No. 12 Boston is starting to find its footing, as the Legacy roars back from the midseason break on a three-game unbeaten streak — underlined by Wednesday’s 1-0 win over No. 8 Orlando.

The Legacy sits just four points below the playoff line. Boston drew even with No. 14 Bay FC, and notched wins against No. 15 Chicago and the Pride.

“We are building this culture to be a team that knows how to suffer,” Boston coach Filipa Patão said after the midweek shutout. “But at the same time, knows how to win games, not just be competitive.”

The Legacy faces a tough test on Sunday, taking on a No. 2 Washington side smarting from its 1-0 Queens Cup loss to No. 4 Gotham.

Played in front of a New York City record crowd at MLB’s Citi Field, Wednesday’s defeat snapped the Spirit’s own three-game winning streak, while also marking its first regular-season shutout since late March.

“We’re glad we’ve been a part of [it], and would have liked to play villain a little bit more,” midfielder Andi Sullivan said after the showcase event. “But the energy was tremendous.”

Boston welcomes Washington on Sunday at 7 PM ET, live on Victory+.

NWSL expansion side Boston is on the board, ending a five-game losing streak — and earning its first-ever point — in last night’s 2-2 draw with North Carolina.

The Legacy scored two early goals behind Alba Caño and Sammy Smith, before nearly ceding all three points to North Carolina as the Courage battled back.

Dani Weatherholt registered a second-half goal and Golden Boot co-leader Ashley Sanchez found the equalizer, before North Carolina saw a crucial late-game penalty ultimately called back by VAR.

Last in the NWSL standings, Boston has struggled to convert performances into results, though Wednesday’s run showed signs of competitive life.

“Everything is coming together, it just takes time and we have to take it one day at a time, one game at a time,” said Smith. “We got our first point and that’s a step in the right direction. Now we’re just fighting to get our first win.”

“I think the most important thing to do right now is recover well the players,” added Legacy coach Filipa Patão.

“They have two, three days to recover before the next game and I think what we saw here was exactly this. In the second half we lost a little bit of intensity in our game and this can make all the difference inside the game.

How to Watch NWSL Expansion Teams Boston Legacy vs. Denver Summit

Boston returns Sunday, hosting fellow expansion team Denver at 3 PM ET, live on Paramount+.

Incoming NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy FC announced the hiring of the club's first-ever head coach on Wednesday, tapping Benfica manager Filipa Patão ahead of the team's inaugural 2026 season.

"I'm very excited about going to Boston. I can't wait to get to the city, meet all the people and start working," said Patão, who will join the front office in July to help build the Legacy's roster.

Patão has helmed Benfica since 2020, amassing a 156-28-15 W-L-D record across all competitions, including leading the team to the 2023/24 Champions League quarterfinals — the best finish of any Portuguese club in UWCL history.

"Boston is a club where we want to develop both technical identity and have a clear style of play, but also we want a coach who thinks about more than just winning games," said incoming Boston GM Domè Guasch in a team statement. "Filipa is a coach I believe can help us build a great culture where players understand they will come here to grow and learn."

Patão adds to the Legacy's increasingly European front office, following the likes of Guasch, who joined from FC Barcelona.

"The American league is extremely competitive and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project," Patão said. "I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better."

Her penchant for developing players as well as her will to win are two reasons that Legacy controlling owner Jennifer Epstein says made Patão a perfect fit for Boston.

"Filipa demonstrates all of the qualities that personify this club and the way we want to play: with passion, grit, and style," said Epstein.

"We can’t wait to watch her build Boston's next championship team."