Sydney Leroux leads Orlando Pride to first win in 12 games

Sydney Leroux of the Orlando Pride battles for a loose ball at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

The Orlando Pride got their first win of 2022 on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Angel City FC.

Sydney Leroux, who turned 32 on Saturday, struck in the game’s third minute to put the Pride up one — and, as it turned out, up for good — to earn the team its first win in 12 games. The goal was the third fastest in club history.

“It was really nice having both kids here and getting to celebrate with them,” said Leroux of scoring on Mother’s Day. “My mom is here as well. So we got to celebrate together and I’m really happy that I got a goal for her. Yeah, it was a good weekend.”

💪 Mother's Day magic for @sydneyleroux 💪#LAvORL | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/4iVdByHxn4
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 9, 2022

The win was the team’s first win under coach Amanda Cromwell, who joined the Pride in December from UCLA.

“Being back in L.A., driving to UCLA just gives me this feeling of just being super calm and peaceful and just like, ‘Hey, we got this,’” Cromwell said. “Being in L.A., after being here for nine years, it’s just kind of poetic getting the first one here.”

Pride goalkeeper Erin McLeod was stellar in net, making three saves in the match to help secure the clean sheet – her second of the year and first of the regular season. It’s the 10th NWSL shutout of her career.