NWSL VAVEL

Angel City FC vs Orlando Pride preview: How to watch, team news, predicted lineups, kickoff time and ones to watch

Angel City and the Pride face off with each side knowing a win would see them level on points for the last playoff spot.

Angel City FC vs Orlando Pride preview: How to watch, team news, predicted lineups, kickoff time and ones to watch
Photo: Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
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By John Lupo

Angel City FC face the Orlando Pride at BMO Stadium as both teams look for three critical points in their chase for a playoff spot as each side is on 25 points with Orlando in seventh, ahead of their hosts by one place in the standings on goal difference.

Following a 2-2 draw with Chicago in which they led twice, Angel City are now unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions, the longest streak of the season and seventh-longest in NWSL history.

The Pride picked up an important 2-1 win over North Carolina with Ally Watt scoring 38 seconds into the match, the first time in club history anyone has found the back of the net inside the opening minute.

Orlando stopped a two-match losing streak with their result against the Courage and, like their hosts, can pull them even on points with OL Reign should they win.

Team news

Angel City FC

Simon Charley and Christen Press are out for the rest of the season with Achilles and knee injuries, respectively. Merritt Mathias is also sidelined as she has a knee problem.

Starting goalkeeper DiDi Haracic is listed as questionable with a back injury.

Orlando Pride

Carrie Lawrence and Viviana Villacorta are lost for the season with knee injuries while Kerry Abello is questionable through an ankle issue.

Predicted lineups

Angel City FC: Anderson; Vignola, Nielsen, Gorden, Reid; Henry, Weatherholt; Emslie, McCaskill, Thompson; le Bihan

Orlando Pride: Moorhouse; Strom, Souza, Madril, McCutcheon; Cluff, Listro; Doyle, Marta, Watt; Adriana

Ones to watch

Claire Emslie (Angel City FC)

The Scot picked up her team-leading fourth assist of the season against Chicago and became the second Scottish player to register four or more assists in a season, joining former league MVP Kim Little.

Emslie has also scored three times, tied with Alyssa Thompson and Katie Johnson, showcasing her dual threat as provider and scorer.

Adriana (Orlando Pride)

Marta isn't the only great Brazilian on the Pride as her goal and assist against North Carolina marked the second such time she accomplished the feat this season, tied with Emslie, Savannah DeMelo and Midge Purce.

Her five goals are second-most on Orlando behind Messiah Bright, who has six.

Previous meetings

Angel City and Orlando have met three times with each side winning once and the other ending in a draw. 

Earlier this season, Angel City came away with a 2-1 victory as Katlyn Johnson scored the match-winner on the last kick of the game.

Thompson, the first overall pick in this past year's draft, was taken down in the box while on a breakaway and Emslie stepped up to the spot to send Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse the wrong way.

Emslie's goal against her former team came six minutes before halftime but Orlando would level as Bright dribbled between two defenders and finished into the left corner for her first NWSL goal.

The match seemed to be headed for a draw after Moorhouse saved Emslie's 89th-minute penalty, but on the final play of the contest, Johnson headed home Emslie's corner kick for the latest game-winning goal in league history.

How to watch

CBS Sports Network is set to televise this crucial match live across the country with kickoff set for 10pm Eastern time.