Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Complete Comeback Win
The Pride scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a win.
The Orlando Pride (5-1-0, 15 points) bounced back from last week’s loss, coming back to defeat Angel City FC (2-2-2, 8 points) 3-2 tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. The visitors took an early lead through Riley Tiernan in the ninth minute and Katie Zelem doubled the advantage just before halftime. But the Pride came storming back in the final 20 minutes with goals by Marta in the 72nd minute, Barbra Banda in the 76th minute, and an own goal by M.A. Vignola in second-half stoppage time.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Washington Spirit on April 19. Cori Dyke started in place of Oihane, who left injured at halftime against Washington, and Ally Lemos also got the start for Haley McCutcheon. Prisca Chilufya got her first start as a member of the Pride, replacing Ally Watt.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Dyke. Lemos and Morgan Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Angelina, Marta, and Chilufya with Banda up top.
The first half was hard to watch for Pride fans. Despite flying across the country, Angel City dominated the first 45 minutes. The Pride looked much better coming out of the half, putting the opposition on the back foot. After failing to challenge Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson in the first half, the Pride put her under constant pressure as the game wound down. The pressure paid off as the Pride netted three goals in the final 20 minutes.
Angel City was the team on the attack early in this game. The first shot came in the sixth minute when Zelem received a pass back and attempted a shot from long distance. However, the shot sailed over the top of the goal.
In the ninth minute, the visitors took the lead. Kennedy Fuller sent a long ball down the right sideline where Tiernan was making a run behind Nadaner. The forward cut back to lose Nadaner before entering the box. It was a tight angle, but Tiernan went for the near post anyway. Moorhouse should have had that space covered, but the ball slipped between her and post to give Angel City an early 1-0 lead.
Angel City nearly scored a second in the 25th minute when Fuller used some nifty footwork before knocking the ball off Chilufya for a corner kick. Her set piece into the box found Vignola near the penalty spot and the defender put the ball on target. It looked to be past Moorhouse, but the Pride goalkeeper did well to dive backwards and tip it wide.
The visitors should’ve had a second in the 31st minute when Tiernan was sent forward. The attacker dribbled to the end line before playing the ball across the box. It was a bit too far in front of Fuller, but it went straight to Zelem with an open goal. However, the midfielder lost her footing and sent the attempt wide.
The Pride finally took their first shot of the game in the 33rd minute off a set piece. Marta’s corner kick was to Dyke near the top of the box. The right back fired on goal but sent her attempt well off target.
In the 40th minute, Abello got down the left and sent a cross into the box. She was aiming for Banda at the near post, but Savy King got her head to it first, cleaning it across the box.
The Pride kept possession and it ended up back up with Abello. The left back’s ball towards the six was blocked by Sarah Gorden, but it went right back to Abello. The defender took a second shot, sending it well wide of the target.
On the other end, Angel City extended their lead. Claire Emslie found Zelem to her left just outside of the box and the midfielder played Fuller just inside the 18. After making a move to lose her defender, Fuller took a shot at goal, forcing Moorhouse to tip it over the crossbar.
The ensuing corner kick was won by Alanna Kennedy, but she couldn’t put her header on goal. Gautrat and Abello both had a chance to clear the danger, but neither were able to get anything on the ball. It fell right to Zelem, who put it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a commanding 2-0 lead shortly before halftime.
The final chance of the first half came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Banda fouled Tiernan from behind as she entered the Pride third of the field, earning a yellow card. The ensuing set piece went to Nadaner and Kennedy. It was redirected towards goal, but Moorhouse was there to catch it.
After 45 minutes of play, the Pride had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), crosses (12-5), corner kicks (7-4), and passing accuracy (85%-79%). But Angel City took more shots (8-5) and put more on target (4-0).
“Angel City are a good team in transition. And so, if you give away the ball in dangerous areas, they can punish you,” Hines said about the halftime deficit. “And ultimately, the first goal comes from a transition moment. The second goal is a set piece, and it’s unfamiliar territory for us. You know, it’s been a while since we’ve been a couple of goals down in games. But, again, two halves are never the same. We rectified it in our halftime team talk. And, yeah, we went after it. You know, nothing to lose at that point.”
