The definitive tactical breakdown of the 2024 NWSL quarterfinals

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The National Women’s Soccer League playoffs get underway this weekend, with some intriguing quarterfinal matchups. While the home teams, seeded after finishing in the top four during the regular season, are undoubtedly favorites, there are some tactical quirks and uncertainties that could define each game. Let’s break them down.

Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Similarities end with defensive styles

Both of the regular season meetings between Orlando and Chicago this year finished with narrow score lines, but those results didn’t reflect the gulf in quality between the two teams. The 1-1 draw back in March came before Barbra Banda had settled in as the Pride’s star striker, while Orlando’s 1-0 win in September was almost one-way traffic without a final score befitting it.

Both teams typically defend in a 4-4-2, or something along those lines. Both mark zonally, focusing on staying compact and being difficult to play through. Stylistically, they are not entirely dissimilar; the difference lies in the execution of their principles. Orlando’s pressing is as well-organized as you are likely to see in world soccer today. They are highly adept at trapping their opponent between two players, or between player and touchline, forcing turnovers around halfway. Chicago’s defending, by contrast, often becomes simply about staying between opponent and goal, getting in the way of shots and hoping to avoid pesky deflections.

The tactical similarities come to a dramatic stop when we assess their organized attacking play. Where Chicago so often appears listless, aiming directly at Ally Schlegel for a flick-on or simply requesting Mallory Swanson do something spectacular, Orlando’s possession has layers. Quite often they will morph into a three-back when they build out, and this could be a problem for the Red Stars.