Barbra Banda joins her Orlando Pride teammates for her first practice with the team
Forward Barbra Banda has officially joined the Orlando Pride after helping Zambia secure a spot in the Summer Olympics.
The Pride acquired Banda last month for a team-record transfer fee of $740,000 from Chinese Women’s Super League club Shanghai Shengli FC. She finally arrived in Orlando over the weekend and was greeted at the airport by fans.
After her first practice Tuesday, she praised the National Women’s Soccer League and suggested she’ll fit in well with the Pride.
“I think the league is quite good. I’ve been following it from way back,” she said. “I think it’s a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think it’s good for myself to improve.”
Before coming to America, Banda was on international duty with Zambia. She scored twice — including a penalty in extra time — in the second leg of the team’s victory over Morocco for one of Africa’s two spots in the Olympics. Nigeria earned the other berth.