Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your preview and match thread as the Orlando Pride (1-1-1, 4 points) take on defending NWSL champion NJ/NY Gotham FC (1-1-1, 4 points) in New Jersey. This is the first of two meetings between the two teams during the regular season, with the return fixture in Orlando scheduled for Oct. 25 in the penultimate game of the season.

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

History

The Pride have faced Gotham 28 times since joining the NWSL in 2016. The Pride are 9-8-5 all-time in the regular season series, with a 5-3-3 away record. Counting all competitions, Orlando is 9-12-7 against tonight’s hosts, including a 5-3-5 away mark.

The most recent meeting between the two teams was a playoff semifinal on Nov. 16 in Orlando. The game was a scoreless draw heading into injury time and appeared to be headed into an extra 30 minutes — so much so that Marta admitted postgame she was preparing for extra time. But Jaedyn Shaw put a stop to those thoughts by converting on a set piece in the seventh minute of stoppage time, ending the Pride’s season and their quest for a repeat NWSL Championship.

The most recent regular-season game took place Aug. 29, also in Orlando. Esther Gonzalez gave the visitors the lead early and Jaelin Howell doubled the advantage just before halftime. Gotham defended well in the second half, leaving with a 2-0 win. The first matchup of the year was held on March 23 in New Jersey. It was the same score, but the Pride came away with the three points. An early Lilly Reale own goal gave the Pride the lead and Marta doubled it from the spot just after halftime as the Pride won 2-0.

The first meeting of 2024 occurred Sept. 1 in Orlando and was delayed by inclement weather, but the Pride took control when it began. Adriana gave the Pride the lead in the sixth minute and completed her brace in the 19th minute. Those were the only two goals, as the Pride won 2-0. On Oct 20, 2024 in New Jersey, Sam Hiatt gave the hosts the early lead before Adriana equalized just past the half-hour mark. However, Gotham scored on either side of halftime with goals by Rose Lavelle and Ella Stevens to win 3-1.

The first meeting of 2023 was a regular-season clash on April 15 in Orlando. It looked to be headed for a draw, but Gotham struck twice in the dying minutes. Midge Purce converted a penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time and then assisted on Lynn Williams’ goal seven minutes later, setting a record for the latest goal in NWSL history as the Pride fell 2-0. They played again on May 14 in New Jersey, where the Pride were the better team and created more chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. The game ended in a scoreless draw.

The Pride and Gotham met twice in the NWSL Challenge Cup following those regular-season matchups. The first of those took place July 23 in Orlando. A Megan Montefusco header gave the Pride an early lead, but they were unable to hold on. Jenna Nighswonger converted a penalty later in the first half and Gotham took over in the second half with goals by McCall Zerboni and Yazmeen Ryan, beating the Pride 3-1. On Aug. 9 in New Jersey, Messiah Bright gave the Pride the lead in the first half, and the team was in line for all three points until Meleana Shim equalized in second-half stoppage time, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

The two teams met four times during the 2022 season — twice in the NWSL regular season and twice in the Challenge Cup. The first was a Challenge Cup meeting March 30 at Exploria Stadium. It looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw before Purce scored a late winner. The teams next met in the Challenge Cup on April 23 at Red Bull Arena. Gunny Jonsdottir gave the Pride the lead, but Toni Pressley got tangled up with Ifeoma Onumonu, resulting in a penalty. Kristie Mewis leveled the game from the spot just before the half. Neither team could find a winner and it ended 1-1.

The teams met in the 2022 NWSL regular-season opener on May 1 in Orlando. After two close matchups in the preseason tournament, this one was all Gotham, as goals by Zerboni, Purce, and Mewis lifted the visitors to a 3-0 win. On Aug. 20, they played for the final time in 2022 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. Celia and Ally Watt built the Pride a 2-0 lead. Mewis got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for a 2-1 win.

The Pride and Gotham also met four times in 2021, with the first coming in the Pride’s inaugural Challenge Cup campaign. On April 14, Paige Monaghan’s goal lifted Gotham to a 1-0 win. The first regular-season game that year came on June 20 in Orlando. The visitors took the lead through Caprice Dydasco, but Courtney Petersen equalized for a 1-1 draw.

On Aug. 29, 2021, the teams played at Red Bull Arena. Erika Tymrak’s long-range goal lifted the Pride to a 2-1 win. The teams played one final, high-scoring game on Oct. 9. It was a bad start for the Pride as Gaetane Thiney scored a brace and Purce made it 3-0 late. The Pride came storming back with goals by Tymrak and Marta, falling just short in a 3-2 final.

The Pride and Gotham were in different groups for the 2020 Fall Series, so the last time they met prior to 2021 was in 2019, when the New Jersey-based club was still called Sky Blue FC. They first met that year on June 22 at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, NJ. Chioma Ubogagu gave the Pride the lead from the penalty spot and Sarah Killion equalized. The difference was a Gina Lewandowski own goal as the Pride won 2-1.

The teams met at Exploria Stadium on July 20, 2021. Marisa Viggiano’s goal won it for the Pride, 1-0. The final meeting of 2021 occurred Sept. 29 in New Jersey. Shelina Zadorsky gave the Pride the lead, but Carli Lloyd equalized in a 1-1 draw.

