Orlando Pride
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.
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.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-0 as Pride Bounce Back with Win
The Pride take all three points at home against the red-hot Current.
A strong defensive effort and some moments of attacking quality earned the Orlando Pride all three points in a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Current at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. It was especially fitting that the Pride earned a clean sheet on goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse’s 100th appearance with the club.
The Orlando Pride (6-6-2, 20 points) bounced back from a difficult result in LA in convincing fashion against a tough Kansas City Current (8-6-0, 24 points) team. The match started off fairly even, but Orlando was organized and disciplined in this match and ultimately prevailed with goals from Marta, Barbra Banda and Hannah Anderson.
Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed his typical 4-2-3-1 formation in the team’s return home. The back line in front of Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Anderson, Zara Chavoshi, and Cori Dyke. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos served as the defensive midfielders, with Angelina, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle taking up the attacking midfield roles. Solai Washington serving as striker.
“Zara’s been out for majority of the season, and we know her qualities,” Hines said said of his defensive players after the match. “With young players, you have to find out what they’re made of as well, and so she really stepped up into the challenge —Hannah and Zara — because they’ve been patient and been waiting for this opportunity since the start of the year. Hannah is such a threat off set pieces. Talk about Cori. She’s she’s been brilliant as well. Wherever we’ve put her in that back line, she’s been so consistent. We have to consistently have those desired behaviors to not concede, and that gives you the platform to go on and win the game.”
Kansas City came out quickly, testing Moorhouse in the first minute with a cross from Amelia White that Moorhouse got to just ahead of Haley Hopkins.
At the other end, Dyke took Orlando’s first shot from the top of the box in the sixth that looked more like a cross than a shot, and Marisa Jordan saved it with ease.
In the seventh minute, Angelina got the ball wide to the right side to Ovalle, who sent it back to Angelina, who then fired high.
Orlando put together a decent buildup down the left in the ninth minute by Abello and Washington, who centered it for Marta. Marta passed back to Angelina, who fired well wide to the left. Orlando went forward again in the 11th minute, with Marta out wide sending a ball over the 18-yard box that Dyke collected and then worked back out to Angelina. The Brazilian crossed it in to Abello, who headed it off target at the back post.
Izzy Rodriguez stripped Mart of the ball in the 13th just outside the Orlando 18-yard box, allowing Debinha to find Hopkins with a centering pass, but the Current attacker fired wide right. Croix Bethune tried her luck from long distance in the 16th minute, but the effort went straight at Moorhouse.
Orlando had a well-worked buildup through the middle in the 17th minute, with Dyke advancing up the right and sending a ball to Lemos, who found Dyke again for a cross in to Washington — but her shot sailed over the crossbar. Washington and Marta traded passes in the 19th before Washington attempted a right-footed cross into the box that Jordan intercepted easily.
As the teams continued battling back and forth, White worked her way around Abello in the 22nd minute and picked out Debinha with a cross, but her effort went straight at a well-positioned Moorhouse. Bethune found Hopkins in the 23rd, but Lemos cut off her ball through the box, sending it behind for a corner. McCutcheon headed away the ensuing corner, earning Kansas City another corner. Hopkins headed the the entry cross over the bar, handing Orlando a goal kick.
Kansas City nearly broke through three minutes later, on a mistake by the Pride defense on a ball over the top to Debinha. Chavoshi attempted to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, but she was too far from the end line. Debinha got past her to the ball and sent it in front to Hopkins for the tap-in. But the goal was chalked off for offside on the initial ball. It was a close play.
Rocky Rodriguez’s cross found Bethune in the 30th minute, and the midfielder outjumped Abello, got her head on it, and placed the effort well, but the shot had little pace to it and Moorhouse collected it.
Lemos made a nice driving run in the 33rd minute and fed Washington, whose cross was cut out by Laney Rouse. The loose ball found Angelina before it was eventually cleared following some back-and-forth changes of possession just outside the Current’s box.
Some gritty midfield work from Abello — who picked up a knock to her wrist on the play — saw her strip the ball from the Current in the 38th minute and advance it to Washington, who worked her way to the end line and passed back to Ovalle. The Mexican international’s shot was right at Jordan. Abello received treatment, left the field briefly, and returned to the match in the 41st minute after the mandatory one-minute wait for receiving attention.
