**Orlando, Florida** – Four second half goals resulted in the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current finishing even with two late goals cancelling each other out in a wild finish at Exploria Stadium.
Both sides started the match out slowly as they worked their respective ways into the opposing side’s half. Taking some time for a real quality opportunity to materialize, the hosts continued to explore a way in on goal and eventually found an opportunity just before the half-hour mark.
Leah Pruitt won the ball back for the hosts in an attacking position and as she sprinted into the box had to quickly decide about what to do amid onrushing Current goalkeeper AD Franch. Opting to round the goalkeeper away from goal on the right side, the forward hit an off-balance effort that smacked the outside of the near post and was eventually seen away from goal.
The best chance of the first half for the Current came just before the halftime interval. Receiving a horizontal ball just outside the box, Current forward Lo’eau LaBonta lined up a powerful strike that Pride goalkeeper Erin McLeod was able to keep out with a leaping save. On the ensuing corner, forward Addie McCain met the delivery and headed down toward goal but again McLeod was there to preserve the scoreline.
At the break, all remained scoreless as both Orlando and Kansas City continued to press the opposition defense in search for the game’s first goal.
It did not take long into the second half for the hosts to finally break the deadlock, though, with midfielder Gunny Jónsdóttir putting them in front. Racing down the right flank, forward Darian Jenkins lifted a ball to the back post where forward Sydney Leroux was waiting. Leroux did well to lift her leg and get enough on the ball to send it back to the middle where “Gunny” was waiting to put it home at the first time of asking.
Just after the hour mark though, LaBonta was again at the center of the action and came close to bringing the Current level. Stooping to meet a cross into the box, she was unable to guide her header on target and missed by a narrow margin. A few minutes later, Kansas City again had a good look on goal fall short as attacker Elyse Bennett stormed into the penalty area and tried to make something happen from close range. However, the Pride defense remained firm and held tightly to its 1-0 lead.
Still failing in its attempts to equalize up to that point, Kansas City would continue to press the Pride goal and, in the 70 ^th minute, forward Kristen Hamilton forced another good save from McLeod. Receiving a pass on the turn just inside the penalty area, Hamilton’s touch took her just to the left of the center of the box and she turned a fired a left-footed effort that McLeod had to tip up and away.
In the 78 ^th minute, pressure paid off for the Current as they found an equalizer through Bennett. A beautifully curled ball to the back post from LaBonta landed directly on the head of Bennett, who had enough on the effort to beat McLeod and even up the score. The goal was Bennett’s first for the Current.
Four minutes later, Kansas City nearly stole all three points after forward Kristen Hamilton’s acrobatic effort with her left foot nearly found the back of the net. Landing just wide of the far post, though, the half-chance went begging as the two sides attempted to land a late winner. Three minutes later, Hamilton was played in on goal and fired low as she attempted to go between the legs of McLeod. Quick to meet the forward’s run, McLeod got low and smothered the chance.
However, the Current weren’t done and ended up nabbing a late goal through the forward Hamilton after Bennett broke forward and wrestled with the Pride defense to the endline. Driving a low ball into the box, Hamilton was the first to pounce on the effort and put it home past McLeod for the lead.
Not done yet, Orlando then earned a penalty well into stoppage time with an opportunity to again find themselves on equal footing. Stepping up to the spot, defender Toni Pressley buried her penalty kick past Franch and ended up securing the point her side nearly lost late on.
In the end, a wild finish resulted in the Pride keeping one point at home with the Current’s late goal from Hamilton equalled out by Pressley’s spot kick.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights