ORLANDO, Fla. — Barbra Banda netted the decisive goal leading the Orlando Pride to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Current on Sunday, thereby securing their place in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship game.

The Pride is set to go head-to-head with the Washington Spirit on Saturday for the league championship, which will take place at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. The Spirit made their way to the final after a tense penalty shootout that followed a 1-1 draw against the reigning champions, Gotham FC, during the other semifinal on Saturday.

Orlando, bolstered by contributions from Haley McCutcheon and the illustrious Marta, finished the season as the top seed, suffering only two losses and securing the NWSL Shield. Notably, they maintained an undefeated home record throughout the season.

Prior to this semifinal victory, the Pride achieved their first playoff win with a commanding 4-1 result over the Chicago Red Stars the previous weekend, featuring two goals from Banda and a penalty conversion by Marta.

The Current, seeded fourth, advanced to the semifinals following a narrow 1-0 win against the North Carolina Courage, with NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga scoring the crucial goal in that match. Although concerns arose regarding Chawinga’s knee issue, she was able to participate fully in the match against Orlando and played the entire game, having already scored 20 goals this season.

In the first half, Brazilian star Debinha found the back of the net for Kansas City in the 33rd minute, connecting with Michelle Cooper’s sharp cross from a tight angle. Orlando responded in the 41st minute as Ally Watt skillfully dribbled past a defender and delivered a precise pass to the unmarked McCutcheon, who leveled the score with her second goal of the postseason.

The momentum shifted in the 53rd minute when Banda launched a powerful shot following a long ball from Kylie Strong, putting the Pride ahead. Banda, who recently represented Zambia at the Olympics, had an impressive tally of 13 regular-season goals.

Marta, a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, showcased her skill in the 82nd minute. After maneuvering past two defenders, she rounded Kansas City goalkeeper Almuth Schult and slotted the ball into an empty net, a goal that drew cheers from the 14,524 fans at Inter&Co Stadium as she celebrated with gestures highlighting her name on her jersey.

In stoppage time, the Current’s Vanessa DiBernardo successfully converted a penalty, adding to their impressive season where they set a new regular-season record for most goals scored with 57.