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When Orlando Pride defenders Shelina Zadorsky and Ali Krieger take the pitch at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Saturday, it’ll be a homecoming for both of them.
Krieger’s in her second season with the Pride (0-0-1, 1 point), but she spent her first four NWSL seasons with the Washington Spirit. Zadorsky was acquired in the offseason from the Spirit via trade – last season she was the Spirit’s captain.
And both players were clear Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. match against the Spirit (0-1-0, 0 points), which will be featured as the Game of the Week on Lifetime, is a business trip.
“It is a homecoming,” Zadorsky said after the Pride’s 1-1 draw in their season opener against Utah Royals FC.
She added, “You know what, a game is a game. For me everyone’s important. But I think it will be nice to see old fans, and obviously friends on the team and the staff, but we’re there to win.”
Zadorsky and Krieger were the Pride’s center backs – Zadorsky on the left and Krieger on the right – during last Saturday’s match. Miscommunication on the back line led to a goal in the third minute, which Zadorksy called “unacceptable.”
She said there are things the club had to work on heading into Week 2.
“Our spacing was a bit off,” Zadorsky said about the match against the Royals. “We didn’t really test them in behind very much in the first half so we were kind of swinging it with no real purpose. We have to sort out our platforms and how we are building from the back to really break lines and threaten them.”
Krieger, another former Spirit captain, is from Dumfries, Va. It’s about an hour from her home town to the Maryland SoccerPlex.
She’s put the circumstances surrounding her trade behind her. The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported Krieger learned of her trade after the 2016 season from the Pride, not the Spirit.
“It’s always nice to go to my home town and see my friends and my family,” Krieger said. “I’ve always said that. It’s enjoyable in that way. You know, I’ll always be happy the club at the time, for those four years, gave me that opportunity and I respect that.
“But, obviously, I’ve been playing here. This is my second year and I’m so proud to be wearing purple and to play for this club and organizations. Always, to have the Pride – no pun intended – going into this game in my home town is always exciting. I had a lot of joy in my time there. There’s no negative feelings whatsoever.
“I’m excited to go back and play in front of my friends and family.”
Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, another former Spirit player, was added to the Pride during their inaugural season in 2015 in via the expansion draft. Christine Nairn played for the Spirit before she was acquired by Seattle Reign FC. Midfielder Toni Pressley also has some history with the Spirit — she played in Washington before being traded to the Western New York Flash in 2015.
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Morgan still day-to-day
Forward Alex Morgan (concussion) participated in non-contact training on Thursday, said head coach Tom Sermanni. She’s still day-to-day.
“She’s got to go through various protocols,” Sermanni said after training on Thursday. “She’s been going through them day-to-day. We’ll probably know more [Friday].
Pride sign three players
With the Brazilian trio of Marta, Mônica and Poliana gone for national team duty, the Orlando Pride have signed midfielder Abby Elinsky, forward Christine Creighton and 2018 NWSL College Draft pick Nádia Gomes as National Team Replacement players ahead of Saturday’s match against the Washington Spirit.