Midfield comes into focus in season opener

The 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season is set to start for the Orlando Pride with a road trip to take on Racing Louisville.

Orlando enters the season with playoff aspirations after 2023 ended in disappointment, just missing the playoffs on goal differential. Some major roster moves in the offseason have allowed the

Pride to retool and set their sights on loftier goals beginning today (NWSL+, 4).

“It’s been a long, long journey to get here. [The] offseason has been long and we extended our preseason this year to focus on a couple of things that we learned from last year,” said Pride coach Seb Hines. “The players are ready to go to Louisville and put out a performance in front of everyone who’s watching. Really excited.”

The Pride have made significant signings in the midfield. Among them is the Brazilian Luana, a player who is expected to be a key cog. She feels like the midfield has developed well in the preseason but knows it is an ongoing process.

“It’s a daily development, we keep building every day, and every athlete has their own characteristics,” she said. “I feel like we need to use that in our favor and just connect everyone and get the best out of everyone.

“As a midfielder, our job in there is pretty much to get the ball, organize everything, create plays, and we really need to be connected on that, connecting the passes well and organizing to create opportunities. It’s also really easy to play with good players, players that understand the game so it’s been great so far.”

Louisville will be a great test because the Pride have never earned a point in any of their trips to Kentucky.

Orlando will be without the services Simone Charley (Season-Ending Injury — right leg), Megan Montefusco (right heel), Viviana Villacorta (SEI — left knee), Rafaelle (left foot) and Ally Watt (right thigh).

SEASON OPENER

Pride at Louisville

4 p.m. today TV: NWSL+