Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. San Diego Wave FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Continue Unbeaten Run
The Pride extended their unbeaten run to five games with a 1-0 win over the San Diego Wave.
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The Orlando Pride (2-0-3, 9 points) remained undefeated and won their second consecutive game with a 1-0 win over San Diego Wave FC (1-2-1, 4 points). Summer Yates’ 26th-minute goal was the difference as the Pride continue their strong start to the 2024 NWSL season.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made two changes from the team that beat the Utah Royals 1-0 last week in Sandy, UT. Haley McCutcheon replaced Morgan Gautrat in the defensive midfield and Marta replaced Adriana in the attack after the Brazilian went down injured last weekend.
The back line in front of Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Bri Martinez. Angelina was joined in the defensive midfield by McCutcheon behind an attacking midfield of Julie Doyle, Marta, and Yates. Ally Watt was the lone striker for the fourth consecutive game.
The Pride dominated this game from start to finish. Chances by the visitors were few and far between as the Pride continued to create opportunities against Wave goalkeeper and Canadian international Kailen Sheridan. The final score should’ve been more decisive, but the Pride were unable to convert throughout the game, enabling the visitors to stay within reach. However, they were able to keep a clean sheet for the second straight week.
The Pride created the first chance of the game in the fourth minute when Yates sent Doyle behind Kristen McNabb on the right. Watt was behind the back line and looking to run onto the Doyle cross, but it was just out of her reach, enabling the Wave to clear.
The hosts had another attempt in the 12th minute and it was Doyle looking for Watt again. This time it was a forward pass, sending Watt behind the Wave back line. The speedster ran onto the ball, but Sheridan did well to come off her line and block the shot.
In the 16th minute, the Pride got behind the Wave defense on the right again, but this time it was Watt starting it. The forward’s pass for Yates was behind the midfielder, but the second-year player was able to find McCutcheon. After a brief touch, McCutcheon shot from distance, but it was blocked by Danielle Colaprico.
The attacking pressure by the Pride paid off in the 26th minute. It started on the right with Doyle again. The midfielder dribbled herself out of room but cut back to lose her defender and shot. While Sheridan did well to block it away, the Pride maintained possession. Abello ended up with the ball on the left and found enough space for her own shot. This attempt was also blocked by Sheridan, but right in front of the goal, where Yates volleyed it in to give the Pride a deserved 1-0 lead.
“I think I blacked out a little bit, but I know Kerry had the ball and she was driving and I was just trying to flow and find the second ball shot and it deflected and I was just in the right place at the right time,” Yates said about her goal. “I think my role in the box is just trying to hunt and try to put myself in position so I can score goals. So that’s what I try to do and I was in the right place at the right time.”
After playing sparingly in her rookie season, Yates has become a key part of the Pride attack this year. This is her second goal of the season and her first game-winner.
“Last year she was in and out. She played a lot of Challenge Cup games, but wasn’t right. She wasn’t ready for the league. And so we had a hard conversation and said ‘Listen, you have all the ability in the world. You’ve got to dedicate more time in yourself,’ and so she took that on board,” Hines said about Yates’ recent success. “She’s done so well in the off-season, which is now shown in her performance of late. And so, we’re really pleased with Summer, because it’s all come down to her and the dedication that she’s put into herself.”
“It means the world to me. Just to have the coaches’ trust means so much,” Yates said about her impact this year. “And being able to make an impact every game has been huge for me. I think I’m just continuing to learn and continue to be more consistent in and around the goal and every single game it just feels like it’s coming easier and easier.”
It looked like the Pride might have a second goal in the 34th minute when Marta sent Watt down the right. The forward’s cross was looking for Angelina or Yates in the box, but McNabb got to it first. The deflection was heading towards the near post, rolling just wide. However, the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside right after the block, canceling the play.
In the 37th minute, Abello found Angelina near the middle of the field and just outside of the box. The defensive midfielder lifted the ball into the box, where Doyle was between two defenders. Despite being outnumbered, Doyle won the ball, heading it on target. Unfortunately, it was right at Sheridan, who made the easy save.
The Pride had another great opportunity to double their lead in the 41st minute when Marta played the ball back for Yates in the middle of the box. She mishit the ball, but it went right to Doyle near the far post. It appeared to be an easy tap-in for Doyle, but she also was unable to get a solid foot on the ball, sending it off target from close range.
The hosts had one last chance in the first half, which came a minute into stoppage time. Watt laid the ball off for McCutcheon outside of the box and the defensive midfielder lifted a cross in for Watt. The forward was left open to get her head on the ball but sent it wide of the target.
It was an absolutely dominant first-half performance by the Pride as they had more possession (52.2%-47.8%), shots (12-1), shots on target (5-0), corners (2-0), and crosses (17-1), and better passing accuracy (90.3%-83.5%). However, they could only convert on one chance, keeping the visitors in the game.
