The Pride play their second of three consecutive home matches Tuesday night against the Washington Spirit. Orlando, coming off a 1-1 draw against Chicago this past weekend, have their sights set on a crucial three points they need to start climbing the NWSL standings. Tomorrow night’s match at Orlando City Stadium carries massive playoff implications for the Pride.
Here is what you should know about the Pride’s next opponent:
Recent Matches
Washington (15 points, 9th in NWSL) is coming off an eye-opening 4-1 away win over Sky Blue FC. The Spirit looked vulnerable after conceding a goal in the second minute of play, but were able to enter half-time down just 1-0. Then, Washington’s second half explosion saw them score four unanswered goals to shock Sky Blue FC at home. Before Friday night’s win, the Spirit had not won a match since July 1st. In their last seven matches, Washington is 2-3-2.
Who’s Hot
Spirit rookie Arielle Ship had a breakout performance against Sky Blue FC. She looked dangerous all match for Washington and was their primary threat in attack. Ship scored a stellar upper-90 goal to spark the Spirit’s comeback, and was directly involved in two others on the night. Sky Blue FC seemed caught off guard by the rookie -- the Pride cannot afford to make the same mistake on Tuesday night.
Who’s Not
The Spirit back line came under immense pressure in the first half against Sky Blue FC. After conceding a goal from Sky Blue’s first attack, Washington was fortunate to only be down 1-0 at the break considering the amount of chances Sky Blue had. The Spirit defense came out with more desire in the second half, but still were not entirely convincing. Orlando is among the best in the NWSL when it comes to goals scored; look for the Pride to high-press Washington early in their own half to open up scoring chances.
Head-to-Head
The Pride played their home opener in Orlando City Stadium against the Washington Spirit. That match saw Marta make her NWSL debut, and the match ended 1-1 with a goal from Pride rookie Danica Evans. The teams’ second meeting of the season came last month and also ended in a draw, 2-2.