Orlando won a throw-in in the 42nd minute, and Washington worked her way down the left before delivering a cross that Jordan stopped, colliding with Kayla Sharples in the process. Neither was injured in the tangle.
Orlando was able to maintain sustained possession for several minutes and spent that time trying to fashion a shot but never created anything threatening. Kanasas City pounced on a McCutcheon attempted pass, and broke down the pitch through a Bethune ball over the top to Debinha, who had to wait for reinforcements. Lo’Eau Labonta arrived and Debinha fed a ball she popped up which was defended away by McCutcheon but back out to the Current. Kansas City worked it back to Labonta, who then sent the ball over the crossbar. It was the last action of the first half.
Orlando held the lead in possession (51%-49%) and both teams managed six shots. Kansas City led in shots on target (3-1), corner kicks (2-0), and passing accuracy (88%-86%).
Kansas City subbed on the dangerous Temwa Chawinga for Debinha after the break, and the Current started off the second half aggressively. Marta had other plans though and, in the 49th minute, she scored her 50th goal for the Pride from about 30 yards out. Ovalle took the ball down Orlando’s left side, worked her way central, and passed back to Marta. Kansas City applied absolutely no pressure on her, so she blasted a long-range shot past a diving Jordan.
Hines made his first substitution of the game in the 53rd minute, bringing on Hailie Mace for Abello. Orlando earned a corner moments later through Marta, and the Pride doubled their lead on the ensuing set piece. Lemos sent a good cross to the back post and Anderson met it with a header, placing it perfectly past Jordan to make it 2-0.
The Current won a corner of their own in the 59th minute, but Orlando defended it away. It only as far as Chawinga, whose follow-up shot was blocked by Anderson.
Hines turned to his bench again in the 65th minute, sending on Luana for Angelina and Julie Doyle for Ovalle. Bethune worked her way into Orlando’s box in the 67th and fired from close range, but at a tight angle, and sent her effort straight at Moorhouse, who parried it behind for a corner. Moorhouse punched the corner clear, and the danger was eventually cleared over the crossbar for an Orlando goal kick.
Orlando was content to sit back and defend from that point. Bayley Feist made a slow-rolling effort in the 72nd that was easily gathered by Moorhouse, and Mace had a shot of her own in the 73rd that didn’t overly test Jordan. The Current responded in the 74th through Gianna Paul, but Moorhouse collected her effort without much trouble.
Hines made his final change in the 76th minute, bringing on Banda for Marta and Oihane for Washington. Banda’s first involvement came in the 77th, when she fired over the bar, and she got in behind again in the 78th and tried to chip Jordan — but the ball drifted past the far post with no one on hand to finish it off.
The Current had back-to-back chances in the 80th minute. Chawinga’s tepid effort was saved comfortably by Moorhouse, and moments later, Bethune pounced on an ill-advised pass from Anderson, only for Moorhouse to deny her as well. Paul’s cross into the box in the 83rd was collected just as easily.
Banda put the result beyond doubt in the 85th. Mace sent a ball over the top and into acres of space behind the Current’s back line. Jordan came rushing out to beat Banda to it, but she made only glancing contact with the ball on her volley attempt to clear it. The ball squirted behind Jordan. Banda easily beat Jordan to the loose ball and slotted it into an empty net for her 12th goal of the season, making it 3-0.
“We felt our structure and our engagement line was probably better to be a little bit lower to kind of take away the space that she could exploit and not let just one ball beat us.” Hines said of his strategy to deal with Chawinga’s threat. “A little adjustment that we made going into this game was just dropping Haley McCutcheon into the back line and covering those distances and the shifting across, but also trying to be aggressive to still press in the right position.”
The Current continued to press in the 90th minute, with Chawinga carving out her best look of the night, cutting left to right and smashing a hard shot just wide of the right post, handing possession back to Orlando. Moments later, Chawinga headed over the bar on the match’s final scoring chance.
Orlando’s defensive posture for much of the second half flipped the stats firmly in the visitors’ favor. Kansas City led in possession (55%-45%), shots (20-11), shots on target (9-5), corner kicks (4-1), and passing accuracy (88%-83%).
