The Orlando Pride (9-12-3, 30 points) squandered a 2-0 second-half lead tonight, drawing 2-2 with the Kansas City Current (11-8-5, 38 points) at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Barbra Banda gave the Pride that lead with goals in the 43rd and 50th minutes. But goals by Temwa Chawinga in the 53rd minute and Elizabeth Ball in the 56th minute saw the team share the points.<\/p>\n
Pride interim head coach Yolanda Thomas deployed the same starting lineup that defeated the Houston Dash 3-1<\/a> Sunday night. The back line in front of goalkeeper Cosette Morche was Hailie Mace, Hannah Anderson, Cori Dyke, and Oihane. Angelina and Ally Lemos were the defensive midfielders behind Jacquie Ovalle, Haley McCutcheon, and Summer Yates with Banda up top.<\/p>\n It was the first time the Pride have had the same starting lineup in back-to-back games since May 2 and May 8.<\/p>\n Getting anything would\u2019ve been a success coming into the game. But it looked like the Pride might take all three points when they went up 2-0 shortly after halftime. Unfortunately, it wasn\u2019t to be as the Current responded with two quick goals. It then appeared as though it was only a matter of time before the Pride gave up a third, but they held on to get a point away from home.<\/p>\n The Current dominated play from the opening whistle, putting the Pride on their heels. However, the only early chance the hosts could muster was a Debinha shot from the top of the box with Anderson right in front of her.<\/p>\n The hosts nearly took the lead in the 17th minute when Kayla Sharples tried to flick on a throw-in in front of goal, but Oihane blocked it over the end line. Morche tipped but couldn\u2019t punch away the ensuing corner kick, resulting in the goalkeeper being caught out of position. Ball played the ball to Sharples at the top of the box, but her shot was blocked. Ball then got a shot of her own, but Morche got back in time to block the attempt and fall on the loose ball.<\/p>\n The Pride got their first good look in the 24th minute when Michelle Cooper fouled Jacquie Ovalle in the Current third of the field. Lemos and Ovalle stood over the ball with Ovalle sending the set piece toward the penalty spot. McCutcheon made a diagonal run and attempted to head it inside the near post, but Current goalkeeper Lorena was there to make the stop.<\/p>\n Kansas City quickly went the other way and created a chance of its own. Cooper dribbled into the Pride third before playing the ball wide right for Debinha. The Brazilian sent a beautiful ball to the far post, where Haley Hopkins was making a wide-open run. The attacker had time to settle the ball, but decided to one-time it instead. That was a mistake, as the ball got caught in her feet and went wide of the target.<\/p>\n Vanessa DiBernardo forced Morche into action in the 29th minute when the defensive midfielder sent a shot from outside the box to the far post. The ball was heading in until Morche dove to her right and tipped it wide. The Pride cleared the ensuing set piece to keep the game scoreless.<\/p>\n Lemos played the ball wide left for Mace in the 37th minute. It appeared as though the defender would cross, but she shot toward goal instead. Lorena backpedaled and tipped the ball over the crossbar. The Current headed the ensuing set piece out, where Mace collected it. This time she did cross the ball, but it was right into the Lorena\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n After Dyke headed a Current 39th-minute corner kick over the end line, the hosts nearly took the lead. Sharples flicked the second set piece to the back post, where Ball was waiting. The center back put her first-touch shot inside the near post, where it bounced off Morche and Oihane before the Pride goalkeeper fell on it inches from the goal line.<\/p>\n Despite spending most of the first half defending, it was the Pride who took the lead in the 43rd minute. Lemos sent a hopeful ball down the field for Banda between two defenders. The striker was the first to reach it and sent her first-touch shot from long range over Lorena \u2014 who was off her line \u2014 to give the visitors a shocking 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n There\u2019s goals\u2026 and then there\u2019s Barbra Banda Bangers \ud83d\ude42\u200d\u2195\ufe0f<\/p>\n The Ballon d\u2019Or nominee gives Orlando Pride the first-half lead! pic.twitter.com\/JvFP66IZh7<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 National Women\u2019s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Following the goal, the Current went on the hunt for an equalizer and came close twice. As the game entered first-half stoppage time, Lo\u2019eau LaBonta sent a long ball down the right for Cooper. Debinha, who played the initial ball to LaBonta, continued her run to the top of the box. Cooper spotted her teammate wide open and the Brazilian\u2019s first touch was a shot. But she was leaning back, sending her attempt off the crossbar and out of play.<\/p>\n The final chance came in the third minute of stoppage time when DiBernardo found Izzy Rodriguez making a run down the left. Chawinga got her head to the cross, directing the ball wide of the far post. The halftime whistle blew immediately after the miss.<\/p>\n While the teams split possession in the first half, the Current doubled the Pride\u2019s number of shots (12-6). However, both teams put three on target. Kansas City also had the advantage in crosses (20-9), corner kicks (6-4), and passing accuracy (86%-81%).<\/p>\n Thomas made one halftime change, replacing Yates with Solai Washington.<\/p>\n The Pride didn\u2019t take long after the restart to double their advantage, doing so in the 50th minute. Mace played the ball down the left for Banda with Ball on her back. The striker made a lightning-quick turn, powered past her defender, and sent her shot under Lorena\u2019s left arm to make it 2-0.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen she\u2019s on the field, we\u2019re never out of the game,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cThat\u2019s just the reality. So that is another source of confidence and just comfort almost for her teammates to know that if they keep fighting, she\u2019s going to find a way to create something. Whether that\u2019s them serving it up or her just creating something out of nothing. So it also keeps opponents on their back foot because you can\u2019t relax when she\u2019s still on the field. So, really excited for her to get back to scoring multiple goals, and we\u2019re ready to support her to continue chasing more.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the game turned following that goal. As the Pride looked to defend their lead, the Current went on the attack, looking to continue their season-long unbeaten run at home. And it didn\u2019t take long for their response.<\/p>\n A poor header by Mace in the 53rd minute allowed Cooper to start a two-on-two counter attack with Chawinga to her left. Mace caught up with the attacker, but opted not to take a tactical foul. Cooper was then free to play the ball between Oihane and Cori Dyke for Chawinga. The striker\u2019s initial touch held her up and it looked like the Pride defense might survive. But she dribbled through them before playing the ball past Morche to make it 2-1.<\/p>\n The Current then tied the game three minutes later when the Pride were unable to defend a set piece. Debinha couldn\u2019t turn the near-post corner kick on goal and Morche blocked Rodriguez\u2019s follow-up shot. Unfortunately, her save went to the top of the six-yard box. Hopkins couldn\u2019t get a solid foot on the ball, but it went to Ball, who put it in to even the game at 2-2.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a team that\u2019s going to take advantage and try to punish your mistakes, so mental lapses, being safe, and taking low risks, and then them punishing us,\u201d Thomas said about the Kansas City goals. \u201cAnd when you\u2019ve got a player like Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper transitioning to your own goal, they\u2019re likely to get something, right? So just not really managing those moments right after we\u2019ve gotten scored on, which we know those are vulnerable moments for any team. So they\u2019re learning points.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just think it\u2019s two lapses,\u201d Lemos added. \u201cTeams are always most vulnerable whenever you score. So I think really just focusing on the big five moments. The five minutes after you score, you\u2019re the most vulnerable. So I think really just focusing in and honing in on all the little details and just staying fully locked in those next 5-10 minutes would have really helped us. And we had two unfortunate lapses.\u201d<\/p>\n The second goal completely changed the momentum of the game and it felt like only a matter of time before the hosts would take their first lead. In the 61st minute, Morche punched a corner kick away and, after Debinha\u2019s sliding shot was blocked, the defense blocked LaBonta\u2019s attempt over the target.<\/p>\n The Pride were again unable to clear a set piece, allowing the Current to keep the ball in the Pride box. The ball was touched off Hopkins\u2019 foot, going to Cooper outside the 18. The attacker fired from distance, sending her attempt off target.<\/p>\n Rodriguez took Angelina down near midfield in the 70th minute, earning a yellow card and giving Thomas a chance for a second substitution. This time, Ovalle made way for Sanne Lekven. It was the second appearance for Lekven, who continues to acclimate herself to her new team.