Orlando Pride
Meet the 2018 Orlando Pride
The 2018 NWSL season is about to begin and Tom Sermanni’s Orlando Pride welcome back the majority of last year’s playoff team that finished third overall in the regular season. With several quality additions over the winter, the Pride seem poised to make another postseason run in 2018 and perhaps challenge for some hardware in the club’s third season.
There were only two major losses in the off-season, with the trades of left back Steph Catley and forward Jasmyne Spencer to Seattle, but the Pride got good value in return and simultaneously filled the position Catley vacated by acquiring Carson Pickett in the deal. Orlando also added a few other key players who are expected to make an impact in 2018.
Let’s meet this year’s Pride team.
2 Sydney Leroux, Forward
The biggest name of the off-season acquisitions, Leroux was acquired from Utah on Feb. 2 in exchange for a 2019 first-round pick. No longer an allocated player by the U.S. Soccer Federation (i.e. the USSF no longer covers her league salary), Leroux had to sign a deal with the club prior to the season, which she did.
Sydney wasted no time getting up to speed with her new team, scoring a goal in each of the Pride’s preseason matches and led the team in scoring. At the Pride Media Day she said she feels like the old Syd is back and that’s tremendous news for Orlando fans. Nearly all of her teammates we spoke to this preseason mentioned how her physical play and tenacity inspired them to play harder and tougher. If that is the case, this could be a special year for the Pride. The former FC Kansas City and Western New York Flash forward has lots of international experience, with 77 USWNT caps, and a history of playing with Alex Morgan. Her style of play should create more space for players like Morgan and Marta.
3 Toni Pressley, Defender
Pressley enters her third season with the Pride after being selected eighth in the 2015 NWSL Expansion Draft from the Houston Dash. She started 11 times in 14 appearances during the Pride’s inaugural season but transformed herself physically through a new approach to diet and fitness and entered 2017 looking like a completely different player. Pressley appeared in 18 games (13 starts) last season and smashed in her first goal with Orlando, a screamer that earned her NWSL Goal of the Week honors.
B💣💣M 😈 pic.twitter.com/PN8ppaapcN
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) July 16, 2017
Sermanni was able to utilize Pressley in order to change shape to three in the back late in games to go for the win and it will be interesting to see if that continues. It will be tougher to earn minutes on this year’s Pride team than ever before, so Pressley will need to work on her passing percentage and eliminate the errors in the box that led to two second-half penalties which cost Orlando points last season.
4 Shelina Zadorsky, Defender
Another of Orlando’s off-season acquisitions, Zadorsky was acquired from the Washington Spirit on Jan. 23 in exchange for backup goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and the Pride’s natural first-round pick in 2019. The 25-year-old Canadian international was brought in to bolster a defense that shipped 31 goals in 24 games last year. The Pride’s attacking style puts the defense under pressure at times and the acquisition of Zadorsky should help shore things up. She started two of her 30+ games with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the recent Algarve Cup and her side recorded shutouts in both, which she said at Media Day will give her confidence and serve as a springboard as she heads into her first season with Orlando. Shelina is allocated to Orlando by the Canadian Soccer Association.
5 Emily van Egmond, Midfielder
One of two Australian internationals on the squad, van Egmond will not actually join the Pride until late April due to World Cup qualifying in the Women’s Asian Cup. The attacking midfielder was signed on Valentine’s Day. Van Egmond is blossoming into one of the world’s top play-making midfielders despite being just 24 years old. Her presence will either allow Marta to play on the forward line or complement the Brazilian star if Sermanni wants more bodies in the midfield. She brings to the Pride more than 75 games of international experience on some of the biggest stages, as well as previous professional experience in Australia, Europe, and the United States (Western New York Flash, Seattle Reign, Chicago Red Stars). Emily will require one of the Pride’s five international slots.
6 Chioma Ubogagu, Forward
Chi enters her second season with the Pride after her rights were acquired from the Houston Dash in January of 2017 for a third-round pick in the 2018 draft. She was out of contract after the 2017 season and re-signed in mid-January. Ubogagu appeared in 19 matches with the Pride last season (16 starts), scoring four goals and adding three assists. Chi filled a lot of gaps last year. Nine of her starts came on the forward line, six were in the midfield and one was on defense — a position she also switched to a few times during games depending on substitution patterns. She played well enough to earn a call-up to the USWNT at left back, although she did not get a cap. With more attacking pieces in place for Sermanni this year, look for Ubogagu to serve as the club’s Swiss Army knife, doing a number of different jobs.
7 Christine Nairn, Midfielder
The Pride picked up Nairn from the Seattle Reign on Jan. 29, along with defender Carson Pickett, in exchange for Catley. Nairn brings a veteran presence to the Orlando midfield, as the 27-year-old has played more than 100 NWSL games with the Reign and the Washington Spirit, scoring 18 combined goals for those clubs. Nairn is an underrated player who does a lot of little things well and has a big leg, as she displayed twice in the preseason, scoring on a free kick against UCF and chipping the goalkeeper from the center circle against South Florida. She’ll provide a veteran presence to Orlando’s midfield.
8 Danica Evans, Forward
Evans enters her second season with the Pride after being drafted 22nd overall out of Colorado in 2017. Evans was used sparingly during her rookie year, appearing in 11 matches (one start) but only playing 195 total minutes. She scored one goal, but it was a big one, tying the match late against the Washington Spirit in Orlando’s home opener. Danica earned NWSL Goal of the Week for her calm finish. Evans will provide attacking depth for a club that has a treasure trove of options.
9 Camila, Defender/Midfielder
After suffering a serious knee injury in the final regular-season match of 2017, Camila Pereira (simply known as Camila) begins the season on injured reserve and therefore won’t count against the club’s international slots or roster limit until she returns. The Brazilian international’s recovery has seemingly gone well and a return in June is expected for the second-year Pride player. Camila was Orlando’s breakout player of the year in 2017, after signing with the club in December of 2016. She appeared in all 24 regular-season matches with the Pride in 2017, starting 22. She played just about everywhere, starting four games at right back, three at forward, and 15 in the midfield. She’ll only have about half a season to do it, but Camila will look to build on her four-goal, five-assist season of a year ago.
10 Marta, Forward
Marta Vieira da Silva, known globally simply as Marta, is one of the world’s most recognizable soccer players. She returns for her second season with the Pride after arriving early in the 2017 campaign. After a few games to settle in, Marta started delivering the goals and assists she’s known for, and, if not for someone named Sam Kerr, she might have been the NWSL MVP last year. After signing with Orlando last April, Marta arrived in time to dress for the home opener, despite having arrived via international flight less than 48 hours earlier. Playing both forward and midfielder in 2017, Marta played in 23 of the club’s 24 regular-season games, starting 21, as well as Orlando’s playoff match in Portland. Marta scored a team-high 13 goals (second in the NWSL) with six assists (also second in the NWSL). She created a league-high 64 chances for her teammates and her goals + assists total of 19 was second only to Sky Blue’s Kerr (17/4), who is now with Chicago. Marta was a four-time member of the NWSL Team of the Month, and she’ll again be expected to contribute heavily to the attack and team’s possession in 2018 and perhaps she’ll have more room with Leroux to clear more space for her. She will occupy an international slot for the Pride.
11 Ali Krieger, Defender
No longer allocated by the USWNT, Krieger, like Leroux signed a contract with the Pride prior to the NWSL season. She now enters her second year with Orlando since being acquired from the Washington Spirit on Nov. 2, 2016, in exchange for the Pride’s spot in the Distribution Ranking Order. She played every minute of the Pride’s 2017 season, mostly at center back, moving over from her more familiar right back spot. She led the NWSL in passing attempts (1,300), completing 82.5% of them. She did not score a goal but did assist on two. With the additions of Zadorsky and Poliana, Krieger could again play both fullback and center back in 2018, but, regardless of where she is on the field, the Pride will rely on her leadership, experience, and calm demeanor.
12 Kristen Edmonds, Midfielder
One of the longest tenured members of the Pride, Edmonds has been with the club since her rights were acquired from the Western New York Flash — along with Becky Edwards — in December of 2015. She enters her third season with the club, having led the team in goals in 2015, but filling in as more of a role player in 2016. She played 22 games (20 starts) last season, scoring two goals without an assist, just one year after scoring six times and adding two assists. She seems destined once again to slot in wherever Sermanni needs her in 2018, whether at fullback or in the midfield but that role fits in well with her whatever-is-needed demeanor.
13 Alex Morgan, Forward
Morgan enters her third season as a player allocated to Orlando by the USWNT. She became the cornerstone of the team’s roster in October of 2015, when the Pride traded a sizable list of assets to the Portland Thorns for both her and Kaylyn Kyle. Orlando parted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft (which became Emily Sonnett), the rights to Orlando’s first pick in the 2015 Expansion Draft (Meghan Klingenberg), and an international roster spot for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Morgan missed several matches in both previous seasons with Orlando due to international play and a loan spell with Lyon. Still, she’s amassed 13 goals in 18 games across two seasons with the Pride so far. Of those, nine came last year, along with four assists, as she torched the NWSL in the second half of the season. Those numbers could climb if she remains healthy on this 2018 team.
14 Alanna Kennedy, Defender/Midfielder
Like van Egmond, Kennedy is going to be a late arrival in 2018, as she tries to help her country qualify for the World Cup through April’s Women’s Asian Cup. The Australian still requires one of Orlando’s precious international slots. The Pride traded its first ever draft pick, Sam Witteman, to the North Carolina Courage to acquire Kennedy on Jan. 19, 2017. Her deal expired after last season, but the Pride re-signed the Aussie to a new deal earlier this month. At the time of the trade, Sermanni called her “one of the best center backs in the league,” but she only played in that position for seven games before moving into the midfield. She played in all 24 matches (plus the playoff game) last year, starting 23 times in the regular season. She was second only to Krieger in minutes played, scoring four goals and adding an assist. She also scored Orlando’s first ever playoff goal at Portland. Kennedy was a ball winner, a safety-first defender (80 clearances), and a provider of timely offense. Sermanni will be happy when she returns from international duty.
