ORLANDO, Fla. – At long last, the Orlando Pride will have their full roster assembled in 2018. And it forms at an opportune moment in their season.
The Pride are coming off their first win of the year, a 1-0 decision over the Houston Dash on April 22, and national-team players are trickling into training.
Of those returnees is Australian women’s national-teamer Alanna Kennedy, a second-year Pride midfielder. In 2017, she recorded five goals and an assist, including the Pride’s only goal in a 4-1 loss to Portland Thorns FC in the National Women’s Soccer League semifinals.
With her return, the Pride regain who head coach Tom Sermanni called “one of the best, if not the best, midfield players in this competition.” He could have such a crucial player return as early as Saturday when the Pride host Seattle Reign FC.
“I’m sure I’ll catch up with [Sermanni] a little bit more in depth after training today, but I’m ready to go when he is,” Kennedy said after training on April 24. “You know, felt good in the session this morning. Just taking my legs over a little bit.
“But, yeah, I’m ready to go for the weekend, if he’ll have me.”
Naturally, Kennedy is already match-fit, as she’s been playing games for the Matildas during the NWSL preseason and its first month of play. Most recently, Kennedy and fellow returning Aussie Emily van Egmond played in the 2018 Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup.
Kennedy and van Egmond each scored in the group-stage, 8-0 thumping of the Vietnamese women’s national team on April 10. In the semifinals, Kennedy scored a 91st-minute equalizer to force a penalty shootout that Australia won 3-1. The Matildas ultimately finished in second place to officially qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Australia also finished fourth out of 12 nations in the 2018 Algarve Cup in Portugal earlier this year.
“Yeah, definitely, if anything, I’ve played more matches over the offseason than anyone, you know, in the squad, having been in Australia, playing in the W-League and just come off five games in a row,” Kennedy said. “So, you’re right, I’m fit. It’s just a matter of keeping myself healthy. You know, a lot of travel and a bit of jet lag. Yeah, no, I definitely feel fit for a game.”
The Pride are expecting their Brazilians–forward Marta Vieira da Silva and defenders Monica Hickmann Alves and Poliana Barbosa Medeiros–to return later this week.
Orlando and Seattle will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Orlando City Stadium.
For more on Kennedy and the Pride, as they prepare for their fifth-ever matchup, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
