What to Watch for as the Orlando Pride Face the Washington Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Championship, Presented by Verizon

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What to Watch for as the Orlando Pride Face the Washington Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Championship, Presented by Verizon

November 23, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Orlando Pride News Release


Orlando Pride vs Washington Spirit

When: Saturday, November 23, 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, MO

TV: CBS, Paramount+

Radio: Real Radio 104.1

As the Pride face the Spirit in the Championship, here are five things to watch for:

All to Play For

The Pride will face off against the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel. The Pride earned their way into the Championship match after winning the 2024 Shield by beating the Chicago Red Stars, 4-1, in the quarterfinal match. Orlando would then go one and beat the Kansas City Current, 3-2, in the semifinal. Orlando is the second team in NWSL history to score three or more goals in consecutive matches in a single postseason, along with North Carolina in 2019.

We Got the Spirit

Orlando has won all four of its regular-season meetings with Washington over the last two seasons, including being the only team to complete the league double over the Spirit in 2024. Prior to 2023, the Pride recorded four wins across 16 all-time regular-season meetings with Washington.

McCLUTCHeon

Haley McCutcheon has provided the Pride's opening goals in both of the Club's playoff matches this season, one with her head and the other with her left foot. Both goals served as her firsts of the 2024 campaign. Forward Ally Watt provided the assist on both of her goals as well. So far in the playoffs, Watt has three assists, which is tied for the second-most playoff assists in NWSL history.

Dynamic Duo

Barbra Banda and Marta have combined for six goal contributions in the first two playoff games for the Pride. Banda is just the third player in league history to score three goals in a single post-season. With her brace against the Red Stars in the quarterfinals, Banda became the first international player to record a brace in all NWSL playoffs. Marta has scored two goals, one coming in each game and both serving as her first of the NWSL playoffs in her career. Recording the game winning goal against the Current, Marta set the record for the oldest playoff goal scorer in NWSL history.

Coach of the Year

The National Women's Soccer League announced that Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines was named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Hines oversaw a record-breaking season for the Pride, helping Orlando to a league-best record of 18-2-6 after scoring a club-record 46 goals while allowing just 20, tied for the lowest conceded goals in the league this year. The Wetherby, England, native became the all-time winningest coach in Pride history with a 31-20-12 record and led the Pride to the most points in a season (60), most wins in a season (18), longest win streak (8) and longest unbeaten streak (23 in a single season, 24 total), all NWSL records. After a 2-0 victory over the Washington Spirit on October 6, Hines and the Pride secured the first-ever NWSL trophy for the club, the NWSL Shield.

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