The teams met three times in 2018, starting on June 16 in Orlando, when a Sydney Leroux brace led the Pride to a 3-2 win. They met again in Orlando on Aug. 5, with the Pride giving up a 1-0 lead after Marta’s opening goal. But Dani Weatherholt equalized in a 2-2 draw. The final meeting in 2018 came on Sept. 8 in New Jersey — the final game of the season. There was only one goal in this one as Lloyd won it for Sky Blue FC.

The 2017 season saw the Pride and Sky Blue meet three times, with the New Jersey-based club winning at home, 2-1 on May 27, and the Pride winning 3-2 in New Jersey on June 28 and 5-0 at home on Aug. 12 in Orlando.

The 2016 season was the first time the two teams met, with the inaugural game coming on Sept. 7 in New Jersey. Alex Morgan and Sam Kerr swapped goals in a 1-1 draw. They met again three days later in Orlando, with Sky Blue winning, 2-1.

Overview

Ten of the league’s 16 teams were in action on Wednesday, including both the Pride and Gotham. The Pride went into Wednesday’s first road match of the season after a pair of disappointing results at home — a 2-1 loss to Seattle Reign FC and a 1-1 draw with expansion side Denver Summit FC.

The Pride took that frustration out on the Chicago Stars in a dominant performance away from home. Goals by Barbra Banda, Jacquie Ovalle, and Hannah Anderson saw the Pride take a 3-0 lead into the break. While they didn’t score in the second half, the Pride held onto the clean sheet, coming away with an impressive 3-0 win in Illinois.

Aside from the clean sheet, the most enjoyable part of the night was the play of Banda and Ovalle. Pride fans were excited to see what the duo could do together and they didn’t disappoint. They combined for Banda’s goal against Denver and both scored against Chicago. Ovalle added an assist for good measure, making fans feel much better about the high transfer fee the Pride paid for her last year.

While the three goals were a breath of fresh air, so was the defensive performance. The first two games saw some errors that allowed Seattle and Denver to convert, dropping crucial points at home. But the back line was terrific against the Stars, keeping Chicago from creating any clear chances. A team known for its defense the last two years put up its first clean sheet of the season in the third game.

Additionally, the Pride saw quality play from rookie Solai Washington. The former Florida State Seminole recorded her first career assist on Ovalle’s goal and had a breakout performance. It’s something Pride Head Coach Seb Hines certainly hopes will continue and she becomes a player he can count on, starting or on the bench.

The Pride’s quick two-game road trip ends tonight against Gotham. The New Jersey-based side has struggled out of the gate, especially on the attacking end. Gonzalez’s 55th-minute goal in the season-opener against Boston Legacy is the team’s only goal so far. Gotham followed that 1-0 win with a scoreless draw against the North Carolina Courage and a surprising 2-0 loss to Denver — both at home.

Tonight’s hosts end their three-game homestand tonight in a game they very much will want to win. German international Ann-Katrin Berger is one of the best goalkeepers in the league, but she made an uncharacteristic mistake with her feet against Denver to give up a goal. She’ll want a much more solid performance tonight to prove she’s still at an elite status.

Gotham FC will also be looking to improve its attack. The team has a talented attacking lineup with Gonzalez, Purce, and Lavelle, all of whom came off the bench against Denver. Savannah McCaskill and Jaelin Howell can also ripple the net from the Gotham midfield.

The Pride will need more solid play from the center back trio of Rafaelle, Anderson, and Hailie Mace. Additionally, they’ll either need continued production from Banda and Ovalle or some different players to step up offensively if they hope to get out of New Jersey with three points. While Gotham has struggled to score so far, that’s unlikely to last much longer, and tonight’s hosts haven’t conceded much.

“Should be a great game with both teams going after it,” Hines said ahead of the game. “I’m sure Gotham will want to come out and get something out of the game following their last result, but so do we. It’s a quick turnaround with the travel and all of that, but it’s nothing we’re not used to. We’ll be up for the match and want to continue this momentum and keep stacking wins and come out with three points.” 

The only change to the Pride’s availability report from Wednesday is the absence of Rafaelle (thigh). However, that’s not a surprise since she came on Wednesday as a substitute. The Pride remain without Kerry Abello (hip), Zara Chavoshi (lower leg), Cosette Morche (ankle), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Nicole Payne (knee), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). Gotham will be without Bruninha (hamstring), Mandy Freeman (lower leg), Jaedyn Shaw (hamstring), and Taryn Torres (knee).

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Cori Dyke, Rafaelle, Hailie Mace, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Haley McCutcheon.

Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Marta, Ally Lemos.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Bench: Cara Martin, Hannah Anderson, Luana, Simone Jackson, Seven Castain, Julie Doyle, Marta, Reagan Raabe, Summer Yates.

NJ/NY Gotham FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger.

Defenders: Lilly Reale, Jess Carter, Emily Sonnett, Kayla Duran.

Midfielders: Savannah McCaskill, Jaelin Howell, Rose Lavelle.

Forwards: Esther Gonzalez, Katie Lampson, Sarah Schupansky.

Bench: Shelby Hogan, Jordynn Dudley, Talia Sommer, Tierna Davidson, Mak Whitham, Sofia Cook, Midge Purce, Andrea Kitahata, Khyah Harper.

Referees

REF: Nabil Bensalah.
AR1: Stephen Milhoan.
AR2: Noah Kenyawani.
4TH: Matthew Corrigan.
VAR: Jamie Padilla.
AVAR: Melissa Beck.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Sports Illustrated Stadium — Harrison, NJ.

TV: None. 

Streaming: Victory+.

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, following @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.

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Enjoy the game. Go Pride!