their second-ever win in Portland as they take on the Thorns away from home.

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3 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match preview as the Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) travel west to take on Portland Thorns FC (2-2-3, 9 points) at Providence Park in Portland, OR. This is the first two games these teams will play with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Oct. 10.

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

History

The Pride have struggled historically against the Thorns, with a record of 4-14-2 in 20 games (4-13-2 in league play and 0-1-0 in the playoffs). They’re 1-8-0 in Portland with the only win occurring in 2018.

The most recent meeting between the two teams came on Oct. 11, 2024 in Portland. The Pride secured the NWSL Shield the previous game, so several starters were given a break. It showed on the field as the Pride lost 2-0, ending a 23-game unbeaten run. Morgan Weaver gave hosts the lead in the 13th minute and Christine Sincalir doubled the advantage in the 55th minute.

The meeting prior to that loss came on May 24 in Orlando. It was the Barbra Banda show as the Pride striker scored two goals 10 minutes apart, giving her team a 2-0 halftime lead. Izzy D’Aquila got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1.

The first game between the two teams in 2023 was on March 26 at Providence Park. Weaver opened the scoring early and Sophia Smith doubled the advantage a few minutes later. Hina Sugita made it three, and Michele Vasconcelos wrapped up the scoring as the Thorns won 4-0. On June 11, 2023, in Orlando, Smith gave the visitors the lead, but the Pride took over after that. Adriana scored a brace and Messiah Bright’s 69th-minute strike lifted the Pride to a 3-1 win. 

The teams met twice in 2022, with the first coming on Sept. 9 at Exploria Stadium. Yazmeen Ryan gave the visitors the lead and Sugita doubled the advantage as the Thorns won 2-0. That was the second meeting of the season after the teams met on June 19 in Portland. In Seb Hines’ second game as interim head coach, the Thorns smashed the Pride, 6-0.

The teams met earlier in the year during the 2021 season, playing on May 26 in Orlando. The Pride won for only the second time against Portland since the team’s inception. Orlando won 2-1 with goals from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux.

The second meeting that year came on July 18 in Portland, and the home team won again. Smith gave the hosts the lead and Marissa Everett doubled the advantage. Marisa Viggiano got one back in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Thorns won, 2-1.

They met a third time on Aug. 14. The Pride took an early lead when Courtney Petersen found Jodie Taylor for the opening goal. But Simone Charley equalized and the teams drew 1-1.

The Pride and Thorns didn’t play in 2020 after the season was canceled due to the global pandemic and they weren’t in the same group for the NWSL Fall Series. As a result, the most recent meeting prior to 2021 was in 2019.

The teams opened the 2019 season against each other in Orlando, but the Thorns got the better of the clash. The game was decided on either side of halftime as Caitlin Foord scored just before the break and Tobin Heath scored four minutes after the restart, lifting Portland to a 2-0 win. They met again in Orlando on May 11 and the visitors won again. Toni Pressley gave the Pride an early lead, but it was all Portland after that. Dagny Brynjarsdottir equalized, Andressinha gave Portland the lead, and Foord finished it off.

The final meeting between the two in 2019 was a goal fest in Portland and another Thorns win. Hayley Raso gave the Thorns the lead just three minutes into the game and Midge Purce’s goal made it look like it would be a dominant performance by the hosts. But Marta got one back to make it 2-1. Sinclair made it 3-1, followed by a Thorns own goal by Emily Menges. It looked like the Pride would get a rare point through Erin Greening’s 90th-minute goal, but Tyler Lussi scored in second-half injury time, dooming the Pride to another loss in Oregon.

The teams faced off three times in 2018, which featured the Pride’s lone win in Portland. The Thorns won the first game, 2-1 on April 15. But on May 12, goals by Morgan and Christine Nairn gave the Pride a 2-0 lead. Sinclair got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for their only result at Providence Park. The third meeting went back to usual, with the Thorns winning 2-0 through Lindsey Horan and Raso.

The teams started the 2017 season against each other in Portland with the Thorns winning 2-0. They met again in the penultimate game of the season in Orlando, ending in a scoreless draw. The most important game between the two teams was the Pride’s only playoff appearance. Unfortunately, it was all Portland, as the Thorns beat the Pride 4-1.

