Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Welcome to your match preview and live thread as the Orlando Pride (8-12-2, 26 points) host the Houston Dash (7-10-5, 26 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7 p.m., Roku Channel). This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams this year, with the return game in Houston scheduled for Oct. 18.

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

History

The Pride and Dash have played 24 times since the Pride joined the NWSL in 2016. Orlando has a record of 10-9-3 against the Dash in regular-season play and 10-11-3 in all competitions, with the additional two losses coming in the 2020 Fall Series. The Pride hold a 7-3-1 regular-season record at home vs. the Dash and a 7-4-1 home mark against Houston in all competitions.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place on Oct. 3, 2025, in Houston. Malia Berkley gave the hosts the lead in the second half, but Simone Charley equalized late, ensuring the Pride got a point in the 1-1 draw. On June 7 of last year in Orlando, it looked like the game was going to end in a scoreless draw until Cori Dyke scored in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time, leading the Pride to a 1-0 win.

On Aug. 23, 2024 in Houston, Summer Yates gave the Pride the lead. Andressa nearly equalized late, hitting the post, but the Pride held on for the 1-0 win. The second meeting that year was on Sept. 28 in Orlando. Carson Pickett gave the hosts the lead and Angelina doubled the advantage after halftime. Yuki Nagasato got one back two minutes later, but Marta secured the 3-1 win in second-half stoppage time.

The first matchup between the teams in 2023 was on June 3 in Houston. The Pride had trouble playing the ball out of the back and were hit on the counterattack, leading to a difficult night. Sophie Hirst gave the hosts the lead early and Michelle Alozie doubled the advantage just before halftime. Despite having more possession and shots, the Pride fell 2-0. The second game took place Oct. 15 in Orlando. While the Pride were the better team, the game was scoreless heading into the late stages. However, a late penalty conversion by Marta gave the Pride the 1-0 win. 

The teams met for the first of two matches in 2022 on June 3 in Houston. A Nichelle Prince hat trick and goals by Rachel Daly and Alozie led Houston to an easy 5-0 win. It was the last game the Pride played before then-head coach Amanda Cromwell was placed on administrative leave. The teams met again on July 8, 2022, in Orlando. Ally Prisock’s own goal was the only scoring as the Pride took the 1-0 win, the second result in a seven-game unbeaten run.

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2021 season. The first game was held June 26 in Houston. Maria Sanchez and Veronica Latsko gave the hosts a 2-0 lead. Gunny Jonsdottir got one back, but it wasn’t enough as the Dash won 2-1. The second meeting came on Sept. 5 at Exploria Stadium. The Dash took an early lead through Daly. However, Taylor Kornieck equalized late in a 1-1 draw.

The 2020 NWSL season was canceled due to COVID but these two teams were matched up in the Fall Series. On Sept. 26, 2020 in Houston, Prince put the Dash ahead, but Marisa Viggiano responded just before halftime. Sophie Schmidt gave the hosts another lead and Shea Groom put the game away as Houston won 3-1. The two teams played again on Oct. 9 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee — the only time the Pride have played at the venue. Groom opened the scoring early and Latsko soon made it 2-0. Sydney Leroux got one back for the hosts, but Houston held on for a 2-1 win.

The Pride and Dash played three times in 2019, with the Pride going 0-2-1. During the first game in Houston on May 5, the Pride only recorded one shot on target. Houston scored the game’s only goal through Kealia Ohai in a 1-0 win. The second game on June 15 was also in Houston. Joanna Boyles scored her first professional goal to give the Pride the lead, but the Dash scored twice to take the advantage. A Danica Evans conversion allowed the Pride to escape the Oven with a 2-2 draw.

The third and final meeting in 2019 occurred on Aug. 10 in Orlando. The Pride ended the game with nine players as Julie King was sent off in the 61st minute and Marta was sent off in the 85th minute. However, the Dash were only able to convert once — a late penalty by Daly — and won 1-0.

The teams played three times during the 2018 season. The first game was held April 22 in Orlando. Chioma Ubogagu scored the lone goal, leading the Pride to a 1-0 win. They met again in Orlando on June 27 with Alex Morgan opening the scoring The Pride held that lead at the break, but the second half was all Houston, as Ohai and Sofia Huerta scored in a 2-1 Houston win. The final meeting that season was on July 11 in Houston, where Daly’s brace led the Dash to a 3-1 win. 

The Pride and Dash played twice during the 2017 season and the visiting team won both games. The first was on June 17 in Houston. Camila and Alanna Kennedy added to a Marta brace as the Pride took a commanding 4-0 lead. The Dash tried to come back with goals by Poliana and Prince, but the Pride took home a 4-2 win. A week later in Orlando, Carli Lloyd and Daly scored in a 2-0 Houston win. 

The teams met four times during the 2016 season — the Pride’s first in existence. The first meeting was the Pride’s first-ever regular-season home game on April 23. An Andressa own goal gave the Pride the lead just after the half before Lianne Sanderson and Morgan made it 3-0 for the hosts. Andressa scored one for her own team, but that was it for Houston as the Pride won 3-1 in front of a then-NWSL record 23,403 fans.

