Zambia’s sensational Barbra Banda has attributed her player of the month award to team effort and hard work depicting her selfless and team spirit nature.
The 24 year old American based striker for Orlando Pride was named National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Player of the Month for May, presented by EA SPORTS.
This award has come after her display of world class skill and prowess in her debut season with Orlando Pride in the NWSL announcing her presence on a world stage.
“Am grateful to be named as the player of the month for May. What a roller coaster it has been, all thanks to my Orlando Pride teammates for their hard work, the technical staff, management, the fans, and everyone involved. It’s a team effort,” she said. “I am humbled.”
Banda, joined Pride in March, has hit the ground running and becoming a force to be reckoned with as she has scored eight goals in seven matches of which seven came in May.
She provided two assists within the same duration.
Banda has superbly found the net in five of her six starts this season, placing her second in the golden boot chase via tiebreakers.
Four of her eight goals were headers resulting in the Pride’s team record for the most headed goals by a single player in the club’s history.
Since her transfer from Super League team Shanghai Shengli for a $740,000 transfer fee, making it the second largest transfer in female football history, Banda’s unmatched contributions have propelled Orlando Pride to an undefeated start in the 2024 campaign.
The team so far has an eight-game winning streak which set a new league record and currently sits atop the league standings with 27 points from 11 matches played.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Banda and Pride to see if she can maintain her remarkable form and lead her team to further success.
By Elesani Phiri
Kalemba June 7, 2024