“Really good result. You know, especially after we come from a loss in LA,” Marta said. “It’s been like a tough season this year, ups and down[s], and we need to take a chance, especially when we play home. So, I’m really happy with the result tonight. Some days you wake up and then you just say to yourself, ‘It’s today, you know. Today you’re gonna play your best game.'”
The Pride next face the Boston Legacy at home on Wednesday.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home tonight as they welcome the Kansas City Current to Orlando.
Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (5-6-2, 17 points) return home to face the Kansas City Current (8-5-0, 24 points). This is the first of two meetings between the two teams with the return game in Missouri scheduled for Sept. 11.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
The Current joined the NWSL in 2021 after the team’s ownership group bought the Utah Royals and relocated the club to Kansas City. It’s the second NWSL team in the city — FC Kansas City played there from 2013 to 2017 before moving to Utah — and the team was known as NWSL Kansas City for its inaugural season.
The Pride and Current have played 10 games against each other in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Orlando has a 3-3-4 record in the regular-season series (1-2-2 at home) and 4-3-4 in all competitions (2-2-2 in Orlando).
The two teams last met on Aug. 16, 2025, in Kansas City. While the Current outshot the Pride 16-5, each team only put one on target in a scoreless draw. On May 16 at Inter&Co Stadium, Temwa Chawinga was the difference, scoring the game’s lone goal in a 1-0 win by the Current.
The first game in 2024 was on July 6 in Kansas City, Barbra Banda gave the Pride the lead, but the hosts responded two minutes later through Chawinga. Despite a second yellow card for Carrie Lawrence dropping the Pride to 10 players just before halftime, Marta converted a second-half penalty, lifting her team to a 2-1 win.
On Sept. 13 in Orlando, the teams combined for 27 shots, but neither converted as the game ended in a scoreless draw. The final meeting of the season came on Nov. 17, 2024, in the NWSL semifinals in Orlando. Debinha gave the Current the lead and Haley McCutcheon equalized just before halftime. Banda made it 2-1 in the second half and Marta doubled the advantage late in normal time. Vanessa DiBernardo got one back deep in stoppage time from the penalty spot, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 3-2 to advance to the NWSL Championship in the Current’s home stadium.
The first time the teams met in 2023 was on April 23 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. It was scoreless after an hour before the Current got a quick flurry of goals by Debinha and CeCe Kizer, lifting Kansas City to a 2-0 win. On June 23, 2023 in Orlando, the visitors took the lead through Debinha, and Kizer doubled the advantage just before halftime. Marta converted a penalty to pull one back, but the Pride fell 2-1.
The first meeting in 2022 took place May 14 at Exploria Stadium. The Pride took the lead early in the second half on a Gunny Jonsdottir goal. Elyse Bennett scored late in the second half, and the visitors appeared to win the game a minute into injury time through Kristen Hamilton. However, Kylie Strom was pulled down in the box five minutes later, resulting in a penalty. With Marta injured, the only player willing to step up to take the penalty was center back Toni Pressley, who drilled the ball into the roof of the net, pulling out a 2-2 draw.
Their second meeting in 2022 came on July 31 in Kansas City while the Pride were in the middle of their seven-game unbeaten run. The Pride opened the scoring when Erika Tymrak found Celia, whose header made it 1-0, and doubled the lead just after halftime through Julie Doyle. The Current stormed back with goals by Bennett and Kizer, pulling out a 2-2 draw.
The teams played twice during the 2021 NWSL season, with the first game occurring May 30 at Exploria Stadium. Courtney Petersen found Alex Morgan just outside the six-yard box and the striker headed in the game’s lone goal as the Pride won 1-0.
The Pride and Current met again on June 23 at Legends Field in Kansas City. The Pride had a weakened squad as then-coach Marc Skinner left some key players at home, preparing to lose them to the Olympics. It looked to be costly when Mariana Larroquette gave the hosts the lead late in first-half injury time. But the Pride responded well. Two minutes after Larroquette’s goal, Sydney Leroux’s shot took a deflection off a defender and went in to make it 1-1. Shortly after halftime, Leroux scored on a great individual effort from just outside the box. Marta then scored the goal of the game, beating Kansas City goalkeeper Abby Smith from the top of the center circle, lifting the Pride to a 3-1 win.
Overview
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Pride this year. The lowest point occurred in mid-May when they lost back-to-back games to expansion sides Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC away from home. It appeared as though they had righted the ship just before the World Cup break, winning back-to-back games against San Diego Wave FC and Bay FC.
Unfortunately, the return to action went about as poorly as you’d fear. Despite being on the road, they were facing an Angel City team that fired its coach prior to the break. However, the Pride spent nearly the whole game on their heels, falling 2-0.
The back line of Kerry Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Hailie Mace played well in the two victories, but they struggled to get the ball out of their own end in LA. It was a significant reason why they conceded twice.
The attack has been led yet again by Banda, who leads the league with 11 goals in 12 games. But the Zambian international missed the last game with a thigh injury.
On the postiive side, Jacquie Ovalle returned to the team in LA after missing the previous seven games. While she didn’t have the attacking impact she had early in the season, the midfielder’s presence will likely be felt when Banda returns as the two have made a dangerous pair.
The Current were the class of the league last season, winning the NWSL Shield by an astounding 21 points. They struggled out of the gate this year but have been on fire since the beginning of May. They’ve won six of their last seven games, with the only loss coming on May 20 to Angel City in LA. Most recently, they dominated the Summit in Denver 3-0.
The slow start can be attributed to a change of coach. Vlatko Andonovski stepped down from his coaching duties to become the club’s full-time sporting director. Chris Armas took over after being fired by the Colorado Rapids and it seemed early on like it might’ve been a mistake. But it now appears as though they could be the team to beat in the second half of the season.
The recent surge in victories has lifted the Current to fifth in the NWSL standings. That’s mostly due to their offensive prowess. The team has scored 21 goals in its first 13 games, tied with the Wave for second and three goals behind the Portland Thorns. Meanwhile, they’re 10th in goals conceded, having given up 17 goals.
Unsurprisingly, the Current are led by Chawinga, who has eight goals in nine games this year. Michelle Cooper has four goals, followed by Haley Hopkins and Croix Bethune with two goals each. Bethune leads Kansas City with five assists, followed by Cooper with three and Izzy Rodriguez and Chawinga with two each.
While the Current will have most of their attack, Cooper is out tonight with a thigh injury. Given her goals and assists, it’s something that could have an impact on tonight’s game. Especially with veteran center back Rafaelle missing.
“It’s always a good match against KC, whether it’s home or away. Two teams that have consistently been at the top of the table. The last two shield winners as well,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said about tonight’s game. “So we expect a competitive game, both teams going after it. Obviously they’ve got new management, a couple of new players as well. But within their style of play and principles, it’s very similar to what they’ve shown in the last couple of years.”
The Pride will play tonight without Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Rafaelle (hip), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). The Current will be without Ellie Bravo-Young (thigh), Alana Cook (knee), Cooper (thigh), Clare Gagne (head), Mary Long, and Lorena (hip). Additionally, Katie Scott is away with the U.S. U-20 National Team.
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kerry Abello, Hannah Anderson, Zara Chavoshi, Cori Dyke.
Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos.
Attacking Midfielders: Angelina, Marta, Jacquie Ovalle.
Forward: Solai Washington.
Bench: Cosette Morche, Hailie Mace, Oihane, Nicole Payne, Luana, Julie Doyle, Seven Castain, Summer Yates, Barbra Banda.
Kansas City Current (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Marisa Jordan.
Defenders: Izzy Rodriguez, Kayla Sharples, Gabrielle Robinson, Laney Rouse.
Defensive Midfielders: Rocky Rodriguez, Lo’eau LaBonta.
Attacking Midfielders: Debinha, Croix Bethune, Amelia White.
Forward: Haley Hopkins.
Bench: Kaylin Williams-Mosier, Meila Brewer, Elizabeth Ball, Kolo Suliafu, Vanessa DiBernardo, Bayley Feist, Gianna Paul, Penelope Hocking, Temwa Chawinga.
Referees
REF: Nabil Bensalah.
AR1: Jake Brochu.
