Barbara Banda scored three first half goals to win Orlando Pride on Utah Royals in Sandy, Utah on Friday night.
Banda earned the first hat trick in the history of the Orlando team in less than 40 minutes, making it the fastest hat trick in NWSL history. It broke three-game drought without a goal for Banda and took its season in seven goals. Gaurav also ended the three-game victory-free line.
Orlando (6-3–1, 19 points), accepting zero, scored seven goals in two matches against Utah in the previous season.
Braken Mojingo scored a goal in his second consecutive match, accounting for the target alone for Utah (1-7-2, 5 digits).
Orlando hit Banda for the first time in the sixth minute. He touched a cross each from Ellie Wat at the top of the 6-yard box and exploded it inside the remote post.
Utah level the score with a goal of Mojingo in the 13th minute. Mojingo slipped behind the protection of pride and defeated a defender by one before burying the ball on the back post.
Banda removed the royals after scoring a minute separately.
He beat Orlando again in the 37th minute after forcing him to a wrong pass and after doing one by one. Banda draped around the Utah keeper and buried the ball in an open net. Then, Banda made it 3–1 after a minute when she chased a long pass from Haley McCon and squeezed the ball inside the nearby post.
Pride prolonged nine shots before Haftime, put on eight frames.
-Bield level media
