Marta steals her moment as Orlando Pride claim the NWSL Shield

Orlando Pride clinched the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Shield on Sunday after claiming a 2-0 victory over second-place Washington Spirit at Inter & Co Stadium.

A rainy evening in Florida did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Pride, as a penalty goal from Marta and an own-goal from Tara McKeown were enough to claim the premier title after a dominant season.

Marta claims her momentFollowing a tight contest that went goalless into the half-time break, a challenge from McKeown on Barbra Banda inside of the area saw Orlando awarded a penalty in the 54th minute of play. None other than Marta stepped up to the spot, as the Brazilian legend made no mistake in converting to give her team the advantage with 35 left to play.

Marta’s eighth goal of the 2024 NWSL season couldn’t have come at a better time, as Orlando Pride found themselves within touching distance of their first Shield victory in club history. Silverware in a stunning season 

The game was put to bed just 15 minutes later as the Pride doubled their advantage through Adriana. The Brazilian attacker stormed forward in possession as she fired her strike toward the goal in attempt to give Orlando a second. Adriana’s shot took a strong deflection from McKeown, before flying into the back of the net for the win.

Orlando’s 2-0 victory over Washington Spirit saw the side lift the NWSL Shield under the downpour of the Florida skies after a record-breaking season. The victory not only resulted in a trophy but extended the Pride’s winning streak out to 24 games unbeaten, still with three games left to play.

The NWSL Shield marks a historic achievement for the club as they secure their first-ever league silverware since their inception. The Pride now has the opportunity to make even more history by becoming the first NWSL club to go unbeaten in a single season, with games against Portland Thorns, NJ/NY Gotham FC and Seattle Reign the only thing standing in their way.