The Orlando Pride had a rough 2019, on the field. They won four and lost 16 in 24 matches. Also, they tied the record for most goals given up in a season (53). Every NWSL team has to adapt to international absences, but some more than others. Orlando was one of three teams without eight players. Multiple members of the Orlando Pride represented their countries in the 2019 World Cup.
Included in the group was Brazilian legend Marta, Brazilian midfielder Camila, Australian midfielder/defender Alanna Kennedy, Canadian defender Shelina Zadorsky and three American players: forward Alex Morgan, defender Ali Krieger, and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. Added to their roster absence was goal scorer and former US World Cup winner Sydney Leroux, who gave birth to her third child. Also, US star Morgan came back from the World Cup but sustained an injury. She made six appearances.
They found themselves on the bottom of the National Women’s Soccer League table. Orlando’s 2020 wouldn’t give themselves many opportunities to improve.
2020 Season
Challenge Cup: Withdraw prior to the tournament.
Fall Series: Eighth place – 2 points.
Orlando Pride played the fewest matches of any NWSL side. On June 22nd, five days before the start of the Challenge Cup, the Pride withdrew from the tournament. Orlando sustained positive COVID-19 tests from both players and coaches. What followed in 2020 was a lot of social media engagement, an exodus for much of the roster, and only four league matches.
While eight NWSL teams competed in the bubble, Orlando’s social media stood out. They joined the ranks of the NWSL Playground and Sun Glare as Twitter must-follows. Orlando watched every match, deciding to support, or stan, one of the two teams in each matchup. More often than not, that team would lose. Supporters did their best to get Orlando to stan their opponents. At a time where the world locked down, and American politics ramped up; Orlando helped give a brief reprieve. They helped fuel the 500% increase in viewership for the tournament and record engagement online for the league.
Roster-wise, no Challenge Cup led to Orlando Pride loaning 10 players. Mostly to Europe where they were ramping up for their fall seasons, or finishing summer seasons. In addition, two US National Team players, Morgan and defender Emily Sonnett, opted to sign abroad. Sonnett was an especially tough loss for a side that needed help on the defensive side of the ball. The Pride brought Sonnett in, via trade, prior to the 2020 season from the Portland Thorns.
Before the Fall Series began, loan moves from earlier in the summer left Orlando’s roster thin. They competed with a mixture of few first-team players from 2019 and multiple short-term contracts. Kennedy, Zadorsky, and Morgan all landed at Tottenham Hotspurs, in the FA Women’s Super League. Camila went to Brazilian side Palmeiras and Sonnett signed in Sweden, with Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC.
They ended the Fall Series in eighth place, with two losses and two draws. Only nine players made appearances in all four matches. To their credit, they ended the year strong. After being down 0-3 in the first half; they earned a 3-3 draw against the North Carolina Courage.
Offseason Moves
Of the players that left on loan, five extended their loans or ended their contract with Orlando. Most notably is Kennedy, whose end of 2020 loan to Tottenham was extended. She will at least finish the remainder of the Women’s Super League season. The WSL ends in May. Racing Louisville FC, the true NWSL expansion side, chose Kennedy’s rights in the November of 2020 expansion draft. Zadorsky also signed with Tottenham for the remainder of the WSL season.
Forward Claire Emslie, who had 11 appearances in her time with Orlando, midfielder Emily van Egmond, having 25 appearances, both signed in the WSL too. Emslie signed an 18-month contract with Everton at the end of her short-term 2020 loan and van Egmond with West Ham. Midfielder/defender Camila’s contract with Orlando ended when she was in Brazil and she signed with Palmeiras.
On Dec. 24, 2020, Orlando traded Sonnett to the Washington Spirit for the 2021 draft ninth pick. Also, conditional first-round picks in the next two years drafts and $140,000 in allocation money. The defender never played an NWSL match as a member of the Pride.
On Jan. 30, Orlando traded for two strong, veteran, midfielders from Kansas City NWSL. Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir and Erika Tymrak joined the Pride, and Orlando sent a 2022 draft pick and midfielder Kristen Edmonds. On Feb. 4, the Pride made another move. This time, sending defender Carson Pickett to the NC Courage for the rights of forward Jodie Taylor, England international.
From the short-term signings made to fill the Fall Series roster, Orlando retained the service of midfielder Jordyn Listro, defender Carrie Lawrence and brought back defender Ally Haran as a non-roster invitee to preseason camp.
Draft Picks
Round 1 – Viviana Villacorta – Midfielder – UCLA
Round 2 – Mikayla Colohan – Midfielder – BYU
Round 3 – Kerry Abello – Forward – Penn State
Round 4 – Kaylie Collins – Goalkeeper – USC
In the first round, Orlando took standout UCLA midfielder, Viviana Villacorta. The California-native has international caps in the US youth system and didn’t miss a match in 2018 and 2019. She opted to finish her senior season in the spring, since COVID-19 delayed fall seasons. In her first match of 2021, on Feb. 7, she tore her ACL, likely ruling her out for most or all of 2021.
Mikayla Colohan is an attacking midfielder that has an eye for a goal. In her 57 matches played at BYU, Colohan has 28 goals and 16 assists. Once she joins the team; she’ll grow from the likes of Marta, Leroux, and Morgan on offense.
Kerry Abello comes into Orlando from a school that has a pedigree of winning. Penn State’s Abello won the Big Ten tournament two of the last three years. They made it a third time, in 2018, but lost in penalties.
Kaylie Collins has 23 shutouts in 57 collegiate matches played. She’ll get to learn behind two veteran keepers. Also, minutes are possible if both Harris and Canadian Erin McLeod get the call to their respective Olympic teams.
2021 Preview
Looking ahead to 2021, Orlando is going to have to fight the same battle they did in 2019. They have to fill holes left by international duty. This season, they look better equipped to handle it.
Zadorsky and Pickett’s exits gives the Challenge Cup the look of an extended preseason. Expect rotation on the defensive backline. In 2020, Krieger started three of four Fall Series matches. Opposite the US veteran was a pairing led by Toni Pressley’s three starts and Konya Plummer. If last year is any indication, Pressley edges Plummer out, in the team selections of coach Marc Skinner.
In the midfield, Jónsdóttir’s arrival is going to bring intensity to a Kennedy-less midfield. The Icelandic midfielder will be able to anchor the midfield throughout the entirety of 2021 since Iceland is not part of the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
That sort of consistency goes a long way. Leroux, fresh off a new three-year contract, will have her first full season. Morgan, likely on the Olympic roster, will have the motivation to redeem her league goal-scoring form. Her 2019 injury and World Cup absence left her scoreless as a member of the Pride. The first time in her NWSL career.
Orlando begins their Challenge Cup tournament against Sky Blue FC on Saturday, April 10 in Louisville.
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