For the first time in five years, the National Women’s Soccer League top seeds have made it through to the final game. When the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit meet in the Championship this Sunday, there will be little argument that we are watching the two finest teams in the league, even considering the great efforts of Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC.
The winner will be a thoroughly deserving one, but predicting which team that will be is a tough task, particularly on the basis of their two regular season meetings. Orlando won both — 3-2 away, 2-0 at home — though the circumstances on each occasion were far from ideal.
For the first meeting, back in April, the Spirit were without head coach Jonatan Giráldez, at that time attending to unfinished business with Barcelona. Orlando, meanwhile, were still figuring things out, establishing their best lineup and trying new ideas. By the time the two sides met once again in October, Orlando’s long unbeaten run had become a heavy weight to carry. They won, again, and sealed the NWSL Shield against a Washington outfit missing Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, Leicy Santos due to injury, and Hal Hershfelt through suspension.
We might not have seen either team at their absolute peak in these games. What we did see were some key, recurring tactical aspects. Across the 213 regular season minutes the Pride and the Spirit shared — stoppage time included — there were instances of both trying to confuse one another’s marking to outnumber through the middle, pushing one fullback (Orlando) or both fullbacks (Washington) high to allow a winger inside. There was some incisive, exceptionally quick counter attacking.
But the truth is that these games were defined not by the attacking patterns, pressing triggers or fast breakaways. Really, it was all about Barbra Banda.
