Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (8-5-4, 28 points) return home and welcome NJ/NY Gotham FC (5-6-5, 20 points) to Inter&Co Stadium (8 p.m., Prime Video). This is the second and final time the teams will face off during the 2025 NWSL regular season.

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

History

The Pride have faced Gotham (formerly Sky Blue FC) 26 times since joining the NWSL in 2016. Orlando is 9-10-7 in all competitions and 4-7-2 at home. The Pride’s record in NWSL regular-season games is 9-7-5 with a mark of 4-4-2 in Orlando.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place March 23 in New Jersey. A Lilly Reale own goal in the second minute gave the Pride the lead. Marta converted a penalty in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, sealing the 2-0 win.

The teams’ first meeting in 2024 took place on Sept. 1 in Orlando. The game was delayed by inclement weather, but the Pride took control when it began. Adriana gave the hosts the lead in the sixth minute and completed her brace in the 19th minute. Those were the only two goals as the Pride won 2-0. On Oct 20, 2024 in New Jersey. Sam Hiatt gave the hosts the lead in the 13th minute before Adriana equalized in the 31st. However, Gotham scored on either side of halftime with goals by Rose Lavelle and Ella Stevens to win 3-1.

The first meeting of 2023 was a regular-season clash on April 15 in Orlando. It looked to be headed for a draw, but Gotham struck twice in the dying minutes. Midge Purce converted a penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time and then assisted on Lynn Williams’ goal seven minutes later, setting a record for the latest goal in NWSL history as the Pride fell 2-0. They played again on May 14 in New Jersey, where the Pride were the better team and created more chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. The game ended in a scoreless draw.

The Pride and Gotham met twice in the NWSL Challenge Cup following those regular-season matchups. The first was on July 23 in Orlando. A Megan Montefusco header gave the Pride an early lead, but they were unable to hold on. Jenna Nighswonger converted a penalty later in the first half and Gotham took over in the second half with goals by McCall Zerboni and Yazmeen Ryan, beating the Pride 3-1. On Aug. 9 in New Jersey, Messiah Bright gave the Pride the lead in the first half, and the team was in line for all three points until Meleana Shim equalized in second-half stoppage time, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

The two teams met four times during the 2022 season — twice in the NWSL regular season and twice in the Challenge Cup. The first was a Challenge Cup meeting March 30 at Exploria Stadium. It looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw before Purce scored a late winner. The next Challenge Cup meeting was April 23 at Red Bull Arena. Gunny Jonsdottir gave the Pride the lead, but Toni Pressley got tangled up with Ifeoma Onumonu, resulting in a penalty. Kristie Mewis leveled the game from the spot just before the half. Neither team could find a winner and it ended 1-1.

The teams met in the 2022 NWSL regular-season opener on May 1 in Orlando. After two close matchups in the preseason tournament, this one was all Gotham, as goals by Zerboni, Purce, and Mewis lifted the visitors to a 3-0 win. On Aug. 20, they played at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. Celia and Ally Watt built the Pride a 2-0 lead. Mewis got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win.

The Pride and Gotham also met four times in 2021, with the first coming in the Pride’s inaugural Challenge Cup campaign. On April 14, Paige Monaghan’s goal lifted Gotham to a 1-0 win. The first regular-season game that year came on June 20 in Orlando. The visitors took the lead through Caprice Dydasco, but Courtney Petersen equalized for a 1-1 draw.

On Aug. 29, the teams played at Red Bull Arena. Erika Tymrak’s long-range goal lifted the Pride to a 2-1 win. The teams played one final, high-scoring game on Oct. 9. It was a bad start for the Pride as Gaetane Thiney scored a brace and Purce made it 3-0 late. The Pride came storming back with goals by Tymrak and Marta, falling just short in a 3-2 final.

The Pride and Gotham were in different groups for the 2020 Fall Series, so the last time they met prior to 2021 was in 2019, when the New Jersey-based club was still called Sky Blue FC. They first met that year on June 22 at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ. Chioma Ubogagu gave the Pride the lead from the penalty spot and Sarah Killion equalized. The difference was a Gina Lewandowski own goal as the Pride won 2-1.

On July 20 the teams met at Exploria Stadium. Marisa Viggiano’s goal won it for the Pride, 1-0. The final game occurred on Sept. 29 in New Jersey. Shelina Zadorsky gave the Pride the lead, but Carli Lloyd equalized in a 1-1 draw.