15 Rachel Hill, Forward
The Pride sent two 2018 draft picks to Portland in January of 2017 for the rights to Hill, who joined the club late after finishing school at the University of Connecticut. Hill started eight matches in 2017 and appeared in 14 over the course of her rookie season, playing 713 minutes, while scoring three goals and adding an assist. This past off-season, she went on loan to Australia to continue her professional development and made a big impact with Perth Glory, where she played alongside — and learned a lot from — Kerr. She started all 12 matches in which she appeared for Perth, scoring nine goals and assisting on six more, and earning a league Player-of-the-Month honor. Hill will be looking to use that breakout performance as a springboard into the 2018 NWSL season.
16 Carson Pickett, Defender
Pickett, a 24-year-old Florida State product and Florida native, returned to her home state in the trade that sent Catley to Seattle. Pickett is a capable replacement for the Australian international left back, earning W-League Best XI honors this off-season with Brisbane Roar, for which she appeared 13 times, scoring once. Pickett enters her first season with the Pride, after two years with the Seattle Reign, where she made 36 appearances with one assist but is still seeking her first NWSL goal. She was part of Florida State’s national championship team in 2014, anchoring a defense that did not concede in the NCAA tournament. Like Catley, she’ll look to get forward and cross balls in for Morgan, Leroux, and Marta.
For more info on Pickett, check out this week’s PawedCast.
17 Dani Weatherholt, Midfielder
Weatherholt enters her third season with Orlando, after the Pride drafted her in the fourth round in 2016. She was out of contract after 2017 and re-signed with the club in January. She has appeared in 31 matches (26 starts) over the past two seasons, notching her first professional goal and assist in 2017 as she locked down a holding midfield role in her sophomore season. The 23-year-old Santa Clara product has gained confidence from playing with the U-23 USWNT and has made great strides in her first two pro seasons.
19 Poliana, Defender
The pride shipped a second-round pick in 2019 to the Houston Dash to acquire Brazilian international Poliana Barbosa Medeiros (more commonly known as Poliana) on Feb. 6. One of Houston’s more dynamic players over the past two years, Poliana notched five goals and added two assists in 37 appearances. Capable of playing both fullback and in more advanced attacking positions, Poliana shares some similarities with Camila, aside from her Brazilian heritage. She’s tested on the international level, playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League play with Icelandic club Starjnan and winning the Copa Libertadores Femenina three times (2011, 2013, and 2014) with Brazilian side São José. She also has more than 30 international caps with Brazil. Poliana will require an international roster slot.
21 Monica, Defender
Monica Hickmann Alves (or just Monica) enters her third season with the Pride since being signed on Dec. 8, 2015. The Brazilian international, who is working on securing her green card before Camila returns from injury, according to a team spokesperson, has played both center back and holding midfield for the Pride over the last couple of years. She appeared in 19 of the team’s 24 regular-season matches (16 starts) and started in the team’s playoff game in Portland. She has made a total of 35 regular-season appearances (31 starts) in two seasons. Though she has yet to register a goal or assist with the team and has only 10 shot attempts, Monica’s defending (she won or shared the NWSL Save of the Week twice last year, despite not being a goalkeeper) and passing — she led the team at 84.4% — are her greatest strengths.
22 Bridget Callahan, Midfielder
Signed earlier today as a National Team Replacement player, Callahan enters her first professional season. The former University of Central Florida standout was a nonroster invitee to preseason camp and played well enough to at least earn a temporary deal with the club. She scored nine goals and accumulated two assists in 75 games. She scored three of those goals and added one of those two assists last year. With the Aussies gone until the end of April and the Brazilians leaving after the season opener, Callahan could be with the club through the first four games of the year or so. She will not count against the roster limit.
24 Ashlyn Harris, Goalkeeper
Allocated by the USSF, Harris enters her third season with the Pride, after being selected No. 2 in the 2015 NWSL Expansion Draft from the Washington Spirit. She’s made 28 appearances over the past two seasons as a starter, posting a record of 11-11-6 (6-2-5 last year) and notching six shutouts She missed time due to the Olympics in 2016 and a quad injury last year. Harris became the first player from an expansion team to win an NWSL season award when she was named the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2016, when she recorded four shutouts and won the NWSL Save of the Week a whopping nine times. In 2017, Harris only won six weekly NWSL save awards. The 32-year-old USWNT goalkeeper may be Alyssa Naeher’s primary backup with the USWNT, but she’s Orlando’s star between the sticks, and she’ll again be counted on to make big saves when the team needs them — which will hopefully be less often with the additions the team has made on defense.
25 Lotta Ökvist, Defender
Ökvist, 21, enters her first season with the Pride after her rights were acquired from the Houston Dash on Wednesday in exchange for the club’s 2019 natural third-round draft pick. The Swedish international was the No. 13 pick of the Dispersal Draft after the Boston Breakers ceased operations in January. As a 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft selection, Ökvist will not count against the Pride’s salary cap or roster maximum for the 2018 season, and her international roster spot from Houston (via Boston) will transfer with her to the Pride (effectively giving Orlando an extra for 2018). Before signing with the Breakers during the off-season, Ökvist featured for Pitea IF in her hometown of Piteå, Sweden. She made 25 appearances with Piteå during the 2016-17 Damallsvenskan season — her second stint with the club. The 5-foot-5 defender has also played one season with Umeå IK. Ökvist led her country to the 2015-16 UEFA U-19 Women’s Championship. Prior to that, she was a member of the U-17 Swedish Women’s National Team. The left-footer will bolster the Pride’s defensive depth and can also play in the midfield.
28 Haley Kopmeyer, Goalkeeper
Kopmeyer, 27, enters her first season with the Pride after being acquired from the Seattle Reign on Jan. 29, along with Seattle’s natural third-round pick in 2019, in exchange for Jasmyne Spencer. She provides a veteran backup for Harris, having made 46 NWSL appearances, with a high of 20 during the 2017 season. The University of Michigan product has kept 11 clean sheets and made 185 saves in her five-year career. Kopmeyer previously had loan stints with Brisbane Roar and Canberra United in Australia’s W-League and with Apollon Limassol in Cyprus.
Now you know the 2018 Orlando Pride. The club enters the NWSL season with its deepest and most talented roster to date, although not all the players are here now and more will soon depart for international play. With Women’s World Cup qualifying ramping up, this will be a common theme during the 2018 season. But the club has accounted for this as best it can by securing more domestic talent and inviting more college talent than usual to preseason training.
One notable name missing is draft pick Nadia Gomes (pictured in team photo, above). She isn’t officially signed as of now, and with no current roster space, she may end up being a National Team Replacement player at some point unless she’s dealt to another team or finds her way to another team/league.
This is a team expected to challenge for the NWSL Cup by season’s end. If it can stay healthy, survive the pockets of international duty, and build upon a strong 2017, the sky is the limit.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride are Swept by Expansion Boston
The Pride finish 0-3-1 against expansion teams after a toothless attacking night against Boston Legacy FC.
The Orlando Pride (6-7-2, 20 points) fell 1-0 at home to Boston Legacy FC (4-7-4, 16 points) in front of a Wednesday night crowd of 6,004 disappointed fans. Boston struck early and the Pride laid on a relentless attack in the second half, but they lacked precision in the final third and couldn’t overcome the Legacy’s stubborn defense. Barbara Olivieri scored the game’s only goal.
Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed his typical 4-2-3-1 formation for tonight’s match. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was made up of Cori Dyke, Hannah Anderson, Zara Chavoshi, and Oihane. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos served as the defensive midfielders, with Angelina, Jacquie Ovalle, and Solai Washington taking up the attacking midfield roles and Marta up top.
“Yeah, I mean they took their goal well. You know, some quick combination play, but I feel like every goal is preventable,” Hines said after the match. “You know, that’s just my mindset and how I think. And you know there was a couple of give-and-goes, and then you know getting close to people and affecting people wasn’t quite there in the first half.”
In the first minute, Oihane worked her way down the right and fed a ball through to Washington, who sent in a low cross that Casey Murphy collected easily.
In the sixth minute, Lilly Reale responded by sending a harmless ball over the crossbar.
Marta worked down the left a minute later and sent a high cross into the box, but it was too far in front of Washington and Angelina, who were trying to catch up to the play. The pass went harmlessly out the other side of the area, wasting a numerical advantage in transition.
In the 12th minute, Boston worked the ball down the right and sent in a cross that McCutcheon blocked behind for a corner. Jorelyn Carabali met the ensuing delivery with a free header, but it didn’t have much pace on it and popped up right to Moorhouse. Five minutes later, Moorhouse got over to gather a cross in from Reale.
Boston struck in the 17th minute, carving through the Pride midfield as Alba Caño found Ella Stevens, who tapped it centrally to Olivieri. The Boston attacker fired toward Moorhouse’s left. The goalkeeper dove but couldn’t make the save as the ball was able to sneak inside the post to make it 1-0.
The Pride attempted to pull the goal back in the 22nd minute, working up through the middle, but could not break down the stubborn Boston defense.
In the 26th minute, McCutcheon turned the ball over to Olivieri, who muscled her way into the box and cut back a pass to Caño, who fired wide. McCutcheon was shown a delayed yellow card for trying — and failing — to hold back Olivieri on the play, with the referee playing advantage.
The Pride responded in the 28th minute, following a throw-in, working wide on the left. Dyke sent in a good cross to Angelina right in front of goal. The Brazilian did well to get a foot on it, but hit it poorly and sent the ball wide left.
