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.
Orlando Pride
Zoe Matthews, Gabi Nunes Look to Give Orlando Pride Attack Much-Needed Boost
The Orlando Pride have added Zoe Matthews and Gabi Nunes as they look to strengthen their roster for the season’s final stretch.
The Orlando Pride have reached a point in the 2026 NWSL season in which reinforcements aren’t simply welcome — they could be necessary.
After winning the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024 and following that with another playoff semifinal appearance in 2025, the Pride entered this season with high expectations. But the season hasn’t followed the same script. They fell to a 7-10-2 record after a 3-1 home loss to Racing Louisville FC Friday night, leaving Seb Hines’ team with 23 points and plenty of work to do during the final stretch of the regular season.
That’s why the team signed two new additions.
The Pride signed 19-year-old midfielder Zoe Matthews on July 16 and Brazilian international forward Gabi Nunes on Aug. 4. The pair have very different backgrounds and bring different qualities to the Pride. But that could be precisely why the moves make sense.
Matthews provides youth, size, and versatility. Nunes provides experience, attacking versatility, and a proven history of scoring goals.
Neither player should be expected to single-handedly rescue the season. But if both can give the Pride something they’ve been missing, they could make a meaningful difference down the stretch.
Matthews Gives Orlando Youth, Different Look
Matthews’ signing isn’t necessarily about finding an immediate star. Instead, the Pride are adding a player who could give Hines another option while potentially developing into a more important contributor.
The 19-year-old has already taken an unusual path for someone her age. She began her professional career with the Houston Dash at just 17 before gaining experience in Spain and Portugal. The Pride signed her through the end of the 2026 season in July, with general manager Caitlin Carducci describing her as a player with tremendous potential.
Her physical profile immediately makes her intriguing. At 6-foot-2, Matthews provides a size and presence that isn’t easy to find in midfield and a target in the attack with size — something the Pride have lacked. Her experience also isn’t limited to one position, giving Hines some flexibility in determining where she can best help the team.
That’s particularly useful for a roster that has had to deal with absences throughout the season.
Matthews doesn’t have to walk into the team and immediately become a starter. If she can provide reliable minutes, compete for a place in the rotation, and give Hines another player capable of handling different responsibilities, she’s already providing something the team needs.
And there’s potentially more to come.
At only 19, Matthews has plenty of room to develop. The Pride may be getting a depth piece for the remainder of this season, but they could also be getting a player who becomes considerably more important in the future.
Nunes Could Provide Another Attacking Threat
While Matthews may contribute more in the future than this season, Nunes could make more of an immediate impact.
The 29-year-old Brazilian forward has spent much of her career playing at a high level in Brazil, Spain, and England, and she’s represented Brazil on the international stage. She’s played for Corinthians, Madrid CFF, Levante, and Aston Villa, while appearing for Brazil at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
That experience matters.
Nunes isn’t arriving in Orlando as an unknown prospect trying to figure out professional soccer. She’s played in major competitions, faced high-level defenders, and scored plenty of goals throughout her career.
The Pride specifically pointed to her versatility and proven ability to score when announcing the signing. That could be important for an Orlando attack that has struggled to find consistency this season.
The answer isn’t necessarily for Nunes to replace one of the Pride’s existing stars. In fact, her biggest contribution could come from making those players more dangerous.
If Nunes can establish herself as a legitimate threat in the final third, opposing defenses have another player they need to account for. That could create additional space for the Pride’s creative players and make the team less dependent on one or two individuals to manufacture chances.
That’s particularly relevant when Marta or Barbra Banda aren’t available.
The Pride experienced that problem against Louisville with Banda away on international duty and Marta unavailable because of concussion protocol. The Pride ultimately managed only one goal in the defeat.
Nunes can’t solve every problem caused by missing players. But she gives Hines another option when the usual formula isn’t available.
And, unlike Matthews, Nunes doesn’t have years to figure everything out. She’s here to help now.
