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Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 2-0 as Pride’s Slide Continues

The Pride played one of their better matches of 2023 but remain winless after a mistake turned the game in KC’s favor.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Even when the Orlando Pride play well they can’t seem to find a way to score or take points from games. The Pride played one of their better games this season but still found a way to lose to the previously winless Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS.

Orlando (0-4-0, 0 points) controlled possession and created some chances — and a lot of set pieces — but once again the toothless Pride failed to score. That let the Current (1-3-0, 3 points) hang around and they pounced when a poor touch at the top of her own box by Jordyn Listro gifted Debinha an easy opening goal in the second half. CeCe Kizer added another moments later and that was essentially that.

“Obviously disappointed with the result. I think we had a game plan. We stuck to the game plan in moments, but didn’t really execute in terms of creating too many opportunities in the attacking third,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said after the match. “I don’t think there was a lot between ourselves and Kansas (City) but you know, we had a lot of corners, a lot of shots, but didn’t really make the keeper work, and it’s a sort of another moment where they’ve capitalized on us giving the ball away and you know, it changes the whole game.”

Hines’ lineup included Carly Nelson in goal for her second straight start behind a back line of Kylie Strom, Caitlin Cosme, Megan Montefusco, and Emily Madril. Haley McCutcheon and Listro patrolled the central midfield behind an attacking line of Marta, Viviana Villacorta, and Adriana. Ally Watt got the start up top.

The Pride got the first look at goal four minutes in with a drive by Adriana from outside the top of the box. She got decent power on the near-post effort but Cassie Miller had it covered all the way.

Other than that, the first 15 minutes belonged to the hosts. Their best chance came when Debinha headed off the post in the ninth minute but those watching on the Paramount+ stream only saw it on replay because the broadcast inexplicably went to a replay of a Kansas City cross attempt that hit the outside of the post while play was still live. The ball then skipped across the front of goal where Nelson eventually covered it.

There was a video check to see if the Current should receive a penalty due to CeCe Kizer going down in the scrum, but nothing was given.

Moments later, there was another rugby scrum in the penalty area in front of Nelson but eventually the Pride cleared a ball off a Current player and out for a goal kick.

The Pride started to settle into the game 15-ish minutes in and controlled possession for a while but did little other than win some set pieces, but nothing came of them. The best chance for an Orlando goal came off a Marta corner in the 24th minute that was directed toward goal. It was nearly deflected in off of Kate Del Fava but skipped just wide. Pride players wanted a handball call but Del Fava’s arm was tucked in close to her body and the review did not prompt the referee to take a look.

Kansas City created some trouble on the counter in the 39th minute when Del Fava’s cross was headed well over the bar by Kizer. Madril wasn’t marking her tightly enough but the cross was a bit behind the KC forward, making it a difficult chance.

Watt got down the right side in the 43rd minute and took a shot but pushed it well to the left of goal. Two minutes later, Watt cut back onto her left foot and curled in a dangerous cross that was just out of the reach of a diving McCutcheon. That was it for the first half.

Orlando held a slight advantage in possession (50.9%-49.1%) and had more corners (4-1) and passing accuracy (82.3%-78%). Both teams attempted just four shots and each got just one on frame.

The Pride simply couldn’t take the lead despite a good first half and Hines said the Current’s low block made it difficult to connect the attack and get a goal.

“It was difficult. They had five defenders covering the width,” he said. “Their engagement line was a lot lower as well. So, you really have to be creative and problem solve in them moments. Decisive passing, unselfish running will create space and move defenders out of position. Again, it’s difficult when a team sets up like that.”

The second half had a bit more ebb and flow to it than the first half but neither side

The hosts nearly struck right out of the break with a ball in behind for Debinha. Strom did well to get back and break up the play and got some help from Cosme to snuff out the chance in the 47th minute.

The next few minutes saw Watt send in a couple of crosses and Adriana head one off a defender for a corner. The Pride again couldn’t do much with their set piece.

Kansas City got on the front foot in the 51st minute after knocking Marta down — cleanly in the view of the referee — and getting forward, where Michelle Cooper hit a shot right at Nelson. Moments later, after Orlando turned it over trying to play out of their half, it was Kizer curling in a shot that made for a comfortable save for Nelson.

Marta and Adriana got into the box in the 57th minute but with the ongoing recovery from her knee surgery, the captain couldn’t beat her defender and tried to backheel it to her fellow Brazilian international but Adriana was nowhere near where Marta thought she’d be.

Messiah Bright came on and had an early opportunity in the 61st minute off a Strom cross but her header was well wide .

