Washington Spirit deliver statement 4-2 win at Orlando Pride: Match report
The Spirit threw away an early lead but pivoted to show their savvy in an impressive, gutsy road win after a lightning delay.
The Washington Spirit showed serious mettle on Saturday, overcoming an energetic Orlando Pride, a weather delay, and heavy legs en route to a 4-2 victory in Florida.
A record-setting brace from Sofia Cantore got the Spirit started, while Trinity Rodman's outstanding form continued with a goal and two assists. After Barbra Banda equalized two goals in short order, Claudia Martínez marked her first NWSL start with the eventual winner.
Before kicking off their third match in eight days, Washington had to hurry up and wait. A powerful storm system swept through Florida shortly before what had been a 4 p.m. ET kickoff time, with play eventually getting underway 97 minutes later.
The delay seemed to do nothing to slow the Spirit down, with Cantore striking from 19 yards after just two minutes.
After a good passing sequence opened things up, Rodman barely beat Oihane Hernández to the ball, clipping a one-time pass into a seam between Pride center backs Hailie Mace and Rafaelle.
Cantore didn't need a second invitation, settling herself before fizzing a shot past Anna Moorhouse to give the visitors a stunning lead.
Orlando came inches from a 6th-minute equalizer, only to find themselves down two within a matter of seconds. Banda escaped Esme Morgan to skip a cross to the back post, where Solai Washington's shot clipped the post, bouncing across the goalmouth.
Washington eventually cleared that threat, and Santos' pass from midfield suddenly found Cantore and Rodman in a two-on-two with Mace and Rafaelle. Santos picked out Rodman, who in turn fed Cantore — just barely checking her run to get onside — in behind.
Cantore drew Moorhouse off her line, touching the ball wide of the goalkeeper before passing it into an empty net for a stunning two-goal lead.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE ‼️ Sofia Cantore with a brace in under 6 minutes!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) May 2, 2026 at 5:51 PM
[image or embed]
Per the NWSL, Cantore set a record by scoring her brace just 5 minutes, 27 seconds apart, though the game clock indicated that it took only 3 minutes, 41 seconds to actually happen.
Despite the bright start, Washington was struggling to contain the movement of Banda and Haley McCutcheon, and eventually that produced a spot kick.
It wasn't initially clear whether the contact between Tara Rudd and Summer Yates sparked the 28th-minute call, or if it was Morgan bumping into Banda, but a VAR check seemed to indicate that the latter incident was the issue.
Ally Lemos stepped up to take the penalty, but Sandy MacIver sprung to her left, confidently batting the 33rd-minute spot kick away to preserve the Spirit's shutout streak.
SANDY SAVES 🗣️ Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver makes the PK stop!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) May 2, 2026 at 6:14 PM
[image or embed]
It was a stellar save, but Washington's long run without conceding ended just seconds later. From the resulting corner, Rafaelle knocked the delivery down towards Banda, who shot on the turn from close range. For the Spirit, it was the first goal by an opponent in 399 minutes of play, dating back to Mina Tanaka's equalizer for the Utah Royals on March 25.
Orlando stayed on task, and by the 39th minute were back level. Lemos made up for her penalty miss by swinging the ball wide to Oihane, whose cutback from the endline picked out Banda, who used a shoulder to gain the angle on Rudd then getting her shot off before Morgan could reach out to intervene.
Orlando gets a do-over and Barbra Banda makes it count 👏 THIS GAME HAS EVERYTHING
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) May 2, 2026 at 6:16 PM
[image or embed]
A breathless first half was a good show for the neutrals who waited out the delay, but in truth the Spirit had been second-best for most of the first 45 minutes.
Halftime changes — including bringing Andi Sullivan and Kate Wiesner into the fray — seemed directly related to Washington retaking the lead after 55 minutes. Cantore had moved wide left in the reshuffle, and won a header as MacIver cleared under pressure.
That header isn't Cantore's game, but it proved critical. Santos caught Orlando's back line out of shape, poking the ball immediately in behind for Martínez, who had taken over up top. The Paraguay starlet, kept onside by Cori Dyke, raced away from the Pride's defense before powering a finish past Moorhouse.
Claudia Martínez with a bueatiful run and....IN 👏 It's her second NWSL goal!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) May 2, 2026 at 7:14 PM
[image or embed]
Rodman was hunting a goal of her own, and it arrived in the 70th minute. Rebeca Bernal sent substitute Rosemonde Kouassi into space along the right. Kouassi raced away as she tends to do before delivering an inch-perfect cross to the U.S. women's national team forward, who made a third straight game with a goal.
Trinity Rodman's third goal in three games 🤯 Rosemonde Kouassi serves it on a platter and Rodman finishes it perfectly!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) May 2, 2026 at 7:18 PM
[image or embed]
That assist meant that Kouassi and Rodman are both part of a five-way tie for the NWSL lead, with both now on three for the year.
The Spirit changed to a back five to see the game out, whle Morgan and Gabby Carle made crucial interventions to deny close-range chances for Banda and Julie Doyle to preserve a two-goal lead and a fourth straight win.
The Spirit (4-3-1) have a week and a day before they start a three-week odyssey through the Pacific coast and Mexico. Washington's next assignment is on Sunday, May 10, when they take on the Seattle Reign at Lumen Field in a scheduled 7 p.m. ET kickoff. Green Line Soccer should be in the building for live coverage.
Box score — NWSL regular season (game 8)
5/2/2026
Orlando Pride 2 (Banda 33, 39)
Washington Spirit 4 (Cantore 2, 6; Martínez 55; Rodman 70)
Lineups:
Pride (4231): Anna Moorhouse, Oihane Hernández (Nicole Payne 65), Hailie Mace, Rafaelle, Cori Dyke; Angelina (Luana 74), Ally Lemos (Seven Castain 78); Summer Yates (Simone Jackson 65), Haley McCutcheon (C), Solai Washington (Julie Doyle 65); Barbra Banda
Spirit (4231): Sandy MacIver; Lucia Di Guglielmo (Kate Wiesner 46), Tara Rudd (C), Esme Morgan, Gabby Carle; Hal Hershfelt (Andi Sullivan 46), Rebeca Bernal; Claudia Martínez (Élisabeth Tsé 72), Leicy Santos, Trinity Rodman (Gift Monday 81); Sofia Cantore (Rosemonde Kouassi 59)
Bookings:
Pride - None
Spirit - Di Guglielmo 19, Morgan 78, MacIver 82
Referee: Shawn Tehini
Weather: Drizzle, humid, 69°
Attendance: 7,507
Comments ()