Sports
Orlando Pride Stays Undefeated | Marta’s Penalty Seals 2-1 Win Over San Diego
Orlando Pride Stays Undefeated | Marta’s Penalty Seals 2-1 Win Over San Diego
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Orlando Pride (3-0-0, 9 points) secured their third consecutive victory of the 2025 NWSL season, defeating San Diego Wave FC (1-1-1, 4 points) 2-1 at Inter&Co Stadium. This win marks a historic milestone for the Pride, as it is the first time in club history they have started a season with three straight wins.
McCutcheon and Marta Lead the Way
The match remained scoreless in the first half, but Orlando struck first in the 50th minute when defender Haley McCutcheon found the back of the net. Off a Marta-delivered corner kick, Barbra Banda redirected the ball into the box, leading to a deflection that fell to McCutcheon, who tapped in the opening goal.
San Diego responded 12 minutes later when Chiamaka Okwuchukwu connected on a header off a Kenza Dali cross, leveling the match at 1-1.
Marta. Photo by Florida National News / Harry Castiblanco
Orlando sealed the victory in the 76th minute, after Barbra Banda was fouled in the box, earning a penalty kick. Marta stepped up and converted with a bar-down panenka finish, securing her second goal of the season and 13th all-time penalty conversion—the second-most in NWSL history.
Kylie Nadaner Reaches Major Milestone
The match also saw defender Kylie Nadaner make her 100th NWSL appearance across all competitions. Since joining Orlando Pride in July 2021, Nadaner has been a crucial part of the club’s defensive success, contributing to last season’s NWSL Cheb Hines on the Team’s Performance
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines praised his team’s determination:
“Everyone knows how competitive this league is. San Diego is a strong team with excellent ball control. We worked hard, stayed organized, and showed great character to take the lead again after conceding. I’m really proud of the team.”
Match Notes:
Orlando Pride is now 3-0-0, marking their best start in club history.
Haley McCutcheon’s goal was her second of the season, tying her for the team lead.
Marta’s game-winning penalty was her 14th all-time in NWSL regular-season play, ranking fourth in league history.
Kylie Nadaner made her 100th NWSL appearance.
Scoring Summary:
| Team | 1st Half | 2nd Half | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Pride | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| San Diego Wave | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Goals:
ORL – Haley McCutcheon 50’
SD – Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Kenza Dali) 62’
ORL – Marta (Penalty Kick) 76’
Next Match:
Following an international break, Orlando Pride will travel to face Seattle Reign FC on April 12 at Lumen Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ION.
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Javier Garcia, Harry Castiblanco, J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
Sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Davison scores 26 points, Branham adds 23 and Osceola records 23 steals to open its season with a victory at Silver Spurs Arena.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Osceola Magic opened their season with a record-setting defensive performance, collecting 23 steals and forcing 35 turnovers in a 97-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Silver Spurs Arena.
JD Davison scored a game-high 26 points and Malaki Branham added 23 as Osceola established a franchise record for steals and matched its record for opponent turnovers. Osceola Magic
Defense drives the comeback
Oklahoma City led 31-22 after the first quarter and 44-43 at halftime. Osceola pulled even at 70 entering the fourth quarter, then outscored the Blue 27-19 over the final period.
The victory gave Osceola a 1-0 start and dropped Oklahoma City to 0-2. Zhaire Smith led the Blue with 19 points, while Christoph Tilly contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds. gleague.nba.com
Osceola’s defensive pressure helped offset Oklahoma City’s early advantage. The Blue finished just 5 of 29 from 3-point range, shooting 17.2%.
Six Magic players recorded multiple steals, led by Johnell Davis’ career-high six — one short of the franchise record. Davison collected four, Jarron Cumberland had three, and Ace Baldwin Jr., Branham and Mike Sharavjamts each added two.
Malaki Branham leans into his drive while keeping his dribble low as an Oklahoma City Blue defender guards him during the Osceola Magic’s season opener. Photo by Bernie Walls / Florida National News.
Davison and Branham lead the offense
Davison and Branham combined for 49 points, accounting for more than half of Osceola’s scoring.
Au’Diese Toney contributed 14 points in his return to Osceola, including a late 3-pointer that helped secure the victory.
Davis provided another boost off the bench with 11 points and a career-best-tying four assists, complementing his disruptive defensive performance.
Sharavjamts makes professional debut
Sharavjamts posted a team-best plus-12 rating in 24 minutes during his professional debut. Osceola outscored Oklahoma City by 12 points while he was on the floor. Osceola Magic
What’s next for the Osceola Magic?
Following a scheduled road matchup with the Memphis Hustle on Tuesday, Nov. 10, Osceola returns to Silver Spurs Arena to host the Mexico City Capitanes on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Member News
The Magic’s challenge will be to sustain the defensive pressure that helped them overcome an early nine-point deficit in the opener.
NEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.
Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.
“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.
LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.
The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.
A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.
Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls
Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.
A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry
The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.
Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:
“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”
— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.
South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
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