CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (August 19, 2017) – Orlando Pride (8-6-5, 29 points) earned its third consecutive win on Saturday night, downing the Boston Breakers (3-9-7, 16 points) 2-1 behind two goals from forward Alex Morgan. Morgan scored on both sides of the half, marking the fifth straight match the U.S. federation player has gotten on the scoresheet.
“We knew it was going to be difficult and it was very difficult, so I’m delighted to come away with three points. I think, tactically, [Boston] were set up fantastically today, which made life really difficult for us,” Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “When you talk about ‘grinding out results’, today was a day when we had to grind out a result. I’m really delighted we’ve done that because, earlier this season we had those kinds of games but ended up losing them 2-1. So, for us, it was a good step forward to win a game that was that tight and that tough.”
Morgan continued her recent offensive form, putting the Pride up 1-0 in the eighth minute, grinding out a goal in the box. After a corner kick by Marta, Dani Weatherholt kept the ball in play before Ali Krieger flicked it on with a header. The ball fell through the Breakers defense, allowing Morgan to pounce on it and put in the game’s first goal.
Though Krieger wasn’t credited with an assist on Morgan’s first goal, the defender earned one on the forward’s second goal of the night. Krieger used a quick restart on a set piece just inside the Breaker’s half, chipping the ball over the backline to Morgan on a run. The U.S. federation player caught Smith off of her line, lofting the ball into the right corner for her seventh goal of the season.
Harris, in her second match back from injury and first on the road since May 21, picked up her third win of the season. The Pride defense was tested more in the first half than the second, but Harris kept the host Breakers off of the board until the final moments of the match, when Adriana Leon won a penalty kick in the 90+4 minute. Amanda Da Costa converted for the 2-1 final.
Harris made a big stop just four minutes in, sacrificing her body to parry the ball away at the near post.
Morgan led the Pride with six shots and, with two goals on the night, jumped into fourth place in the league lead for goals despite only playing eight games so far this season. The fifth-year NWSL veteran is now averaging a goal per 86.8 minutes, good for best in the league.
The Pride close out a two-game road trip on Saturday, Aug. 26, when they travel to face FC Kansas City in the NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime. Following that match, the Pride return to Orlando for their final three home games of the regular season, first hosting the Breakers in a rematch on Sept. 2. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Match: Boston Breakers vs. Orlando Pride
Date: August 19, 2017
Venue: Jordan Field
Kickoff: 4 p.m. ET
Attendance: 4,321
Weather: Sunny, clear
Scoring Summary
ORL - Alex Morgan 8’
ORL - Alex Morgan (Ali Krieger) 73’
BOS - Amanda Da Costa (PK) 90+8
Lineups:
Orlando Pride: Ashlyn Harris ©; Kristen Edmonds, Monica, Ali Krieger, Steph Catley; Dani Weatherholt, Camila, Alanna Kennedy; Marta (Rachel Hill 83’), Chioma Ubogagu (Jasmyne Spencer 66’, Jamia Fields 74’); Alex Morgan
Substitutes Not Used: Aubrey Bledsoe; Toni Pressley; Nickolette Driesse; Danica Evans
Boston Breakers: Abby Smith; Megan Oyster, Julie King ©, Allysha Chapman (Adriana Leon 64’), Midge Purce; Angela Salem, Morgan Andrews (Amanda Da Costa 76’), Rosie White; Amanda Frisbie, Katie Stengel (Natasha Dowie 71’), Ifeoma Onumonu
Substitutes Not Used: Sammi Jo Prudhomme; Tiffany Weimer
Stats Summary: BOS / ORL
Possession: 41.7% / 58.3%
Shots: 8 / 16
Shots on Goal: 1 / 7
Saves: 5 / 0
Corner Kicks: 6 / 8
Fouls: 17 / 11
Offside: 0 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
ORL - Alanna Kennedy (Yellow Card) 24’
BOS - Allysha Chapman (Yellow Card) 53’
ORL - Steph Catley (Yellow Card) 58’
BOS - Morgan Andrews (Yellow Card) 71’
BOS - Rosie White (Yellow Card) 90+4
Officials:
Referee: Gustavo Solorio
Assistant Referee 1: Gjovalin Bori
Assistant Referee 2: Ian McKay
Fourth Official: Thomas Snyder
