Match Report: Orlando Pride drops 1-0 decision against Washington Spirit

ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 4, 2023) – Orlando Pride (0-4-1, 1 point) conceded at home after the Washington Spirit (3-3-0, 9 points) found the back of the net during the final minutes of the match, the game finishing at a 1-0 final.  

The match was one that the Pride controlled throughout, outshooting the visitors 25-7 over the 90 minutes, including two second half chances that went off the post.  

The first chance came off a Messiah Bright header that was parried off the post by Washington goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and cleared just before crossing the line by the Spirit defense. Then, pushing for a late equalizer, defender Brianna Martinez nearly found her first career goal, lofting a distance shot past Barnhart, but the chance ricocheted off the crossbar.  

The 25 shots serve as the most attempts the Club has had all season and ties for third in the Club’s history for most shots. 

The Pride will have a quick turnaround as they head to Red Bull Arena to face off against NJ/NY Gotham FC. That match will serve as the Club’s final game in Challenge Cup play.

Scoring Summary:

90+8’ Mariana Speckmaier – WAS 1, ORL 0 
The visiting side found the back of the net during stoppage time after Mariana Speckmaier launched the ball from outside the box and into the top left corner of the goal.

Head Coach Seb Hines:

“We did have a positive reaction after last week [at North Carolina]. Last week wasn’t good enough. Today I felt there was only one team that wanted to win. We started the game very aggressively, pressing, getting a lot of regains higher up the field. We decided to make some changes obviously, with the game against Gotham coming up. A lot of players took their opportunity today and overall, I am really proud of them. I am really proud of what they did and, obviously, it is a cruel game. You don’t always get what you deserve and that is life at times and that is football. We move on, but I am happy with the performance.”

Match Notes:

• With the start, Julie Doyle made her 30th professional appearance across all competitions in the NWSL. 
• The 25 shots on the night marked a single-game high across all competitions for the Pride this year, tying for third most in Club history across all competitions.  
• Head Coach Seb Hines made five changes to the starting lineup on Friday night, with Caitlin Cosme, Mikayla Cluff, Summer Yates, Brianna Martinez and Ally Watt all getting the nod.

Next Match

The Pride will conclude their UKG Challenge Cup play by traveling to Red Bull Arena to face off against NJ/NY Gotham FC. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, August 9 and the kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with the match available to stream on Paramount+.