Connect with us

Orlando Pride

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.

Published

on

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!

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Win Behind Barbra Banda Hat Trick

A first-half Barbra Banda hat trick lifted the Pride to a much-needed road win over the Utah Royals.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride (6-3-1, 19 points) rode Barbra Banda’s hat trick to a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals (1-7-2) tonight at America First Field in Sandy, UT. Banda gave the Pride the lead in the sixth minute and Brecken Mozingo equalized in the 14th minute, but Banda took over late in the first half, scoring two goals in two minutes to net the first hat trick in Pride history.

The win snapped Orlando’s three-game winless skid and marked the first time the Pride scored more than one goal since a 3-2 home win over Angel City on April 25.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Current last week. Kerry Abello and Marta, who had started every game until tonight, began the game on the bench. They were replaced in the lineup by Cori Dyke and Ally Watt.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Oihane. Angelina, Morgan Gautrat, Haley McCutcheon, and Carson Pickett were in the midfield, with Banda and Watt up top.

This was a game of two halves with the best chances coming in the first 45 minutes. It looked like it would be a high-scoring affair, but the game slowed down considerably in the second half. The Pride were unquestionably the better team throughout, causing problems for the Utah back line. In the end, it was a fair result, as the Pride come home with all three points.

The hosts nearly created the game’s first chance in the fifth minute when Janni Thomsen played Cece Kizer down the right. The veteran midfielder’s first touch was a low ball into the box for Mozingo, but Oihane got there first to clear it away.

A minute later, the Royals created the first shot on goal. Ally Sentnor tried to dribble through Nadaner, who got a touch on the ball but couldn’t win it. The ball went straight to Mozingo, who shot, but the attempt was right to Moorhouse at the near post.

The Pride immediately went the other way with Oihane finding Watt down the right . The attacker sprinted down field before playing it into the box where Banda was making a run. The striker’s first touch guided the ball inside the far post to give the Pride the early 1-0 lead.

“It was a quality goal,” Hines said about the opener. “A breakaway with Ally and she does a really good job of finding Barbra and it’s a quality finish from Barbra.”

The Pride had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 10th minute when Claudia Zornoza pulled down Angelina from behind near the top of the Utah box. Angelina stepped to the ball first before backing off and letting Pickett take the set piece. Oihane ran onto the ball and tried to flick it on goal, sending it just wide of the right post.

In the 13th minute, Pickett, Gautrat, and Angelina combined to send Banda into the final third. The low cross was right to Ana Tejada, but the defender got it caught in her feet. The ball slipped through to Watt behind her, and the attacker had two chances. However, Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made a pair of saves to keep her team in the game.

The Pride paid for the missed chance a minute later when the Royals equalized. Zornoza sent Mozingo into the Pride half of the field. Nadaner kept the play onside, and the attacker got behind the back line and in on goal. Moorhouse came out to cut down the angle, but the shot was past her and inside the far post to even the game at 1-1.

There was a stoppage while the video assistant referee examined the play to see if Mozingo was offside. However, Nadaner never stepped up with the rest of the back line, and the goal correctly stood.

Banda nearly had a second in the 20th minute when Sentnor knocked the ball off McCutcheon’s foot, but right to the Pride striker. However, Lauren Flynn made a last-ditch tackle, knocking the ball off of Banda’s foot to prevent a likely goal.

A minute later, Banda won a long punt by Moorhouse and got into the Royals’ box. Kate Del Fava did well to push her outside, and the striker’s shot was right to McGlynn.

Banda made a long run in the 26th minute, getting behind the Royals’ defense and into the box. McGlynn came off her line to challenge the striker and blocked the attempt. The rebound went to Watt with an empty net, but Nuria Rabano made a goal-saving block.

A bad turnover by Gautrat under pressure in the 28th minute nearly resulted in Utah taking the lead. Kizer took possession and found Mina Tanaka in the box. The Japanese international laid it back for Zornoza, who shot, sending her attempt over the goal.

Banda struck again in the 37th minute when Thomsen played a terrible pass back and the striker intercepted it. Flynn was on her back the whole time, but Banda dribbled around McGlynn and touched it in to make it 2-1.

A minute later, Banda made history. McCutcheon sent the striker down the left behind Del Fava. The defender caught up, but decided to block her pass into the middle rather than get to the goal side. Banda fired to McGlynn’s near post, slipping it between the post and the goalkeeper to give the Pride a 3-1 lead.

In the 224th Pride game in all competitions, it was the first hat trick in team history, the third in NWSL history to take place in the first half, and the first time an NWSL player has scored a road hat trick in the first half. 

“She’s a constant threat. It was three different types of goals, which is pleasing to see,” Hines said about Banda’s hat trick. “She’s been waiting patiently. She’s been hitting half chances, but no real clear-cut opportunities. And so I was really pleased for her. Obviously, it’s the first hat trick in Pride history. That’s been a long wait for that opportunity, but she took it really well.”

Banda also became the first African international to score a hat trick in the NWSL.

The Pride nearly had a chance in the third minute of first-half stoppage time when Pickett sent a beautiful ball into the box for Angelina. It was right there for the Brazilian, but she couldn’t control it.

After 45 minutes of action, the Pride had more possession (54%-46%), shots (10-7), shots on target (9-2), crosses (7-5), and corner kicks (2-1). They also had better passing accuracy (84%-82%) in the first half.

While the Pride were the more attacking team to start the first half, the Royals were on the front foot in the second. In the 48th minute, Mozingo found Zornoza near the top of the box. Sentnor made a diagonal run and Zornoza found her. However, the U.S. international sent her attempt well wide of the target.

The Royals created the second shot of the second half in the 63rd minute when Tanaka laid the ball off for Sentnor. Despite being far from goal, the striker fired. The shot was on target but into the arms of Moorhouse.

A minute later, Kizer dribbled into the right side of the box and took a shot from a tight angle. However, Moorhouse had her near post covered and the attempt didn’t cause her any trouble.

The next time the ball went out of play, Hines made his first two changes. Abello and Summer Yates came on for Oihane and Angelina.

Shortly after the substitution, the Pride created their first shot of the second half. A poor pass out of the back by McGlynn was intercepted by Yates. The midfielder played the ball to Banda on the right and the striker took a shot, but it didn’t cause much trouble for McGlynn.

McCutcheon had a great look in the 72nd minute, when Pickett sent Yates down the left. The second-half substitute played it into the six-yard box, where McCutcheon found herself all alone. However, she seemed surprised by the situation, sending the ball wide from very short distance.

In the 77th minute, Dyke found Yates in the box. The midfielder did well to turn Ana Tejada and fired on target. However, McGlynn did well to get a hand to it. Watt had position on Del Fava in front of an empty net near the left post, and the defender pushed the attacker over to win the ball. Pride players in the area wanted a penalty, but the referee disagreed.

The Pride won a free kick in the opposing third in the 78th minute when Watt was pushed over by Flynn. Pickett sent the set piece into the box and Lemos got her foot to it, but she sent the attempt wide.

The Royals nearly got one back in the 80th minute when Sentnor sent a low cross into the box from the left. Bianca St-Georges was behind her defender and right in front of the goal, but the pass was just behind her.

Play stopped in the 82nd minute as McCutcheon went down with an injury. The Pride medical staff came out to examine the defensive midfielder, eventually resulting in the team’s final change of the night. In the 84th minute, Viviana Villacorta came into the game for McCutcheon.

St-Georges had a chance in the 87th minute when a long ball bounced away from Abello. The Royals substitute turned and shot, but sent the attempt well wide of the target.

Tanaka received a pass forward in the 89th minute and fired from distance. However, Lemos got her foot in from behind, getting a piece of the ball and allowing Moorhouse to make the easy stop.

The Royals had a good chance to get one back in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Madison Pogarch sent a dangerous ball to the back post. St-Georges was behind Abello and Moorhouse was trying to get over, but the ball went out of play.

That was the last chance as the Pride claimed a huge three points away from home.

At full time, the Pride had more possession (52%-48%), shots on target (11-5), crosses (12-10), and corner kicks (4-1). Utah had better passing accuracy (83%-82%) and more shot attempts (14-13).

“Priority was to come away with three points before we go into the international break,” Hines said. “I think in recent games we played well, but we haven’t really got the results. So, we wanted to make sure that we performed well and got the result. It’s great to come away from this game with three points and a nice 3-1 win.”

“Interesting match,” Banda added. “Coming back from the loss, we wanted to win this game, so we had to put all what it takes. We didn’t want to leave anything on the field, but to get the maximum three points.”

The win vaults Orlando back into second place, two points behind the first-place Current. However, the Current have yet to play this weekend. They’re also two points ahead of the San Diego Wave, who also have a game in hand.

Following the international break, the Pride have three games before the summer break, which will last over a month. Two of those three games are away from home, but they’re all winnable.

