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Orlando Pride Media Day Highlights

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6 years ago

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We’re just a month out from the Orlando Pride’s 2019 NWSL season opener against the Portland Thorns and the team held its annual preseason Media Day event at Orlando City Stadium. The event featured a press conference with Pride GM Erik Ustruck and Head Coach Marc Skinner, with six players made available to the media in a roundtable format.

The players who spoke to media members today were almost all internationals, with former USWNT automatic selection Ali Krieger being the only player of the six not currently involved in her national team setup. The five current internationals were Ashlyn Harris and Alex Morgan of the U.S., Alanna Kennedy of Australia, Marta of Brazil, and Chioma Ubogagu, who has recently been getting England call-ups.

The players unanimously lauded the atmosphere, attitude, and attention to detail that Skinner has brought to the Pride this preseason and seemed energized.

Here are the highlights from today’s event.

Ustruck/Skinner Press Conference

  • Skinner said he was “over the moon” at being selected as the Pride’s head coach and said he was “proud and privileged to be here.”
  • Initial interviews with players are nearly complete, as Skinner is finally getting to sit down with the international players who were late to arrive.
  • The buzz around camp, according to Skinner, is “really, really something that energizes you as a person.”
  • Skinner said he’s identified his targets and what his ideal team would look like, however, he said he’s still identifying the abilities of his players and giving players an opportunity to show what they can do.
  • Although Skinner said Tom Sermanni is a wonderful person and is sure he’ll do well at New Zealand, he’s here to bring a new direction to the club and said he coaches to allow his players to make decisions on the field because they have to know what they’re doing even when they can’t hear the coach in hostile environments.
  • Skinner spoke often of getting to know the players’ character, as well as treating the players as people first, and players second, regardless of whether they’re stars. He said he thinks of the players as he would if they were his daughters, and works with them to make them as successful as possible.
  • Ustruck said he hasn’t yet spoken with club partner Wolfsburg on the women’s side. He said he’d like the Pride to explore options such as bringing them over during their preseason period or to look at potential player loan opportunities.
  • Skinner, who has watched all of last year’s games, said the team was far off from performances last season but not far off in results. He stressed that there is some time involved in getting the team to play the way he wants it to play and that it might seem a bit high risk at first.
  • Both Skinner and Ustruck said the team will play an attractive brand of football and the GM said he expects that will help bring more fans to the stadium.
  • Skinner said the athleticism in the NWSL is massive but the transition part of the game could be better. “We have to re-educate players or just switch on their senses to do that. That’s what we’ll be doing in training.”
  • “I’m 100 percent sure that our players will love how we’re asking them to play,” Skinner said. “But they have to be brave. If you want to do something different and you want success to come to Orlando then they’re going to have to be brave. And that’s how I will expect them to be. My job is to support them through that process.”
  • Skinner said he’s not just here to coach players to win, but to improve as players.
  • The idea of having North Carolina (on the preseason schedule) was to get the Pride up to speed in playing an NWSL team, said Skinner.
  • “We will play fixtures that will challenge the players in different ways,” Skinner said of the preseason schedule. Ustruck said the full preseason schedule will be out in the next few days.
  • Ustruck mentioned that the North Carolina game in preseason would give the club an opportunity to learn how far they still need to go to get to the level of the defending champs.
  • Ustruck said the idea of a preseason invitational tournament would be difficult due to the MLS side having started its season but it’s something the club might look into if they can find the right location or if the stadium was available.
  • Skinner said his team likes to play tactically and force the other team into playing a way in which is to Orlando’s advantage.
  • Ustruck said Camila is still in Brazil because she’s working on getting her green card. Her interview was scheduled for today and she’s expected back by the weekend.
  • There will be a recognized Orlando Pride supporters group this year, said Ustruck. He said he wasn’t at liberty to speak about it just yet, however.
  • “There needs to be patience for this team to understand what we want them to do,” Skinner said. He added that he’s seen a desire from the players to buy into that.

