NWSL Match Preview: Orlando Pride 0-3-0) at Kansas City Current (0-3-0)

Players to watch:

Kansas City Current forward Mimmi Larsson came off the bench to record both a goal and assist against the Red Stars, though it was a 4-2 loss. Of the five players to have a goal and assist as a reserve in the same NWSL game since the beginning of last season, three have done so while playing for the Current (Larsson, Claire Lavogez, and Elyse Bennett). Overall, Larsson is just one of three goalscorers for Kansas City in three regular season games, with only Debinha and forward Cece Kizer scoring in losses to Chicago (Debinha) and Portland (Kizer), respectfully.

In Orlando’s 2-0 loss to Gotham FC, Kerry Abello led the Pride with five shots and three shots on target. Both those figures were career highs for Abello as she entered the game with 17 career shots with five of those being on goal (23 career regular season games). In the end, though, only forward Messiah Bright has scored a goal with Orlando having scored just a single goal in its first three regular season outings. 

Match facts: The Kansas City Current return home to Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon to host the Orlando Pride in the first of two NWSL games on the day. The Current are aiming to earn a first point of the season after three straight losses, while the Pride are looking to achieve the same feat having also dropped their first three contests of the regular season.

Kansas City is one of two NWSL teams without a point so far this season (along with Orlando) and have allowed four goals in each of its last two games. Prior to that, the Current had allowed four or more goals in a match just twice in all competitions (once each in 2021 and 2022). Despite that, the Current can and will take note of an impressive 2-0 win on the road against Houston midweek in the Challenge Cup, meaning Kansas City can come in with a good result just behind them.

The Pride have earned one point over their last nine regular season games (W0 D1 L8), having allowed 22 goals in that time. The only other NWSL team to ever earn so few points while allowing so many goals over a nine-game span is Gotham FC, who did so last season. Orlando’s struggles have been on both ends of the field unfortunately, with its defensive record compounded by scoring just one goal in three games. 

Orlando is unbeaten in its four all-time matches with Kansas City (W2 D2), winning both meetings in 2021 and drawing both games last season. The Pride are one of two teams the Current have played at least three times in all competitions and still haven’t beaten, along with Portland.