• Final stats

In just the Orlando Pride’s second National Women’s Soccer League season, they made it to the league’s semifinals. But even in their most successful season in their brief history, the Pride were unable to earn their first-ever win over the Chicago Red Stars.

Now, six games into the 2018 season, the Pride have broken their winless streak against the northern side, beating Chicago 2-0 at Toyota Park on May 2.

Pride forward Chioma Ubogagu provided the spark Orlando needed to pull away with the win. She scored early in the match, notching her third goal of 2018 in the 28th minute.

An errant pass, first, bounced off Ubogagu’s leg at midfield. Fellow forward Sydney Leroux, then, initiated the two-woman game with Ubogagu, as the two used accurate passing in space to drive the ball toward Chicago’s box.

Ubogagu used a burst of speed to evade a challenge and its defender and passed it to an open Leroux on the middle-left flank. Leroux subsequently returned the ball to Ubogagu at the top of the box and one-timed a shot that took a deflection and stopped in the back of the net.

Last season, Ubogagu scored four times all season; she now leads the Pride with three goals in just six games and five starts.

Second-year Pride forward Rachel Hill put the finishing touches on the Pride’s win, scoring her first goal of the season in the 81st minute.

Defender Ali Krieger intercepted a pass at midfield to initiate the scoring effort. She passed it forward to Hill, who laid it off for midfielder Kristen Edmonds. Edmonds, then, chipped it to new Pride midfielder Emily van Egmond on the left, who slid the ball to Hill for her first Pride assist.

Hill took an additional touch around Red Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher coming off her line and gently rolled the ball into the far-post netting.

As expected, Chicago’s Sam Kerr, last season’s Golden Boot winner, provided some of the most threatening chances against Orlando.

In the 26th minute, Kerr won a header a little past midfield and darted toward the Pride’s box. The second-ball header fell to Kerr in space, who then one-timed a shot that ultimately ended in the stands.

Kerr’s solo effort in the 40th minute also put the Pride’s second clean sheet of the season in jeopardy. A throw-in from the sideline led Kerr down the left flank. Kerr used her speed to get past Orlando defender Monica Hickmann Alves, as she proceeded to take on the entire Pride back line alone.

After making her way to the top of the box, Kerr unloaded another shot that went high and into the stands.

The Australian’s second-half efforts were just as dangerous, as she took a different approach early in the period. A corner from the right fell to Kerr in between the 6-yard box and the top of the penalty box. Her header went just right of goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris’ net.

Kerr provided Chicago its last opportunity at an equalizer in the 76th minute. Midfielder Danielle Colaprico took possession of an ill-touched pass by the Pride and dropped it to Kerr. Kerr, then, one-timed a leading pass to forward Michele Vasconcelos into the box, who struck the ball just right of the net.

Who’s Next?

The Pride stay on the road for two more games, next traveling to face Utah Royals FC for the second time this season. Orlando and Utah met in the season opener, finishing with a 1-1 draw. Utah, so far, is seventh in the NWSL with an 0-1-4 record.

For more on the Pride, as they look to extend their unbeaten streak past three games, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

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