Julie Doyle scored her first goal of the season in the 88th minute to lead the Orlando Pride to a 1-0 victory over the visiting Chicago Stars on Friday night at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando.
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Orlando put a stop to a two-game losing streak in shutting out Chicago for the second time this season. The Pride improved to 7-8-2 and 23 points, moving into seventh place in the NWSL table and comfortably in the playoff zone. Orlando dominated the stats against Chicago (4-12-0, 12 points), but could not find the net until nearly the end of play.
“We left it late, but the most important thing is that we got the goal that we much needed and the three points that we much needed,” Orlando head coach Seb Hines said. “I was so pleased with the players that they were able to get it to the final whistle and score the goal.”
Orlando had its chances in the first half, but could not beat Chicago goalkeeper Katie Atkinson. The Pride earned a penalty in the 42nd minute after Haley McCutcheon was brought down in the box, but Atkinson saved Marta’s penalty shot. It was only the second time in her NWSL career that Marta was unable to convert a penalty kick.
Atkinson had nine saves to keep Chicago in the contest. The Pride outshot the Stars 28-10 and Orlando had 10 shots on goal. Orlando’s expected goal (xG) tally of 3.45 was significantly higher than Chicago’s 0.37, but Atkinson kept the visitors in the game.
The Pride would finally find their breakthrough in the 88th minute thanks to Doyle, who subbed in for Marta. Cori Dyke’s through ball played Doyle in towards goal, and the substitute had no trouble blasting it past Atkinson to make it 1-0 late in the game. It was Dyke’s first assist of the season.
“The team really needed that,” Doyle said. “They were working so hard in the first half, and it just wasn’t going our way. We had so many shots, so kudos to them for making the other team tired. And I just went in there and got the job done.”
It was Orlando’s first match without the league’s leading goal-scorer, Barba Banda. Banda, who has 12 goals, is on international duty, playing for her native Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the continental qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
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Orlando player Marta kicks at goal during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Haley McCutcheon (2) heads the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Chicago player Aaliyah Farmer (25) blocks a goal attempt by Orlando player Marta (right) during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Marta (10) and Chicago player Aaliyah Farmer (left) battle for the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Marta (10) and Chicago player Aaliyah Farmer (right) battle for the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Marta narrowly misses a penalty kick during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Kerry Abello (25) kicks past Chicago player Aaliyah Farmer (left) during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando coach Seb Hines yells during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Ally Lemos kicks at goal during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Haley McCutcheon (right) tries to kick the ball past Chicago player Manaka Hayashi (left) during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Marta (bottom) falls attempting to kick a goal during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Jacquie Ovalle (13) yells after missing a goal shot during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Jacquie Ovalle (13) kicks at goal during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Chicago goalkeeper Katie Atkinson makes a stop during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Angelina (7) kicks at goal during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Angelina (7) heads the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Kerry Abello moves the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Jacquie Ovalle (13) heads the ball toward teammate Marta (10) during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Solai Washington moves the ball during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player Jacquie Ovalle (13) heads the ball between Chicago players Nadia Gomes (11) and Manaka Hayashi (16) during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse makes a stop during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player players gather before the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando player during the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orlando coach Seb Hines coaches players before the Chicago Stars at Orlando Pride NWSL match at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
While no one was able to replicate Banda’s goal-scoring prowess, Solai Washington created five chances and Marta added four of her own. The progression into the box was promising, the Pride just need to find a way to convert those if they want to climb up the standings.
Anna Moorhouse recorded her sixth clean sheet of the season for Orlando, making two saves and moving into a tie with former Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris for the most regular season saves in club history with 289.
Next up for the Pride is a trip to take on the North Carolina Courage on Friday, July 31.
Pride extend, loan forward Castain
Orlando signed forward Seven Castain to a new contract through the 2028 season, with a mutual option for 2029, then announced she has been loaned out to Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Castain, 22, originally joined the Pride ahead of the 2026 season after signing a one-year deal out of TCU and she returns to north Texas during the loan. In her rookie campaign, the forward has appeared in 11 matches and made her professional debut in Orlando’s season opener, playing the full 90 minutes against the Seattle Reign.
Assistant coach departs
The club and assistant coach Giles Barnes have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced this week, as he takes the new head coach position of Al Qadsiah FC of the Saudi Women’s Premier League.
Barnes originally joined the Pride as an interim assistant coach on then-interim head coach Seb Hines’ staff during the final 15 games of the 2022 campaign. The former Premier League striker was appointed on a permanent basis ahead of the 2023 season.
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