NWSL Shield winners, Orlando Pride, were tested time and again by the Washington Spirit in front of a sold out CPKC Stadium, but Barbra Banda (yet again) proved the difference as they claimed the NWSL Championship trophy with a 1-0 win. The margins were tight, and the Spirit huffed and puffed—to the tune of 26 shots, but only 5 on target—but the Pride’s defense put in their best performance, perhaps, of the season.

The tactical battle got interesting even before kickoff. The lineup dropped with head coach Jonatan Giráldez choosing his most aggressive lineup available, with the more attack-minded Makenna Morris in the XI for the more defensively active Heather Stainbrook. Leicy Santos joined Morris in midfield, and Paige Metayer’s speed was called upon from the start in favor of Gabby Carle. They all lined up beneath an attacking front three of Rose Kouassi, Ashley Hatch and Trinity Rodman.

The match kicked off with both teams feeling a bit nervy, before Rose Kouassi got behind with some nice combo play with Leicy Santos. She was caught in two minds and her not-quite-shot, not-quite cross was easy for goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to hold.

Then, it was Banda’s turn. The Spirit defense stood firm and eventually Paige Metayer made a quality slide tackle in the box to take possession and play the ball out for a corner before Banda had a chance to pass or shoot.

Throughout the game the Spirit continued to test the Pride with different looks. Their standard 433 was fluid enough to provide several variations in pressing setups and out-of-possession looks. Makenna Morris was particularly mobile, sometimes in a midfield line, but often joining the forward line to press Orlando’s center backs. Leicy Santos would drop beside Hal Hershfelt, providing a creative outlet deep in midfield who could be used once the ball was won.

Out wide Kouassi was proving yet another handful for yet another opponent. This time her danger sparked forward Ally Watt to track back in an effort to stick with Kouassi 1v1. The two got in a few scraps as Watt’s speed was a more formidable foe in defense than rookie Cori Dyke.

While the Spirit poked and prodded at the Orlando defense, they were able to show their teeth on occasion through Barbra Banda. On a couple occasions they found her in space, setting off alarms for the Spirit defense. However, they were coping. And in part because of the team approach to slowing Banda or Marta down.

Rose Kouassi earned the game’s first yellow card (of many) by getting tangled up with Banda as she attempted to get between the star Zambian striker and the ball. Forward Trinity Rodman saved a transition before it started with a perfect slide tackle to stop Marta from charging into space, forcing a throw-in instead.

The best chance of the first half looked like it would be Kouassi’s, who hit a blistering shot from outside the box that dipped and skipped off the grass but flew wide of Moorhouse’s post. A few minutes later, the one thing that the Spirit needed to avoid, happened.

A hopeful punt from defensive midfielder Angelina was latched onto by Banda, who only had Esme Morgan to contend with. Banda took advantage quickly, cutting inside and picking out a spot in the near post of Aubrey Kingsbury’s goal.

The goal wasn’t without controversy, though. before Angelina sent her hopeful forward lofted pass, she appeared to make contact with Leicy Santos’ face, which could have been called a foul and negated the goal. While it was likely a foul, the referee didn’t deem it severe enough to wipe a goal from the board. That’s a strenuous bit of logic allows the end result to make the decision, which is perhaps a bit too sheepish from a referee in charge of a championship game.

Nevertheless the goal stood, and it was a frustrating concession that applied even more pressure on the Spirit to break down a historically stingy defense. That nearly happened moments before halftime as Ashley Hatch hit the post with a header, but the break came with the Pride up 1-0.

HT | 1-0

There were no changes at halftime and the Spirit started right where they left off. Rose Kouassi rose to hit a header from a cross down and on frame, and only a cat-like reflex save from Moorhouse kept it out. By this time the Pride were in full ‘protect our lead’ mode, a mode they have been expert at all season.

But things were promising for the Spirit. Firstly, this team truly believes they are never out of a game, and one goal is the thinnest margin in the sport. Also, Kouassi was causing problems and Morris often found herself with possession driving through midfield with wide options on either side. The connections weren’t yet coming off, but opportunities were growing.

When the Pride found the rare chance to threaten—i.e. punting the ball in space for Banda—the Spirit responded well. One sequence that extracted noise and applause from the crowd was a brilliant recovery run and tackle from Tara McKeown, whose speed, timing and strength disrupted Banda on a counter where she was hoping to square up with Esme Morgan yet again.

The Spirit did even more huffing and puffing in the second half, but the Pride continued to find ways to have several players between the ball and Moorhouse’s goal. When a shot would squirt through, it was normally deflected for a corner or in a way that allowed their keeper to grab easily. Still, the Spirit had come from behind to win every one of their last four playoff games, and with tons of possession and shots, it seemed like a matter of time until they found the correct combination.

Except, time kept on ticking away, and the goal wouldn’t come. A couple no-calls in the box added to the frustration. There was also another moment where a promising Spirit move was stopped due to a perceived foul in the buildup, which infuriated the heavily pro-Spirit crowd given the circumstances of Orlando’s goal.

Time kept ticking away and eventually expired with the Spirit unable to find the equalizer that would extend the game and give them new life, and more opportunities to turn it all the way around as they had before. The referee’s whistle blew and the Spirit’s season ended in heartbreak as Orlando Pride players stormed the field to tackle and celebrate with Marta.

This Spirit team was special, and though the ultimate end-of-season prize wasn’t claimed, the heart they played with and performances they produced can only inspire joyful memories, even in defeat.

Three takeaways

• Makenna Morris. In a bit of a surprise move, Jonatan Giráldez opted for Morris in midfield in favor of Heather Stainbrook. Morris is a more attacking player than Stainbrook, which was a signal that the Spirit were aiming to take the game to the NWSL Shield winners. However, Morris didn’t just play midfield, she was essentially deployed as a pressing menace, and chased the Pride’s backline, often pressuring them into mishit passes which ceded possession to the Spirit. It made the Pride’s attack one-dimensional, except that one dimension was Barbra Banda. And, well…
  
  
• Barbra Banda, again. The Washington Spirit have played the Orlando Pride and Barbra Banda three times, she’s scored twice, assisted once and drawn two penalties. This is not necessarily a unique thing, Banda was on pace to be league MVP until the Olympic break, and she finished this NWSL season with 17 goals and 7 assists. However it’s a frustrating truth for the Spirit, who have, despite her production, played Banda well in two games. It was only two moments of not being perfect that Banda ceased on, and it’s cost them yet again.
  
  
• Early arrival. The players and Jonatan Giráldez, who gave uncharacteristically short answers in his press conference, aren’t quite yet prepared to talk about it, but it was remarkable they even made it to this championship game. Not that they weren’t talented or good enough to do so, but in that they’ve made far more progress this season than anyone outside could have imagined. While a somewhat surprisingly dominant performance went unrewarded in terms of a goal, it’s a sign of who this Spirit team is already. It took a herculean defensive effort from the best overall defensive team in the league to keep the Spirit without a goal, but the Spirit made a statement nonetheless—and 2025 can’t come soon enough.

Box Score

NWSL Championship

Orlando Pride 1 (Banda, 37′)

Washington Spirit 0

Lineups

Orlando Pride (4231): Anna Moorhouse; Kerry Abello (Pickett 86′), Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke; Haley McCutcheon, Angelina (Gautrat 86′); Marta, Adriana (Yates 66′), Marta, Ally Watt (Doyle 74′); Barbra Banda

Washington Spirit (433): Aubrey Kingsbury; Casey Krueger, Esme Morgan, Tara McKeown, Paige Metayer (Carle 61′); Makenna Morris (Silano 73′), Hal Hershfelt, Leicy Santos; Rosemonde Kouassi, Ashley Hatch, Trinity Rodman

Misconduct Summary

Pride: Abello 31′, Banda 70′

Spirit: Kouassi 28′, Hershfelt 42′, Metayer 50′, Carle 90+7′

[image courtesy of the Washington Spirit]