Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines
On the result
“We left it late, but most important thing is that we got the goal that we much needed and the three points that we much needed. You know, phenomenal performance from start to finish. I've been in these games where you are relentless and you keep pushing and keep pushing and you get hurt in one moment and so I was so pleased with the players that they were able to get it to the final whistle and score the goal. Well-deserved performance and an effort and victory.”
On the team’s performance
“It was great. Some of the football that we played in the first half was probably some of the best we've played. So going into halftime, there was full belief. You think like you're in a boxing match and you're just punching away, and you're just waiting for that knockout punch. We left it to the 88th minute, but it wasn't due to a lack of effort. We just kept going and going, and their keeper played well and made some really good saves, and we wanted to set the tone early. We knew Chicago going into the game wanted to bounce back and felt probably a bit vulnerable coming here and we wanted to make it as intimidating as possible. The fans were brilliant, as well, getting right behind us. So, we kept pursuing it. I was so pleased with Julie [Doyle] because she got that well-deserved goal and she's been working so hard for that moment so she deserves all her flowers for the game.”
On Julie Doyle’s performance
“Just being patient by taking the opportunity when it's presented. It's hard, right? You've got someone like Barbara [Banda] who has scored 12 goals in I think 14 games, so she's been consistent with her goal scoring this season, so it's kind of accepting your role and understanding that I need to be patient and when the moment's presented itself, I've got to take it. Marta played the nine and then Julie [Doyle] came on and made an immediate impact and got the winning goal. There's a lot of conversation about what this team would look like with the absence of Barbara. You can see that we were able to create a lot of opportunities whether it's crosses, through balls, shots from outside the box, as well, but the game is determined by goals, and so that's the final part of it, right? We created opportunities and we've got good build up moments. Now it's about getting that feeling of hitting the back of the net and you can see tonight we weren't far away from many chances. I think every player deserved a goal tonight. Just happy for Julie that she gets her moment and gets the game-winning goal.”
Orlando Pride Defender Zara Chavoshi
On the result
“It was definitely a long 90, but since the first five minutes, we had opportunities. Solei [Washington] was really successful down the left and the whole team put in a really good shift tonight. I told the girls after every shot, every miss, every save: keep believing, keep working. Julie came in and we had a great impact, and we got one in the back of the net and a shutout. Just a really good night to secure another three points at home.”
On staying resilient throughout the match
“Haley [McCutcheon] said something at halftime. It was like, we can either use all of those mischances as a time to get down on ourselves and put our heads down, or we can use it as confidence that we are on this team and we're dominating and we're so close. That's kind of a pattern we've been facing all year is we're so close, and so, believing in each other and at halftime instead of getting on each other, it was like, let's take a deep breath because we're doing all the right things. So I was like, I can't ask anything more of you guys. Just put them in the back of the net and that's what we did.”
On the backline’s performance and flexibility
“Soccer is a tough game but that's our job as a backline. Honestly, when we're dominating the whole game and we don't have that much action, I'd say it's pretty easy. We have to always be ready, and if we're having four or five opportunities where a ball sneaks through, I'll take those chances anytime instead of a whole game full of them. I think we trust our backline every single player is so important and disciplined. We're a unit, we work together, so we welcome any type of pressure like that.”
Orlando Pride Forward Julie Doyle
On the result
“I think you guys can see it on my face. I'm just so happy. The team really needed that. They were working so hard in the first half and it just wasn't going our way and we had so many shots, so kudos to them for making the other team tired and I just went in there and got the job done.”
On missed first-half opportunities
“I mean it's so frustrating. That's soccer though, right? It happens at every single level. Just not giving up and Seb [Hines] told us at halftime to take responsibility. So, when I got in there, I took responsibility.”
On scoring her first goal of the season
“Honestly, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders. It's been a while since I scored and it was really good. I think I had one other opportunity before that I didn't get my shot off, so I knew if I was going to get the ball around the 18 to just take a chance. Cori's [Dyke] ball was perfectly weighted on the ground and all I had to do was one touch it.”
