INDIVISA breaks down Saturday's NWSL's Championship, a matchup of the top two seeds from the 2024 playoffs
The 2024 NWSL Championship has all the makings of a thriller, as the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit – the top two seeds in the playoffs – meet in the finale Saturday night in Kansas City.
The No. 1 ranked Pride, NWSL's 2024 regular season champions, will look to cap off a record-breaking campaign, but Jonatan Giraldez's Spirit stand in their way – and they're not backing down.
Orlando qualified for the postseason for only the second time in the club's history after a truly historic regular season, in which they did not lose a match until the 24th game. The Spirit, meanwhile, brought in Giraldez from Barcelona Femeni after the conclusion of their 2023-24 season, and the Spaniard has taken the club to new heights.
In two meetings during the regular season, the Pride won both, meaning the third and final meeting between the two clubs this season will be for the title. INDIVISAtakes a look at the keys for each team in the Championship set for 8 p.m. ET at CPKC Stadium (Watch on CBS / Paramount +).
Getty Images SportThe breakdown: Orlando
How did we get here: The Pride opened their postseason run with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars, and followed it with another brilliant performance in the semifinals, defeating the Kansas City Current 3-2 thanks to an 82nd-minute winner from Marta.
How Orlando can win:The Pride are NWSL's team of destiny in 2024. They had a stupendous unbeaten stretch during the regular season, their manager Seb hines was named NWSL Coach of the Year and striker Barbra Banda was an MVP finalist. They should have all the confidence in the world coming into the match, and they need to embrace that.
Banda's 16 goals during the regular season led the team in scoring, and if she is given the ball in front of the net, she's surely set to put it on frame. If they can find a way to get Marta into space, while feeding Banda, the goals will come. What they cannot do, though, is allow Washington to find an early goal. Controlling the tempo of the match and dominating the midfield will lead to scoring opportunities – and once the gates open for the Pride, it's been hard to close them in 2024.
Key player to watch: Marta – in the semifinals, the Brazilian scored a playoff goal to remember, and in the final match of her career, she is surely going to make a statement on the pitch. The 38-year-old has one last chance to leave an impact on the field, and if she's given any opportunity at all to, there's no doubt she will.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe breakdown: Washington
How did we get here: The Spirit began their postseason journey against Bay FC, defeating the expansion side 2-1 after extra-time. A 96th minute own-goal from Caprice Dydasco sealed the victory for Washington, sending them to the semifinals against reigning-champions Gotham FC. There, they went to extra-time again, and eventually defeated the in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.
Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made three consecutive saves in the shootout, putting on a heroic performance in net to see her team through to the final.
How Washington can win:The Spirit have overcome adversity this season, losing NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune and USWNT veteran Andi Sullivan to season-ending injuries. They need to ride the underdog story, and play with no fear. It's no shock to anyone that Orlando's attack is a blistering group of goal-scorers and creators, but if Washington can find their groove early, things could get interesting.
If they can get Ashley Hatch service in the box, or hand Rosemonde Kouassi and Trinity Rodman space wide, they can create attacking chances or push for potential set-piece opportunities. Capitalizing in those moments will be key.
Key player to watch: Rodman – the U.S. international is an absolute gem on and off the ball, and is capable of creating magic out of nothing. If she gets space on the wing, or has the chance to take a defender on 1v1, there's a good chance she will create scoring opportunities.
The prediction
The Pride will take this one, with their blistering attack of Banda and Marta too much for the Spirit defense to handle. Washington won't go down easy, but the Pride's dominant 2024 will see them rewarded with a regular season title and an NWSL Championship, with the Brazilian capping off her truly legendary career with one last trophy.
Orlando will win 2-1, with a Banda brace, with Washington's lone goal coming from Rosemonde Kouassi.
IMAGNHow to watch
The match kicks off at 8:00 pm ET Saturday at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. CBS will broadcast the game nationally, with streaming available on Paramount+.
