Zambia captain Barbra Banda delivered another decisive performance as Orlando Pride defeated Houston Dash 3-1 to claim their first victory of September and give interim head coach Yolanda Thomas a winning start.
Banda was directly involved in all three Orlando goals as the Pride dominated at home following a 90-minute weather delay. The Zambia international opened the way for the hosts in the 14th minute when she raced down the left before delivering a dangerous cross into the box. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell made the initial save, but the ball rebounded off defender Leah Klenke and into the net for an own goal.
Orlando continued to control proceedings and doubled their advantage shortly before half-time. Summer Yates was brought down inside the area by Klenke in the 42nd minute, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Banda stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to make it 2-0.
The penalty was Banda’s first for Orlando Pride and took her tally for the 2026 season to 14 goals. More importantly, the strike established a new single-season scoring record for the club, surpassing the mark she set in 2024, which had matched the record previously established by Marta in 2017.
With seven matches still remaining, Banda now has an opportunity to extend her record further as she continues to enjoy a remarkable campaign in the NWSL.
The Zambia captain then turned provider again 18 minutes into the second half. Banda played the ball to McCutcheon during a counter-attack before her teammate produced a spectacular left-footed volley into the top corner to put Orlando 3-0 ahead.
Houston managed a consolation goal, but Orlando remained in control and held on comfortably to secure three valuable points. The result extended the Dash’s difficult run, with Houston suffering their third consecutive defeat.
Orlando’s dominance in the fixture also continued, with the Pride now having won five of their last six meetings with Houston, while the other encounter ended in a draw.
The victory was particularly significant for Thomas, who took charge on Tuesday and became the first interim head coach in Orlando Pride history to win her opening match in charge.
For Banda, the performance further underlined her importance to Orlando’s attacking threat. Her 14 goals have moved her to second on the league’s scoring chart, behind Ashley Sanchez, who leads with 18.
The match also saw Norwegian forward Sanne Lekven make her Orlando Pride debut after coming on in the 78th minute. Orlando will now look to build on the victory when they travel to face Kansas City Current next Friday, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 ET.