“I think we just weren’t ourselves individually,” Abello added about the first half. “I think our press was a little off and we kind of got it in our heads. And they broke it a few times. And when they break it with players like Alyssa Thompson and Gisele and Emslie, you feel that, right? Because those players can do really dangerous things and then we weren’t connecting our passes. On the flip side, we’d win the ball and give it right back to them. And honestly, I think that was the hardest part for us, is just keeping possession. Because, again, they have dangerous players that can exploit you when you give the ball away. So yeah, not our best half.”
The Pride were the more attacking team coming out of the locker room and created a pair of chances in the 50th minute. It started when Marta’s cross was off Gisele Thompson and out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece went to the far side of the box, where Marta redirected it towards goal. But Kennedy was there to head it away.
Orlando recycled, creating an even better chance. Abello found Marta at the back post from the left with nobody on the Brazilian. Marta tried to volley the ball into the empty net, but it got caught in her feet and she was unable to get a shot off, allowing Anderson to collect it.
The Pride won another corner kick in the 51st minute, this time taken by Marta. She found Nadaner at the far post. The center back tried to get over the ball, but it was a little behind her and Nadnaer’s header was wide of the target.
A scary moment occurred in the 53rd minute. Gautrat and Kennedy went up for the ball and the Pride defensive midfielder elbowed Kennedy in the face. The former Pride player was down for several minutes before rising with a black eye. After a medical examination, it was determined she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Madison Hammond.
In the 59th minute, Hines made a triple substitution trying to get his team back into the game. Watt, McCutcheon, and Oihane came on for Chilufya, Gautrat, and Dyke.
It looked like the Pride had a chance to get a goal back in the 66th minute when Marta beat Vignola to a free ball and sprinted down the field. She played Banda forward and the striker had Watt — the fastest player on the field— on her right. It looked like Banda tried to play her the ball but put it into the feet of King instead.
The Pride got a goal back in the 72nd minute when Lemos sent Oihane down the right. Nobody closed down the right back, allowing her to send a cross into the box. It was behind Banda, but went straight to Marta, who turned it on goal. Anderson got a hand to the ball, but knocked it into the bottom corner, cutting the Pride deficit to 2-1.
“I think it gave us belief,” Pickett said about the goal. “I think we, deep down, have belief, but we kind of need that, ‘Okay, we’re really in this game, and we can fight back, claw back.’ It gave us that extra bit of confidence to go there and continue to score, because we saw that we can. We could find a way to break them down, and we need to do it again and again.”
“That goal was everything,” Abello added “I think, up until that goal, we had so much momentum, and we all thought we were going to score that first goal to get us back in the game. But, as time drags on, you’re like, is it going to come? Is it going to come even with good chances? And so, for her to put that away early enough for us to be like, oh, we still have so much time left. We have the momentum. We can do this. So, that goal changed everything.”
Immediately after the goal, Hines made the final two changes for the Pride. Grace Chanda and Carson Pickett came on for Angelina and Nadaner.
The Pride found their equalizer in the 76th minute. Watt sent a cross through the box from the right, but it went over everyone. Pickett recovered the ball before it crossed the touchline, sending in a cross of her own from the left. Banda and Zelem attacked the ball at the near post and the Zambian got there first, heading it off the inside of the post and in to even the game at 2-2.
“I love a good left-footed service,” Pickett said about her assist. “So, when you see people like Ally Watt and Barbra Banda in the box, you put it on their head. Or you try to find their head. So, I think that’s what I was aiming for.”
The goal was Banda’s fourth of the season, allowing her to maintain her team lead.
Oihane had a chance to give the Pride the lead in the 79th minute when she played Banda forward into the box. King got there first and knocked the ball off Banda’s foot, but it went straight to Oihane. The Spanish international had a clear shot on Anderson and the goalkeeper did well to get down and make the stop.
Seconds later, Marta played Watt into the box. The attacker had gotten behind her defender and had a clear chance on goal. But, again, Anderson did well to get down and tap the ball wide. Anderson palmed the ensuing corner kick away and a foul was called on the Pride, ending the threat.
In the 85th minute, Watt received a throw-in before being pushed over by Vignola. Marta’s free kick was headed out, falling to the foot of Oihane. The defender took a right-foot volley towards goal, but sent it well off target.
