Central Florida News
Barbra Banda Sets Orlando Pride Scoring Record in 3-1 Win Over Houston Dash
Banda converted her first NWSL penalty and assisted Haley McCutcheon as Orlando earned its fifth consecutive home victory over Houston.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Barbra Banda made club history Sunday night as the Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium, giving Orlando its fifth consecutive home victory over Houston.
The Pride improved to 9-12-2 with 29 points, while Houston fell to 7-11-5 with 26 points.
Banda’s 44th-minute penalty was her 14th goal of the 2026 NWSL season, establishing a new Orlando Pride single-season scoring record. The Zambia international also assisted Haley McCutcheon’s second-half goal as Orlando built a commanding three-goal advantage.
Pride Strike Early
Orlando controlled much of the opening stages and went ahead in the 14th minute.
Banda drove toward the endline and sent the ball across goal. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell got a touch on it, but the loose ball ricocheted off defender Leah Klenke and into the net for an own goal.
The play gave Orlando a 1-0 advantage and set the tone for the first half.
Banda Makes Orlando Pride History
The Pride doubled their lead shortly before halftime after Summer Yates was brought down inside the penalty area.
Banda stepped to the spot in the 44th minute and converted the first penalty kick of her NWSL career.
More significantly, it was Banda’s 14th goal of the season, setting a new Orlando Pride record for goals by an individual player in a single NWSL campaign.
Banda also became the fifth player in NWSL history to score at least 10 home goals in a single season, according to the club.
Orlando carried a 2-0 lead into halftime.
McCutcheon Delivers Highlight Goal
The Pride struck again in the 63rd minute.
McCutcheon combined with Banda on a one-two before firing a left-footed volley from just inside the penalty area into the top corner.
The goal was McCutcheon’s fourth of the season, establishing a new single-season career high for the midfielder.
Banda earned the assist, giving her four goal contributions — two goals and two assists — across Orlando’s last three matches.
The goal pushed Orlando’s advantage to 3-0.
Houston’s Kiki Van Zanten pulled one back in the 72nd minute, but the Dash could get no closer.
Photo: Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News
Scoring Summary
14′ — Leah Klenke, own goal: Orlando 1, Houston 0
44′ — Barbra Banda, penalty: Orlando 2, Houston 0
63′ — Haley McCutcheon, assisted by Barbra Banda: Orlando 3, Houston 0
72′ — Kiki Van Zanten: Orlando 3, Houston 1
Final: Orlando Pride 3, Houston Dash 1
Thomas Praises Pride’s Togetherness
The victory came under interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, who emphasized the organization’s collective response during what she described as difficult circumstances.
“There was not a single member of staff that either works in our environment in our building or in our front office that was not involved in making this happen,” Thomas said.
She credited the organization’s staff for stepping into different roles and supporting one another while dealing with personal challenges.
“The togetherness was incredible,” Thomas said.
McCutcheon: Pride Executed the Plan
McCutcheon credited Orlando’s defensive organization and aggressive approach.
“I think that we did exactly what we wanted to do. We came out strong,” McCutcheon said.
She said Thomas emphasized defensive shape and pressing ahead of the match, adding that the performance “looked like the old Orlando Pride.”
Match Notes
Banda’s record-setting performance highlighted a productive night for Orlando. Her assist on McCutcheon’s goal extended her recent run to four goal contributions over three matches.
Forward Sanne Lekven made her Orlando Pride debut as a second-half substitute.
Thomas made one change from the starting lineup used against the Utah Royals, inserting Hannah Anderson into the starting XI.
The Pride were without Kylie Nadaner (maternity leave), Viviana Villacorta (knee), Kerry Abello (thigh), Julie Doyle (knee) and Rafaelle (head).
Why the Win Matters
Beyond Banda’s individual record, the victory gave Orlando three important points as the Pride enter the next phase of their schedule.
The performance also featured contributions across the attack: Banda helped create all three Orlando goals, while McCutcheon established a personal scoring high.
Orlando’s fifth straight home victory against Houston further extended the Pride’s recent dominance of the Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.
What’s Next?
Orlando now faces a major road test.
The Pride travel to Kansas City to face the Kansas City Current on Friday, Sept. 11, at CPKC Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, with the match streaming on Prime Video.
The challenge for Orlando will be turning Sunday’s convincing performance into momentum on the road as the Pride continue their push through the closing stretch of the 2026 NWSL season.
Follow FNN Sports for continuing Orlando Pride coverage, match reports, interviews, photos and video.
Bulls move to 4-1 as Hartline turns attention toward corrections and the week ahead
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — South Florida’s unbeaten start ended Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium as Temple defeated the Bulls 17-13. USF struck first behind a Nico Gramatica field goal but went into halftime trailing 10-3 before finding momentum after the break.
USF responded in the third quarter as D.J. Crowther’s one-yard touchdown tied the game at 10.
USF and Temple battle at the line of scrimmage. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
The Bulls’ defense added a key stop when No. 1 C.J. Hicks recovered a Temple fumble in the end zone. Gramatica later connected from 49 yards to give USF a 13-10 fourth-quarter lead. Temple answered with the defining possession of the night, driving 96 yards before quarterback No. 13 Ajani Sheppard scored on a 34-yard run to put the Owls ahead for good.
Temple’s 96-yard fourth-quarter drive became the turning point in the 17-13 finish.
Joshua Porter sprints for catch with Adrian Laing closing in for Temple. Photo Credit: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News
USF was unable to answer late, dropping to 4-1. Following the game, head coach Brian Hartline focused on returning to the film, correcting the mistakes that surfaced and making sure the Bulls use the loss to improve heading into the next week.
FINAL: Temple 17, USF 13
Up Next: USF travels to San Antonio to face UTSA on Thursday night.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Central Florida News
Orange County Announces $28,200 Public Art Opportunity at Tangelo Park Community Center
Florida National News and FNN News en Español will provide on-site coverage of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Cranes Roost Park.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (FNN) — Hola at the Park will bring Hispanic culture, local businesses and live entertainment to Cranes Roost Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and presented by AdventHealth, the event celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month through food, entertainment, entrepreneurship and community connections.
According to the chamber’s event announcement, admission is free, the celebration is open to the community and no registration is required.
FNN to Spotlight Businesses and Community Voices
Florida National News and FNN News en Español, official media sponsors, will be on location covering the festivities.
The FNN team will spotlight chamber representatives, sponsors, participating businesses and community leaders, while sharing attendees’ perspectives throughout the afternoon.
Coverage will highlight the people, businesses and cultural traditions contributing to the celebration.
Photo: Florida National News
Food, Entertainment and Family Activities
The chamber’s announcement lists authentic cuisine, live entertainment, local businesses, wellness experiences, community resources, networking and family-friendly activities among the event’s offerings.
Attendees will have opportunities to explore Hispanic traditions, connect with entrepreneurs and learn about organizations serving Central Florida.
Photo: Florida National News
A Waterfront Setting in Uptown Altamonte
Cranes Roost Park, located in Uptown Altamonte, features a waterfront setting with scenic walkways around Cranes Roost Lake and the Eddie Rose Amphitheater and floating stage.
The park will serve as the gathering place for an afternoon celebrating Hispanic heritage and the connections between culture, business and community.
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
- Time: 2–6 p.m. EDT
- Location: Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs
- Host: Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando
- Presenting sponsor: AdventHealth
- Admission: Free and open to the community
- Registration: Not required
Photo: Florida National News
Vendor Inquiries
For information about vendor opportunities, contact the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando at info@hispanicchamber.com or events@hispanicchamber.com.
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