Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. CF Pachuca, Concacaf W Champions Cup: Final Score 1-1 as Draw Knocks Pride Out of Competition
The Pride’s lack of finishing bit them as a draw wasn’t enough to see Orlando into the Champions Cup knockout rounds.
The Orlando Pride (2-1-1, 7 points) drew 1-1 with CF Pachuca (2-1-1, 7 points) in their final game of the 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup tonight at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. Marta gave the Pride the lead in the first half, but a second-half goal by Chinwendu Ihezuo saw the game end even.
The two teams came into tonight’s game even on points for the final advancing spot in Group A. However, Pachuca had a better goal difference, so the Pride needed a win to continue their campaign.
With the Pride still fighting for a home playoff game, Head Coach Seb Hines made several changes to the lineup to provide rest before Saturday’s match at Washington. Cosette Morche started in goal behind a back line of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Emily Sams, and Julie Doyle. Summer Yates, Marta, Viviana Villacorta, and Luana were the midfielders with Simone Jackson and Simone Charley up top.
Nothing less than three points was enough for the Pride, so the team came out attacking. They created several opportunities throughout the game, missing inches wide multiple times and hitting the crossbar in the second half. The inability to finish proved costly as the visitors converted in the second half to get the point they needed to move into the semifinals.
The Pride got the first chance of the game in the second minute when Jackson was sent down the left. The attacker’s cross was intercepted by Ohale Osinachi, but Yates took it right off her foot. The midfielder shot toward the far post from a tight angle, but it skipped just wide.
Yates made a run to the top of the Pachuca box in the sixth minute, finding Marta with space near the penalty spot. The Pride captain settled the ball and aimed for the near post, but her shot went just wide of the diving Pachuca goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras and the post.
Pachuca created its first opportunity in the 10th minute when Charlyn Corral sent Ihezua behind the back line. Morche came out in an attempt to beat the attacker to the ball, but Ihezua got there first, but her shot bounced wide of the target.
In the 17th minute, Kenti Robles made a run on the left and Corral played her into the Pride box. Myra Delgadillo was trailing and Robles played it back. Delgadillo’s shot went wide of the far post.
The Pride felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 20th minute when Jackson was sent into the Pachuca box. She dribbled through Robles before going down after contact with Delgadillo. Jackson’s teammates appealed for a penalty, but referee Carly Shaw-MacLaren disagreed.
Pachuca had a breakaway in the 22nd minute when Nina Nicosia sent Ihezuo behind the Pride back line. Morche came off her line and had to get the challenge right to avoid a red card, but the goalkeeper did well and cleared the ball away.
The Pride finally found their goal in the 25th minute and it was all from one person. Dribbling inside, Marta drew a foul from Minota about 25 yards from the goal. The Pride captain took the set piece and went for the near post, placing the ball past Barreras in the upper right corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
“I saw the goalkeeper was a little bit far away from the angle where I wanted to put the ball. And then I just concentrated with it and then I told myself, I’m gonna go for the goal,” Marta said. “I didn’t even realize the ball went in, but it was a good hit. I’m happy with that.”
“It’s a great free kick, top corner, no keeper is saving that. And she executes well,” Hines added. “So, yeah, we’re just happy to have her back, fit, and available for us. It adds another piece to the quality that we already have. And it was a very iconic Marta moment for her and for the team. And we’d like to see more of that.”
Pachuca almost responded right away when Delgadillo got in behind the Pride back line. The forward slipped the ball behind Morche but it rolled just wide of the left post.
The visitors had another opportunity in the 34th minute when Yates took Delgadillo down about 30 yards out. The set piece was played short to Robles, who sent a dangerous cross into the box. Delgadillo got across the front of Sams, but headed the ball right to Morche.
The Pride again thought a penalty was warranted in the 42nd minute, when Jackson was sent down the left. As she entered the box, Osinachi put her whole body into Jackson’s back, causing her to go down. The Pride players again appealed for a penalty but to no avail.
Yates nearly converted with 40 seconds remaining in first-half stoppage time. The attacker dribbled across the top of the box before sending a shot toward the near post that skipped just wide.
After 45 minutes, Pachuca had more possession (53.2%-46.8%), shots (9-6), and crosses (8-2). While neither team had a corner kick and each put one shot on target, the Pride had better passing accuracy (82.6%-81.5%) and scored the first half’s lone goal.