The fourth official showed eight minutes of stoppage time and the Pride completed their comeback in the third minute. Pickett sent a curling ball into the box where Vignola was first to reach it. Watt was charging in from the right, forcing Vignola to make a quick decision. The ball went off Vignola’s chest, past Anderson, and in to give the Pride a 3-2 lead.
There was a video review, because Watt extended her arms slightly as she reached the back of Vignola, but it was a quick decision that there wasn’t a foul and the Pride kept the lead.
Pressing opposing defenders into own goals has been a strong point for the Pride this season. They benefited from own goals in the season opener against Chicago and the following game against NJ/NY Gotham FC. This was the third own goal just six games into the season.
Angel City defended furiously as the clock wound down but was forced to push for an equalizer. However, the Pride were able to keep some possession, holding on for the 3-2 win.
At full time, the Pride had had the advantage in possession (53.7%-46.3%), shots (15-10), crosses (27-11), corner kicks (10-6), and passing accuracy (82%-77.1%). Both teams ended the game putting five chances on target.
“Tale of two halves,” Hines said about the game. “I think, obviously, being 2-0 down in this league is incredibly difficult to get back into it. But we showed our character. We showed our mentality. That never say die, never give up. You know, we showed what we’re capable of doing in that second half by scoring three goals and missed some chances as well. So it could have been a lot easier and different, but thankful for the three points and we move on.”
While the Pride have a 100% record in Los Angeles (3-0-0), this is the first time the Pride have beaten Angel City at home (1-1-2). Tonight also marked the first time in club history that the Pride have won a game after trailing by multiple goals.
The three goals late in the game were also significant coming off a performance where finishing was a problem. It looked like poor finishing would doom the Pride for the second straight week, but they were able to find the net three times in the final 20 minutes.
“Last week, whether it was the final cross or final pass or not getting across defenders, what I need to give credit to with our players is they take on feedback really well,” Hines said. “They take information from all the coaching staff really well, and if they listen and continue to grow and learn, then they get their rewards up like they did. You know, by scoring three goals, the crosses were phenomenal from Oihane, Carson, the finishes from Barbra, getting across the defender, Marta, getting in the right area. And, you know, if you have enough players in that area, you can force an error from the defender.”
The win moves the Pride back into a tie for first place with the Kansas City Current. However, the Current have a better goal difference and a game in hand. They’ll play their sixth game tomorrow night in North Carolina.
After this two-game homestand, the Pride now head back out on the road. They’ll face the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on May 3.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Final Score 3-1 as Banda Brace Leads Pride to Victory
Barbra Banda bags a brace and an assist but goes down injured late in the victory.
After dropping two games to expansion teams and stealing a win in San Diego, the Orlando Pride looked to enter the summer break on a good note. The Pride (5-5-2, 17 points) had never lost to Bay FC (3-6-2, 11 points) and used a second-half burst to maintain that winning record and won 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium.
Barbra Banda opened the scoring in the fourth minute and followed it up in the 51st minute with her second. She added an assist to Cori Dyke in the 55th minute to close out the Pride scoring. Caroline Conti scored the lone Bay FC goal at the seven-minute mark.
“No better gift than a 3-1 victory at home in front of our fans,” Pride Head Coach (and birthday boy) Seb Hines said after the game. “It feels good that we’re ending this period on a high. I think it’s the first time this season we’ve got back-to-back victories.”
The Pride made one change in the lineup, giving Kerry Abello her first start of the season over Julie Doyle. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Oihane on defense. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos played midfield in front of them with Mace, Luana, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Banda and her leading-leading nine goals played alone up top.
After an hour weather delay, the Pride went with the in-vogue start these days by kicking the ball straight out of bounds deep on the start and pressing high. It led to an opening three minutes of play in which the Pride kept the pressure up and forced the ball to stay on the Bay FC side. In the fourth minute, Luana headed a ball towards the center which Banda controlled, bodied Bay FC’s Joelle Anderson off the ball, and slotted the opening goal with her left foot.
Bay FC fought right back in the seventh minute as the visitors didn’t have to fight through the press off their kickoff. Claire Hutton crossed the ball into the box, Abello deflected it wide but there was no Pride defender there and it fell to Caroline Conti. Abello tried to fight all the way over but Conti was able to put it past Moorhouse before any help arrived.
The entire back line got pulled to the right on the play and Mace could not get back to help out wide.