Ashlyn Harris

  • “I have to say that I’ve been blown away by Marc,” Harris said about her new coach. “I’m very, very impressed with what he has brought just in the short amount of time that I’ve met him.”
  • Harris said the spark and enjoyment are back at training this preseason. “It’s like a breath of fresh air. This is a chance for people to start over and have new energy and a new opportunity.”
  • Harris said Skinner demands excellence and is detail-oriented. “He’s very organized and very, very specific about things.”
  • Harris said the international players are used to being in and out of the lineup but admitted this year would be challenging due to the time demands of the World Cup.
  • Last year is in the past for Harris and she wants to focus all her energy on 2019 and not what didn’t work in 2018. “We have a fresh start and I want to enjoy that taste in my mouth.”
  • “Marc is going to bring an element to this organization that people are going to be proud of and I’m excited to be on that train,” Harris said.
  • Harris said that Skinner sent her video clips from every touch from every game with notes attached, he has drones flying overhead every practice to record the players, and he frequently texts with thoughts as they occur.
  • Harris said that the feeling of unity hasn’t quite been there the last few years but that’s what Skinner is restoring in Orlando.

Ali Krieger

  • Krieger said that players can only change the culture of a team by bringing their best and control their work ethic and attitude each day.
  • “I think it’s so great to have somebody come in that makes every player feel like they’re the most important player,” Krieger said of Skinner. “I think that if we continue to create that positive atmosphere that will translate for sure on the field.”
  • Krieger said last year the team played more individually than as a collective group and expects the opposite this year.
  • Skinner creates an atmosphere where everybody feels important, said the veteran defender.
  • “Little specific movements, footwork stuff, the way your body is angled, or the pace of your pass,” – Krieger on the details that Skinner notices and brings to the team.
  • Skinner is “bringing the fun back into the game.”
  • Krieger reiterated Skinner’s statements in the presser about treating each person individually based on their needs.
  • “I don’t mind playing the underdog role,” she said. “If people think they’re going to come in here and it’s going to be easy-breezy, then good on them because we’re going to just crush it.”
  • Having a new coach will be an advantage for the Pride because no one in the league is going to know what to expect from Orlando.

Marta

  • “I like it here,” the Brazilian legend said. “I like the club. I like the atmosphere we have here. I like the city, the players. I think we have so much potential to [have] a very good season.”
  • Marta said her first impression of Skinner was good. “I see the energy he brings to the training and the ideas he brings to the players [are] good.”
  • Sermanni and Skinner are different. Skinner wants to keep the ball more and having the ball more means more opportunities to score.
  • “It’s about how we work together when we have the ball and when we don’t have the ball,” Marta said of the team’s philosophy.
  • Marta said players have to play hard and do their best for their club or they risk not being ready when called up to the national team. So there is no benefit in taking things easy with the club side to stay healthy for the World Cup.
  • When asked if she would continue to play internationally after this World Cup, Marta responded, “Let’s live day after day, you know?” She said if she feels good with her club and her teammates she can continue to do so with Brazil, too.
  • Marta said she was a little sad to see Monica and Poliana leave the club and hopes that they find a good new club to play for because that’s also important for the Brazilian national team.
  • When asked if she had any goals for the season, Marta replied, “Make more goals!”
  • Marta said Skinner’s system allows the freedom to roam and feel the game, so that she can play as both a midfielder and a forward, moving to spaces wherever she’s needed. “Not whatever I want,” she laughed, “but to produce good for the team.”

