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Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Draw Last-Place Team

The Pride started the second half of the season by dropping two points against the Utah Royals at home.

Published

9 months ago

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride (8-4-2, 26 points) returned to action tonight drawing 1-1 with the Utah Royals (1-10-3, 6 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. Mina Tanaka gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute, chipping Anna Moorhouse from distance. The Pride dominated the second half and got a goal from Prisca Chilufya, but they couldn’t find a late winner as they shared the points.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines was forced into some key changes for this game as Marta and Angelina wrapped up their Copa America Femenil win with Brazil Saturday night. Kerry Abello and Ally Watt were also out with injuries.

The back line in front of Moorhouse in goal was Carson Pickett, Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Morgan Gautrat and Haley McCutcheon were the defensive midfielders behind Julie Doyle, Ally Lemos, and Summer Yates with Barbra Banda up top.

There were some notable players on the bench for this game. Luana was in the team for the first time since being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2023. Rafaelle was also healthy enough to be in the team for the first time since March 23.

The Pride came into this game in second place, but with a slim lead in the standings over multiple teams. While they were missing several players, the opposition was as well. Utah also came into this game with only one win, two draws, and 10 losses, placing the Royals last in the league.

It should’ve been a relatively easy win for the Pride, but it was the Royals that got off to the attacking start. Poor goalkeeping gave the visitors the early lead and it took a while for the hosts to get into the game. They started to gain some advantage right before an extended lightning delay and continued it for the rest of the game. But the Pride were only able to get one goal in the second half, dropping two crucial points in a tight battle atop of the NWSL standings.

The Pride created the first chance of the game in the second minute when Pickett spotted Banda making a diagonal run into the Utah third of the field. The striker got a step on her defender and fired from the left of goal, but the shot was straight into the arms of Utah goalkeeper Mia Justus.

Three minutes later, the Royals took a surprising early lead. Kaleigh Riehl played Tanaka forward in a seemingly innocuous position. With nobody stepping up and Moorhouse well off her line, the midfielder attempted to chip the ball over the Pride goalkeeper. All Moorhouse could do was watch it sail over her head and into the goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“I think we all know it’s incredibly difficult to win games in this league. The parity within the league is very close, and we can’t take for granted a team like Utah,” Hines said about going down early. “They’ve had nearly six weeks to prepare  for this game. And so they’ll have their principles. They’ll have an objective to come here and get the win. And yeah, it becomes incredibly difficult when you go one-nil down so early. But, you know, you still have enough time to get yourself back into the game.”

Aisha Solorzano was sent over the top and behind the back line in the sixth minute. Nadaner caught up with the attacker, tripping her as she approached the Pride box. Claudia Zornoza took the set piece, curling it by Moorhouse and off the post.

Bianca St-Georges received a pass on the right in the 10th minute, playing it into the box, where Solorzano was making a run. The ball was a bit too far in front of the striker, so she slid in to redirect it on goal. However, this time Moorhouse was there to make the stop.

In the 24th minute, Zornoza carried the ball into the Pride third of the field before firing from long distance. The attempt was on target, but it didn’t cause any trouble for Moorhouse, who easily caught it.

It looked like the Pride might have a golden chance for an equalizer in the 34th minute when Doyle played the ball to Banda in the box. Riehl made contact from behind and the striker went down, but referee Jaclyn Metz decided to let play continue.

Seconds later, play stopped when Dyke was taken down near the edge of the box. That gave the video assistant referee a chance to call Metz to the monitor. When the review was over, it was determined there was no foul.

The ensuing set piece by Pickett was a dangerous one, going through the box and out  of play. The only Pride player near the ball was Sams, but it was too far from her to get on the end of it.

While the weather didn’t look bad, Metz called the players off the field in the 40th minute due to lightning in the area. It was 28 minutes before the players reappeared and fans were allowed to go back to their seats. By the time the players were done warming up and play resumed, it was a 41-minute stoppage.

“We just talked about behaviors, being more intentional, like balls wide, making sure we have the intensity to go and press and affect the player on the ball, and when we did that, good things started to happen,” Hines said about his message during the delay. “So both in possession and out of possession, we’ve looked at how they were pressing and how we can manipulate them and create goal-scoring opportunities. And we made some adjustments. And yeah, towards that halftime period, we were much better.”

