History Made: Barbra Banda’s Hat Trick Powers Orlando Pride Past Utah Royals

24.05.2025 | Football DNA ⚽️

The Orlando Pride returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a 3-1 victory over the Utah Royals, thanks to a historic performance from forward Barbra Banda. Banda etched her name into the record books, netting the first hat trick in Orlando Pride history—a milestone that has been years in the making.

Head Coach Seb Hines was full of praise for Banda following the landmark performance.

“She is a constant threat,” Hines said. “It was three different types of goals which was pleasing to see. She’s been waiting patiently, getting half chances but no real clear-cut opportunities. I was really pleased with her. She took her chances well and showed patience. Credit to her—this was a historic moment and she delivered.”

The Pride came out of the gates with intensity, grabbing the opening goal of the match early on through a clinical breakaway finished by Banda.

“It was a quality first goal,” Hines noted. “Ally Watt did really well to find Barbra, and she made no mistake. That first goal was massive. We’ve been stressing the importance of scoring first, especially in games like these. I’m happy with how we responded, despite the disappointment of conceding soon after. We were able to push on, get more goals, and capitalize on our opportunities.”

For Banda, the win and the personal milestone carried special significance.

“It was a fantastic match after coming off the loss,” she said. “We were determined to win and left everything on the field for the three points.”

Reflecting on her historic hat trick, Banda emphasized the collective effort behind her achievement.

“I have been working hard and I couldn’t have done it without the help of my teammates and our staff. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but I’m proud of the team.”

All three of her goals came in different forms—highlighting her versatility and instinct as a striker.

“I was a little surprised because they gave me so much space,” she added. “In the last three games I didn’t score, so I really wanted to today. I had to try my hardest. I wanted those goals badly.”

Coach Hines concluded by underscoring the importance of the result.

“Priority was to come away with three points before the international break,” he said. “In recent games we’ve played well but didn’t get the results. Today, we did both—played well and got what we deserved.”

With this victory, the Pride not only head into the break on a high but also with a new sense of belief—led by a forward making history and a coach building momentum.