Alex Morgan

  • “I’m just eager to be coached by [Skinner], and for him to just implement his style, and for us to apply that in games,” Morgan said.
  • Morgan said she was happy with Ustruck’s decision to bring in Skinner to take the job.
  • “In previous years, just playing college teams is really difficult because that’s a hard gauge to see on like where we are in terms of how ready we are for the season,” Morgan said of the preseason. “So going in and playing North Carolina, obviously having them be the reigning champions from last year, it’s going to be just right away we’ll know what we still need to work on, where we are in terms of fitness, and in terms of Marc’s style being adapted by the team. So I’m really happy we’re making this trip.”
  • The team not having a lot of turnover is a good thing, Morgan said.
  • Morgan said the challenge for the Pride is the number of international players leaving for a big chunk of the season.
  • Younger players can learn from the internationals’ professionalism and they have to be eager to learn.
  • Morgan lauded France’s acceptance of women in sport as “exciting to see” and was glad to see the number of tickets sold for the World Cup games.
  • “I’m hopeful that we look very organized and have clear direction,” she said.
  • Morgan said she was impressed with Ustruck and his ability to bring in someone like Skinner.
  • She said she feels there’s still room for her to learn and grow as a player and she’s looking forward to Skinner helping her do that.

Alanna Kennedy

  • “I really like his direction and his philosophy,” Kennedy said of Skinner. “It’s something that’ll make all of us better, hopefully, as a collective.”
  • Kennedy talked about having surgery “thrown in there” during a six-week break. She said she’d played about 80 games in the previous 12 to 18 months. She said she’s now feeling good and is excited to be back in Orlando.
  • “When you’re in a positive environment, your well-being is taken care of, that’s when you’re able to thrive on the field,” she said. “I’ve loved every minute of the couple days I’ve been here.”
  • Kennedy said she thinks that with the style of play Skinner will have, she’ll be able to play both midfield and defense. She said she loves her midfield role but also loves her role on defense with Australia, because that’s where the team needs her and she can thrive there.
  • Kennedy noted the team has always had the personnel to succeed but needed to have more of an identity.
  • “To know your role and to know what’s expected of you every minute is important and that’s something Marc will bring with his experience and his personality,” she said.
  • “You don’t really” get used to all the international travel, Kennedy said. But she added that it’s helpful when you have people in place to take care of you, as the Pride have.

Chioma Ubogagu

  • When asked what kind of Chioma Ubogagu the Pride are getting back, as opposed to the one who left to go play in Australia at the start of the off-season, she replied, “I think just someone who understands even more now the definition of being a professional.”
  • She said she learned more about recovery, watching film, and working on details while playing in Australia.
  • Ubogagu said that coming in from overseas, she was expected to be an impact player in the W-League, and that challenged her and she learned how to deal with pressure.
  • Having three nationalities — English, American, and Nigerian — she said all three are very important to her and she feels connected to all three and they combine equally to make her who she is.
  • “That experience to put on the England kit and represent the Lionesses is something I’ll never forget,” she said of her time with the England national team.
  • Ubogagu said she got the call on her birthday that she’d be getting her first call-up to England and it was the best birthday gift ever.
  • She said her national team coach, Phil Neville, texts the whole team and he told her to train hard this preseason.
  • Ubogagu said she met with Skinner yesterday. She said he’s very intelligent and noted that he showed her an iPad with screen shots and detailed notes on it.
  • “I think everyone has been really impressed with training sessions and the detail and energy,” she said “[Skinner is] always saying ‘brains over brawn.’ He wants us to make sophisticated decisions with the ball.”
  • “I don’t want to label myself a leader because I think I’m learning every day,” she said.
  • “Last year, if we’re going to be frank [the North Carolina Courage] killed everyone in the league. They scored the most goals. I think they had the fewest goals against. They had this confidence, this swagger on the field that you weren’t going to touch them when you’re on the field,” Ubogagu said. “So I think that’s awesome that one of our first preseason games is going against the defending champions. We’re going to see what we’re about early on in the preseason. It’ll be really cool to see how we adapt and how we come out against a team like that.”
  • Ubogagu said she wanted to help with the game so she became the players union representative for the Pride. She said her main job was to bring information back to the club so the players had a voice on things like, for example, when the league would break for the World Cup.

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Orlando Pride Center Back Emily Sams Named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Pride center back Emily Sams adds another honor to her trophy case after being named the NWSL Defender of the Year.

