Barbra Banda scored the opening goal and the Orlando Pride advanced to the National Women’s Soccer League championship game with a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Current on Sunday.
The Pride will face the Washington Spirit for the league title on Saturday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. The Spirit advanced to the final after drawing 1-1 on penalties against defending champions Gotham FC in the other semifinal last Saturday.
Haley McCutcheon and the legendary Marta also scored for top-seeded Orlando, which has lost just twice this season and won the NWSL Shield. The Pride haven’t lost at home all season.
The Pride advanced to the semifinals last weekend with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars. This was the Pride’s first playoff win. Banda scored twice and Marta converted a penalty.
NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga scored the lone goal in fourth-seeded Current’s 1-0 win over the North Carolina Courage to advance to the semifinals.
don’t say anything @martavieiras10 😮💨 pic .twitter.com/mQ36yefI3w
Chawinga completed a full practice at Current on Friday, but coach Vlatko Andonovski was unsure how much he would be able to play on Sunday due to an ongoing knee issue. Chawinga, who scored 20 goals this season, started and played the entire game.
Brazil’s Debinha scored for Current in the 33rd minute of the first half by receiving a cross from Michelle Cooper from a narrow angle.
Ally Watt dribbled around a defender before lunging forward and sending the ball to a wide open McCutcheon for the equalizer in the 41st minute. McCutcheon scored his first goal of the season in last week’s quarterfinals.
Banda scored the first goal in the 53rd by hitting Kylie Strong’s long pass. Banda, who competed for Zambia at the Olympics this summer, scored 13 goals in the regular season.
Marta, a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, beat two defenders, beat Kansas City goalkeeper Almut Schulte and scored into an empty net in the 82nd minute. She gestured to the 14,524 fans gathered at the Inter & Co Stadium as they celebrated with her name written on the back of her jersey.
Vanessa DiBernardo converted a penalty kick in overtime for Current to set a regular season scoring record with 57 goals.