Nunes can’t solve every problem caused by missing players, and Matthews isn’t going to become an overnight star. But the Pride don’t need either player to be a miracle solution. Orlando needs them to give Hines more options.
Matthews can provide versatility and upside. Nunes can provide experience and another attacking threat. If both can settle in quickly, their contributions could give the Pride more ways to win.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Continue Slide Toward NWSL Basement
The Pride lose another lopsided game and are only spared another shutout defeat by Kerry Abello’s late goal.
Unfortunately, if you’re at the bottom of the NWSL table, the remedy is to play the Orlando Pride. The Pride (7-10-2, 23 points) had never lost to Racing Louisville FC (5-11-2, 17 points) at Inter.co Stadium entering tonight, but that streak ended emphatically with a 3-1 home loss.
Audrey McKeen got her first NWSL goal in the 16th minute and Emma Sears added two more to the tally at the 68th and 86th minutes. It could have been worse with a comically bad goal that was overturned after video review. Kerry Abello chalked up a goal for the Pride in the fourth minute of added time in the second half to spoil the shutout.
Louisville has now won three of its last four games.
“Louisville is very aggressive – they like to put pressure on,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the game. “We didn’t execute the best we could have – we were close in moments but close isn’t good enough.”
The Pride made four changes to the lineup amid a hefty number of players out on the availability report and were not even able to field a full bench of nine substitutes, dressing two backup goalkeepers. Anna Moorhouse started in goal with Hailie Mace, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke, and Zara Chavoski on the back line. Angelina (with the captain’s armband) and Ally Lemos played central midfield in front of them with Simone Jackson, Jacquie Ovalle, and Nicole Payne attacking from the midfield. Julie Doyle started up top as the attack focal point.
Both teams generated an opportunity in the first 90 seconds, with Jackson almost connecting with Payne before Racing Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer snuffed it out. Sears then came down the other side and forced a save from Moorhouse. The ensuing corner generated a bit of chaos in the box before it was cleared, but it was a sign of things to come.
Both teams continued to trade possession without any real dangerous moments. Doyle had a shot blocked in the seventh minute and Louisville had a shot saved in the 11th.
Racing Louisville then managed to hold the attack in Orlando’s defensive end for a while. On the third corner of the set at the 16-minute mark, Katie O’Kane sent a great ball into the center of the six-yard box. McKeen broke loose and got a head on the cross to opening the scoring. Louisville had played most of its previous corners short and caught the Pride a bit off with a normal cross.
Orlando could not generate much of a response in the following minutes. Jackson broke loose down the left side but her cross was not threatening. Meanwhile, Sears hit the crossbar at the 26-minute mark on a ball that seemed to surprise the whole defense.
Orlando was able to generate a corner off an Angelina shot from 25 yards out, but nothing came of it. On the next possession, Doyle got on the end of a Payne through ball but could not create danger from it.
At the hydration break, there were plenty of areas for Hines to correct as not a lot had gone right. Jackson was able to get by her mark multiple times but there wasn’t a lot else.
In the 35th minute, Doyle worked herself free at the top corner of the box and sent a searching cross to the back post. Jackson ran it down but hit the crossbar with a lot of net to shoot at, wasting one of the team’s best chances of the night. The Pride kept up the pressure and finally generated something. Orlando should have scored in the 38th minute, with a great ball sending Doyle into the area, but her shot was a weak one and easily saved, when any pace on the ball at all would have put the Pride on the board.
The Pride thought they’d gotten a break as Mirann Gacioch slid into Doyle as she got her shot off, and referee Muhammad Hassan awarded a penalty. However, as Lemos held the ball at the penalty spot, the video assistant referee sent Hassan to the monitor and he reversed his call.
Nothing much occurred after the incident, although O’Kane picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul for pulling Ovalle back in the first minute of stoppage time. Neither team created any threats in the added time and the half ended without further excitement.
The Pride led in possession (54%-46%), while Racing Louisville held the advantage in shots (9-7), shots on target (4-1), and passing accuracy (83%-82%). The teams each won four corners in the opening period.