San Diego forced Moorhouse into rare action shortly after the restart when halftime substitute Kaitlyn Torpey threw the ball in to Jaedyn Shaw on the right. The forward attempted the send the ball across the box, but it was too close to the Pride goalkeeper.
The Pride had their first second-half chance in the 47th minute when Doyle made a long run into the Wave box. She cut outside to lose Naomi Girma and shot, but the attempt was blocked by center back Abby Dahlkemper.
In the 48th minute, Doyle went down with an apparent cramp during a stoppage of play. After receiving treatment by the Pride medical staff, the attacker was replaced by Adriana in the 50th minute.
Yates continued to be a nuisance for the Wave back line in the 56th minute when she made a long diagonal run to the top of the box. Dribbling past multiple defenders, the midfielder took a shot from the top of the 18 but sent it wide.
The 61st minute saw the moment the crowd of 7,701 at Inter&Co Stadium had been waiting for. Barbra Banda, joining the Pride with the second-highest transfer fee in NWSL history, made her league debut, replacing Watt.
“Be mindful of the player’s care,” Hines said about giving Banda 30 minutes. “You know, she’s gone through a lot with qualifying for the Olympics and then coming over here, flying out to Orlando, having her integrate with the team, getting to know the players. But I thought it was really important for her to take a backseat and just watch and analyze the game and the speed of the game.”
It didn’t take long for the forward to get involved, getting her first shot off less than a minute after entering the game. The attempt was blocked and went to Yates at the top of the box. The first-half goal scorer took her own attempt, but that too was blocked.
In the 67th minute, Angelina sent the ball out wide for Yates. The midfielder had space to find her target and sent a cross for Banda making a back-post run. The Zambian international got her head to the ball, but it was right to Sheridan.
It looked like Banda might get her first NWSL goal in the 73rd minute when Adriana sent the forward behind the Wave back line. However, Sheridan did well to come off her line and block the attempt with her legs, keeping the score at 1-0.
Shortly after the attempt, Hines made his final two changes of the game. Ally Lemos and Rafaelle came on for Yates and Marta. It was Rafaelle’s first appearance for the Pride in 2024 after missing the first four games of the season with a fracture in her left foot, suffered while playing for Brazil during the semifinal of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
“We brought her in for a reason last year, and so we wanted to start where she just left off,” Hines said about Rafaelle’s first appearance of the season. “Again, be mindful of where players are at coming back from injury. It’s never easy, especially in this league. So managing her minutes appropriately, constant communication with the medical staff, and see what a player can give.”
The Wave had their best chance of the game in the 82nd minute when a quick give-and-go between Torpey and Kimmi Ascanio saw Torpey send a cross into the box. Savannah McCaskill slid in to send the ball back across goal where Alex Morgan was charging in. Sams and Moorhouse were there to keep the ball out of the goal and Morgan went down behind the goal line with an injured ankle.
Hobbling back to the San Diego bench, the striker was unable to continue in the game. Since the Wave had already used all five subs for the game, they had to play the final minutes with 10 players.
Despite being down a player, San Diego continued to push for an equalizer. In the first minute of stoppage time, Kennedy Wesley sent a long ball for Sofia Jakobsson. The Swedish international sent a cross into the box for Kyra Carusa, who turned and fired. She had space, but the shot was right to Moorhouse.
The Pride held possession on the right side of the field with Adriana and Banda, winning a late corner to avoid another San Diego attack. After eight minutes of stoppage time, the referee blew his final whistle, and the Pride came away with another three points.
San Diego ended the game with more possession (54.2%-45.8%), but the Pride dominated the other statistical categories. The hosts had more shots (20-4), shots on target (8-1), corner kicks (5-0), and crosses (26-7), and better passing accuracy (84.4%-84.1%).
“I’m really pleased with the players, the work and dedication that they’ve put in and everyone playing their role also. I felt that we dominated from start to finish,” Hines said about the performance. “I know San Diego had a lot of passes but passes around the back, which is fine for us, because it opens up the door for us to be lethal in transition. Would I have liked more goals? Absolutely. You know, it would be nice to get a couple more, but it wasn’t to be and we’ll continue to work on that area so we’re not just 1-0 towards the end of the game.”
“I just feel like we were in good spots tonight,” Angelina said about the game. “We saw the spaces and Ally (Watt) did a really good job at running behind them. We knew they were going to have a high press and we were just trying to be in the right spot at the right time. So I think the team did a really good job at that.”
While the team comes away with three points, the lack of goals remains a concern. They’ve outshot their opponents 55-18 in their last three games, but have only come away with one goal in each one.
“I think we’re still finding our composure around the box,” Yates said about the lack of goals. “I know I should have had another one. So I probably think about the one I missed more than the one I scored. But all of us just finishing our individual battles, beating our defenders, combining in around the attack, being patient. But yeah, I think it will come.”
