The Orlando Pride are the hottest thing going in the Orlando Soccer world. With key components Alex Morgand, Camila, and soccer superstar Marta having time to gel, the Pride are on a 5 game winning streak after taking down the Boston Breakers 4-2 on Saturday at Orlando City Stadium. The team also remains unbeaten on their last six matches.
The victory also ensured the Pride remain in playoff position through Week 19, regardless of results in the remaining matches this weekend. The Pride currently sit in third place, three points ahead of the Chicago Red Stars who face top-seeded North Carolina Courage on Sunday evening.
“I thought the first 30 minutes we were superb. I thought that’s probably the best 30 minutes that we’ve had this season. We were slick, movement was great, we were creating chances. We really dominated the game,” Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “But we need to be probably a little bit better when we’re not going through those spells and we’re playing really well. I think we were playing really well. We played some fantastic football.”
The Pride entered the halftime break with a two-goal lead thanks to a first-half brace from rookie Rachel Hill. Hill got on the board eight minutes in, capitalizing on a rebound from an Alex Morgan shot. Chioma Ubogagu played a hard cross in that Morgan powered on net, but was denied by Breakers goalkeeper Abby Smith. Hill, however, jumped on the rebound for her second goal of the season.
Brazilian forward Marta gave the Pride some insurance in the 67th minute, finishing off a crisp combination play from Morgan and Ubogagu. After Morgan played a quick pass to Ubogagu on the left side, the forward found Marta open with a pinpoint pass and she wasted no time, slotting it past Smith with her left foot.
Ubogagu capped the Pride’s night off with the team’s fourth goal, and her fourth of the season, with a perfectly placed left-footed shot in the 77th minute.
Boston managed to score in the second half with a goal by Rosie White and another late goal with Julie King heading in Adriana Leon’s corner kick in the 88th minute.
With Marta’s goal and Morgan’s assist, the duo has played a role in 12 of the Pride’s last 15 goals. With four goals on the night, Orlando also increased its season scoring total to a league-leading 41.
he Pride play their final two home matches of the regular season in their next two games, first welcoming Seattle Reign FC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 9. Orlando closes out the home schedule on Sept. 23, hosting Portland Thorns FC at 3:30 p.m. ET in the NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime.
