Anna Moorhouse made three saves for her fourth consecutive shutout as the Pride played to a scoreless tie against the visiting Kansas City Current on Friday, allowing Orlando to extend its NWSL-record unbeaten streak to 21 matches.
It was Moorhouse’s 11th shutout of the season and seventh in her past eight matches for the first-place Pride (14-0-6, 48 points). Orlando leads the league in fewest goals allowed this season, 12. The Pride’s record unbeaten run dates back to last season.
The third-place Current (11-3-6, 39 points) were looking for revenge following the Pride’s 2-1 victory at Kansas City on July 6. Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga saw her NWSL-record eight-match goal streak come to an end.
Almuth Schult recorded five saves for the Current while holding an opponent without a goal for the second time in three matches this season. Schult, a native of Germany, signed with Kansas City in August.
Marta nearly gave Orlando the lead in the 80th minute on a left-footed shot from outside of the penalty area, but Schult made a diving save near the left post.
Courage 1, Bay FC 1
Ashley Sanchez scored a first-half goal and the North Carolina Courage extended their record home unbeaten streak to 19 matches with a tie against Bay FC at Cary, N.C.
Casey Murphy had five saves for the Courage (10-8-2, 32 points), who were facing expansion Bay FC for the first time.
Asisat Oshoala scored a goal in the ninth minute for Bay FC (8-11-1, 25 points), who are unbeaten in three consecutive matches overall and two consecutive road matches. Katelyn Rowland had one save for the visitors.
Oshoala gave Bay FC the early lead off a centering pass from Tess Boade. Sanchez tied it in the 28th minute by scoring just inside the left post, off an assist from Denise O’Sullivan.
Both teams are in possession of a playoff spot with six regular-season matches remaining.
Red Stars 1, Thorns 0
Ally Schlegel scored in the 16th minute and Alyssa Naeher made two saves as Chicago ended a three-match losing streak with the victory at Portland.
It was the first win for the Red Stars (8-10-2, 26 points) since July 6, just ahead of the league’s break for the Paris Olympics.
Mackenzie Arnold made two saves for the Thorns (8-9-3, 27 points) in her third match of the season, all since joining the club following her run with Australia at the Olympics. Portland has lost all four of its matches, and scored just two goals, since play resumed Aug. 24.
Both teams currently are sitting in playoff positions with six matches remaining.
The match was a duel between a pair of United States women’s national team forwards, the Red Stars’ Mallory Swanson and the Thorns’ Sophia Smith. Swanson departed in the 82nd minute after a hard fall caused a left shoulder injury.
–Field Level Media
