2019 NWSL Regular Season – Week 22

Orlando Pride vs Chicago Red Stars 

Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FL

September 11 at 6pm CT

CHICAGO — Chicago begins its final road trip of the season with a visit to Exploria Stadium for the rubber match in the season series against the Orlando Pride on Wednesday, September 11. Chicago’s 3-0 win on Sunday puts them third in the NWSL standings with five games left to play as the regular season continues comes to a close with a tight battle for the final spots in the semifinals. 

Where to Watch

TV: ESPNews

Stream: Watch ESPN

Opponent Form

Orlando began this season with new players and a new coach in Marc Skinner hoping to improve on a seventh-place finish last year, but the Pride stumbled out of the gates and had only a point through the first nine games of this season. However, Orlando has shown improvement as the season progressed. Three of their four wins this season have come in the latter half of their schedule and the welcome return of the legendary Marta and world champions Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, and Alex Morgan only help Orlando as they look to climb out their last-place spot in the standings to end the season. 

Storylines

On Fire: Two of the goalscorers in the game matchup on Sunday. Orlando’s Marta is still one of the best strikers in the NWSL and has five goals in her last six games to put her among one of the top 10 goalscorers in the league this season. Alone at the top of that chart is Chicago’s Sam Kerr, who scored a brace against Houston on Sunday to put her season total at 15. Both Kerr and Marta have already made an impact in the season series by providing their team with a goal, though it is Kerr who has the edge with a hat trick against the Pride back in June. 

My House: Chicago’s all-time record against the Pride might be pretty even, but their record against Orlando at Exploria Stadium has been outstanding. Chicago is unbeaten in every road game they have played against the Pride, including a win late last season where Kerr and Vanessa DiBernardo helped Chicago take a crucial three points in the middle of the playoff chase. This season again Chicago and Kerr left Orlando with three points in the bag courtesy of a hat-trick and a 3-2 Red Stars victory. 

Game On: The season series between these two teams is split right down the middle: one win, one loss, four goals scored, and four goals conceded. Though bout teams are on opposite ends of the standings, both matchups this season have been separated by only one goal. Chicago is looking to build off their win on Sunday and reach the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, but an Orlando win would propel them out of last place and provide the chance to play spoiler for one of the teams in the playoff hunt.