Orlando Pride (8-8-5, 29 points) at San Diego Wave (8-6-7, 31 points)
When: Friday, September 26, 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, Calif
As the Pride face the San Diego Wave out West, here are four things to watch for
Wave Hello
Orlando is unbeaten against San Diego in the last three consecutive matchups in NWSL regular season play, including a 2-1 win over the Wave earlier this season at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride were backed by goals from Haley McCutcheon and a game-winning penalty kick from Marta. The Pride have beaten the Wave in each of their four NWSL seasons but have yet to win both meetings against San Diego in a single regular season.
Best of the West (From the East)
The Pride have found plenty of success when making the cross-country trip to California. Against the three California NWSL teams, Orlando holds a combined 11-3-5 record. They are 4-1-2 against the Wave, 4-2-2 against Angel City, and 3-0-1 against Bay FC. So far in 2024, the Pride are 4-1-0 against California teams, with the only loss coming against Angel City. They have already swept Bay FC this year and will look to do the same against San Diego.
Milestone Unlocked
The next appearance for defender Kerry Abello will mark her 100th appearance for the Club across all competitions. Drafted by the Pride with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, Abello has been a fixture in Orlando since. To date, she has scored two goals and recorded five assists, while also being the only field player to feature in every match of the Pride’s 2024 NWSL Shield- and Championship-winning season. Earlier this year, Abello earned her first USWNT senior team call-up.
The Grind Will Make It All Worth It
The Pride begin a 10-day road stretch with their matchup against the Wave on Friday, Sept. 26, at Snapdragon Stadium. From there, Orlando will travel to Mexico City to face Club América Femenil in Concacaf W Champions Cup play on Sept. 30, before wrapping up the trip with a visit to the Houston Dash on Oct. 3. The three-game stretch comes at a crucial point in the season, with the Pride pushing to secure an NWSL playoff spot while also aiming to finish in the top two of their Concacaf W Champions Cup group.
