1. What a way to open the playoffs for the Orlando Pride. A dominant performance at home led the top-seeded team to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars to move on to the semifinals.
2. Barbra Banda. That's it.
3. The forward got back on the scoresheet in style tonight, putting two past U.S. Women's National Team keeper Alyssa Naeher for her first goals since Sept. 20 against Bay FC. Both goals were classic Banda goals, getting on the run in space, and getting around defenders to score.
NWSL Championship in Kansas City
Tickets are available for the NWSL Championship from CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, where the Orlando Pride will take on the Washington Spirit!
4. The scoreline tonight is almost a fitting one for the Pride's first playoff win. Back in 2017, Orlando lost 4-1 to the Portland Thorns, their only playoff game before now. It really shows how much this team has grown over the past eight years into a perennial powerhouse of the NWSL.
5. The first goal of the night came from an unexpected source: Haley McCutcheon. Off a corner, the ball pinged around the box, eventually finding the midfielder's head as she redirected it into the back of the net. It marked her first goal since April of last year against the San Diego Wave and the first Pride playoff goal since Allana Kennedy back in 2017.
"I honestly thought I was offside, so I didn't really celebrate," McCutcheon said after the game. "I'm happy that it was onside, and it got the team going from there."
6. Coming off a game where she played a big part in the offense, Ally Watt notched two assists in just 45 minutes of play. Her first was on the opening goal by McCutcheon and the second came from Banda's second goal of the night. While her pace makes her a difference-maker in matches, her quick reactions have been helping her evolve into more than just a speedster.
7. Head Coach Seb Hines called the match, "brilliant from start to finish." Orlando had 27 shots to Chicago's 8, had a 5.33 xG and had at least two shots hit the crossbar or post. It was a game that showed just how good this Pride team can be, and also showed how Chicago may have been fortunate to only let in four on the night.
8. 11,496 fans were in attendance to witness the Pride get their first playoff win ever. They were loud and involved, a fact that was not lost on Hines.
"I remember probably three or four years ago, we struggled to get any sort of fans here and support. You can see that the players are giving back, they're giving absolutely everything to winning games. They're playing entertaining football together as well, and it made a real difference tonight. It was great to see so many fans come out and support the players. You could really hear them. It's probably the loudest it's been since we've been in this stadium, and we're going to need them to come back next week in the semifinal. They're so instrumental, and it's been so amazing to see such a great turnout. And we just wanted to continue that."
9. As they head into the Semifinals, the Pride will wait and see who they will play next Saturday or Sunday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Orlando will play the winner of the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage either on Saturday at noon or Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Tickets are available now here.
