The NWSL regular season is officially back in swing, and storylines from an already gripping season are heating up. The league’s 14 teams have nine games left to make the playoffs. Significant signings could shake-up their chances (Abby Dahlkemper to Bay FC, and Janine Beckie and Bethany Balcer to Louisville, to name just a few).
In the background, a new CBA was signed. And remarkably, the Orlando Pride remain undefeated, setting a new NWSL record last weekend with their 18-game unbeaten run. Here is what to look out for on matchday 18.
Somehow, the reigning NWSL champions, Gotham FC, and this year’s undefeated titans, Orlando, haven’t played each other yet.
That changes Sunday, as Gotham heads to South Florida for a chance to beat the team at the top. It’ll be a challenge. The Pride’s 18-game unbeaten streak will be difficult to snap, and all the more so when they have home field advantage. No team has conceded fewer goals than Orlando this season, and that defensive might is even stronger at home.
Of the 12 goals they've allowed in 2024, just four have been at Inter & Co Stadium. Gotham are also in fine form, though, and rely on formidable defending of their own. With German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger back from the Olympics with a bronze medal, Gotham’s 13 goals allowed in 2024 are the second-fewest behind Orlando.
While neither team will be easy to break down, Orlando’s dynamic attack may have the options needed - from Barbra Banda, Marta, Summer Yates, Adriana and beyond - to break through Gotham at home. Gotham certainly has the talent to pull off the upset, but a key question could surround fitness of key players. Rose Lavelle, who has the team’s second-most goals (5) behind Ella Stevens, came off the bench last week.
Will she be fit to play longer? Lavelle’s fellow USWNT gold medalists Lynn Williams (Gotham’s third-highest goalscorer) and Crystal Dunn were both absent from last week’s match with injury.
Will they be ready to go Sunday? Regardless, the test between the fourth-ranked reigning Champions and the unbeaten Pride is the must-watch match of the weekend (Sunday, September 1, 6 p.m. ET, NWSL+).
Elsewhere, the Washington Spirit head to SoCal to see if they can continue the pace of last week’s remarkable 4-1 win over Kansas City. The Spirit have looked good all year, but could be even more dangerous to close the season with some big signings (Colombia star Leicy Santos) and new manager Jonatan Giráldez officially in the head role.
The Spirit moved into second place behind Orlando after their win over the Current, and play a floundering San Diego Wave (Sunday, September 1, 8 p.m. ET, ). San Diego has new manager Landon Donovan in the interim role to end the year, and started things off with a loss to SoCal rival Angel City FC last week.
While the Wave have plenty of talent in their squad, including US star Naomi Girma, they only have so much time to turn things around, as the 11th-ranked team is three spots below the playoffs heading into the weekend. As for Kansas City, the former top-of-the-table team heads to Cary, North Carolina hoping to regain their footing after last week’s loss in Washington D.C.
North Carolina Courage will be a tough test for Vlatko Andonovski’s squad in their second-straight match on the road, though they beat them 2-0 in their last meeting, for the Summer Cup semi-final on Aug. 6 . (Sunday, Sept. 1, 2 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+).
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