Chilufya promises more goals for Orlando Pride after opening account

Photo Credit - Orlando Pride.

Copper Queens midfielder Prisca Chilufya has promised to score more goals for Orlando Pirates after she opened her account and helped the team salvage a 1-1 draw against North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, who signed for the club in the offseason, came off the bench to score in stoppage time and cancel out Felicitas Rauch’s first-half strike for the home side. Chilufya’s compatriot Barbra Banda started for Pride, while Grace Chanda was an unused substitute.

“It is a long-awaited goal. I feel very happy. I am very excited. I am just looking forward to moments like this when the team needs me most, and to just turn up and do what you can and pick everybody’s spirit up,” said Chilufya, speaking to the club’s official website about her first goal.

“Paul [Crichton] told me to just go in and get in the box and do what I can. When I was going to the front post, it may sound crazy, but I envisioned it. Like, what if I just go in front and maybe just jump and flick my head. Who knows? I might get a touch on the ball. I did what I was thinking, and with God’s plan, it worked. I can’t believe it, but I did it.”

On scoring the goal, Chilufya explained: “After getting the touch on the ball, I didn’t know what to do. Seeing that ball bouncing inside the net, I didn’t know what to do.

“I thought they might call a foul, so I was waiting. I waited for them to point at the center like it’s a goal. So I was in between celebrating and [thinking] are they going to call it a goal. I really wanted to get this goal. I couldn’t figure out what to do. I was just happy, smiling with everybody and it worked.”

Chilufya will now hope to get a starting role when Pride host KC Current in a league fixture at Inter & Co Stadium on Saturday.