Dyke sent Banda forward in the 43rd minute, and the striker beat her defender to the end line. Her cross was a little behind Lemos, who got her foot to it, and out of the reach of Doyle, allowing the Royals to escape the danger unharmed.

In the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, Banda pressured Justus as she tried to play the ball out of the back. It went directly to Gautrat, who tried to chip the goalkeeper, but the attempt was off target.

The final chance of the half came in the eighth minute of stoppage time, when a cross into the box was deflected. However, it fell right to Banda with space. The striker tried to turn it on goal but sent it high and wide.

That was the final chance of the half, with the Pride ending the extended first half down 1-0. After 45 minutes, the Pride had more possession (51%-49%), crosses (11-3), and corner kicks (4-1). But Utah had more shots (4-3), shots on target (3-1), and most importantly, the lone first-half goal.

Hines made one change during the break. Simone Jackson came into the game for Yates. It was Jackson’s second appearance for the Pride and her home debut.

Gautrat sent Banda down the left in the 46th minute and the striker got behind the back line. Looking for the equalizer, the Zambian attempted to beat Justus to her near post but sent the shot wide.

St-Georges took Utah’s first second-half shot in the 59th minute from the top corner of the Pride box, looking to beat Moorhouse to her far post. However, the shot stopper got her hands to it, pushing the attempt wide.

In the 64th minute, Janni Thomsen fouled Nadaner and Dana Foederer was booked for standing directly in front of the free kick. The stoppage gave Hines the chance to make two more changes as Chilufya and Viviana Villacorta came on for Lemos and Gautrat.

“As soon as Prisca came on, we felt like Barbara needed a little bit more support closer to her. So we took away the 10, moved Prisca as a double nine, and then had Simone Jackson and Julie giving us the width to really spread out the back line,” Hines said about the substitution. “We felt there was more spaces down the sides, but then also to get more support around Barbra was important.”

Banda turned Flynn in the 67th minute and the second-half substitute pulled Banda’s shirt, receiving a booking for the foul. Just feet from the edge of the box, it gave the Pride a free kick in a dangerous position.

Pickett stepped up to take the set piece but sent the attempt over the crossbar.

Hines made his fourth change and used his second window in the 70th minute to replace Pickett with Rafaelle. A starter at the beginning of the season, it was the center back’s first appearance in more than four months.

The change saw Dyke move from right back to left back, a change that paid dividends. In the 72nd minute, Dyke played the ball forward for Jackson, who shielded her defender to get forward. An early ball by the attacker reached Chilufya behind the back line and the Zambian slipped it past Justus to even the game at 1-1.

“In my mind, I only had one thought, which is what can I do to change the faces of the fans? What can I do to give hope to my fellow teammates? That was the only thing that was on my mind,” Chilufya said. “I was just thinking, let me do my part. But I want the opponents to feel that okay, something has changed. So my focus was on just helping the team and at least give some hope to the fans, so that they keep on cheering on us.”

The goal also saw Jackson earn her first professional goal contribution. It’s a big moment for the 22-year-old attacker, who the Pride see as a potential key component of the team moving forward.

“She’s brilliant. She’s brilliant,” Chilufya said about playing with Jackson. “And I, I always enjoy being on the same side with her. Even during training, because I feel like we read each other’s minds very well. We connect very well. So whenever she has the ball, the only thing I think of is getting in the box and just see where the ball ends. So I would say she’s one of my — obviously all of them are my favorite players, but whenever she’s on the ball, I feel like there’s so much that can be done. You know, even on the other end, when she has the ball and where the ball goes next, I feel like she’s always picking the the right spot. So it’s always good to have her on the pitch. It’s a good thing.”

After scoring the opening goal inside the first five minutes of the game, Tanaka tried to beat Moorhouse from distance again in the 74th minute. Again, she got the ball over the Pride goalkeeper, but the ball skipped off the top of the crossbar.

In the 76th minute, Chilufya took possession of a loose ball on her own side and carried it all the way into the Utah box. She beat Flynn to get a shot off but sent the attempt straight into the arms of Justus.

Hines made his final change in the 79th minute during the second-half hydration break. Simone Charley made her Pride debut, replacing Doyle.

“It’s been a journey, to say the least. 854 days, to be exact,” Charley said about her return. “And yeah, it was just surreal. I think I’m just so grateful for the belief that this club has had in me and just being a part of the whole journey. And I think just stepping on the field like right before, I just think back to how many people worked so hard to get me there. And I feel like those are all the people who come to mind as I stand there and just standing on their shoulders. And then I run out on the field and I’m like, it’s happening, guys, it’s happening. It’s been two years, and it’s here. It feels surreal. I feel like it’s a dream. Someone pinch me.”

It didn’t take the substitute long to get involved, taking her first shot in the 80th minute. Villacorta chipped the ball forward, which Charley took down well. She cut inside to lose Kate Del Fava, but Flynn caught her from behind, getting enough contact on the attacker to put her off. Charley took the shot, but Justus had no trouble with it.

The Pride nearly found a winner in the 90th minute when Chilufya took the ball to the end line and played it through the box. Jackson controlled it on the far side and shot. However, Del Fava got in front of the attempt, heading it over the crossbar to keep the game even.

Chilufya sent Banda down the right in the fourth minute of stoppage time and the striker outran Flynn to create space for a shot. Unfortunately, it was a tight angle and the attempt sailed high and wide of the far post without troubling Justus.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Banda dribbled to the end line before winning a corner kick. The set piece was headed out, but only to Sams at the top of the box. The center back’s shot was on target, forcing Justus to tip it over the crossbar.

The ensuing set piece from the opposite side found the head of Rafaelle, who sent her attempt over the target.

The Pride continued to press, looking for a late winner. But it wasn’t to be as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

At full time, the Pride had the advantage in possession (54.6%-45.4%), shots (14-8), shots on target (6-5), crosses (16-6), corner kicks (8-2), and passing accuracy (79.9%-74.4%). The Royals’ physicality was on display in the number fouls, doubling the Pride at 20-10.

“Kind of mixed because we didn’t start the way that we would have liked,” Hines said about the game. “It wasn’t ourselves early on, and obviously Utah capitalized on that. They took an early lead, and it was much better in the second half. You know, more energy, more intensity, a willingness to go and put pressure on them. And we got the well-deserved equalizer. But it wasn’t enough to win the game after that. So, yeah, I think overall, it’s two points dropped. You know, we’ve always been very proud to play here in front of our own fans and try and get three points, regardless of who we play. And we fell short today.”

Unfortunately, this was a game that’s been seen way too often with the Pride. They had a slow start and, while they created plenty of chances, were only able to ripple the net once.

“I think in that first 20 minutes, we weren’t ourselves. We couldn’t connect too many passes. Other than probably the early opportunity from Barbra, we didn’t really create much either,” Hines said. “And so the weather delay came out a good time for us, because after that, we were much better. We were a lot more intentional with everything that we did. We had full belief that we’d come away with a win tonight. We knew that the equalizer would come. We put immense pressure on Utah’s back line. And, yeah, we just fell short. You know, people made some good saves, some good blocks. But I sound like a broken record because it keeps happening. And so we need to continue to work on that, of when we’re on top scoring the goal.”

The Pride remain in second in the NWSL, 10 points behind the Kansas City Current. They’re tied on points with the Washington Spirit, but have a seven-goal advantage for the tiebreaker. Meanwhile, they’re one point ahead of the San Diego Wave, two points ahead of the Seattle Reign, and four points ahead of the Portland Thorns.

The Pride will look to bounce back from this disappointing result when they host Racing Louisville FC Saturday night.

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

The Pride look to build on their home win against North Carolina against Boston Legacy FC tonight in a midweek contest.

Published

8 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) take on Boston Legacy FC (1-5-2, 5 points) in Foxborough, MA. This is the first of two games between the teams this year, with the return game in Orlando scheduled for July 15.

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

History

Since this is the first year in the existence of Boston Legacy FC and the first time the two clubs will meet in 2026, there’s no history between the teams. However, Boston’s roster does include forward Amanda Allen, who played for the Pride from 2023 to 2025. Additionally, the Pride will be familiar with several of the opposing players as they have extensive experience in the league.

Overview

This has been an up-and-down season for the Pride so far. It began with a disappointing start as they fell 2-1 to Seattle Reign FC and drew 1-1 with Denver Summit FC. They bounced back from the homestand with an impressive 3-0 win over the Chicago Stars, a scoreless draw with defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC, and a 2-1 win over Angel City FC.

Unfortunately, those highs didn’t last long. Orlando fell 3-2 to Racing Louisville FC and 4-2 to the Washington Spirit, before defeating the North Carolina Courage 1-0 Friday night.

The Pride have been carried offensively by striker Barbra Banda, who has eight goals and has scored the team’s five most recent goals. All five have come in the last three games. The team has only played two games in which other players have scored. Jacquie Ovalle and Hannah Anderson converted against Chicago and Haley McCutcheon had a surprising brace against Angel City.

The team got off to a good start defensively, conceding just four goals in the first five games, including two clean sheets. But the Pride were torn apart by Louisville and Washington, giving up seven goals in those two games.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines responded by making adjustments to the back line Friday night. While it was the same back four, Cori Dyke moved from left back to center back, Oihane moved from right back to left back, and Hailie Mace moved from center back to her natural right back position. The changes resulted in the team’s first clean sheet in five games.

They’ll look to build on their most recent result tonight against a team that sits at the bottom of the NWSL standings. Through five games, Boston has just one win, a 3-2 victory over fellow newcomers Denver at home. However, they sandwiched that win with a 2-2 draw against the Courage and a 1-1 draw with Gotham away from home on Saturday.

With only seven goals this season, there hasn’t been much of a threat from this new team. Aissata Traore and Alba Cano lead the way with two goals each, while Bianca St-Georges, Sammy Smith, and Nichelle Prince have one goal each. Prince also has a team-leading two assists.

Defensively, Boston is led by league veteran goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who spent the last five seasons with the Courage and has made her way into the U.S. National Team setup. The team has seen several defensive units and formations since the start of the season as it looks to find the best lineup.

Tonight’s hosts face a tough challenge as they welcome the league-leading goal scorer in Banda. Meanwhile, the Pride will undoubtedly see this game as an opportunity to create some momentum as the schedule creeps closer to the FIFA World Cup break.

“I think it is going to be a tough game. I think any game in this league is tough, regardless of where the standings are,” Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “Boston are in good form right now. I think they are unbeaten in three games, so we are looking to build on our performance this last week against North Carolina. Hopefully, get three points away from home and start that journey on our away form as well. Always expect a tough match. They have some tough players as well, and we have to put our best game forward.”

The Pride will take the field tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Solai Washington (knee). Boston will be without Kaka (ankle) and Fauzia Najjemba (thigh), while Nicki Hernandez (thigh) is listed as questionable.

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Haley McCutcheon.

Attacking Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Summer Yates, Marta.

Forward: Simone Jackson.

Bench: Cara Martin, Hannah Anderson, Nicole Payne, Ally Lemos, Reagan Raabe, Luana, Seven Castain, McKinley Crone, Barbra Banda.

Boston Legacy FC (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Casey Murphy.

Defenders: Emerson Elgin, Lais Araujo, Jorelyn Carabali.

Midfielders: Josefine Hasbo, Annie Karich, Barbara Olivierei, Alba Cano.

Forwards: Bianca St-Georges, Aissata Traore, Nichelle Prince.

Bench: Laurel Ivory, Amanda Allen, Sammy Smith, Amanda Gutierres, Ella Stevens, Chloe Ricketts, Aleigh Gambone, Nicolette Hernandez, Laurel Ansbrow.

Referees

REF: Katja Koroleva.
AR1: Sharon Gingrich.
AR2: Kristin Patterson.
4TH: Jeremy Scheer.
VAR: Brad Jensen.
AVAR: Matthew Seem.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, MA.

TV: None.

Streaming: Victory+.

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!

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win on Banda’s Late Goal

North Carolina hadn’t allowed a goal in the second half all season until Banda’s breakthrough.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda celebrating her winning goal against the Courage.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

A sloppy first 85 minutes finally gave way to a moment of brilliance from Barbra Banda as she worked her way free for the one and only goal to get the Orlando Pride (3-3-2, 11 points) back to their winning ways. Banda’s eighth of the season led to a 1-0 Pride win over the North Carolina Courage (2-3-3, 9 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride are still waking up from the international break, having lost the last two to Racing Louisville, a team well below them in the standings, and the Washington Spirit at home. Banda has scored five goals in the last three games, leading the NWSL in goals, but she’s the only one scoring.

“We’ve met as units. We watch film, we go over things,” Pride forward Simone Jackson said in preparation for this game. “We’re talking to each other. We’re working on shifting faster and covering splits and making change for this North Carolina game and making sure that our press is matching their style of play.”

Head Coach Seb Hines put the same lineup on the field as the previous game against the Spirit, with Anna Moorhouse in goal. The only changes were in where the players started. Cori Dyke moved from left back to right center back, with Oihane and Rafaelle to her left and Hailie Mace at right back. Additionally, Haley McCutcheon dropped into central midfield with Ally Lemos, while Angelina joined Summer Yates and Solai Washington in the attacking midfield with Banda up top.

“We felt we had conceded seven goals in two games and we needed to make a shift in the back line,” Hines said after the game. “Cori Dyke has played center back for me and Hailie Mace is a new player to the club and just finding a bit more comfort with her playing right back. We just felt we needed to shift a bit — not change the personnel but shift the personnel.”

The Pride opened the match with a free kick from 40 yards out that Lemos sent straight to Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. North Carolina was able to get to the end line four minutes later but the cross went straight to Moorhouse. At the eight-minute mark, Angelina intercepted a long ball and headed it to Yates at the top of the box, whose first touch failed her and snuffed out the counter.

Banda got her elbow up high in the 10th minute and caught Natalia Staude in the chin. That prompted a delay as the video assistant referee evaluated it for a red card offense but eventually play resumed without incident. Banda then showed her immense talents three minutes later, outracing and outmuscling center backs, Staude and Uno Shiragaki for 40 yards, but the double team eventually won out.

Moorhouse and Lemos collided defending a free kick at the 18-minute mark, which caused Lemos to take a moment to gather herself. Yates picked up a yellow card in the 21st minute for sliding under Riley Jackson and catching her with her studs in the fallout of a foul she herself had drawn on the play. Washington slipped by Jackson with a great move in the 25th but the play ended up with a corner that turned into nothing.

As a light rain (that eventually turned into a full-on downpour) settled in with 18 minutes to play in the half, the Pride definitely had shown more promise on offense but no real threats. It was a good start for a team that had fallen behind early previously but more precision was going to be needed on the offensive side. Washington worked herself free in the box but, again, the shot went wide.

The first real threat from the Courage came in the 31st minute as Manaka Matsukubo got on the end of a deflected corner and pushed it just wide of the far post. Yates went to the ground a minute later after she took a shot to the ribcage by Lauryn Thompson.

Whether it was the rain picking up or a tactical adjustment, the game flowed to where North Carolina started owning possession but without any real threats. The Pride couldn’t get out of their own end until the 40th minute when a pass from Lemos to Banda at the top of the box allowed her to open up enough space to rocket a shot just wide of the near post.

Thompson tried to chip a cross towards the Pride goal but ended up skying it into the stands in the 43rd minute. With five minutes added to the first half for the various video reviews and injuries, The Courage kept Orlando bottled up in their own defensive end. Trying to escape, Oihane overhit a touch and kicked the legs out of Thompson, picking up a yellow card in the third minute of added time. A shot by McCutcheon a minute later deflected off Banda just wide.

To wrap up the half, Lemos picked up a yellow card in the fifth minute of added time for tripping Matsukubo. North Carolina’s ensuing free kick went long and ended the half just as the rain let up.

It wasn’t a great half of soccer by either team, highlighted by minimal threats and mostly defined by turnovers. The Pride trailed possession (58%-42%), crosses (7-5) and passing accuracy (83%-76%) but led on shots (4-3). Both teams had two corners and neither put a shot on goal.

The Pride came out with energy in the second half trying to change that. Just 30 seconds in, Washington crossed it to Banda at the penalty spot but she scuffed the volley. One minute later, Banda held off Shiragaki to open up a shot but put it just over the bar.

“Honestly, to be switched on from the beginning,” Angelina said when asked about the halftime message. “We know that in past games we got scored on pretty early coming back from the half. That was a big goal for us to come and be disciplined.”

Dani Weatherholt elbowed Washington to the ground in the 50th minute, picking up the Courage’s first yellow card. Matsukubo unleashed a 40-yard through ball to Thompson at the 53-minute mark, freeing Thompson for a shot wide.

Hines decided to try to bring some precision to the attack in the 55th minute, bringing in Marta for Yates and Seven Castain for Washington. It didn’t lead to anything immediately and, in the 60th, Shinomi Koyama got free at the top of the box and put it just over the bar.

However, just seconds later, Banda held off her defender at midfield and dribbled to the middle, laying it off to Marta in the box, who worked herself free for the first shot on target for either team. Sheridan kept it out with a huge save. The ensuing corner by Lemos rattled off the near post, leading to nothing. Lemos was subbed off a minute later in the 64th, with Julie Doyle taking her place.

Marta’s influence on the game started to become even more apparent with a slick left-footed inside-of-the-boot pass that curled perfectly to Banda, but she dribbled in too deep and didn’t get a shot off, losing the ball to Sheridan while trying to round the keeper. Ryan Williams put a shot over the bar 90 seconds later off a block.

Marta rifled a corner in the 69th minute that Sheridan parried right to McCutcheon, who fired it just wide. The Courage then made their first substitutes, bringing in Chioma Okafor for Thompson and Ally Schlegel for Evelyn Ijeh. Ijeh is listed as the forward for the Courage, yet this is the first mention she got in this writeup.

There was a lot of back-and-forth play over the next few minutes until Sanchez pushed a shot just past the far post in the 76th minute. North Carolina then brought in Carly Wickenheiser for Jackson in the 77th minute.

Marta shook herself loose in the 81st and thought she had a corner off a Sheridan tip but it was judged as a missed shot. Angelina went down in the ensuing Courage possession and was subbed off for Luana at the 84th-minute mark. The Courage made a substitution in the 85th, bringing in Ivy Younce for Sanchez.

In the 87th, the Pride broke the scoreless deadlock. Rafaelle intercepted a long pass and fired it over the top to Banda, who was kept onside by Staude. Banda worked her way into the box on the left. The Zambian international sent a curling shot around Sheridan and inside the right post, finally converting and giving the Pride the lead they had been knocking on for a while. Banda had been wasteful all game, but a striker just needs one. The Courage had not surrendered a second-half goal all season but they hadn’t played Banda yet either.

Banda went down in the ensuing celebration and then again five minutes later after a tough shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. She was able to return and, 60 seconds later, held off three defenders while transitioning the ball all the way down the field. She looked winded at this point, but the Pride had used all their subs.

Rafaelle picked up a yellow card in the seventh minute of added time for an over-the-top challenge. That produced the last meaningful action of the half as the Pride wrapped up the win.

The Pride ended up with roughly the same amount of possession as in the first half, finishing behind the Courage (56%-44%). They trailed in shots (12-9) but led in shots on target (2-1). The Courage led in crosses (13-8), but the Pride had one more corner (5-4). Passing accuracy picked up for the Pride in the second half, but they still ended up trailing (82.4%-79.6%).

The Pride now head out on a long road trip. They’ll head to Boston for a game against the Legacy on Tuesday, fly to Denver for a Saturday game against the Summit. Orlando will then get an eight-day break before going to San Diego to play the Wave.

“Sometimes road trips are nice, because you get to bond as a team,” Moorhouse said. “You’re with your teammates 24/7, so you get to bond a bit and hopefully this win will now snowball.”

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Orlando Pride vs. North Carolina Courage: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Pride look to end their two-game losing streak as they welcome the North Carolina Courage to Inter&Co Stadium.

Published

4 days ago

on

May 8, 2026

By

Image of Rafaelle playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (2-3-2, 8 points) look to bounce back from a tough loss as they welcome the North Carolina Courage (2-2-3, 9 points) to Inter&Co Stadium (8 p.m., Prime Video). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with the return game in Cary, NC scheduled for July 31.

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

History

The Pride and Courage have played 28 times since the Western New York Flash moved to North Carolina and became the Courage in 2017. The Pride are 6-11-3 in the all-time series in NWSL play and 6-14-8 in all competitions (0-0-2 in the Fall Series, 0-3-2 in the NWSL Challenge Cup, and 0-0-1 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.). Orlando is 3-6-0 at home in league play and 3-7-2 in home matches against the Courage in all competitions.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place Sept. 19, 2025. The game appeared to be headed towards a scoreless draw until the end of normal time, when Shinomi Koyama converted to give the Courage the 1-0 win.

