• FINAL STATS

The #PrideInOurCity starting XI. #ORLvNJ | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/YgNorJgTQp

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) June 16, 2018

ORLANDO, Fla. – Facing the worst team in the National Women’s Soccer League, the Orlando Pride were wary of the threat posed by ninth-place Sky Blue FC.

And despite Orlando’s (5-3-4, 19 points) 3-2 win over the New Jersey side (0-9-2, 2 points) at Orlando City Stadium Saturday night, head coach Tom Sermanni said he felt fortunate his team came away with the win.

“I kind of like to be honest, dealing with our performances,” Sermanni said after the win. “I think we’re probably a wee-bit fortunate to come away with a win tonight. I think we created enough chances to win the game, but I think we did enough things poorly that could have lost us the game.”

The Pride and Sky Blue exchanged a total of four goals in the first half in front of the 4,445 fans in attendance, but it was a match that was ultimately decided by forward Rachel Hill.

In the 83rd minute, second-half sub Marta Vieira da Silva dribbled around defenders down the heart of Sky Blue’s defense before sending the ball to forward Alex Morgan on the left sideline. Morgan, then, crossed the ball to Hill at the center of the box, as the University of Connecticut alumna elevated and headed it past keeper Kailen Sheridan.

“I mean, Alex put in a fantastic ball, so I really didn’t have any other option but to get my head on it, and [it] happened to go in the back of the net,” Hill said after the match. “So, all from Alex.”

While Hill provided the final touch, a very aggressive Sydney Leroux opened the scoring and placed the Pride in a position to win. In the first half, Leroux recorded three of the Pride’s seven shots and three of their four on-target efforts.

One of those attempts resulted in a second-minute goal.

Forward Chioma Ubogagu started the early effort with a run down the left flank. Her ensuing cross evaded the head of one Sky Blue defender and bounced passed another to Leroux. Leroux, then, took a centering touch and struck it past Sheridan.

Sky Blue were quick to equalize, doing so twice in the first half. The New Jersey side’s first opportunity came in the 16th minute off a turnover in the midfield.

Midfielder Christine Nairn sent a challenged pass to fellow midfielder Alanna Kennedy, but the ball was intercepted. On the ensuing breakaway, Pride keeper Ashlyn Harris saved a one-on-one effort by Sky Blue midfielder Imani Dorsey, but a trailing Savannah McCaskill one-touched the ball in on the subsequent rebound for one-goal equalizer.

“Particularly in the first half, we ended up doing things that were uncharacteristic from what we don’t normally do,” Sermanni said. “And I think you have to give credit to Sky Blue. They did their homework, and they sat back and played a 4-4-2, and they know that we try to pass the ball, and they tried to hit us on the counterattack and did very effectively.”

Leroux helped the Pride take the lead again in the 31st minute. Ubogagu, once again, initiated the effort with a throw-in to Morgan, who laid off the ball to Nairn for a short cross toward the center of the box. Leroux, then, dove and directed the ball low and out of the reach of a diving Sheridan for a 2-1 lead.

Sky Blue didn’t go quietly, scoring off another rebound before the halftime whistle sounded. Four minutes after the Pride took their second lead of the game, Sky Blue equalized again.

Forward Katie Johnson penetrated the top of The Pride’s box and sent a far-post shot that was saved by Harris. Midfielder Madison Tiernan was trailing near where Harris inadvertently misdirected the ball and struck it past the third-year Pride keeper on the ground at the near post.

“I’m a little upset that we were up twice, and then we conceded,” Leroux said after the match. “So, obviously, there’s some things that we need to clean up defensively, but I’m super happy that we got three points out of this.”

Who’s Next?

The Pride take to the road for one game to face off against the eighth-place Washington Spirit (2-7-4, 10 points) on June 23.

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

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