“Hailie Mace came into NWSL as a winger. She’s got some tendencies that fit a winger profile. We knew Bay FC had a high back line. How do we get behind that back line? Having someone to support Barbra and not just Nicole but add in another player who can get into the attack,” Hines said regarding the switch.
In the 16th minute, Rachael Kundananji beat Oihane and crossed the ball to Hannah Bebar, who headed it into the net, but Cristiana Girelli was in an offside position threatening the goal, so the assistant referee ruled that it put Moorhouse off enough to interfere with the play.
The teams settled down a bit and traded possession until the 27th minute when Oihane centered the ball to Payne, who scuffed the shot high. One minute later, Luana sent a through ball for Banda to run onto and she went down in the box in a collision with Brooklyn Courtnall. It was fairly evident, however, that Banda got her leg into Courtnall’s to either try to control the ball or draw a foul, and the referee, Jaclyn Metz, saw it the same way.
In the 33rd minute, Oihane was subbed out for Hannah Anderson. Oihane had been laboring a little and may have picked up a knock somewhere.
The Pride couldn’t re-establish the high press so they turned into a lot of possession by Bay FC. Any attack by the Pride ended in a turnover off a bad pass or ill-conceived long shots as Orlando’s attackers were impatient in building play. Turnover after turnover plagued the Pride for the remainder of the half as they did not threaten at all until the 45th minute, when Banda took on Maddie Moreau and Kundananji, shook them both loose, and then crossed the ball into an empty area at the back post with no one to finish.
It was a fitting final piece of sound and fury, signifying nothing, as the half wrapped without any plays of interest. The Pride weren’t able to lead any of the statistics, tying Bay FC in shots (4-4), while Bay FC led in shots on target (3-1), possession (53%-47%), and passing accuracy (85%-83%). Neither team was able to force a corner in the first half.
To start the second half, Hines subbed in Summer Yates for Abello, which pushed Mace back to the back line. In the 48th minute, Kundananji got behind when Anderson got caught out and was sizing up a one-on-one with Moorhouse. Dyke hustled back and blocked the shot.
“We started the game super strong, super intense, but I think we fell off towards the end of that first half,” Dyke said. “We got a little too stretched between the lines and weren’t getting enough pressure on the ball and we talked about that at halftime. We needed to stay more compact and then pick our moments to go.”
Go they did. Three minutes later, Yates sent a through ball angled behind Banda which allowed her to run onto the ball unopposed. She beat goalkeeper Emmie Allen, who came out of the box aggressively to defend, and then passed the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Four minutes later, Banda pressured Allen, forcing the goalkeeper into a clearance out of play. On the ensuing throw-in, Banda held off Bebar in the box, spun, and crossed the ball to Dyke, who put the ball in off the crossbar. The ability of the Pride to retain possession and work the ball in against a lesser opponent opened up the scoring and turned the game on its head.
Bay FC didn’t have a lot to do over the next stretch of time and Taylor Huff went down with an injury in the 61st minute, prompting a change as she was subbed out for Karlie Lema. Dorian Bailey came on for Joelle Anderson in the same stoppage but at the 62nd minute.
The teams went back and forth for a bit until the Pride drew a corner in the 71st minute. It deflected off a Bay FC defender and fell to Rafaelle at the far post, who headed it just wide. Three minutes later, Jacquie Ovalle and Zara Chavoshi wrapped up the Pride substitutions by coming in for Payne and Mace. Bay FC also took the stoppage in the 74th minute to sub two players in, bringing on Keria Barry and Onyeka Gamero for Kundananji and Girelli.
Unfortunately, in the 81st minute, Banda was dribbling down the left side when she pulled up lame and went to the ground off the pitch. She stayed there until tended to and was obviously upset. We’ll have to wait for any injury news on her. Bay FC made its final substitution in the ensuing stoppage in the 82nd minute, bringing on Kelli Hubly for Conti.
The injury to Banda left the Pride playing with only 10 players for the remaining 15 minutes (including added time) due to using up all three substitution windows. They stayed fairly solid in defense and played a lot of keep-away ball to see out the victory while playing short.
“A great way to finish this part of the season with a win at home. I think we were consistent today and we took the chances we created,” Luana said. “We’ve been having highs and lows in this part of the season but we bounced back in these two wins and it brought us a lot of confidence.”
