NWSL Review | Matchweek 12
Week 12 action brought us more of that NWSL chaos and it has made the playoff picture look all the more exciting following some of the results that happened over this past weekend.
The playoff picture got even closer following week 12's action and it was a good weekend for the likes of San Diego Wave, North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns, while Angel City and Chicago Stars both suffered late goals against them.
There’s one more week of action to come before a long break in the season, with many players being away for the Women’s Euros coming up. But in the meantime, teams will have been wanting to make the most of whatever momentum they have until that break happens.
Every matchweek, we will provide you with a recap of the weekend’s action from the National Women’s Soccer League, reviewing some of the match details and talking points that happened.
Houston Dash 2-3 San Diego Wave
Week 12 began in Houston as San Diego held off a comeback attempt by the Dash to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Seattle. The Wave began by having the better chances in the opening 15 minutes, and they even had the ball in the back of the net as Trinity Armstrong headed in. The goal was ruled out as Armstrong was offside when the ball was crossed in.
It didn’t take much longer before Jonas Eidevall’s side eventually had the lead in the game. Kenza Dali received the ball near the halfway line and made the run towards the box, where she then passed out wide to Adriana Leon. The Canadian forward’s cross wasn’t cleared well by the Houston defence and then Dali hit it in.
More poor defending was Houston’s downfall for the second goal as Hanna Lundkvist crossed in for Adriana Leon to score. The goal is Leon’s fourth of the campaign after 12 games. The first half would end 2-0 to the Wave, but Yazmeen Ryan hit a free-kick narrowly wide for the Dash in the final effort of the opening 45 minutes.
It looked like it was game over just over five minutes into the second half when former Houston Dash player María Sánchez made it 3-0 with a header and it was Delphine Cascarino assisting this time. It is the third goal this season she has scored for the Wave, and maybe it could be her last for the club given the reported transfer rumours about a return to Liga MX side Tigres for the Mexico forward.
Houston Dash required an almighty turnaround if they wanted to get back into this game and it was in quick transitions where they were having their best moments. Both Yazmeen Ryan and Bárbara Olivieri were creating opportunities for the home side, and it was Olivieri who lit the spark for a potential comeback with one of the goals of the week. It was a great strike from distance from her which she controlled well before shooting, plus the bounce just before Kailen Sheridan could make the save really helped out massively.
Then Yazmeen Ryan was able to follow up seven minutes later and make it 3-2 to really make things nervy all of a sudden for San Diego Wave. However, the away side stepped it up again and started to threaten Houston’s goal again, although they couldn’t add another goal to their tally, nor did they concede an equaliser as they held on for victory.
Following other results, San Diego has a bit of breathing space now in that top four but remain seven points away from the top spot. Houston Dash on the other hand continue a bad run with no wins in their last four games. Ricky Clarke’s team are only four points off eighth, so things don’t look terrible for them. But they will need to start getting some wins under their belt again or face the season slipping away from them.
Utah Royals 0-3 Gotham FC
It was a game of few chances yet Gotham came away from Utah with their first win in the NWSL since the end of April, as Esther González was back among the goals for the away side and Jaelin Howell scored as well.
Esther González opened her account after nine minutes following a great cross that was swung in by Sarah Schupansky. Then the near post run from González capped it off well as the header went into the bottom left corner.
Fourteen minutes later, Bianca St-Georges almost levelled things but she couldn’t get the right connection on the tap-in and it was saved well by Ann-Katrin Berger, and the ball then hit back off St-Georges for a goal kick. There wasn’t anything else too major in the first half before Jaelin Howell’s goal to then make it 2-0 Gotham.
She got the ball from Geyse and then saw a wide open space for her to run at goal with nobody ahead of her, and then she finished the chance fairly easily. The two Utah defenders being focused on Esther González meant Howell had too much room to have an effort at goal and double Gotham’s lead.
