Orlando Pride vs. Utah Royals, 7:30
WHERE: Orlando City Stadium
WATCH: Go90
THE BUZZ: The Orlando Pride will kick off the 2018 season against the expansion side Utah Royals, which acquired the assets of FC Kansas City after the franchise folded. As a result, new Pride striker Sydney Leroux will be facing off against most of her former teammates from last season in the opener. … Orlando’s national-team players have spent less than two weeks going through preseason training. Leroux, who wasn’t called up, led the club in unofficial scoring during the preseason. Coach Tom Sermanni said she is back at an elite fitness level and expects Leroux to work her way back into the national team picture. … Leroux joins a loaded Pride lineup featuring goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defender Ali Krieger, midfielders Kristen Edmonds and Christine Nairn and forwards Marta and Alex Morgan. … Camila (knee), Alanna Kennedy (national team) and Emily van Egmond (national team) all are potential Orlando starters who will miss the opener. … Elite defender Becky Sauerbrunn and forward Kelley O’Hara will help lead a Utah side mentored by two-time NWSL Coach of the Year Laura Harvey. … Utah’s Alex Arlitt (left knee strain), Mandy Laddish (right hip contusion) and Amy Rodriguez (right knee) will all miss the opener while recovering from injuries that put the disabled list to start the year.
Leroux, Krieger set to play
Defender Ali Krieger and new striker Sydney Leroux both signed new contracts with the Orlando Pride, ensuring their eligibility for Saturday’s game against Utah Royals FC.
In 2017, Krieger and Leroux were both United States women’s national team players allocated to the NWSL, which means their contracts were subsidized by the United States Soccer Federation. Both players lost their Federation status with the release of the 2018 list of allocated players, so they had to individually negotiate new contracts.
Allocated players have their salaries subsidized by the U.S. or Canadian national teams and their contracts are handled by the national teams.
Forward Alex Morgan and veteran goalkeeper and team captain Ashlyn Harris are United States Federation Players.
Canadian defender Shelina Zadorsky is the club’s third subsidized player.
Lineups
Orlando Pride: Harris; Pickett, Zadorsky, Krieger, Poliana; Pressley, Nairn, Weatherholt; Marta, Morgan, Leroux
Bench: Ubogagu, Evans, Edmonds, Hill, Monica, Okvist, Kopmeyer
Utah Royals: Smith; Moros, Sauerbrunn, Corsie, O’Hara; Bowen, Scott, Thorsnes, Jonsdottir, Matheson; Ratcliffe
Bench: Tymrak, Stengel, Miramontez, Elby, Lytle, Barnhart, LaBonta