Welcome to Week 7

The 7th weekend in the league is a wrap and the results were thrilling! Head to social media to vote for best plays of the week when the NWSL releases them.

Friday, May 2, 2025

Washington Spirit vs. Angel City FC Angel City FC, 4-3.

Audi Field on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m.

Riley Tiernan opened the scoring for the visitors (8' from Vignola) and Giselle Thompson knocked in a cross from Alyssa Thompson (22') before Esme Morgan (30' from Hatch, who headed it for the assist) could tack one on the visitor's side of the scoreboard. Washington equalized before the first half closed on a Gift Monday goal (40' assist to Kouassi).

Both teams opened the second half with solid defense until Katie Zelem booted in a G. Thompson cross in the 72nd minute. Morgan (89') equalized just before regulation off a set piece on and when five minutes were added the 13,738 fans were, what?... relieved. The thing is, those 5 minutes were actually doubled because of all the fouling in that additional time and, at 90+8' when Tiernan sent a close-range shot into the top left corner, those fans experienced other emotions that likely caused swearing on the way out of Audi Field.

Houston Dash vs. Racing Louisville FC Racing Louisville FC, 2-1.

Shell Energy Stadium on NWSL+ at 8:00 p.m.

Houston took the lead early on an Avery Patterson (8' from Gareis) goal. But, Racing Louisville FC equalized 12 minutes later when Kayla Fischer used her left foot to score (20' unassisted. The teams were knotted until Emma Sears broke free along the wing, using a great open-field pass from DeMelo (assist), to score what was the game-winner in the 70th minute.

Seattle Reign FC vs. Kansas City Current Reign, 1-0.

Lumen Field on NWSL+/ P+ at 10:30 p.m.

Set pieces really have been the Current achilles heel over the past two seasons. At 37' Reign had a corner situation and that pass was sent to the far post where Huitema headed it back to the middle (it really was the best part of the goal) and Lynn Biyendolo finished the goal to give Huitema the assist and Seattle 3 points on their table.

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Portland Thorns FC vs. Orlando Pride Thorns, 1-0.

Providence Park on ION at 7:30 p.m.

In the 16th-minute off a throw in with a couple passes to the middle and just outside the top of the box, Reyna Reyes (assist from Turner) used her left foot to net a beautiful shot that curled past a diving Anna Moorehouse. It gave Portland the lone score of the match and to move up in the standings (live table linked below).

This is the match that indicates just how wild a ride the 2025 season is compared to the previous one, where it felt inevitable that no one was going to beat Orlando. Now?

Bring on the chaos which is the reason fútbol's table and point scoring system is so great.

Utah Royals FC vs. NC Courage Courage, 2-0.

America First Field on ION at 10:00 p.m.

Ashley Sanchez crashed up the middle to blast a goal from center of the box off a blocked attempt that put the Courage on the board early (12') and then Kate Del Fava conceded an own goal (43') to close out the scoring, giving the visitors the win.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Gotham FC vs. Chicago Stars FC Draw, 0-0

Sports Illustrated Stadium on CBS at 1:00 p.m.

Earlier in Week 7, Chicago parted ways with head coach, Lorne Donaldson, and promoted Masaki Hemmi to the interim role. On Sunday, the team finished with its first clean sheet of the season earning a point from the draw. The moment of the match came in the final seconds of stoppage time when Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher smothered a close range shot by Gotham's teenage phenom, Mckenna Whitham, just in front of the goal line. (Um, Whitham is 14 years old.)

Whether it was the coaching change or not, the inspired offensive play by the Stars, especially in the first half, made the viewing wildly entertaining.

San Diego Wave FC vs. Bay FC Wave, 2-1

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

In the week's final match the San Diego got on the board early on a header by Kennedy Wesley (6' ) off a corner that Sánchez then crossed to earn the assist. Bay equalized when Karlie Lema knocked in a Kundananji pass in the 18th minute.

It remained knotted until stoppage time when Trinity Armstrong (90+5') netted a high center shot from the top of the box off a corner that was crossed to her by Dali. The win moves Wave FC into third.

Here is the live table following Week 7.