The third goal of the game was from the penalty spot in the 55th minute of the game as Esther González was fouled in the area, with the Spanish forward then stepping in to make it 3-0 and get her second goal to put her top of the scorers charts at the end of week 12.
Things took a bit of a turn with Gotham though, as they ended the game with nine players following Jess Carter and Jaelin Howell being sent off for separate incidents. Carter brought down Mina Tanaka with a shirt pull and it looked like she would have had a chance to score if not for Carter tugging her down. Originally, Carter was only given a yellow until a VAR check deemed to be a DOGSO (Denial of a goal-scoring opportunity), so that was enough in the referee’s mind to overturn it, although it all looked a little subjective. Howell’s red card came after she picked up a second yellow card in added time for a late follow-through standing on Claudia Zornoza’s ankle.
Gotham and Juan Carlos Amoros will have been grateful for that final whistle as they climb into the top eight again after the victory in Utah. Jimmy Coenraets’ side are now in last place after this latest defeat.
Bay FC 0-1 Orlando Pride
The home side had the majority of the chances, but it was the reigning NWSL champions who got the three points in a one-goal victory again for Orlando Pride as they beat Bay FC at PayPal Park, the confirmed venue for this season’s NWSL Championship final.
Taylor Huff went close to giving Bay FC the lead in the opening ten minutes, but her shot was saved by Anna Moorhouse. Orlando had the next best chance as Barbra Banda forced a save out of Emmie Allen who was playing in the place of Jordan Silkowitz for this game as Silkowitz was out due to illness.
No goals came in the first half, and it was in the 56th minute where Bay FC went closest to scoring in the whole game from a Caprice Dydasco just outside the area as the ball came out to her. Her shot beat Moorhouse but hit the crossbar and bounced back out before being headed away. The ball made its way back to the area more than ten seconds later and Asisat Oshoala went close to putting Bay FC ahead with a chance she’ll feel she should have put away.
A minute later and Bay FC found themselves regretting the missed opportunities as Barbra Banda received the ball off a quick free-kick, which caught out Bay FC players. Banda drove towards the goal and with a bit of luck off a deflection to catch out Allen, Orlando Pride had the lead just before the 58th minute. Sometimes you need a bit of luck and that’s what Banda got in that moment, punishing Bay FC’s defence who had to react quickly.
In terms of Bay FC’s chances after that goal to put them behind, Racheal Kundananji went on a good run at one point, but was just lacking the finish to restore things level for the home side. The Zambian forward had a header saved as well from a corner and assisted Penelope Hocking for an effort which was saved by Anna Moorhouse as well.
It wasn’t to be for Bay FC and Orlando Pride came away the winners for yet another close-margin win this season in the NWSL to keep them second in the standings. Bay FC dropped out of the top eight, but should be satisfied with the performance they showed against a top side. It was a case of not being able to take their chances on the day.
Chicago Stars 2-2 Seattle Reign
It was oh so close to a much-needed win for Chicago Stars and their interim coach Masaki Hemmi, but late drama ensued as Seattle scored twice late on to salvage a point at Soldier Field.
Seattle started on the front foot with an early chance, but things then started to go very well for the home team with Ludmilla scoring two goals, both in the 11th and 13th minutes of the game. Her first goal was all kicked off when she received the ball and faked out the player next to her before bearing down on goal with Phoebe McClernon ahead of her. The Brazilian forward showed her skill and quality to get past her and then finished the chance brilliantly to make it 1-0.
Chicago’s star of the show got her second quickly after the first when a clearance by Sam Staab upfield from defence actually played Ludmilla through to the other goal, and she had the pace to beat the defender after starting in her own half as well before scoring past Halle Mackiewicz. It was clinical finishing from Ludmilla and the Chicago Stars in the opening 15 minutes of the game.
Seattle Reign thought they had a way back into the game in the first half as a penalty was given for a foul on Maddie Dahlien inside the area. On first look it seemed like a shocking decision to award it and then after a VAR review, it did get overturned and it was definitely correct to do so.
