November 25 – Since their formation 9-years ago the Orlando Pride, have been something of a laughingstock in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), however, that ended on Saturday evening as they completed the double winning the Championship to add to the Shield they won a few weeks ago.
Their 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium in front of a rocking crowd, gave Brazilian superstar, and women’s game icon, Marta, her first victory in a final since the 2011 win in the now-defunct Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).
Despite being outshot 26-9, the Pride got the all-important goal scored by Barbra Banda in the 37th minute, and then spent large periods of the game hanging on.
For Marta, the game was especially sweet, as her mother got to see her daughter play live in the United States for the first time. Her teammates also made it their mission to win this title for one of the greatest players the women’s game has ever seen.
“I think there’s a huge feeling of doing this for Marta,” said defender Kerry Abello. “Every time she talks to us, in like the team huddle, there’s so much passion sometimes she even sheds a tear. She wants it so badly. And I think we’re all super-inspired by her and just what she’s given to the game. … I don’t know, whenever she talks in the huddle, I’m like, ‘I’m ready to run through a wall for this woman, over and over again’.”
It’s been a rocky road for Marta since returning to the US in 2017 after five seasons in Sweden saying: “I see players come and then leave, come and leave. We had ups and downs. Some seasons, we were OK, but not good enough. And I always ask myself what I’m looking for, because I’m still staying (in) Orlando. Tonight, I had all the answers.”
Also with all the answers was Englishman and head coach, Seb Hines, who became the first black manager to win the double to go along with his NWSL coach of the year award. In his post-match comments he said: “This means everything, we’ve been through so many times and have been working for this moment.”
With a primetime kickoff and the CBS and Paramount+ platforms airing the game, it feels like the women’s game has truly arrived, however, the last word must go to the six-time Fifa World Player of the Year award winner Marta who said on live TV: “Of course, it means so much, I f***ing waited eight years!”
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1735175045labto1735175045ofdlr1735175045owedi1735175045sni@o1735175045fni1735175045