**Orlando, Florida** – The Orlando Pride may have left it late but two goals in second half stoppage time saw the hosts steal a point from the Washington Spirit after Mikayla Cluff and Darian Jenkins turned the game on its head in the 95 ^th and 98 ^th minutes, respectively.
The pair took some time to feel out the pace of play in the opening minutes. However, in the 11 ^th minute, Washington tested Orlando for the first time as space in behind saw forward Trinity Rodman released on the right flank. Rodman’s cross in was not well dealt with and allowed forward Audrey Harding to get on the end of the delivery, though Harding’s snapshot toward the far post landed wide of goal and the threat was temporarily neutralized.
Eight minutes later, Rodman turned from chance provider to chance burier when she put the Spirit up a goal with a vicious strike from distance. Winning the ball back deep in Orlando territory, the Spirit worked the ball around the top of the box where Harding passed short to Rodman and the attacker unleashed a rip from just over 20 yards out that sailed into the bottom left corner of Orlando goalkeeper Erin McLeod’s goal and in.
In the 23 ^rd minute, Orlando produced a quality opportunity of their own and were inches away from finding an equalizer. Winning a corner off Rodman, the Pride came close as Megan Montefusco’s header at the back post was lifted over the defense in the six-yard box and found forward Darian Jenkins. Jenkins, who is no stranger in front of goal, got plenty on her own headed effort but could only look on as the ball bounced agonizingly against the near post and back into play.
The hosts would continue to test the Spirit defense throughout the first half with forward runs, but the visitors’ defense remained staunch and would repeatedly catch the Pride attack offside. Through no lack of effort on either side, the halftime interval still only saw the one goal advantage for Washington stand with Rodman’s strike more than worthy of the lead.
The Spirit were again first to come close to opening the half’s scoring when midfielder Bayley Feist tested McLeod from close range in the 51 ^st minute. Played through on goal, Feist took a touch into the penalty area that just barely got away from her and allowed time for both defender Viviana Villacorta and the goalkeeper McLeod to get in front of Feist’s rushed strike to prevent the goal from close range. On the ensuing corner, Spirit defender Sam Staab rose to meet the follow up ball in but could not direct her header on frame.
Then, a few minutes later, Washington again found space in behind the Orlando defense with forward Ashley Hatch latching onto a ball played over the top. Cutting inside from the left just to the edge of the penalty area, Hatch was unable to fire a firm shot on goal though it fell inches wide of the near post and out.
In the 66 ^th minute, though, the Spirit turned their one-goal lead into two through forward Ashley Hatch. As Orlando attempted to advance the ball down the field, a deflected pass just inside their own half saw Washington midfielder Ashley Sanchez step onto the ball and carry it into the Spirit’s attacking third. Sanchez then slipped a beautiful pass into space for an onrushing Hatch, who did well to curl a left-footed effort past McLeod and put her side up two to the good.
Not done yet, though, a late, late push from Orlando saw midfielder Mikayla Cluff saw the Pride pull one back in the fifth of six minutes of stoppage time. Cluff received a pass and played the ball out wide and would eventually end up on the return end of service in the center of the penalty area, where she powered a header past goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury to provide a lifeline.
Then, in the eighth minute of time added on, the game was fully turned for Orlando around via forward Darian Jenkins. Pushing ahead after finding one, the Pride worked the ball into the box and a deflected pass headed to the left side of the 18-yard box found the feet of Jenkins, who slid her effort past Kingsbury with seconds to spare and put her team level.
In the end, a wild finish saw the Orlando Pride keep a point at home in the two-all draw with Washington, and the Spirit return home with a bitter taste in their mouths as a point earned will feel more like two dropped given the end of the match.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights