Certainty. For a league whose top four hasnโt changed for some time, weโve had a shocking lack of it in the NWSL. Sure, the order of Kansas City, Portland, Sky Blue, and Western New York has changed over the last month or so, but the membership of that group has remained the same for most of the summer. The thing we were really in the dark about: Their order of finish
For most of the season, Sky Blue have occupied the top spot, but their July swoon combined with Kansas Cityโs 10-match unbeaten run now have the Blues four clear at the top of the league. With Sundayโs 3-2 win at Portland, FCKC became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, providing our first hint as some much-needed clarity. Thereโs every reason to think the road to this yearโs title goes through Overland Park.
That, however, is the only piece of certainty we have. After Week 17, Portland and Sky Blue are tied for second place, and while the Thorns have a match in hand, their inconsistent form means anything can happen (particularly with Thorns FC finishing with three matches on the road). Western New York, three points behind in fourth, may be the best team for the bunch, but a league-leading seven draws shows a tendency to leave points on the table.
At the top, we have more clarity thanks to an increasingly dominant FC Kansas City. Beyond that? Itโs still chaos.
Hereโs what happened in Week 17:
Wednesday, July 31
Western New York Flash 3, Washington Spirit 0 โย Washingtonโs second straight three-goal loss was actually a type of improvement. The last time the Spirit visited Rochester, they lost 4-0 and changed their coaching staff. This time, Adriana Martin, Sam Kerr, and Carli Lloyd forged the winning margin by the 68th minute. Although the Spirit were able to keep it a 1-0 game for 59 minutes, they were outshot 23-1 on the night.
Implications:ย 23-1? โWhat kind of improvement is that, Farley?โ Maybe I shouldnโt judge things on score alone, right? Because thatโsย certainly not a competitive game. I know you could have said that about other Spirit games, and the final margin here wasnโt the most lopsided as other matches weโve seen this year. But 23-1? How have things gotten to this point for Washington?
NWSL Standings
| Pos. | PST Rank |
Team | GP | Pts. | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Kansas City | 20 | 38 | +14 |
| 2 | 3 | Portland | 19 | 34 | +7 |
| 3 | 7 | Sky Blue FC | 20 | 34 | +5 |
| 4 | 2 | W. New York | 19 | 31 | +14 |
| 5 | 4 | Chicago | 19 | 26 | -4 |
| 6 | 6 | Boston | 19 | 24 | +0 |
| 7 | 5 | Seattle | 19 | 18 | -11 |
| 8 | 8 | Washington | 19 | 7 | -25 |
Portland Thorns FC 3, Sky Blue FC 1 โย Sky Blue had been Portlandโs bogey team, holding them scoreless over the teamsโ previous 180 minutes, and when an early own goal off Nikki Marshall gave the visitors another lead, Jim Gabarraโs club seemed poised to continue their voodoo. But before half, Portland took advantage of a visiting team momentarily down a player (Danesha Adams suffering an injury) to equalize through Alex Morgan. Second half goals from Meleana Shim (fourth in four) and Allie Long fully exorcised Portlandโs SBFC demons, helping them to a relatively easy victory.
Implications:ย For Sky Blue, it wasnโt an unexpected result, but with another player going down, the game exemplified their current state. Theyโre not playing well, they canโt stay healthy, and even the things they were doing right before seem difficult, now. Portland, however, carried some redemption out of this game, not only defeating Sky Blue for the first time but quelling doubts that had crept in after their late capitulation to Chicago.
Saturday, August 3
Boston Breakers 2, Western New York 2 โย Having fired head coach Lisa Cole during the week, Boston took to the field with interim coach Cat Whitehill in central defense, the legendary Kristine Lilly serving as her former teammateโs sideline assistant. The change seemed to inspire Boston to a 2-0 lead, with play off corner kicks leading to goals from Kyah Simon (17โฒ) and Lianne Sanderson (65โฒ). ย Then came the collapse, a defensive Breakers side unable to prevent Vicki DiMartino and, five minutes from time, Carli Lloyd from snatching a point for Western New York.
Implications:ย For the Flash, the comeback is nice, but the result wonโt help their quest for a home playoff game. It did, however, eliminate Seattle from the playoffs.
For Boston, Lisa Cole walked the line between being liked and getting results. The organization felt she was underachieving, and although they pulled the trigger on the move three weeks too late to have an meaningful impact on their playoff chances, Boston felt this was their hail mary chance to save their season.
