Marta scored twice and Alex Morgan made her return to the starting lineup, but the Pride couldn't put a bow on it as they would settle for a 2-2 draw with the Washington Spirit Saturday.
Marta's team-leading seventh and eighth goals put the Pride ahead but it was Washington's Mallory Pugh with two goals of her own, including the equalizer in the 90th minute, who spoiled things for the Pride.
“I thought for the first 25 minutes we controlled the game, controlled the tempo and went a goal up then we self-destructed. It took us a little bit to come back into the game. We were in the game for many periods in the second half until near the end and then we allowed the initiative to go back to Washington,” Head Coach Tom Sermanni said postgame. “So I’m bitterly disappointed that we got ourselves in front twice and then gave it away but that seems to be symptomatic of how our season has gone so far. Until we stop making those fundamental errors, in this league, we won’t win games that we should win.”
After returning from injury and international loan to make her first appearance of the season last weekend, Alex Morgan made her first start on Saturday night. The U.S. Women’s National Team forward played 63 minutes and finished with one shot.
The Pride return home next Saturday to host FC Kansas City in the second meeting between the two teams this season.