AR2: Ben Rigel.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Anya Voigt.
AVAR: Katarzyna Wasiak.
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!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Final Score 2-0 As Pride Are Dominated In California
The Pride returned to action from the summer break, falling 2-0 to Angel City.
The Orlando Pride (5-6-2, 17 points) returned from their month-long World Cup break, falling 2-0 to Angel City FC (5-6-1, 16 points) at BMO Field in Los Angeles, CA. A first-half goal by Maiara Niehues and a second-half strike by Sveindis Jonsdottir was the difference, although the game was thoroughly dominated by the hosts.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed his typical 4-2-3-1 formation in the team’s return to action. However, they were without Barbra Banda, who was out with a thigh injury. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Hailie Mace. Angelina and Ally Lemos were the defensive midfielders behind Jacquie Ovalle, Haley McCutcheon, and Luana with Julie Doyle up top.
This was one of the worst performances by the Pride this year. With Banda missing, the team was unable to get anything going offensively, alhough that might not have mattered as Orlando couldn’t get the ball out of its own end. The 2-0 scoreline is a generous one for the Pride, who could’ve easily lost by more.
Ally Sentnor, who joined Angel City during the break, tried to make something happen early during her debut. Inside the first minute, the U.S. international made a run to the top of the box before dribbling inside. The attacker struggled to find space before finally shooting, but Dyke was there to block the attempt.
The Pride had their first chance in the seventh minute when Rafaelle played a ball forward to Luana over the midfield stripe. The Brazilian took the space the defense gave her, dribbling near the top of the box before unleashing a shot. It initially appeared to be on target, but began curving, hitting the outside of the post and going out of play. That was about as close to scoring as Orlando came all night.
The hosts threatened to take the lead in the 14th minute when Jun Endo sent a dangerous ball into the six-yard box. Sentnor got on the end of it, but Dyke, Mace, and Moorhouse were all in front of the goal to keep it out.
Evelyn Shores received a pass on the left in the 17th minute before playing it to Endo, who was making an overlapping run. The Japanese international took a hard shot from a tight angle, but Moorhouse had her near post covered, catching the attempt.
In the 25th minute, Luana slid to keep possession from an Abello clearance, trying to play it back to McCutcheon. Unfortunately, it went straight to Jonsdottir instead. Jonsdottir immediately played the ball to Sentnor, who dribbled into the Pride box before sending a low shot wide of the far post.
Shores fought through a pair of defenders in the 31st minute to get the ball to Niehues. The Brazilian attempted a low cross that McCutcheon cleared but only to Shores at the top corner of the box. The left back took a touch around Mace to create space for a shot, sending her attempt over the target.
The Pride struggled to clear in the 35th minute when Sentnor played a ball to Endo, who was making an underlapping run. Angelina chested down Endo’s cross in an attempt to clear, but it didn’t go far. Gisele Thompson was able to tap it to Jonsdottir, whose shot went wide.
A minute later, the Pride were unable to clear again, resulting in the game’s opening goal. Dyke got in front of Thompson’s ball into the box, but she knocked it to Ary Borges, who took a shot that Dyke blocked again, but she failed to get it out of the box. The rebound fell straight to Niehues, who curled a shot out of Moorhouse’s reach and into the corner to give Angel City the 1-0 lead.
“You’ve got to defend the cross, so stop the cross. And then you’ve got to defend the cross, and we don’t quite clear our lines,” Hines said. “We talk about clearing it out of dangerous areas. It lands at Ary Borges. She has a shot, it deflects, and then we don’t close the next shot from Niehues. We speak about that a lot. The closer you are, the less chance they are of scoring, and we stood off them. They took that opportunity really well, but we feel that with our standard and our level, we should be doing better.”
The Pride continued to play on the back foot, defending desperately as Angel City created chances. In the 38th minute, Borges picked out Niehues near the top of the Pride box. The attacker shot as McCutcheon closed her down, sending her attempt wide of the near post.
Angel City continued on the attack, keeping the ball in the Pride half as they struggled to clear. In the 42nd minute, Jonsdottir tried to chip Moorhouse from outside the Pride box, but the Pride goalkeeper made the easy catch.
