Match review: Utah Royals find first ever victory over Orlando Pride
· Yahoo Sports
The Royals secured their first victory since returning from international break in a 1-0 win over the Orlando Pride at America First Field on Saturday evening. The triumph also marked the perfect backdrop for the club’s newly launched “We Are Better Together” campaign as URFC earned all three points in front of a home crowd, a reminder that the Royals are at their best alongside their fans.
Narumi goal gives Utah the win
Utah Royals midfielder Narumi Miurafound the net in the 36th minute with a beautiful left-footed shot that rocketed into the right side, giving Utah a 1-0 lead in the first half. The goal marks Narumi’s second during the 2026 NWSL season, having scored against the Seattle Reign FC in a 3-0 win in April.
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The goal also gave Utah its first win over Orlando since returning as a franchise in 2024. The Pride previously had not lost to Utah, notching three wins and one draw in all its previous matchups. The Royals’ first victory over the Pride also signifies the Royals’ first triumph since returning from international break, following back-to-back losses. The win also tallied another clean sheet, totaling six for the 2026 campaign.
Quotable
“We talk about, before the game, what we want to focus on and what we can do. And so we focus on that, and then we get three points and celebrate,”Narumi said.
“As a team, what we did this week wasn’t go on about why we lost against Gotham. It was more like, ‘How are we gonna be us? How are we gonna win games again?’” Royals coach Jimmy Coenraets said. “I think this is probably the closest we’ve been in the past three games to us being us, whether it was in possession or out of possession.”
Game summary
Coenraets made two changes to the starting lineup from last week’s 1-3 loss to Gotham FC in hopes of securing a win. He inserted defender MiyabiMoriya, her first start since returning from injury,and Spanish international Ana Tejada.
The Royals looked strong in the first half against the Pride, maintaining possession and creating multiple opportunities on goal, with a shot by Japanese international Mina Tanaka in the 13th minute floating just over the crossbar, and another attempt by Tejada in the 23rd minute, narrowly missing the mark. The persistence paid off in the 36th minute when Narumi took a shot from the left corner of the 18, placing the ball into the right side of the net with a left-footed shot, giving Utah a 1-0 lead.
The Royals efforts did not end there, as they stayed vigilant defensively in the second half, with goalkeeper Mandy McGlynnmaking a key save off a corner kick in the 50th minute, punching the ball away from the net, before making another in the 86th, maintaining the Royals’ lead. The final whistle blew marking the first Royals win since returning from international break, with a 1-0 victory over Orlando in front of an electric home crowd.
Looking ahead
The Royals hit the road to take on the Courage in North Carolina on Saturday, July 25, with kickoff set for 5:45 p.m. MDT before returning home to host the Washington Spirit at America First Field on Wednesday, July 29 (kickoff at 7 p.m. MT). Tickets are available for purchase at RSL.com.