Despite the lack of finishing, the Pride now have back-to-back clean sheets and the most in the league. They’re now undefeated through five games and have nine points, tying them on points with the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit for second, one point behind the Kansas City Current.
After a short homestand, the Pride will head back out on the road as they take on the Spirit next Friday night at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Goalkeeper McKinley Crone to New Contract
The Pride have signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone through 2026.
![](https://themaneland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/JRPRIDE130242055-scaled.jpg)
The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone to a new contract. The deal runs through the 2026 NWSL season.
“Mac has played an important role in our goalkeeping corps, continuing to push our group each day while investing in herself both on and off the pitch,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We are very excited for her to continue her career with us here in Orlando, where we can continue to support her development as a player. We believe she can become a competitive goalkeeper in this league, and we look forward to providing her with the resources and environment to reach her potential.”
Crone went undrafted in 2023 before joining the Pride as a non-roster invitee during preseason. The Maitland native continued with the Pride as a training player and was awarded with a National Team Replacement Player contract on June 27, 2023 when Marta and Adriana departed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 25-year-old signed a second National Team Replacement Player contract and was signed for the remainder of the season on Sept. 13, 2023.
Her play in training and during her call-ups earned Crone a NWSL contract for the 2024 season. She only made the team sheet once in 2023, but became the regular backup this year. Anna Moorhouse was called up to the England National Team when the NWSL went on break for the Olympics, opening a spot for Crone. She made her professional debut in a 1-1 draw with the North Carolina Courage on July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The young goalkeeper made five saves on six shots while conceding once and helping the Pride maintain their unbeaten record this year in all competitions.
“To be staying here in Orlando, the place I grew up, means everything to me. Being given the chance to represent this city as well as this club has been a huge honor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue living out my dream,” Crone said in a club press release. “What we are building here is really special and I can’t wait to continue to be a part of it for years to come. This club and this city mean so much to me and I will do everything I can to help bring championships to the City Beautiful. Roll Pride!”
Prior to joining the Pride, Crone played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama. Her final three seasons for the Crimson Tide saw her make 66 starts, play 9,519.77 minutes, and concede 70 goals while making 229 saves. She had a goals-against average of 1.10 and saved 76.6% of the shots she faced. She finished her collegiate career with Alabama’s record for single-season wins (10), career shutouts (23), and career wins (41).
What This Means for Orlando
Crone has worked her way from a non-roster invitee last preseason to the team’s primary backup. When the club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner during the off-season, it was expected the newcomer would be behind Moorhouse. However, Crone has been on the team sheet for every game this season, while Manner only appeared during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
During the summer break tournament, Crone’s five saves topped the Pride’s goalkeeping group, which saw Crone, Manner, and Moorhouse start one game each. In addition to equaling Moorhouse with a team-best one goal conceded, she saved two penalties in the shootout, more than Moorhouse and Manner.
Crone’s role as the primary backup this season and her play in the Summer Cup makes her the obvious choice for the same role next year. For this reason, it was a matter of when and not if the Pride would attempt to sign her to a new contract. With Moorhouse and Manner already signed through the 2025 season, the Pride now have their goalkeeping corps for next year.
Orlando Pride
Finding Glory? The Orlando Pride “Just Keep Winning”
As Orlando’s NWSL rivals stumble, the Pride have shown no signs of slowing down.
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Nearly two months ago, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1 for a gritty road win to enter the Olympic break on top of the league table and favorites for the NWSL Shield. If any fans were anxious about the Pride’s form dipping in their return to action, they should now let go of those fears.
While Orlando has continued to rack up points with stingy defense and timely goals, the other credible contenders for the shield, the Current and the Washington Spirit, have both dropped points. Now, there are just eight matches remaining in the regular season, and the Pride have a six-point lead in the table. So, to paraphrase the ever-optimistic Dory from Finding Nemo (and also from the sequel, Finding Dory), “just keep winning.”
Since returning from the break, Orlando has won at the last-place Houston Dash and against fourth-place NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. The latter match featured 12 Olympians, and could have passed for a gold medal rematch due to Gotham’s U.S.-heavy squad and Orlando’s Brazilian contingent. Both the Dash and Gotham games were ones Orlando would be disappointed not to win, but winning is never a given in a league as competitive as the NWSL. Just ask the Current, who started the season unbeaten through 15 matches and set the pace at the top of the table, only to lose three straight and drop to third. On the other end of the table, both Utah Royals FC and Seattle Reign FC are on two-match winning streaks, showing just how quickly things can change for better or worse.
