Barbra Banda says Orlando Pride deserve to be in the NWSL final after defeating Kansas City Current 3-2 in Sunday’s playoff semi-final at Inter&Co Stadium, Afrosport reports.
The Zambian forward made her mark once again with a goal and assist for Brazil legend Marta to send the Pride to their first-ever playoff final where they will take on 2021 champions Washington Spirit.
Banda has been in sizzling form in her maiden season for the Pride, scoring a total of 16 goals and providing seven assists to lead the team’s scoring charts this term and has attributed it to the relationship in the team.
“Wow, it is so amazing and I think we deserve it as a team. We’ve really worked so hard for it and our mind starting from training we’ve been looking forward to go to the final. These are the results we’ve gotten so I’m excited and happy about it,” she told the club website.
“It has been an amazing season for me, winning with the team and going to the final in the playoffs. I think I have come at a good time and I’ve contributed to the team and I’m very happy for that and hoping to continue in the next season.
“It is not easy but I think the determination, hard work and the relationship that we have as a team has really taken us through to all this because we have been committed and we have always wanted to win.
“It is good when the team is in good shape, good condition and you have the spirit of winning and at the end of the day these are all the results that we are getting.”
I am happy to have made the @nwsl best XI for the season.
Congratulations to everyone who made the cut including my teammates @emilysams and @martavsilva10
It’s been an amazing Season, great performances from everyone. #BB11#BlessedChild pic.twitter.com/u0zboV49Qy
— Barbra Banda (@BarbraBanda11) November 18, 2024
Banda, who was named in the NWSL best XI for the season, went on to state that the Pride are not underestimating Washington going into the final
“…We take every match seriously, we are not underrating any team so we are going back to our drawing board to see where we went wrong, where we had some mistakes as we are going to the final,” she added.
Orlando Pride won the NSWL shield as champions of the regular season, making it the first trophy for the Florida outfit since they started playing in 2016.
