• Final stats

The Orlando Pride and Utah Royals FC entered a mid-week game evenly matched in almost every regard. Each team had scored six goals while Utah had allowed one less goal (five).

That level playing field showed in the two teams’ second-ever meeting, as Orlando (2-2-3, 9 points) and Utah (1-1-5, 8 points) drew 0-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night. With the draw, both teams extend their unbeaten streak to four games.

Orlando was fortunate to escape Utah with a point. Utah outplayed the Pride in almost offensive statistic: The Royals out-shot Orlando 13-5 (1-2 on-goal), recorded four more corners (6-2) and sent in six more crosses (17-11). The home side also had more possession, owning the ball 56.4 percent of the time.

Utah had the best chances of scoring in what was the Pride’s second of three-straight road games.

Those chances came starting in the 80th minute with a near-one-on-one effort with Pride keeper Ashlyn Harris by 76th-minute substitute Katie Stengel. Attacking midfielder Diana Matheson received the ball near the right part of Orlando’s box and slid the ball into a cutting Stengel.

Harris, then, came off her line to force a heavy touch by Stengel around Harris that was eventually cleared.

Five minutes later, Pride defenders Monica Hickmann Alves and Ali Krieger participated in back-to-back sequences that nearly cost Orlando its road point.

In the 85th minute, Harris rolled the ball to Monica. The Brazilian defender turned and attempted to quickly pass it out, but midfielder Kelley O’Hara intercepted the pass. Harris, who was trotting backward to her goal, darted from the top of the 6-yard box and dove to recover the ball.

Krieger nearly cost her team in the 90th minute. Late second-half sub Brittany Ratcliffe received a long ball down the right flank and sprinted ahead of the recovering Pride defense. She took one touch into the box before unloading a low, on-goal attempt that was saved by Harris.

Stengel recovered the ball on the rebound and one-timed a low shot that was deflected inches wide of the right post by Krieger.

Second-year Pride forward Rachel Hill provided Orlando with its greatest scoring chance in the 72nd minute. Forward Alex Morgan, who was returning from a one-game hiatus after suffering a hyper-extended left knee, led Hill into the right part of Utah’s box with a header.

Hill turned the corner on the outside defender and took a grounded shot that was easily saved by keeper Abby Smith.

The Pride also created another near-scoring opportunity in the 22nd minute, courtesy of forward Sydney Leroux. Fellow forward Marta Vieira da Silva led Leroux down the middle-left flank where Leroux, then, took an inward touch before attempting to curl the ball inside the far post.

Who’s Next?

The Pride will not return to Orlando before their next match, as they will travel to face Portland Thorns FC for the second time this season. Orlando lost its first matchup with Portland 2-1 in Portland on Feb. 15. Since then, the Thorns have improved to a 2-2-3 record and are in fourth place in the National Women’s Soccer League.

For more on the Pride, as they search for their first-ever win over Portland in their third and final road game of this three-game stretch, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

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