The Pride made three halftime changes. Carson Pickett, Angelina, and Haley McCutcheon came into the game for Rafaelle, Villacorta, and Luana.
The first chance of the second half came in the 51st minute after Marta’s shot was blocked out of play by Osinachi. The ensuing set piece was poorly cleared by Andrea Pereira, landing at Angelina’s feet. The halftime substitute took a shot from just outside the box that sailed over the target.
The visitors pulled even in the 54th minute through some misfortune for the Pride. Delgadillo lost Jackson and sent a ball into the box that Robles flicked on for Ihezuo. It hit Dyke but fell right back to the forward’s feet. Her shot deflected off Sams and went in to even the game.
Needing a goal to advance, Hines replaced Charley with Jacquie Ovalle in the 61st minute.
Sams tried to take the ball away from Ayo Oke in the 65th minute, but conceded a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was headed by Sams and Pereira, landing at Robles’ feet. After settling the ball, she took a shot that Yates deflected over the target by Yates. The second corner kick from the opposite side found Pereira, running toward goal. However, she sent her header over the crossbar.
Hines made his final substitution in the 69th minute, replacing Jackson with Elyse Bennett.
Corral made a run to the end line in the 71st minute before Dyke blocked her cross out of play. The ensuing set piece went short to Oke, whose shot from outside the box was straight to Morche.
The Pride had an opportunity to retake the lead in the 79th minute when Marta found Yates at the top of the box. Yates did well to spin around Osinachi to find space for a shot but sent it wide for a third time.
Angelina found Yates making a run into the Pachuca box in the 85th minute. With Robles on her back, Yates was in on goal, with Ovalle open to her right. Yates shot, but left it too close to Barreras, who blocked the attempt with her right foot.
Doyle lifted the ball into the Pachuca box from near midfield in the 88th minute. Marta outjumped the defenders to get her head to it, sending it right to Barreras.
A Pachuca goal kick as the game entered stoppage time nearly resulted in a goal when Pereira played Corral behind the Pride back line. The attacker got in behind, but her shot was right at Morche.
The Pride nearly found their winner in the second minute of stoppage time. Ovalle received a pass in the box and laid it off for McCutcheon. The defensive midfielder shot from the top of the box but it hit the crossbar.
The visitors had one last chance at goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Oke’s shot deflected out for a goal kick. That was the last opportunity for either team as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Pachuca ended the game with more possession (50.8%-49.2%), shots (18-16), crosses (17-10), and corner kicks (4-3). The Pride put more shots on target (5-4) and had better passing accuracy (78.9%-80.8%). Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to score a second goal and claim all three points.
“Obviously, disappointed that we didn’t come away with a win tonight. I thought we did enough, created enough chances,” Hines said. “Obviously, they had a few opportunities in the first half, and I think we took away those moments in the second half. And we’re obviously disappointed with the goal that they scored, but it’s a good reminder for us. When it’s games like this, where it’s a must-win situation, it should lead as well going into playoff football as well. And, of course, we’re disappointed to be out of this competition, because it was something that we set out to do was qualify at the start of the year, and it wasn’t meant to be.”
“You have the opportunity, you need to kill the game,” Marta added. “I think they had a good first half against us. They created a lot of chances. They should’ve scored two or three goals. They don’t. And in the second half, unfortunately, we didn’t clear the ball 100% and then they scored. And then after that, we had chances, had a lot of chances to score our second or third goal but it didn’t happen. So it’s details, and we need to be better with it.”
The game saw an end to the Pride’s inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup campaign, much earlier than they wanted. Hines put more emphasis on the league than the continental tournament, as shown by his weakened lineups. That proved costly as the Pride struggled to convert against the Mexican sides.
The match was Marta’s 150th appearance in all competitions as a member of the Pride. She becomes the first player in club history to reach the milestone, though she says she hopes she isn’t.
“Of course, I’m happy. I want to achieve more and more for this club,” she said. “And I hope the young players see this as something positive and look to break my record. Come to my age and keep playing at a high level, and keep feeling hungry for the game. Like the same passion, the same feeling as I was like when I was 17, 18. So I just want them to see me as an example that they can follow.”
With the Champions Cup behind them, the Pride turn their attention back to the league. They currently sit in third, which would see them host a first-round playoff game. There are only two games left.
That quest continues Saturday afternoon when the Pride take on the second-place Washington Spirit at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Then they return home for the regular-season finale on Nov. 2.