Orlando Pride Breaks the Spirit

A record breaking attendance throughout the season saw the Spirit reel in over 17,000 fans for their final home game of the regular season against the Orlando Pride, bringing their total season attendance to just over 198,000 people. Both teams, having already qualified for the playoffs, rested some big players. Moreso the Spirit, who left Tara McKeown, Esme Morgan, Gift Monday, and co. on the bench. The Spirit came into this game not having lost since June, momentum that they were sure to want to carry with them into the post season. The Pride were coming off a Champions Cup draw which saw them crash out of the group stage, a disappointing result for a team that has the caliber to go far in the tournament.

Both teams started off well from a defensive standpoint; neither attacking side could find a way through in the first 20 minutes. The first real chance of the game from either side came from a Paige Metayer cross into the Orlando box, but no player, attacker or defender, could get anything on it as it sizzled out for a goal kick. Just a couple minutes later there was a slight scare for England international Anna Moorhouse, as she went down with a non-contact knock. Fortunately, after being tended to, she was able to get back up and continue on in the match, a huge relief for the Pride. 

With halftime just ten minutes away, the Spirit got on the board. Following a foul, Kate Wiesner whipped in a beautiful cross and a header saw it go into the back of the net, past a diving Moorhouse. At first glance it looked like it would be awarded to her fullback counterpart, Metayer, but, after a second look, it was ruled as a definitive own goal. Paige claimed after the match that you could see her telling her teammates that it was not her, though she has talked about her goal “drought” and how nice it would have been to have had that one.

Kerry Abello, the own goal scorer, had her redemption just minutes later. In similar fashion to the Spirit goal, the Pride hit a cross from a free kick, although this one was headed out. It lands at Abello’s feet who takes a bouncing touch and half-volleys it into the net. Kingsbury had no chance to save that one. After the match, speaking with Aubrey Kingsbury, she said it was a defensive mistake and that the backline was not set up correctly to defend that free kick, which led to the open player at the top of the box. 

It is not a Spirit game without a goal late in the half, although this one came in the first. Just four minutes after the equalizer, Washington was on the front foot again. This time Kysha Sylla, who just received her first senior France call-up, drove up the pitch from center-back and played a ball through to Metayer. Paige Metayer barely gets her cross in before the ball is out of bounds, later stating she just wanted to get it in the box and hopefully something would come of it. My-oh-my something came of it. Cantore with a special finish at the near post, flicks it through her legs in the only spot where Moorhouse would not expect a shot. The Spirit went into the second half up 2-1, unaware that one of the best players ever would be coming on to change the game for the Pride. 

Marta entered the pitch at halftime, and by the time one minute went by, she already contributed to a goal. A bad pass from Sylla gives the ball to Orlando in a dangerous spot, and they are able to get the ball over to Marts on the right side. She uses her skills to confuse the defenders and takes a shot (or crosses the ball, but we will give her the benefit of the doubt). It comes off of Narumi Miura who deflects the ball past a fast reacting Aubrey Kingsbury to equalize the game for the Pride.

The chances were bare and slim for both teams in the rest of the beginning period of the second half. Heather Stainbrook had a good chance in the middle of the opposing box, but both of her shots were tame and blocked easily by the Orlando defenders. Controversy struck in the 70th minute when Orlando were awarded a penalty. Sylla and Watt were battling for the ball and Sylla had a hand on Watt’s back. A nudge sent Watt flying to the ground, selling the foul enough for the referee to give a penalty. From a fan standpoint, you would be upset if that penalty was given against your team, because it seemed quite soft, but you would also be upset if that penalty was not given for your team, because there was contact.

The final bit of the game was exhilarating, though no more goals were scored. Washington brought on usual starters to help try to win the game, and they put together some really great sequences of play, but it was not enough to claw back a point against a solid Orlando side.

Ultimately, this game brought on many positives for both sides. Orlando will go into their final game with a win over one of the best in-form teams in the country and the Spirit came out of the game with no extra players injured. A big talking point before the match was the injury of Trinity Rodman midweek, and how that affected the team going forward into the playoffs. The Spirit will need to clean up a few things, but they did survive a lot of the season without Rodman already, and (hopefully) she should be back at least in a limited capacity for the playoffs. 

Orlando goes into their final game facing the fourth placed Seattle Reign at home, while the Spirit travel to Utah to take on the Royals. We should not be surprised to see Washington continue to rest their important players for the last game, especially since their second placed finish is confirmed and that long unbeaten run is now over.

Written by Brian Rapuano

Photography by Sydney Molaver