Last weekend against the Reign, Angel City looked to leap above the playoff line into the top six. This weekend in Orlando, it’s all about keeping in touch.
Sunday is an opportunity for Angel City to draw a line in the sand – between pretenders and contenders. A win would move them six points clear of their downstairs neighbors in the table, guaranteeing they finish the week no worse than two points off of sixth.
On the other side, it’s make-or-break time for Orlando. A win would see the Pride leapfrog Angel City, and give them a puncher’s chance at postseason play while dropping all three points would drop them closer to the basement than the playoff line.
The winner goes to bed in seventh. For the loser – pardon the cliché – it’s all finals from here on in.
Kickoff time
4 p.m. PT at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
How to watch
The match will air live on Bally Sports SoCal and streamed nationally on Paramount Plus
How to listen
Tune into the NWSL station on iHeartRadio for live coverage of the game and for other NWSL coverage. The Spanish-language broadcast will be on KFWB 980 AM.
Records
Orlando Pride: 3W-5L-5D (14 points, eighth in NWSL), Angel City FC: 5W-5L-2D (17 points, seventh in NWSL)
Last time out
Orlando Pride let in a pair of second-half goals, surrendering a two-goal advantage and settling for a 2-2 draw in Kansas City; Angel City squandered a similar position, conceding three times to OL Reign in the second half to turn a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 defeat at the Banc.
PROJECTED LINEUPS:
Orlando Pride (4-4-1-1, right to left): Erin McLeod, Celia Jiménez, Megan Oyster, Carrie Lawrence, Kyrie Strom, Kerry Abello, Viviana Villacorta, Jordyn Listro, Erika Tymrak, Gunny Jónsdóttir, Darian Jenkins
Angel City (4-4-2, right to left): Dijana Haračić, Tyler Lussi, Megan Reid, Paige Nielsen, Ali Riley, Claire Emslie, Dani Weatherholt, Cari Rocarro, Jun Endo, Savannah McCaskill, Sydney Leroux
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Angel City: Dijana Haračić, goalkeeper
Yes, last weekend Angel City conceded three times in the final 36 minutes, and, yes, one of them was scored directly after Haračić spilled a corner kick she was attempting to snag.
However, the Reign attempted 25 shots over the 90 minutes with 16 coming from inside the box and 12 ending up on target. Yet it still took a perfectly curled shot from Jess Fishlock, a missile from Sofia Huerta and an unmarked Tobin Heath to beat her.
If Haračić can turn in a similar performance against one of the least potent attacks in the league, that alone should be enough to ensure Angel City don’t leave the Sunshine State empty handed.
Orlando Pride: Darian Jenkins, forward
Unlike Angel City, the Pride can not afford to leave any points on the table Sunday night. To do that, of course, you need goals, and Orlando does not create many of them.
The Pride is only one of two teams in the league averaging less than one expected goal per game, and yet to score more than twice in a match this season. If it’s going to be anyone for the Pride, it will be Jenkins.
She is Orlando’s overwhelming leader in attempts this season, and as the Reign proved last weekend with Angel City, there’s danger to be created. The Pride is yet to lose a game when Jenkins finds the back of the net, and their playoff hopes now ride on her ability to do so.
Key matchup: Sydney Leroux vs. Not Sydney Leroux
These two sides have already met once this season, with Orlando earning a 1-0 victory at the Banc back on May 8. With 10 attempts apiece, it was the quintessential “could have gone either way” game.
Sydney Leroux scored the lone goal for the Pride and was the author of half of those 10 shots. Leroux was unequivocally the best player on the field that night, but, of course, she will enter Exploria Stadium on Sunday as a visitor.
Despite officially joining Angel City on June 29, Leroux would still be Orlando’s joint top scorer and second on the team in shot attempts – significantly closer to first than third. She may not start this weekend, but Leroux will see the field in some capacity, forcing the Pride to contain what was once a pillar of their danger-desperate attack.
FOR THE WIN: Don’t get too eager
It seems an odd objective for a team trying to fight its way above the playoff line and facing an inferior opponent– at least as the table informs us. But Orlando struggles to keep teams out of the net, conceding six more goals than any other team in the league.
There are goals to be had even when staying organized, remaining disciplined and not overextending on the break. Hitting on the counter has been bread and butter at times for Angel City, but at this stage of the frantic race to the playoffs, patience is the key.
