When the Orlando Pride drafted defenders with four of their first five picks in the 2020 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft, it became clear that they were looking to bolster their defense. After all, the Pride allowed 53 goals in 2019, tying the most goals allowed by any team in league history (2014, Boston Breakers).
Orlando already brought in defender Emily Sonnett in a trade with Portland Thorns FC. Now, with their latest move, the Pride have brought in another defender with national-team experience. On Feb. 10, the team announced the acquisition of New Zealand women’s national team player Ali Riley via transfer from FC Bayern Munich.
“We’re delighted to finally come to terms with Ali and Bayern, who we’d also like to thank in making this deal happen,” Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck said, per the team’s release. “We targeted Ali last year and were able to come to terms, but, with the new allocation money, it has provided more roster flexibility and allowed us to go after additional players that historically haven’t been available to the NWSL.”
Before joining the Pride, Riley played three matches for Bayern Munich and, prior to that, made nine appearances for Chelsea FC in England’s Women’s Super League. Past club experiences for Riley include playing seven seasons for FC Rosengård in Sweden’s top flight, winning the league three times and recording 132 appearances and four goals.
She also played in the now-dissolved Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) in the U.S. She won the league in 2010 and 2011, first with FC Gold Pride and then with the Western New York Flash. The 32-year-old played with forward Marta Vieira da Silva at FC Gold Pride, at Western New York and at FC Rosengård. Riley also played alongside forward Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris at Western New York in 2011.
“I heard really great things [about Orlando] from an old friend of mine, Marta, and I also have a lot of respect for [Head Coach] Marc [Skinner] and seeing how his teams play,” Riley said, per the release. “I think, all around — this league, this country, the interest of the women’s game and the growth of this sport, the attention from the media and the fans — it’s something I want to be a part of.
“I hope both the mentality and attitude I bring — but also the technical ability and the learnings I’ve had playing at some of the best teams in the world — will help bring a little more confidence and a little bit of something different to contribute to a better season this year.”
Opposing teams scored two or more goals in 15 of the Pride’s 24 matches in 2019, regardless of result. The Pride were also scoreless in 10 of their matches. In addition to her defensive prowess, Riley brings leadership, too. On the international stage, she has made 132 appearances for New Zealand, making her senior-team debut in early 2007. She currently captains New Zealand and has played in four World Cups and three Olympics.
“From an on-field standpoint, Ali solidifies and improves our back line heading into 2020, which was a key area of improvement for us this offseason,” Ustruck said. “She provides many things we are looking to add to the team: experience, both domestically and internationally, additional energy to our outside-back position and is a perfect fit to the culture we’ve worked to establish over the last year.”
Riley played collegiate soccer at Stanford University, totaling 83 appearances and seven goals. She earned PAC-10 First Team honors in her senior season in 2009.
For more on Riley and her acclimation to Orlando, as the 2020 season approaches, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
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