Prior to that game, the teams met on May 10 in Cary, NC. Feli Rauch scored in the first half to give the hosts the lead and it looked like they would hold on for all three points. But Prisca Chilufya’s equalizer in second-half stoppage time saw the game end in a 1-1 draw.

The first meeting in 2024 was held on May 1 in Orlando. Barbra Banda set up Ally Watt for the opener in the first half, and Watt repaid the favor just over 10 minutes later, as the Pride went up 2-0. Julie Doyle added a goal just before halftime, giving the Pride a commanding lead. Emily Sams’ own goal was the only scoring for the Courage, and Banda’s second of the night gave the Pride a 4-1 win.

On June 15, the Pride were the better team with more possession, shots, and shots on target, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. While they were disappointed with the result, the Pride were the first team to take points in North Carolina in 2024. On July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup in North Carolina, Manaka Matsukubo gave the hosts the lead just before halftime before Celia equalized late for the Pride. The game went into penalties and the Courage won the shootout 5-4. 

The first game between the Pride and Courage in 2023 took place April 19 in Orlando. The Pride took the lead after halftime when Summer Yates set up Watt for the opening goal, but Denise O’Sullivan equalized deep in second-half injury time, resulting in a 1-1 draw. On June 17 in North Carolina, it was all Courage. Kerolin and Meredith Speck gave the hosts a 2-0 lead before a Haley McCutcheon own goal made it 3-0 to North Carolina.

The Pride didn’t show up for the July 29 Challenge Cup contest in North Carolina, getting demolished by the Courage. Brittany Ratcliffe and Malia Berkely gave the hosts a 2-0 halftime lead before Frankie Tagliaferri made it three, and a late brace by Haley Hopkins completed the 5-0 beating. The Pride finally got a win over the Courage in 2023 on Sept. 17 at home. Watt scored inside the first minute. After assisting on the first goal, Adriana doubled the lead before halftime. Matsukubo got one back for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough and the Pride won 2-1.

The first meeting in 2022 came on May 18 in North Carolina. Sydney Leroux scored early and Mikayla Cluff doubled the lead with her first professional goal. A late goal by Brianna Pinto got the Courage back within one, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride took the2-1 win. On Sept. 21, 2022, at Exploria Stadium, Debinha scored early, assisted Tess Boade in first-half injury time to double the lead, and later added another goal, dooming the Pride to a 3-0 defeat.

The Pride and Courage were placed in the same division for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, so the teams played twice before the regular season started. The first game took place March 26 in North Carolina. Merritt Mathias converted a penalty after Gunny Jonsdottir was called for a handball in the box, lifting the hosts to a 1-0 win. The return match in the tournament took place on April 16 in Orlando. The Courage scored three goals in the first nine minutes. Darian Jenkins netted a brace to make it 3-2, but a late Debinha goal put the game away and North Carolina won 4-2.

The teams played three times during the 2021 NWSL season. On May 22 in North Carolina, goals by Leroux and Alex Morgan gave the Pride a 2-0 lead late into the game. Jessica McDonald scored late to pull one back but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win. On July 4 in Orlando, Debinha and Havana Solaun goals helped the Courage take home a 2-0 win. The final game was played July 31 in North Carolina. Leroux opened the scoring but Ratcliffe equalized moments later and the teams drew 1-1.

The two teams were also matched up in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup but they only played once in that tournament. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in a scoreless draw.

Similar to the Challenge Cup, the teams were in the same group of the 2020 Fall Series, meeting twice. The first took place Sept. 19 in North Carolina and ended in a scoreless draw. The second was held on Oct. 17 at Exploria Stadium. Led by a Debinha brace, the Courage went up 3-0. But the Pride came back with goals by Marisa Viggiano, Kristen Edmonds, and Ally Haran for an exciting 3-3 draw.

The Pride and Courage played three times during the 2019 season. The first game was on April 17 in North Carolina. The Courage took a 1-0 lead into halftime but scored four times in the second half to win 5-0. They played a second time on June 1 in Orlando. Again, it was a dominant performance by the Courage as the Pride fell 3-0. The final meeting that year was another thrashing by North Carolina as the Pride fell 6-1.

