The Pride displayed a strong attacking performance right from the beginning, creating scoring opportunities deep in the Spirit’s territory. Adriana earned a corner kick just a minute into the game, but the Spirit’s goalkeeper managed to make the save. Banda had a chance to score in the seventh minute but was fouled by Butel, resulting in a free kick for the Pride which Adriana couldn’t convert.
Marta was tripped by Andi Sullivan in the Spirit’s defensive third, earning her a free kick in the 16th minute. Banda attempted a cross that was blocked by McKeown, leading to a corner kick for the Pride that was ultimately cleared. Despite McKeown touching the ball with her arm, it was not considered a penalty. The subsequent corner kick from Chesky was too high for Banda to reach, resulting in a missed header. Paige Metayer provided a fantastic opportunity for the Spirit in the 25th minute by assisting Rosemonde Kouassi, who attempted a shot that was deflected over the crossbar. The Pride managed to clear the ensuing corner kick and launch a counterattack. Banda’s pass to Marta was negated due to Marta being offside, halting the potential threat.
Dyke attempted a long pass to Banda, but it missed its mark, although the Pride continued to apply pressure on the Spirit. Marta received the ball from Butel and passed it to Adriana, whose shot was directed straight at Kingsbury. Pickett forced a turnover from Esme Morgan in the 33rd minute, leading to a swift change of possession. Abello’s pass to Banda on the left wing saw Banda showcasing her speed by getting past McKeown inside the box. Banda’s subsequent shot from a challenging angle was saved by Kingsbury.
Dyke made a forward run as Adriana supplied her with the ball on the right side in the 36th minute, but the ensuing cross to Banda at the back post was too high. Pickett managed to control the pass but sent a wide shot towards the far post. Pickett dispossessed Sullivan near the Spirit’s penalty area in the 39th minute, causing a foul by Heather Stainbrook. Despite the Spirit’s dispute over the decision, Stainbrook was shown a yellow card. Adriana took the resultant set piece but hit the wall, resulting in the ball deflecting into Kingsbury’s arms.
Dyke embarked on a long run forward and passed to Gautrat, who supplied a cross to Banda, yet Banda failed to connect with a header. Just a minute later, Pickett delivered a pass to Banda inside the box, with Banda’s subsequent shot being deflected by Carle. Courtney Brown made a late run into the box in stoppage time, finding some space near the post. However, her attempt narrowly missed the goal, striking the exterior of the net.
The Pride nearly capitalized on a late chance in the first half, but Marta’s shot sailed over the goal, resulting in a halftime score of 0-0. The Pride showcased dominance in various aspects including possession, shots, shots on target, corner kicks, crosses, and passing accuracy throughout the first half.
The second half of the game commenced at a slow pace, gaining momentum in the 54th minute when Angelina passed to Banda who managed to get behind the Spirit’s defense. Banda was impeded by McKeown inside the box, resulting in a penalty awarded by Chesky, who also booked McKeown. After a brief VAR check to confirm the penalty, Marta stepped up to take the spot kick. Employing a correct guess, Kingsbury managed to get a hand to the ball, but the strike was too powerful, leading to a 1-0 lead for the Pride.
Subsequently, the Pride continued to press forward in search of another goal as Morgan supplied the ball to Adriana in the 59th minute. Adriana attempted to dribble into the Spirit’s box, but Morgan was able to thwart her efforts. Following a regain of possession, Morgan passed to Gautrat, whose shot was blocked. Pickett received a pass from Abello and directed the ball to Carle, who flicked it towards Adriana. However, Adriana couldn’t produce an effective shot, missing the target. A failed clearance by the Spirit allowed Abello to take a shot from outside the box that went over in the 63rd minute. Hines made a substitution, bringing in Yates for Gautrat.
In the 69th minute, Metayer outpaced Abello one-on-one into the box, culminating in a duel between Pickett and Metayer that resulted in a corner kick. The resulting set piece was delivered to Kouassi, who launched a dangerous ball into the box. Moorhouse attempted to come out for the ball but missed, and with no player able to convert, it resulted in a throw-in. A subsequent substitution was made by Hines, with Doyle replacing Pickett.
The intensified pressure from the Pride in the 73rd minute led to a second goal when Marta caused a turnover by pressuring McKeown, allowing Adriana to strike a shot deflected by McKeown into the net, extending the Pride’s lead to 2-0.
In the 75th minute, the Pride were nearly scored against via a play initiated by Wiesner passing to Silano who crossed to Ratcliffe, but Abello intercepted the ball before Ratcliffe could capitalize. Silano attempted a shot that was blocked by Strom, followed by the clearance of a corner kick to preserve the Pride’s 2-0 lead.
The Spirit came close to scoring in the 85th minute, but Ratcliffe was unable to make clean contact with the ball, leading to a save by Moorhouse. In the 88th minute, Yates entered the box and was hit in the face by a Spirit midfielder, resulting in a collision with Sullivan, requiring medical assistance for both players. Sullivan had to be taken off on a stretcher, with Jenna Butler coming in as a substitution.
The second half was extended by eight additional minutes by the referee, with Marta attempting a shot in the seventh minute of stoppage time that went over the goal. Kouassi also tried her luck from the top of the box, but her shot was comfortably saved by Moorhouse, securing a 2-0 victory for the Pride.
The Pride ultimately showcased superiority in possession, shots, and passing accuracy compared to the Spirit, although the Spirit managed more corner kicks. Both teams registered four shots on target and 10 crosses each. The Pride maintained an impressive record of 27 unbeaten matches, including their participation in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. Their last defeat occurred a year ago against Racing Louisville FC on Oct. 6, 2023. Clinching the top spot in the playoffs, the Pride now aim to conclude the season without suffering a single defeat, a feat that has not been accomplished by any NWSL team in the league’s 12-year history.