The second meeting was in Houston on May 20. Kristen Edmonds scored the only goal in the 81st minute as the Pride won 1-0. The third meeting that year came on June 23 in Orlando. Jasmyne Spencer broke the scoreless deadlock in second-half injury time as the Pride won 1-0. The fourth and final meeting came on Sept. 3 in Houston. The Dash took a 3-0 lead with goals by Janine Beckie, Poliana, and Ohai. Morgan and Edmonds got the Pride back into the game, but Ohai put it away with her second in a 4-2 Dash win.

Overview

The Pride have struggled mightily since the FIFA World Cup break. They lost six of their first eight games after returning to action. A 1-0 win in Washington on Aug. 23 looked like it could be a springboard to turn things around, but that wasn’t to be.

They returned home on Aug. 29 to face the Utah Royals and took a 1-0 lead just before halftime. But goals in the 50th and 69th minutes by the visitors saw the Pride fall yet again.

The two primary reasons for the team’s struggles have been only one scoring threat in the attack and the lack of consistency in the defense. With Emily Sams gone and Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave, former head coach Seb Hines found it difficult to determine the best center back pairing. Rafaelle has been the only regular starter, partnering Hailie Mace, Zara Chavoshi, and Cori Dyke throughout the season, however, the Brazilian isn’t available tonight.

Barbra Banda led the league in goals for most of the season, despite missing time due to an injury and being away on international duty. The North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez has been on a tear recently and surpassed the Pride striker. Still, Banda is second in the league with 13 goals, just two behind the league leader.

The inability to find a second reliable striker or a consistent back line led to the dismissal of Hines on Monday. With former assistant coach Giles Barnes having already left to become the head coach of Al Qadsiah FC of the Saudi Women’s Premier League, assistant Yolanda Thomas takes over on an interim basis and will lead the team for the first time tonight against Houston.

Tonight is a key game for both Houston and Orlando. The teams sit in 11th and 12th, respectively, tied on 26 points. They’re chasing the Seattle Reign, who sit in the eighth and final playoff spot with 31 points. A win tonight will still leave a large hill to climb to reach the postseason, but it’s a necessary three points if they hope to do so.

The Dash have been quite balanced this season. Their 28 goals scored and 30 goals conceded both rank eighth in the NWSL. While they’re not depending solely on their offense or defense this year, they haven’t been stellar in either.

Houston has been much better at home than on the road this year. While the Dash are 5-3-3 in Texas, they’re 2-7-2 away from home. That difference has been shown in their most recent games. Their most dominant win this year was a 5-0 victory over the Chicago Stars on Aug. 19. They followed that with back-to-back 1-0 losses against Bay FC and the Reign away from home.

Kat Rader has been the leading attacker this season for the Dash, scoring nine goals in 21 games. She’s followed by Kiki Van Zanten and Kate Faasse with four goals each, Linda Ullmark and Maggie Graham with three goals apiece, and Clarissa Larisey with two goals. Makenzy Robbe, Sarah Puntigam, and Lisa Boattin are the other goal scorers with one each. Ullmark and Avery Patterson co-lead the team in assists with three.

Jane Campbell has been the Dash’s primary goalkeeper this season — as she’s been since 2017 — starting all 21 games and recording four clean sheets. Rookie Leah Klenke has been a mainstay all season and started alongside veteran Paige Nielsen until Aug. 16. Since then, Natalie Hammond has been Klenke’s partner. Allysha Chapman and Patterson have also been regulars along the back line, starting at the fullback positions.

“I asked the team the other day, I said, ‘Listen. We’re in a tough spot.’ And, realistically, you look at the numbers, it’s tough,” Thomas said ahead of the match. “We’ve had a tough go, we’ve had some injuries. There’s no denying we’re in a tough spot. But, as much as we were dealing with lots of emotions, I told them that the heaviest lift I’m going to ask you to do is to dare to dream. And if you can lift your eyes and dare to dream that we can get three points this week, then we can do it again next week.”

The Pride will play tonight without Kerry Abello (thigh), Julie Doyle (knee), Nadaner (maternity leave), Rafaelle (head), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). Houston will be without Malia Berkely (maternity leave), Evelina Duljan (excused absence), Makenzy Robbe (knee), Sophia Schmidt (ankle), and Linda Ullmark (international duty).

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Projected Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Cosette Morche.

Defenders: Hailie Mace, Zara Chavoshi, Cori Dyke, Oihane.

Defensive Midfielders: Angelina, Ally Lemos.

Attacking Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Haley McCutcheon, Summer Yates.

Forward: Barbra Banda.

Houston Dash (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Jane Campbell.

Defenders: Allysha Chapman, Leah Klenke, Natalie Hammond, Avery Patterson.

Defensive Midfielders: Danielle Colaprico, Sarah Puntigam.

Attacking Midfielders: Kiki Van Zanten, Kat Rader, Maggie Graham.

Forward: Kate Faasse.

Referees

REF: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
AR1: Ben Rigel.
AR2: Sarah Gaddes.
4TH: Ben Meyer.
VAR: Corbyn May.
AVAR: Tony Obas.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV: None.

Streaming: Roku Channel (here’s how to get it).

Social Media: For live updates and rapid reaction, follow @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!