NWSL Shield winner Orlando Pride officially booked a spot in Next week’s NWSL Championship Sunday when they survived a 3-2 battle against the Kansas City Current. The semifinal was close for the first half, which wasn’t surprising given that the teams were separated by just five points during the regular season. The Current, however, was able to score first through Debinha in the 33rd minute, who was able to evade the Pride defense to give his team the lead. However, things were still there eight minutes later when Haley McCutcheon finished from close range.
While the Current outshot the Pride in the second half, the Pride managed to make the most of their shots. They took six shots, but had three on goal and two in the back of the net, with their two MVP candidates, Barbra Banda and Marta, on the scoresheet. Banda scored with a brilliant individual effort in the 53rd minute, while Marta’s goal in the 82nd minute came after she won the ball near the halfway line and ran towards the goal.
There was a bit of drama towards the end when the Current earned a penalty that Vanessa DiBernardo converted in the 13th minute of stoppage time. The Current took 15 total shots during the second half, but only made three and were unable to get back into the game.
The Pride will play the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship on Saturday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, which will air on CBS at 8 pm ET.
History at play
The Pride are aiming to become the first NWSL team since the North Carolina Courage in 2019 to win both the Shield and Championship in the same season, a trend for a team that went on a record 23-game unbeaten streak this year. It’s an even more impressive feat, however, considering the Pride rarely competed for silverware.
Before this season, they had made the postseason just once since they began play in 2016, but they gave up on the bottom half of the NWSL table. Things began to look up with the hirings of Seb Hines as head coach in 2022, initially on an interim basis, and Haley Carter as general manager in 2023. The Pride have successfully built a team that is comfortable without the ball but not He has trouble scoring. , thinking quickly and always efficient with his possibilities. They were one of the best offensive teams in the NWSL in 2024, finishing in the top three in goals scored, shots taken, and expected goals during the regular season.
While Marta is a veteran of the league and Defender of the Year nominee Emily Sams is only three years into her professional career, the Pride has made the most of unsung heroes with international league experience. NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year candidate Anna Moorhouse was part of the NWSL’s joint-best defense and earned a reward two years after joining the Pride after playing primarily in her native England. Another nominee, Kylie Strom, has a similar story, joining the Pride in 2021 after seven years away from the NWSL in different European leagues.
Although they are somewhat inexperienced heading into Saturday’s championship game, they are arguably the favorites. They already have trophy-winning experience with the Shield and have honed their style of play under Hines, looking like the complete package this season.
Marta highlights
There are several notable stories to highlight from the Pride’s 2024 triumph, and that includes Marta’s journey to her first NWSL Championship. Marta, a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, joined the Pride in 2017 and is the only remaining member of their only other playoff run, surviving several iterations of the team before becoming an important piece of their squad. anus.
Marta has also completed her own evolution. Her age began to show in recent years and her influence began to wane for both Pride and Brazil, which was no surprise for a player in her 30s. The Olympic silver medalist, however, has bounced back into fine form in 2024: she has 10 goals and one assist this season, earning her an MVP and midfielder of the year nomination in the process.
She will undoubtedly play an important role for Pride on Saturday as they aim for their first championship, which will mark another big stop in Marta’s year of redemption: she was part of the Brazil team that played in the gold medal match in the summer Olympic games. , winning his second silver medal along the way.
