Orlando Pride (7-9-1, 22 points) at OL Reign (7-6-3, 24 points)
When: Sunday, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA.
TV: Paramount+ (subscription required), FOX 35+ (local broadcast)
Watch Party: The Game Room Social Club, 55 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801
As the Pride travel to the other side of the country to take on the OL Reign, here are five things to watch for:
Messiah’s “Reign”
Forward Messiah Bright capped off the month by being named NWSL’s Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month for the month of August. The pair of awards marks the first time a player has been named both NWSL’s Rookie of the Month and Player of the month in the same month. Bright scored three goals across four matches in August, including her first professional brace against the Chicago Red Stars. The Dallas, Texas, native leads all NWSL rookies with seven goals across all competitions and her six goals in regular season play ranks among the top-five in the league. Bright is just the fourth rookie to win Player of the Month in NWSL history.
Accolades “Reigning” in
Bright’s performance in August also earned her a spot in the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month alongside Pride teammates Kerry Abello and Kylie Strom who also received honors on the list. Abello tallied an assist in the Pride’s final Challenge Cup match and recorded 27 won possessions and 67 completed passes across four matches. Strom put on a defensive clinic in the month of August, recording 26 possessions won. The Pride were tied with Kansas City for the most players of any NWSL team represented.
Having Free “Reign”
In the Pride’s most recent match against the San Diego Wave, Brazilian international Adriana found the back of the net for the Pride. The goal counted for her fourth of the season, with two of them coming against San Diego. The four goals are the second-most on the Club so far during the 2023 campaign. Fellow Brazilian Marta provided the assist on the finish, earning her third assist of the season and her second in as many games. Both players have two goal contributions each in the team’s last two matches since the duo returned from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Reign” or Shine
The 7,556 attendance in the match against the Wave was the largest crowd at Exploria Stadium for the Pride this season. It is also the most attended match for the Pride at Exploria Stadium since Oct. 12, 2019, when the Pride played to a 2-2 draw against the OL Reign. It is the highest attendance for a home match since July 3, 2022, when 7,573 fans watched the Pride play Racing Louisville at Daytona International Speedway as part of SoccerFEST last season.
Making it “Reign”
The matchup against the OL Reign is pivotal in the NWSL playoff chase as the Pride sit just two points behind the Seattle based side in the NWSL standings. The Reign are sixth in the standings with 24 points and are the current holders of the final playoff spot entering the final matches of the season. The Pride, sitting at 22 points, will also be looking to make history on Sunday, as Orlando has never beaten the Reign while on the road. Historically, the Pride have never seen more regular-season draws than against the Reign, with seven split-point results dating back to 2016.
Milestone Tracker
- Forward Marta is three appearances away from 100 across all competitions as a member of the Pride. The Brazilian is on track to become the first Pride player to hit the century mark milestone for the Club.
- Marta’s next goal will mark her 30th while with the Club.
- Celia is two appearances away from 30 appearances with the Pride and three appearances away from 50 across all NWSL regular seasons.
- Erika Tymrak is one goal away from 20 across her NWSL career.
