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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.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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.

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    Orlando Pride Sign Jamaican International Forward Solai Washington

    The Pride add attacking depth by signing former Florida State forward Solai Washington.

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    3 days ago

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    January 19, 2026

    By

    Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

    The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Jamaican international forward Solai Washington. The former Florida State Seminole  through the 2027 season with a mutual option for the 2028 season.

    “Solai is a player we’ve had an eye on for a while during her two years in college,” Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines said in a club press release. “Her composure on the ball, her ability to break lines, and the maturity she showed at Florida State make her a fantastic fit for what we’re building here. She brings energy, versatility, and a real competitive edge, which is what we look for in players. We’re excited to have her here in Orlando and to see the impact she can make in our environment both on and off the field.” 

    The 20-year-old attacker from Atlanta made 35 appearances in her two years in Tallahassee, scoring eight goals and adding four assists while helping the Seminoles win the 2025 NCAA national championship and the 2024 ACC tournament. Washington was a member of the 2024 ACC All-Freshmen Team, the 2024 All-ACC Academic Team, and was named to TopDrawerSoccer’s postseason Top 100 Freshman list (at No. 42).

    On the international stage, Washington has already represented Jamaica at the senior level on the biggest stage, making three appearances with the Reggae Girlz at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, debuting in a scoreless draw with France.

    What It Means for Orlando

    The Pride’s need for depth in the attacking positions is well documented, and Washington is a young player with a ton of upside in an area of need. From that perspective alone, this is a signing that makes sense. While it would be nice for the club to sign some proven NWSL-level scorers to provide depth for Barbra Banda, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle, it’s always good to develop young talent. Since the abolition of the NWSL Draft, teams must work harder to secure the services of players like Washington.

    It will require some time to know whether Orlando’s faith in Washington will be rewarded, and she wasn’t the most prolific scorer at FSU, but it says something about a player that they can get minutes at age 17 in a World Cup. It will be up to Hines and his staff to develop Washington, who will have no shortage of great mentors as teammates.

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    Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

    We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

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    1 week ago

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    January 15, 2026

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    Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

    The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

    The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

    The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

    Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

    Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

    The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

    The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

    The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

    The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

    Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

    • March — 4
    • April — 2
    • May — 6
    • June — 0
    • July — 6
    • August — 4
    • September — 4
    • October — 3
    • November — 1

    The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

    Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

    • Monday — 0
    • Tuesday — 1
    • Wednesday — 2
    • Thursday — 0
    • Friday — 11
    • Saturday — 7
    • Sunday — 9

    For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. 

    The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

    2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

    • Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
    • Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
    • Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
    • Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
    • Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
    • Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
    • Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
    • Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
    • Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
    • Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
    • Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
    • Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
    • Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
    • Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
    • Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
    • Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)
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    How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

    What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

    Published

    1 week ago

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    January 15, 2026

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    Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

    A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

    What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

    Reinvigorate the Attack

    The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

    Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

    Fill the Roster

    Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

    With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

    Find the Grit

    In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

    Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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