Angelina took the ball away from Borges in the first minute of first-half stoppage time 30 yards from goal. The midfielder lifted an overly ambitious attempt toward Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson for her team’s second shot of the game. However, it didn’t cause any trouble.
It was a dominant 45 minutes for Angel City. While the Pride had more possession (54%-46%), most of it was in their own half. The hosts had more shots (10-2), shots on target (3-0), crosses (10-3), and corner kicks (2-0). Both teams completed 77% of their passes in the first half.
Hines made a pair of changes during the break as his team looked to get back into the game. Marta and Nicole Payne entered the contest for Luana and Mace. Despite the changes, it was Angel City that continued to be the more threatening team.
A poor Orlando clearance in the 47th minute allowed Shores to keep the ball in the Pride third. She found Carina Lageyre near the top of the box, but the shot was right at Moorhouse.
The Pride won a throw-in in the 55th minute that quickly turned into a disaster. McCutcheon played the ball back for Rafaelle, who was immediately put under pressure from Jonsdottir. The Icelandic international blocked the defender’s pass and sprinted to the end line before beating Moorhouse from a tight angle to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
“It starts with a throw-in. So the ability to keep possession from a throw-in is really important,” Hines said. “You know, we have a couple of objectives from that, and it’s just details, right? Weighted pass, make your choice to the correct forward. If you’re going to go long, you’ll sort of take away the deflection from the forward. So yeah, another moment where we felt we’re in control, and we give them an opportunity to counter and go straight to goal from that.”
Hines made two more changes in the 62nd minute, replacing Abello and Ovalle with Zara Chavoshi and Solai Washington.
As the game entered the final 20 minutes, the Pride started to gain more possession and create more chances in the final third. However, they still were unable to create any clear-cut opportunities or cause Anderson any trouble.
In the 77th minute, a pass to Lemos hit the referee, causing a stoppage in play. Hines took the opportunity to make his final change, replacing Rafaelle with Hannah Anderson.
Neither team had taken a shot since the 55th-minute goal, when Angel City created a chance in the 78th minute. A long goal kick by Anderson bounced over Chavoshi’s head, allowing Endo to get into the Pride third. She shot from outside the box, forcing Moorhouse to dive to her right and make the stop.
The Pride finally got their first shot on target in the 80th minute when Washington flicked a long ball forward and fought through a pair of defenders. She dribbled into the box from the left and fired for the near post, where Anderson was waiting to block the ball out of play.
Anderson came out to punch away the ensuing corner kick, running over Chavoshi. The ball went toward her own goal, forcing Sarah Gorden to head it off the line. McCutcheon tapped the ball back to Angelina at the top of the box and the midfielder sent it back in. It fell for Anderson behind the back line at the top of the six-yard box, but Shores was able to stick a foot in and clear it over the end line. Angel City cleared the second corner kick and ended the threat.
As the game entered two minutes of stoppage time, Chavoshi sent a low cross to the top of the six, where Washington was making a run. The second-half substitute tried to backheel the ball on goal, not getting much on it and allowing Anderson to make the easy stop. That was the final chance for either team as Angel City saw out the victory.
The Pride ended the game with more possession (57%-43%) and better passing accuracy (79%-75%), but Angel City led in every other statistical category. The hosts had more shots (15-4), shots on target (6-1), crosses (18-11), and corner kicks (5-3).
“Never good enough to lose a game 2-0,” Hines said. “Two things in this league that you have to deal with, one is direct play. You have to deal with teams who are going to be really aggressive and try to get back to front really quickly. And you have to be prepared for transition. We can’t allow gifts in this league, and we gave Angel City two gifts. And they capitalized on those moments. We had some good possession, but didn’t create anything up until probably the last 10 minutes of the game.”
“Definitely frustrated, disappointed,” Dyke added. “We know that was nowhere near our best night, but we’ve just got to learn from it and then turn the page, because we know we have (another) big game coming up as well.”
The loss keeps the Pride in eighth, one point ahead of Angel City. To make matters worse, they’ve played a game or two more than all the teams around them, so they could fall down the standings in the near future.
The Pride will have to put this game behind them quickly as they return home to face the Kansas City Current on July 10.
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