Pride’s sloppy defense ends playoff contention
Sloppy defense got the better of Orlando Pride in their fourth group-stage match of the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, eliminating any opportunity to advance to the playoffs.
Orlando Pride fell 5-0 to the North Carolina Courage on Saturday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.
“The score line doesn’t lie,” Pride coach Seb Hines said. “Today was not good enough. North Carolina is very good both in attack and defense. They are a difficult team to break down with their athleticism and their attitude to win the ball back quickly in transition. We found it tough. I think we struggled with the basics. We talked about a game plan to put pressure on them in the right moments. If you time it a little late, then they will pick you off and be threatening in the attack and that is where we fell apart.”
Even if the Pride win their final two matches against the Washington Spirit (2-3-0, 6 points) and NJ/NY Gotham FC (2-1-1, 7 points), they will not have enough points.
The East Division’s top team, North Carolina (3-0-2, 11 points) entered the game with the same starting lineup used in the 6-0 thrashing of Washington last Saturday. All six goals of the Challenge Cup match came in the span of 22 minutes.
Fourth-ranked Orlando (0-3-1, 1 point) came into the weekend off back-to-back group-stage losses, hoping to regain momentum. The Pride fell 4-2 to Washington in May and 3-1 to Gotham FC last Sunday.
The Pride opened with intensity. The forwards pressed as high as the Courage’s 18-yard-box, forcing North Carolina’s possession-based team to make quick decisions.
The Courage rose to the challenge, taking the lead in the 17th minute.
Kiki Pickett drove the ball between the Pride’s center backs, sending teammate Brittany Ratcliffe into a footrace with Pride defender Haley McCutcheon. Ratcliffe beat her to Orlando’s goal, taking a right-footed shot to the corner of the net.
The reigning Challenge Cup champions doubled their efforts in the 38th minute. Pride midfielder Jordyn Listro took Ratcliffe down in the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick. Malia Berkely found right netting as goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse dove the opposite way.
The Pride ended the first half with 33% of possession, chasing the Courage for the majority of 45 minutes.
North Carolina provided an insurance goal in the 48th minute when Frankie Tagliaferri fired the ball past Moorhouse after center back Emily Madril failed to clear it out of the Pride’s box.
The Courage added another tally in the 78th minute when Olivia Wingate crossed the ball into rookie Haley Hopkins, who volleyed in her first professional goal.
NC piled on a fifth against the disheartened Pride when Sarah Clark crossed the ball to Hopkins in the 89th minute. The forward, undefended, headed it into the back of the net.
The Pride have an all-time record of 4-13-5 (1-6-2 home and 3-7-3 away) against the Courage.
Orlando’s next game is a home match Friday in the Challenge Cup against Washington.