Pride score late, earn draw with struggling Royals

Prisca Chilufya scored midway through the second half to help the Orlando Pride earn a 1-1 draw with the visiting Utah Royals on Sunday.

The Pride (8-4-2, 26 points) are 3-1-1 in their last five matches.

The Royals (1-10-3, 6 points) are winless in their past nine (0-7-2).

Chilufya pulled Orlando level in the 72nd minute. Simone Jackson managed the ball on a run down the left flank before sending a cross into the box for an onrushing Chilufya. The Zambian hustled to the ball and, with goalkeeper Mia Justus, in her NWSL debut, off her line, quickly put it into the open net.

Mina Tanaka nearly notched her second goal of the match to put Utah back in front two minutes later with a strike from distance that grazed just off the crossbar and over the net.

Justus kept the game even in the 76th minute, getting in front of a left-foot strike from Chilufya after Chilufya and Barbra Banda raced down in a 2-on-2.

Tanaka gave Utah a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Kaleigh Riehl pushed the ball up at midfield for Tanaka, who then took a few strides before firing a strike from well outside the box into the top of the net.

The Royals had more of the opportunities through the first 45 minutes, managing four shots, three on target, before the game was paused for over half an hour due to lightning in the area with five minutes remaining in the frame.

Orlando had just one shot on goal after the first half, and three total attempts, to finish with 15 shots and six shots on goal. Utah recorded eight shots, five on target.

--Field Level Media