In the 36th minute, the Pride earned a free kick following a foray into the Boston 18-yard box that was defended away. Murphy collected the ensuing ball in from Ovalle without difficulty.
Boston managed a shot in the 40th minute after winning the ball off an Orlando throw-in and working it out to Caño, who centered for Annie Karich. She fired a shot but sent it right at Moorhouse.
Orlando had its own chance seconds later when an Ovalle effort flew just wide, needing a touch from Murphy to put it out for a corner. It looked like the Pride had equalized on the corner, with Ovalle curling the ball directly in for an Olimpico, but the goal was called back for a foul by Lemos who lightly bumped into Murphy. It was a curious call, as Lemos stood her ground and Murphy had to move back toward her goal away from Lemos to try to get to Ovalle’s delivery, but the goal didn’t count and a free kick was awarded to Boston.
Aïssata Traoré fired over the crossbar in the 43rd minute after some buildup down the Boston left.
Washington managed a decent cross in the 44th minute, but it was just too far in front of an onrushing Ovalle. Oihane added a cross of her own in the 46th minute, but it again went right to Murphy.
Boston won another corner moments later from an attack down the right, but the delivery flew over everyone except Reale at the back post. She put it out for an Orlando goal kick. The Pride survived a penalty scare on the play, as Ovalle had tangled with Carabali in the box, with a lot of shirt pulling and no attempt to play the ball. Referee Cristian Campo went to the monitor after a lengthy delay waiting for the video assistant referee. Campo looked at the play and confirmed the call as no foul and a goal kick, evening out the game’s two most controversial plays.
The first half came to an end without another good look at goal and Boston leading 1-0.
The half finished with Orlando leading in possession (51%-49%) but Boston had the advantage in shots (7-4), shots on target (2-0), and passing accuracy (87%-81%). Both teams won two corner kicks in the opening half.
Orlando saw more of the ball in the second half and created more opportunities, but in the end, the Pride were wasteful with those chances and gave the ball away too cheaply in the final third.
Hines brought on Julie Doyle at halftime for her 100th appearance for the club. She replaced Oihane at right back.
“Yeah, I mean, just want to say how grateful I am too. I mean, not every single player gets to hit 100 — and hit 100 at the same team,” Doyle said. “I’m so grateful just for the staff and the organization for believing in me every single year and every single contract and have had some highs and lows, but winning a championship was the best soccer memory.
“We’ve got to figure out how to break down a low block. I think that’s probably the hardest thing to do in soccer. You see it even in the World Cup. But yeah, and just like having that grit and mentality, and doing whatever it takes to get another goal, and you know, for us, I think that’s something that we obviously need to figure out.”
Orlando put together some excellent buildup in the 50th minute between Washington and Angelina, following clever holdup play by Marta. The sequence led to a Washington shot that Murphy parried away. The resulting cross found Marta, but her touch deflected off a Boston defender and into touch for a Pride throw-in that led nowhere.
Marta got a shot off in the 55th minute, following buildup through the middle from Anderson and Dyke, but sent it straight at the goalkeeper.
Boston worked a cross into the Orlando box in the 59th minute, sent in by Bianca St-Georges, but McCutcheon cleared it.
Barbra Banda subbed on in the 60th minute for Ovalle, and Orlando immediately started to play more directly with the Zambian international on the pitch. The Pride threatened in the 62nd minute with a ball over the top to Banda out wide, but a good tackle by Carabali snuffed out the attack after Banda had worked her way centrally, trying to clear herself for a shot.
The Pride followed with a free kick that was sent in, recycled, and lobbed back in, glancing off Anderson’s head and over the end line. Washington fired a shot just wide of the left post in the 64th minute. Murphy got a touch to help it, but a goal kick was given.
In the 66th minute, Boston came close to doubling the lead following a scramble in the box. Caño’s free kick found Reale, who crossed it back in, but Dyke cleared the danger off the line.
Hines made a double substitution in the 68th minute, sending on Simone Jackson for Washington and Nicole Payne for Lemos.
In the 77th minute, Jackson fought hard to work the ball toward the center of the box for Banda, who took a swing at a difficult ball that sailed high and wide. Eight minutes later, Orlando nearly forced an own goal when a Doyle cross deflected off Carabali and rattled the post.
The Pride earned a corner in the 86th minute when Emerson Elgin cleared a McCutcheon cross for Banda over the end line. Boston defended two corners in the ensuing goalmouth scramble, with Olivieri prominent in clearing the danger.
Hines made his final substitution in the 88th minute, sending on Seven Castain for McCutcheon.
In the 90th minute, chaos reigned in the box as the Pride had shots from both Marta and Payne blocked. A minute later, a promising attack down the left was snuffed out when Doyle stepped on the side of the ball while trying to beat her defender, handing possession back to the Legacy, who used their possession to try to run out the clock.
In the 95th minute, Marta worked a nice ball over the top that gave Banda a fighting chance, but a slightly heavy touch — with Boston players closing in — cost her the ball.
The final whistle brought Orlando’s second loss to Boston to a close. The Pride took only one point from four matches against the two new NWSL expansion sides.
The match finished with Orlando having the better of the possession battle (52%-48%), shots (13-8), corner kicks (5-2), and passing accuracy (84%-83%) but both teams put two shots on target.
“It’s obviously challenging, especially when she had quite a significant injury leading up into the last couple of games,” Hines said of Banda’s contributions and readiness going forward. “I feel like we’ve managed her really well, but you have to be so cautious with players, especially when they have injuries the way that Barbra had, and she’s such an explosive player, you don’t want to lose her for many more games — we’ll assess where she’s at, how she feels after tonight’s game, and then make a decision on you know if she starts or she can be an impact off the bench again.”
It was a disappointing result and performance for the Pride — their second in the last three matches, sandwiched around one of the team’s best outings of the year on Friday against the Kansas City Current. But the only thing consistent about the 2026 Pride is the team’s inconsistency and inability to get everyone healthy. Both Hailie Mace and Summer Yates sat out the game with knocks.
Things won’t get any easier for the Pride, who must now travel to Utah to face the Royals on Saturday night at altitude.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Pride look to win their second straight game as they welcome Boston Legacy FC to Inter&Co Stadium.
Welcome to your match preview and live thread as the Orlando Pride (6-6-2, 20 points) face Boston Legacy FC (3-7-4, 13 points) at Inter&Co Stadium at 7 p.m. (NWSL+, Victory+). This is the second and final scheduled meeting between these two teams this season.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.
History
Boston Legacy FC is one of two expansion teams joining the NWSL in 2026. The first and only game between the two teams took place on May 12 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The Pride took the lead in the 14th minute when Rafaelle was pushed over during a set piece and Marta converted the penalty. However, Aleigh Gambone equalized in the 72nd minute and Amanda Gutierres netted the winner eight minutes into second-half stoppage time from the penalty spot for a handball in the box by Luana. Boston took that first-ever meeting 2-1.
Overview
The Pride went into the World Cup break with back-to-back wins over San Diego Wave FC and Bay FC. However, they returned with a weak performance against Angel City FC away from home, resulting in a 2-0 loss.
On Friday night, the Pride faced a red-hot Kansas City Current team. While the first half wasn’t the best, the Pride had arguably their best half of the season in the final 45 minutes. Marta opened the scoring with a long-distance shot in the 49th minute, followed by a Hannah Anderson header off a corner kick in the 57th minute. Barbra Banda came on in the 76th minute and extended her league-leading goal total to 12 in the 85th minute, securing the 3-0 win.
The clean sheet was the Pride’s fifth of the season. Combined with the three goals, the team now has a positive goal difference (+2) with 21 goals scored and 19 goals conceded. The last two years, the team has been better defensively than offensively, but it’s opposite this season. The Pride are now third in goals scored and 10th in goals conceded.
In addition to the three points, Jacquie Ovalle and Marta started together for the first time this season. Banda also played the final 14 minutes after missing the Angel City game and looked like her dangerous self in the attack.
Tonight, the Pride welcome a Boston Legacy FC team that sits 14th in the 16-team league. The visitors tonight only have three wins this year, with one coming against the Pride and the other coming Friday night against the Chicago Stars.
Boston went into the World Cup break with back-to-back losses, falling 2-1 to Seattle Reign FC and 1-0 to the Kansas City Current. However, the expansion side has bounced back well, drawing 2-2 with Bay FC before beating the Stars 2-0.
Boston is led in the attack by Aissata Traore and Gutierres with four goals each, followed by Nichelle Prince and Alba Cano with two apiece. Biance St-Georges, Sammy Smith, and Gambone are the team’s only other goal scorers with a goal each.
Prince leads the team in assists, with three, followed by Gutierres with two. Traore, Barbara Olivieri, Emerson Elgin, and Laurel Ansbrow have each added one assist this season.
The team is tied with Racing Louisville FC on 15 goals scored, third fewest in the league. Meanwhile, Boston’s 21 goals conceded is fourth most in the NWSL this season. Despite falling back in May, this is a game from which the Pride should be able to take all three points.
“Last time we played them it was a physical game,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines said ahead of tonight’s contest. “It came down to literally the last kick of the game as well, so we’re looking to bounce back from that result that we were disappointed with going to their place. And, also, building on our performance against Kansas. It was a really good, encouraging performance. The attention to detail, scoring some goals as well is always nice, making it entertaining for our fans. So we’re looking to replicate that against Boston.”
The Pride will be without Hailie Mace (thigh), Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Rafaelle (hip), Viviana Villacorta (knee), and Summer Yates (ankle). Boston will play without Lais Araujo (thigh), Josefine Hasbo (lower leg), Kaka (ankle), Fauzia Najjemba (thigh), and Chloe Ricketts (ankle).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Cori Dyke, Hannah Anderson, Zara Chavoshi, Oihane.
