NWSL Review | Matchweek 3
Orlando and Kansas City continue their great starts with Angel City also unbeaten as well, while five teams are still waiting for their first wins of the season following week three's action
Things are beginning to feel established a little now for the 2025 season and we are beginning to see what teams are about after three weeks. Two teams are proving to be as good as we all thought they would be and there are a couple of teams getting some momentum going now with some good results as well.
Here on our newsletter, we will provide you with a recap of the weekend’s action every week from the National Women’s Soccer League, reviewing some of the match details and talking points that happened.
Washington Spirit 2-0 Bay FC
The Spirit got their second win of the season as they beat Bay FC 2-0 thanks to a brace from Ashley Hatch. It was all Washington’s way in the opening 15 minutes with Hatch, Trinity Rodman and Makenna Morris each having a chance to score. However less than ten minutes later, Hatch scored her first of the match with a header from a Leicy Santos cross.
Three minutes later and the hosts had doubled their lead with Hatch getting her second of the match with another header past Jordan Silkowitz in the Bay FC goal. Ashley Hatch had a chance to complete her hat-trick just before half-time but her shot went wide.
In the 60th minute, Bay FC thought they had one back through Taylor Hill but VAR overturned the decision and it meant the score stayed the same. Hill had some opportunities to score as did half-time sub Racheal Kundananji but neither could find a way past Aubrey Kingsbury. The win for Washington lifts them up to third place with six points whilst Bay FC drop down to eighth as we head into the international break.
Houston Dash 0-0 Gotham FC
The first goalless draw of the season happened in a game that really didn’t offer that much for those watching. The game had a total of three shots on target between the two sides, which probably tells you enough about this one.
A largely dull first half took an unfortunate turn after Gotham captain Tierna Davidson landed awkwardly on her left leg and went down with a non-contact injury. While she did walk off the field largely unaided, she had to come out of the game with Mandy Freeman taking her place at centre-back. It took until the 68th minute for the first shot on goal to happen when Ella Stevens of Gotham got on the end of a cross but Jane Campbell saved her header.
For Houston, it took until the 78th minute to have somewhat of a chance with Avery Patterson hitting the side netting and then near the end Evelina Duljan tried an audacious cross/shot attempt but Ann-Katrin Berger was able to deal with it. The point for Houston sees them in seventh place while Gotham sits in twelfth with just the two points so far.
Orlando Pride 2-1 San Diego Wave
The 100% winning start to the season continued for Seb Hines’s side this weekend in what was possibly their hardest match of the regular season so far. The Pride started the game lively with Barbra Banda having two good chances in the opening ten minutes but she couldn’t find the back of the net.
Jonas Eidevall’s San Diego side grew into the game after that flurry from Banda with Delphine Cascarino and Adriana Leon having chances for the Wave. Emily Sams went closest to putting the Pride ahead on the cusp of half-time but her header went just wide.
Into the second half and it was again Orlando who started it brightly and within 5 minutes they took a deserved lead with a shot from inside the six-yard box by Haley McCutcheon. The lead didn't last long though as less than ten minutes later, substitute Chiamaka Okwucukwu headed in a Kenza Dali cross to draw the Wave level. After a VAR check confirmed the goal was good to stand, meaning Okwucukwu made history scoring the second fastest debut-goal in NWSL history with one minute and 32 seconds.
Things went back in the Prides’ favour in the 70th minute when Banda was fouled by Cascarino in the penalty area but Marta hit the post. However, after the referee went to the VAR screen and saw the Wave keeper was off her goal line before Marta touched the ball, the penalty was retaken and this time the Brazilian scored with an outrageous Panenka to give the Pride the three points.
Kansas City Current 3-0 Utah Royals
Another side to keep up their 100% win record is the Current and this one was done with ease against Utah Royals with all the goals coming in the first half. Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring after 22 minutes and then two more goals before half-time from Michelle Cooper and Debinha respectively sealed the points for Vlatko Andonovski’s side.
In the second half, the Current had another four chances to add to their tally but weren’t able to do so with Chawinga going closest.
Following this game the Current remain level on points with Orlando but sit behind them on goal difference, while Utah sit second from last place with just one point from their first three games in this 2025 season.
Portland Thorns 0-0 North Carolina Courage
The second goalless draw of the weekend happened in Portland in a much more entertaining affair unlike the goalless draw from the day before. Both sides had early chances with Denise O’Sullivan going close for the Courage whilst Sam Coffey went close for the Thorns but neither shot tested the keepers.
As the game went on, each of the sides took turns as to who would have the upper hand over a five-to-ten-minute period and Portland Thorns keeper Mackenzie Arnold had to be called upon to make some big saves for Rob Gale’s side.
In total, the Aussie goalkeeper made five saves in the match, including saving a Jaedyn Shaw penalty which also meant Arnold made an interesting bit of history by being the first keeper since Adriana French to save each of the first two-on-target penalties that she faced in the regular season.
For both sides, it was their second points of the season and the first time both have avoided conceding this season giving them clean sheets as well so there is that positive that both can take from this one.
Chicago Stars 0-1 Racing Louisville
It’s now three defeats in a row to start the season off for Chicago and while things started off looking brightly for the Stars in this game with three chances in the opening four minutes of the game, they weren’t able to punish the Louisville defence with any of them.
It took a while for the visitors to get into the game however, they took the lead in the 27th minute through Emma Sears who smashed home her shot from outside the box past Alyssa Naeher for her second goal of the season. The visitors had some chances to double the lead before the break but none of them ever troubled Naeher.
In the second half, Kayla Fischer had multiple chances to double the lead for Louisville but the 25-year-old wasn’t able to convert any of them. The troubling signs for what looks likely to be a long season for Chicago are already appearing and questions are going to be asked about how long it will take for the hierarchy to make any movements.
Angel City 2-1 Seattle Reign
Angel City’s unbeaten start to the season was extended as they beat Seattle Reign 2-1 for their first win of the season adding to the fact they drew their opening two games against San Diego Wave and Portland Thorns.
Angel City had the large spell of possession in the first half and had the majority of the chances with Kennedy Fuller going close in the very first minute. Seattle would have one of their own not long after with Ji So-Yun capitalising on an error and slotting in Maddie Dahlien but she hit her shot wide. After eight minutes though, Alyssa Thompson opened the scoring to give Angel City the lead with a right-footed shot.
A penalty was conceded by Angel City’s Gisele Thompson fouled Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and then Ji So-Yun stepped up and levelled things from the penalty spot. More chances for Angel City proceeded the equaliser for Seattle, but they didn’t go ahead until the goal which was to be their winner until the 63rd minute.
Claire Emslie crossed the ball into the middle and there was Riley Tiernan to head the ball into the goal and put the LA side back in front and win them the game. Angel City have gone up to fourth now following this bright start to the campaign, whereas Seattle Reign dropped down to sixth not too far behind their opponents from week three.
