The Orlando Pride advanced to their first NWSL championship with a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Current in Sunday’s semifinal at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando.
Pride forward Barbra Banda scored the equalizer in the 53rd minute before 38-year-old captain Marta scored an iconic game-winning goal, making four Kansas City players fall to the ground as she dribbled through them and tapped the ball into the net.
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“It’s just such a Marta goal,” Orlando defender Emily Sams said. “She’s the GOAT [greatest of all-time] and she proved it tonight.”
The top-seeded Pride will face the No. 2-seeded Washington Spirit in the NWSL championship on Saturday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.
Orlando’s victory marks the first time since 2019 the Shield winners advanced to the final.
Kansas City forward Debinha opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, redirecting a low cross from Michelle Cooper at the back post. The Current appeared to drop off their defensive pressure after taking the lead — and they quickly paid for it.
Orlando equalized eight minutes later, when forward Ally Watt managed to get isolated one-on-one with Current fullback Ellie Wheeler. Watt hit a low cross toward an unmarked Haley McCutcheon for the finish at the 6-yard box.
Watt’s assist was her third of the playoffs after tallying a pair in the Pride’s 4-1 quarterfinal win over the Chicago Red Stars. She joins 2013 NWSL MVP Lauren Holiday as the only other player with three assists in a single postseason, per ESPN Research.
Current captain Lo’eau LaBonta, who entered the match listed as questionable with a leg injury and wore a sleeve on her right leg, left the game at halftime. She was replaced by forward Nichelle Prince, which pushed Brazilian playmaker Debinha back into the No. 10 role.
Marta celebrates after scoring a goal for the Orlando Pride in the NWSL semifinals. USA Today Images
“It’s no secret that Lo’eau is the force that drives us not just tactically, but mentally, too,” Kansas City head coach Vlatko Andonovski said.
“I have to be taken off in order to not finish out a game,” LaBonta said. “I wanted to give everything for this team, and I did. I gave my whole right leg and whatever I could do.”
Kansas City played with mid-block pressure once again, just like in the scoreless draw between the teams in Orlando in September, but this time the Pride managed to break down the Current.
Orlando center back Kylie Strom had plenty of time on the ball in the 53rd minute and picked out Banda with a simple entry ball. Banda used her strength and positioning to spin Kansas City defender Kayla Sharples before hammering the ball into the back of the net.
Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult barely moved in reaction to the pace of the shot.
“There’s not many players that can do that,” Orlando head coach Seb Hines said. “She’s worked so hard for this point, and it’s just incredible to see [her] continue to show her class, and quality all this year.”
The Current pushed for an equalizer but got caught in transition late. Banda poked the ball away from Sharples in Kansas City’s defensive half before Marta began her magical dribble.
The Pride captain ran at Current defender Alana Cook and faked a shot that sent both Cook and Sharples to the ground inside Kansas City’s box. Marta then dribbled around Schult and evaded a recovering Hailie Mace to slot the ball into the net, leaving all four players on the ground.
Current midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo converted a penalty kick in the 13th minute of second-half stoppage time after a VAR check led to a handball call in the box. The goal cut the deficit to one and gave the Current hope of forcing extra time.
NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga hustled to poke the ball free in Orlando’s box in the 16th minute of stoppage time and crossed the ball toward Sharples, who had an empty net but was off balance as she stretched to reach the ball that was just beyond her reach.
Sharples’ header went over the bar and Orlando held on after 19 minutes of stoppage time.
The Pride are now in search of its first NWSL Championship title on Saturday in the first final between the top two seeds since 2019. The Shield was the team’s first trophy since the franchise launched in 2016.
Washington defeated defending champions NJ/NY Gotham FC in a penalty shootout on Saturday to advance to the final.
“Honestly, I’m still soaking it in right now, so we’ll probably just enjoy this moment right now and start thinking about Washington [tomorrow],” Hines said. “It’s the top two teams in the league, which doesn’t happen often in the championship game, and I think both teams deserve to be in this championship game because it’s the most consistent teams throughout the season.”
The 2024 final will also be the first time the NWSL championship game is played between two teams that didn’t even make the playoffs in the previous season.
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