Orlando Pride closed out a 2-1 road win over Houston Dash on Sunday, only to see their NWSL playoffs hopes crushed hours later. Seattle Reign's 3-1 victory over Chicago Stars earlier in the day officially knocked Orlando out of contention, dropping them to 11th in the NWSL standings.
Orlando's Late-Season Surge Against Houston Not Enough for Playoffs
Despite the bigger postseason picture, there was plenty for Orlando to be happy about on the field. Rookie Solai Washington drove the attack for the Pride from the opening whistle.
She drew a 15th-minute penalty that Luana put away to open the scoring, then netted her first career NWSL goal in the 31st minute off a feed from Brazil legend Marta. Houston pulled one back after halftime, though Orlando held firm to close out the win.
Still, the result only underscored how far the defending champions have fallen. Orlando captured the NWSL Shield and Championship double in 2024, yet a midseason coaching change this year sent the club tumbling in the standings.
Interim head coach Yolanda Thomas has steadied the ship at 3-2-1 since taking over, but not quickly enough to keep Orlando in the postseason race.
Two matches remain against Gotham FC and Seattle Reign, giving Orlando a chance to dent the postseason hopes of two contenders before looking ahead to 2027.
