Skip to main content

Orlando Pride shine before record crowd, auguring well for women's game

An NWSL-record crowd of 23,403 turned up for the expansion Orlando Pride’s inaugural home match, a sign the women’s game is discovering real traction


Orlando Pride supporters march to the stadium prior to Saturday’s maiden match

The future of women’s soccer was on view in Orlando on Saturday night as a record 23,403 fans flocked to the Citrus Bowl for the inaugural home outing of the Orlando Pride in a part of Florida that is rapidly becoming synonymous with the beautiful game.

It was the future of a league, of a new team, of fans new to the sport and even of a possible matrimonial tie-up as one of the men’s team’s most recognizable supporters was joined by a female counterpart in a development that is sure to please unicorn-lovers everywhere.

The key feature was the highest attendance in the short history of the National Women’s Soccer League, as the crowd topped the previous best of 21,144 for the Portland-Seattle game last July. All week, the Pride – backed by the formidable marketing machine that is Orlando City SC – had flirted with the idea of a record turnout, and it was duly confirmed by press release almost three hours before kick-off with the sale of the 21,145th ticket.

Simon Veness at the Citrus Bowl

Published By - Theguardian.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Sunday 24 April 2016 04.03 BST

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My three dads – my first loves

Most of us have one father but Sophie Ellis had three, who were life-giving and life-affirming in different ways. She pays tribute to the wonderful men who made her I turn 30 in June. Among the list of things I feel I can boast about – running a marathon, raising a healthy, happy baby girl, mastering shorthand – the fact that I’ve had three dads feels like a particular privilege. The fact that I’ve lost three dads, less so. Let me explain. My biological father, Derek, had ginger hair and drank cherry cola. He liked British pubs and American baseball. I’m not so sure he wanted children, but he got one anyway and I’m told he liked me very much. Continue....... Published By - Theguardian.com - LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Saturday 16 April 2016 06.14

Sally Faulkner's former husband claims he took children to Lebanon due to her 'relationships'

Ali al-Amin’s claim comes as Channel Nine defends involvement in ‘story profoundly in public interest’ The estranged husband of Brisbane woman Sally Faulkner says he took their two children to  Lebanon  because he “just wasn’t OK” with her new partner being prominent in their lives. Ali al-Amin has been speaking to  Australian media  as Channel Nine explicitly defended its involvement in “a story that not only is profoundly in the public interest but also one the public is interested in”. Nine also announced it would fully investigate how four of its staff came to be arrested in Beirut, charged with kidnapping and finally released on Wednesday,  apparently in exchange for compensation . Amin claimed on the Kyle and Jackie O Kiis radio show on Thursday that he decided to take the former couple’s two children, 5-year-old Lahela and Noah, 3, after he “saw a few things happening in regards to Sal’s parenting or relationships”. Published By -Theguardian.com - LifeSty...

Dilma Rousseff in New York declares no grounds for impeachment

Embattled Brazilian president tells foreign media she is the innocent victim of a ‘coup’ and will only leave office if voted out by the electorate The Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff , has told journalists in New York there is “no legal foundation” for her impeachment as she took her fight for political survival into the international ring. After losing a lower house vote that puts her just weeks away from being ejected from office, on Friday Rousseff repeated claims that she was the innocent victim of a “coup” and said she would only give up the fight if the electorate voted against her. Rousseff’s appeal to the Guardian and a handful of other foreign news organisations appears to be a last-ditch attempt to win away after losing catastrophically at home. As a result of recession, political upheaval and a huge corruption scandal, her government is deeply unpopular with the Brazilian media, the country’s Congress and in public opinion. But Rousseff has not been charged with an...