**ORLANDO, Fla. –** The Orlando Pride defeated Racing Louisville FC, 1-0, on Saturday night as a 22 ^nd -minute goal from forward Messiah Bright propelled the Pride to their second consecutive victory, following up on a big 3-1 win at San Diego last weekend. The goal is Bright’s second of the season, and the win is the second on the year for Orlando. Louisville, meanwhile, remains winless through six games.
The hosts, who had scored just once at home all year prior to tonight, were the first to get off the mark in the 22 ^nd minute through Bright. The Pride had corned a corner through Adriana’s shot, and defender Kylie Strom had worked a ball back in from a wide position on the right that swung deep toward Bright. Leaping over her marking defender, the attacker was able to get enough on it to head over Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund and in for the evening’s opening goal.
Then, eight minutes later the Pride were back at it again through Bright. She was bursting down the left side of the field and into the box when she opted to pull the trigger just in front of goal. However, her initial shot was blocked off a Louisville defender and off the post but back into play. Finding herself back on the ball, Bright then fired on goal again only to have her shot saved by Lund and parried away.
However, it wasn’t all Orlando in the first half as Louisville’s Ary Borges nearly found the back of the net for her side in the 35 ^th minute. After a cross into the box from the left side of the field was improperly cleared by a Pride defender, the ball fell to Borges’s feet just inside the penalty area left of center of goal. Borges then attempted to curl a left-footed shot around defenders and into the top left corner, but Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was equal to the effort and pushed it away for a corner.
Orlando had one final opportunity in the first half to find the back of the net as forward Adriana drove ahead after receiving a pass from teammate Erika Tymrak. Adriana pushed her way inside the penalty area to her left and attempted to drag a left-footed shot to the bottom far corner. However, though her attempt was a good one, Lund was able to get enough on the ball to push it wide of the post. Just when the ball looked clear, though, it deflected off a Louisville defender and rolled back on the goalline where Lund had to leap and smother to prevent it rolling over the line.
Into the second half, Brazilian star Marta nearly added Orlando’s second in the 56 ^th minute when she unleashed a vicious left-footed shot that forced Lund to tip it over the bar. As Adriana rolled a pass back into Marta’s path just outside the penalty area, she hit the ball at the first time of asking and nearly saw her effort dip just under the crossbar if not for Lund’s strong hands.
Though Louisville was persistent in its push for a goal, the best the side was able to produce in the second half was a chance for forward Kirsten Davis in the 74 ^th minute. Davis was holding the attacking line inside the penalty area when she split off her defender’s shoulder and into a passing lane, where teammate Alex Chidiac picked her out. From there, Davis was to the left of goal and had little room to work with as she poked an effort toward the near post. The shot was enough to force Moorhouse into action, but was ultimately not enough to bring the match level again.
In the end, Orlando held on and gained another big three points in their second straight win, all after losing four straight to start the year. It’s an unfortunate result for Louisville though, who have lost two out of their last three, sandwiched by a 2-2 draw at home against OL Reign.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights