ORLANDO, Fla. – Consecutive disappointing losses in which the Orlando Pride were out-scored 5-1 have sparked new life in a team that has otherwise performed well this season. The team’s post-game remarks were everything anyone needed to know when it came to Orlando’s mentality entering a match with the Washington Spirit.

“I spoke, I think, the other day and said, ‘It wasn’t a must-win game tonight, but it was a game we must win,'” third-year Pride head coach Tom Sermanni said after the match.

“Today was a must-win,” forward Sydney Leroux said in her post-game presser. “That was it. We all knew that…”

With that in mind, the Pride (7-5-4, 25 points) came through with a 2-1 victory over the Washington Spirit (2-10-4, 10 points) Saturday night at Orlando City Stadium in front of 4,621 fans. The Pride pushed themselves back into third place, tying the Chicago Red Stars in points while trailing second-place Seattle Reign FC by one point.

Both Orlando and Washington were headed for an anticlimactic, 1-1 draw in which Orlando attempted a team record number of shots (31) but scored only one goal — that was until the 86th minute when forward Marta Vieira da Silva willed in a game-winner past the league leader in saves.

The effort began with a midfield takeaway by Leroux. She, then, sent a leading pass down the left flank to Marta, who confidently entered the left part of the box.

Going 1-v-2, Marta began her attack with several aggressive touches before pulling the ball to the right. The five-time FIFA World Player of the Year faked her shot before pulling it back to the left side for a near-post attempt that zoomed past a too-late, extended arm of keeper Aubrey Bledsoe.

Marta channeled a younger version of herself to score her first goal since April 28.

“I kinda thought about my 20s, you know, when I was just super fast and, like, [at my] peak and everything, and I was just like, ‘You know? Let’s get back to that time,'” Marta said, translated from Portuguese, after the win. “‘It’s just 1-v-1. I can do this, so let’s [do this].’ And that’s how I got it done, and I could get the goal.”

Orlando pressured the Spirit from the first minute with a high-pressing defense and also by peppering their box with seven shots in the first 12 minutes. Despite the pressure, the Pride found themselves trailing after nearly 26 minutes.

Center back Monica Hickmann Alves blocked a shot out of bounds for the first corner of the match. Washington center back Whitney Church, then, delivered the corner and found forward Ashley Hatch at the far post. Hatch headed the ball to the other far post, as Pride keeper Ashlyn Harris could only watch the scoreless draw conclude.

Washington’s lone goal in its loss was its first in the past six games.

“It’s one of those kind of soft goals. That’s the sort of thing that happens in our sport,” Sermanni said. “For 20 or 25 minutes or whatever, you pound away at the goal and don’t score, and the opposition go down on the other and get a deflected shot for a corner kick and score. It happens. You see it happen everywhere.

“… And, as I say, if you don’t score chances, in this league, at some stage, the opposition’s going to create a chance, and they did that. Key thing for us was how we responded to it.”

Orlando responded to the 1-0 deficit by scoring a first-half, stoppage-time equalizer.

Midfielder Alanna Kennedy patiently held the ball near the left sideline before playing a leading pass into the box for Leroux. Now near the left endline, Leroux cut back, leaving her defender, and took a touch before firing a low, near-post shot past Bledsoe.

For Leroux, Orlando’s high pressure led to the team taking 12 shots (five on-goal) in the first half and 19 (seven on-goal) in the second. Marta led the match with 11 shots (five on-goal), as Leroux trailed closely behind with nine (four on-goal).

“Pressure. High press,” Leroux began. “That’s what we decided to do today, and I think it worked out. I mean, obviously, like I said, we need to work on our finishing and finishing those chances and then just cleaning up some things in the back.

“So, going forward, I mean, we’re happy with 31 shots, but 31 shots and two goals is probably not the best, but we’ll take it.”

In the 63rd and 80th minutes, Washington and Orlando had their respective shots stopped by the post.

Washington midfielder Estefanía Banini received a pass leading her into the box. When she stopped, the ball was temporarily poked away by center back Shelina Zadorsky. Banini, however, tracked the ball behind her, turned and sent a far-post floater that bounced off the right post.

Kennedy recorded Orlando’s post-hitting shot with a header off a corner delivered by Marta.

Who’s Next?

Orlando takes to the road for its next two matches, first facing the Houston Dash (4-5-5,17 points) on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

For more on the Pride, as they take to the road, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com, or you can tweet at him.