Welcome to your match preview and dwell thread because the Orlando Pride (6-8-2, 20 factors) return residence to play Chicago Stars FC (4-11-0, 12 factors). This is the second and ultimate time these groups will meet throughout the common season.
Here’s all the pieces you want to find out about tonight’s recreation.
History
The Pride and Stars have performed each season since Orlando’s entrance into the NWSL besides 2020. The groups have performed 23 video games, with the Pride going 8-13-2 total and 2-7-2 at residence within the common season. Orlando has additionally confronted the Stars within the playoffs as soon as, wining at residence.
The final assembly between the Pride and Stars occurred on March 25 in Evanston, IL. Jacquie Ovalle had arguably her finest recreation for the membership, netting a aim and including an help. Her aim was the second of the evening with strikes by Barbra Banda and Hannah Anderson securing the 3-0 win.
The first recreation final season occurred March 14 in Orlando. It was a dominant efficiency by the Pride as they struck early by way of Haley McCutcheon, and Ally Watt doubled the lead earlier than halftime. An personal aim by Anderson (then with Chicago), a Julie Doyle strike, and a Banda brace noticed the Pride come away with a 6-0 win. On Sept. 7, 2025, in Evanston, IL, Sam Staab gave the hosts the lead early within the second half and Carson Pickett equalized a couple of minutes later. The tie rating didn’t final lengthy, as a minute later Jameese Joseph made it 2-1 Chicago. Goals by Bea Franklin and Julia Grosso put the sport away, regardless of McCutcheon getting one again. A late conversion by Ludmila secured the 5-2 win for Chicago.
The Pride and then-Red Stars met first in 2024 on March 29 in Orlando, the Pride took the lead early by way of a Taylor Malham personal aim, however Mallory Swanson equalized within the second half, leading to a 1-1 draw. The groups then met in Illinois on Sept. 8, 2024. Marta’s aim was the distinction because the Pride got here away with a 1-0 win.
The Nov. 8, 2024 assembly was the Pride’s first-ever residence playoff recreation and they dominated. Watt arrange a McCutcheon aim to give the hosts the lead, and Banda netted a brace with a aim on both sides of halftime. Marta made it 4-0 with a penalty, sealing the outcome. It would’ve been a clear sheet, however Anna Moorhouse cleared the ball off of Joseph and into her personal internet, capping the scoring in a 4-1 Orlando win.
The groups first met in 2023 on May 27 in Illinois. Orlando dominated the whole 90 minutes, with Chicago solely getting two probabilities on its residence area. But the Pride struggled to hit the goal, and Yuki Nagasato’s aim was the distinction because the Pride fell 1-0. The Aug. 20 return matchup was the debut of Pride middle again Rafaelle, and the Brazilian scored to give Orlando the early lead. The hosts continued their assault, leading to 4 extra objectives. Messiah Bright scored a pair, new signing Mariana Larroquette scored her first Pride aim, and Mikayla Cluff capped off the evening with a aim because the Pride won 5-0.
The first assembly of 2022 occurred on May 22 in Orlando. Sarah Griffin gave the guests the lead, and objectives by Bianca St-Georges and Swanson made it 3-0 Chicago. It appeared as if the Red Stars would run away with the sport, however the ultimate 10 minutes noticed three objectives and two penalties for an thrilling end. Sydney Leroux missed a penalty, however Amy Turner scored the Pride’s first aim late. Swanson transformed her penalty moments later, and Leah Pruitt scored her first aim for the Pride a minute after that in a 4-2 Red Stars win. The second assembly of the 2022 season was on June 12 in Illinois. Swanson capitalized on an early Pride turnover and the Red Stars held on for the 1-0 win.
The groups met thrice throughout the 2021 season however didn’t play till Aug. 8 in Illinois. Jodie Taylor and Leroux scored for the Pride earlier than halftime. The 2-0 win ended a six-game winless streak and was the primary NWSL victory for interim head coach Becky Burleigh.
The second assembly was held Oct. 13 in Bridgeview, a rescheduled recreation that was initially supposed to happen Oct. 2. Kealia Watt scored early and the Red Stars defended that lead for 84 minutes on their manner to a 1-0 result. The groups met once more Oct. 29, 2021, in Orlando within the ultimate recreation of the common season. The Red Stars managed the sport and Watt scored the lone aim in a 1-0 Chicago win.
The Pride and Red Stars didn’t play within the 2020 Fall Series, so the final assembly prior to 2021 got here in 2019. The groups first met June 30 at Exploria Stadium. Goals by Chioma Ubogagu and Marta have been topped by a Sam Kerr hat trick because the Red Stars won 3-2. The groups met once more Aug. 21 in Bridgeview. The Pride took a 2-0 lead with objectives by Rachel Hill and Ubogagu. Tierna Davidson lower the lead in half for Chicago, however the Pride won 2-1. The third assembly in 2021 occurred Sept. 11 in Orlando. Casey Short stole the sport for Chicago with the sport’s lone aim 5 minutes into second-half damage time because the Red Stars gained, 1-0.
The 2018 NWSL season noticed the Pride and Red Stars meet thrice. On May 2 in Bridgeview, Hill and Ubogagu scored in a 2-0 Pride win. They met in the identical location May 26, with a Leroux brace and objectives by Hill, Alex Morgan, and Dani Weatherholt main to a 5-2 Pride win. The Red Stars have been led by a Kerr brace in a 3-1 Chicago victory on Aug. 25 in Orlando within the third assembly of 2018.
