KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a thrilling encounter, Barbra Banda netted a goal in the 37th minute, leading the Orlando Pride to their inaugural National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championship with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit on Saturday evening.

Banda showcased her skill by navigating to the right side of the box, maneuvering past a defender before sending a low shot with her left foot that eluded the goalkeeper. With this goal, she etched her name in history as the first player in NWSL to score in every playoff round.

In a moment of uncertainty, Orlando’s Angelina almost faced a foul call for pushing before she managed to pass the ball to Banda, but after a review by VAR, it was confirmed the challenge was legitimate.

Despite a strong performance, the Spirit (20-7-2) dominated much of the match, outshooting the Pride by a significant margin of 25-9, with two of those being shots on goal. They maintained a 58% possession rate throughout the game. Rosemonde Kouassi came close to equalizing for Washington in the 47th minute with a header from approximately 10 yards.

This title marked an emotional milestone for Brazilian superstar Marta, as it was her first NWSL championship.

Orlando, who finished the season with a record of 21-6-2, had an impressive run where they remained unbeaten in their first 23 matches, a new league record. The Pride advanced to the finals after defeating the Kansas City Current in the semifinals before securing the trophy at their home ground, CPKC Stadium.

Furthermore, Orlando made history as the first team since 2019 to claim both the Shield and the championship title in the same season.

The Washington Spirit had a remarkable history, winning five consecutive playoff matches while trailing at halftime, a streak that was unfortunately halted with this defeat.