Orlando, however, leads the league and is not slowing down, because the Pride have avoided the trap games and off nights that can bite most teams. It is a testament to values instilled in the squad by Head Coach Seb Hines, now the winningest coach in Pride history, that the players have remained focused and ready for each match. Following the win over Gotham, Orlando’s fifth straight, center back Kylie Strom put it simply, “at the end of the day, we have to stick to our principles, and we did exactly that.”
Strom was referring specifically to the team’s defensive performance, but around the pitch, players are staying true to the other key principles that got them here. In recent matches, defense, as well as squad depth and versatility, have set this club apart from the competition.
Defensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Orlando now has five clean sheets in its past six NWSL matches and has only conceded 12 times in 18 matches. During the previous six matches, the Pride have started seven different players in the back four positions, and that does not include Rafaelle, who has been struggling with leg injuries this season. One of the players deputizing due to injuries to Rafaelle and Bri Martinez is Cori Dyke, who despite only starting three matches to this point in her debut season, is beginning to thrive in the environment the staff and other players have created.
Dyke exemplifies how squad depth has also been key to this defensive run. Despite a couple of injuries, the Pride still have not trailed in a match since the first month of the season, nor have they conceded a goal past the 75th minute. This stat could only be achieved because the roster is ready top to bottom to do the dirty work of defending, whether the players on the pitch are regular starters, or late game specialists. Also, it never hurts to be able to bring on Orlando’s newest addition, veteran defender Carson Pickett, to help see out games.
Orlando’s depth and versatility have also shown for the attack in recent weeks. While outsiders may wrongly view the Pride offense as a one-player “Barbra Banda show” due to her team-high 12 goals, the Dash and Gotham games demonstrated how lethal Orlando can be even without a goal from Banda. Against Gotham, it was Adriana who contributed two great goals within 20 minutes to put the game out of reach right after kickoff. Despite a slower start to 2024 following her electric debut campaign, Adriana now sits on five goals for the season. This tally brings her level with Marta, who has hit her highest individual goal mark since 2019, and Summer Yates, who subbed on and scored her fifth of season, a game winner, against the Dash.
Again, Yates’ goal highlights how the Pride players continue to perform well, whether they start or come off the bench. Goals are not the only way Pride attackers have contributed from the bench either, though Julie Doyle did almost have the goal of the season on Sunday if not for the offside flag. Doyle was also critical to seeing out the win and clean sheet because she drove the ball into the opposition half and toward the corner flag repeatedly to kill time and disrupt the flow of the match. Watt performed much the same role after her introduction as well, ensuring that Gotham did not have as many chances to score towards the end of the match.
At the end of the day, these are the types of contributions that Orlando will need to keep winning and maintain their lead at the top of the table. This includes the way the defense doesn’t let the opposition breathe, no matter who is playing. It includes timely goals from the entire Pride roster and not just Banda. And, it includes players in each position remaining focused and doing what they have done to be in the position they are in today. That position is one where they finally have daylight between them and their rivals at the top.
While there are still eight matches to go, the Pride will know that if they can take care of business against the teams outside of the top four in the NWSL, such as this weekend’s against the Chicago Red Stars, the path for other teams to catch them will get much trickier.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Loan Amanda Allen to Lexington SC
The Pride have sent Canadian international forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC.
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The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has sent forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC. The loan is for the 2024-25 USL Super League season, which runs through May, and includes a right to recall.
“Amanda has shown her potential and maturity during her time here in Orlando and we’re happy to find an opportunity for her to get more minutes on the field,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Amanda has played an important role so far this season and we are happy to be able to give her the opportunity to compete in Lexington. We look forward to watching her play and will continue to support her from afar during this loan spell.”
The Mississauga, Ontario, native joined the Pride on April 3, 2023 on a three-year deal running through the 2025 season. She made her debut on May 6, 2023 against Racing Louisville FC, becoming the youngest player to play for the Pride at 18 years, two months, and 15 days old.
In her two years in Orlando, Allen has made 17 appearances with two starts while recording 293 minutes with one assist in all competitions. That includes 11 NWSL regular season appearances, three Challenge Cup appearances, and three NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup appearances. Her assist came in this year’s season opener in a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville when she found Summer Yates for the late equalizer.
Allen has spent time with the Canadian National Team and the youth squads. The 19-year-old forward is currently at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she started in the team’s first two group games.
What This Means for Orlando
The Pride have two primary forwards this season in Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, with the other forwards usually being left on the bench or out of the matchday squad. Even veteran and Argentina international Mariana Larroquette has found it hard to see the field. The club views Allen as part of the future of this team, but she was unlikely to see much more time this year in the regular season or postseason.
This loan gives the 19-year-old an opportunity to see first-team minutes at a high level, as the USL Super League is a first division league. The team was already heavy on forwards, resulting in the waiving of rookie Alex Kerr on Aug. 29. This move clears more space at the position while stating that Allen is part of the future of the team.
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