This is it. Not a semi-final. Not some preseason hype parade. This is first vs. second in the NWSL – Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current – a matchup that has all the swagger and teeth of a playoff bout in May.
📅 Saturday, May 18
🕗 7:30 p.m. ET
📍 INTER&Co Stadium, Orlando
Grab your Orlando Pride tickets now or risk missing what could be the season’s fiercest collision. The Orlando Pride schedule doesn’t serve up many nights like this. Neither does the KC Current schedule.
Battle Lines Drawn at the Summit
The KC Current standings have them top of the pile on 18 points. They’re not just winning games – they’re swarming teams with pace, flair, and, let’s face it, a roster that plays like it’s allergic to losing at home. That 4-1 demolition of Bay FC? Clinical. Emotional. Necessary. After back-to-back road losses, manager Vlatko Andonovski didn’t sugarcoat it: the defeats were the “biggest motivation” to come out and bury Bay FC alive.
But here’s the twist: this game’s in Orlando. KC’s unbeaten record at CPKC Stadium means nothing here. This is all turf war now.
The Orlando Pride standings have them breathing down Kansas City’s neck with 16 points, and they’ve been brooding since that 1-1 stalemate against North Carolina. Prisca Chilufya’s 89th-minute equalizer saved their blushes, but make no mistake – Pride fans know they should’ve had it done and dusted. More shots. More possession. More chances. No win. They haven’t tasted victory in their last two, and that’s not good enough for a team with silverware ambitions.
Firestarters and Field Generals
Kansas City Current:
Debinha: That brace against Bay FC was a warning shot to the rest of the league. She’s now 7th all-time in NWSL goals and 3rd among active players. Try stopping her when she’s ghosting through midfield like smoke.
Temwa Chawinga: A record-breaker and a nightmare to defend. Three straight games scoring in her first appearances for two clubs? That’s the kind of chaos you pay to see.
Bia Zaneratto: As if KC needed more firepower.
Hailie Mace: Two assists in one game. Don’t sleep on her deliveries – they slice defenses apart like a scalpel.
Orlando Pride:
Barbra Banda: Still leading the line with 4 goals, but she’s being hunted. Defenses have adjusted – less space, more shadows. Her touches are tighter, her impact more measured. But when she strikes, it’s a cannon blast.
Marta: The veteran still pulling strings, still defying time with three goals and an endless motor.
Prisca Chilufya: First NWSL goal. Right time, right place. Confidence matters.
Angelina: The assist queen from the Courage draw, quietly setting the table.
Coach Seb Hines isn’t rattled. “Never give up, never say die,” he growled after the last game, acknowledging how deeper defensive lines are forcing his Pride to get creative. But they’ve got weapons. You pack the box? They’ll pick your locks.
As for injuries – barring last-minute setbacks, both teams are expected to field full arsenals. No excuses.
History Has a Voice, Too
Let’s not pretend this is just another league match. The 2024 NWSL Semifinals? Ring a bell? Orlando stunned KC 3-2, punching through when it mattered most. These two teams hate being second-best. And right now, one of them has to be.
This fixture’s gone both ways over the years. There’s no dominant history to cling to – just scars, revenge plots, and the urgency of now.
Stakes? Higher Than High
This isn’t just about three points. This is about who gets to dictate the season’s narrative. Win here, and you own the pace of the race. Lose? And you’re suddenly checking your rearview mirror every week.
Both squads are playoff-bound. That’s clear. But this is about bragging rights, mental edge, and maybe even home-field advantage come postseason. And let’s not forget – Orlando Pride vs. KC Current might be the story of 2024.
So let’s say it again for the folks in the back: Orlando Pride vs. KC Current isn’t just another match. It’s a thunderclap at the top of the NWSL table.
And if you’re not watching? You’re already behind.
doragon sports 