Defensive Midfielders: Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon.
Attacking Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Angelina, Solai Washington.
Forward: Marta.
Bench: Cosette Morche, McKinley Crone, Kerry Abello, Luana, Nicole Payne, Julie Doyle, Seven Castain, Simone Jackson, Barbra Banda.
Boston Legacy FC (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Casey Murphy.
Defenders: Lilly Reale, Emerson Elgin, Jorelyn Carabali, Bianca St-Georges.
Defensive Midfielders: Annie Karich, Alba Cano.
Attacking Midfielders: Aissata Traore, Barbara Olivieri, Nichelle Prince.
Forward: Ella Stevens.
Bench: Laurel Ivory, Hannah Stambaugh, Nicolette Hernandez, Laurel Ansbrow, Deja Davis, Amanda Allen, Sammy Smith, Aleigh Gambone, Gutierres.
Referees
REF: Cristian Campo.
AR1: Noah Kenyawani.
AR2: Kendall McCardell.
4TH: Alejo Calume.
VAR: Alyssa Pennington.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: NWSL+, Victory+.
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.
Enjoy the game. Go Pride!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-0 as Pride Bounce Back with Win
The Pride take all three points at home against the red-hot Current.
A strong defensive effort and some moments of attacking quality earned the Orlando Pride all three points in a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Current at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. It was especially fitting that the Pride earned a clean sheet on goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse’s 100th appearance with the club.
The Orlando Pride (6-6-2, 20 points) bounced back from a difficult result in LA in convincing fashion against a tough Kansas City Current (8-6-0, 24 points) team. The match started off fairly even, but Orlando was organized and disciplined in this match and ultimately prevailed with goals from Marta, Barbra Banda and Hannah Anderson.
Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed his typical 4-2-3-1 formation in the team’s return home. The back line in front of Moorhouse was made up of Kerry Abello, Anderson, Zara Chavoshi, and Cori Dyke. Haley McCutcheon and Ally Lemos served as the defensive midfielders, with Angelina, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle taking up the attacking midfield roles. Solai Washington serving as striker.
“Zara’s been out for majority of the season, and we know her qualities,” Hines said said of his defensive players after the match. “With young players, you have to find out what they’re made of as well, and so she really stepped up into the challenge —Hannah and Zara — because they’ve been patient and been waiting for this opportunity since the start of the year. Hannah is such a threat off set pieces. Talk about Cori. She’s she’s been brilliant as well. Wherever we’ve put her in that back line, she’s been so consistent. We have to consistently have those desired behaviors to not concede, and that gives you the platform to go on and win the game.”
Kansas City came out quickly, testing Moorhouse in the first minute with a cross from Amelia White that Moorhouse got to just ahead of Haley Hopkins.
At the other end, Dyke took Orlando’s first shot from the top of the box in the sixth that looked more like a cross than a shot, and Marisa Jordan saved it with ease.
In the seventh minute, Angelina got the ball wide to the right side to Ovalle, who sent it back to Angelina, who then fired high.
Orlando put together a decent buildup down the left in the ninth minute by Abello and Washington, who centered it for Marta. Marta passed back to Angelina, who fired well wide to the left. Orlando went forward again in the 11th minute, with Marta out wide sending a ball over the 18-yard box that Dyke collected and then worked back out to Angelina. The Brazilian crossed it in to Abello, who headed it off target at the back post.
Izzy Rodriguez stripped Mart of the ball in the 13th just outside the Orlando 18-yard box, allowing Debinha to find Hopkins with a centering pass, but the Current attacker fired wide right. Croix Bethune tried her luck from long distance in the 16th minute, but the effort went straight at Moorhouse.
Orlando had a well-worked buildup through the middle in the 17th minute, with Dyke advancing up the right and sending a ball to Lemos, who found Dyke again for a cross in to Washington — but her shot sailed over the crossbar. Washington and Marta traded passes in the 19th before Washington attempted a right-footed cross into the box that Jordan intercepted easily.
As the teams continued battling back and forth, White worked her way around Abello in the 22nd minute and picked out Debinha with a cross, but her effort went straight at a well-positioned Moorhouse. Bethune found Hopkins in the 23rd, but Lemos cut off her ball through the box, sending it behind for a corner. McCutcheon headed away the ensuing corner, earning Kansas City another corner. Hopkins headed the the entry cross over the bar, handing Orlando a goal kick.
Kansas City nearly broke through three minutes later, on a mistake by the Pride defense on a ball over the top to Debinha. Chavoshi attempted to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, but she was too far from the end line. Debinha got past her to the ball and sent it in front to Hopkins for the tap-in. But the goal was chalked off for offside on the initial ball. It was a close play.
Rocky Rodriguez’s cross found Bethune in the 30th minute, and the midfielder outjumped Abello, got her head on it, and placed the effort well, but the shot had little pace to it and Moorhouse collected it.
Lemos made a nice driving run in the 33rd minute and fed Washington, whose cross was cut out by Laney Rouse. The loose ball found Angelina before it was eventually cleared following some back-and-forth changes of possession just outside the Current’s box.
