Orlando Pride at Houston Dash
When: Sunday, October 18, 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas
As the Pride head to Houston, here are five things to watch for:
Houston, We Have a Streak
The Pride have earned five wins across their last six meetings with the Houston Dash, including four victories on home soil. Orlando’s lone non-win during that stretch came in its most recent trip to Houston, a 1-1 draw in October 2025. The Pride will now look to build on that recent success and earn their second road victory over the Dash since 2018, with the first coming in a 1-0 win in August 2024.
Downing the Dash
The Pride earned a 3-1 victory over the Houston Dash in the sides’ most recent meeting, a Sept. 6 clash in the City Beautiful. The victory marked Interim Head Coach Yolanda Thomas’ first win at the helm, with Barbra Banda and Haley McCutcheon both finding the back of the net, while Orlando also forced a Houston own goal. McCutcheon’s strike marked her fourth of the 2026 campaign, establishing a new single-season career high for the midfielder.
Road Tested
The Pride enter their trip to Houston unbeaten in each of their last three matches away from home, earning two wins and a draw during that stretch. Orlando’s run began with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit on Aug. 23, followed by a 1-1 draw against the Kansas City Current on Sept. 11 and a 3-1 win at Bay FC on Sept. 27. Along with picking up seven points across those three matches, the Pride have found their scoring touch on the road, totaling six goals during the unbeaten run to match their output from their previous eight away contests.
From the Spot
Barbra Banda won and converted a penalty to score the Pride’s lone goal against San Diego Wave on Oct. 2. The penalty was the eighth Banda has won in regular-season play since making her NWSL debut during the Pride’s historic 2024 campaign, more than twice as many as any other player over that span, with eight players tied for second with three apiece.
Save after Save
Since making her first NWSL start in the Pride’s 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Aug. 23, Cosette Morché has posted a 3-3-1 record across seven starts with 40 saves, already placing her in the top five in Club history in regular-season saves. Morché recorded a career-high nine saves against Portland Thorns FC on Sept. 19, with her “triple dipper” stop earning her a second consecutive NWSL Save of the Week honor after first receiving the recognition for a full-extension fingertip save against the Kansas City Current on Sept. 11.
Milestone Tracker:
- Jacquie Ovalle’s next goal will be her fifth across all competitions with the Pride.
- Haley McCutcheon is two goals’ away from scoring her 15th across all competitions with the Pride. She will become the fifth player in club history to achieve the feat.