“We need to take that confidence going into these last three games before the summer break,” Hines said. “Obviously, we’re going into the international break, so players are representing their country. But when they come back, we need to carry on that momentum into the last three games going into the summer break.”


The Pride will have an extra week to soak in this win, as they don’t play next weekend. They’ll return to action on June 7 when they host the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to return to their winning ways as they travel to face the struggling Utah Royals.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (5-3-1, 16 points) travel west to take on the Utah Royals (1-6-2, 5 points) in Sandy, UT. This is the first of two matchups between these teams with the return game in Orlando scheduled for Aug. 3.

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

History

The Royals first played in 2018 and 2019 before the team was purchased and relocated to Kansas City. The new owners of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake bought an expansion side, so 2024 was the first season the two teams met since 2019, although this is an all-new side. The Pride are 3-3-2 against the Royals all-time, with all games coming in the NWSL regular season. Orlando is 2-0-0 against this current iteration of the Royals (1-0-0 on the road) and 2-1-1 all-time in the state of Utah.

The last time the Pride met the Royals was on June 21, 2024 in Orlando. It was a dominant performance from start to finish as the Pride roared to a 6-0 win. Barbra Banda started the scoring, and Summer Yates made it 2-0 just before halftime. The Pride took off in the second half with goals by Banda and Ally Watt, along with a Marta brace.

On April 12 in Sandy, UT. Marta started on the bench and came on for Adriana in the 62nd minute. It didn’t take long for the Pride captain to make an impact, netting the game’s lone goal six minutes later, as the visitors left the Beehive State with a 1-0 victory.

The 2019 season was the final one for the original Royals and the Pride faced this opponent three times that year. The first game between the teams was on April 27 in Orlando, and the difference was Christen Press, who netted the lone goal early in a 1-0 result. On May 25 in Utah, Amy Rodriguez opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Makenzy Doniak made it 2-0 late. The third meeting was on Aug. 17 in Orlando. Press gave the visitors the lead in the 60th minute and Rodriguez doubled the advantage late as the Royals won 2-0.

The 2018 campaign was the Royals’ inaugural season, and Orlando got the better of the newcomers, going unbeaten in three matches (1-0-2). In the 2018 season opener, Utah and the Pride played to a 1-1 draw in Orlando. The Royals scored on their first chance of the game. They had an excellent spell of early possession. Diana Matheson put in a cross and Gunny Jonsdottir — who later played for the Pride for two seasons in 2021 and 2022 — volleyed it into the back of the net. Marta tied things up from the spot later in the first half, and the game ended 1-1. 

About a month and a half later, the teams met again, playing to a 0-0 draw, this time in Rio Tinto Stadium. It was a relatively dull night with no goals and the majority of the action in the middle of the field. Both teams struggled on the attacking end. There were no shots on target in the first half and just three in the second.

While those first two matches ended in draws, the last meeting of 2018 finally saw a winner. On July 14, 2018, there was end-to-end action, and both teams saw chances in front of the net. Utah found an early goal from Rodriguez, and then Alex Morgan tied it up with a penalty kick just before halftime. In the second half, a good through ball from Ali Krieger found Kristen Edmonds one-on-one with Utah goalkeeper Abby Smith, who was caught out of position. Edmonds chipped the ball past Smith for the game-winner, and Orlando got its first-ever victory against the Royals, 2-1.

Overview

The Pride are coming off a tough stretch where they’ve lost two of their last three games 1-0, and only a last-minute equalizer in North Carolina kept it from being three straight losses. The most recent loss came a week ago tonight when the Pride hosted the Kansas City Current in a battle for first place. Temwa Chawinga’s 52nd-minute goal was the difference, sending the Pride down to third in the NWSL standings.

The problem for the Pride has been the attack. Other than scoring three goals in 20 minutes against Angel City FC in a 3-2 come-from-behind win, the Pride haven’t scored multiple goals in a game since March 29, when they defeated San Diego Wave FC 2-1.

Meanwhile, the Pride’s defense has been fantastic. That Angel City game is the only time the Pride have conceded multiple goals this year. Head Coach Seb Hines even gave starting center backs Kylie Nadaner and Emily Sams a break, replacing each of them with rookie Zara Chavoshi in successive games, but they only gave up one goal in those games combined. Unfortunately, the lack of offense resulted in only getting one point.

Banda got off to a great start this season, netting a brace in the opener. However, she’s only scored twice in the last eight games and hasn’t found the back of the net in the last three matches. Marta has had similar struggles, failing to score since the win over Angel City.

