ORLANDO, Fla. (March 14, 2025) – The Orlando Pride (1-0-0, 3 points) defeated Chicago Stars FC (0-1-0, 0 points) on Friday night at Inter&Co Stadium in the Club’s Home Opener, presented by Orlando Health, via a 6-0 scoreline. The six goals serve as the most goals scored by the Pride in a single match, previously doing it last season against the Utah Royals. The win is also the Club’s first-ever win on its opening night to the regular season.
Forward Barbra Banda contributed to three goals on the night, recording a brace and providing the helper on a Julie Doyle finish. Banda was able to put the game away with two late goals, which makes her the team leader to starts the season. Last season’s Golden Boot runner-up started the season where she left off securing her fifth brace of the regular season in her NWSL career. Banda has now tied Marta’s Club record for matches with at least one goal and one assist, each having done so on four separate occasions.
Haley McCutcheon got the scoring started early in the match, with her teammates following in her footsteps. Ally Watt, and Julie Doyle added to the tally while the Pride also earned a goal from a Chicago own goal.
Three Pride players recorded their first assists of the regular season with Morgan Gautrat, Banda and Marta picking up assists. Marta extended her Club record in assists to 20 helpers across all competitions.
Scoring Summary:
7’ Haley McCutcheon (Morgan Gautrat) – ORL 1, CHI 0
The Pride opened their scoring account on the 2025 regular season with a goal from midfielder Haley McCutcheon. McCutcheon received a drop-off pass at the top of the box off from fellow midfielder Morgan Gautrat before dribbling past a Chicago defender and slotting the ball into the left side of the net past the outstretched Chicago Stars FC goalkeeper.
36’ Ally Watt (Marta) – ORL 2, CHI 0
The Pride continued their first half scoring with Ally Watt netting a cross from Marta. Marta was able to send a pass from her left foot over the Chicago Stars FC defenders heads, allowing Watt to head the ball into the back left corner of the net. This was Watt’s first goal of the season.
47’ Hannah Anderson (OG) – ORL 3, CHI 0
Orlando’s lead was extended to three off an own goal from Chicago Defender Hannah Anderson. Midfielder Morgan Gautrat looped a pass to Barbra Banda in front of the net that deflected off Anderson and into the goal for the Pride’s third of the night.
65’ Julie Doyle (Barbra Banda) – ORL 4, CHI 0
Within 2 minutes of checking into the game, Forward Julie Doyle recorded her first goal of the season. Barbra Banda set up the scoring opportunity with a pinpoint pass across the box that found the feet of Doyle who then curved the ball into the left side of the net to make it four on the night for the Pride.
80’ Barba Banda – ORL 5, CHI 0
After receiving the ball in the center of the pitch while being double-teamed, Banda split the legs of the defender to create a breakaway opportunity. After getting past the two defenders, Banda used her right foot to sneak the ball passed the keeper, and into the bottom right corner of the net.
87’ Barbra Banda – ORL 6, CHI 0
Just minutes after scoring her first goal of the season, Banda was able to add to the high-scoring night with her second goal of the match. Banda intercepted a Chicago Stars FC pass and fired a shot from beyond the box that found the back of the net.
Head Coach Seb Hines:
“It's a good start to the year, especially with the celebration at the start and the banners and the trophies being in front. It's always a worry because obviously that's in the past and that was all that we achieved last year and trying to flip that mindset of the task at hand. Obviously, priority was winning the game tonight and getting off to a good start. I thought we played some really good football, and we were defensively pretty solid. To score six goals in the NWSL is a massive achievement. It has been a really good day for all of us.”
Match Notes:
- Barbra Banda scored a brace on the season earning her first two goals of the 2025 season. She also tallied an assist on the Doyle finish.
- Banda is now tied with Marta for the Club record for matches with at least one goal and one assist, each having done so on four separate occasions.
- Haley McCutcheon scored her first goal of the 2025 season. The goal serves as her 3rd career regular-season goal, and 2nd with Orlando.
- The Pride’s goal in the seventh minute was the fastest in a home opener in club history, eclipsing the previous record set in 2018 by a Marta penalty that came in the 21st minute.
- Ally Watt recorded her first goal of the season off a first-half corner kick. The goal is her eighth goal scored for the Pride across all competitions.
- Julie Doyle scored her first goal of the year, counting as her eighth goal scored in her NWSL career across all competitions.
- With her assist in Friday night’s match, Marta now sits as the leader in career assists across all competitions for the Orlando Pride, with 20.
- Morgan Gautrat tallied her first assist of the 2025 campaign and her first while donning the Pride kit.
- The Pride started the same lineup that played against the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup.
Next Match: The Orlando Pride will hit the road for the first time in the 2025 season as they head to take on NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday, March 23, at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The match is set to kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