The second half started even worse, with the Pride hemmed into their defensive end for the first seven minutes. The crossbar continued to get hammered as Lauren Milliet put one off it from the top of the box. After that, Orlando finally got out of its end and Jackson’s shot was deflected by Gacioch near the right post and had to be parried away by Bloomer.
The Pride used their first substitution window to replace Jackson and Payne with Summer Yates and Solai Washington at the 55-minute mark.Jackson had done well to get into some good areas but there was no final product from the young forward.
Racing Louisville responded with its own subs in the 62nd minute as Ella Hase replaced Quincy McMahon and Maja Lardner replaced Kayla Fischer. The game had settled into a sloppy back-and-forth without either team generating any danger.
Doyle then sat down in the 65th minute after a tangle and was replaced by Abello. Coming out of the restart, Louisville again picked up the pressure and, off a Mace turnover, Sears dribbled down the right side, easily stepped inside of Rafaelle, and blasted a shot from a tight angle past Moorhouse and into the inside netting at the back post for the game’s second goal in the 68th minute.
Three minutes later, Racing Louisville made changes by putting Rachel Hill and Sarah Weber in for Makenna Morris and McKeen. The Pride used their final substitutes to pull Mace and Angelina for Zoe Matthews and Luana.
In the 78th minute, Washington was unable to get on the end of a dangerous Yates cross. Louisville immediately responded, as Sears beat Abello down the left and the dribble somehow went right through Moorhouse’s legs, allowing Sears to tap it in. However, Sears was deemed offside on the pass that turned her loose after video review, sparing Orlando its most embarrassing goal of the evening.
The Pride picked up their energy level after that and were able to generate some danger. Bloomer saved Ovalle’s shot at the 84-minute mark, and Matthews put a header off the crossbar right afterwards.
Unfortunately, on Louisville’s response, Sears broke loose down the right, easily blew past the much slower Rafaelle, and put another goal past an ineffective Moorhouse in the 86th minute.
With 10 minutes added to the end of the game, the Pride showed some life, though it was too late to change the outcome. After a couple of aborted attacks, Abello took a long dribble off a blocked cross and smashed a goal into the corner in the fourth added minute. That kept Louisville from getting its first clean sheet of the season.
Orlando kept up the pressure and Yates should have added a second goal for the Pride off a saved shot from Washington in the eighth added minute, but it skipped just inches wide of the right post. Racing Louisville put in one more substitute by pulling O’Kane for Avery Ciorbu. The Pride weren’t able to generate anything in the last 90 seconds and the game ended without any further attacks.
The Pride finished the game with the lead in possession (52%-48%), with Racing Louisville ahead in shots (20-18), shots on target (7-6), passing accuracy (78%-77%), and corners (9-8).
“I’m really proud of our fight in the last 20 minutes, but we have to do that from the first,” Abello said. “We played into their hands and let Louisville play their game. They’re good at set pieces – they’re all six feet tall.”
The Pride travel the next two weekends to Portland and Washington, D.C., before returning home on Aug. 29 against Utah. All three teams are above the Pride in the NWSL table.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride return home looking to get back in the win column against Racing Louisville.
Welcome to your match preview and live thread as the Orlando Pride (7-9-2, 23 points) face Racing Louisville FC (4-11-2, 14 points) at home (7 p.m., NWSL+). This is the second and final time these two teams will meet during the 2026 NWSL regular season.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
This is the fifth season of existence for Racing Louisville, and the Pride have played the Kentucky-based side 14 times in that span, with Orlando going 3-5-4 in NWSL games and 3-5-6 in all competitions (0-0-1 in both the NWSL Challenge Cup and the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup). The Pride are undefeated at home against Louisville with a 3-0-3 record in league play and a 3-0-4 record in all competitions.
