Orlando Pride
Top 10 Moments of 2024: Orlando Pride Capture Club’s First Playoff Win
In our No. 5 moment, the Orlando Pride make history twice by hosting a postseason match for the first time and getting their first playoff win.
As we count down to the new year of 2025 — which will be Orlando City’s 11th in MLS, the Orlando Pride’s 10th in the NWSL, and OCB’s third in MLS NEXT Pro — and say goodbye to 2024, it’s time to look back at the club’s 10 best moments of the year as selected by The Mane Land staff via vote.
It was 10 years in the making. A decade after the National Women’s Soccer League announced Orlando would become the league’s newest team, the Pride finally got to host a postseason game. It was only the team’s second playoff appearance ever, but the club left no doubt, going unbeaten until the NWSL Shield had been clinched, guaranteeing that every match in the postseason up until the final would take place at Inter&Co Stadium, where the team had become seemingly invincible in 2024. That remained the case in the playoffs, as Orlando kicked off its NWSL Championship run with a commanding 4-1 home win over the Chicago Red Stars.
Once the Pride defeated the Washington Spirit on Oct. 6, it was just a matter of waiting to see which team Orlando would host in the first round of the 2024 NWSL playoffs. It seemed destined to be Bay FC for a few weeks, but the Chicago Red Stars found themselves in the No. 8 spot after the final weekend of the regular season. Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher, and company headed to Inter&Co Stadium on Nov. 8.
This wasn’t exactly the best possible news for the Pride, who have had their problems with the Red Stars since joining the NWSL. The Pride and Red Stars had played every season except the COVID-19 year of 2020. The teams had met 20 times in all, with the Pride going just 6-12-2 against Chicago. The Pride were even worse at home against the Red Stars, struggling to just a 1-7-2 home record in the all-time series.
Even in a dominating 2024, the Pride could not beat the Red Stars at home in the regular season. In fact, Orlando couldn’t even score a goal for itself in the match, relying on an own goal by Taylor Malham on a first-half set piece to get a result, scratching out a 1-1 home draw against Chicago on March 29.
That match — the team’s third consecutive draw to open the season — took place before Barbra Banda’s arrival. The Zambian striker was signed a few weeks earlier, but had to wait for international paperwork before traveling to the U.S. She then had to get acclimated to her new team and go through a few training sessions before eventually entering the lineup on April 19.
By then, the unbeaten/winless streak of draws had turned into just an unbeaten streak.
The Pride sometimes fought and sometimes cruised their way to an incredible 18-2-6 record and were never beaten at home. Still, as the Red Stars arrived for the first home playoff game in Pride history, there was that nagging fact that Orlando still had only beaten Chicago at home one time.
Orlando wasn’t interested in that narrative. The players blasted out to a fast start, creating chances from the jump. Banda missed just wide of the far post early and Ally Watt similarly missed the target moments later. Angelina joined in the wide-shot parade in the fifth minute, but the Pride were creating great chances and not allowing the Red Stars to settle into the match.
Banda, who had only scored one goal in 10 matches with Orlando after returning from the Olympics, turned down an opportunity to shoot on Naeher in the 10th minute, instead trying to thread a ball through traffic to Summer Yates. Chicago cleared the pass, which was behind its intended target. The option wasn’t a bad one for most players, but Banda turning down a scoring chance made it seem as if the striker’s confidence was starting to waver after her scoring drought to end the regular season.
Whether that was the case didn’t end up mattering, because Banda’s teammates picked her up 16 minutes later, as Haley McCutcheon picked an outstanding time to score her first goal of the season. A shot by Angelina deflected to Watt off of Bea Franklin. The Pride forward tried a shot but didn’t get a clean hit on it, sending it sailing off line toward the back post. McCutcheon was in the right spot at the right time, redirecting it into the net with a well-placed header to open the scoring at 1-0 in the 26th minute.
After nearly half an hour of domination without a goal, McCutcheon’s strike changed everything. The Pride seemed to relax and start playing their game. That helped in front of goal, as the team continued putting its chances away.
A good tackle in the midfield by Angelina resulted in Emily Sams getting to the ball and sending a quick, long pass through the defense in the 39th minute. Banda blasted past the back line, picked up the pass, and calmly beat one of the league’s best and most experienced goalkeepers to double the lead.
Banda fed off that goal, eventually scoring one more, but setting herself up repeatedly as the game went on, threatening to become the first Pride player to net a hat trick, but not quite getting there. Her 44th-minute try from the left beat Naeher but didn’t curl enough to find the inside of the back post. It seemed as if the Pride’s 2-0 lead would stand until halftime.
