Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Three Keys to Victory

The Orlando Pride play Racing Louisville for the second time in three matches, though this time it’s at home. The Pride are coming off a disappointing draw with bottom of the table Utah Royals, and need to get back in the win column. It won’t be easy, as Louisville is the last team to beat the Pride, winning 2-0 back in June. What must the Pride do to earn all three points at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday night?

Change Up the Attack

I don’t know what type of attack Seb Hines has tried to implement this season, but all too often it seems the Pride are just lobbing the ball over the top and hoping that Barbra Banda can make something happen. Banda has been isolated way too many times, allowing defenses to double- and triple-team her to shut her down.

The Pride’s goal against Utah was different. Banda was farther back, received the ball from the midfield, and then had three options crashing the box on her cross. It was Prisca Chilufya that got the goal, but the buildup and the number of attackers made a big difference. Orlando must do more of that. Having Marta and Angelina back will help with moving the ball through the midfield, but the Pride need to attack in multiple ways with multiple players if they want to score multiple goals, which will likely be necessary to win the match.

Set Piece Discipline

Pride fans certainly remember Taylor Flint (nee Kornieck). The 6-foot-1 attacking midfielder for Racing Louisville is a dangerous target on set pieces. The defense will need to contend with her height, and Anna Moorhouse will need to be decisive when coming out for the ball. The Pride cannot give up any easy goals.

On the other side, I know I’m going to sound like a broken record, but leave the training ground specials on the training ground. If there is a corner kick for the Pride, put it into the box and let Banda and Chilufya use their strength to go get it. Weird things happen in the box, and most of them are good when you’re on the attack.

Marta Magic

Thankfully, we will see the return of Marta and Angelina from international duty. The pair won the Copa América Femenina with Brazil, so hopefully they bring that winning mojo back to the Pride. More important than mojo will be the leadership that Marta brings as captain, along with her desire to make sure nobody else has fun in the Pride’s house.

We saw in the last match that this Pride are missing the chip on their shoulder, the die-before-letting-the-opposition-score attitude that won two trophies last year. It’s hard to replicate that after such success, but the Pride need to find that spark again. Hopefully, Marta will be the match that lights the fire.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!