Rookies shine in NWSL opener
Kornieck scores first-half equalizer, Kim smashes go-ahead goal in Pride debut
The Orlando Pride opened their 2021 season with a 2-2 draw on the road Saturday against Racing Louisville. Here are three takeaways from the match:
Rookies open scoring
The Pride’s starting front line earned most of the spotlight entering the 2021 season. The world-class talents of Marta, Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux are expected to lead the team’s attack and goal production.
But instead, a pair of rookies delivered goals in the season opener.
Taylor Kornieck scored a firsthalf equalizer in the 44th minute, and Abbi Kim smashed home a go-ahead goal in the 88th minute.
Forward depth has been a
concern for the Pride, who saw only three players score multiple goals in 2019. But early scoring by two 2020 draft picks bolstered faith in the team’s ability to produce in a variety of ways.
Both goals also reflected a type of ruthlessness following turnovers and in transition that the Pride struggled to create in previous seasons.
Kornieck’s goal came after midfielder Marisa Viggiano picked the pocket of a Louisville defender while leading the team’s high press. Viggiano immediately shook a defender and dropped a pass into space for Meggie Dougherty Howard, who took a single touch before launching a cross into the box for Kornieck to header home.
The time from turnover to shot was less than six seconds. Where the Pride attack often looked hesitant or sluggish in past seasons, this time play was crisp, requiring six combined touches from three Pride players.
Kim’s late-game goal was similarly swift. Marta took a ball in transition, cut inside and threaded a pass to Dougherty Howard into a wide-open channel. Dougherty Howard took three touches, enough to allow Kim to hit a gap between defenders and earn a one-on-one on goal.
This counter also thrived because of its simplicity — 10 combined touches among four separate players to move the ball from box to box for a transition goal in 10 seconds. Kim’s shot came off her first touch, giving the keeper little time to adjust.
The Pride didn’t maintain this level of chemistry most of the match. Impeded by a deluge of rain and slippery field conditions, the offense often fell apart in midfield. The team finished with just 11 total shots; their two shots on frame resulted in two goals.
But if the Pride can increase the quantity of these types of plays — sharp, aggressive and keenly intent on pressuring the goal — they’ll begin to form the type of explosive offense that coach Marc Skinner has been eager to build in Orlando.
Dougherty Howard fuels offense
Dougherty Howard is one of four new additions meant to improve the experience and grit of the midfield unit.
Both of her assists were clean and concise, allowing Kim and Kornieck to take their shots without needing to adjust their runs. Kornieck said this wasn’t coincidence; Dougherty Howard has been building chemistry with strikers throughout preseason.
“Me and Meggie have an insane connection,” Kornieck said.
In her first match with the Pride, Dougherty Howard already has surpassed her total assists from her prior four seasons with the Washington Spirit.
With assistance from other playmakers, such as Viggiano and Erika Tymrak, Skinner said Dougherty Howard will bring increased flexibility and depth to the Pride attack this season.
“We felt that she could be more productive going forward. We felt that she could find killer passes. We felt that she could do that,” Skinner said. “She gives us a wonderful understanding of cutting, using the ball in a really clear way. It’s just gonna add much continued quality to what we’re trying to do so we’ll be able to be flexible in our approach to attack.”
Last-minute equalizer brings up old pains
Despite some positives on the offensive end, the two goals the Pride ceded picked at old wounds still left from the 2019 Orlando Pride season.
The opening goal came after a rookie mistake from a pair of brand-new centerbacks — Konya Plummer and Phoebe McClernon — who clearly grew into the game following their opening error.
But the team’s main downfall came from a failure to successfully park the bus and complete the final six minutes of stoppage team. Despite swapping out Marta for Toni Pressley to field five defenders, the Pride gave up several unnecessary fouls.
The ultimate game-winning set piece came off a free kick earned after a foul was given up by captain Ali Krieger. NWSL teams are cutthroat, led by some of the best attackers in the world — Debinha, Christine Sinclair, Lynn Williams — who will consistently capitalize on these types of errors.
Ultimately, the Pride came three minutes away from winning Saturday. For a team still relatively new to one another — eight of the 14 players on the pitch made their debut for Orlando on Saturday — that’s a positive.
But the Pride’s defensive chemistry will need to pick up quickly to capitalize on their offensive promise.