Three minutes later, the game turned on Listro’s mistake. Nelson played a ball out of her area between defenders for Listro, but her touch was all wrong and she lost control. Hailie Mace picked up the loose ball and fed Debinha, who cut to her right across the box and fired back against the grain past Nelson to make it 1-0 in the 64th minute.

Although it was Listro’s poor touch, it was a lot for Nelson to ask of her midfielder who was running back toward goal under pressure from Mace. The wiser play may have been to launch a long ball in that situation.

“It’s a tough industry, because teams will capitalize on the mistakes, and that’s where we’re at right now. We’re giving teams an opportunity to win the game,” Hines said.

“I think that one goal just kind of put us out a little bit,” Madril said. “I think, overall, we were right there with them the whole game and could have had a couple of goals.”

Four minutes later, the Current killed the game as the Pride got stretched. A cross in from Mace —this time on the right side — found Kizer and she buried it to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute.

Bright nearly pulled one back two minutes later when she got her head to a corner kick cross, but her attempt hit the woodwork from close range.

Strom did well to poke the ball away from Debinha moments later when the Brazilian star got in behind but tried to cut back to her left once she got into the box.

Adriana’s shot that stayed well wide to the right of goal was as close as the Pride got to spoiling the clean sheet down the stretch before the whistle mercifully blew on yet another loss in a growing string of them for Orlando.

The Pride led in most of the major statistical categories, with more possession (52.4%-47.6%), shots (14-11), corners (9-1), and passing accuracy (79.2%-77.1%), but the glaring stat is that the Current had a lopsided advantage in shots on target (5-1) and that, coupled with taking advantage of the other team’s mistakes, ultimately made the difference in a close match.

“We came in ready to win this game. We feel like we’ve been building for a while and we’re almost there,” Montefusco said. “We had a lot of possession and it felt like we were in control. It’s just, you know, again, in this league it’s all about fine margins, little details, and unfortunately we had some errors.”

The Pride will once again look for that elusive first result of the season as they head back on the road Saturday night, visiting the San Diego Wave at 10 p.m.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Rafaelle

The Brazilian’s season was plagued by injury problems but she played well when healthy.

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December 18, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Rafaelle on July 3, 2023 to a contract running through the 2025 NWSL season. The Brazilian international joined the Pride after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, partnering with Emily Sams (then still known as Emily Madril) at center back and becoming a key member of the starting lineup, as the Pride fell just short of the NWSL playoffs on the goal differential tiebreaker.

Rafaelle’s second season was marred by injuries, including one she sustained while helping Brazil reach the Gold Medal game at the Summer Olympics that kept her out the rest of the 2024 NWSL season. She also missed the first four matches of the season and a couple of games in the early summer due to injury.

It’s time to look back at her injury-marred second season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Injuries limited Rafaelle to just nine appearances (six starts) for the Pride in 2024 — all in the regular season, in which she played a total of just 618 minutes. The Brazilian defender did not record a goal contribution in 2024, attempting three shots and putting one on target. She completed 86% of her 324 passes without a key pass or successful cross, however, she managed to connect on 30 long balls in her short season, which is impressive. Defensively, she contributed nine tackles, nine interceptions, and 23 headed duel wins. She committed four fouls, suffered one, and was booked once.

Due to injury, Rafaelle did not appear in Orlando’s playoff run, and because she was away at the Olympics, Rafaelle also did not participate in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenina Summer Cup.

Best Game

Rafaelle’s best match came in a 1-0 home win over Racing Louisville on May 5. The Brazilian started and went the full 90 minutes with an excellent two-way performance. She didn’t contribute directly to a goal, but she registered a shot, which was her only shot on target of the season, forcing Katie Lund into a save off a free kick about 40 minutes in. She also had a season-high 76 touches and passed at an impressive 93.75% rate on a season-high 63 attempts. Her passing accuracy in the match was her season high for any game in which she played more than 16 minutes. On the defensive end, Rafaelle helped her team keep a clean sheet and chipped in a tackle. She did not commit a foul or get booked in the match. Her strong tackle in the box in the 82nd minute on Reilyn Turner prevented a dangerous shot attempt, helping Anna Moorhouse preserve the shutout and keeping the Pride on top.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Rafaelle a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 season. This is a slight improvement over the 6.5 we gave her last year. As well as the back line played in her absence, it’s easy to forget just how formidable she was while she was on the pitch. The strong partnership between her and Kylie Strom allowed Seb Hines to move Sams to fullback for a time, and that’s a considerable compliment, given the fact that Sams won the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year Award. The back line continuing to excel in Rafaelle’s absence speaks highly of the group’s performance and the coaching staff’s ability to get the most out of the players.