Orlando City was ahead in the only stat that matters, goals, but trailed in every other major stat. Bay FC finished ahead in shots (14-8), shots on target (5-4), possession (54%-46%), passing accuracy (85%-84%), and corners (4-1).
The Orlando Pride now will be off until early July for the NWSL World Cup break. The next match is scheduled for July 3 in Los Angeles against Angel City FC.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home to face Bay FC in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break.
Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (4-5-2, 14 points) return home from a three-game road trip to take on Bay FC (3-5-2, 11 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams with the return game scheduled for Sept. 27 in San Jose.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
Bay FC is one of two expansion teams that entered the NWSL for the 2024 season. The teams have met four times, with the Pride holding a 3-0-1 record and a 1-0-1 mark at home in the series.
The most recent meeting took place on Sept. 13, 2025, in Orlando. The visitors took the lead just before halftime when Racheal Kundananji headed in a long pass by Caprice Dydasco. The Pride equalized in the second half, when Ally Watt headed a Jacquie Ovalle cross past Jordan Silkowitz to claim a 1-1 draw.
On June 13 of last year in San Jose, CA, Bay FC led almost every statistical category, but the Pride defense held strong until Barbra Banda scored shortly after halftime. The Pride withstood attack after attack, coming away with a hard-fought 1-0 win.
The teams met twice in 2024, with the first-ever game between the clubs occurring on May 11. Just prior to the half-hour mark, Banda dribbled inside and Deyna Castellanos attempted an ill-advised challenge, resulting in a foul in the box and a Pride penalty. Adriana put the ball into the bottom left corner for the only goal, lifting the Pride to a 1-0 win. It was the sixth win in an NWSL-record, eight-game win streak.
The teams met for the second time on Sept. 20, 2024. It looked like the game might be headed for a scoreless draw until Banda got her head on the end of a Carson Pickett cross, redirecting it past Katelyn Rowland to give the Pride the 1-0 win.
Overview
The Pride return home tonight after a difficult road trip that saw the team fall 2-1 to Boston Legacy FC and 3-1 to Denver Summit FC. Having already lost to both expansion teams, they headed west to face San Diego Wave FC, a team near the top of the standings. But Nicole Payne’s first professional goal lifted Orlando to a 1-0 win.
Despite not scoring in two of the last three games, Banda still leads the league with nine goals in 10 games this season. She has a two-goal lead on Ashley Sanchez, who is second in the league. Haley McCutcheon is the only other Pride player with multiple goals, scoring twice in the same game. Ovalle, Marta, and Hannah Anderson have the team’s other three goals. The assists have been spread out much more evenly with Ovalle, McCutcheon, and Rafaelle all sharing the team lead with two.
The clean sheet against San Diego was big for the back line as the team has conceded too many goals recently. Dating back to their 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville FC on April 24, the Pride have conceded multiple goals in four of the last six games. The only other game in which they didn’t concede at least twice was a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage on May 8, their last home game.
Tonight is the Pride’s last game before the league breaks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the game, they won’t play again until July 3 and won’t play at home until July 10. That makes getting a quality result tonight essential for momentum going through the remainder of the season.
If you’re looking for a team to win against, Bay FC is one of the most likely candidates. The Bay -area side sits 13th in the NWSL on 11 points, just four points ahead of Louisville for last place. Tonight’s visitors are currently on a four-game winless run (0-2-2) and a two-game losing streak. Their last win was a 1-0 victory against San Diego on May 3. The club’s most recent games are a 2-0 loss to Portland Thorns FC on May 20 and a 1-0 loss to Chicago Stars FC on May 24.
Bay FC has struggled this year on both ends of the field. Its eight goals are second fewest in the league and Bay is one of three teams with single-digit goals this year. Meanwhile, the team’s 14 goals conceded are sixth in the league. The California side has been better defensively overall than the Pride, who have conceded 16 goals, but worse offensively, as the Pride have scored 15 goals so far this year.
Bay FC has been led in the attack by Alex Pfeiffer and Dorian Bailey with two goals each. Kundananji, Taylor Huff, Keira Barry, and Joelle Anderson have one apiece. Pfeiffer also leads the team in assists with two, tied with Cristina Girelli. Huff and Sydney Collins are the only other players with assists this season.
