The Orlando Pride’s Haley McCutcheon scored two goals to not only help hand Bay FC a 3-1 loss on Sunday but end the Bay Area squad’s faint hopes of making the NWSL playoffs.
Read more Photo Highlights: San Francisco 49ers hang on to beat Arizona Cardinals 36-30
Bay FC (7-14-5) will miss the postseason for the second straight season after it clinched a playoff berth in its inaugural 2024 season.
Orlando (10-13-3), sitting two spots ahead of Bay in 11th place in the chase to become one of the league’s eight playoff teams, wasted no time in making things tough on Bay. After the Pride’s Solai Washington laid it off to McCutcheon, the 30-year-old midfielder struck it into the side netting for a 1-0 lead just two minutes in.
The 13th-place Bay did manage to answer quickly when forward Racheal Kundananji evened the match at 1-1 in spectacular fashion in the 11th minute. Bay’s Claire Hutton placed a perfect cross toward the back post for Kundananji for the diving header to square the match and ignite the crowd at PayPal Park. It was Kundananji’s third goal of the season.
Read more Sunnyvale: Speaker to air details of Hangar One’s makeover on Oct. 5
But for a couple of close misses around the 30-minute mark, Bay FC could have forged ahead. Forward Karlie Lema’s attempt was saved, and moments later forward Alex Pfeiffer beat a defender but her shot just missed the frame.
McCutcheon scored her second goal just two minutes after the halftime break. On a Pride corner kick, McCutcheon headed in a crossing pass by Angelina to make it 2-1.
Orlando made things academic in second-half stoppage time when Jacquie Ovalle’s right-footed blast found the back of the net.
Read more Valkyries open playoffs by obliterating Wings at raucous Chase Center
About the Author