The most recent meeting between the two teams occurred on April 24 in Louisville. Lauren Milliet gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute before Barbra Banda equalized just before halftime. The hosts separated themselves early in the second half with goals by Sarah Weber and a second by Milliet, both within five minutes of the restart. Banda scored a second in the dying minutes, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride fell 3-2.
The first meeting in 2025 took place June 20 in Louisville. Arin Wright gave the hosts the lead at the half-hour mark and former Pride midfielder Taylor Flint doubled the advantage in the second half as the Pride fell 2-0 to end the first half of the season. On Aug. 9, 2025, in Orlando, Marisa DiGrande scored against her old team just before halftime to give Louisville the halftime lead. It looked like the visitors would claim all three points until an Ary Borges own goal in second-half stoppage time resulted in a 1-1 draw.
The teams first met in 2024 on March 16 in Louisville. The season opener for both teams looked like it would be a long day for Orlando, as Elexa Bahr and Uchenna Kanu gave the hosts a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. The Pride got on the board with an own goal by Elli Pikkujämsä, but the task was made more difficult when Kylie Strom received her second yellow card in the second half. However, Amanda Allen and Summer Yates combined on a late goal by Yates, as the Pride pulled out an unlikely 2-2 draw.
On May 5, 2024, in Orlando, an Emily Sams cross in the 17th minute found Banda’s head at the back post, and she nodded home the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Pride win. On Aug. 1, 2024, in the Summer Cup, Evelina Duljan scored her lone Pride goal to give the Pride the lead. However, Reilyn Turner equalized, sending the game into penalties. The Pride took the early shootout lead when Jaelin Howell missed, but saves by Jordyn Bloomer on Morgan Gautrat and Ally Watt saw Louisville take the extra point.
The first meeting of 2023 was held on May 6 at Exploria Stadium. Messiah Bright gave the Pride an early lead, and the hosts held on for 69 minutes for the 1-0 win. The second meeting that season took place on Oct. 6 in Louisville. The Pride got off to a great start with goals by Marta from the spot early and an excellent individual effort by Kerry Abello to make it 2-0. However, Bright took Savannah DeMelo down in the box just before halftime and Nadia Nadim converted the penalty. A five-minute swing with a goal by Kristen Davis and an own goal by Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse resulted in the Pride losing the critical game 3-2.
The first meeting between the two teams in 2022 took place Sept. 16 in Louisville. Racing struck first when Nadim was left open in front of goal for a tap-in. The hosts doubled their lead on a great strike by DeMelo from outside the box, and the Pride fell 2-0.
Back in 2022, the first meeting was in a unique setting, taking place at Daytona International Speedway on July 3. The game was a part of the 2022 Daytona SoccerFest and was the first time a professional soccer game was played at a racetrack. Emina Ekic gave Louisville a halftime lead and DeMelo doubled the lead shortly after the break. However, the Pride fought back with goals by Strom and Darian Jenkins, pulling out a 2-2 draw.
The first year the two teams met was in 2021 during the NWSL Challenge Cup in Louisville. CeCe Kizer gave the hosts the lead early, but Taylor Kornieck equalized just before halftime. It looked like the Pride would win when Abi Kim scored late, but Brooke Hendrix equalized in second-half injury time and the teams drew 2-2.
The teams played three times in the 2021 regular season, with the first meeting coming on July 9 in Orlando. Ebony Salmon gave Louisville the lead, but Sydney Leroux scored to force a 1-1 draw with a goal in second-half injury time. The second meeting was held Sept. 11 in Orlando. The Pride took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals by Leroux and Marta. Kizer got one back, but Alex Morgan’s conversion sealed three points for the Pride.
The final meeting of 2021 came in the penultimate game of the year for both teams. The Pride needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and they got off to a good start when Jodie Taylor scored in the third minute. However, the game slipped away as Salmon and Katie McClure scored on either side of halftime and Yuki Nagasato made the final 3-1.
Overview
The Pride have struggled since the FIFA World Cup break. They’ve lost four of the last six games and have failed to score in each of those losses. The two wins were a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Current and a slim 1-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC.
