Unbeaten through 23 games, Orlando Pride win 2024 NWSL Shield behind Brazil legend Marta, Barbra Banda

Brazil legend Marta scored from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, sparking the unbeaten Orlando Pride to both a 2-0 victory over the Washington Spirit Sunday and the 2024 NWSL Shield.

Winning the first trophy of any kind for the NWSL organization, the Pride are unbeaten through 23 games, with three matches still to play. The Pride will look to become the first NWSL side ever to go through a campaign unbeaten.

• IMGAN

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the presence of Marta and star scorer Barbra Banda, the Spirit were shorthanded Sunday, missing four key-starters including USWNT superstar Trinity Rodman. The winger has been sidelined with a back injury since mid-September.

  Washington trailed the Pride by seven points going into the match, and with a victory, Orlando extended their lead to 10 points with three matches to play, making it mathematically impossible for any team to catch them.

  Orlando are just the fifth NWSL franchise to clinch the Shield. In their previous seven seasons, they had only clinched a playoff berth once, making the 2024 Shield all the more special.

  Pride coach Seb Hines, who became the league’s first permanent Black head coach ahead of 2023, became the first Black head coach to win an NWSL trophy.

  WHAT MARTA SAID

  Six-time World Player of the Year Marta, 38, was emotional speaking about the victory postgame.

  “It means so much,” Marta said, holding the Shield on the stage. “We worked so hard from the beginning and — wow. I waited so long for this moment. This team deserves [it] because we showed we can do [it] from the first game this season, then we keep doing [it], and I hope we’re going to go for more.

  “I’ve been here for eight years, so I try to find out why I still love to be here, to play for this team, to represent the community in Orlando. Tonight, I had the answers, you know? I think when you believe about something, and then you know you can do that, and you just put me in your mind, like, ‘I’m not going to give up.’ And then I did that. I stayed here because I want to make history with this team. And then we did tonight, and then we go for more.”

• IMGAN

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE PRIDE?

  The Pride will now look towards the postseason, where they hope to claim the 2024 NWSL Cup.

  In 2023, NJ/NY Gotham FC won the cup, while the San Diego Wave clinched the NWSL Shield.