Orlando Pride Blast Utah Royals FC In Rout
Jun 21, 2024, 8:15 PM | Updated: 8:26 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Royals suffered a blowout loss to the Orlando Pride less than a week after snapping a long losing streak.
Royals fall to Pride
The Pride hosted the Royals at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Friday, June 21.
Utah lost to Orlando, 6-0.
Final pic.twitter.com/XzYUOSBrKk
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) June 22, 2024
Things went from bad at the start of the match to worse by the end of 90-plus minutes for the Royals.
From the moment the ball kicked off at 6 p.m. (MT), the Royals were playing on the heels and struggled to keep Orlando’s offense from playing in their finishing third of the field.
After preventing a goal for nearly half an hour, the dam finally broke for Utah’s defense.
In the 27th minute, Barbra Banda started things for the Pride with a header for the game’s first goal.
Barbra Banda heads it in to give the @ORLPride a 1-0 lead over @UtahRoyalsFC in the 27th minute.#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSL pic.twitter.com/67VR7WkEs5
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
After extra time was added to the first half, Summer Yates buried another goal to give Orlando a 2-0 lead at the break.
Summer Yates gives the @ORLPride another goal vs. @UtahRoyalsFC before the break.#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSL pic.twitter.com/xcbuoYv8oq
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
During the first half, the Pride dominated the ball and the Royals controlled possession for only 37 percent of the first 45-plus minutes. Orlando posted 12 shots to only four by the visiting side. Utah allowed the Pride to put nine of those 12 shots on frame during the opening half. The Royals had three shots on goal during the half.
Shortly after the second half got underway, Marta scored the first of two goals by the legend on the night.
Marta breaks the game open for the @ORLPride in the earlier moments of the second half.#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSLpic.twitter.com/wDOzNAXMF6
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
Late in the contest, Banda buried another shot to get the rout to 4-0 in the 86th minute.
Barbra Banda does it again for the @ORLPride.#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSLpic.twitter.com/7j5DQufLxw
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
In the 88th minute, Marta added another.
Marta makes it 5-0 in the 88th.#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSLpic.twitter.com/6pDWWK8Inm
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
Ally Watt finished things off with a goal late in stoppage time to give the Pride a 6-0 victory over the Royals.
Royals fall to Pride.
FT@ORLPride 6@UtahRoyalsFC 0#URFC #ORLvUTA #NWSL
📰: https://t.co/Ntp2lFYwYapic.twitter.com/q1F2Vr6dIM
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 22, 2024
Utah finished the match having controlled the ball for only 37 percent of the contest. The Royals recorded only 11 shots compared to 28 by the Pride, including nine on goal to Orlando’s 21.
Up next for the Royals
With the blowout loss, the Royals dropped to a 2-1-11 record this season.
📍 Entering a different lion's den pic.twitter.com/Tpuj69Sx6a
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) June 21, 2024
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Utah’s next match is at home against Portland Thorns FC on Saturday, June 29 at 8 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast on ION, KSL Sports Zone, KSLSports.com, and the KSL Sports app.
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Utah last played Portland during its first stint as a franchise. The teams last played in a pair of matches in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
About Utah Royals FC
The Royals announced the club’s return to Utah and the National Women’s Soccer League for the 2024 season in March 2023.
Originally founded in November 2017, the Royals played in Utah from 2018-20. The franchise was moved to Kansas City in 2020 and plays in Missouri under the “Currents” nickname.
The Royals were first established in Sandy, Utah as an NWSL expansion club. The team played as the Royals for three seasons and held its home matches at America First Field, formerly known as Rio Tinto Stadium, which was also the home of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake.
In December 2020, the NWSL announced that the Royals would cease to operate in Utah and the club’s players were transferred to Kansas City.
The time has come.
Let's go all out 😤 pic.twitter.com/9GrUTNspoH
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) March 15, 2024
In January 2022, a new Real Salt Lake ownership group, led by David Blitzer and Ryan Smith, took hold of the option to bring an NWSL club back to the state.
The Royals kicked off their second stint in Utah on March 16.
Kyle Ireland is a Utah Hockey Club Insider for KSLSports.com. Follow him on X (@kyleireland), Threads (@kyleirelandksl), and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