There were questions about her tactics. There were questions about her ability to manage the teamโs bigger egos. There were questions about her preferences, carrying over so many Breakers from last yearโs WPSL Elite team into this yearโs squad. All those quandaries were answered by a bottom line that sees Boston in sixth place, a standing that cost Cole her job.
Chicago Red Stars 3, Seattle Reign FC 1 โย Just over one week earlier, Chicago was being routed in Tukwila, 4-1. Consider this the Red Starsโ revenge. Early, dubious penalties converted by Sonja Fuss and Kaylyn Kyle (two central defenders taking PKs) meant a Hope Solo mistake in the 41st minute would be the difference at halftime. The Seattle keeperโs bad pass gifted Inka Grings an easy 41st minute conversion. ย In the 72nd, Grings completed her double, keeping Chicago on the fringe of the postseason.
Implications:ย Chicago stays in position to take advantage if Western New York stumble, though with the team moving back to โfive hundredโ ย (7-7-5), there was some personal pride to be taken from the result. They can also take heart in their first sellout crowd of the season.
For Seattle, the run had to end sometime, though seeing it end after a couple of preventable goals is unlikely to placate Laura Harvey. This was an unexpectedly sloppy performance from the Reign, but having been eliminated from playoff contention at halftime (by the Western New York result), maybe their run was over before Grings sealed their coffin.
League Leaders
| Goals | Assists | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Holiday (FCKC) | 12 | Lauren Holiday (FCKC) | 9 |
| Abby Wambach (WNY) | 10 | Lianne Sanderson (BOS) | 7 |
| Sydney Leroux (BOS) | 10 | Abby Wambach (WNY) | 6 |
| Alex Morgan (PTFC) | 8 | Heather OโReilly (BOS) | 6 |
| 2 tied at | 7 | 5 tied at | 5 |
Sky Blue FC 1, Washington Spirit 0 โย After giving up 23 shots in Rochester, Washington gave up 17 to a Sky Blue team that didnโt even have to break the glass on the hobbled Lisa De Vanna. Monica Ocampo, quietly up to six goals on the year (scoring every 120 minutes), notched the gameโs only goal, though it took the home side 58 minutes to break through on the normally generous Spirit. Chantel Jones, stepping in for the injured Ashlyn Harris, helped stem that tide, though with only one shot on Sky Blueโs Jillian Loyden, Washington couldnโt solve their problems going forward.
Implications:ย Sky Blue snapped their three-game losing streak, but as was the case with Western New York, this game was an obligatory three points. A 1-0 against the Spirit isnโt exactly a rallying point. For Washington, however, the game was an improvement on the battering they took in Rochester, though after scoring twice last weekend, their goal-scoring problems seem to have returned.
Sunday, August 4
Portland Thorns FC 2, FC Kansas City 3 โย The most important game of the season saw the leagueโs top team visit a record crowd at JELD-WEN Field, with the 17,619 attendance hoping to see their Thorns leapfrog Kansas City into first place. Lauren Holiday, however, was having none of that, scoring twice as the Blues counter attack picked apart Portlandโs defense, giving FCKC their second win of the year over the preseason favorites. Portland did get goals from Danielle Foxhoven (a second half equalizer to make it 1-1) and Alex Morgan (a late score to make it 3-2), but with a leaking defense that could seemingly be picked apart whenever Kansas City found the initiative, Thorns FC missed their chance to move top.
Implications:ย Thereโs no doubt who the best team is in the NWSL, and if Sundayโs any indication, itโs not really close. Thereโs also little doubt who the leagueโs best player is, with Lauren Holidayโs double affirming her league lead in goals and assists. If she doesnโt play another game this season, sheโs still the leagueโs MVP.
Portland is subtly experiencing a minor crisis. The team had high expectations coming into the match but found themselves chasing two goals as control of home field advantage slipped away. Despite having the leagueโs best talent, theyโre not the leagueโs best team, with a small rift in the team undermining their ability to improve.
Foxhoven mentioned the rift post game, something thatโs existed since early in the season ย (โthereโs been a little bit of a separation in our team and thatโs why weโve struggled in the pastโ). Itโs an ideological divide, with a significant number of playersย believing the team should be playing differently. The late substitute of Elizabeth Guess for Foxhoven only highlighted the chasmโs persistent influence.
With internal attempts to resolve the divide having failed, Portlandโs left to hope their talent will win out.
