The Washington Spirit rose up to secure their first ever NWSL Championship, coming back from a goal down to beat an injury-ravaged Chicago Red Stars 2-1 (a.e.t.) at the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville. Rachel Hill put the Red Stars ahead. Andi Sullivan equalised from the penalty spot midway through the second period. Full back Kelley O'Hara got the 97th minute winner heading in Trinity Rodman's left wing cross...
One match was an edgy, slow burner; the other was an end-to-end cracker, but both NWSL playoff quarter finals ended with a single goal win for the higher seeded team. The Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit progressed to the last four where OL Reign and Portland await them...
The Shield had already been wrapped up by Portland going into the final weekend of the NWSL season. OL Reign were cemented in second spot. Now five other teams had to contest four playoff spots. Attacking midfielder Carli Lloyd made her 316th and final international appearance for the National Team and then scored in her last ever regular-season match for NJ/NY Gotham...
Part 2 of the October Review of the NWSL now. It had been a tough month for all teams in the league after 'The Athletic' published serious allegations against one of the League’s most successful Head Coaches. By the end of the month the NWSL had appointed new (interim) Commissioner, Marla Messing, and both FIFA and US Soccer had committed to thorough investigations. Despite the fact that they only picked up six points during the month - Portland secured the Regular Season ‘Shield’ with a game to spare…
It was a tough October for all teams in the NWSL after the Athletic published serious allegations against one of the League's most successful Head Coaches. Week 19 fixtures were postponed as a result as the league took stock and the Commissioner resigned. When the football resumed, despite picking up just six points during the month, Portland secured the Regular Season 'Shield' Trophy...
Here's part two of our NWSL Review for September with just the one game week to wrap up. Portland held firm at the top of the standings, despite defeat to the Red Stars. They were also helped in no small part by Washington Spirit having to concede a 3-0 defeat after failing to meet Covid-19 protocols. This exact same situation arose with OL Reign, helping both Cascadia clubs to pull away from the rest of the pack in their pursuit of the 2021 Regular Season ‘Shield’…
The National Women's Soccer League has been 'hotting' up as we head into the last month of regular season games. There were three match-days built around an International Break, during which time OL Reign, Chicago and Houston all went unbeaten. Portland held their position at the top of the standings, but OL Reign are hard on their heels as both Cascadia clubs started to pull away from the rest of the pack in their pursuit of the 2021 Shield...
We're back in the NWSL for an August review. At one point during the month, the Portland Thorns had a seven point lead. Then they had to forego league duties for a week to contest the WICC at Providence Park. That gave North Carolina Courage a chance to make up ground and, by the end of Week 15 the gap would be reduced to four. Meanwhile OL Reign smashed out four wins in five and climbed from 8th to 3rd...
All the way back in week 1 it looked as though Portland may lead out a Shield procession from the start, but North Carolina and Orlando soon had something to say about that. By week 10, however, these rivals were 5th and 7th respectively. The Thorns, meanwhile, have shown how much talent they can call on, even with their national team stars over in Tokyo for the Olympics. Three wins and a draw during July - and only one goal conceded - has lifted them up to top spot with a slight gap emerging between them and Gotham FC in second...
Ok, it might seem a bit disingenuous to put North Carolina in the headline given Orlando (aptly) were able to hold on to top spot during Pride Month, but three wins on the spin has Paul Riley's side back in the hunt for another regular season Shield. Orlando, meanwhile had kept their scoreboard moving with a couple of draws and a comeback victory over basement dwelling Kansas City. But the early pacesetters would end the month with Houston inflicting a first defeat on Marc Skinner's squad during Week 6...
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