Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current remain undefeated in NWSL

By SUSIE RANTZ
Associated Press

Barbra Banda contributed to all three goals as the Orlando Pride remained undefeated with a 3-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Friday night in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Banda scored, assisted, and drew a penalty as the Pride (3-0-3) handed the Spirit (4-2-0) their first home loss this season.

Banda, acquired for a team-record transfer fee of $740,000, set up her team’s first goal in the 22nd minute. She beat her defender to the end line and crossed to Angelina, who ran into the box and volleyed her shot into the left corner.

Washington’s Ouleymata Sarr chipped goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse in the 41st minute to tie it at 1.

Banda scored her first NWSL goal early in the second half, heading in Julie Doyle’s flicked pass from a corner kick.

Banda drew a penalty in the 57th minute and Summer Yates got Aubrey Kingsbury to dive left and finished into the opposite corner to make it 3-1.

Ashley Hatch’s shot from distance slipped through Moorhouse’s hands in the 65th minute for the final.

The Pride went to 10 players in the 91st minute after Brianna Martinez was shown her second yellow card.

CURRENT 3, ANGEL CITY 1

Claire Lavogez scored two late goals and the Kansas City Current stayed undefeated and at the top of the league with a 3-1 comeback win over Angel City.

After a long spell of possession, Angel City (2-3-1) scored in the 35th minute. Combining with Alyssa Thompson in the box, Claire Emslie cut around her defender and curled her shot into the far post with her left foot. Emslie now has four goals, tied for the league lead.

The Current (5-0-1) came out with more pressure and energy in the second half, and it paid off.

Vanessa DiBernardo leveled it for the Current in the 54th minute, whipping a shot from well outside the 18-yard box into the upper left corner.

Lavogez timed her run into the box perfectly and connected with Izzy Rodriguez’s cross with her first touch, scoring from close range in the 90th minute to give Kansas City the lead.

Lavogez tapped in Temwa Chawinga’s deflected cross a few minutes later to seal the victory for the Current, who have scored 20 goals in six games.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer