A Thursday match kicked off Week 17
- Jody Roginson
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 26
Let's recap the long weekend in the NWSL. The pre-weekend match billed as the one to watch was Saturday's when Bay FC hosted Washington Spirit and it lived up to the hype, especially the part about the crowd. See that recap, read a few others and judge for yourself.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Angel City FC vs. Orlando Pride Angel City, 1-0.
BMO Stadium on CBSSN at 10:30 p.m.
It took until late in regulation for them to score, but Angel City got a corner kick and following a blocked attempt by Tiernan, teammate Alyssa Thompson (86' unassisted) drilled a goal into the high center of the back of the net to earn the three points on the night.
Here is the league's summary, complete with a vertical video of the goal.
Friday, August 22, 2025
Chicago Stars FC vs. NC Courage Draw, 3-3.
SeatGeek Stadium on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m.
Wow! If you weren't watching this one, can you call yourself a "sports fan?" I mean there were a few regional baseball games competing for your eyes, but really isn't that what second-screen watching is for? What a time to be alive!
OK, here's why that first graph got published: No one scored in the first half. But then, Manaka Matsukubo (49') got North Carolina on the board four minutes into the second on a perfect through ball from Sanchez. Tyler Lussi (62') added to that when she scored from the center of the box to the top right corner. Couage, 2-0, with under 30 minutes to play.
Chicago's Ludmilla (76') woke up and converted from just outside the box on a beautiful pass (assist) from Staab, to cut the lead to 2-1. Staab had so much fun leading Ludmilla toward goal, she did it again five minutes later and Ludmilla (81') had two goals to equalize.
Jaedyn Shaw (83') countered free two minutes later on a pass from Speck to regain the lead for North Carolina, 3-2.
But when Chicago earned a corner three minutes later, Hayashi (assist) sent a cross to the far post at the 6-yard box and who do you think scored her 3rd goal of the match to tie it up again? Oh, I guess I spoiled it: Ludmilla (86') scored a hat trick in 10 minutes(!) and Chicago once again (see Week 16) dramatically came from behind to snatch a tie result (1 point) away from the jaws of defeat.
Whew! Here it is in vertical:
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Bay FC vs. Washington Spirit Spirit, 3-2.
Oracle Park on CBS at 4:00 p.m.
Played at Oracle Park, usually the home of the San Francisco Giants (MLB), this one drew the largest crowd to ever attend a league match, with 40,091 filling the seats. (The tally bested a similar game played in 2024 when Wrigley Field served as home site for a Chicago Stars FC match, so maybe we'll host a guess what MLB park is next for 2026 blog contest?)
OK, here's how the scoring went: Washington's Kate Wiesner (7') scored the first goal, a long-range beauty from Morgan (assist off a corner) so early that half the crowd hadn't even gotten settled. When Croix Bethune (39' assist by Hershfelt) a little more than 20 minutes later, and Kelli Hubly (45+2') was tacked with an own goal, it looked like all those fans were going to be sorely disappointed in the first half as the Spirit led, 3-0.
But the fans didn't even think about leaving because just a few minutes after that in stoppage time, offensive power-house Racheal Kundananji (45+5') knocked in a header from Conti, a cross in from a set-piece situation and the teams went into the break, 3-1.
Bay FC played more or less lock-down defense in the second half and when Hubly (54') used her head to knock in a cross by Malonson (assist) after a cluster in front of the goal following a corner, the Spirit lead dwindled to a goal. That meant for the rest of the second half, including the nine minutes tacked on for stoppage time, felt completely in-reach for the home-town team. Washington's defense managed to equal Bay's effort, though and it ended with three points for No. 2 Spirit on their table. Still, the 40+ thousand fans wound up with a compelling one!
Gotham FC vs. Utah Royals FC Draw, 0-0
Sports Illustrated Stadium on ION at 7:30 p.m.
The score wound up equal, but the truth is Gotham's offense just couldn't convert on any of its 18 shot attempts (7 on goal) and Utah never really mounted a serious attack and the teams split a point in the standings. Gotham currently (as of Saturday night anyway) sits in 8th on the strength of its +4 goal differential (GD).
Portland Thorns FC vs. Kansas City Current Current, 2-0.
Providence Park on ION at 10:00 p.m.
Fast start? How about a goal in the first minute? Current defender Ellie Wheeler's header (1'), taken just in front of the goal line came from a beautiful cross in by Rodriguez (assist), and the league's run-away best team didn't look back from there. Temwa Chawninga (71' from a Wheeler assist) dropped in her 11th goal of the season to retake the individual best mark (technically tied with Esther) in that category.
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Houston Dash vs. Seattle Reign FC Draw, 1-1.
Shell Energy Stadium on NWSL+ / P+ at 7:00 p.m.
Yazmeen Ryan (47') scored an unassisted goal early in the second half to get Houston out in front, but the lead was unsustainable as Jordyn Huitema (65' assist on a cross by Huerta) was able to finish the header successfully to equalize.
San Diego Wave FC vs. Racing Louisville FC Louisville, 1-0.
Snapdragon Stadium on NWSL+ / P+ at 8:00 p.m.
In the final match of the weekend, Emma Sears (59' assist from a cross by Hase) scored a goal to provide Racing Louisville with all the offense it needed to escape the west coast with a win.
P.S. (From Tuesday, Aug. 26): Happy to see the league recapping the week's action where you can also find "goals" and "saves" of the week info if you don't catch them on social.
We'll keep adding our 2 cents here because, hey, it's all the fun! And, did we teach them this was important? Our metrics indicate a vague maybe...!
