Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 0-0 as Pride Claim Point Against Defending Champions

The Orlando Pride (1-1-2, 5 points) took a point away from home against the defending NWSL champions tonight, playing to a scoreless draw with NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-1-2, 5 points) at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ. The draw concluded a successful two-game road trip in which Orlando captured four of a possible six points in a four-day span.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made one change to the team that beat Chicago Stars FC 3-0 Wednesday night. Rafaelle re-entered the starting lineup after coming on as a sub in Chicago. She replaced Hannah Anderson.

Anna Moorhouse started in goal behind a back line of Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, and Oihane. Angelina and Ally Lemos were the defensive midfielders behind Jacquie Ovalle, Haley McCutcheon, and Solai Washington with Barbra Banda up top.

Gotham controlled this game from start to finish, but was unable to create many chances. The hosts only attempted 10 shots and put two on target — fewer than the Pride — despite having far more possession. By late in the second half, the Pride were content to hang onto a point rather than going for all three, doing so by the skin of their teeth.

After a quiet first few minutes, the Pride’s first chance came in the seventh minute when McCutcheon played the ball to Angelina in the middle of the field. The defensive midfielder cut inside to lose Rose Lavelle before firing from distance. However, Ann-Katrin Berger made the easy stop.

A poor pass from Jaelin Howell to Jess Carter in the 16th minute gave the Pride their first corner kick of the game. Berger’s punch fell to Oihane at the top of the box, but the right back sent her weak shot well wide of the goal.

Gotham played the ensuing goal kick short before sending a long ball to Lavelle behind the Pride’s back line. The U.S. international was in on goal, but her touch was heavy, allowing Moorhouse to collect it.

Ovalle created a chance for herself in the 26th minute. Angelina received a pass in the box and immediately lost possession, but Ovalle won it right back. She cut inside to lose her defender and fired to the near post, but Berger had it covered.

On the other end, Lavelle tried to make something happen herself, eventually shooting from outside the box, but she didn’t get much on it, sending her attempt well wide. In the 35th minute, Lavelle received a pass down the right and used a nice touch to get past Rafaelle. The Brazilian defender caught up, but Lavelle was still able to curl a cross to Savannah McCaskill at the top of the box. McCaskill attempted a volley and put it on target, but it was right at Moorhouse.

Lavelle made a long run in the 39th minute from inside her own half to near the top of the Pride box. Without any teammates around her, the midfielder fired, sending her shot off target.

It looked like the hosts would take the lead in the 41st minute when McCaskill lifted the ball down the left for Katie Lampson. The forward played it back for Esther at the top of the box. She had space for a shot, but the Spanish international sent it wide.

That was the best chance for either team to score in the game.

After 45 minutes of action, Gotham had the edge in possession (63%-47%), corner kicks (2-1), crosses (9-4), and passing accuracy (84%-66%). But those advantages didn’t result in more opportunities. Both teams took five shots, and the Pride had one more on target (2-1).

Gotham stayed on the front foot to start the second half. The hosts began creating set piece after set piece, putting pressure on the Pride’s back line. Gotham won three corner kicks inside the first 10 minutes, but none resulted in clear chances.

Lavelle sent Midge Purce down the right in the 58th minute as the substitute got behind Dyke. Purce tried to find Esther at the near post, but Mace got to it first to clear it over the end line. Moorhouse went up for the ensuing set piece, spilling it in her own six-yard box. Fortunately, it went to Angelina, who was able to clear the ball.

The Pride finally created their first chances of the second half as the game reached the hour mark. In the 61st minute, Ovalle sent a long shot on goal that was blocked down and collected by Berger. As Gotham tried to break the other way, Ovalle ran into McCaskill from behind, winning the ball back. Gotham wanted a free kick, but the referee decided it was a fair challenge. Ovalle played Banda into the right side of the box, and the striker fired at the near post but it was easily caught by Berger.

Shortly after the save, Hines made his first two changes of the game, replacing Washington and Angelina with Julie Doyle and Luana.

In the 63rd minute, Mace pushed Jordynn Dudley over from behind, giving Gotham a free kick in the Pride third of the field. The attack resulted in four consecutive corner kicks for the hosts as the Pride desperately attempted to keep the ball out of the net. Eventually, they were able to clear it, keeping the game scoreless.

Kayla Duran ran into Doyle in the 69th minute, earning a yellow card. The ensuing set piece was headed back to the top of the box, where Luana volleyed it toward goal. There was a group of players near the top of the six-yard box, and the shot was off the arm of Emily Sonnett. However, the center back’s arms were tucked tightly to her body, so the referee allowed play to continue.

In the 79th minute, Banda made a run into the box from the right before finding Luana at the top of the six. The Brazilian got her foot to it, but sent the shot wide.

Hines took the stoppage to make the Pride’s third change of the game, replacing Ovalle with Marta.

Banda won a free kick in the 82nd minute, tapping the ball between Carter’s legs as the center back approached her. Banda went down under a late challenge and Carter was issued a yellow card. The ensuing set piece service into the box was cleared to the top of the 18, where Oihane attempted to volley it on goal. The right back got solid contact on the ball but sent it wide of the far post.

Gotham continued to press in the dying minutes as the Pride desperately defended in their own third. In the 88th minute, Dudley made a run to the top of the box before Oihane blocked her shot. Gotham kept possession and Dudley played Lavelle into the box. However, Rafaelle stuck her foot in and cleared it.

Again, the Pride were unable to get the ball over the halfway line. Duran played Lavelle forward and the midfielder tried to send Esther behind the back line, but Mace got there first. However, she wasn’t able to clear it and Purce won possession. Purce tapped it to Esther, who dribbled inside before firing, but Rafaelle was there to block the attempt.

Hines made his final change in the first minute of stoppage time and it was a defensive one. Center back Anderson came into the game for striker Banda as the Pride looked to see out a point away from home.

Gotham had one last chance to claim all three points in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Lavelle found Sofia Cook at the top of the box, and the midfielder fired but sent the attempt right to Moorhouse.

At full time, Gotham had the edge in possession (61%-39%), corner kicks (11-1), crosses (24-9), and passing accuracy (82%-72%). But the Pride created more shots (11-10) and put more on target (4-2).

“Hard-fought point. We’ll take it,” Hines said after the game. “Obviously, every game we want to win, but considering we were just on the road in Chicago, quick turnaround, Gotham had the luxury of having two games at home, we’ll take the clean sheet and we’ll take the point. These are the current champions right now, and we know how talented they are and some of the players that they have. And for us to keep them quiet, we should take a lot of positives from that. So again, pleased with the point. Four points away from home’s a good foundation to build on. And now looking forward to Friday’s game.”

This is the first game this season in which the Pride have failed to score. It also ends Banda’s three-game goal streak to start the season. It’s as quiet as Banda has been in 2026, as the Gotham defense was able to keep her from threatening the goal.

“They’re top quality center backs, played at the highest level; international players who had a lot of success,” Hines said. “So, I think for Barbra, and the evolution of their game is being a little bit more proactive, recognizing when they step up and play her offside, or when they’re looking to bump her to get her off balance. But again, she’s still a threat. She still picks up good spaces and has opportunities to get shots at goal. But this is the next level. And for her to keep progressing, these are the type of games that she needs to thrive in.”

On the positive side, it’s the second consecutive clean sheet, with both occurring on the road. That’s something the team can be proud of after conceding multiple goals due to defensive mistakes in the first two home games.

“I think the team realized the most important thing is to have a clean sheet,” Oihane said. “Apart from that, we’ll keep going. And if we have a clean sheet, we have more chances to win. So, I think we’re the right way, and we have to keep going.”

“We’ve had back-to-back clean sheets, which is great for us considering the first two games that we’ve had,” Hines added. “And it’s something to build on moving forward.”

The biggest issue tonight for the Pride was conceding set pieces. Gotham had 11 corner kicks and multiple free kicks in the final third, with most coming in the first 30 minutes of the second half. Yet, the Pride were able to keep them from getting clean shots on goal, allowing Orlando to claim the clean sheet.

“You can be organized, and you can know your roles and responsibilities, but a lot of it comes down to the mentality and what you’re willing to do to not allow the team to get any clear-cut opportunities,” Hines said. “Obviously, we learned the hard way in the first game, conceding the winning goal against Seattle. And then from there, we’ve just got better and better. And it’s a collective effort. Everyone knows what they need to do, whether you’re a marker, a zonal player, or the goalkeeper. And I think when you’ve got buy-in, when players are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the ball out of the net and thrive in those moments, I think you’ve got a good group of players who want to win games.”

“I think for us, it’s really just taking pride in our defending,” Lemos added. “Taking pride in our set pieces. And Seb is really emphasizing all the little details, and I think that’s really what helped us today to get a clean sheet. And at the end of the day, a clean sheet is a good performance defensively. So I think just taking pride in what we do, whether that be a clearance, whether it be a tackle, and just putting bodies on the line and doing whatever it takes to achieve that.”

The Pride remained away from home the whole trip, but they claim an important four points, which keeps them within touching distance of the league leaders as they return home.

The Pride will play on short rest again as they’ve yet to have more than five days between games. This time, they’ll welcome league-leading Angel City FC to Inter&Co Stadium Friday night.