Preview: Orlando Pride travel to face North Carolina on Saturday
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Orlando Pride (4-14-2, 14 points) heads back out on the road to face the North Carolina Courage (11-4-4, 37 points) on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
"I think North Carolina has a certain style of play that you know what they're going to do, but you've got to be able to manage it in both the defensive quick transition because they've got quick players. They're an athletic team and that's how they're able to score goals quickly," Head Coach Marc Skinner said. "We've got to manage the transitions really well and when we have the ball we've got to be offensive. You can't defend for 90 minutes, we have to be able to take the game to North Carolina and exploit their limited weakness."
The Pride enter Saturday's match facing a quick turnaround following a 1-0 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. The visitors took all three points despite being reduced to 10 players when Katie Johnson was shown her second yellow card in the 64th minute. The Red Stars scored the game-winner at the death after Casey Short connected on a cross from Sam Kerr in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Marta leads the Pride with five finishes this season, followed by Rachel Hill on the squad with two. Hill sits tied for the team lead in assists along with Joanna Boyles, each with two in 2019.
North Carolina comes into Saturday's contest following a 6-0 victory over the Portland Thorns at Providence Park on Wednesday. The Courage scored three goals on both sides of the break to take all three points in dominating fashion with Lynn Williams scoring a hat trick in the match and Debinha, Crystal Dunn and Kristen Hamilton each adding a finish of their own on the night.
Williams now sits at second in NWSL with 10 finishes this season, trailing only Chicago's Sam Kerr with 15. Debinha stands tied for the league-lead in assists along with Chicago's Yuki Nagasato, each with six in 2019.
The Pride will look to avenge losses to the Courage in each of their previous two matchups this season in Saturday's match. Following this weekend's contest, the team will enter a week off from match play before traveling to face Sky Blue FC on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Saturday's match will serve as North Carolina's third annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night. The Courage have recently joined forces with the Pride for their own breast cancer initiative, donating a ball signed by their entire squad to the Pride's online auction with all profits going to Libby's Legacy in conjunction with the Club's first Breast Cancer Awareness match on Saturday, Oct. 12.