ORLANDO, Fla. (June 23, 2017) – Orlando Pride (3-3-3, 12 points) returns to Orlando City Stadium on Saturday, looking to repeat a red-hot showing against the Houston Dash (2-7-0, 6 points) last weekend. The Pride and Dash will play the second leg of a home-and-home series on June 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Saturday’s match will be featured as the NWSL’s Lifetime Game of the Week, with Jenn Hildreth, Kate Markgraf and Dalen Cuff on the call. Fans can also watch online at NWSLSoccer.com. Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased at orlando-pride.com/tickets or by calling (855) ORL-CITY.
To celebrate Pride Month, Orlando will wear Nike “Equality” t-shirts during warm-up and will become the first NWSL team to feature rainbow numbers on their match kits. Following the conclusion of the match, the limited-edition jerseys will be raffled off by the Orlando City Foundation with proceeds going to charity.
“The concern with Houston every time we’ve played is that, on paper, they have such a good team. Particularly from midfield forward, they have so many weapons of players that have skill, pace and ability to score goals,” Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “We really need to get our tactics right and make sure we’re focused 100 percent on this game. I hate to say this, but maybe it was a good thing we coughed up two late goals in that game [last week] because now we certainly know we can’t be going into this game with any complacency.”
Last weekend, the Pride traveled to BBVA Compass Stadium for its first meeting with the Dash this season. Orlando jumped ahead from the opening whistle, backed by a stunning 40-yard blast from Camila in the 16th minute that would go on to win NWSL Goal of the Week. Marta added another goal in the 22nd minute on the counterattack - started by Aubrey Bledsoe’s Save of the Week effort on Carli Lloyd - to give the Pride a 2-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The team in purple held a 4-0 lead by the 68th minute after Marta completed the brace and Alanna Kennedy headed home the Brazilian’s corner kick cross in the second half. Houston made a late push, finding two goals in the final five minutes, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
With four goals, the Pride set a Club record for goals in a match while Marta’s two goals and two assist earned her second place in NWSL Player of the Week voting. Marta was also efficient with the ball, compiling a 91.7 percent passing efficiency rating. She leads the NWSL with 28 chances created and is tied for the league lead with five goals on the year.
The two sides have met each other five times throughout the Pride’s short history, with Orlando owning the all-time series 4-1-0, including an undefeated record at home.
Following Saturday’s match, the Pride hit the road for a midweek game at Sky Blue FC on Wednesday. Orlando then hosts the Chicago Red Stars at 5 p.m. ET on July 1 in the first of two doubleheaders with the Club’s United Soccer League side, Orlando City B.