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5 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this evening that Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams has been named the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year. She’s the first player in club history to win the award. It was the second major NWSL award won by the Pride after Seb Hines was named the league’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Sams played center back during her 2023 rookie season, but moved to right back at the beginning of this year. Brazilian international Rafaelle’s injury trouble forced Sams back to her natural position where she partnered Kylie Strom, forming arguably the best center back partnership in the league. Together with goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse and the rest of the back line, the Pride conceded a league-best 20 goals while tying the league records for most shutouts in a season (13) and setting a new mark for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal (554).

Individually, Sams was second in the league with 163 recoveries, and she led the Pride with 108 possessions in the defensive third, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. Additionally, her 88.18% passing accuracy led all Pride defenders.

Including the playoffs, Sams has played in 27 games this season with 26 starts and recorded 2,365 minutes. She’s recorded 25 tackles and 28 interceptions, winning 30 headed duels and 47% of her tackles. She’s also contributed offensively with a goal and three assists, including assisting Barbra Banda’s first goal in the NWSL quarterfinals against the Chicago Red Stars.

The center back was named to the league’s monthly Best XI three times this year — in May, September, and October/November — and was named to the league’s end-of-the-year Best XI.

The Boise, ID, native played three seasons over five years at Florida State before signing with Racing Louisville’s W League team for the 2022 season. She decided to forgo her senior year at Florida State, signing with the NWSL instead on Aug. 31, 2022. The league loaned her to Swedish club BK Hacken for the remainder of the 2022 season, enabling her to enter the 2023 NWSL Draft. The Pride selected Sams with the third overall pick and she immediately became a key player on the team’s back line.

She was paired with veteran Megan Montefusco at the beginning of her rookie season and Brazilian international Rafaelle after the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sams played 22 regular-season games last year, recording 1,977 minutes, 19 interceptions, and 17 tackles. She won 61% of her tackles and 33 headed duels.

Despite not having any caps, Sams was selected by new USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes to compete for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, earning a gold medal. Her first appearance for the national side came on Oct. 24 when she started against Iceland in Nashville, TN.

Preliminary voting for the NWSL Defender of the Year award included league owners, general managers, coaches, players, and media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media with the winner announced this evening. Strom, San Diego Wave FC center back Naomi Girma, North Carolina Courage center back Kaleigh Kurtz, and Washington Spirit center back Tara McKeown were the other finalists.

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Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines Named NWSL Coach of the Year

After a record-breaking regular season, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.

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2 days ago

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November 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The National Women’s Soccer League announced this afternoon that Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines had been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. It’s the first time in the club’s history that a coach has won the award.

In his second year as permanent head coach, Hines led the Pride to a record-breaking season that saw them finish 18-2-6, winning the NWSL Shield. They finished third in the league with 46 goals scored and tied with NJ/NY Gotham FC for a league-best 20 goals conceded. They set five league records this year, including most points in a season (60), most wins in a season (18), longest winning streak (8), longest shutout streak (554 minutes), and longest single-season unbeaten run (23 games). The Pride also tied the league record for clean sheets in a season (13). Dating back to last season’s finale, the club went 24 matches without a loss under Hines. Orlando also drew all three Summer Cup matches this season, giving the Pride 26 matches without a loss in all competitions under Hines in 2023 and 27 games overall dating back to last year. Orlando’s 2.31 points per game in 2024 is second in league history behind the 2018 North Carolina Courage, who had 2.4 points per game. 

The 2024 season caps a rebuild that started following the 2021 NWSL season when the Pride traded away several star players. They hired Amanda Cromwell as head coach for the 2022 season, but she and assistant Sam Greene were suspended and eventually fired for retaliatory behavior. Assistants Michelle Akers and Aline Villares Reis left their positions following the suspensions, leaving Hines as the club’s only option as head coach.

The controversy turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Hines finished the season strong as interim coach, taking the team to a 3-7-5 mark in the final 15 games, which included a seven-game unbeaten run (3-0-4). His performance down the stretch was enough to earn the permanent role. The Pride elevated Hines from interim coach to head coach on Nov. 11, 2022.

