The GIST: It all comes down to this: the No. 1 seed Orlando Pride face the No. 2 Washington Spirit for the NWSL Championship tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET, just one year after both squads missed out on the postseason entirely.
The Pride boast international firepower: Led by NWSL Coach of the Year Seb Hines, Orlando tapped overseas talent in the offseason, bringing in Zambian star forward Barbra Banda with the second-highest transfer fee in the women’s game — and that investment has certainly paid off.
As the other half of a dynamic partnership with the legendary Marta, Banda (one of five MVP finalists) finished the regular season as the second-leading scorer in the league and has already notched three postseason golazos. An added plus for the first-time NWSL ’ship competitors? The Pride know how to beat this Spirit squad — they’re the only team to top Washington twice during the regular season, winning 3–2 in April and 2–0 in October. Can they do it thrice?
The Spirit will rely on their youth and grit: Few (including us) saw Washington coming this year, but the Spirit have played with confidence from the jump — even through a planned mid-season coaching change — thanks in large part to shining stars like MVP finalist Trinity Rodman.
That said, Rodman briefly found herself on the Spirit’s lengthy injury list after the squad had already lost Midfielder and Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune and veteran defensive midfielder Andi Sullivan to season-ending injuries. In their place, NWSL newbies, like midfielder Hal Hershfelt, who scored the equalizer in the Spirit’s semis win, stepped up in a big way, showcasing the depth of this young but determined team. We’re in for a real treat tomorrow.
