The Orlando Pride experiment is still a bit of that.
As most expansion teams do, there is no continuity from the beginning of the season and so there is a lot of learning going on. Learning a new coach, learning new teammates and figuring out just how these pieces are supposed to fit together.
There are going to be hiccups, particularly early in the season for this young team even with the immense talent. Through three games, fans have seen just how much potential and talent there is with the Orlando Pride along with just how far there is to go.
And goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris is not going to be able to save everything.
So even in a game where the Pride dominated possession and seemed to be on the front foot, they could not make that last connection to score. Not even the great Alex Morgan or the speedy Jasmyne Spencer or anyone in this talented lineup can will a goal. There are still connections that need to be established.
Until they do, results like this will happen with teams that have better connections and have more chemistry already built up.
The Pride broke down just once with Kristen Press receiving a long pass off a free kick to get behind the defense. Press fired the ball past Harris for the lone goal in the Chicago Red Stars’ 1-0 win over the Pride at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., on Sunday.
“It was a frustrating match, to be honest. I thought, particularly the first half, I thought we dominated large parts of play but didn’t get anything for it and probably didn’t create enough chances for the possession we had,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni told Orlando-Pride.com. “I thought the effort from the players was fantastic, and they kept going right until the end, and almost gave ourselves a chance to equalize. But our execution at critical times sort of let us down.”
This is the travails of an expansion team unfortunately. The Pride are still coming together and learning how to play together. And that is going to lead to the frustration Sermanni and the players expressed following this game. And in a league so small, every team has some great players.
The Pride can sit on possession, but the urgency picked up after the goal with Spencer nearly scoring when her 90th-minute shot sliding past the post. That is expected after conceding a goal in the second half.
Harris made her presence felt and was likely the player of the game in keeping it to a 1-0 deficit. She has been a great player in net for the Pride through these first three games.
Orlando though will have to find a way to get things together and generate some offense. That is a big part of the growth and togetherness the expansion franchise has to learn.
It will be a continuing process for them.
