By Kelly Landaverde
The pride signed 24- year old defender Ally Haran to a one-year deal. She rejoins Orlando after featuring in the club during the NWSL Fall series on a short- term contract during the last season in two appearances. In the final match against North Carolina, she scored her first professional goal to draw the team. Overcoming a 3-0 deficit that tied them 3-3 that afternoon. She’s a Wake Forest University product, that started in 66 of the 67 total appearances for the Demon Deacons from 2014-2017. She scored four goals, and added three assists throughout her college career. As a senior she had 11 shoutouts in their backline. On the other hand, in the international level she featured for both the Canadian and the U-20 and the U-19 side.
She also had brief stints with the Houston Dash, and the North Carolina Courage following a year in Iceland with the UMF Selfoss. Where she started in 19 of those matches, and notched two goals. Before being named to the Pepsi-Deildin 2018 team of the year. “We’re pleased to officially add Ally to our squad for the upcoming season,” Orlando Pride General Manager Ian Flemin said. “She is a versatile piece for our back line, positionally aware, and her continuous development during preseason is a testament to the work that she’s put in thus far. We look forward to seeing that progress continue.”
Going forward with the news this week, the Houston Dash’s kickoff is set for the 9th of April in a home rematch against Chicago in home soil at their BBVA stadium. Head Coach James Clarkson in today’s presser said “With the national team players being away it gives us a much clearer picture, of what we are going to be left with here. What it would look like when we are on the field.” “It will certainly give us more opportunities to work specifically with the players that will be here for the first 2 games, and ideally, hopefully it will be the same situation for the Olympics.”
He also spoke about how this preseason has been so far “Certainly the first period of preseason was a lot more of the physical preparation in getting the players fit, and getting them to a place where we’ll be peaking at the right time.” “ We are making sure everybody is healthy, that’s the biggest concern, we are still dealing with the pandemic, and we got those issues we have to deal with, but then the physical side of things, soft tissue injuries to avoid and make sure everybody is fit and healthy to be able to perform, so I think we are at a good physical level, and I think we can compete completely for 90 minutes as we go through this, it’s going to be our first proper game for a long time, so managing the excitement and the emotions of that I think will be important, obviously we will try to defend the competition and win it again, so there’s added pressure there as well.”
He also spoke about the upcoming rematch “I think we are very prepared; we are rathergoing to be the target we are going to chased rather than being the chasers, and that’s a whole different mindset and different mentality to it.” We have a lot of ambitious players that want to replicate what some of their teammates are doing.” These games become really important for them to showcase what they’re capable of, how they’ve improved, the progress that they’ve made individually and collectively.” He concluded with “We want the group that’s in this room to go on and be successful, we carry a small roster as it is.” “Our number one goal is to make the playoffs, when we get into the regular season we want to be in a position where we are still competitive, in the hunt for the playoffs off to the Olympics.”
Followed by the new comers; in today’s press conference head coach Huw Williams spoke about Kate del Fava and Rachel Corsie “she’s a converted midfielder player we are investing in, she can break lines and has impressed all of our technical staff,” he said. He added, “Kate is younger, has less experience as a defender, but add something to that, she’s able to penetrate off the pass, and specially off the dribble into that midfield”. “Rachel Corsie is a leader on our defense, she’s a phenomenal defender just tactically very smart,” he said.“ We have to be careful though not to bombard the players with too much things to think about, we want them to play to their strengths, and that’s up to us as coaching staff to place our players in a position where they can succeed, and that’s us matching our strengths with their weaknesses.
Del Fava on her role in this new NWSL team “I played a little bit of center back last year, and that’s where I’m kind of fitting in right now, and I’m really excited to keep on learning the position, and keep growing there.” “I still consider myself a rookie, and I’m actually excited to be in a great city like Kansas City for my true professional season, and the transition has been pretty good.” “I’m so excited to get back on the field playing real competition in the NWSL, I can’t wait.” On playing alongside Corsie “I think having her next to me has been a complete learning experience, she’s a great leader, she has so much experience with the national team and within the NWSL, so just taking her advice every single day, she’s always encouraging me always tweaking little things in my gamethat I can make better, and it’s been great learning from her, and I can’t wait to continue playing next to her, and learning even more.”
Kansas City announced two changes to the team’s preseason friendly schedule, due to injuries and their NCAA schedule. The University of Oklahoma match that was originally scheduled to take place on March 31st has been canceled. They will instead make their NWSL debut against Kansas State University on Thursday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. CT at Swope Soccer Village. The match will be closed to media and public, but fans can follow the action on KC NWSL social media. The 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup opens up on April 9 with Kansas City NWSL traveling to face the Portland Thorns FC in the opening match at Providence Park. The team opens their home schedule on Monday, April 26th against the Houston Dash.