The Pride desperately need three points to get themselves back on track, and they face the perfect team tonight. The Royals were one of the worst teams in the league last year, finishing 11th of 14 teams. They aren’t any better this year so far, with just five points from nine games, good enough for 13th place.

As you might expect from a team with just one win, Utah has struggled offensively and defensively this year. Their seven goals are second fewest in the NWSL, and their 16 goals conceded are tied with Angel City for second most. The only team worse is the last-place Chicago Stars, who have scored five times and conceded 19 goals.

While the Royals have struggled defensively this year, they’re coming off their best game of the season, a 3-3 draw at the Washington Spirit. The sudden production ended a three-game goalless streak. We’ll see if that carries into tonight.

Nobody on the Royals has multiple goals or assists this year, understandable by their lack of scoring. But they’ll have their work cut out for them tonight when they face one of the league’s best defenses. The Pride’s seven goals conceded is tied with Seattle Reign FC for second, just one behind the Current.

The Pride started the season as the most prolific offense, scoring six times in the season opener. But, apart from the three-goal output against Angel City, they’ve cooled off considerably. Facing a team that has leaked goals all year, this could be the game the Pride need to get back to their scoring ways.

“I think they put up a good performance against a good Washington Spirit side. They should be happy walking away with a point,” Hines said about tonight’s opponent. “Obviously, they were close to three points as well, but I think before the game they probably would’ve taken that. So we can’t take them too lightly. We’re trying to bounce back from some disappointing results, not performances. And I think it’s a great opportunity for us to go there and come away with three points.”

The only change to the Pride availability report is the removal of Julie Doyle (knee). Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Amanda Allen (shoulder), and Rafaelle (thigh) remain out.

The Royals will be without Mikayla Cluff (concussion), Macey Fraser (knee), Olivia Griffiths (maternity leave), Cloe Lacasse (knee), Alex Loera (knee), Tatumn Milazzo (knee), Paige Monaghan (foot), and Kaleigh Riehl (lower leg).


Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Morgan Gautrat.

Attacking Midfielders: Carson Pickett, Angelina, Ally Watt.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Julie Doyle, Prisca Chilufya, Summer Yates, Zara Chavoshi, Kerry Abello, Viviana Villacorta, Marta, Ally Lemos.

Utah Royals (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Mandy McGlynn.

Defenders: Nuria Rabano, Lauren Flynn, Kate Del Fava, Janni Thomsen.

Defensive Midfielders: Ana Tejada, Claudia Zornoza.

Midfielders: Brecken Mozingo, Mina Tanaka, Cece Kizer.

Forwards: Ally Sentnor.

Bench: Mia Justus, Ana Guzman, Madison Pogarch, Kherrington Ream, Dana Foederer, Imani Dorsey, Aisha Solorzano, Aria Nagai, Bianca St-Georges.

Referees

REF: JC Griggs.
AR1: Matthew Rodman.
AR2: Darren Bandy.
4TH: Rachel Swett.
VAR: Katherine McCormick.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.


How to Watch

Match Time: 9:30 p.m.

Venue: America First Field — Sandy, UT.

TV: None.

Streaming: FDSN App, NWSL+.

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


Enjoy the game. Go Pride!

Continue Reading

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Drop Second Home Game This Season

The Pride’s offensive struggles continued and a defensive mistake was costly for Orlando.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride (5-3-1, 16 points) fell at home for the second time this season, losing 1-0 to the Kansas City Current (7-2-0, 21 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. Temwa Chawinga’s 52nd-minute goal was the difference as the Pride failed to win for the third consecutive game.

This was a game everyone following the league had circled on their calendar. The Current came into it in first place with the Pride right behind. The Pride and Current have widely been considered the top two teams in the league and the Current showed they were the team to beat this season.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines only made one change from the team that drew 1-1 with the North Carolina Courage Saturday night. Emily Sams returned to the lineup after a night off, sending Zara Chavoshi to the bench.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Morgan Gautrat were the defensive midfielders behind Carson Pickett, Marta, and Angelina with Barbra Banda up top.

The Pride got the game off to a fast start and it looked like they would cause problems for the Current all night. But as the game progressed, the visitors took more and more control. After the Current took the 1-0 lead early in the second half, they put more players behind the ball. The Pride held significant possession, looking for a way through, but struggled to threaten in the final third.

