ORLANDO, Fla. (August 9, 2019) - Orlando Pride (3-9-2, 11 points) returns to action after nearly three weeks off from match play, set to face the Houston Dash (5-7-4, 19 points) on Saturday, August 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Exploria Stadium, with tickets available to purchase here. The match will be available to stream on Yahoo! Sports, with international fans able to tune in on NWSLsoccer.com.
Pride captain and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris enters the match with 99 career appearances and is expected to earn her 100th NWSL regular-season appearance on the weekend.
“I think when Houston played us last time, they used the width effectively and we need to make sure that we’re aware of that, how to affect that and then I think we need to suffocate them,” Head Coach Marc Skinner said. “We know that they have some very, very good players so we need to suffocate those players and then we need to put our stamp of how we’re going to play in the game straight away and make Houston come and play against us in our backyard. I think that’s really important, we have to stamp the way we want the game to go and control it as much as we can.”
The Pride come into Saturday’s match with their last match resulting in a 1-0 victory over Sky Blue FC on July 20 at Exploria Stadium. Marisa Viggiano scored the eventual game-winner in that match in the 23rd minute, a finish that served as the first of her professional career.
Marta leads the Pride with four goals this season, followed by Chioma Ubogagu with three. Joanna Boyles leads the Club with two assists.
Houston enters this weekend’s matchup following a 1-0 loss to Reign FC this past Friday. Rosie White scored the game-winner in that match for the visitors in the 21st minute in just her second game with the Reign.
Rachel Daly leads the Dash with four goals this season, followed by Sofia Huerta and Kristie Mewis with three apiece. Goalkeeper Jane Campbell sits at third in NWSL with 45 saves recorded this season.
Saturday’s match serves as the third and final between the two sides this season and the first at Exploria Stadium. The Pride fell 1-0 in their first trip to Houston on May 5, followed by a 2-2 draw in their return to BBVA Stadium on June 15.
Following Saturday’s match, the Pride will close out a three-game home stand when they host the Utah Royals on Saturday, August 17 at Exploria Stadium.
