Barbra Banda announced her return from a lengthy injury that had kept her sidelined since August 2025 with a goal, scoring Orlando Pride’s only goal in their 1-2 defeat to Seattle Reign FC on Sunday in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Seattle took the lead through veteran midfielder Jess Fishlock, who opened the scoring for the visitors in the 24th minute after being played through on goal by Nérilia Mondésir.
Just as the two teams headed into halftime, the match was halted due to inclement weather, resulting in a delay that lasted more than two and a half hours.
Following the lengthy delay, the Pride found an equalizer six minutes into the second half after Haley McCutcheon fed Banda down the left wing. The Zambian international drove into the box before calmly slotting home her first goal of the season in her first match since August 16, 2025.
However, Seattle restored their lead in the 83rd minute through Brittany Ratcliffe, who was set up by Nérilia Mondésir to seal a 2-1 win for the visitors.
Banda on her return
“It feels good. Been out for a long time and my first game, and scoring on my first game, that gives me a go-ahead into the next game also to work hard and keep on scoring. I miss scoring, so I want to keep on scoring,” Banda said after the match.
Meanwhile, her coach Seb Hines acknowledged the importance of Banda’s return to the squad after a lengthy injury layoff.
“Just her constant threat, getting in those positions, threatening from behind. I think in the first half, [Ally] Lemos plays a terrific ball, weighed perfectly, and again, it’s just getting back into where I think her touch goes a little bit too wide. She forces the [Claudia] Dickey into a good save, but I think on another day, she takes that more central, eliminates her defender and slots it away. Like I said, one of the hardest things is to create chances, but we’re creating chances with the threats that we have and it’s just the finishing part of it.”
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