ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Pride gave fans something to feel good about Sunday evening after coming back late in the game to grab a point at home against Angel City FC.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
In a game that many fans expected to see Sydney Leroux return to Exploria, she was noticeably absent from the lineup for Angel City FC.
Former Pride defender, Ali Riley, scored the night’s first goal in the 40th minute with a long strike from outside the box. The score remained 0-1 going into halftime.
In the 61st minute, Seb Hines brought on rookie Julie Doyle, and in the 64th minute, she tied the game with a great run in the box, cutting off a back pass and firing it past the Angel City FC goalkeeper.
It took Angle City FC eight minutes to move back a head from a corner, the Pride could not clear and allowed the ball to fall to the feet of Cari Roccaro, making it 1-2.
The Pride pressed the game, fighting for a tying goal, and in stoppage time, Kerry Abello sent a cross in front of the goal that Angel City FC defender Paige Nielson could not clear and put the ball in the goal for an own goal, tying the game 2-2. That was how the game would end.
The Pride now sit 3-6-5 on the season and hold that last playoff spot if the season ended today. The team has gone five games without a loss.
Lions disappoint in 0-3 loss to Revs
After a huge, emotional win in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Lions have lost back-to-back games.
The most recent was this weekend when the New England Revolution came to Exploria Stadium and scored two goals with unmarked players, running down the center of the field and a goal off a corner kick late in the second half.
We did see the appearance of two recent signings, Niko Gioacchini and Ivan Angulo, who provided some life but could not help the Lions come back from a three-goal deficit.
The lions controlled the possession for most of the game and kept swinging it wide and trying to cross or dribble their way into the box, only to lose possession repeatedly.
The stadium filled with boos at the end of the game, but unclear if it was for the Revs’ time-wasting and game officiating or towards the Orlando City players and coaches.
Orlando City is now sitting in eighth place and currently out of the playoffs, with 10 more games left in the season.
The MLS All-Star break could not come at a better time for the Lions.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.