SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Orlando Pride (9-8-5, 32 points) snapped their nine-game winless streak and vaulted back into playoff contention with a 2–1 victory over San Diego Wave FC (8-7-7, 31 points) Friday night at Snapdragon Stadium. The win not only marked Orlando’s first league victory since mid-June but also completed a regular-season sweep over the Wave for the first time in club history.
The Pride struck first in the eighth minute through forward Jacqueline Ovalle, who latched onto a pass from Ally Watt before firing into the bottom corner for her maiden NWSL goal. The milestone finish was historic, making Ovalle the first Mexican international ever to score for the Pride. Watt’s assist was her second of the season, continuing a partnership with Ovalle that had previously connected against Bay FC.
San Diego responded almost immediately. Just two minutes later, Wave forward Dudinha punished a poor back pass and chipped goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse from distance to level the match at 1–1. The hosts pushed for more through Adriana Leon and Kimmi Ascanio, but Orlando’s defense, anchored by rookie Zara Chavoshi and the milestone-making Kerry Abello—who earned her 100th club appearance—kept the score tied heading into halftime.
Head coach Seb Hines turned to veteran Carson Pickett at the break, and the substitution proved decisive. In the 54th minute, Spanish defender Oihane delivered a curling cross that found Pickett, who struck first-time past DiDi Haracic to restore Orlando’s lead. The goal was Pickett’s second of the NWSL season and the first time in her career she has tallied multiple goals in one campaign for the same team.
From there, the Pride were forced to weather wave after wave of San Diego pressure. Moorhouse redeemed her earlier miscue with several clutch saves, including a brilliant stop on Ascanio in the 74th minute and a fingertip deflection late in stoppage time to preserve the victory. Despite San Diego’s statistical edge in shots (16–9), efforts on target (6–2), and crosses (20–19), Orlando’s resilience carried them through.With the win, the Pride climbed from seventh to fourth in the congested NWSL table, leapfrogging the Wave in the process. They now sit just two points shy of third place and remain firmly in the playoff hunt with three matches left to play.
Key Notes:
- Jacqueline Ovalle scored her first NWSL goal and became the first Mexican international to score for Orlando.
Final Score: Orlando Pride 2, San Diego Wave FC 1
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