In three previous matchups with the Portland Thorns, the Orlando Pride have lost all three games.

(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

Match Recap

ORLANDO, Fla. – Historically, the Orlando Pride have not fared well against the Portland Thorns. Before Saturday afternoon’s bout between the two sides, Portland won all three previous matchups by an overall score of 6-2. Fortunately for an Orlando team that needed at least a point to further distance itself from fifth-place Seattle Reign FC, the Pride (10-6-7, 37 points) drew 0-0 with the Thorns (13-5-5, 44 points) at Orlando City Stadium in front of 7,353 fans.

“I think [the draw] keeps us probably a little better than alive. It puts an awful lot of pressure on Seattle to win both games and turn a seven-goal difference around,” Pride head coach Tom Sermanni said after the match. “So, I think I’d much rather be in our position now than Seattle’s position. But, as I say, we still theoretically need another point, depending on what happens this weekend.”

Orlando maintained most of the possession in the first half, owning the ball 56.1 percent of the time. That led to the Pride unloading 12 first-half shots (two on goal), as Portland managed just four shots (one on goal). But it was the Thorns who mustered the best chance of the first half.

In the 40th minute, Portland’s Ashleigh Sykes initiated a two-woman game that led her into the Pride’s box after a quick touch by Hayley Raso. Pride keeper Ashlyn Harris darted off her line and dropped her left leg to the ground to make the save, but the ball still rolled toward goal. Center-back Monica Hickmann Alves was there to make the open-goal, goal-line save to keep the match scoreless.

“That one is for Ashlyn,” Monica said, translated from Portuguese, after the draw. “She actually made the defense. I was there just to help her out, and I’m happy for that. But, anyways, that’s [for] her.”

Forward Alex Morgan gave the Pride their best scoring chance in the 12th minute. Forward Marta Vieira da Silva sent a long ball down to Morgan with two defenders around her. Three bounces later, Morgan unloaded a low, on-target shot that was caught by a diving Franch. That was just one of two on-target shots the Pride had all game.

For midfielder Alanna Kennedy, her team’s few on-target chances were the missing piece to a victory over Portland.

“I think [shots on goal] just [were] missing. So I think that really affected the way we played,” Kennedy said after the draw. “Yeah, I think, as I said, it would have been nice to be able to put those shots away or to create more. I still think that we were the better team… [Out] there, I felt like we dominated. And I felt that there wasn’t really many times where we were under the pump or look disorganized or they looked like a threat.”

In the final three minutes of stoppage time, Marta found an open Morgan. With two defenders draped around her, Morgan took a touch near the top-left corner of Portland’s box and unloaded a shot that went wide left.

One final effort by the Pride was spurred by second-half sub Jasmyne Spencer. She evaded her defender on a heavy touch forward toward Portland goalkeeper Adrianna Franch and deflected the clearance with her body.

Woman of the Match: F Alex Morgan

Morgan finished the match with a game-high four shots and game-high two shots on goal. She had the Pride’s only two on-target shots. She also completed 61.9 percent of her passes and won three fouls.

Left-back Steph Catley Leaves Game Injured

One of the Pride’s most consistent players and perennial starters left Saturday’s match early. Left-back Steph Catley was substituted off in the beginning of the second half after succumbing to a minor knee injury sometime in the first half. She appeared to come up hobbling before a Portland corner kick in the 37th minute.

37′: Corner from right coming for POR. Steps Catley is hobbling a little, favoring left leg.#ORLvPOR #NWSL — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) September 23, 2017

Sermanni said she was taken out of the game simply for precaution’s sake.

“Firstly, nothing serious. She’s just got a little bit of a knee issue, but it’s not a major issue,” Sermanni said. “It’s kind of a little bit of inflammation, so it’s not like a strain or a tear or anything like that. But it’s just—you know, when you get them, sometimes the pain of it just doesn’t allow you to be flexible enough to stay on. So we had to be cautious as well because we got a game next week and hopefully a game the week after.

“So what we didn’t want was her staying on there for an extra 10 or 15 minutes and that making her doubtful for next week. So, all being well, she should be okay.”

Catley was part of the Australian women’s national team that traveled to Australia to play the Brazilian women’s national team in an international friendly on Sept. 19. Before the Matildas’ flight back stateside, Sermanni said he received a text from Kennedy that the flight had to be disembarked and rescheduled. Catley and Kennedy didn’t return to Orlando until the early hours of Sept. 21.

“Yeah, I think that’s been really tough. We’ve had a little bit of a dramatic couple of weeks with our travel—first the hurricane and now the delays this week,” Kennedy said. “The first night, I struggled to adapt to the time change, but, last night, I actually got a good night’s sleep.

“Unfortunately, poor Steph—I think her body clock was just all over the shop. She didn’t get much sleep last night, and that was—you know, it’s always tough with the huge time difference and the huge travel. So, I think it definitely played a part today, but, surprisingly, didn’t feel too bad while I was out there, so, yeah, I was pretty happy with my body.”

In 2017, Catley has started all 22 of her appearances, logging 1,940 minutes and two assists.

What’s next?

The Pride next travel to face the No. 1 North Carolina Courage on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. That will be Orlando’s final regular-season game of 2017.

Highlights

5′ | Chi trying to get the offense going early! First real chance of the match for either side. 0-0 | #ORLvPOR pic.twitter.com/p1P00lwCt5 — Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 23, 2017

An early look at that Marta to Morgan connection, but Franch comes up with the save. 🌹 0 – 😈 0. #ORLvPOR #NWSLonLIFETIME pic.twitter.com/SEp7SvvAEj — NWSL (@NWSL) September 23, 2017

18′ | That little back heel from Marta though. D-I-R-T-Y. 0-0 | #ORLvPOR pic.twitter.com/gmv9gt3MgB — Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) September 23, 2017

NDR Notes

Before Saturday’s draw, the Pride had lost all three matchups against Portland by a combined score of 6-2.

Orlando’s draw with Portland is its first non-loss against Portland.

The Pride’s scoreless draw was the first time in 10 games that they haven’t scored. Orlando was shut out 1-0 by the Chicago Red Stars on July 1.

Scoring

Time Team Goal-scorer Assisted by n/a n/a n/a n/a

Statistics and Starting Lineups

Goals Assists Shots Shots on Goal Possession % Orlando Pride 0 0 14 2 50.9% Portland Thorns 0 0 5 1 49.1%

Orlando Pride starting XI (4-1-2-3): Ashlyn Harris (GK/C); Steph Catley, Ali Krieger, Monica Hickmann Alves, Kristen Edmonds; Alanna Kennedy; Camila Martins Pereira, Dani Weatherholt; Marta Vieira da Silva, Alex Morgan, Chioma Ubogagu

Portland Thorns starting XI (4-4-2): Adrianna Franch (GK); Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Menges, Emily Sonnett, Katherine Reynolds; Nadia Nadim, Ashleigh Sykes, Allie Long, Lindsey Horan; Hayley Raso, Christine Sinclair (C)

For more on the Pride, as they look to solidify their first-ever playoff spot, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.