Orlando Pride advance to NWSL Championship: How legendary Marta, unsung heroes have franchise on brink

The NWSL Shield-winning Orlando Pride officially booked a spot in next week’s NWSL Championship on Sunday when they survived a 3-2 battle against the Kansas City Current. The semifinal was evenly contested through the first half, which was fairly unsurprising given that the teams were separated by just five points during the regular season. The Current, though, were able to score first through Debinha in the 33rd minute, who was able to evade the Pride’s backline to give her side the lead. Things were even just eight minutes later, though, 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 put three on target and two in the back of the net, with both of their MVP contenders Barbra Banda and Marta on the scoresheet. Banda scored on a brilliant individual effort in the 53rd minute, while Marta’s 82nd-minute strike came after she won the ball near the halfway line and ran towards goal.

There was a little 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 posted 15 shots in total during the second half, but only put three on target and were unable to get back in the game as a result.

The Pride will play the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship on Saturday in Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium, which will air on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.

History on the line

The Pride aim to become the first NWSL team since the North Carolina Courage in 2019 to win both the Shield and the Championship in the same season, on-trend for a team that went on a record 23-game unbeaten run this year. It is an even more impressive feat, though, considering the Pride rarely competed for silverware.

Before this season, they had reached the postseason just once since beginning play in 2016, instead resigned to the bottom half of the NWSL table. Things began to trend upward with the hires 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 has no trouble scoring, thinking quickly and always efficient with their chances. They were one of the NWSL’s top attacking teams in 2024, finishing in the top three for goals scored, shots taken and expected goals during the regular season.

While Marta is a longtime league veteran and defender of the year nominee Emily Sams is just three years into her professional career, the Pride have gotten the most out of unsung heroes with experience in international leagues. NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year contender Anna Moorhouse was one part of the NWSL’s joint-best defense, earning a reward two years after joining the Pride after mostly playing in her native England. Another nominee in Kylie Strom has a similar story, joining the Pride in 2021 after seven years away from the NWSL in different European leagues.

Though they are someone inexperienced heading into Saturday’s Championship game, they are arguably the favorites. They already have trophy-winning experience with the Shield and have perfected their style of play under Hines, looking like the complete package this season.

Marta stands out

There are several notable stories to pick out of the Pride’s 2024 triumph, and that includes Marta’s journey to her first NWSL Championship. The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Marta 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 this year’s team.

Marta has also completed an evolution of her own. Her age was beginning to show over the last few years and her influence began to dwindle for both the Pride and Brazil, which was no surprise for a player in her late 30s. The Olympic silver medalist, though, has bounced back in fine form in 2024 – she has 10 goals and one assist this season, earning a nomination for MVP and midfielder of the year in the process.

She will no doubt play a big role for the Pride on Saturday as they target 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 at the Summer Olympics, winning her second silver medal along the way.