Orlando Pride vs. Club America, Concacaf W Champions Cup: Final Score 2-0 as Pride Lose Crucial Group Game

The Orlando Pride (2-1-0, 6 points) suffered their first loss in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, falling 2-0 to Club America (3-0-1, 10 points) at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico. The hosts took an early lead through Kiana Palacios and doubled the advantage late through Jana Gutierrez to win Group A.

This was the second game of a hectic three-game week for the Pride. They won 2-1 over San Diego Wave FC on Friday night and face the Houston Dash in Texas in three days.

Zara Chavoshi, Emily Sams, Oihane, and Julie Doyle were the only returning starters from the Pride’s win in San Diego. Viviana Villacorta, Carson Pickett, Summer Yates, and Simone Charley also started after coming off the bench Friday night.

The back line in front of goalkeeper McKinley Crone was Pickett, Chavoshi, Sams, and Oihane. Luana, Villacorta, and Grace Chanda were in the midfield behind a front line of Doyle, Charley, and Yates.

The Pride were second best all night long. They created little in the attack and too often found themselves ball watching as Club America put pressure on Crone. Even the second-half addition of Jacquie Ovalle couldn’t trouble goalkeeper Sandra Panos. The 2-0 result is deserved for a game in which the Pride were far from their best.

The first chance of the night came in the seventh minute and it was also the first goal. It started when Pickett couldn’t prevent a ball into the right corner that Nancy Antonio picked up. After briefly tripping over the ball, she found Bruna Vilamala, who cut inside, muscling past Chavoshi and fired on goal. Crone was there to block it away, but nobody in purple responded to clear it. That allowed Palacios to knock it in and give her team the early 1-0 lead.

Things got worse for the Pride in the 15th minute when Yates — who scored a hat trick against Chorrillo FC in the last Concacaf W Champions Cups game — was injured. As the midfielder dribbled across the field and passed to her right, her ankle on her planted foot rolled over and she went down in pain. Yates received some attention on the field for a few minutes and walked off under her own power. However, she couldn’t continue and was replaced by Simone Jackson in the 19th minute.

The Pride finally created their first shot of the game in the 23rd minute when Charley received a pass on the right and dribbled to the top of the box. The forward seemed to have enough space to turn and shoot on goal, but Kimberly Rodriguez got in front to block the attempt.

It looked like the Pride might have a good chance in the 27th minute when Chanda won the ball in the Club America third and made a good run into the box from the right. She tried to play the ball over to Doyle, but it was knocked away by Karina Rodriguez. The Pride kept possession and Pickett attempted to cross it towards the far post, but she got under the ball, sending it out of play.

Oihane sent a ball into the Club America box in the 28th minute, looking for Charley. It was too far in front of the forward, but Panos couldn’t control the ball, knocking it out for a corner kick. Jackson took the set piece, sending the ball into the box. It found Chanda’s head, but she didn’t seem to be ready for the ball, heading it straight down. While the attempt ended up being on target, it didn’t cause any trouble for Panos.

The Pride showed little attacking threat in the first half, but they had their best buildup in the 37th minute when Chanda made a run into the Club America third and found Jackson to her right. The attacker cut inside to lose a pair of defenders and created enough space for a shot. Unfortunately, the attempt was right at Panos.

Chavoshi blocked Karina Rodriguez’s cross in the 39th minute for a corner kick. Charley headed away the ensuing set piece, but Palacios took possession. After playing the ball through a pair of teammates, she received it just outside the box and fired, sending her attempt wide of the near post.

The final chance of the half came in the fourth minute of injury time when Sams’ bad pass out of the back was intercepted by Alexa Soto and sent forward to Antonio. The attacker immediately shot from distance, firing wide of the target.

After 45 minutes, Club America had more possession (61.4%-38.6%) and better passing accuracy (86.7%-80.2%). The Pride won more corner kicks (4-1) and attempted more crosses (9-7). Both teams took four shots and put two on target, but the hosts were the only ones to convert.

Hines made a pair of halftime changes as Rafaelle and Prisca Chilufya came on for Sams and Charley.

