On Saturday, the Orlando Pride will travel to Washington D.C to face the Spirit in their second matchup of the season. Their first match ended in a 1-1 draw at Orlando City Stadium, with goals by Pride rookie Danica Evans and Line Sigvardsen-Jensen. But a lot has changed since that draw at the start of the season. Here is everything you need to know about the Washington Spirit.
Recent Matches
They earned a last minute 1-0 loss last week on the road against the Boston Breakers. While the team is still struggling to find consistency, they have found a bit more stability after a rough start to the season. In their last five games, they are 2-2-1, with two clean sheets. Their overall record is 3-6-2, putting them in last place on the table.
Who’s Hot
The Spirit have earned two clean sheets in their last five games, helping them earn wins even if they only score one or two goals. That is thanks in part to starting goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé, the Canadian international who has played every minute of the Spirit’s season so far. In addition, Francisca Ordega has proved to be a huge asset to her team. The Nigerian international has four goals and two assists on the season. Overall, the Spirit benefit from being an original NWSL team, so longtime players like midfielder Tori Huster can help lead the team through difficult moments.
Who’s Not
The Washington Spirit came into the year with a bit of a depleted squad, having lost some major names over the offseason (Defender Ali Krieger, Forward Crystal Dunn, and Midfielder Christine Nairn). Injuries have been one of their biggest problems this year: Mallory Pugh suffered an injury shortly after joining the team, and Joanna Lohman tore her ACL in the team’s season opener. It’s been a struggle for the Spirit to put their best team forward, but in recent weeks they have proven that they can find results regardless.
Head-to-Head
Earlier this season, the Pride played their home opener in Orlando City Stadium against the Washington Spirit. The match featured Marta’s NWSL debut and ended in a 1-1 draw. Last season, the Spirit and the Pride met twice and both matches ended in wins for Washington.
