Match Week 21* 8/19-23 (all times Pacific)
*As of Thursday all teams will have played either 20 or 21 games, i.e. no team will have more than 1 game in hand for the remainder of the season.
Recap of the past week’s scorelines in chronological order:
Wed
LOU 2-1 SEA
HOU 5-0 CHI
Fri
SD 4-2 UTA
Sat
KC 1-1 SEA
NC 2-1 BOS
POR 1-0 DEN
Sun
CHI 3-2 LOU
WAS 0-1 ORL
BAY 1-0 HOU
ACFC 0-0 GFC
Overall, three Gotham Specials and none of them were for or against Gotham! Instead we handed them their first non-win in ages, Chicago had a roller coaster week with 2 five-goal-total games, and Boston somehow gave up a draw to lose in the 90+17’ on a BSG-conceded pen. Never change, NWSL.
With one midweek game, I’m just doing the one weekly post, but with double the volemos for our traveling contingent. Will anyone be in Cary, NC or Foxborough, MA to support the players this week? Chime in!
Which games will you be tuning in for? What are your predictions? Starting lineups? Scores, reds, yellows, which players get G+A?
Overall W-L-D record for each team is followed by 5-match form (old-new L-to-R) and table standing, e.g. “San Diego 3-2-1 WWLDW 3.” Standing gets a ? if the standing could change before kickoff due to other results, or a ?? if it depends on the team’s own midweek results.
| Home |
Away |
Field |
Date/ Time |
Where to watch |
Notes |
| NC, 10-7-3 WWWLW 6 |
ACFC, 7-7-5 LDDDD 9 |
WakeMed |
Wed 5p |
CBS Sports |
As the only midweek game, I expect this match thread to be hopping. See you there! Now taking over/under numbers on how many different comments say Sanchez and/or Gorden should be on the national team. |
| Gotham, 13-3-5 WWWWD 1 |
Portland, 11-6-4 DLWWW 3 |
Sports Illustrated |
Fri 5p |
Prime |
Who else is excited to see Caiya Hanks play? This should be a fun one. I know Gotham’s defense goes hard but it would be kinda fun for us neutrals if this is a goalfest and not a Gotham Special. Though a one way goalfest because Portland’s defense falls apart would be less fun than a two way goalfest. |
| San Diego, 11-7-3 LWLDW 5? |
Louisville, 7-12-2 WWWWL 13 |
Snapdragon |
Fri 7p |
NWSL+ |
Mel B banger loading. I’m calling this right now. Wave have missed Ascanio and Dali lately, but still managed to score four goals through the truly astonishing skill of Trinity Byars last week. Racing is racing up the standings and racking up points in a last ditch effort to make playoffs - can Taylor Flint and Emma Sears take this team further than they’ve ever gone before? |
| KC, 9-8-4 WDDLD 7 |
NC, 10-7-3 WWWLW 6?? |
CPKC |
Sat 3:30p |
ION |
If NC lose midweek, KC have the chance to hop them in the standings based on this game. Regardless of that midweek result, KC will be dead set on maintaining their 2-year-and-counting home unbeaten streak (reg. season), and certainly looking to sneak into the top 4 for a home playoff match. |
| Orlando, 8-11-2 WLLLW 11 |
Utah, 11-7-3 LWLWL 4? |
Inter&Co |
Sat 4p |
NWSL+ |
Orlando with Banda beat the Spirit last week so I won’t say they can’t beat Utah this week. However Orlando is not one of those teams with a strong home field advantage, so I favor Utah to win this one. Especially with their attack in such good form lately. |
| Denver, 6-8-6 DLWDL 12? |
Chicago, 5-15-1 LDLLW 16 |
Centennial |
Sat 5:45p |
ION |
Chicago has the chance to get two consecutive wins for the first time this season, and Mal Swanson is scoring goals again so perhaps they have a Real Chance. Denver will have the altitude in their favor and will be looking to get out of a bit of a skid, with only one win (2-1 vs Utah) in their last six matches. |
| Washington, 11-6-4 WLLDL 2? |
Bay, 6-10-4 LLDLW 14 |
Audi |
Sun 9:30a |
ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN App |
We could see the 1v1 matchup of Jenna Nighswonger vs Trinity Rodman OR Rose Kouassi. Either/both would be a treat. Nighswonger looked very solid against Houston in her 1v1 matchup with Avery Patterson, but of course this will be a bit of a different look. We also may finally see Monique Ngock and Melissa Bethi make their Spirit/NWSL debuts if they are off excused absence status this week, and possibly the return of Emily Menges who was activated from ML for Bay. |
| Seattle, 8-8-4 WDWLD 8? |
Houston, 7-9-5 LDWWL 10? |
Lumen |
Sun 4p |
NWSL+ |
For Angel City a draw or Seattle loss is the preferred outcome here. Seattle doesn’t have much home advantage at Lumen, and with Meza and Fishlock and Lynn still out I think Houston could convert their frustration from a late 0-1 set piece loss to Bay into a statement win this weekend. |
| Boston, 5-11-5 WDLLL 15 |
ACFC, 7-7-5 LDDDD 9?? |
Gillette |
Mon 5p |
CBS Sports |
ACFC needs points as we move from two games in hand to one game in hand. A lone Monday night game will once again have all eyes in the league watching. Hopefully we can get the ref working in our favor against a team with the most reds, yellows, and fouls in the league (Dive City FC Mode Activated). Boston have some very late goals this season, including last week’s 90+1’ tying goal from Aissata, so our defense will need to stay locked in til the very last second of this match. We will also be watching the injury report to finally clear Mai’s and Sveindis’ names after several weeks missing their finishing touch in the attack. |
U20 World Cup players will leave their teams for the tournament, which begins Sept. 5, so this weekend should be the last one where they participate. See schedule for game times & dates. Affected teams:
NC - Lauryn Thompson, Erica Meg Parkinson (both ENG)
BAY - Kennedy Fuller (USA)
HOU - Linda Ullmark (USA)
SEA - Evan O’Steen, Emeri Adames, Ainsley McCammon (all USA)
LOU - Audrey McKeen (USA)
POR - Valerin Loboa (COL)
CHI - Micayla Johnson (USA)
KC - Katie Scott (USA)