Sofia Cantore's NWSL-Record Fastest Brace Sends Washington Spirit Past Orlando Pride 4-2

Ninety minutes of weather delay, then six minutes of chaos. Once the skies over Inter&Co Stadium finally cleared, Sofia Cantore scored twice, the Washington Spirit were up two, and the Orlando Pride were wondering whether the storm had ever really left.

Washington won 4-2 on Saturday in Orlando, and it was not nearly as tidy as the scoreline suggests. Barbra Banda dragged the Pride level with two goals in six minutes before halftime, only for Claudia Martínez and Trinity Rodman to strike after the break and hand the Spirit a fourth straight win. The Spirit say Cantore's second- and sixth-minute goals were the fastest brace in league history.

Six Minutes, Two Goals, One Record

The opener was a statement. Rodman slipped a through ball to Cantore, who settled it near the top of the box and drilled a right-footed shot from outside the area into the bottom right corner in the second minute. The Pride report called it a long-range finish. Nobody in purple would argue.

The second was a punch-counterpunch sequence worth rewinding. Orlando nearly answered right away when Solai Washington got a shot away from the middle of the box, but Sandy MacIver dove to save it. Washington broke the other way, Rodman fed Cantore again, and the Italian rounded Anna Moorhouse before finishing from the right side of the box. Six minutes in, 2-0, and the Spirit looked like they were speedrunning the evening.

Banda Answers Back

Orlando did not fold. Haley McCutcheon forced MacIver into a save in the 14th minute, Banda missed from close range off a corner in the 25th, and then Esme Morgan fouled Banda in the box in the 29th. Ally Lemos stepped up in the 33rd, and MacIver guessed right again, diving to the right to keep it out.

The relief lasted about as long as a TikTok. The save went out for a corner, Lemos delivered it, Rafaelle headed it down, and Banda turned and volleyed it home from close range. The Pride say it was her club-record fifth career NWSL goal from a corner. It was also the first goal Washington had conceded since a 1-1 draw with the Utah Royals on March 25, ending a run of four straight shutouts.

Six minutes later, Banda had her brace. Oihane slid a low cross into the six-yard box, Banda spun in traffic and fired into the bottom right corner, and the match was level at 2-2 heading toward halftime.

The Turning Point

Washington changed the game at halftime, sending on Kate Wiesner for Lucia Di Guglielmo, who had been booked in the 19th minute, and Andi Sullivan for Hal Hershfelt. Banda tested MacIver again from distance in the 48th minute, but the next big moment belonged to the visitors.

In the 55th minute, Leicy Santos threaded a through ball for Martínez, who went one-on-one with Moorhouse and smashed it into the high centre of the goal. The Spirit say it was her second career NWSL goal. It was also the moment the night tilted for good. Orlando had chased the game for more than half an hour to get level, and now it had to do it all again.

Rosemonde Kouassi came on for Cantore in the 59th minute and made an instant difference. Moorhouse stopped a Rodman effort in the 63rd and a Kouassi strike in the 65th, but the dam broke in the 70th. Kouassi ran down the right and sent a cross in close, and Rodman finished with her left foot from the centre of the box. Game, set, storm cleared.

Star Turns

Sofia Cantore scored twice on three shots before leaving the field in the 59th minute. The opener was her second goal of the season, and the Spirit say she, Rodman and Santos now share the team lead with three goals each.

Trinity Rodman was everywhere: one goal, two assists, four shots and two on target. The Spirit say she and Kouassi are tied for the team lead with three assists apiece.

Sandy MacIver made seven saves, including the penalty stop that should have swung the night. She was also booked in the 82nd minute.

Barbra Banda kept Orlando alive with two goals on four shots, three of them on target. The Pride say she now leads the league with seven goals, and that it was her seventh regular season brace, tying her for the third-most for a single club alongside Sam Kerr with Chicago and Esther with Gotham. It was also her second straight brace, after scoring twice at Racing Louisville FC in the Pride's previous match. Rafaelle picked up her first assist with the Pride, and Nicole Payne made her Orlando debut off the bench.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Orlando 16, Washington 10. On target: Pride 8, Spirit 7.
• Saves: MacIver 7, Moorhouse 3.
• Possession: Washington 54.4 percent, Orlando 45.6.
• Clearances: Washington 33, Orlando 15.
• Offsides: Washington was flagged five times, three of them on Kouassi.

What It Means

Washington climbs to four wins, three draws and one loss with 15 points. After falling to the Portland Thorns on opening night, the Spirit have gone seven matches without a loss, opening with three straight draws before this four-match winning run. They head to Seattle to face Seattle Reign FC on Sunday, May 10.

Orlando slips to two wins, two draws and three losses with 8 points, and this was its second straight defeat after a 3-2 loss at Racing Louisville FC on April 24. The Pride stay home to host the North Carolina Courage on Friday, May 8.

The Final Word

Orlando head coach Seb Hines did not dress it up. "Frustrating. Obviously we don't like losing, and we don't like conceding four goals, especially at home," he said. "There were some good moments, but it wasn't enough tonight." Banda gave the Pride a fighting chance, but Washington had more ways to hurt them. The Spirit are playing like a team that has figured out its setlist, and right now every encore is a banger.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes and additional details as reported by the Orlando Pride on OrlandoCitySC.com and WashingtonSpirit.com.