Orlando Pride 1-1 Washington Spirit (2-4 on penalties)
By Catherine Mackenzie 8/3/25
Above: Washington Spirit celebrate winning the 2025 Challenge Cup. Photo: @WashSpirit on X
Washington Spirit beat NWSL Champions Orlando Pride on penalties to lift the 2025 Challenge Cup.
In the United States, the new season of women’s football is nearly upon us. The NWSL returns later in March, with reigning first-time champions Orlando Pride aiming to retain their championship and shield double. To kick off the domestic season, on Friday evening Pride faced championship runners-up Washington Spirit in the 2025 Challenge Cup.
Often likened to England’s Community Shield, the Challenge Cup brings together the winner of the NWSL championship and the winner of the NWSL shield (the team that won the league phase of the NWSL). Last year, Orlando Pride won both, so the Challenge Cup instead offered Spirit the chance for revenge in a repeat of the championship game.
The aforementioned championship-decider was played last November, with the Floridians running out 1-0 winnerscourtesy of a goal from Zambia’s in-form striker Barbra Banda. As tends to be the case in big games, the scoreline did not reflect the full story; Spirit had the lion’s share of the best chances, with 26 shots to Pride’s nine, and five shots on target compared to Pride’s three.
Orlando’s English goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse put in a player of the match performance to keep the Washington side at bay, and it was Banda’s speed and physicality that eventually proved the difference as she dribbled past the Spirit defence for the match winner.
Above: Anna Moorhouse during November’s championship-decider. Image: @ORLPride on X
Three months, the festive period and two international breaks later, Spirit had their chance for revenge. They started with three changes in midfield: new signing and Japanese international Narumi Miura got her first start for the club, with 17-year-old Chloe Ricketts and veteran Brittany Ratcliffe also getting the nod this time around. USWNT star Trinity Rodman continued her recovery from the injury that ruled her out of February’s She Believes tournament and was not fielded.
For Orlando, there were fewer changes; Brazilian Adriana left the club in January for Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah and was replaced by Morgan Gautrat. The only other change came in defence, with Coriana Dyke replaced by Rafaelle.
The game started with rustiness showing from both sides,something we often see from teams in their opening games after a lengthy break. Spirit were particularly sloppy in the opening quarter as they struggled to retain possession and created little – perhaps also symptomatic of integrating new players into the spine of the team, with Miura and Ricketts coming in.
For much of the opening half it seemed like only a matter of time before Orlando would strike, with Banda energetically searching for an opener. As the game neared half time, Orlando were awarded a penalty as Narumi took down Watt on the edge of the box. This would have been soft, however, and the penalty was overturned by VAR.
This missed opportunity seemed to encourage the Floridian team and they struck from a corner minutes later, as defender Rafaelle beat Spirit keeper Kingsbury with a powerful shot.
Above: Orlando Pride’s Rafaelle celebrates her goal. Image: @ORLPride on X.
Spirit looked rejuvenated after the break and were tighter on the ball. They created momentum and had the better of the chances, buoyed by the introduction of Morris and Bernal in the 61st minute.
A dangerously placed free-kick in the 72nd minute gave Spirit the opportunity they needed and Leicy Santos confidently took her chance, beating Moorhouse with a superb strike.
Above: Leicy Santos celebrates her equaliser. Image: @WashSpirit on X
With no extra time in the challenge cup, the match headed straight for penalties. Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury cemented her player of the match performance with a penalty save to give her team the win.
Spirit head coach Jonatan Giraldez notched his first piece of silverware since moving from Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona last summer, where he won numerous awards and accolades including a domestic quadruple. His first American silverware is a deserved emblem of the progress Spirit have made under his leadership; from finishing eighth in 2023 to being the main challengers for the championship title in 2024.
Walking away from that November game with nothing in terms of silverware will have been hard to take, but Spirit can take great pride in their performance on Friday – they showed that they can compete with the best and will be looking to improve on last season’s second place. For Orlando, this is a sign that the NWSL moves quickly, and they cannot stand still if they hope to retain their championship title.
Teams:
ORLANDO PRIDE (4-4-2): Moorhouse, Rafaelle, Sams, Strom, Abello, Angelina, Hanson, Watt, Marta, Gautrat, Banda. Substitutes: Doyle, Lemos, Yates, Chilufya, Crone, Martinez, Villacorta, Chanda, Chavoshi.
Scorer: Rafaelle 41’
WASHINGTON SPIRIT (4-3-3): Kingsbury, Krueger, Morgan, McKeown, Carle, Santos, Hershfelt, Miura, Ricketts, Ratcliffe, Hatch. Substitutes: Bernal, Morris, MacIver, Rodman, Dulaney, Boade, Detrizio.
Scorer: Santos 72’
Referee: Alex Billeter
Attendance: TBC
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 