LAKE MARY, Fla. — It has been a draining stretch over the past week for the Orlando Pride. A midweek home match against Boston Legacy FC, followed by a cross-country trip to Utah, left the Pride with two deflating one-goal losses, finishing a three-game stretch that started with a thrilling win over the Kansas City Current. Friday night against the Chicago Stars FC at Inter.co Stadium, they get the chance to reset in front of their own fans and find their form again.
"We've had two disappointing results by one-goal deficits," Head Coach Seb Hines said at Orlando Health Training Ground at Sylvan Lake Park. "We're looking to bounce back, get back into our own environment, play in front of our own fans, and put on a performance that everyone's proud of."
The losses for the Pride weren't bad by any means. It was simply one moment by their opposition that turned the tide of the game. For Orlando, making sure those moments don't happen, and on the other side, getting more going offensively is a major sticking point heading into Friday's match.
"I think we're just a ball falling away from us getting a result," Midfielder Ally Lemos said. "Seb keeps telling us to just keep doing what we're doing, and just understanding that it's gonna come together for us."
Having a full week of training has also been beneficial. The team has used the time to work on the fine margins that have cost the Pride in recent outings.
"We just need to refine a couple of things," Hines said. "Make sure we get enough pressure on the ball so they're not getting those opportunities in front of our goal, and then when we're in the attack, being threatening, committing an extra number, an extra pass, to get clear-cut opportunities and then execute in those moments."
"I think we just need to continue taking our opportunities," Lemos added. "Just having our players trust themselves. Even myself, sometimes gambling on it and going for it, taking that long shot or going one-v-one, isolating and just trusting ourselves and our abilities."
The absence of leading goalscorer Barbra Banda, who has departed for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations with the Zambian national team, adds another challenge to a team that has been reliant on their star striker. It isn't new territory for the Pride, having navigated Banda's absence in the latter half of last season.
"It's not unfamiliar territory for us," Hines said. "You think back to last year. For half a season we were without Barbara, and players stepped up. It's always a case of who's going to step up in those moments and take their opportunity."
Chicago now arrive at Inter.co Stadium in their own difficult moment. The Stars confirmed this week that forward Jordyn Huitema has been placed on the season-ending injury after rupturing the ACL during Chicago's 2-0 loss to Angel City FC. Her absence leaves a significant void in the Chicago attack that they will need to address.
"It'll be interesting what they do with her absence, similar to ourselves with Barbara," Hines said. "Whether they try to replicate that with another player or find different ways to build their attack, we just have to be mindful of that. But again, we always want to make our environment as hostile as possible, make it intimidating, go after teams in the right moments, get the fans behind us. They're our 12th player, and we'll need them more than ever going into this game on Friday."
Kickoff against Chicago Stars FC at Inter&Co Stadium is set for Friday night at 8 p.m.
