KC Current vs. Orlando Pride: NWSL Breakdown
As we enter the 16th round of matches for the NWSL, KC Current FC and Orlando Pride FC are scheduled to play each other this upcoming Saturday, August 16th, in Kansas City. The Current is ranked to be the first overall team in this year’s season, with a recorded total of 13 wins out of 15 games, and has collected a total of 39 points. They have currently been on a winning streak and recently won their match against the Utah Royals just a few days ago. Orlando Pride, however, is ranked second, and in comparison to Kansas, they have collected 27 points overall. On paper, one can come to the obvious conclusion that KC Current is dominating this year’s season and may continue to lead in individual points. However, the inner workings of each game and how they operate play a huge factor as well. As these teams enter into the second half of this year’s season, the question remains: Does Orlando Pride have what it takes to turn KC Current off their winning streak?
In their previous match, on May 16th, KC Current and Orlando played similarly, but continued to demonstrate their personal styles. The Current has continued to create plays with high intensity and high speed this season. The Current’s forward, Temwa Chawinga, has excelled at this. Ranked the top scorer this season, tied with Esther Gonzalez, Chawinga is known for getting to the ball quickly and uses her speed to advance explosively toward the net. Based on how Chawinga has been playing this entire season, one can predict that she’ll use that same explosive power to land a goal against Orlando Pride.
Chawinga isn’t the only player we need to look out for. Orlando Pride’s forward, Barbra Banda, is currently ranked the second top scorer this season. With two goals behind Chawinga, she uses her quick speed against her opponents and can bounce off her teammates' plays. Based on how Orlando Pride occasionally creates their formation with Banda at the top, alone in a 3-4-2-1 formation, it can be assumed that the Pride places a lot of faith in Banda. Here is hoping that she will use her speed and skills to score a goal.
To beat the Current this Saturday, Orlando’s backline will need to reflect the same, if not more, of the formative strength they are known to have. As a team, they slow down the speed of play by spreading throughout the pitch and begin to pass wide, forcing their opponents to use their stored energy and time. Overall, KC Current is the fan favorite for this upcoming game. Many are betting that KC Current will beat Orlando, due to their record this season and winning the majority, if not all, of their home games. Fans will be filled with excitement and anticipation for the game, hoping to see if the KC Current can continue their winning streak this season or if Orlando Pride will have what it takes to shut them down.
