Week 19 in review.

Here is what happened in the NWSL this week. Yes! There were great finishes and blowouts, and from some teams we may not have been expecting.

Friday, September 5, 2025

Racing Louisville FC vs. Portland Thorns FC Thorns, 2-1

Lynn Family Stadium on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m.

What a finish! OK, let's back up. Katie O'Kane (22') put Louisville on the board following up a missed opportunity with a tap in from close range. That held for just under 10 minutes until Julie Dufour (31') knocked a missed attempt back in using her head to equalize.

It looked like we were headed for a draw until Portland's Jessie Fleming took a left-footed shot off a cross from McKenzie and it clipped off Louisville's Ellie Jean and she was charged with the OG (90'). I still maintain that's just a brutal thing for a defender, but no one cares what I think about it, so... What a finish!

Saturday, September 6, 2025

NC Courage vs. Utah Royals FC Draw, 1-1.

First Horizon Stadium on ION at 7:30 p.m.

There was no score for 88 minutes of this one. Then, Jaedyn Shaw converted a PK and it seemed as if North Carolina was going to snatch the 3 points for the table. But remember there is always additional time added to a half because of in-game delays which is how about six minutes later Paige Monaghan (90+4') used her right foot from close range to follow up a Del Fava miss off a cross and equalize. What a finish! (Repeated because it fits.)

Bay FC vs. Kansas City Current Current, 2-0.

PayPal Park on ION at 10:00 p.m.

There was a statistic floating around pre-match that some AI-stat thing gave KC a 57% chance to win this one. I laughed and continued to think that too much reliance on an algorithm is ridiculous in sports. I gave them about a 95% chance to win it. Huh. I was right (rare). Michelle Cooper (45' assist to Mace) scored at the end of the first to get things rolling for the Current, and it took until stoppage time (90+2') for Temwa Chawinga to assert her authority and retake the lead for individual scoring when she finished a fast-break chance, using a pass and assist from Prince. What a finish! (the goal this time.)

I'm sure AI will give whatever teams face the Current during the playoffs some respectable chance to beat them, but I'm sticking with 95% for them to win everything, as long as the players (especially Chawinga) stays healthy the rest of the way out.

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Chicago Stars FC vs. Orlando Pride Stars, 5-2

Wintrust Lakefront on NWSL +/ P+ at 3:00 p.m.

Chicago unloaded on last year's defending champion Orlando as the team put up five goals in the second half, after neither team could score in the first frame.

Sam Staab (50' unassisted) decided just to bury a free kick into the back of the net to get things going. Orlando's Carson Pruitt (53' from McCutcheon) equalized shortly thereafter. But a minute later Jameese Joseph (54' from Grosso) bonked one it to retake the lead. (One hopes the 10,127 people who were there weren't in a concession line for those 4 minutes!)

Chicago's Bea Franklin (65' from Ludmilla with the cross, um that's a pass not a religious thing) made it 3-1, Stars until Julia Grosso (69') put back a missed attempt from Ludmilla and raise the lead. Orlando's McCutcheon (72' from a Doyle Cross) made it 4-2, but then Ludmilla (89' from a Gomes' cross) exerted herself and scored to finish it. It's like the announcement of a new home and the support of all those fans meant something to the squad.

Washington Spirit vs. Seattle Reign FC Spirit, 2-0.

Audi Field on NWSL+ / P+ at 4:00 p.m.

Trinity Rodman has been back for a few weeks now, but on Sunday she re-introduced herself as one of the game's most enjoyable to watch. She scored goals at 33' from a lovely through ball by Santos and followed it up with another at 81' this time assisted by Bethune. Washington's home-town crowd, and surely many folks watching on the live stream, went wild.

Gotham FC vs. Angel City FC Gotham, 3-1.

Sports Illustrated Stadium on ESPN at 5:00 p.m.

It's been a weird few weeks for L.A. as the team's top goal-scorer in now playing for Chelsea (we're working on a story about that) and so traveling across country may not have been the best timing for Angel City. And, Gotham made sure of that.

Despite Kennedy Fuller's goal at 2' from a set piece cluster, quick goals to begin the second half by Gabi Portilho (47' from Purce) and Rose Lavelle (51') were followed up by another at 68' on a Jaelin Howell shot from outside the box, assist to Geyse, and the home team kept all 3 points available for their side of the table.

San Diego Wave FC vs. Houston Dash Dash, 3-0.

Snapdragon Stadium on NWSL+ / P+ at 8:00 p.m.

Houston got goals from Clarissa Larisey (17' from van Zanten), Yazmeen Ryan (45' from Larisey) and Messiah Bright (77' in close from a cross by Graham) to blast their hosts in the week's final match.

Live table (standings)

Individual stat leaders (but it's a team sport!)