Spirit’s winning streak comes to an end with home loss to Orlando (2024)

Washington conceded twice in the span of six minutes in the second half. Barbra Banda, Orlando’s newly arrived star signing, had a goal and an assist and earned a penalty in her first NWSL start.

“We tried to create some more chances. I almost wish we could have had those looks earlier into the game so we weren’t pushing so hard at the end,” said midfielder Paige Metayer, who made her first start of the season. “It was great that we showed that we could push that hard, but obviously we walked away with no goals out of it.”

Metayer’s insertion, which moved Hatch to the bench, was the only lineup change to start for the Spirit. Metayer, a regular last year who has seen limited minutes this season, played on the right, and winger Trinity Rodman moved to the left. Brazilian star Marta, who has two goals for the Pride, was out with a lower leg injury.

Banda made her first stamp on the match in the 22nd minute, chasing the ball down the right flank and sending a cross that found midfielder Angelina for the game’s opening goal. Four of the seven goals the Spirit has conceded this season have come in the first 22 minutes.

“We knew that Orlando is a good team and you cannot concede in those situations,” Spirit interim coach Adrián González said. “We conceded that second goal in a bad moment for us. We need to improve, we need to learn, and I think today it’s a big learning for the team.”

Banda, a Zambian forward who made Olympic history in 2021 at the Tokyo Games by recording two hat tricks, was the Pride’s main attacking threat. The 24-year-old signed with Orlando (3-0-3) last month for a reported $740,000, the second-highest transfer fee in women’s soccer history.

The Spirit equalized in the 40th minute. Croix Bethune’s pass found Ouleymata Sarr on a breakaway, and the French forward lobbed a chip shot over Orlando keeper Anna Moorhouse, energizing the home crowd of 11,636.

Sarr’s goal was her second of the season.

Hatch entered at halftime for Sarr. González said the change was motivated both by rotation — Friday night’s game is the first of three in 10 days for the team — and Orlando’s game plan, which cut off channels for Rodman and Bethune, the Spirit’s foremost attacking options.

Banda put the Pride ahead in the 52nd minute, knocking in a header from the near post. Six minutes later, she was fouled by Spirit center back Annaig Butel for a penalty, converted by midfielder Summer Yates to put Orlando ahead 3-1.

Hatch cut the deficit in the 65th minute with a rocket of a shot from distance for her second goal of the season. The Spirit pushed farther into the attacking third after the goal but struggled to create quality shot opportunities.

Orlando right back Brianna Martínez, who was tasked with defending Rodman for much of the night, received a second yellow card after a hard foul in the 90th minute, leaving the Pride with 10 players for stoppage time. Hatch’s attempt hit the crossbar in the seventh added minute, and ensuing attempts by Rodman and Metayer were off target.

“We need to be better in the details and defending our box and just not giving them those opportunities,” goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury said. “Credit to Orlando for finishing their chances. We’ve just, on the other end, got to make more of ours.”