Zambia striker and national team captain Barbra Banda scored a brace as the Orlando Pride (9-11-3, 30 points) drew 2-2 against the Kansas City Current (11-8-5, 38 points) in their visit to CPKC Stadium on Friday night.
The Pride opened the scoring in the 43rd minute against the run of play after Ally Lemos struck a lofted ball up field to Banda who let it bounce once before volleying home a long-range effort.
Banda doubled the Pride’s lead in the 50th minute when Hailie Mace played her through on the left wing before the recent Ballon d’Or nominee spun past her defender to dribble into the box and slot a low, right-footed strike home at the near post.
The goal was Banda’s 16th of the season, extending her single-season club record and marking her fourth brace of the year and the ninth of her career. Kansas City responded just three minutes later as Malawian star Temwa Chawinga found space on a counterattack to strike a shot through traffic and halve the deficit.
Elizabeth Bell then found an equalizer for the Current following a corner kick, getting on the end of a loose ball inside the six-yard box to level the match in the 56th minute.