It should help the Pride tonight that Bay FC will be missing two key players. Silkowitz and starting center back Aldana Cometti were sent off against Chicago Sunday, meaning they’ll miss tonight’s game.
However, the Pride have their own key absences. In addition to injuries that have accumulated this season, Angelina was handed an additional game’s suspension after being sent off on May 16 for pulling Delanie Sheehan’s hair.
“We’re looking forward to it. Looking forward to being back home,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “It’s been a long road trip. Excited to get in front of our own fans. Want to create that atmosphere, make it hostile for Bay FC. We know it’s a quick turnaround for both teams as well, so we want to make sure that we start off on the front foot, build on what we achieved last Sunday in San Diego, and finish this part of the season on a high.”
The Pride will be without Angelina (suspension), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Marta (thigh) and Ovalle (thigh) are listed as questionable. Bay FC will be without Cornetti (suspension), Abby Dahlkemper (maternity leave), Anouk Denton (lower leg), Dydasco (maternity leave), Heather Gilchrist (knee), Alyssa Malonson (knee), Emily Menges (maternity leave), Pfeiffer (knee), and Silkowitz (suspension).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon.
Attacking Midfielders: Kerry Abello, Luana, Nicole Payne.
Forward: Barbra Banda.
Bench: McKinley Crone, Zara Chavoshi, Hannah Anderson, Julie Doyle, Marta, Jacquie Ovalle, Summer Yates, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson.
Bay FC (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Emmie Allen.
Defenders: Sydney Collins, Joelle Anderson, Brooklyn Courtnall, Maddie Moreau.
Defensive Midfielders: Hannah Bebar, Claire Hutton.
Attacking Midfielders: Racheal Kundananji, Caroline Conti, Taylor Huff.
Forward: Cristiana Girelli.
Bench: Camryn Miller, Kelli Hubly, Jamie Shepherd, Dorian Bailey, Karlie Lema, Onyeka Gamero, Tess Boade, Keira Barry.
Referees
REF: Jaclyn Metz.
AR1: Art Arustamyan.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Edson Carvajal.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Katarzyna Wasiak.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: NWSL+.
Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.
Enjoy the game. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Bay FC: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Pride need to do to earn all three points against Bay FC?
The Orlando Pride welcome Bay FC to Inter&Co Stadium this Friday night for the last match before the World Cup break. This is an opportunity to get a win over a team lower in the table and move up in the standings. What must the Pride do to earn all three points against Bay FC this weekend?
Keep the Chip
I have been asking all season on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for the Pride to play with the chip on their shoulder that they had when they won the double in 2024. We saw that against the San Diego Wave. My hope is that the players have now remembered what that feels like and will execute with the same level of intensity going forward.
The task is potentially a little easier against Bay FC, as the California-based side has scored less than half the number of goals that the Wave have this season. Of course, that is the trap. The Pride cannot slack off against Bay FC. Having Rafaelle anchoring the defense is a big help, and moving Hailie Mace out to right back has proven effective. In 2024, this team hated — with a capital “H” — conceding goals. They took it personally. That is the passion I want again. The chip on the shoulder.
Overwhelm and Outscore
As I mentioned above, Bay FC is not a prolific scoring team. Friday’s visitors have also given up 14 goals this season. That’s not the best or the worst in the league, but they haven’t faced Barbra Banda yet. The Orlando Pride don’t have any trouble creating chances, but they have had trouble getting anyone other than Banda to finish them this season. Banda leads the league in goals, and she has an opportunity to maintain or extend that lead against Bay FC.
What will truly make the difference for the Pride against Bay FC is if any of the other players can contribute a goal. We saw the space that Banda can provide her teammates when Nicole Payne scored her first goal against San Diego. Now I want other players to take advantage of that space to provide some goals for the Pride.
More Luana
Luana got her first start since coming back to the squad cancer-free. I think we’ve forgotten that she was a starter on the 2024 squad before her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. She was a starter on a team that won the double. Now she is back and she is a leader and an inspiration for her fellow players.
Given Marta’s limited minutes, having Luana out there as a stabilizing presence is important. Obviously, she brings a different skill set than Marta but still a critical one. Much like the defense, the midfield was better last match, and I feel she was a big part of that.
That is what I will be looking for on Friday night. The Pride can head into the World Cup break on a high with a victory. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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