• Final stats

ORLANDO, Fla. – Though they were last season’s highest-scoring team, the Orlando Pride have yet to live up to that name in 2018. Entering the end-of-week matchup, the Pride scored two goals in the first three games.

Against the Houston Dash on Sunday, though, Orlando took a step toward regaining 2017’s scoring form. That was due in part to the work of forward Chioma Ubogagu and midfielder Christine Nairn, as Nairn assisted on Ubogagu’s goal in a 1-0 win at Orlando City Stadium in front of 3,980 fans.

Orlando (1-2-1) earned both its first win and first shutout of the season.

“I think if we didn’t win today, there would have been a lack of confidence in the squad,” Pride head coach Tom Sermanni said after the win. “We started pretty ordinary last year, but you can’t afford to keep starting as poorly as we have. So it was very important to win today.”

Orlando seemed to be on the front foot for most of the first half, and that was because of Ubogagu. She led all players with a game-high three first-half shots, but none were on-goal attempts.

Ubogagu, however, eventually found the touch she was looking for off a set piece in the 65th minute. Nairn delivered a free kick into the box, and Ubogagu sprung free to misdirect the ball to the bottom-right corner, past rooted goalkeeper Jane Campbell for the first and only goal of the game.

“Yeah, I mean, [Nairn’s] a great player. She’s got that finesse on the final touch of the ball,” Ubogagu said after the win. “And I think that’s something really important. I think when you have, you know, a lot forward like we do on our team–great forwards who can score goals–and you have someone like Nairn’s quality, it makes your job a lot easier.”

The Pride had their second-greatest scoring chance in the 84th minute, as a post came between forward Sydney Leroux and her first goal in a Pride kit. Leroux broke free down the middle-left flank and took a touch or two before shooting past Campbell and ricocheting the ball off the near post.

The 27-year-old is still scoreless in the 2018 season after scoring four goals in three preseason matches with Orlando. Forward Alex Morgan is also scoreless in club play, so far, in 2018. But the Pride have been without, perhaps, their greatest threat: Brazilian Marta Vieira da Silva.

Orlando’s 2017 leader in goals (13) and assists (six) and four other of the Pride’s national-team players will all return by next week (Australians Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond are already back). But before they returned, Ubogagu and the Pride’s other non-national-team players wanted to prove they could win without the complete group.

“I think there’s one thing saying it…but it was so, so crucial that we [won a game without our full roster], you know?” Ubogagu said. “It’s one thing saying we can do this and do that, but we came out here today in the heat and grinded out three points. It’s massive.

“‘Cause I think it shows the depth of the team. It shows that whenever they leave on international break, we can take care of business.”

Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris directed the Pride’s defense to its first clean sheet of 2018. Harris recorded only one save, as Houston was limited to nine total shots (one on-goal).

Houston’s lone threat to Harris’ goal was a 24th-minute effort by Dash forward Savannah Jordan. Pride midfielder Dani Weatherholt lost possession of the ball near midfield, as the Pride clamored for a foul.

As no foul was given, Houston took advantage of the momentary disorientation and worked the ball to the top of the box for a shot that Harris didn’t need to work hard for.

“I thought out defensive discipline, in general, was very good today,” Sermanni said. “We worked harder to get behind the ball. I thought our back three generally defended very well, kept connected, and, really, I think they kind of limited them to just some half-chances.

“I thought, defensively, we looked disciplined, and I thought the players worked a lot–not harder; they worked a lot earlier in getting back in good defensive positions.”

Who’s Next?

The Pride conclude a two-game home stand against Seattle Reign FC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Seattle is fourth in the National Women’s Soccer League a 2-1-0 record.

For more on the Pride, as they look to finish a two-game home stand with a win, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.