But Banda had other ideas. Watt played Banda down the left with a long ball in first-half stoppage time. The Zambian turned on the jets, getting to her heavy first touch just before Naeher, and scored her second goal of the night, extending the lead to 3-0 just before the break.
The big halftime lead, combined with a 13-0 halftime edge in shot attempts, had Pride fans feeling good. It was 45 minutes thoroughly dominated by Orlando.
The Pride didn’t let up despite the big advantage. Marta smacked the crossbar with a free kick just moments after the restart. A minute after that, Banda had a gaping net into which to complete her hat trick, slipping past Naeher but firing off the left post. Banda managed to help the team score its fourth goal shortly after that anyway, but it was Marta that scored it.
Banda blew past Hannah Anderson and into the penalty area. A helpless Anderson reached out and grabbed Banda’s shirt, pulling her back. Referee Alyssa Nichols played on but was sent to the monitor moments later by video assistant referee Ekaterina Koroleva. Upon reviewing the play, Nichols saw the clear infraction in the box and awarded a penalty. Orlando captain Marta stepped up to the spot and blasted her shot past Naeher to make it 4-0 at precisely the 56th minute.
At that point, it was just a matter of the final score, and the rest of the game had a celebratory feel. Chicago, to its credit, fought hard to try to make a game of it. The Red Stars managed to score a goal, but even that came from a careless mistake by Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse as much as it did from the hustle of Chicago’s Jameese Joseph.
When the final whistle blew, Orlando had out-shot Chicago 27-8 in a thoroughly dominant performance. The Pride made history with their first-ever postseason win, rewarding the 11,496 fans who came out to witness Orlando’s first home playoff match. The performance they saw was one for the ages, and it was echoed in the words of Pride Head Coach Seb Hines in his postgame comments.
“Brilliant, brilliant from start to finish,” Hines said. “Started the game really well, created two opportunities within the first two minutes. You can see the hunger within the team. You can see the commitment and fully deserved. I think we were phenomenal today.”
Banda’s brace reignited the Zambian’s threat, as she went on to score in each of the team’s playoff matches, leading the team to its first league title and historic double. Every postseason championship starts somewhere, and that 4-1 win over the Red Stars started it for Orlando. That, combined with it being the historic first postseason win and first home playoff match, makes the win over Chicago a worthy top-five inclusion in the club’s best moments of 2024.
Come back through New Year’s Eve as we count down the remainder of the top 10 moments of 2024 for Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and OCB.
Previous Top Moments of 2024
10. Orlando City’s massive second-half surge clinches top-four spot in Eastern Conference.
9. The Orlando Pride sign Zambian international striker Barbra Banda ahead of the 2024 season.
8. Facundo Torres scores his 47th goal for Orlando City, breaking the Lions’ all-time goal record.
7. Marta’s magical goal pushes the Orlando Pride past Kansas City and into the NWSL Championship.
6. Orlando City wins nervy three-game MLS Cup playoff series to advance past Charlotte FC.
Opinion
Three Orlando Pride Games to Circle on the Calendar
Let’s take a brief look at three games to pay extra attention to during Orlando’s upcoming NWSL campaign.
We got the release of the Orlando Pride’s 2025 schedule on Wednesday, which means we’re that little bit closer to the start of the season on March 7. The nature of the 14-team National Women’s Soccer League means that there are fewer scheduling quirks than with the 30-team Major League Soccer, with each team playing the other 13 clubs twice each. Still, there’s plenty to dig into with regards to how the scheduling shakes out, and now that I’ve had time to examine what 2025 holds, I’ve got three games in particular that I’ve got circled on my match calendar. Behold.
March 7 — vs. Washington Spirit
You had to know this was coming, right? There’s so much to like about this game. Not only is it the home opener, but as the NWSL Challenge Cup match, it’s also a chance to win another piece of silverware in a rematch of last year’s NWSL Championship game. This game sells itself on just about every level imaginable. The Pride return almost everyone from a wildly successful 2024 season, and while there aren’t a ton of new signings to familiarize ourselves with, getting healthy versions of Grace Chanda and Simone Charley is essentially like getting two brand new players. It’ll be our first chance to gauge where the Pride stand as they try to continue on from the high standards that were set last year, and we should also get a couple new banners hoisted into the rafters. You can hardly ask for more than all that.
Aug. 16 — at Kansas City Current
The Current were excellent in 2024, finishing fourth and boasting the league’s best attack, with 57 goals scored in 26 games, for an over two goals per game average. The Pride, meanwhile, had the league’s third-best attack, with 46 goals, and the joint-best defense with just 20 conceded. Orlando never lost to Kansas City in 2024, as the Pride drew and won the regular-season contests and then won again in the semifinal matchup between the two teams. The pair have made a habit of putting on entertaining affairs, and with the match placed as one of the first ones to occur after the league’s July break, it might go a long way towards setting the tone for the back half of Orlando’s season.
Nov. 2 — vs. Seattle Reign
The NWSL is bringing back Decision Day this year, and the Pride have been blessed with a home game on the league’s final day of regular-season play. On paper, Orlando has also been handed a favorable matchup against a Seattle team that struggled last year and is in the midst of a rebuild. Given how tight the margins tend to be in the upper reaches of the league, every point takes on added importance, and playoff scenarios can swing wildly when everyone is playing at the same time. It’s always nice to be able to play at home in a situation that variable, and it can make for a truly memorable atmosphere that will (hopefully) set Orlando up for another postseason run on the right note.
It feels a little cheap to highlight the first and last games of the season, but I can’t help liking what I like. Are there any games that you’re especially looking forward to this season? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
I know that it probably seems greedy to ask for anything more after the Orlando Pride won both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in 2024, but I’m still going to do so. If the Pride want to repeat their success in 2025, they will need a little bit more than in 2024. Let’s look at my wish list for the defending champs.
No Banda Slump
Barbra Banda scored 12 goals with five assists in her first 12 matches with the Pride. She then scored one goal with one assist in the next 10 regular season matches. I know that players have slumps. Strikers in particular tend to be streaky when it comes to goal contributions. I’m just asking that Banda not have another slump quite that big in 2025.
It might be that teams did a better job of double- or triple-teaming her on defense. Perhaps she just got a little unlucky during the slump. Whatever the reason, I hope that her familiarity with her teammates, the league, and Seb Hines’ style of play allows her to significantly increase her goal contributions this season.
A Healthy Chanda and Charley
Neither Grace Chanda nor Simone Charley were able to see the pitch much for the Pride last season. That hopefully changes in 2025. Adding these two players is almost like signing new players, except they’ve been there for everything. There’s no need to adapt to the culture of the club, as they are already a part of it all.
Chanda not only brings international experience, but she has played with Banda for the Zambian National Team. I expect she’ll be able to make an immediate impact when she integrates into the attack. As for Charley, she will be yet another speedy striker the Pride can utilize in their potent attack.
Adding Depth Contributions
The 2024 season saw some players step up a level. Ally Watt had one of her best seasons, Summer Yates impressed everyone, and Cori Dyke earned a starting spot after an appearance on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. If we can have other young players make the same type of jump in 2025, it bodes well for the club.
Despite having the best defense in the league, the Pride are a little light along the back. I’d like to see Brianna Martinez and new signee, Zara Chavoshi, make some noise on the back line when they get some minutes. There’s also the possibility of a non-roster invitee impressing enough to get a contract. Depth is incredibly important for a team looking to repeat.
Overcoming History
Winning back-to-back anything in any sport is difficult. Every other team will bring their best against you. The weight of expectations can also be very heavy. That being said, if any club can do it, this Pride team can.
The coaches and players already dealt with the pressure of the undefeated streak last season. They dealt with the pressure of winning the NWSL Cup after winning the NWSL Shield. They have dealt with plenty of pressure. Now, they will need to find the proper motivation to propel them to the top yet again. There will be no sneaking up on the league this year.
Those are some of the things I want to see in 2025, but I want to know your thoughts on these points. Perhaps you have some wishes of your own. Let me know in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Announce 2025 NWSL Schedule
We now know who, where, and when the Pride will play in 2025 as they seek to defend their two shiny trophies.
The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was released this afternoon, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year as they look to defend their NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. The 2025 season once again includes a balanced schedule with each team playing the other 13 teams once at home and once away. As previously announced, the Pride will take part in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit on March 7 at 8 p.m. at Inter&Co Stadium prior to the regular season.
The Pride will open the season at home against the Chicago Red Stars at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 14. The first road contest will take place on Sunday, March 23 at NJ/NY Gotham FC. Like last year, the season will end with a Decision Day matchup at home against Seattle Reign FC on Sunday Nov. 2 at a time to be announced later.
The postseason will start with the quarterfinals taking place Nov. 7-9, with matches televised on ESPN/ABC, CBS/Paramount+, and Prime Video. The semifinals will be played the weekend of Nov. 14-16 and broadcast on CBS/Paramount+ and ESPN/ABC. The final will take place in primetime and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
The Pride’s longest homestand this season will be just two games, which happens four times if counting the Challenge Cup match against the Spirit and season opener against the Red Stars. Orlando will host Washington and Angel City on April 19 and 25, respectively; the Utah Royals and Racing Louisville on Aug. 3 and 9, respectively; and Bay FC and the North Carolina Courage on Sept. 13 and 19, respectively.
The longest road trip this year will also be two games, occurring four times: at Portland and North Carolina May 3 and 10, at Bay FC and Louisville June 13 and 20, at Kansas City and Angel City Aug. 16 and 21, and at San Diego and Houston Sept. 26 and Oct. 3.
There are no regular-season matches scheduled in July, meaning the league is taking a break for any potential summer international friendlies/tournaments or an as-yet-unannounced cup competition. The Pride’s busiest month will be August, in which they’ll play five matches, with three at home and two on the road. There will be four Pride matches in March (counting the Challenge Cup), May, and September; three each in April, June, and October, and one — the regular-season finale — in November.
Here’s the month-by-month breakdown for the regular season:
- March – 3 (plus the Challenge Cup)
- April – 3
- May – 4
- June – 3
- July – 0
- August – 5
- September – 4
- October – 3
- November – 1
The most common day the Pride will play this year will be on Friday (11 times, or 12 times counting the Challenge Cup), including four consecutive Friday games late in the season. They’ll play 10 Saturday games, four Sunday matches, and once on Thursday (at Angel City Aug. 21).
Here is the Pride’s schedule by day in the regular season:
- Friday – 11 (plus the Challenge Cup)
- Saturday – 10
- Sunday – 4
- Thursday – 1
Pride games will air on various platforms again in 2025, including Prime Video, ESPN 2, ESPN, ION, NWSL+, Paramount+, CBS, and CBS Sports Network.
A new NWSL Rivalry Weekend has been added to the schedule in 2025. While the Pride have some rivalries growing naturally against Kansas City and Washington, they have been pitted against Racing Louisville for some reason. Both teams wear purple, I guess.
Fans who support both Orlando City and the Pride will be interested to know the teams play on the same day eight times this season, but only twice do the game times overlap — on May 3, when the Pride play at 7:30 p.m. at Portland and the Lions play at 8:30 p.m. at Chicago; and on May 10, when the Lions host New England at 7:30 and the Pride and Courage kick off in North Carolina at the same time. However, the teams cut it close a couple other times, with the Pride hosting the Washington Spirit at 5 p.m. April 19 and the Lions playing at Montreal at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sept. 13, with the Pride hosting Bay FC at 5 p.m. and Orlando City facing D.C. United at 7:30 p.m. The other four times the teams play on the same day, the kickoffs are at least three hours apart and as many as 10.5 hours apart (March 29).
2025 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)
- Friday, March 7 — vs. Washington Spirit, 8 p.m. (Prime Video) – NWSL Challenge Cup
- Friday, March 14 — vs. Chicago Red Stars, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Sunday, March 23 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Saturday, March 29 — vs. San Diego Wave, 12 p.m. (ESPN)
- Saturday, April 12 — at Seattle Reign FC, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
- Saturday, April 19 — vs. Washington Spirit, 5 p.m. (ION)
- Friday, April 25 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Saturday, May 3 — at Portland Thorns, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
- Saturday, May 10 — at North Carolina Courage, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
- Friday, May 16 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Friday, May 23 — at Utah Royals, 9:30 p.m. (NWSL+)
- Saturday, June 7 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
- Friday, June 13 — at Bay FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Friday, June 20 — at Racing Louisville, 8 p.m. (NWSL+)
- Sunday, Aug. 3 — vs. Utah Royals, 6 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
- Saturday, Aug. 9 — vs. Racing Louisville, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
- Saturday, Aug. 16 — at Kansas City Current, 4 p.m. (CBS)
- Thursday, Aug. 21 — at Angel City FC, 10:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
- Friday, Aug. 29 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Sunday, Sept. 7 — at Chicago Red Stars, 3 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — vs. Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ION)
- Friday, Sept. 19 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 7:30 p.m. (NWSL+)
- Friday, Sept. 26 — at San Diego Wave, 10:30 p.m. (NWSL+/Paramount+)
- Friday, Oct. 3 — at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Friday, Oct. 10 — vs. Portland Thorns, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
- Saturday, Oct. 18 — at Washington Spirit, 12:30 p.m. (CBS)
- Sunday, Nov. 2 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, TBA (broadcast platform TBA)
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