By admin Zambia’s Barbra Banda scored twice as the Orlando Pride defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 on Friday night at Inter&Co Stadium, extending their winning streak to eight games.
Banda now has eight goals in six National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) starts. The first-place Pride (8-0-3) made history by becoming the first team in the league to win eight consecutive matches.
Banda opened the scoring in the 30th minute, heading in a rebound off a corner kick. She netted her second goal in the 40th minute, dribbling past a defender and goalkeeper Shelby Hogan before slotting the ball into an empty net.
Izzy D’Aquila pulled one back for Portland in the 71st minute, scoring her first NWSL goal from a cutback pass by Olivia Moultrie, who became the youngest player in league history to record 10 assists in all competitions.
Despite Portland’s (6-4-1) efforts to equalize, including a header that struck the bar, the Pride held on for the victory.
Emmanuel Nelson Nyarko