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Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 3-1 as Pride Win Third Straight at Home

The Pride topple the defending champion Portland Thorns to win their third straight at Exploria Stadium.

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2 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride (4-6-1, 13 points) used a brace by Adriana and a Messiah Bright goal off a poor pass to beat the Portland Thorns (5-2-4, 19 points) 3-1 at Exploria Stadium. Sophia Smith started the scoring in the 20th minute, but the Pride scored three unanswered to beat the Thorns for the first time since 2021.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made three changes to the attack for this game. Marta returned to the starting lineup after coming on at halftime against the Houston Dash last weekend. She was joined by Ally Watt and Julie Doyle, who got her first start since her injury on April 2.

The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Kylie Strom, Emily Madril, Megan Montefusco, and Haley McCutcheon. Viviana Villacorta and Mikayla Cluff were in the central midfield behind Marta, Adriana, and Watt with Doyle up top.

The Pride conceded in the 20th minute, which is around when they’ve given up the first goal against Portland in the last three meetings. But while they’ve conceded a quick second in those games, they bounced back in this one. They were led by Adriana, who scored on a great free kick and converted in the second half after a great pass from Watt.

The Pride were the first team to go on the attack. They won the first corner inside the first minute and Watt forced Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby into her first stop in the third minute when she sent the ball into the six-yard box.

Watt sent a dangerous cross through the box a minute later, but nobody in purple could get on the end of it and it went harmlessly out of play.

The Thorns had their first chance of the game in the sixth minute, when Christine Sinclair found Morgan Weaver near the top of the six. McCutcheon and Moorhouse closed down the attacker, but Weaver didn’t get much of the ball anyway and it was sent out of play for a corner kick.

The Pride kept going to the right through Watt, who was playing on the wing. In the 12th minute, Watt did well to beat Meghan Klingenberg and create a shot, but it was blocked. Two minutes later, Strom played a great ball down the left for Doyle. The second-year player dribbled into the box, but got tripped up and was unable to get a shot off.

Portland had a good chance to open the scoring in the 16th minute when Klingenberg sent a cross towards the far post. Sinclair was there to get her head on the ball and sent it directly towards the end line, but she was beyond the post, so it went out for a goal kick.

Smith had her first chance of the game in the 18th minute when she dribbled into the box from the left. Montefusco did well to keep her wide, forcing her to shoot from a tough angle and right at Moorhouse.

Two minutes later, Smith opened the scoring. Weaver, who was causing problems for the Pride back line down the left, sent a cross to the center of the box. Hina Sugita made a run into the box, trailed by Smith. Strom followed Sugita to the near post and nobody was there to cover Smith, allowing her to beat Moorhouse and give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“Definitely disappointing,” McCutcheon said about conceding the first goal. “Because we scouted that inline cutback ball and made it a point to think about marking up in the box. And unfortunately, it was just a good transition moment on their part. But we chose to again, just put it behind us and do better next time.”

Watt had a chance in the 24th minute to equalize when she took a shot from just outside of the box. It was on target inside the near post, but Bixby dove to catch it. Despite the dive, the Portland goalkeeper seemed to have it the whole way.

Three minutes later, the Pride found their equalizer. Natalia Kuikka fouled Doyle just outside of the Thorns box, picking up a yellow card and providing the Pride with a great free kick opportunity. Marta and Adriana stood over the ball with the latter taking the set piece. Bixby dove to her right and was close to stopping it, but Adriana’s free kick snuck just inside the near post to even the game at 1-1.

Marta had an opportunity to give the Pride the lead in the 34th minute, when she challenged Klingenberg one on one. The Brazilian attempted a curling shot with her right foot that looked as though it would’ve been on target, but the left back did well to block it wide. The ensuing free kick found the head of Strom, but she was falling backwards and Bixby eventually caught it.

After a flurry of chances in the first half hour, there was only one in the final 10 minutes. Crystal Dunn took a shot from near the top of the six-yard box, but Moorhouse was there to make the stop.

At halftime, Portland had more possession (52.8%-47.2%), shots on target (5-4), corners (4-2), and better passing accuracy (79.1%-71.9%). The Pride had more crosses (10-6) and both teams had nine first-half shots.

The Pride got off to a great second half start, taking the lead in the 47th minute. It started when Watt sent a great ball forward for Adriana. The Brazilian dribbled into the box and cut inside to beat Meaghan Nally, opening space for a shot. She placed the shot perfectly inside the far post for her second goal of the game and gave the Pride a 2-1 lead.

“I’m very, very happy and I have been putting pressure on myself to have a great performance to be able to help even more my teammates,” Adriana said about her brace. “So I’m really happy that I got to score on the opportunities I was given, so I could help the team with this win and my goals.”

In addition to being the second of the game by Adriana, it was the 100th goal by a Brazilian player in NWSL history.

In the 51st minute, Cluff received the ball outside of the Thorns box and attempted to give her team a two-goal lead. But the attempt was right to Bixby, who made the easy stop. Hines made his first change of the game shortly after that attempt, bringing Messiah Bright on for Doyle.

Adriana was looking for her third in the 61st minute when Watt played another great ball into the box. Adriana met it with her head near the penalty spot, but it was a little too high and she wasn’t able to redirect it on target.

Attempting to maintain the lead, something the Pride struggled with early in the season, Hines made a second change in the 66th minute, replacing Watt with Kerry Abello.

In the 68th minute, Dunn made a good run to the top of the Pride box. She had Smith making a run past the penalty spot, but played it across for Michele Vasconcelos instead. The second-half substitute shot from just outside of the box, but it was blocked by Madril.

Shortly after that attempt, the Pride scored their third of the game. However, this time it was from a Portland mistake. Izzy D’Aquila received the ball on the left from Dunn and played it back for Kuikka. But the pass was way off target, going behind the defender. Bright took advantage of the opportunity, taking possession, using a good first touch to beat Bixby, and putting it in to give the Pride a surprising 3-1 lead.

“I know she’s been working hard and she puts a lot of pressure on herself,” Hines said about Bright. “I know every forward is always gonna get judged on goals and we’re really pleased with her, the staff, that she was able to get a goal and she took it really well.”

Marta had a chance to score a fourth for the Pride in the 73rd minute when Bixby punched a free ball out, but only to the top of the box. The Pride captain shot, but Bixby did well to get her right foot to the attempt, knocking it out of play.

That was the final action of the game for Marta, who was immediately replaced by Erika Tymrak. Hines also made a defensive change, replacing Cluff with Celia.

The Thorns were able to create some opportunities inside the final 15 minutes as they looked to get back into the game. Vasconcelos attempted a shot in the 77th minute and Hubly in the 78th minute, but neither attempt had much space and didn’t cause much trouble for Moorhouse. Vasconcelos and D’Aquila attempted shots in the 71st and 73rd minutes, respectively, but neither of those were on target.

Six minutes were added to the second half and the Pride did well to pack the middle, decreasing Portland’s chances on goal. In the second minute of stoppage time, Smith took a long-distance shot that was on target, but it was right into the arms of Moorhouse.

The Pride did well to keep possession and run down the clock, keeping the ball in the Thorns’ end for much of the final 10 minutes. The visitors had one last chance with a cross into the box, but Moorhouse came out to catch it. Referee Danielle Chesky blew the final whistle before Moorhouse could send the ball downfield, securing the 3-1 win for the Pride.

At full time, Portland had more possession (58.6%-41.4%), shots (19-16), corners (7-4), and better passing accuracy (79.6%-72.5%). The Pride had more shots on target (8-7) and crosses (16-12) and secured their third-ever win over the Thorns.

“It was good,” Hines said about his team’s performance. “You can see the effort that the players have put in. We had a good chat after the Houston game about what we need to do. Bring it back, back to our identity, our style of play, and we showed today the commitment from the players, the desire, the attention to detail, and sticking to the game plan was brilliant. And you have to win the game in multiple ways. And today we saw an opportunity to soak up a little bit of pressure and try to be lethal in the counterattack and the goals were well taken.”

The win snaps a three-game losing streak to the Thorns during the past two seasons that saw the Pride outscored 12-0. The result also snapped a three-game unbeaten run for Portland and a two-game losing streak for the Pride.

From a statistical standpoint, it’s also a surprising result. The Thorns had more shots from inside the box (13-8), touches inside the opponent’s box (39-20), and passes in the final third (123-88). But of the team’s seven shots on target, four came from Smith and no other players had more than one, allowing the Pride to focus on their primary attacking threat.

With this win, the Pride now have victories over the top three teams in the league, having beaten the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit earlier this season. It’s a surprising fact since they’ve struggled against teams further down the table and are fighting to get into a playoff position.

“We have to stick to our principles, and maybe sometimes against opponents that are not top teams, we think maybe we can get away with that a little bit just subconsciously,” McCutcheon said about defeating those opponents. “And again, it’s just lessons that we’re learning throughout the season. And so I think we go into these big games, knowing that we have to be at our absolute best. And now, as we continue on, we know that we have to do that every single game.”

The win is also the Pride’s third consecutive at Exploria Stadium after two straight losses to start the season. Hines has spoken several times about making the stadium a fortress and it seems as though the team is doing that, tonight in front of a season-high 7,319 fans.

“I said that at the start of the year, we had to make this a fortress,” Hines said about the home wins. “We had to make this an environment that’s difficult to play in. And with the last three games, we’ve shown that. The crowds are terrific. The crowd fully get behind the team and push them on and that helps. Having that 12th man in the stand is brilliant to have.”

The three points move the Pride up to eighth in the NWSL standings, just two spots and four points behind the final playoff spot. They’ll look to continue the momentum gained tonight when they face the North Carolina Courage away next Saturday night.

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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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20 hours ago

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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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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Angelina

Angelina was a key player during her first season with the Pride.

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3 days ago

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December 16, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed defensive midfielder Angelina on Dec. 13, 2023 as a restricted free agent. It was a three-year deal through the 2026 season and the Brazilian international quickly became a key part of the starting lineup. A surgical procedure early in the season kept her out for five games and she played for Brazil at the 2024 Summer Olympics, but she was present for the final stretch of the season.

Let’s take a look at Angelina’s first season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Angelina was a key player in the Pride’s starting lineup, taking up her spot in the defensive midfield. 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. 

The midfielder made 21 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 16 games and recording 1,487 minutes. Of her 11 shots, six were on target and she scored two goals. Additionally, she completed 82% of her 849 passes, including two assists, three key passes, and three crosses. Defensively, Angelina had 39 successful tackles, 21 headed duels won, and 14 interceptions on the year. She committed 19 fouls, suffered 22, and was booked once.

In the playoffs, Angelina started all three games, recording 266 minutes. She put one of her four shots on target and didn’t score, but completed 80% of her 116 passes and assisted Barbra Banda’s game-winning goal in the NWSL Championship. She was also active defensively in the postseason, completing 10 tackles and making seven interceptions. She committed two fouls in the playoffs, suffered one, and was booked once.

Best Game

Angelina had several games where she was a force going forward, assisting in the buildup to goals and completing a high percentage of her passes. However, her best game was in the NWSL semifinal against the Kansas City Current and it was because of her defensive play. The midfielder only completed 64% of her 41 passes — a low number for her — and took one off-target shot. However, she played a strong defensive game.

The Pride went down a goal in the 33rd minute, but equalized shortly before halftime. A Banda goal early in the second half gave the Pride the lead and they had to stand tall defensively. That’s when Angelina made her biggest impact, touching the ball 61 times while recording three tackles and a season-high six interceptions. Her play in the defensive midfield had a significant impact on the Pride holding on for the win and reaching the NWSL Championship for the first time in club history.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Angelina a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her first season with the club. She helped the Pride control the midfield all season, a major reason why they were unbeaten in their first 23 regular-season games. Her contributions to the attack helped the Pride outscore opponents when needed, and her defensive prowess contributed to the best defense in the NWSL. She brought stability and a sense of calm to Orlando’s midfield all season. For these reasons, we considered her one of the best players on the team for 2024.

2025 Outlook

Angelina signed a three-year deal prior to the 2024 NWSL season, keeping her in purple through the 2026 NWSL season. She proved herself to be an essential part of the starting lineup, often serving as the team’s best defensive midfielder and a key link between the back line and the attackers. Provided she is healthy, the Brazilian will remain a regular starter and a key player in the team moving forward.

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