Seattle began to gain some control in the second half and went close to a first goal for themselves in this one as Lynn Biyendolo had her effort tipped onto the crossbar in a great save by Mackiewicz. Maddie Dahlien went close in the 81st minute as well, but it was minutes later when Seattle finally got a breakthrough.
Samatha Meza crossed in, which didn’t reach the penalty area, but the block fell to Lynn Biyendolo who placed the chance well to make it 2-1 and extend her record for most NWSL regular season goals, plus it raised the nerve levels at Soldier Field for the home team. Of course, it was a case of one goal after the other again as Jordyn Bugg scored a strange-looking goal, which looked like a low cross in that Chicago’s defence didn’t deal with and it ended up going straight into the goal.
Maddie Mercado almost broke Chicago Stars fans’ hearts completely as she drove towards goal when she had the ball at her feet just before the 90th minute mark, but thankfully for the Stars, Halle Mackiewicz saved it well and spared them from another loss.
Chicago did hold on and in getting a point it takes them off the last position in the league for this season, but they will have absolutely regretted not getting three points considering they were two-up with three minutes plus the six minutes of added time remaining. The point for Seattle is a sign of more inconsistency in results for Laura Harvey’s side.
Kansas City Current 4-2 Racing Louisville
The leaders in the race for the NWSL Shield were at their dominant best again as the Current scored four against Racing Louisville at the CPKC Stadium, but did concede twice to the away team.
It was another one of their fast starts as Michelle Cooper’s slightly deflected cross was accidentally headed into the net by Louisville’s Lauren Milliet in the second minute. A tight offside on Cooper before she found Temwa Chawinga, who put the ball into the goal led to a disallowed second moments after the opener. Michelle Cooper did get on the scoresheet in the 15th minute however to make it 2-0.
It was tight again for offside, but the goal wasn’t being disallowed this time and the lead was doubled for Kansas City, who were punishing Louisville on the counter-attack. Things got worse for Bev Yanez’s side after Bia Zaneratto made it 3-0 by placing a low shot into the bottom left corner. Vlatko Andonovski’s side were running riot in the first 20 minutes, having too much for Racing Louisville to deal with and it looked like they could have had so many goals just in that first half alone.
The second half didn’t continue along the same path in terms of goals for KC Current as Louisville started to get on the ball more and create some opportunities, one of which Lauren Milliet hit the side netting with in the first chance of the second half. It was in the 62nd minute that Janine Sonis managed to pull one back for Racing Louisville. Milliet continued a busy game of involvement for her as she assisted Sonis’s goal.
They tried their hardest to make a comeback, and they did put the pressure on when Uchenna Kanu got ahead of her marker and headed in off a corner in the 88th minute. In trying to get that late equaliser though, tiredness may have crept in and after a through ball forward late on, Temwa Chawinga had a new burst of energy to beat the defender to the ball and then eventually finish to score yet again for the Current.
Last season’s MVP refused to end the game without getting on that scoresheet and it ended 4-2 at the CPKC Stadium, with Kansas City getting their 10th win of the season. The first team to reach double figures for victories overall in the 2025 campaign. While for Racing Louisville, they’ll be hoping the loss is just a minor setback in their season.
Angel City 1-2 North Carolina Courage
It was a first-ever victory in Los Angeles for North Carolina Courage and they did so in dramatic fashion with a late winner in their 2-1 win over Angel City, providing the chaos that we like to associate with NWSL after dark.
The chaos came early on as Cortnee Vine opened the scoring very early on with the fastest goal of the season in just 42 seconds. The Courage built the whole move for the goal up very well and it was Vine’s in-form forward teammate Manaka Matsukubo getting the assist as she found the Australian in the middle, who slid in to open the scoring.