2025 Outlook

It’s easy to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” in terms of the Pride’s defense. However, I expect Rafaelle to regain her starting center back spot when healthy. Rafaelle was considered the team’s best center back entering the season and early in 2024, although it’s fair to say Sams and Strom weren’t far behind. Rafaelle is under contract through the 2025 season, so she’ll want to perform well to earn her next deal. At 33 (she’ll turn 34 in June), it’s uncertain how much longer she’ll be able to play at such a high level, but prior to her injury in the Olympics, she was playing excellent soccer (it’s notable that the play she was injured on was a vital challenge for her national team). She is nearly impossible to leave out of the starting XI when fit.

What remains to be seen is how the team accommodates the Brazilian’s return. The most natural center back pairing would be Sams and Rafaelle. That would mean Strom would have to return to left back unless the team adopts a three-player back line. The ripple effect of staying in a traditional four-player back line would potentially mean displacing Kerry Abello, who “only” made the NWSL Best XI Second Team in 2024, or Cori Dyke, who handled some of the league’s best players in the stretch run to Orlando’s NWSL Championship drive. Having to reinsert Rafaelle into the lineup is a good problem for Hines to have, as it may allow him to rotate and rest his center backs more in 2025.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Sams

A look at the season that finished with Sams as the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year.

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2 days ago

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December 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride selected former Florida State defender Emily Madril with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. Sams, a two-time national champion (2018 and 2021), left FSU, signing a contract with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF. After a stellar first year with Orlando, in which she played all but three minutes in the regular season, Sams was rewarded by the Pride with a new contract through 2026.

All that Sams did with that new contract was win NWSL Defender of the Year and help the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. Let’s take a look at her award-winning second season with the Orlando Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Sams appeared in 25 games during the regular season, starting 24 and logging 2,185 minutes, which was the most playing time among all outfield players and second only to goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse. The only match she didn’t start and play the entire match was against the Portland Thorns — the game after the Pride won the NWSL Shield.

She scored her first professional goal on two shots — both of which were on target —  and provided three assists in the regular season. Sams completed 1,159 of her 1,314 passes (88%), tallied three key passes, and completed one cross and 83 long balls. Defensively, she contributed 24 tackles and 26 interceptions, winning 31 headed duels. She committed 21 fouls, suffered 21, and was booked twice.

In the NWSL playoffs, Sams started in all three games, logging 270 minutes. She did not score any goals or even take a shot, however she did record an assist. The defender connected on 144 of her 158 postseason passes (91%). Defensively, Sams contributed four tackles and three interceptions but did not commit any fouls, nor was she booked.

Sams did not make any appearances in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup as she was with the USWNT at the 2024 Olympics.

Best Game

You might think that if a defender scores a goal in a match, that would be their best match — especially if it is that player’s first professional goal, and it’s an absolute banger like Sams scored in the Pride’s 3-2 victory over Seattle Reign FC on May 19.

However, that wasn’t her best match, though it was a good performance. Naturally, the defender of the year had plenty of great matches to choose from. Her performance in the title match earned her Player of the Match on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast, but her best match was actually the Pride’s first match of the season.

The Pride went down two goals and ultimately went down to 10 players when Kylie Strom received a second yellow. The team was able to come back thanks to an own goal before Strom was off and a goal from Summer Yates after. For 28 minutes of normal time, plus 12 minutes of stoppage time, the Pride defense held Louisville in check while down a player.

Sams was the leader of the defense in that match logging five tackles and two interceptions, while committing one foul. She was 48 of 52 (93%) passing, with 70 touches and played the entire match. Sams wasn’t culpable on either of Louisville’s goals.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Sams a composite rating of 9 out of 10 for the 2024 season. It’s a big jump from the 6.5 we gave her last season, but it’s easy to see why. The Pride made the decision to build the defense around Sams when they drafted her, and it paid dividends in 2024. The NWSL Defender of the Year wore a Pride uniform, and helped her club win two trophies as the number one defense in the league. It’s hard to ask for more than that.

2025 Outlook

It might be difficult for Sams to top her 2024 season, but I know that she will try in the second year of her current contract. As unlikely as it might seem, Sams might be able to improve in 2025. It’s amazing to think that it will only be her third professional season. As good as she’s been, there’s still room for her to grow her game. Depending on which players are available, Sams may play either center back or fullback. No matter which position she plays, she will be a leader and will anchor the back line that will try to defend the club’s first titles.

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