In his first year as the club’s permanent head coach, Hines nearly led the Pride to their first playoff appearance since 2017 and second in club history last year, missing out on the goal difference tiebreaker on the final match day of the 2023 campaign. This year, the team came back with the goal of making the postseason and soon became the best team in the league, going the full season without a single home loss in any competition.

Since taking over in June 2022, Hines has become the Pride’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 31-30-12 in league play. His 1.67 points per game and .492 winning percentage also top all previous Pride coaches.

Despite a turnaround that saw the Pride go from one of the worst teams in the league to narrowly missing out on the playoffs, Hines wasn’t a finalist for coach of the year in 2023. It was an easy choice this year as he led the team to its best-ever season and the first trophy in team history.

The team’s 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Nov. 8 was the first playoff win in club history and the Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to secure their spot in the 2024 NWSL Championship, which will be in Kansas City on Saturday night.

The NWSL Coach of the Year Award began with a preliminary round voted on by owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media. The finalists were then voted on by fans, owners, general managers, coaches, players, and the media to determine the winner. The other finalists were Current Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski and Gotham Head Coach Juan Carlos Amoros, last year’s winner.

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Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Advance to NWSL Championship

The Pride advance to the NWSL Championship after a gutsy home win over Kansas City.

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4 days ago

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November 17, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium this afternoon to claim a spot in the NWSL Championship. The Current took the lead through Debinha, but Haley McCutcheon scored eight minutes later to make it 1-1 at the break. Barbra Banda gave her team the lead in the 53rd minute and an excellent individual effort by Marta in the 82nd minute appeared to put the game away. Vanessa DiBernardo converted a penalty deep in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride advanced to their first-ever final.

Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed almost the same lineup that beat the Chicago Red Stars 4-1 on Nov. 8. The only change was Adriana re-entering the lineup for Summer Yates, who left the Chicago game with a first-half injury. However, Yates was on the bench for this one.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Ally Watt, Marta, and Adriana, with Banda up top.

This game started slowly with neither team able to create chances in the early minutes. Once the teams settled in, both had opportunities to take the lead. A great cross by Michelle Cooper in the 33rd minute and a missed clearance by Sams assisted Debinha in the opener. But the Pride fought back and equalized through McCutcheon shortly before halftime.

The Pride were the better team through most of the second half, mainly because of the power and speed of Banda. They took the lead in the 53rd minute and continued to push for a third goal, eventually converting in the 82nd minute. The Current were given a lifeline with 12 minutes of stoppage time and won a penalty with a handball by Abello in the box, but they nearly had an equalizer in the 15th and 16th minutes of stoppage time. The Pride ultimately survived and advanced to the NWSL Championship for the first time.

The first chance of the game didn’t come until the 11th minute and it was due to a mistake by Adriana. After the Pride won a throw-in, Adriana’s pass for Abello was directly to Cooper. The attacker split Abello and Adriana before shooting for the far post. Moorhouse seemed to have the shot the whole way, watching it roll wide.

Banda used a strong move on the left in the 15th minute to beat Hailie Mace and get into the box. As Mace caught up to her from behind, Banda went down. However, while Banda threw her arms up, there was very little contact and referee Danielle Chesky didn’t consider pointing to the spot to award a penalty.

The Pride maintained possession and created another pair of chances. It started when Marta’s cross was knocked out of play by Alana Cook, earning a corner kick. The set piece was chested out by Cook, but only to Abello, whose shot was blocked. Angelina took possession just outside the box and shot, but she fired her shot attempt wide.

The visitors created their second chance in the 14th minute when Claire Hutton dribbled towards the Pride box before pulling up and shooting from distance. The midfielder was unable to get over the ball and it sailed over the target without threatening Moorhouse.

In the 18th minute, Banda had a chance when Watt played her wide on the right. The forward created enough space from Ellie Wheeler for a tight-angle shot that was blocked over the crossbar by Current goalkeeper Almuth Schult. The ensuing corner kick was blocked out by Cook and the second corner went out of play for a goal kick, ending the attack.

