Pride seek first win of season

The Orlando Pride have yet to lose, but a crucial first win still evades them.

They’ll try to get their first three points of the season today at the Utah Royals (1-2-0, 3 points) at America First Field (NWSL+, 9:30).

The Royals competed in NWSL from 2018-20 before moving to Kansas City. This new iteration returned this season, and the sides face each other for the first time since a 2-0 Royals win in late 2019.

Utah does not look like a struggling expansion side, however, and has been competitive in all three matches.

“You look at Utah being a new team, they have been in every game that they have competed in,” said Pride coach Seb Hines. “They have got three points out of three games and been unlucky in a couple of games, so it is going to be a challenge for ourselves to go to Utah and try to get something out of the game.”

The biggest struggle for the Pride (0-0-3, 3 points) has been converting midfield dominance into attacking results. Two of Orlando’s four tallies have been own goals, leaving Summer Yates and Marta as the only outright goal scorers. Players have done a great job of getting into position to score, but have lacked execution in the final third.

“It is more about ourselves and what we can do and what we can produce on the day,” Hines said. “If we play some of our best football and we reward ourselves by getting ourselves in those areas of the field where we can be threatening and execute in that final third, then I think everyone will walk away with what we feel we deserve.”

The Pride could see two familiar faces in goalkeeper Carly Nelson and midfielder Mikayla Cluff. Both spent last season in Orlando before being traded to Utah in the offseason.

Orlando will be without Simone Charley (Season-Ending Injury – right leg), Megan Montefusco (SEI – right heel), Viviana Villacorta (SEI – left knee), and Luana (excused absence).