Marta strike helps take Orlando Pride to NWSL finals after a back-and-forth battle with Kansas City in the semis.
Marta wonder goal helps Orlando Pride see off Kansas City to reach NWSL final.
The Orlando Pride advanced to the National Women’s Soccer League championship game on Sunday after defeating the Kansas City Current 3-2, with Barbra Banda scoring the game-winning goal.
At CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, the Pride will play the Washington Spirit on Saturday for the league championship. In the other semi-final on Saturday, the Spirit drew 1-1 with the reigning winners Gotham FC to advance to the final on penalties.
Top-seeded Orlando, who have only lost two games this season and have won the NWSL Shield, also had goals from Haley McCutcheon and the great Marta. Throughout the season, the Pride had no home losses.
Last weekend, the Pride defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-1, their first playoff victory, and proceeded to the semi-finals. Marta scored a penalty, and Banda had two goals.
Temwa Chawinga, the NWSL Golden Boot winner, scored the game’s lone goal as the fourth-seeded Current defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 to move on to the quarterfinals.
Chawinga got through a complete practice for the Current on Friday. Coach Vlatko Andonovski was doubtful how much she could play on Sunday because of a nagging knee injury. Chawinga, who started and played the entire game, has scored 20 goals this season.
After evading two defenders and slipping past Kansas City goalkeeper Almuth Schult. Marta, a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, scored into an empty net in the 82nd minute. For the 14,524 spectators at Inter&Co Stadium, she gestured to her name on the back of her shirt in jubilation.
The Current broke the regular-season goal total of 57 goals when Vanessa DiBernardo scored a penalty kick in stoppage time.