<\/p>\n \u201cStep one is really get to know your teammates, get to know the league. In Florida, get acclimated to the weather. So, we\u2019re doing what we can do to bring her along. And she\u2019s a fun personality,\u201d Thomas said about Lekven\u2019s minutes these last two games. \u201cSanne speaks Norwegian. I speak Swedish. So, we understand each other quite well. So, it\u2019s really just about getting her acclimated.\u201d<\/p>\n LaBonta found Hopkins near the top of the six-yard box in the 76th minute, forcing Morche into a terrific save, tipping the ball over the crossbar. However, Hopkins was deemed offside anyway, so the save didn\u2019t count. Thomas used the stoppage to make her third sub, replacing Lemos with Marta.<\/p>\n Chawinga tried to dribble through the Pride defense in the 80th minute, but Mace blocked her last move. The Pride went the other way, resulting in Banda carrying the ball into the Current third of the field. The striker unleashed a long-distance shot for the near post, but it sailed wide.<\/p>\n Banda played a square ball behind Lekven and Marta in the 86th minute, allowing Angelina to collect it on the left. The defensive midfielder dribbled inside before taking a shot that forced Lorena to block it wide. Marta\u2019s ensuing corner kick found Anderson beyond the back post, but her header attempt was into Lorena\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n Penelope Hocking tried to find Hopkins inside the six-yard box in the 88th minute, but Dyke got a foot in to block it out of play. Despite heading the ensuing corner kick out of the box, the Pride were unable to get it out of their own third. Cooper collected it and shot from distance, sending her attempt well off target.<\/p>\n Thomas used the stoppage to make her final change of the game, replacing Angelina with Luana.<\/p>\n In the 90th minute, Rodriguez chested a short clearance down and dribbled into the Pride box. Anderson initially stuck her leg out, but pulled it back just before Rodriguez went to the ground. The Current players wanted a penalty, but the referee rightfully allowed play to continue.<\/p>\n The hosts created a couple more chances as the game reached the final seconds. The first was a Rodriguez cross that Sharples headed wide. Then Hocking found Amelia White on the right side of the box, but her shot was over the target.<\/p>\n At full time, Kansas City had the edge in every category: possession (56%-44%), shots (24-12), shots on target (8-6), crosses (36-16), corner kicks (13-8), and passing accuracy (88%-80%). However, the Current had to erase a two-goal deficit at home just to get a point.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels disappointing when you\u2019re up 2-0 and you don\u2019t come out with three points,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cBut the fact that we are now feeling disappointed about not getting three points in a game like this is a testament to how far we\u2019ve come in just a week and a half. So, still to go into this atmosphere, given what we\u2019ve been through, and to get a point is still a good thing for us. And I\u2019m proud of the effort put forth and the fact that we\u2019ve come out of here with a point.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHard environment to come away and play in. And, at the end of the day, we got a point,\u201d Lemos added. \u201cStill not fully satisfied, but it\u2019s a step forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Three points would\u2019ve been crucial for the Pride\u2019s chances of reaching the postseason for the third consecutive year. They would\u2019ve moved into ninth, one point behind the Seattle Reign while playing two more games than the teams around them. Instead, they remain in 11th and a postseason appearance is an even longer shot than before the night began.<\/p>\n On the plus side, the point ensures the Pride remain the only NWSL team to be undefeated at CPKC Stadium, something that\u2019s not lost on them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talked about it. We talked about it yesterday and today,\u201d Thomas said about their undefeated record in the stadium. \u201cSo I reminded them of listen, this is a tough environment. It\u2019s going to be tough. But also I\u2019m going to challenge you to actually thrive in it because we have a history of thriving here. A lot of us have really good memories in this place, and so can you channel that? But I also reminded them that each time we\u2019ve actually gotten a result here, something crazy has happened. So, whether it\u2019s a weather delay, a red card, an injury, we\u2019ve found a way to overcome. So, those were reminders that we used throughout the week.\u201d<\/p>\n They also have now claimed points in two consecutive games, something they haven\u2019t done since they beat San Diego Wave FC 1-0<\/a> on May 24 and Bay FC 3-1<\/a> on May 29.<\/p>\n The Pride will look to extend that point streak on Sept. 19 when they welcome the Portland Thorns to Orlando.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t