Marta intercepted a pass in the 32nd minute, moved around her defender and made a long run to the Kansas City box. She had Banda and Adriana on either side of her, but decided to take the shot herself. Unfortunately, the attempt was directly into a defender.

On the other end, the Current took the lead in the 33rd minute. DiBernardo played the ball wide for Cooper, who sent a gorgeous ball across the face of goal. It was just beyond the reach of Sams and found Debhina at the far post. The Brazilian didn’t make any mistakes, tapping it past Moorhouse to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“I think just to stay calm and we knew that we were better than them and that we could score on them,” Sams stated about what was said in the team huddle after the goal. “It was unfortunate that we had to go down, but I think too, we just kept our composure and stuck together as a team and knew that we would be able to break them down at some point.”

Eight minutes later, the Pride found their equalizer and it was McCutcheon for the second straight game. Watt made a strong run to the end line, beating Wheeler to get a cross off. It initially looked like Adriana would tap it in, but McCutcheon was making a run completely unmarked into the six. The defensive midfielder tapped it in and, after not scoring since April 29, 2023, she has now scored in back-to-back playoff games.

“The first goal was brilliant,” Hines said after the game. “You know, playing through the middle to then get out wide. Ally Watt, you know, dribbling, driving, great cross. And McCutcheon scores a goal. And, you know, she’s two in two right now. So it’s not bad for a holding midfielder.”

The Pride nearly got a second just before halftime when Watt played a dangerous ball into the box for Banda. The striker had her back to goal and tried to backheel it, but she couldn’t get anything on it and the Current were able to clear. That was the last chance for either team as the game went into the break at 1-1.

At halftime, the Current had more possession (55%-45%), but the Pride had more shots (7-5), shots on target (2-1), corner kicks (3-2), and crosses (12-6). Both teams completed 79% of their first-half passes.

Watt dribbled from the right to the top of the Kansas City box in the 49th minute. Chawinga challenged her from behind and the attacker ran directly into Nichelle Prince. It appeared as though Watt had her breath knocked out of her after being caught in the neck area, requiring attention. After receiving some treatment, she walked off on her own and was able to continue.

Marta and Angelina stood over the ball, with Marta taking the set piece. Her shot was aimed for the near post, but Schult had it well covered, collecting the free kick.

The Pride took their first lead of the game in the 53rd minute when Strom lifted the ball into the Kansas City box. Banda used her body to turn Kayla Sharples before hitting a hard shot past Schult to give her team a 2-1 lead.

“Defenders will always be tight, but as a striker, you need to have a lot of creativity as a striker for you to score,” Banda said about her goal. “I’m a goal machine, so I had to figure it out how I’m going to score for this. So it came into my mind, and I saw the defender. Then I had to take my advantage.”

The Pride had a chance to extend their lead in the 57th minute when Mace fouled Banda hard near the Kansas City box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. After Banda received some treatment, Adriana stepped up to take the set piece. However, she hit the attempt over the top of the goal.

The Current had a chance to get back on even terms in the 61st minute when Chawinga was sent long by Mace. Dyke kept up with the attacker and slid in to win the ball but didn’t connect with it. Sams was between Chawinga and goal as the forward shot for the near post, missing wide.

The visitors nearly found an equalizer in the 65th minute when Cooper volleyed a ball across the box in front of the goal. Prince volleyed the ball on target, but it was blocked by Sams. It went straight to Chawinga, who tried to put a first-touch shot on target, but she sent it over the top.

A mistake at midfield nearly cost the Pride in the 71st when Angelina lost possession. Chawinga carried the ball to the top of the box while Pride defenders tried desperately to get in front. The forward shot before entering the 18, but hit the attempt wide.

Hines made his first changes of the game in the 79th minute, as Julie Doyle and Yates came on for Adriana and Watt.

Banda won the ball from Sharples in the 82nd minute before going down, knocking it to Marta, who took it from there. The Pride captain dribbled to her left and cut back, resulting in Sharples and Cook going down. She dribbled past Schult before passing the ball in to make it 3-1.

