Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Final Score 1-1 as Pride Score Late To Claim a Point
The Pride matched Houston’s second-half goal with a late one of their own to claim a road point.
The Orlando Pride (9-8-6, 33 points) ended their road trip with a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dash (7-10-6, 27 points) at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, TX tonight. Malia Berkely gave the hosts the lead with half an hour to go, but Simone Charley scored late to claim a valuable point for the Pride.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes to the team that beat San Diego Wave FC 2-1 away from home a week ago tonight. Rafaelle and Carson Pickett came into the lineup for Zara Chavoshi and Julie Doyle.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Rafaelle, Emily Sams, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were the defensive midfielders behind Pickett, Ally Lemos, and Jacquie Ovalle with Ally Watt up top.
The Pride really had no business being in this game. Houston desperately needed three points, and the Pride were a tired team that had been on the road for over a week. It showed as the hosts dominated the first 45 minutes and were unlucky not to be ahead. Charley’s inclusion in the second half was a difference maker, as she was the team’s biggest threat and ultimately scored the goal.
The Dash created the first attack of the game and earned a pair of corner kicks in the third minute, but it was the Pride that took the first shot. Angelina sent the ball down the left in the fourth minute for Watt, making a run behind the Dash’s back line. Berkely and Paige Nielsen caught up to apply pressure, but Watt spun to get a shot off, sending the ball directly to Houston goalkeeper Abby Smith.
The hosts created their first shot in the 12th minute when Berkely sent a cross into the box for Messiah Bright. Oihane headed it out, but only to Kiki van Zanten just outside the 18. The midfielder tried to lift her long-distance shot over Moorhouse, who tipped it wide of the post.
Two minutes later, Yazmeen Ryan got in the box, twisting and turning to create space from Sams. That allowed Rafaelle to get back into position and block the shot. The ball went to Bright making a trailing run and the former Pride striker sent her attempt wide.
The Pride turned over the ensuing goal kick, allowing the Dash to create another opportunity. Ryan was sent towards the end line on the right and Abello got back to knock it out of play. The corner kick ended up with van Zanten near the top of the box and the Jamaican international attempted a volley. However, she couldn’t get much on it, allowing the Pride to clear.
Michelle Alozie played a wonderful ball for Bright in the 17th minute, sending the forward behind the Pride back line. Moorhouse came off her line to block the shot, but the flag went up for offside. In the 28th minute, van Zanten found Bright on the right side of the box. It looked like the striker might get a shot at goal, but Abello knocked it off her foot for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was over everyone but Ryan on the far side of the field. The playmaker sent a low cross that found Avery Patterson’s head, but Oihane blocked it out for another corner kick.
The Pride struggled to clear the ball, allowing Berkely to get off a shot that was blocked by Rafaelle. After Patterson’s ball in was blocked, Delanie Sheehan laid it off for Berkely, who sent her shot off target.
Despite Houston dominating the first half hour, the Pride nearly took the lead in the 35th minute when Lemos sent Watt behind the back line. The forward had enough space for a shot and put it on target, but Smith blocked it wide. The flag went up anyway, indicating Watt was offside.
Pickett lifted the ball over the Dash defense as the game entered the 37th minute, again sending Watt behind the back line. As Smith came out to cut down the angle, Watt sent her shot over the crossbar. The flag went up for offside again, though replays appeared to show that Watt was onside. It was irrelevant since her shot was off target.
Angelina played the ball forward for Watt — who was kept onside by Nielsen — in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, and the forward used her speed to outrun Berkely. The striker got into the Houston box and took a shot, but it was from a tight angle and right at Smith, who made the easy save.
After 45 minutes of action, Houston had more possession (52%-48%), shots (8-2), crosses (18-4), and corner kicks (6-0). However, despite taking 80% of the first-half shots, Houston could only match the Pride’s two shots on frame.
“Just raising the intensity a little bit,” Hines said about his halftime message. “Doing everything a little bit quicker, both in possession and out of possession. But we’re doing all right so far. We just could raise our level. Hopefully get that first goal and it should settle us going into the rest of the game.”
The Pride had a flurry of opportunities in the 52nd minute when McCutcheon sent the ball into the box for Pickett. Nielsen blocked the midfielder’s shot, which fell for Ovalle, who put her shot on target but Smith blocked it away at the near post. The ball went to Ovalle again and she turned Berkely to cross. Smith collided with Patterson as she punched the ball away and McCutcheon was there to head it back in. This time Smith caught the ball as the flag went up for offside.
Sams sent Watt long in the 54th minute and the forward used her speed to reach the ball before Berkely. The striker entered the box and had enough space to shoot, but her attempt was wide of the far post. The Pride had another opportunity in the 59th minute when Lemos and van Zanten fought for the ball and the latter was called for a foul near the Houston box. Ovalle sent the ensuing set piece into the wall. It went right back to her and her second shot was into the wall again.
Alozie used her speed to dribble around Abello and reach the end line in the 61st minute. The left back took her out from behind, earning the game’s first booking.