The teams also met three times in 2018. On May 23 in Orlando, goals by Alanna Kennedy and Rachel Hill saw the Pride come back from a 3-1 deficit. But McDonald scored a winner in the 90th minute and the Courage won 4-3. The Pride went down by three goals in the final two games that season, but were unable to come back and fell 3-0 in both contests.

The 2017 season saw the teams meet for the first time. The Courage took the first game 3-1 on April 29 in North Carolina. They played a second time two weeks later in Orlando when the Pride took the 3-1 win. The final meeting in 2017 came in the final game of the season on Sept. 30. Kennedy netted a late winner, leading the Pride to a 3-2 win.

Overview

The Pride went into the three-week international break on a four-game point streak, recording a pair of wins and a pair of draws. However, they’ve had two poor results since then, a 3-2 loss to Racing Louisville on the road and a 4-2 loss to the Washington Spirit at home.

The most recent game got off to a terrible start as Sofia Cantore scored twice in the first five and a half minutes to give the Spirit a 2-0 lead. It looked worse when Ally Lemos had her penalty saved by Sandy MacIver. But Banda scored twice before the break to even the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately, Claudia Martinez and Trinity Rodman scored in the second half, lifting the visitors to a two-goal win and handing the Pride their second consecutive loss. The losses put the Pride in 12th place in the league standings, but just one point behind eighth.

With Kerry Abello and Kylie Nadaner out, the Pride’s back line has consisted of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, and Oihane. Together with starting goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, the defensive unit has conceded seven goals in the last two games. But that’s not the only reason they’ve struggled the last two weeks.

Finishing has been another problem for the Pride. The only player able to convert has been Banda, who has scored four goals in the two most recent games. As previously mentioned, that included a Lemos penalty saved against the Spirit.

Tonight, the Pride face a foe in a similar position, as the Courage also sit on nine points. They’ve played three games since the break. They returned from the international break with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash before drawing Boston Legacy 2-2 and losing to the Kansas City Current 2-1.

The Courage are tied for the sixth-most goals conceded through their first seven games. That’s despite adding Canadian international goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who joined from San Diego Wave FC, where she was one of the league’s top shot stoppers.

The back line in front of Sheridan has been consistent recently, consisting of Dani Weatherholt, Maycee Bell, Uno Shiragaki, and Ryan Williams. However, Bell missed the team’s loss against Kansas City with a lower body injury.

Offensively, the Courage are led by U.S. international Ashley Sanchez, who has five goals. Matsukubo is second on the team with two goals and Weatherholt has the remaining one.

Williams leads the Courage with three assists so far this season, followed by Carly Wickenheiser, Matsukubo, Payton Linnehan, and Shinomi Koyama with one each.

“I think in any game in this league, it’s always going to be a tough matchup. I think they’re looking to bounce back from a defeat this past weekend. Similarly, we are as well,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said leading into tonight’s game. “We want to get our home form going again. Looking back at the Washington game, we’re very disappointed in the goals we conceded. We created some of our own as well and we have to capitalize on those moments. But there’s been a big emphasis on getting back to who we are as a team and not conceding sloppy goals.”

The Pride will play tonight without Kerry Abello (hip), Hannah Anderson (illness), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Jacquie Ovalle (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). The Courage are without Maycee Bell (knee), Payton Crawford (knee), Natalie Jacobs (ankle), Feli Rauch (suspension), and Olivia Wingate (knee).

Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Oihane, Raelle, Cori Dyke, Hailie Mace.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Solai Washington, Angelina, Summer Yates.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Nicole Payne, Reagan Raabe, Luana, Seven Castain, Julie Doyle, Simone Jackson, Marta

North Carolina Courage (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan.

Defenders: Dani Weatherholt, Natalia Staude, Uno Shiragaki, Ryan Williams.

Midfielders: Manaka Matsukubo, Shinomi Koyama, Riley Jackson.

Forwards: Ashley Sanchez, Evelyn Ijeh, Lauryn Thompson.

Bench: Molly Pritchard, Sydney Schmidt, Cameron Brooks, Ivy Younce, Carly Wickenheiser, Ally Schlegel, Hannah Betfort, Cortnee Vine, Chioma Okafor.

Referees

REF: Lauren Aldrich.
AR1: Zeno Cho.
AR2: Seun Yinka-Kehinde.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Kaili Terry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

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!

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