“It was so amazing. I just saw all the defenders went down, but I know that’s what Marta can do,” Banda said about Marta’s goal. “So, I know it’s an assist because I was down, unfortunately. But she scored and we know her for that.”

“I feel like she’s been in situations like that before,” Sams added. “And, you know, I feel like she might take the shot earlier. So just to see her like, you know, see two players go to ground and slide, and Marta cuts them back, and then cuts back the goalkeeper and just slots it home. I mean, it’s just such a hard goal. I mean, she’s the GOAT and she proves it. And she proved it tonight.”

It was a fantastic goal by Marta, but the celebrations were cut short as Banda remained down near midfield and required medical assistance. She had to be helped off the field and was replaced by Carson Pickett. Fortunately, she was soon seen laughing on the bench with Watt, which suggests she was fine.

The fourth official showed 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time and the Current had to find something quick trailing by two goals. In the sixth minute, they won a corner kick and sent Schult to the other end. The Pride knocked the first attempt out of play and cleared the second one.

Hines made his third change of the game in the seventh minute of added time, replacing Dyke with Celia. While the substitution might’ve been to waste some time, it also gave Celia one last chance to play at Inter&Co Stadium as she announced she’s retiring following the season.

Marta looked for her second goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, dribbling into the left side of the box. She split a pair of defenders and shot, but the attempt sailed well wide.

In the 10th minute of stoppage time, Mace took a shot from just inside the Pride box. Abello blocked the attempt, sending it out of play for a corner kick. However, the ball was off of Abello’s arm and the video assistant referee indicated that Chesky should have a second look.

After a brief check, Chesky returned to the field and pointed to the spot. DiBernardo stepped up to take the spot kick and took it well. As Moorhouse dove to her right, DiBernardo sent the attempt the other way to make it 3-2.

The visitors continued to push as the game neared its end. In the 15th minute of stoppage time, Wheeler cut back to lose her defender and fired on goal, but she missed the target. A minute later, Chawinga was sent down the right and took possession when Moorhouse came way off her line and missed the ball. Chawinga had Sharples making a run into the six as Celia came over to cover her. The center back got her head to the ball, but sent the attempt over the crossbar. That was the last chance as the Pride came away with a 3-2 win.

The Current ended the game with more possession (51.8%-48.2%), shots (20-13), and corner kicks (4-3). The Pride had the advantage in shots on target (5-4), crosses (11-9), and better passing accuracy (78%-75.2%).

“They sat back, waited for transition moments. And, you know, they’re very good at it,” Hines said about the game. “You know, they’ve built that in the last second half of the season. Get the threatening players running in behind. But I thought in moments we were really good.

“What an effort from the players. I can’t speak highly enough for them. They’ve put so much work and effort, and they really wanted this tonight. You know, in front of our home fans and their hunger and desire.”

The Pride have played ahead most of the season, not needing to come from behind. The last time they came back from a deficit to win prior to this game was a 3-1 win over the Portland Thorns on June 11, 2023. They hadn’t come from behind to claim points since the second game of the season on March 22, something they did in each of the first two games of the season.

It’s rare that playoffs go according to plan, but this NWSL postseason has done just that. The higher-seeded team has won every game in this postseason, resulting in the top two teams meeting in Kansas City for the championship. That might bode well for the Pride, who finished the season with the league’s best record, making them the higher seed for the final.

“It’s great,” Hines said about reaching the championship. “You know, you’ve put all the hard work and effort into it. Obviously, in the regular season, 26-game group stage to then get into a three-game tournament. So we’ve done two of it, and there’s one more to go. So obviously, the spirits are really high right now, and we’re ready to go on Saturday.”

The Pride have six days before they take the field again. The Washington Spirit drew NJ/NY Gotham FC 1-1 Saturday and advanced on penalties to claim the other spot. So the top two teams will meet at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City Saturday night at 8 p.m. for the NWSL Championship.

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