Orlando Pride surprise in Summer Cup with dramatic draw and penalty shootout against North Carolina Courage

Women's soccer is always a box of surprises and the first match of the NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup proved it once again. The Orlando Pride took on the North Carolina Courage in a thrilling match that ended in a 1-1 draw, with the decision going to penalties at WakeMed Soccer Park. The Courage came out on top, winning 5-4 and securing an extra point in the competition .

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From the start, the Pride showed determination on the pitch, but it was the Courage who opened the scoring in the 44th minute with a goal from Manaka Matsukubo, who capitalized on a precise pass from Ryan Williams. The home side had the lead, but the Pride didn't give up. Fighting until the end, they managed to equalize in the 82nd minute with a goal from defender Celia, who scored her first goal of the 2024 season and the fourth of her career.

Goalkeeper McKinley Crone made her professional debut for the Pride, showing a great performance by making five saves during the match and two in the penalty shootout. Her performance was key to keeping the team in the game until the end. Evelina Duljan and Claire Winter also made their NWSL debuts, coming on as substitutes in the second half and contributing to the team's collective effort.

The penalty shootout was a real test of nerves. Courage goalkeeper Marisa Bova was outstanding as she saved the Pride's fifth and sixth shots, setting the stage for Narumi Miura to score the decisive penalty in the seventh, sealing the win for the Courage. With this, the Courage took two points in the Summer Cup Group E standings, while the Pride were left with one point.

Orlando Pride coach Seb Hines highlighted the importance of the experience gained from the penalty shootout, something the team had not yet experienced. “I think the experience of a shootout was something we'd never experienced, so having been through it gives the players that kind of experience to move forward. You can't replicate a shootout, as much as you can practice that 'putting the pressure on', you just can't do that in training. I think the players handled it well. It didn't go our way, which is unfortunate, but overall, in terms of the game, we're very pleased to come away with a point.”

Hines also mentioned the challenges faced by the team due to the absence of key players on international duty. “We have a lot of players away on international duty. North Carolina didn't have that, so they were a bit more fluid with the way they played. You could see that, those connections, that team chemistry, which carried us a bit. But fair play for the players to come here trailing one-nil and have the desire and character to go back and score, it's brilliant to see. And we've continued with that momentum we had in the league in the tournament now.”

The Pride showed admirable resilience, especially considering the absences of their key players. This match was a testament to the team's potential and the depth of the squad, with less experienced players taking the opportunity to shine. McKinley Crone's debut was a highlight, showing that the Pride have a promising goalkeeper who could excel in the coming matches.

Orlando Pride's next challenge in the Summer Cup promises to be even tougher, but if they continue to show the same grit and determination, they could spring another surprise. The competition has only just begun and, with the return of the players on international duty, the Pride have everything to improve and achieve even better results.