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Marta’s Clutch Penalty Shatters Spirit’s Historic Unbeaten Streak in NWSL Thriller

By_Suraj Karowa/ ANW

Marta buries a penalty kick in the 72nd minute for the game-winner as the Pride ended the Spirit’s long unbeaten streak with a 3-2 victory at Audi Field on Saturday.


WASHINGTON — In a match that swung like a pendulum on the final day of the NWSL regular season, Brazilian legend Marta delivered a masterclass in composure, burying a 72nd-minute penalty kick to hand the Orlando Pride a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Washington Spirit on Saturday afternoon at Audi Field. The goal not only secured three crucial points for the visitors but also abruptly ended the Spirit’s remarkable 16-game unbeaten run—a streak that had propelled them to the top of the standings and cemented their status as the league’s most formidable force.

Marta with her teammates


The air was thick with tension under a crisp October sky, the crowd of 8,247 roaring as the two playoff-bound sides clashed in what has become one of the league’s most heated budding rivalries. The Spirit, with 44 points from a 12-5-8 record, entered the game knowing a win or draw would lock in home-field advantage for the postseason. The Pride, sitting on 39 points from 11-8-6, desperately needed the victory to climb into a more favorable playoff position and build momentum after a turbulent second half of the season marred by injuries.


What unfolded was a chaotic, end-to-end spectacle that showcased the NWSL’s growing parity and star power. The first half was a cagey affair, with both defenses holding firm. Washington’s Aubrey Kingsbury, the league’s ironclad goalkeeper, thwarted an early chance from Pride forward Ally Watt, while Orlando’s shot-stopper Courtney Pedersen parried a curling effort from Spirit winger Trinity Rodman. The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Washington’s Ashley Hatch exploited space on a counterattack, rifling a low shot past Pedersen to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. The goal sent the home fans into a frenzy, evoking memories of the Spirit’s dominant run that began back in May.

Marta Cheering up after the winning with team players


But the Pride, resilient and resurgent, refused to wilt. Trailing at halftime, head coach Seb Hines turned to his bench, introducing Marta—the 39-year-old icon whose career spans three decades, six Olympic golds, and countless World Cup heartbreaks. The Brazilian, who joined Orlando in 2022 after stints in Sweden and with the Chicago Red Stars, had been quiet offensively this season, managing just three goals before this outing. Yet her influence was immediate. In the 52nd minute, Marta’s precise cross from the right flank deflected off Spirit midfielder Narumi Miura and into the net—an own goal that tied the score at 1-1. It marked the Pride’s league-leading sixth forced own goal of the campaign, tying the single-season record set by the 2021 Chicago Stars.


The game exploded into life shortly after. In the 60th minute, Spirit midfielder Ashley Sanchez danced through two defenders before slotting home a clinical finish to restore Washington’s lead, 2-1. The stadium erupted, with Rodman and Hatch linking up in the “Triple Espresso” synergy that had terrorized opponents all season. But Orlando’s response was ferocious. Just nine minutes later, in the 69th, Pride defender Phallon Tullis-Joyce misfired a clearance, only for it to trickle into her own net—another own goal, this time leveling the score at 2-2. The deflection off Tullis-Joyce’s shin wrong-footed Kingsbury, leaving the Spirit stunned and the Pride sensing blood.


The turning point arrived in the 70th minute. As Watt charged into the box, she was upended by a desperate challenge from Spirit defender Kysha Sylla—a foul confirmed after a brief VAR review. The referee pointed to the spot, and the crowd fell silent. Up stepped Marta, facing Kingsbury in a duel laced with history. The Spirit keeper, recalling Marta’s right-sided penalty that beat her last year and the left-footed save in the Copa América Femenina final just months prior, gambled right again.

It was the wrong call. Marta, with ice in her veins, slotted the ball low to the keeper’s left, the net rippling as the scoreboard ticked to 3-2. At 39 years and 158 days, she became the oldest player to convert a regular-season penalty in NWSL history, her 14th career spot-kick success tying her with Lo LaBonta and Megan Rapinoe for the all-time league record.


“I saw the goalkeeper’s eyes,” Marta said post-match, her voice steady but eyes alight with the fire that has defined her 25-year career. “She moved early, and I knew. This is for the team—we’ve fought through so much this year.” Her fourth goal of the season, the first since April, was a statement: even in the twilight of her club days, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner remains a playoff predator.


For the Spirit, the loss was a gut punch. Their unbeaten streak, which included 12 wins and four draws since a June defeat to the Kansas City Current, had them unbeaten in 70% of their games this season. Coach Mark Parsons praised his side’s resilience but lamented the lapses. “We dominated possession, created chances, but those moments… they kill you,” he said. Hatch and Sanchez’s efforts weren’t enough, and despite late corners in stoppage time—both cleared off the line—the Spirit couldn’t equalize. With the result, they slip to second in the Shield race, setting up a potential postseason rematch.


The Pride, meanwhile, extended their road unbeaten streak against Washington to four games, a psychological edge as the playoffs loom next weekend. Hines called it “poetic justice” after losing star forward Barbra Banda to a season-ending injury in August. “Marta’s magic got us here,” he beamed. “We’re unbeaten in four now, and that’s no coincidence.”


This clash underscored the NWSL’s evolution: a league where veterans like Marta mentor a new generation amid nail-biting finishes. As Orlando eyes a deep playoff run—their first Shield contention since 2017—the Spirit regroup, unbeaten no more but battle-hardened. In a season of streaks and stories, Marta’s bury wasn’t just a goal; it was a reminder that legends don’t fade—they strike when it counts most.

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