LeiLanni Nesbeth and her Chicago Red Stars team will be looking to pull off an upset when they travel to Inter & Co Stadium to face top seeds Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League play-off quarter-final today (9pm Bermuda time).

Red Stars head into the postseason contest with plenty of optimism after taking a point off their hosts with a 1-1 draw during the regular season in March.

Very little separated the teams in the reverse league fixture in September, when Orlando prevailed 1-0 with a goal from legendary Brazil forward Marta.

Since then, Nesbeth and her team-mates have worked on a plan which they hope will culminate in success as they attempt to navigate through to the next round of the competition.

“We’re going in against the top team in the league in the first round, so we’re all aware of the calibre of opposition we are up against, but everyone is in good spirits and feels confident,” Nesbeth told The Royal Gazette.

“We have played this team twice already, so we know who and what their threats are and I believe we are as prepared as we can be.”

Key to the Red Stars hopes of success will be trying to neutralise the attacking prowess of Marta, a six-times World Player of the Year.

She is widely regarded as the greatest female footballer of all time and is the first player of any gender to score at five different World Cups and five consecutive Olympic Games.

“They obviously have one of the greatest players to ever play this game in Marta, so ensuring that we limit her ability to do what she does best is vital as well as some other key pieces to their puzzle,” Nesbeth added.

“It’s important we don’t shy away from the challenge and play our game, and I think we’re all ready to do that.”

The 23-year-old Bermuda midfielder is thrilled to see her team involved in the play-off in her debut professional season.

“I’m definitely excited,” said Nesbeth, who was picked in the first round by the Red Stars after they made a deal with North Carolina Courage at the 2024 NWSL Draft in Anaheim, California, in January.

“Being able to play in the play-off in my first year is super exciting and I am looking forward to the game.”

Red Stars, the No 8 seeds, are making their eighth appearance in the NWSL play-offs, the second most in league history, and are up against an Orlando team that went unbeaten at home in the regular season.

Orlando, who are playing their first play-off match on home turf, also set NWSL records for the most wins in a single season (18), points in a single season (60) and scored a club record 46 goals.

The quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-final round on November 16 and 17, before the NWSL Championship game is held on November 23 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.