It’s been 343 days since the team last took the pitch for a match. For players who battled cancer and recovered from pregnancy, the wait lasted longer. Veteran defender Toni Pressley has played only 18 minutes during the past 426 days. Star striker Sydney Leroux hasn’t started a match in two years.
The days separating Orlando from the pitch have been hard. A withdrawal from the NWSL Challenge Cup and COVID-19 scares following inconsistent test results. Protests against racial injustice. Three separate, grueling rounds of preseason workouts.
During their match at North Carolina, which will kick off at 1 p.