The first meeting of 2016 was the Pride’s first-ever game. Steph Catley gave the visitors a surprising lead, but Brynjarsdottir equalized and Horan won it for Portland. They met again on June 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Two second-half goals by Brynjarsdottir and Horan lifted the Thorns to another 2-1 win.

Overview

The Pride got off to a great start this season, winning their first four games. A 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit on April 19 and a slow start against Angel City on April 25 was a little worrisome. But the Pride came back from a 2-0 deficit to score three goals in the final 20 minutes, defeating the California-based visitors 3-2.

Tonight, the Pride head back out on the road for the first time since they beat Seattle Reign FC 1-0 on April 12. It’s no surprise the team is led offensively by Banda. The Zambian netted a late brace in a 6-0 win over the Chicago Stars to start the season before failing to score in the following two games. However, she’s converted in two of the last three games, including a 76th-minute header in the most recent contest.

The team’s been very solid defensively this season, only conceding four goals. Two of those goals came in the most recent game against Angel City. They’re currently tied with the Kansas City Current on 14 goals scored and four conceded for a +10 goal differential.

Tonight, the Pride head to a stadium they’ve struggled in since the team’s inaugural season. They’ve only taken points once in nine games in Portland over the past 10 years. While many of those years the Thorns were near the top of the league and the Pride near the bottom, even last year the Pride couldn’t find a way to beat the Thorns.

One thing that should make the task a little easier is the Thorns’ absences. Sinclair retired following the 2024 season after over a decade in Portland. Sophia Wilson is also out for this game due to pregnancy. The U.S. international’s absence creates a tremendous challenge for the Portland attack.

The Thorns currently sit in sixth in the NWSL standings with nine points. However, they’re only three points behind the Spirit for third. A win at home tonight against the Pride would put them only three points back of second and possibly first, depending on how the Current do.

Portland’s led offensively this season by second-year professional Reilyn Turner with three of the team’s 10 goals. Rookie Jayden Perry sits second on the team with two goals and several players have one, including Olivia Moultrie, Jessie Fleming, and Deyna Castellanos.

The Thorns got the season off to a rocky start, losing 3-1 in Kansas City. But the back line quickly got it together, only conceding three goals in the next five games. That strong defensive effort went away on April 27 when the Thorns conceded three goals  for the second time this season in a 3-3 home draw with Racing Louisville FC.

“Historically, it hasn’t always been a great place for us to go play. But we’re a different team now,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “I think different contexts, different circumstances. We’re still early on in the season, so we are wanting to continue that momentum from last week. We showed great character to come back from two goals down. The players are in good spirits. It shows the collective as well, players coming off the bench and playing a role and influencing the game. So there’s a real togetherness here. It’s going to be a good environment. It’s always a nice place to go play with the fans, the opponent, everything that comes with it. So, yeah, we’re excited to get across there and play another game of football.”

There aren’t any changes to the Pride availability report for the second consecutive game. They’ll be without Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), Aryssa Mahrt (knee), Julie Doyle (knee), Rafaelle (thigh), and Summer Yates (ankle).

The Thorns are without Daiane (knee), Caiya Hanks (hip), Marie Muller (knee), Nicole Payne (knee), Olivia Wade-Katoa (maternity leave), Morgan Weaver (knee), and Sophia Wilson (maternity leave).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Zara Chavoshi, Emily Sams, Oihane.

Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos, Ally Watt.

Forwards: Barbra Banda, Marta.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Cori Dyke, Brianna Martinez, Kylie Nadaner, Morgan Gautrat, Viviana Villacorta, Angelina, Grace Chanda, Prisca Chilufya.

Portland Thorns FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Mackenzie Arnold.

Defenders: Reyna Reyes, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze, Sam Hiatt.

Defensive Midfielders: Sam Coffey, Hina Sugita.

Attacking Midfielders: Olivia Moultrie, Mimi Alidou, Reilyn Turner.

Forward: Deyna Castellanos.

Bench: Bella Bixby, Kaitlyn Torpey, Sophie Hirst, Jessie Fleming, Carissa Boeckman, Mallie McKenzie, Payton Linnehan, Pietra Tordin, Alexa Spaanstra.

Referees

REF: Nabil Bensalah.
AR1: Fernando Fierro.
AR2: Cameron Siler.
4TH: Dion Coxe-Trieger.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Providence Park — Portland, OR.

TV: Ion.

Streaming: None.

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

Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

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