The most recent game against the North Carolina Courage saw the Pride lose 5-0, their worst loss since Seb Hines’ first game as interim head coach on June 19, 2022. It was arguably the worst performance of the season, with multiple goals coming from defensive mistakes and the attack unable to create any clear-cut chances.
The play of the back line was the most surprising thing about the loss in North Carolina. While the team has struggled to score goals, the defense has been excellent in recent games. Two of the four losses have been 1-0 and the two wins were clean sheets.
The attacking problems are largely due to the absence of Banda and the lack of a secondary scorer on the team or an identity of how to play without her. The star striker leads the league with 12 goals this year, but she saw few minutes as she worked her way back to full fitness. Just before she was able to play significant minutes, she departed to represent Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The impact of the 5-0 loss in North Carolina is on display in the NWSL standings. The Pride are tied on points with Angel City FC and Seattle Reign FC for the eighth and final playoff position. But their -4 goal difference is three behind Seattle and 11 behind Angel City. The poor goal difference is something that could haunt the team as the Pride look to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
The Pride desperately need wins and they should be able to claim three points against tonight’s opponent. Racing Louisville sits in 15th in the 16-team league. Tonight’s visitors have just 14 points from 17 games and a -13 goal difference. Their 21 goals are fifth-most in the league and their 34 goals conceded are the most in the league.
Similar to the Pride, Louisville has had a tough restart to the season. The Kentucky-based side suffered three crushing losses, including a 4-0 loss to the Portland Thorns, a 2-0 loss to Bay FC, and a 5-1 loss to the Current. However, while the Pride are looking to rebound from a devastating performance, Louisville is coming off a 2-1 win over Chicago.
Louisville is led in the attack by Kayla Fischer with four goals, followed by Weber and Flint with three goals each. Emma Sears, Katie O’Kane, Milliet, and Maja Lardner are the other players with multiple goals this year, recording two each. Sears, Fischer, and O’Kane also lead the team in assists with four, three, and two, respectively.
The assumption was that Louisville would improve on its defensive performance last season, which was good enough to claim seventh in the league. But, despite reutrning regular starters like Ellie Jean, Arin Wright, and Bloomer, Racing has been worse this season.
“They’re very direct. They use their goalkeeper. She’s part of their buildup play,” Hines said ahead of tonight’s game. “They’ve got some aerial threats and they’re going to make it a physical game. We always talk about how there’s no excuses, no matter how tall you are or how short you are. It’s the fight in the beast and stuff. And so we have to stand up to that challenge. We’ve got to make sure we’re challenging the first, winning the second, getting the ball down, play through their press, and create opportunities to score.”
The Pride are missing several players tonight, including Hannah Anderson (lower leg), Marta (head), Haley McCutcheon (suspension), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Oihane (lower leg), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Banda (international duty). Louisville will be without DeMelo (illness), DiGrande (maternity leave), Taylor Flint (thigh), Macey Hodge (arm), Natalia Mitchell (knee), and Taylor White (knee).
Projected Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kerry Abello, Rafaelle, Zara Chavoshi, Cori Dyke.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Angelina.
Attacking Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Luana, Solai Washington.
Forward: Julie Doyle.
Racing Louisville FC (3-4-3)
Goalkeeper: Jordyn Bloomer.
Defenders: Mirann Gacioch, Arin Wright, Ellie Jean.
Midfielders: Quincy McMahon, Katie O’Kane, Makenna Morris, Kayla Fischer.
Forwards: Emma Sears, Lauren Milliet, Sarah Weber.
Referees
REF: Muhammad Hassan.
AR1: Christian Clerc.
AR2: Adam Cook.
4TH: Benjamin Meyer.
VAR: Jaclyn Metz.
AVAR: Melissa Gonzalez.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Stream: NWSL+.
Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @themaneland.bsky.social and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.
Enjoy the game. Go Pride!
Zoe Matthews, Gabi Nunes Look to Give Orlando Pride Attack Much-Needed Boost
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