Barbra Banda's record-breaking hat trick powers Orlando to 3-1 victory over Utah
Associated Press
Barbra Banda scored the fastest hat trick in National Women's Soccer League history on Friday night and the Orlando Pride snapped a three-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory over 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.
In Friday's other game, the Washington Spirit beat the Seattle Reign 2-1.
Banda scored her first goal at America First Field in Sandy, Utah 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) now has one draw and four defeats in its last five games. Ashley Hatch scores winner in 2-1 win for Spirit over Reign
Ashely Hatch scored her fifth goal of the season in the 35th minute and the Washington Spirit beat the Seattle Reign 2-1.
It is the first road win for Washington (6-3-1) against Seattle since 2021 and also the Spirit's first at Lumen Field, the permanent home of the Reign since 2022. The Spirit have now won all five of their road games this season.
Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune got her first goal since June 2023 when she scored on Casey Krueger's cross in the 11th minute to make it 1-0.
The Reign (4-4-2) equalized on Shae Holmes' goal in the 17th minute, the first of the 25-year-old defender's professional career.
Veteran Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock returned from injury to make her 201st NWSL regular-season appearance off the bench in the 61st minute.
Washington outshot Seattle 17-7, while also having more possession (53%).
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