The Pride and Red Stars met thrice in 2017. A Christen Press aim on July 1 lifted Chicago to a 1-0 win. On July 22 in Bridgeview, a Press brace led her workforce to a 2-1 win. The ultimate assembly got here every week later in Orlando. Morgan and Sofia Huerta traded objectives in a 1-1 draw.
The Red Stars gained each conferences in 2016 by 1-0 ultimate scores.
Overview
The Pride have struggled since returning to motion from the FIFA World Cup break. They’ve misplaced three of their 4 video games, getting shut out in all three losses. Surprisingly, the win got here in a dominating 3-0 second half towards a red-hot Kansas City Current workforce.
A serious cause for the offensive droop is that Banda is within the strategy of getting back from a thigh damage. She performed the ultimate 14 minutes towards Kansas City on July 10, the ultimate half-hour towards Boston Legacy FC on July 15, and began Saturday evening in Utah, taking part in 32 minutes.
While the workforce has struggled to rating objectives, the Pride have been robust defensively. Following the 2-0 loss to Angel City FC, they earned a clear sheet towards Kansas City and solely gave up one aim every towards Boston and Utah. A slight enchancment offensively might see them climb up the desk, even when they’re not scoring a number of objectives every recreation.
The Pride have now entered the again half of the season and discover themselves within the unfamiliar state of affairs of being beneath the playoff line. The loss Saturday evening noticed them drop to ninth, one level behind the North Carolina Courage and two factors behind Angel City FC. Making issues more difficult is that they’ve performed extra video games than the groups round them. That makes getting factors much more essential, particularly at residence. Additionally, Banda, who leads the NWSL with 12 objectives, has departed the workforce to compete with Zambia within the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Pride will look to get again on the fitting path tonight and they’re taking part in a workforce that ought to assist that aim. Chicago sits in fifteenth of the 16-team league after 15 video games. The Stars have solely gained 4 occasions this 12 months and solely as soon as away from residence. Given that the Pride already crushed this workforce again in March, nothing lower than three factors ought to be acceptable.
Chicago has struggled on each ends of the sector this 12 months. It is the one workforce within the league but to rating double-digit objectives, having solely netted eight, and is the primary workforce to attain 30 objectives conceded this season. The Stars’ -22 aim distinction is the worst within the league by 11 objectives.
Chicago claimed a formidable 3-2 win over the Utah Royals popping out of the World Cup break, however dropped back-to-back 2-0 outcomes to Boston and Angel City heading into tonight’s recreation.
In the absence of Swanson, who has missed a lot of the 12 months on maternity go away, many of the workforce’s offense has come from Jordyn Huitema. The Canadian worldwide leads the workforce with 4 objectives, offering half of the workforce’s assault this season. However, Huitema tore her ACL towards Angel City, ending her season.
The workforce has additionally improved defensively, although there’s nonetheless work to do. The Stars conceded 4 objectives and three objectives twice by way of May 16, however haven’t conceded thrice since. Still, they’ve solely earned two clear sheets, with the final one approaching May 24, and have conceded a number of objectives in all 4 video games since.
“I think it’s two teams that are looking to get back on form,” Pride Head Coach Seb Hines mentioned forward of the match. “We’ve had two disappointing results by one-goal deficits, so, we’re looking to bounce back. Looking to get back to our own environment, playing in front of our own fans, and put on a performance that everyone’s proud of.”
The Pride will play tonight with out Banda (worldwide responsibility), Anderson (decrease leg), Kylie Nadaner (maternity go away), and Viviana Villacorta (knee). The Stars will likely be with out Ryan Connaughton (knee), Emma Egizii (decrease leg), Bea Franklin (torso), Huitema (knee), Natalia Kuikka (knee), Swanson (decrease leg), Taylor Wood (decrease leg), and Michelle Alozie (worldwide responsibility).
Official Lineups
Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.
Defenders: Kerry Abello, Zara Chavoshi, Cori Dyke, Ohiane.
Defensive Midfielders: Haley McCutcheon, Ally Lemos.
Attacking Midfielders: Jacquie Ovalle, Angelina, Marta.
Forward: Solai Washington.
Bench: Cosette Morche, Hailie Mace, Nicole Payne, Rafaelle, Zoe Matthews, Luana, Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Simone Jackson.
Chicago Stars FC (4-1-4-1)
Goalkeeper: Katie Atkinson.
Defenders: Nadia Gomes, Sam Staab, Aaliyah Farmer, Jenna Bike.
Defensive Midfielder: Maitane Lopez.
Midfielders: Tessa Dellarose, Brianna Pinto, Manaka Hayashi, Jameese Joseph, .
Forward: Ivonne Chacon.
Bench: Alyssa Naeher, Halle Mackiewicz, Kathrin Hendrich, Elise Evans, Leila Ouahabi, Julia Grosso, Micayla Johnson.
Referees
REF: JC Griggs.
AR1: Matthew Rodman.
AR2: Sharon Gingrich.
4TH: Richonne Clark.
VAR: Jamie Padilla.
AVAR: Maggie Short.
How to Watch
Match Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: None.
Streaming: Victory+.
Social Media: For dwell updates and fast response, comply with @themaneland.bsky.social on Bluesky and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter (@ORLPride) or Bluesky (@orlpride.com) feed.
Enjoy the sport. Go Pride!
