Orlando Pride (5-2-0, 15 points) at North Carolina Courage (2-3-1, 8 points)
When: Saturday, May 10, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: First Horizon Stadium, Cary, NC.
TV: Watch on ION
As the Pride head north to the Carolinas to take on the Courage, here are five things to watch for:
It Takes Courage
Orlando is unbeaten in three straight regular-season matches against North Carolina, collecting two wins and one draw, for the first time. The scoreless draw in Cary in the most recent meeting last June was Orlando’s first regular-season clean sheet against the Courage after North Carolina had scored in the first 17 league meetings prior to that match.
Pride > Courage
The Pride’s Kerry Abello earned the start in the Pride’s last match against the Thorns, which marked her 50th straight appearance. Abello became the first player in club history to appear in 50 straight matches. The former Nittany Lion currently sits sixth all-time in regular-season appearances for the Pride with 74, just five appearances away from passing Ali Krieger for fifth-most.
Courageous Bounceback
The Pride’s 1-0 loss on Saturday was just its second defeat of the season, equaling its loss total in all competitions last season. Orlando has lost two of their last three matches after losing only two of their previous 38 matches dating back to the end of the 2023 campaign, earning 26 wins and 10 draws during that span.
The Courage to Shoot
Barbra Banda’s next match will be her 30th in regular-season NWSL play as she enters it having scored 17 goals on 130 shots in her first 29 matches for the Pride. Only two players — Temwa Chawinga (23) and Christen Press (20) — have more goals through 30 career matches, while only Sophia Wilson (135) has taken more shots.
It Takes Courage to Step Up
In Orlando’s last match against Portland, the Pride saw defender Zara Chavoshi make her first NWSL start since being the first player the Pride signed out of college after the NWSL did away with the draft. Chavoshi went the full 90 minutes and made a goal-line clearance to help keep the Pride within striking distance. The match also saw goalkeeper McKinley Crone make her NWSL regular-season debut after having to come into the match as a substitute following an injury to Anna Moorhouse. It served as Crone’s second appearance across all competitions after she played in a Summer Cup match last season.
Milestone Tracker
- Marta is one assist away from 20 in her regular-season career.
- Defender Kylie Nadaner is four appearances away from 100, becoming just the second player in Pride history to achieve the mark.
