NWSL’s Super Saturday lived up to its super billing. In five matches, not one ended in a draw, Orlando Pride suffered their first loss, and expansion Racing Louisville FC won on the back of one of the Chicago Red Stars worst performances in franchise history. At the end of the night, 14 goals were scored in the final NWSL match for many internationals leaving for the Olympics. Here’s how it impacted the Beyond Women’s Sports NWSL Power Rankings.
It’s still too early to say that NC Courage are back to their back-to-back title form, but they’ve had a good couple of weeks, earning the top spot in the power rankings. They played and won, both of their matches last week. First, a 2-0 win at Louisville and more impressively a 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns, Saturday. Scoring all four goals is forward Lynn Williams. After a slower start to the season, Williams propelled the Courage through a full schedule.
Unfortunately, the Courage are losing her at the worst time, as she leaves for Olympic duty. Along with midfielders Sam Mewis, Debinha, and defender Abby Erceg. July 4 will be interesting as the Courage head to face the next team in the Power Rankings.
Last Result: 2-0 v. LOU (Wed) & 2-0 v. POR (Sat) | Next Match: Sunday, July 4 v. Orlando Pride – 6:00 p.m. ET
Orlando left Houston with their first loss of the season. The Pride still sit atop the standings by two points but having played one more game than second and third-place teams. Houston Dash scored two quick goals in the first half, and Orlando had to fight back for 70 minutes. Orlando almost did too, scoring a goal in the first minute of the second half.
A midweek 3-1 victory over Kansas City NWSL keeps them in the top two, for now. Orlando will soon have to adapt without Marta or forward Alex Morgan in their attack, as they both head to Tokyo. Forward Sydney Leroux is healthy though, and Orlando can stay in the hunt with Leroux’s consistently strong performances.
Last Result: 3-1 v. KC (Wed) & 1-2 v. HOU (Sat) | Next Match: Sunday, July 4 v. NC Courage – 6:00 p.m. ET
Gotham FC played their best offensive match on Saturday. In a 3-0 victory over OL Reign, and sweltering heat in the Pacific Northwest, they matched their season total for goals scored. US midfielder Carli Lloyd opted out of the match, but it didn’t slow anything down for the New Jersey-based club. Since forward Midge Purce wasn’t selected to the US National Team, Gotham may be one of the favorites to excel during international’s time away. If this goal scoring continues, they won’t stay in the middle of the NWSL standings for long.
Last Result: 3-0 v. OL Reign | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. Kansas City NWSL – 7:00 p.m. ET
Moving Portland down to fourth in the power rankings does seem a little harsh. It’s more because of the performances of the teams around them than it is their performances. With a full roster, Portland won last week just 1-0, at home, against Kansas City NWSL. Then, on Saturday, they had to travel across the country for a 0-2 loss to NC Courage. Missing from the loss was midfielder Lindsey Horan, who took the last NWSL match off before her trip with Team USA to the Olympics.
The Thorns stretch without key starters begins in Louisville but then the intensity goes up. Portland will face Gotham and Orlando back-to-back. We’ll soon see how they’ll adapt.
Last Result: 0-2 v. NC Courage | Next Match: Saturday, July 3 v. Racing Louisville FC – 7:30 p.m. ET
This week, the Washington Spirit moved into fourth place in the NWSL standings, after a dramatic 2-1 victory. Drama because of how they did it. In the final minute of stoppage time, NWSL rookie standout Trinity Rodman buried a Tori Huster pass to beat Kansas City.
Washington has quietly gone without a defeat in five straight matches. Although this was the Spirit’s first win after two straight draws.
Last Result: 2-1 v. Kansas City NWSL | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. Chicago Red Stars – 7:30 p.m. ET
Houston moves up one this week, after giving Orlando their first loss of the season. Getting on the scoreboard in their 2-1 victory was short-term loanee Maria Sanchez, who’s now gone on Mexico international duty. More importantly, Veronica Latsko scored. This is important to call out because Latkso will be the forward of choice when Rachel Daly is away. Getting a goal in a big match will help Houston’s confidence moving forward after they couldn’t score a goal without their starters in the Challenge Cup.
Last Result: 2-1 v. Orlando Pride | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. OL Reign – 8:30 p.m. ET
OL Reign saw both sides of a one-sided match this week. On Wednesday, they didn’t give Chicago any chances in a 2-0 victory. The Reign’s midfield met no opposition and they scored two early goals on Chicago. Things looked up until Gotham came to town. OL Reign had a busy week of matches, but both were played at home. The second, Gotham put three on them, even with the return of forward Megan Rapinoe to the OL Reign offense.
Now that Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle are gone, and loanees from the French side Lyon are earning more minutes, the Reign could soon make a run. The brightest spot in international news is midfielder Jess Fishlock’s exclusion from the Great Britain team. This is because of how much it helps OL Reign make up points during the Olympic tournament.
Last Result: 2-0 v. CHI (Wed) & 0-3 v. NJNY (Sat) | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. Houston Dash – 8:30 p.m. ET
Racing had a mixed bag of a week. They lost to the Courage 0-2, but they also didn’t allow the Courage to open up the floodgates like Louisville had in May. With a lineup featuring many depth players starting, they held onto only a two-goal defeat.
Saturday, with a full healthy lineup, they marched into a soggy Chicago match and came away with their largest margin of victory in franchise history – a 3-0 victory. Racing soon adds midfielder Nadia Nadim to a roster that’s clicking. July 3, Portland comes to town and supporters will see if their Chicago performance was just a fluke.
Last Result: 0-2 v. NC (Wed) & 3-0 v. CHI (Sat) | Next Match: Saturday, July 3 v. Portland Thorns – 7:30 p.m. ET
The Red Stars had a no good, very bad, week, reflected in their power rankings spot. On Wednesday was the aforementioned 0-2 loss to the Reign. Chicago’s midfield was nonexistent in the contest with Morgan Gautrat not making the start. Also, Forward Mallory Pugh didn’t suit up. However, Saturday, with a full team available, minus midfielder Julie Ertz who’s missed matches since sustaining an injury in their first match of the season, it didn’t make a difference on the scoreboard.
After their 0-5 loss to start the regular season, the consensus was that it was just an outlier for the usually strong Red Stars. Now, with two more shutout defeats, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and defenders Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger joining Team USA at the Olympics, it doesn’t show signs of improving.
Last Result: 0-2 v. OL (Wed) & 0-3 v. LOU (Sat) | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. Washington Spirit – 7:30 p.m. ET
Kansas City can’t catch a break. Seconds away from their third point of the season, tied 1-1 against the Spirit in the fifth minute of stoppage time, they give up a goal for their sixth loss in a row. Kansas City’s form on the field hasn’t been indicative of their match results. Outside of the one-sided loss to Orlando, they’ve competed in matches. It’s just one mistake or one lapse that usually does them in.
Their next stretch isn’t easy. In the next four, they have Gotham, OL Reign, NC Courage, and Portland. Depending on how teams are reacting with smaller rosters, it could be a time for Kansas City to make up ground.
Last Result: 1-3 v. ORL (Wed) & 1-2 v. WAS (Sat) | Next Match: Friday, July 2 v. Gotham FC – 7:00 p.m. ET
Check Beyond Women’s Sports next week for the next edition of NWSL Power Rankings. How did your team do? Let us know by commenting below or sharing your thoughts on our Twitter page.
Watch Beyond Women’s Sports for more on the NWSL, WNBA, and more around the world of women’s sports. And follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.
