Zambian striker Barbra Banda scored the only goal as Orlando beat the Washington Spirit 1-0 in the championship game.
The Orlando Pride have claimed their first title of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Championship in the United States after beating the Washington Spirit 1-0, thanks to a goal from in-form Zambian striker Barbra Banda.
Banda, who scored the second-most goals in the regular season with 16, slipped one past two-time NWSL goalkeeper of the year Aubrey Kingsbury in the 37th minute and a stout Orlando defence extinguished Washington’s chances at the game in Kansas City on Saturday.
The Spirit lost all four of their regular-season meetings with Orlando over the last two years and could not crack the code this time around, and their frantic attempts late in the match went unrewarded.
‘It was time for me to be champion’
Orlando had only been to the postseason once before and the win gave their 38-year-old Brazilian captain Marta – a six-time Best FIFA Women’s Player and an icon of the sport – a long sought-after piece of silverware.
“This means so much,” said the striker, whose mother was in the stands to watch her play in the US for the first time.
The midfielder said she had found a unique bond with her teammates in Orlando.
“Playing with these players is something really special that I’ve never had before in any other club, so I’m so happy,” she said.
“I’ve been asking myself why I’m still playing for Orlando after seven years. I’m the only player in this club since 2017, and I have had so many questions about it.
“Now I have the answer. Because it was time for me to be champion.”
Orlando began applying the pressure almost immediately in front of a sellout crowd at CPKC Stadium, as Marta drilled the ball straight towards Kingsbury, who flung her hands up to make the stop, in the 15th minute.
The Pride broke through 22 minutes later when midfielder Angelina successfully battled Washington’s Leicy Santos for the ball and kicked it deep down the right side of the field straight towards Banda.
Banda was sharp as ever as she outfoxed defender Esme Morgan in the box and sent a left-footed shot out of Kingsbury’s reach and into the back of the net.
Spirit striker Ashley Hatch nearly had the equaliser eight minutes later but hit the post, and Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse stopped a powerful header from Rosemonde Kouassi two minutes into the second half.
The English international Moorhouse, who set a league record with 13 clean sheets this regular season, had three more saves in the second half as an increasingly frustrated Washington side could not put the pieces together.
US national team mainstay Trinity Rodman took the final corner kick for Washington late in stoppage, and could only offer a thumbs-up as time was called and Orlando erupted in celebration.
It was sweet redemption for years of underperformance for Orlando, who had not qualified for the playoffs since 2017 but finished atop the standings this season thanks to the dynamic duo of Banda and Marta.
The performance earned Banda Championship MVP honours, which she dedicated to her teammates.
The game capped a terrific year for the top-flight North American women’s league, which saw record attendance with more than 2 million fans coming through the turnstiles during the regular season.