Some gritty midfield work from Abello — who picked up a knock to her wrist on the play — saw her strip the ball from the Current in the 38th minute and advance it to Washington, who worked her way to the end line and passed back to Ovalle. The Mexican international’s shot was right at Jordan. Abello received treatment, left the field briefly, and returned to the match in the 41st minute after the mandatory one-minute wait for receiving attention.
Orlando won a throw-in in the 42nd minute, and Washington worked her way down the left before delivering a cross that Jordan stopped, colliding with Kayla Sharples in the process. Neither was injured in the tangle.
Orlando was able to maintain sustained possession for several minutes and spent that time trying to fashion a shot but never created anything threatening. Kanasas City pounced on a McCutcheon attempted pass, and broke down the pitch through a Bethune ball over the top to Debinha, who had to wait for reinforcements. Lo’Eau Labonta arrived and Debinha fed a ball she popped up which was defended away by McCutcheon but back out to the Current. Kansas City worked it back to Labonta, who then sent the ball over the crossbar. It was the last action of the first half.
Orlando held the lead in possession (51%-49%) and both teams managed six shots. Kansas City led in shots on target (3-1), corner kicks (2-0), and passing accuracy (88%-86%).
Kansas City subbed on the dangerous Temwa Chawinga for Debinha after the break, and the Current started off the second half aggressively. Marta had other plans though and, in the 49th minute, she scored her 50th goal for the Pride from about 30 yards out. Ovalle took the ball down Orlando’s left side, worked her way central, and passed back to Marta. Kansas City applied absolutely no pressure on her, so she blasted a long-range shot past a diving Jordan.
Hines made his first substitution of the game in the 53rd minute, bringing on Hailie Mace for Abello. Orlando earned a corner moments later through Marta, and the Pride doubled their lead on the ensuing set piece. Lemos sent a good cross to the back post and Anderson met it with a header, placing it perfectly past Jordan to make it 2-0.
The Current won a corner of their own in the 59th minute, but Orlando defended it away. It only as far as Chawinga, whose follow-up shot was blocked by Anderson.
Hines turned to his bench again in the 65th minute, sending on Luana for Angelina and Julie Doyle for Ovalle. Bethune worked her way into Orlando’s box in the 67th and fired from close range, but at a tight angle, and sent her effort straight at Moorhouse, who parried it behind for a corner. Moorhouse punched the corner clear, and the danger was eventually cleared over the crossbar for an Orlando goal kick.
Orlando was content to sit back and defend from that point. Bayley Feist made a slow-rolling effort in the 72nd that was easily gathered by Moorhouse, and Mace had a shot of her own in the 73rd that didn’t overly test Jordan. The Current responded in the 74th through Gianna Paul, but Moorhouse collected her effort without much trouble.
Hines made his final change in the 76th minute, bringing on Banda for Marta and Oihane for Washington. Banda’s first involvement came in the 77th, when she fired over the bar, and she got in behind again in the 78th and tried to chip Jordan — but the ball drifted past the far post with no one on hand to finish it off.
The Current had back-to-back chances in the 80th minute. Chawinga’s tepid effort was saved comfortably by Moorhouse, and moments later, Bethune pounced on an ill-advised pass from Anderson, only for Moorhouse to deny her as well. Paul’s cross into the box in the 83rd was collected just as easily.
Banda put the result beyond doubt in the 85th. Mace sent a ball over the top and into acres of space behind the Current’s back line. Jordan came rushing out to beat Banda to it, but she made only glancing contact with the ball on her volley attempt to clear it. The ball squirted behind Jordan. Banda easily beat Jordan to the loose ball and slotted it into an empty net for her 12th goal of the season, making it 3-0.
“We felt our structure and our engagement line was probably better to be a little bit lower to kind of take away the space that she could exploit and not let just one ball beat us.” Hines said of his strategy to deal with Chawinga’s threat. “A little adjustment that we made going into this game was just dropping Haley McCutcheon into the back line and covering those distances and the shifting across, but also trying to be aggressive to still press in the right position.”
The Current continued to press in the 90th minute, with Chawinga carving out her best look of the night, cutting left to right and smashing a hard shot just wide of the right post, handing possession back to Orlando. Moments later, Chawinga headed over the bar on the match’s final scoring chance.
Orlando’s defensive posture for much of the second half flipped the stats firmly in the visitors’ favor. Kansas City led in possession (55%-45%), shots (20-11), shots on target (9-5), corner kicks (4-1), and passing accuracy (88%-83%).
“Really good result. You know, especially after we come from a loss in LA,” Marta said. “It’s been like a tough season this year, ups and down[s], and we need to take a chance, especially when we play home. So, I’m really happy with the result tonight. Some days you wake up and then you just say to yourself, ‘It’s today, you know. Today you’re gonna play your best game.'”
The Pride next face the Boston Legacy at home on Wednesday.
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