ORLANDO, Fla. (July 30, 2022) - Following a week off from NWSL play, the Orlando Pride (3-5-4, 13 points) returns to action and travels to Children’s Mercy Park for a match against the Kansas City Current (5-4-3, 18 points) on Sunday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET with the match available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and internationally on Twitch.
“[Kansas City] are on a really good run right now. I think it is seven games unbeaten, but we have to focus on ourselves” said acting head coach Seb Hines. “We are building momentum after each game. Going to Washington was a difficult place to go play and we got a positive result. Would have been nice to get a win, but we will take the positives out of it. It is another clean sheet. Going into Kansas, we have to build on what we have done in the last three games. We know that there are not a lot of games left, so we need points. It is another opportunity to go get three points and we have to take advantage of that.”
Earlier this season, the two sides played to a 2-2 draw after Pride defender Toni Pressley rocketed home a penalty kick in the sixth minute of stoppage time to level the score. Gunny Jónsdóttir also found the back of the net that night at Exploria Stadium in the 51st minute for the Pride.
Prior to the break, the Pride earned their third-straight result with a scoreless draw in the nation’s capital against the Washington Spirit. Pride goalkeeper Erin McLeod made five saves to earn her third clean sheet across all competitions this season.
The Kansas City Current were on fire before the break winning three-straight games and going unbeaten in seven straight. The Current’s most recent game was a 1-0 victory over the OL Reign courtesy of a Lo’eau LaBonta penalty kick goal, which served as the match’s deciding goal. The Current’s 18 points through 12 matches is the most they have earned in the franchise’s history.
Pride midfielder Jónsdóttir has returned from representing her country, Iceland, in the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros. Iceland went undefeated in the group stage, but did not advance to the knockout stage. Jónsdóttir has since returned to training and will be available for the Pride on Sunday.
Fans that aren’t making the trip to Kansas City are invited to a back-to-back watch party at Kiwi’s Pub & Grill in Altamonte Springs on Sunday. Orlando City SC will start the watch party with their match at D.C. United. Following the conclusion of that game, the crowd will turn its attention to the Pride’s game against Kansas City, which will be streamed for all supporters. The watch party begins at 4 p.m. ET and is a free event open to all ages.
Following Sunday’s match, the Pride will return to Exploria Stadium to battle 2022 expansion-side Angel City FC on Sunday, August 7. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Tickets to that match are available at Orlando-Pride.com.