It didn’t take long for the Pride to create their first chances in this game, doing so inside the first minute. It started with a poor pass by Izzy Rodriguez that Banda intercepted and carried into the Current box. She tried to beat Lorena to her near post, but the goalkeeper did well to block it with her foot.

The rebound went right back to Banda and her second shot was blocked by Alana Cook. The second block went to Oihane out right. The defender sent her cross over the heads of Angelina and Banda where McCutcheon met it at the top of the six. However, the midfielder’s header was right into the hands of Lorena, ending the threat.

In the seventh minute, Banda played Oihane outside on the right and the defender sent another cross into the box. This time Angelina attempted to turn and volley the ball on target, but the Brazilian couldn’t get over it and sent the shot over the goal.

The Current looked to have their first chances in the ninth minute when Bia Zaneratto played Chawinga behind the Pride back line. Moorhouse made a pair of good saves before Sams cleared the ball away. However, Chawinga was offside on the initial ball.

The visitors finally did get a clean shot in the 20th minute when Zaneratto took a chance from outside of the box. But it was right to Moorhouse and the Pride goalkeeper didn’t have any trouble with it.

Three minutes later, Lo’eau LaBonta sent Debinha behind the Pride back line, and she tried to chip the ball over Moorhouse to the back post. Moorhouse committed to the ball and was able to get enough of her fist on it to send it away.

The Pride finally got back on the front foot in the 44th minute with a sustained attack, primarily through Gautrat on the left. Eventually, the midfielder found Angelina near the top of the Current box. The Brazilian took a shot, but sent it well wide of the near post.

As the first half neared stoppage time, Angelina sent Banda into the Kansas City third of the field. The Zambian didn’t have any teammates with her, so she took it herself. Kayla Sharples stuck her leg in and knocked the ball away, resulting in Banda going down. The striker looked to the referee for a penalty, but Natalie Simon rightly waved play on.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Angelina played Oihane out to the right. The right back sent a low cross to the near post where Banda was making a run. She tried to flick it on goal with her heel, but the ball went wide.

There was a lengthy delay as the video assistant referee looked at the play for a possible handball on Cook. However, nothing came of it and the halftime whistle blew before play could continue.

At halftime, the Current had more possession (50.8%-49.2%), but the Pride had more shots (7-5). Both teams put two shots on target and had a corner kick in the first 45 minutes.

The Current got the first second-half chance and used it to take a 1-0 lead. It started when Sams cleared the ball up the field to Rodriguez, who sent it back the other way. Nadaner was the first one to reach it with Zaneratto on her back. The center back got a touch to the ball, but it got away from her. Chawinga took advantage, getting in on goal and putting it away to give her team the lead.

“We looked at that kind of play before the game, so it’s kind of disappointing to then concede from that. Because we did identify it as a kind of something that they do,” Moorhouse said about the goal. “I mean, obviously, they’ve got the speed up top, and they just like to put the ball on behind for that. So, yeah, it’s just one of those things. Just finished it well.”

“She’s playing against a really good forward in Bia and probably every game she gets away with that touch,” Hines said about Nadaner losing possession on the goal. “But, unfortunately, it gets too far away. And they waited for that one moment and capitalized on it.”

Kansas City looked to double the advantage right away in the 54th minute when Rodriguez earned enough space from Oihane to send a cross to the back post. Hailie Mace and Pickett went up for the ball with Mace sending it wide.

The Pride tried to get one back in the 55th minute when Oihane was played wide. The Spainard sent a cross to Banda at the near post, but Sharples got there first to clear it out for a corner kick. Pickett’s ensuing set piece was caught by Lorena, ending the attack.

In the 60th minute, Sams pushed into the attack. The center back attempted to find Angelina, but it was right back to her. Then she tried to set up Gautrat at the top of the box. The defensive midfielder didn’t get much on the ball, enabling Lorena to make the easy stop.

Hines made his first change of the game in the 65th minute and, down a goal, it was an attacking one. Ally Watt came into the game for the defensive-minded Gautrat.

Chawinga had a chance for a second goal in the 69th minute when Rodriguez’s cross was chested down by Zaneratto. Sams was on the striker, but got turned around, giving Chawinga a clean look. However, her shot was right at Moorhouse who made the stop.

Pickett played a long ball into the box in the 73rd minute, but it went all the way through to Oihane on the other side. The right back lifted a ball into the box for Banda and the striker jumped to get her head to it, sending it wide of the far post.

