Oh My Marta
Marta earned NWSL Player of the Week honors for her performance at Portland this past Sunday. The Brazilian international was responsible for two of the Pride’s three goals on the afternoon, finding the back of the net once in the 61st minute and forcing an own goal off Portland defender Emily Menges in the 68th, extending her Club-record for career goals scored to 21. Marta now holds the team lead in goals scored for the Pride this season with four, all of which have been scored in her three games since returning from the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She now becomes the second player in Club history to win NWSL Player of the Week for the Pride, with Kristen Edmonds earning that same honor in Week 12 of the 2016 season.
One She’ll Remember
Defender Erin Greening scored the first goal of her professional career on Sunday in Portland, leveling the match in the 90th minute with a strike from right outside the area. Greening was taken No. 25 overall by the Pride in the third round of this year’s NWSL College Draft. The rookie out of Colorado University has appeared in 10 matches for the Pride this season with nine starts. Her finish in the 90th minute served as the latest for the Pride this season and the latest goal from the Club since September 30, 2017 when Alanna Kennedy scored on a game-winning free kick in North Carolina.
So We Meet Again...
The Pride earned their first win of the 2019 season in their last meeting with Sky Blue, taking a 2-1 victory at Yurcak Field. Chioma Ubogagu opened the scoring in that match, converting from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute of that match for her first goal of the year. Sky Blue responded with a finish in the 67th minute when Sarah Killion converted a penalty kick of her own, but the Pride ultimately prevailed off of a Sky Blue own-goal from defender Gina Lewandowski, forced by Pride rookie midfielder Marisa Viggiano after she drove into the box past four Sky Blue players.
A Spotlight on the Stars
Saturday’s match will serve as the Pride’s World Cup Welcome Home Match for the team’s nine World Cup players. 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris will be recognized in their return to Exploria Stadium along with their six teammates that participated in this year’s marquee international tournament in Marta and Camila (Brazil), Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond (Australia), Shelina Zadorsky (Canada) and newcomer Claire Emslie (Scotland).
Bringing the Heat
After starting out the season scoring two goals through their first eight matches, the Pride have now totaled 13 goals in their last five outings, scoring at least two goals in each of those matches. Sunday in Portland marked the second-consecutive match where the Pride have found the back of the net at least three times after netting four goals in a 4-3 victory over the Washington Spirit the previous week.
More Stops for Kop
Goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer won Save of the Week yet again for her save in the 36th minute of Sunday’s match to deny Portland’s Dagný Brynjarsdóttir of a finish with her head. This marks the fifth time Kopmeyer has earned Save of the Week this season and the fourth in the last five weeks. Kopmeyer has earned that award now six times while a member of the Pride, earning the same honor in Week 10 of last season.
