With NWSL play paused because of the FIFA men’s World Cup, seven Orlando Pride players have been called up to represent their respective national teams during the upcoming FIFA international window.
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The Pride players who will be in action are: goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse (England), midfielder Angelina, forward Marta and defender Rafaelle (Brazil), midfielder Ally Lemos (U.S. under-23), forward Solai Washington (Jamaica) and forward Barbra Banda (Zambia).
Moorhouse joins England as the defending UEFA women’s champion will play its final two group stage matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup UEFA qualifiers. England currently sits atop League A Group 3 at 4-0-0 and will face Spain (3-1-0) on Friday before wrapping up against Ukraine (0-4-0) on Tuesday.
Angelina, Marta and Rafaelle are set to represent Brazil as they welcome the U.S. Women’s National Team for a pair of friendly matches Saturday in Sao Paulo and Tuesday in Fortaleza.
Lemos was added to the U.S. U-23 women’s national team for a training camp that will run through Tuesday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The U.S. U-23 WNT will play two matches against Brasileirão Feminino Série A1 side SC Corinthians Paulista, with the first match Friday at DR Joaquim Grava Stadium on the SC Corinthians training ground and the second match Tuesday at Estadio Marcelo Portugal Gouveia at the São Paulo FC youth training ground in Cotia.
Banda will join Zambia as it faces off against Kenya, Lesotho and Zimbabwe in the Four Nations Tournament. The tournament runs Saturday through Tuesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia. Banda leads the NWSL is scoring with 11 goals across 12 matches played.
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Banda scored a brace and provided an assist in the Pride’s 3-1 victory over Bay FC on May 29, the club’s last match heading into the break.
Washington joins Jamaica for a pair of friendlies against Panama on Friday and Monday. Both matches will take place at the Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez in Panama City.
Orlando is eighth in the league standings at 5-5-2 with 17 points, a point behind seventh-place North Carolina.
The Pride return to action July 3 in Los Angeles against 12th-place Angel City FC. Their first home match following the break is July 10 against the Kansas City Current, which sits sixth in the table.
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