ORLANDO PRIDE (No. 4) VS. SEATTLE REIGN (No. 5) | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 8 PM ET | PRIME VIDEO
No, it’s not déjà vu. The Orlando Pride are hosting the Seattle Reign for the second week in a row. The Decision Day match ended in a 1-1 draw that secured fourth place for the reigning champions and back-to-back weekends on the road for the Reign. The last time teams met on the final day of the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs was an epic Cascadia Clash in 2018. The Reign returned home without a win back then, but will be looking to avoid history repeating itself this time around.
History of this matchup, however, is on the side of Orlando. The Pride are undefeated against the Reign in their last four meetings (three wins, one draw).
WHAT NEEDS TO GO RIGHT FOR ORLANDO
Carson Pickett has emerged as a late-season offensive leader for Orlando after Barbra Banda’s season-ending injury, scoring three goals since August. She’s the only Pride player to score more than one goal since the summer break, so look for Pickett to help get things going.
To get past a Seattle defense that’s allowed just three goals in their last four games, the Orlando offense will need to keep consistent pressure to break through. It seems like they may be warming up at the right time. A stunning 5-2 defeat against the Chicago Stars in Week 19 marked a low-point, and it may have been what the Pride needed to rebound.
Marta got on the board for the first time since April with a converted PK against the Spirit in Week 25, but as the only player to appear in every playoff game in club history, expect Marta to level up.
Jacquie Ovalle got on the stat sheet on Decision Day, assisting Pickett. She scored her first NWSL goal at the end of September, and there is no better time for a newcomer to pop off than the playoffs. The combination of Ovalle, Marta, Angelina, and Haley McCutcheon can be treacherous for opponents to navigate when they’re in sync.
The Pride have been known to get creative when it comes to getting on the board. The team forced an impressive six own goals during the regular season, proving that it doesn’t matter how the ball finds the back of the net – as long as it does.
On defense, Emily Sams has set the tone, playing a full 90 minutes in all but two games. She leads the team in clearances, interceptions, and passes attempted. Her control of the backline can’t be underestimated as the Pride look to make another postseason run.
WHAT NEEDS TO GO RIGHT FOR SEATTLE
While the Pride needed time to shake off the dog days of summer, the Reign hit their stride in the back half of the season, earning 25 points in their last 16 matches. Only the Current took home more points in the same stretch.
Keeper Claudia Dickey is the lone Ironwoman in the playoffs this year and she was the only goalie to play every minute. She led the league with 88 saves on the year and clocked seven clean sheets.
There’s nothing better than some NWSL OG faceoffs. Opposite Marta are Jess Fishlock and Lauren Barnes who have been with the Reign since the start. Barnes has started all 11 of Seattle’s playoff games for a total of 1,014 minutes, the sixth most in league history. In her final postseason run, Barnes could surpass Christine Sinclair, Vanessa DiBenardo, and Abby Dalkemper in this game to move to third all-time.
Fishlock is as steady of a presence as it gets, and her three goals off the bench mean she can drop into a game and make an impact quickly. Sofia Huerta played every minute since returning from loan and all but one minute in the playoffs since joining the club. That experience means composure under pressure when everything is on the line.
The veterans bring an unmatched level of experience, but Seattle’s youth movement has been the backbone of their offense. Rookie Maddie Dahlien, for example, scored four goals throughout the season – all four were game winners. Nearly half of the team’s goals came from teenagers or rookies, more than any club.
The most telling statistic: the club’s leading goal scorers are the 19-year-old Emeri Adames and the 38-year-old Jess Fishlock, both with six on the year. Age ain’t nothing but a number.
You can watch the Orlando Pride host the Seattle Reign tonight, November 7 on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET.
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