After struggling to get on the attack for most of the first half, the Pride broke forward in the 48th minute when Doyle sent Chilufya down the right. The speedy Zambian got around her defender and into the box before sending a cross central. However, it was right at Panos.

In the 54th minute, Chilufya carried the ball toward the end line and attempted to cross it for Jackson. Annia Mejia came sliding in from behind, getting enough of the ball to send it out of play for a corner kick.

Before the visitors could take the set piece, Hines made his fourth sub and used his second window, replacing Oihane with Angelina.

Rafaelle knocked down the corner kick and it bounced off a pair of defenders and back to her, giving the defender a chance to shoot. However, she sent the ball straight to Panos.

Antonio entered the Pride half of the field in the 57th minute and played a long, low ball to the far side for Palacios, who went down when Chanda seemingly fouled her in the box. But the Mexican popped up, turned Chanda, and forced Crone to tip the shot over the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick found Kimberly Rodriguez, who headed over the goal.

Palacios played the ball back for Irene Guerrero in the 60th minute and it looked like she’d cross it for Vilamala. Instead, she went for goal from long distance, sending her attempt well over the target.

Hines made his final change in the 61st minute and, with the team struggling offensively, brought Ovalle on for Luana.

Saldivar backheeled the ball to Soto in the 63rd minute. Rafaelle slid in, but Soto kept possession. Eventually she found Guerrero near the top of the box, but her shot was well over the goal. Saldivar was sent long into the Pride third of the field in the 67th minute and nearly got in behind, but Chanda caught up. She cut back and found Vilamala behind her, with the attacker sending the shot over the goal.

The hosts thought they’d doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Antonio found Gutierrez making a run into the six-yard box. The ball bounced off her thigh and in, but the flag went up for offside. Replays showed the attacker was a step off, keeping the Pride’s deficit at one.

Unfortunately, the good fortune didn’t last long. Guerrero made a run to the end line in the 75th minute, playing the ball to Gutierrez near the top of the six-yard box. The first-touch shot was blocked by Pickett, but it went right back to Gutierrez. The second shot was easier with nobody between her and the goal, and Club America took a commanding 2-0 lead.

The Pride thought they had one back in the 77th minute when Jackson played Chilufya behind the Club America back line in the box. The Zambian controlled the ball and put it in with her second touch, but the offside flag went up.

Ovalle had her first chance to make an impact in the 79th minute when Jackson laid the ball off for her. There wasn’t much space for a shot, but Ovalle found just enough, sending her shot wide of the near post. Angelina found Doyle at the top of the box in the 84th minute. The attacker wasn’t facing goal and instead tried to flick the ball towards it. Despite the awkward angle, Doyle did well to put it on target, but it was too close to Panos.

Saldivar dribbled to the end line in the 86th minute and found Alondra Cabanillas at the top of the six-yard box. Crone got her hand on the shot and could only watch as the ball rolled towards the goal line. However, it had a spin on it due to the deflection and ended up going just wide of the far post.

While probably too late to claim a result, the Pride had a chance to get something positive from the game in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Chilufya dribbled to the top of the Club America box and Jackson made a good diagonal run. However, Chilufya waited too long, and her pass was blocked. The ball went to Villacorta, who shot, but her attempt was off the Mejia’s head. There was a delay for a head injury, and she was helped off the field before the game could continue.

When Panos put the ball back in play, the referee blew the final whistle, bringing the game to an end.

Club America ended the night with the edge in possession (59%-41%), shots (13-10), crosses (15-14), and passing accuracy (85%-78%). The Pride had more corner kicks (6-4), and each team put five chances on target.

This result secures a Group A win for Club America, as no other team can reach their 10 points. Instead, the Pride must secure a result against CF Pachuca on Oct. 15 at Inter&Co Stadium to keep their 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup campaign alive.

What the Pride need in that game depends on Pachuca’s game Wednesday night against LD Alajuelense. The Pride are three points ahead of Pachuca and one goal better on goal difference. They’ve also scored two more goals than their next Mexican opponent if it reaches that tiebreaker.

The Pride have to shake this loss off quickly as they return to league action in just three days when they face the Houston Dash in Texas on Friday.