The teams met three times in 2018, starting on June 16 in Orlando, when a Sydney Leroux brace led the Pride to a 3-2 win. They met again in Orlando on Aug. 5, with the Pride giving up a 1-0 lead after Marta’s opening goal. But Dani Weatherholt equalized in a 2-2 draw. The final meeting in 2018 came on Sept. 8 in New Jersey — the final game of the season. There was only one goal in this one as Lloyd won it for Sky Blue FC.

The 2017 season saw the Pride and Sky Blue meet three times. The first was May 27 in New Jersey, where the Pride lost 2-1. They met again in New Jersey on June 28 and the Pride won, 3-2. The final meeting was on Aug. 12 in Orlando and the Pride won by its largest margin in team history to that point, beating Sky Blue, 5-0.

The 2016 season was the first time the two teams met, with the inaugural game coming on Sept. 7 in New Jersey. Alex Morgan and Sam Kerr swapped goals in a 1-1 draw. They met again three days later in Orlando, with Sky Blue winning, 2-1.

Overview

The Pride played well in the first half of the season but have struggled since the summer break ended. They played to back-to-back-to-back draws against the Utah Royals, Racing Louisville, and the Kansas City Current. While they came away with a good result in Kansas City, the first two games at home were disappointments.

It got worse on Aug. 21 when the Pride struggled to score in the first half and spent the entire second half on their heels. Ally Watt’s shot off the post in the 55th minute was their only attempt as they were outshot 19-1 in the second 45 minutes. They nearly held on for an improbable draw, but Alyssa Thompson’s shot in the 86th minute went off the head of Haley McCutcheon, beating Anna Moorhouse to give the hosts the 1-0 win.

The problem for the Pride this season remains in the attack. They haven’t scored more than a single goal in seven straight games, dating back to the team’s 3-1 win over the Royals on May 23. It was made worse when Barbra Banda left the game in Kansas City in the 14th minute with an injury.

However, there is some good news. The Pride paid a world-record transfer fee for Mexican international Lizbeth Ovalle from Tigres UANL. The star midfielder is expected to bring some much-needed attacking prowess to the team, something that’s been missing since the Pride shipped Adriana to Saudi Arabia during the off-season. Ovalle’s debut, however, might not be in this game.

Meanwhile, the back line continues to do its job and keep the Pride in games week after week. They’ve only conceded multiple goals twice this season and have yet to concede more than twice in a game. They won one of those games — a 3-2 win over Angel City at home on April 25 — and only lost by multiple goals once — a 2-0 loss to Racing Louisville on June 20.

Gotham is having a bit of a down year after finishing third in 2024. The 2023 champions currently sit on 21 points, eighth in the NWSL standings, tied with the North Carolina Courage and four behind Racing Louisville in a battle for the final playoff spots. Tonight’s visitors have a positive goal difference, scoring 20 goals and conceding just 16.

Spanish international Esther Gonzalez is the main attacking threat with 11 goals on the season. The only other player with multiple goals for Gotham is Geyse, who only has two goals this year. Sarah Schupansky and Gabi Portilho are the only players with multiple assists, recording five and three respectively. Schupansky is tied for the league lead in that category.

Gotham is coming off a scoreless draw Saturday night at home against the Royals. The draw extended the team’s winless run to four games and, like the Pride, the club still has yet to win since the summer break.

“It’s two competitive teams that are looking to rekindle their form,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “I think, starting with us, we want to put on a show for our fans. It’s been a while since we’ve played in front of them. Been a while since we got three points, and we’re looking to change that this Friday against Gotham.”

The only player missing for the Pride is striker Banda (hip), who’s out for the season after suffering an injury against the Current. Gotham FC is also relatively healthy, only missing Tierna Davidson (knee) and Stevens (knee).

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Kerry Abello, Kylie Nadaner, Rafaelle, Emily Sams.

Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Angelina.

Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Marta, Prisca Chilufya.

Forward: Ally Watt.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Simone Charley, Simone Jackson, Julie Doyle, Viviana Villacorta, Cori Dyke, Carson Pickett, Oihane, Summer Yates.

NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger.

Defenders: Bruninha, Josefine Hasbo, Lilly Reale, Jess Carter.

Midfielders: Jaelin Howell, Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett.

Forwards: Gabi Portilho, Esther Gonzalez, Geyse.

Bench: Shelby Hogan, Taryn Torres, Sarah Schupansky, Nealy Martin, Kayla Duran, Sofia Cook, Mandy Freeman, Midge Purce, Katie Stengel.

Referees

REF: Matthew Corrigan.
AR1: Ben Rigel.
AR2: Melissa Gonzalez.
4TH: JJ Bilinski.
VAR: Shawn Tehini.
AVAR: Tony Obas.

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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.

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Enjoy the match. Go Pride!