05/02/26 10:55:00
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05/02 22:54 CDT Cantore has two goals in the Spirits' 402 victory over the
Orlando Pride
Cantore has two goals in the Spirits' 402 victory over the Orlando Pride
By PHUOC NGUYEN
Associated Press
Sofia Cantore scored two goals, Trinity Rodman added a goal and two assists,
and the Washington Spirit won their fourth straight with a 4-2 victory over the
Orlando Pride on Saturday.
In other National Women's Soccer League matches, the Utah Royals beat Angel
City FC 1-0 on the road and the Kansas City Current edged the host North
Carolina Courage 2-1.
After a 90-minute weather delay, Washington wasted no time. Rodman picked out
Cantore who struck from outside the box in the second minute for a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh, Rodman passed to Cantore, who dribbled past Anna Moorhouse and
slotted it home to double the lead.
The two goals (5:27) were the fastest ever in the league's history with Cantore
eclipsing the previous record set by Uchenna Kanu in 2024 by 13 seconds.
Golden boot leader Barbra Banda drew a foul in the box on defender Esme Morgan,
but Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver denied the penalty kick from Ally Lemos. On
the ensuing corner kick, Banda scored for her sixth goal of the season to
narrow the margin.
Banda completed a first-half brace with the equalizer and seventh goal in the
39th to tie it.
Paraguay international Claudia Martnez earned her first NWSL start and tallied
her second goal of the season in the 55th minute, giving the Spirit (4-1-3)
back the lead.
Rodman scored the game's final goal in the 70th minute, marking her third
consecutive game with a score.
Despite Banda's second consecutive game with two goals, the Pride (2-3-2) have
dropped both results.
Royals win fourth straight
Captain Paige Cronin delivered a pinpoint cross onto Clo Lacasse's head for
the game's only goal in the 32nd minute, giving Utah (4-2-1) a fourth straight
win.
In first half stoppage time, Maiara Niehues received a direct red card for
violent conduct towards Lacasse. It was the first in club history for Angel
City FC, who would also play down a player the entirety of the second half.
Royals Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn started her first match of the 2026 season and
earned the clean sheet with four saves.
After starting the season with three consecutive wins, Angel City FC (3-3-0)
have now lost three straight.
Current hold on for road win
Croix Bethune and Michelle Cooper scored first-half goals for the Current
(3-4-0), who hung on for the win on the road.
Bethune opened up the scoring with a volleyed goal in the eighth minute. In the
23rd, Cooper dribbled past goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and finished from a tight
angle to make it 2-0.
Manaka Matsukubo trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the 85th for North Carolina (2-2-3)
with a goal off a rebound.
Courage defender Felicitas Rauch was handed a straight red card in second half
stoppage time for violent conduct on Haley Hopkins.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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