We’re halfway through the 2017 NWSL season, and the Orlando Pride currently sit in 6th place on the table. Everything this season has remained tight-- only four points separate the Washington Spirit (No. 10) and the Pride. Similarly, only four points separate the Pride and the Seattle Reign (No. 4).
The 2017 NWSL Championship will be hosted at Orlando City Stadium in October. Do the Pride have a shot at playing in that match?
A lot of positive changes will come to the Pride in the next few weeks. Aubrey Bledsoe has been great for the Pride since Ashlyn Harris went out with a quad injury, but having the team captain back will boost the team in all sorts of ways. Harris brings leadership along with her great goalkeeping skills, and having her back lifts the spirits and confidence of her team.
Alex Morgan is also a huge lift for the Pride. Morgan is still finding her rhythm will a largely new offense, but once she clicks with players like Chioma Ubogagu, Camila, and Marta, the Pride offense could be borderline unstoppable. As Morgan said after her season debut, scoring goals hasn’t been an issue for the Pride. But Morgan gives them more ways to do it, and thus, more opportunities to find and maintain leads.
Marta has definitely found her rhythm, dominating the attacking game with eight goals so far this season. She came roaring into the league, and now stands as one of the top goal-scorers, just a goal behind Megan Rapinoe and Sam Kerr in the Golden Boot race. Her and Morgan together on the pitch could be an unstoppable combination.
The Pride have eleven games left this season. Amongst the most critical-- their upcoming back-to-back matches against the Chicago Red Stars (on July 22nd in Chicago and August 5th in Orlando), their second match against Sky Blue FC at home on August 12th, and their last two home matches against the Seattle Reign (September 9th) and the Portland Thorns (September 23rd).
It would be great for the Pride to make the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history. But that’s not all they want. The Pride want to prove that they are the best team in the NWSL. They will aim to take it all. The sky's the limit.
