Barbra Banda and Marta scored goals and the Orlando Pride remained undefeated by beating Kansas City 2-1 on Saturday, handing the Current its first loss of the National Women’s Soccer League season.
Temwa Chawinga scored for the Current (10-1-5) in front of a sellout crowd of 11,500 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, who came to see the league’s first two and only undefeated teams.
With the win, the first-place Pride (11-0-5) extended its unbeaten streak to 17 games dating back to last season, tying the league record set by the Current last week. The Pride haven’t lost a game since March 22.
Banda and Chawinga entered the match tied at the top of the league with 11 goals each and delivered in the main clash.
Banda scored his 12th goal of the season in the 37th minute. Adriana’s shot was blocked and fell straight to Banda in the box, who finished into the arms of goalkeeper Adrianna Franch.
Chawinga responded two minutes later, dribbling into the box and bypassing several defenders before shooting into the right corner.
Carrie Lawrence received a second yellow card in the 42nd minute after fouling Chawinga, putting the Pride at a disadvantage for the remainder of the match.
Orlando went up in the 61st minute when Adriana was fouled in the box, and Marta found the goalkeeper with a penalty for her fifth goal of the season.
Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse made seven saves.
RED STARS 1, DASH 0
Mallory Swanson scored just before halftime to help the Chicago Red Stars beat the Houston Dash 1-0 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Leilanni Nesbeth hit a pass and found Swanson in first-half stoppage time. She dribbled forward and shot with her left foot from outside the box, finishing into the top left corner for her seventh goal of the season.
Swanson has scored in four consecutive games for Chicago (7-7-2), equaling the most in Red Stars history.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made six saves to earn her third clean sheet this season.
The Dash (3-8-5) are scoreless in five straight games.
GOTHAM 2, ANGEL CITY 1
Rose Lavelle scored in the 16th minute and Gotham FC handed Angel City a third consecutive defeat, 2-1, in Los Angeles.
The midfielder, who was called up to the France-bound US Olympic team, has five goals this season. Delanie Sheehan gave Gotham (9-3-4) a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes.
Claire Emslie scored from the penalty spot for Angel City (4-9-3) in the 69th minute. It was her team-leading sixth goal of the season.
SPIRIT 3, BAY FC 0
Rookie Makenna Morris scored her first NWSL goal in the fourth minute, Trinity Rodman converted a penalty in the 21st and the Washington Spirit won their first match under new coach Jonatan Giraldez, 3-0 over Bay FC at PayPal Park in San Jose.
Ouleymata Sarr scored his seventh goal of the season for the Spirit (11-4-1) in the 57th minute.
The first-year team, Bay FC (6-10-0), has won its last two matches.
Giraldez was signed by Spirit in January but finished the season at Barcelona, who won three consecutive Spanish league titles and two consecutive Champions League titles under his watch.
Giraldez has spent the last two weeks getting used to his new club under interim coach Adrián González, who will now become his assistant.
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