The Zambian national scored three goals in the first 38 minutes of the match for the first hat trick in team history and also the first by an African player in the NWSL.
By THEO LLOYD-HUGHES
Associated Press
Barbra Banda scored the fastest hat trick in National Women’s Soccer League history on Friday night as the Orlando Pride snapped a three-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory at the Utah Royals.
The Zambian national scored three goals in the first 38 minutes of the match for the first hat trick in team history and also the first by an African player in the NWSL.
“Priority was to come away with three [points] before we go into the international break,” Pride coach Seb Hines said. “I think in our recent games, we have played well but we haven’t really gotten the results. We wanted to make sure we performed and got the result. It is great to come away from this game with three points with a nice 3-1 victory.”
Banda scored her first goal at America First Field in the sixth minute with a close-range finish from Ally Watt’s pass.
After Utah’s Brecken Mozingo tied the game in the 14th minute, Banda put the Pride (6-3-1) back in front 2-1 when she intercepted a pass, dribbled beyond Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and slotted the ball into the open net in the 37th minute.
Banda made it 3-1 a minute later with a well-struck low shot that skipped off the grass and past McGlynn from 14 yards out.
Banda is tied for the most goals in the NWSL this season with seven.
Utah (1-7-2) has one draw and four defeats in its last five games.
Up next …
Orlando vs. Houston
WHEN: June 7, 7 p.m., Inter&Co Stadium
TV: NWSL+
Source: Utah News