There was little left for the Orlando Pride to accomplish this season. But by the time players took the pitch for the last time, they had yet to win it all.
Now the Orlando Pride players and coaches have achieved that goal, as well. They won the 2024 NWSL Championship by defeating the Washington Spirit 1-0.
They needed two basic achievements to bring the city of Orlando its first Major League championship. All players and coaches had to contribute to realize those achievements. But in each case, one player had to execute to make it happen.
The first achievement required the player everyone in the media from ESPN to NPR talked about all Sunday. Leading to the 37th minute, midfielder Angelina snagged the ball in the midfield and lofted a through ball to striker Barbra Banda. Banda was the one all over the airwaves later.
She cut a brilliant path through defenders like an American rules halfback and got a low, left-footed shot past Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury for the only score in the match. That fourth score in the playoffs is the most for any NWSL player.
Angelina became the first international player to earn an assist in the NWSL final match. The Pride’s eighth score in these playoffs ties the North Carolina Courage in 2019 for the most team goals scored in a single playoff campaign.
This score doubled the responsibility of Pride keeper Anna Moorhouse to keep the team ahead. So she was required for the second achievement. She had to keep Washington from scoring. While such a burden might make Atlas think about shrugging it off, Moorhouse didn’t seem to be bothered at all.
The Pride netminder made good on five saves as she delivered the team’s 14th clean sheet of the season, with some help from Pride defenders Cori Dyke, Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, and Emily Sams.
The Orlando Pride plans at least one more performance before supporters before they finish cleaning out their lockers and collecting their honors for this season. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is hosting a victory parade along Orange Avenue to City Hall.
Orlando Pride players will be there, along with Walt Disney World’s Main Street Philharmonic, special guests, and giveaways. It won’t be the last victory parade for the team. But supporters won’t want to miss the first.