ORLANDO, Fla. (April 30, 2018) - After extending its home unbeaten streak to 10 straight games, Orlando Pride (1-2-2, 5 points) prepares for a three-game road trip beginning with the Chicago Red Stars (2-1-3, 9 points) on May 2 at Toyota Park. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
The match will be streamed on go90. International fans can tune in on NWSLsoccer.com and on the NWSL app.
“The great thing that Chicago has done is that they have kept a fairly stable squad over the past couple of years and they are a group of players who are used to playing together. Like the other teams in the top four, they are a fairly formidable side. Chicago is a high-pressure team and a team that is very focused on the task and they are physically very strong,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “They have always been what I would call a blue-collar team and they’ve been successful with that and now they have now added some additional talent in the mix. Even still, we approach every game in the same way - to try and win it.”
Wednesday will be the first in a series of three road matches for the Pride. Following the team’s first midweek match of the year, the Pride will then travel out west to take on Utah Royals FC on May 9 and Portland Thorns FC on May 12.
Orlando’s last match, a 1-1 draw against Seattle Reign FC, saw the return of the Club’s five internationals, Alanna Kennedy Marta, Monica, Poliana and Emily van Egmond, who all missed time due to international commitments.
Down a goal, Marta scored a stunner in the 61st minute to equalize the match, sending a free kick from 25 yards out into the upper corner of the net. The goal marked her second in two matches and her second game-tying goal this season. The first took place on March 24 against Utah Royals FC. Saturday’s match up also saw the season debut for Kennedy and Club debut for van Egmond.
Orlando enters Wednesday’s match having not yet defeated the Red Stars in the Club’s history. The Pride are 0-4-1 all-time in the series, with the last game ending in a 1-1 draw on Aug. 15, 2017. Alex Morgan scored the lone goal for Orlando in the 24th minute and Sofia Huerta equalized for the Red Stars in the 53rd minute.
Midfielder van Egmond is the only Orlando Pride player to have previously spent time on the roster of the Chicago Red Stars. In 2014, the Australian played in 10 matches for the Red Stars, scoring two goals and recording two assists.
The Red Stars enter the match on a four-game unbeaten streak. Their last match ended in a 1-1 draw against the Washington Spirit on April 28. Forward Alyssa Mautz scored the goal for Chicago in the 19th minute, her third of the season.
The match marked the Chicago debut for Kennedy and van Egmond’s fellow countrywoman, Sam Kerr. The 2017 Golden Boot winner was acquired during the off season from Sky Blue FC in a three-team, blockbuster trade.
