Orlando Pride remain undefeated while snapping KC Current’s 17-game unbeaten streak, 2-1
Associated Press
Barbra Banda and Marta scored goals and the Orlando Pride stayed undefeated by beating Kansas City 2-1 on Saturday, handing the Current their first loss of the National Women’s Soccer League season.
Temwa Chawinga scored for the Current (10-1-5) in front of a sellout crowd of 11,500 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City who came to see the top two and only unbeaten teams in the league.
With the win, the first-place Pride (11-0-5) extended their unbeaten streak to 17 games dating to last season, matching the the league record set by the Current last week. The Pride haven’t trailed in a match since March 22.
Banda and Chawinga entered the match tied for the league lead with 11 goals each and they delivered in the marquee matchup.
Banda scored her 12th of the season in the 37th minute. Adriana’s shot was blocked and fell right to Banda in the box, who finished under the arms of goalkeeper Adrianna Franch.
Chawinga responded two minutes later, dribbling into the box and getting around several defenders before shooting into the right corner.
Carrie Lawrence picked up a second yellow card in the 42nd minute after fouling Chawinga, putting the Pride down a player for the rest of the match.
Orlando went up in the 61st minute when Adriana was fouled in the box, and Marta chipped the goalkeeper from the penalty spot for her fifth goal of the season.
Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse made seven saves.
RED STARS 1, DASH 0
Mallory Swanson scored just before halftime to help the Chicago Red Stars earn a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Leilanni Nesbeth picked off a pass and found Swanson in first-half stoppage time. She dribbled forward and shot with her left foot outside the box, finishing into the upper left corner for her seventh goal of the season.
Swanson has scored in four straight games for Chicago (7-7-2), matching the most in Red Stars history.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made six saves to earn her third clean sheet this season.
The Dash (3-8-5) have been held scoreless in five straight matches.
GOTHAM 2, ANGEL CITY 1
Rose Lavelle scored in the 16th minute and Gotham FC went on to hand Angel City its third straight loss, 2-1 in Los Angeles.
The midfielder, who was named to the U.S. Olympic team headed to France, has five goals this season. Delanie Sheehan gave Gotham (9-3-4) a 2-0 lead in the 40th minute.
Claire Emslie scored on a penalty kick for Angel City (4-9-3) in the 69th minute. It was her team-leading sixth goal of the season.
SPIRIT 3, BAY FC 0
Rookie Makenna Morris scored her first NWSL goal in the fourth minute, Trinity Rodman converted a penalty kick in the 21st, and the Washington Spirit won their first match under new coach Jonatan Giraldez, 3-0 over Bay FC at San Jose’s PayPal Park.
Ouleymata Sarr added her seventh goal of the season for the Spirit (11-4-1) in the 57th minute.
First-year team Bay FC (6-10-0) had won its last two matches.
Giraldez was hired by the Spirit in January but he finished the season with Barcelona, which won three straight Spanish league titles and two consecutive Champions League titles under him.
Giraldez spent the past two weeks acclimating to his new club under interim coach Adrián González, who will now become his assistant.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
