Match Preview: Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash
Exploria Stadium | Orlando, Florida – Friday, July 8 at 7:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
Orlando Pride forward Darian Jenkins contributed to both of the Pride’s goals in their 2-2 draw with Racing Louisville FC in their last time out. In doing so, Jenkins became the first Pride player to have both a goal and assist in the same match since Sydney Leroux last September. The assist was Jenkins’ second ever in league play and first since having one for the Reign in September 2019.
Newly acquired Houston forward Ebony Salmon made her league debut last week against the Kansas City Current and, in that, registered two shots on target. A seemingly inconsequential stat, Salmon had one total shot on target in her five games this season with Racing Louisville.
Match facts: The Orlando Pride return to action on Friday night as they welcome the Houston Dash to town in their first match at Exploria Stadium since the end of May.
Orlando overcame a two-goal deficit to end a three-game losing streak with a 2-2 draw with Racing Louisville at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday. It is the second time since May 28 that the Pride have earned a point after trailing by two goals in a match, something it had never done in club history prior to that (W0 D0 L36 before May 28). However, Orlando is still winless in their last six matches with their last victory coming against North Carolina on May 19. In addition, the club is still winless at home in the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Dash lost 2-1 to the Current in their last match, forcing an own goal in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time to prevent a shutout. The consolation tally was the latest goal ever scored in an NWSL regular-season game.
Houston has dominated its recent meetings with Orlando, having won eight of the last 10 meetings in the fixture (D2, including Fall Series). The Dash have scored at least once in all 10 of those games and are outscoring the Pride, 22-8, in the span.