Patterson took the set piece, sending the ball bouncing off a couple of players in the six-yard box. It fell for Berkely, who put it in to give the Dash the 1-0 lead.
Alozie made a run into the Pride half in the 65th minute before playing a ball to Ryan on the right. The attacker lifted the ball into the box, and it traveled through without taking a touch. Van Zanten picked up the ball with space on the far side. Her first touch was a shot that sailed over the crossbar.
Ryan made a run down the right in the 68th minute and sent in a cross that Sams cleared. Berkely collected the ball well outside the box and shot, but her attempt went just over the crossbar.
Hines used the stoppage in play to make his first two changes of the night, replacing Pickett and Oihane with Charley and Cori Dyke.
Charley looked to put her mark on the game, creating dangerous chances for the Pride with about 15 minutes left. She took a low shot that was well wide in the 75th minute. However, Watt was making a far post run, and she probably would’ve met the ball if she hadn’t pulled up after the shot. A minute later, Ovalle made a run down the left and sent a cross to the top of the six-yard box. Charley was there and tried to get her head on the ball, but it was just out of her reach.
Sams lifted the ball forward and across the field in the 79th minute where McCutcheon was making a run. The defensive midfielder went up with Danielle Colaprico, heading it back and towards the center of the box. Lemos ran onto the ball and took a first-touch shot, but it was right at Smith.
The Pride found their equalizer in the 85th minute, and it was the team’s most impactful player —Charley. Ovalle received the ball in the box with her back to goal. She laid it back for Lemos, who sent it left for McCutcheon. The midfielder sent the ball into the center of the box where Charley beat Berkely, heading it past Smith to even the game at 1-1. It was her first goal in three years as she’s dealt with a pair of longterm Achilles injuries.
“McCutcheon played a beautiful ball in, and I just threw my body across it and headed it.,” Charley said. “And when I saw it go in, I just fell out. And honestly, I just thought about the journey and how hard it’s been. And I’m just really grateful. It’s been a long time coming.”
“You can see her qualities in and around the box, getting across defenders,” Hines added. “And we do get a lot of crosses, so there’s a lot of opportunities for her to score more goals moving forward.”
Charley last scored a goal on Sept. 21, 2022, when she was a member of Angel City FC. This is the first season she’s been able to contribute since her last goal. The ability to play again is something not lost on the 30-year-old forward.
“It’s been so hard these past two and a half years. I think there’s so many times I wanted to quit,” an emotional Charley said after the game. “Honestly, there’s a lot of times I didn’t think I’d ever come back to play again, and I’m so grateful for the people in my corner, on the team, the medical staff, coaching staff, everyone. They’ve been with me every step of the way, and they’re the ones who kept me going and encouraging me when I didn’t think I’d be out here again, let alone scoring and doing what I love. And so, for me, that just kind of flashed in my head of just how grateful I am. I feel like this is the most joy and gratefulness I’ve had playing. And I just thank God for the strength that he’s given me, and the grace to just play, and to play is such a blessing. Playing is such a blessing. So, I’m just grateful.”
“It’s massive. I think, having experienced long-term injuries myself, waiting for that opportunity, just getting back into the field is a goal,” Hines said. “But actually contributing in the way that she did, she should be very proud of herself. As well as the medical team, as well, to put her in that position. She’s progressed really well from the start of this period right now, in the second half of the season. Credit to her and her determination.”
Houston needed three points much more than the Pride and looked to claim a late winner in the final minute of stoppage time. Anna Heilferty sent a high ball across for Ryan, who flicked it to the corner. Lisa Boattin was the first to reach it, knocking it off Dyke for a corner kick.
The Dash brought everyone up into the Pride box, including Smith. The set piece sailed into the six, where Moorhouse got a fist to it, knocking it away. A foul was called on Houston, and the referee blew the final whistle.
The Pride ended the game with more possession (51%-49%). While Houston had more shots (13-12), the Pride put more on target (6-3). The Dash had more crosses (29-9) and corner kicks (7-0), and both teams completed 80% of their passes.
“Hard fought draw. I think we’re disappointed that we didn’t come away with the three points,” Hines said. “Disappointed with the goal that we conceded. But showed a lot of grit, determination to get ourselves back into the game. Well taken goal from Simone as well. She’s been working hard to get that opportunity, so she took it well. And yeah, I think with the week that we’ve had, been on the road for 10 days, any points that you get away from home is a good point. So, overall, pleased with the performance. We move on. We look forward to the next week, being back home in front of our fans.”
“I think it was a hard-fought game,” Charley added. “We’ve had three games back to back, one internationally as well. And so I think for us, it was just about mentality and grit and digging deep. And I think you saw that with how we were able to fight back and get a tie. Obviously, we want three points, and that’s what we were heading for. But at the end of the day, I feel like we showed our grit, and I’m proud of us for that.”
The point moves the Pride up to fourth in the standings, even on points with the Seattle Reign and one point behind NJ/NY Gotham FC. However, this was the only Friday night game, so the rest of the league has a game in hand.
The Pride return home for the first time since Sept. 19 on Oct. 10 as they welcome the Portland Thorns to Inter&Co Stadium.