Immediately after the chance, Simon sent the players to the sideline for the second-half hydration break. Hines made two changes during the stoppage, replacing Oihane and Angelina with Prisca Chilufya and Ally Lemos.

In the 79th minute, Chawinga dribbled across the top of the box with Sams and Marta on her. The striker went down after some contact with Sams and a foul was called. Lemos was in the process of clearing the ball at the time, sending it off the back of Chawinga’s head. Chawinga was down for a while and received attention from the trainer as she underwent a concussion test. However, she was eventually able to continue.

Hines made his final change in the 82nd minute, as Summer Yates came on for McCutcheon. It was Yates’ first appearance since April 12 when she suffered an ankle injury against Seattle Reign FC.

“I’m excited to be back. Thankful that our medical team was able to get me back quicker than expected. So, super excited that I was able to get on the field and, you know, just run around and play again. Not be in a boot,” Yates said about her return. “So, yeah, super excited. And hopefully I can help the team in these up and coming games.”

Mace put a shoulder into Banda in the 85th minute and the referee called for a foul. The ensuing set piece by Pickett was flicked on by Watt and off Banda. However, the striker couldn’t reach it before Lorena collected the ball.

In the 87th minute, Zaneratto played Chawinga towards the Pride box. The striker turned Nadaner and created enough space from Abello to get a shot off. Fortunately, it was right at Moorhouse, who blocked it with her legs.

As a second shot flew wide, Chawinga was hopping away from the play. This time she wasn’t able to continue and had to be substituted.

The fourth official showed 12 minutes of second-half added minutes, giving the Pride plenty of time to find an equalizer.

In the fifth and sixth minutes of stoppage time, the Pride earned three corner kicks as the Current fiercely defended their one-goal lead. However, none of Pickett’s set pieces were put on goal.

In the 10th minute of stoppage time, Nichelle Prince fouled Sams just inside the Current third of the field. Lemos’ set piece was blocked, but the Pride kept possession. A second ball by Yates was sent into the six-yard box and into the arms of Lorena.

Sharples knocked the ball off of Banda’s foot and out in the final minute of stoppage time, giving the Pride one last chance to find an equalizer. Pickett’s set piece was headed away and the final whistle blew, ending the game and handing the Pride their second home loss this season.

At full time, the Pride had far more possession (58.4%-41.6%), crosses (26-8), and corner kicks (7-1). But the Current had more shots (12-11) and shots on target (5-4). But Kansas City was the team able to break through and hold on for the 1-0 win.

“I thought it was a well balanced match,” Hines said. “I think both teams were trying to figure each other out for long periods of the game. What our players put into that game, the effort and the commitment, the desire, was tremendous. And we just fell short today with the result. But I thought the performance was there. Obviously, you never want to lose a game, especially 1-0 at home. But I can’t give the players enough compliments for their efforts tonight.”

“Tough result, obviously,” Moorhouse added. “But I thought we played well. We dominated in parts. It’s always going to be a tough game. We’ve had some tough games in the past against Kansas, so yeah, it’s a disappointing result. But the performance is something to work on and something to keep pushing on.”

The Pride are learning how hard it is to be the hunted instead of the hunters. They were 23 games unbeaten before they suffered their first loss last year with just three regular-season games remaining. This is their third loss this season, second at home, and their third consecutive game without a win.

“I think we’ve got to put everything into perspective, right? Three years ago, this team was the laughing stock of the league. And last year we showed our ability to prove a lot of people wrong,” Hines said. “Winning both shield and championship doesn’t come easy, and so once you’ve achieved that, you earn respect around the league. You know, teams adapt to it. Even teams like Kansas, going to a back five and reducing the amount of space that you can play for. It’s challenging, it’s difficult, and we’ll go through those moments together.”

“Teams are playing different against us,” Moorhouse agreed. “We’re usually coming up against teams sitting back in a low block, defending for their lives. And we’ve got to figure out a way to kind of score goals against that. We were on top for the majority of the past games. And we just need to find a way to score that goal. And then maybe we can relax a little bit. And then we don’t have to chase the game in the dying minutes.”

San Diego Wave FC’s 1-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC tonight saw the California-based club jump the Pride in the standings. After spending nearly all of last season the start of this season in one of the top two spots, the Pride are now third in the NWSL, one point behind San Diego and five points behind Kansas City. They could drop further tomorrow night when the Washington Spirit, one point back, host the Utah Royals.


The Pride have a week to brush off this loss as they head back out west to face the Utah Royals next Friday night in Sandy, UT.

Continue Reading

Trending