Angel City had to put that start behind them, and Riley Tiernan went close in the 7th minute to levelling things for the home side. Their rookie star did put the ball into the net for an equaliser with her next chance though following some good build-up play before a Giselle Thompson cross found Tiernan who headed in. Seven goals this season is the tally for Riley Tiernan, putting a great shout in terms of wanting to be named rookie of the year at the end of the regular season. The seven goals she has scored as well has her tied for second in the most goals scored by a rookie in a single season.
After that chaotic opening, things started to calm down a bit more and there weren’t too many major chances. Manaka Matsukubo went close on a few occasions with a few opportunities that required a save from Angelina Anderson in the Angel City net, and this was in both the first and second halves of the game. There was also a moment where Alyssa Thompson went on a blistering run for Angel City in the second half, but unfortunately for her, the finish went wide of the goal.
A couple more chances later for both teams and we then get to stoppage time and it was the substitute Briana Pinto, who had been on the pitch for around eight minutes, scoring the late winner to break the hearts of home fans in BMO Stadium. It was the fifth minute out of the seven that had been added on, and it was a scramble in the box following a corner that was swung in, which led to Tyler Lussi having a shot blocked off the line before Pinto won the ball in the packed area and put it into the goal to give North Carolina the three points.
She silenced the home fans in her celebration and those home fans themselves will be wondering what has gone wrong these last few weeks as they are now winless since they beat Utah Royals in May. It’s also two games for Alexander Straus since taking charge and it’s a draw and a loss for him. So not the start he would have wanted, and you would have to think that he will want that five-week break to come quickly so he can get his ideas across to the team and turn around their form.
Angel City are tenth now after starting so well. North Carolina Courage stay in eleventh, but are on the edge of the top eight given that four teams are all on 15 points after week 12.
Portland Thorns 2-0 Washington Spirit
The young stars shone for Portland Thorns as they kept up their impressive home form with a win over Washington Spirit, which reaffirmed their position higher up the NWSL standings. It also meant that the Spirit extended their run of never having won a game at Providence Park after 15 meetings.
The Thorns looked better after having a lot of their international players back in the squad for this game and had control of a lot of the play in the first half, even with the odd chance for Washington during that. The first chance Portland had was from Reilyn Turner who hit a header towards Aubrey Kingsburg making the save.
It was Turner who managed to open the scoring for the Thorns after a well-worked move started by Olivia Moultrie intercepting the ball on the far side of the pitch, and then passed it off to Jessie Fleming who worked it through the legs of a defender for Reilyn Turner to then smash it home into the net. It was a deserved goal for Portland considering they had been the better of the two sides.
The confidence grew from there on for the home side, and they threatened with more chances towards the end of the first half but couldn’t add to their lead. Things carried on that way in the second half with Payton Linnehan having a chance saved straight at Kingsburg. Linnehan had been subbed on for forward Caiya Hanks who went off with an injury holding her left leg as she was helped off.
Jessie Fleming went close with a chance that was saved well also down the left of the Washington Spirit goalkeeper. Then in the 72nd minute, Washington went very close to an equaliser as Mackenna Morris the substitute, hit the crossbar with a great effort at goal as she dribbled towards it. It was the Spirit’s best chance at that point of the game and she had another one a bit later on, which Bella Bixby saved from going into the bottom left corner.
Jonatan Giraldez wasn’t on the touchline for this game as he and his wife were expecting the birth of their second child, so Adrian Gonzalez led things for this game, and overall, Washington’s performance wasn’t as good as they showed last week. Despite having most of the possession, they didn’t make the most of it and they were quite sloppy at times with their passing. They also got caught out on the counter at times and they did so for the second goal as a ball over the top for Pietra Tordin put her on goal, and she just managed to get it past Aubrey Kingsburg by attempting to hit it over her. The Washington keeper couldn’t get the reach on it, and it was game over as far as it was concerned.
Rob Gale’s team continue this impressive run at Providence Park for the 2025 season and it is proving to be their big strength at the moment playing at home with the large crowd always backing and supporting them in numbers. The Spirit will have been hoping it was just an off-week for them.
