The Orlando Pride will take on FC Kansas City on Saturday night in their final game of the season. Kansas City and Orlando sit in seventh and ninth places, respectively, so they are out of playoff contention regardless of tomorrow’s result. Orlando’s attendance, which has seen a sharp decrease since the record-breaking first game, will hinge largely upon how they plan to improve their performance for the next season and the work they do this winter, but that all starts with a win being the last result one everyone’s mind. Regardless of the lack of a chance for hardware, both teams will be trying to pull out a result to end the season and boost the morale of the team and their fanbase.
Orlando is still trying to find their rhythm
As an expansion team this year, it was expected for the Pride to have a bit of an adjustment period, but fans were disappointed when that lasted long enough into the season that they were unable to escape the bottom end of the table. Although they boast the star power of the USWNT’s Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris, along with numerous other international players from other countries, they were plagued by injuries, and their backline never really gelled, posing a problem for Harris, who has made many clutch saves after defensive error and miscommunication. In their last game of the season, it will be important to see the offense and defense connect with each other, something that has been lacking this whole season. If the Pride wants to continue to boost their large fan base, something will have to change in the offseason, but a result against last year’s champions to close the season will keep fans hopeful through the winter.
Heather O’Reilly will still be important for FCKC
Despite her national team retirement, it is widely believed that Heather O’Reilly still has much to contribute to the world of soccer, and Kansas City will likely benefit from being the recipient of all of her efforts. Known to be impactful on the attack, it will be interesting to see how she takes advantage of the holes in Orlando’s defense, and if she can help her team produce chances against the Florida side. Shea Grom, another forward, has also found the back of the net many times this season, and will be looking to end her season on a high note On defense, Kansas City will be able to rely on Nicole Barnhart to make saves when needed.
Game Details:
The game will be played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Kickoff is at 5:00 pm ET and the game can be watched here.