NWSL Week 25 results: Angel City remain unbeaten as Washington clinches playoff spot

NWSL Week 25 results: Angel City remain unbeaten as Washington clinches playoff spot San Diego is on a tear with their fifth straight win, moving just one point off of table-toppers Gotham. Seattle wrested the last playoff spot back from North Carolina, at least for this week, and Angel City had a marvelous comeback against Denver. Haley Hopkins is on a tear for Kansas City, and the Current are rising in the ranks due to it. Portland got a point due to a late equalizer from Caiya Hanks, and are nervously eyeing Seattle and North Carolina nipping at their heels. Boston and Racing Louisville gave us early excitement to start the week in the nasty New England weather, but nothing like a cold, rainy night in Stoke. NWSL Week 25 cleared up the playoff picture a little bit, but certainly, only a little. Boston pots one in each half to down Racing Louisville After an hour-long weather delay, the Boston fans were treated to one of the most entertaining matches of the week. Great attacks, great saves, and maximum effort from both sides provided an excellent start to a hugely important weekend of football in the NWSL. Boston’s Amanda understands the assignment. When the Brazilian international steps on the pitch, she has a penchant for scoring within minutes, and this match was no exception. Just nine minutes in, the home side built up from the back and found Bianca St.-Georges on the right wing. She sent a great cross in, and Amanda touched home with a perfect instep. Racing would equalize on a Boston miscue 13 minutes later. Legacy defender Laís Araújo sent a back pass to keeper Laurel Ivory, who tried to return the ball. Unfortunately for Ivory, she misplayed the ball, and it went straight to Louisville attacker Kayla Fischer. She quickly went by Ivory and fired home. Five minutes later, Fischer was looking for her brace on an open break, but Ivory made a tremendous save to keep level. The sides held steady for the rest of the half, but the second would start off with a bang. Six minutes into the second frame, Boston earned a corner. Sarah Schupansky sent it in and Racing cleared it, but only just outside the box. The Legacy relentlessly pressed, and the ball came to Schupansky again. She sent it into the box, and Deja Davis delivered a textbook header past Jordyn Bloomer. Davis’ tally would prove to be the winner, as Racing could not draw level. A tremendous save from Ivory in the 77th minute, and a last-second header from Emma Sears that sailed over the bar decided the tilt. Embed from Getty Images With two matches left, Boston’s inaugural season will be a great success. The side proved that they can play with any team in the league, and the fans showed up. All in US football are excited for their sophomore season. Meanwhile, all in US football are very nervous for the future of Racing Louisville. Low attendance numbers and talk of a possible move to Cincinnati, Ohio, loom as dark clouds in the upcoming off-season. Washington topples Gotham, clinches playoff spot In a battle between the league’s two best defenses, one goal in the second half was all the difference as Washington officially clinched their playoff berth. Gotham leads the league in clean sheets and goals against, and Washington is second in both of those categories. In this match, however, Washington poured on the offense. The home Spirit sent 13 shots toward Ann-Katrin Berger, six of those on target. Gotham played their exceptional ball-control game, but their chances were very limited. Sandy MacIver only had to make two saves in the first half, and none in the second. The first half saw two good chances, both from Washington’s Trinity Rodman. Berger stopped her both times, and the sides went in with nothing resolved. Embed from Getty Images The second half was even more defensive-minded, with shot opportunities at a premium. Gotham had but one shot attempt the entire half, while Washington garnered five. The home side made one of their few chances count halfway through the frame, and it was all they would need. 70 minutes in, Gotham cleared a Washington attack out of the box, but not past Mélissa Bethi. The Algerian international sent a soft chip into the box, right onto Lucia Di Guglielmo. She took the ball off her chest, fought off a defender, and put the ball past Berger. As mentioned, Washington officially claims a playoff spot. They sit third in the table, three points behind top of the table Gotham. The Bats have seen their lead at the top shrink to but a single point over San Diego, setting up huge clashes in the two sides’ last two matches. Kansas City jumps over Utah to take top four spot Haley Hopkins has blown up in her last three matches, netting six goals for the Current in that span. Kansas City has used her form to win three straight and leap into a top four spot, this time, at Utah’s expense. In an exciting, evenly played match, the difference was Kansas City’s ability to finish. The visitors got on the board in the 21st minute off of a perfect corner. Vanessa DiBernardo sent the ball in, and Hopkins was there to meet it and head straight in. The action continued quickly, and the Current should have had a second, but Temwa Chawinga’s chance just before half rattled off the crossbar. Embed from Getty Images The second half was just as fast, and both sides were looking to attack the whole way. Neither team could break through until the 85th minute, when Hopkins took a pass in the box and put it past Mandy McGlynn, only to be called offside. 3 minutes later, Chawinga also had one called back on the offside. The calls only delayed the inevitable – right now, you can’t stop Haley Hopkins, you can only hope to contain her. And unfortunately for the Royals, they could not. In the first minute of stoppage time, Chawinga and Hopkins broke in on the Utah goal. Chawinga laid a perfect pass across, and Hopkins easily tapped in. Kansas City now holds one of the coveted top four spots, which gives the right to host the first round of the playoffs. Utah has slipped of late, and will want to turn the ship around in their last two regular season matches. San Diego hurts North Carolina’s playoff chances, moves within one point of top San Diego and North Carolina are trending in opposite directions, with the Wave on a five-match win streak and the Courage having dropped four of five. The visiting wave started this one off quickly, as wunderkind Mel Barcenas tallied in just the fourth minute. Lia Godfrey fed the teenager above the top of the box, where Barcenas is just masterful. She got to an open spot and fired from just outside, striking the inside of the post and in for the Wave’s first. With that goal, the 18-year-old Barcenas sets the NWSL record for goals in a season for a teenager. Two minutes later, Mimi van Zanten struck the crossbar for the visitors, and Barcenas did the same just 6 minutes after that. The Courage had to gather to settle this one down. A shift in the defense allowed the home side to recover, and the Courage worked into their attack after the shaky start. Neither side found the back of the net though, and the early marker stood as the only goal. Embed from Getty Images Just as the first half, San Diego scored early in the second. Seven minutes into the frame, Gia Corley broke out of her own end and sent a perfect through ball to Trinity Byars. The US international saw Kailen Sheridan off of her line and chipped it over her to double the San Diego lead. The Courage would pull one back late in the match after a strong buildup from the back. The Menace Ashley Sanchez brought the ball into the box and centered for Vilde Bøe Risa tapped home. The goal is the Norwegian international’s first in the NWSL. Unfortunately for the home fans, that was as close as the Courage would get. It was a bad week to be a home fan in the NWSL, with hosts going 2-1-5 for the week. San Diego’s important road win has them just one point behind Gotham for top spot. North Carolina desperately needed at least a draw here, as they now sit one point outside of the last playoff spot. Angel City roars back against Denver Summit Denver has had a penchant for building leads but being unable to hold them this season, and the latest one was a crushing blow to their playoff hopes. The first half of this match was a shooting gallery, and the first goal was almost immediate. Denver’s Janine Sonis sent a corner into the box, and fell right at the feet of Melissa Kössler. The German international poked home past Angelina Anderson, and the Denver fans were roaring. Only 15 minutes after that, the Summit doubled the lead through the very in-form Lindsey Heaps. Sonis again sent the ball into the box, where the Angel City defense cleared, but only to the top of the box. Heaps was waiting and fired home for her sixth goal in seven matches. But that would be all from the home side, and three quick strikes from Angel City would quiet the Centennial Stadium crowd. The first would come in the 32nd minute. Following a buildup, Evelyn Shores had the ball on the left wing and centered to Sveindís Jónsdóttir. The Iceland international tapped home past Abby Smith to halve the lead. Seven minutes later, Angel City would level. Gisele Thompson had the ball at midfield and sent a terrific through ball to Taylor Suarez. The ball caught Suarez in full stride, and she took one touch then fired by Smith. Embed from Getty Images The visitors climbed all the back to victory just four minutes later. Thompson again had the ball at the top of the box, and passed outside to Ally Sentnor. She cut back to the middle, then sent a long-range rocket top bins to give her side the lead. The goal spree likely ended only because the half did. Angel City controlled the action in the second half, garnering the only two shots on target, and claimed the victory. The win extends Angel City’s unbeaten streak to eight matches and puts the side fifth in the table. For Denver, this loss was massive. They now sit five points out of a playoff spot with two matches to go. They need to win out and get help if they want to see the postseason. Orlando nets two in first, holds off Houston in second Orlando and Houston can score a lot of goals, and they can give up a lot of goals. With two teams that like to press the attack, this match was going to be non-stop action. Orlando got on the board early after Solai Washington charged into the Houston box and was tripped up. The referee pointed directly to the spot in the 10th minute, and it only took a six minute long VAR review to confirm what everyone in the stadium already knew. Luana stepped up for Orlando and fired a strike past Jane Campbell to give the Pride the 1-0 lead. Washington would put one in only to be called back for the offside, but would add Orlando’s second fifteen minutes later. Embed from Getty Images One of the greatest to ever play the game, Marta, sent a pass forward to a streaking Washington. She fought off her defender and slipped past Campbell to double the lead. The Brazilian legend Marta has been one of the best players in the world since before nearly half of the players in the NWSL were born. The sides went into the half with the visitors up two. Early in the second, Washington nearly nabbed her brace but Campbell made a tremendous stop on her. Houston used that moment and found the back of the net in the 55th minute. Kat Rader took a corner for the Dash that was immediately sent back over the endline by the Pride defense. Rader reloaded and sent her next corner back post, looking for Kate Faase. Orlando’s Rafaelle shielded her off, and the ball came to Dani Colaprico right in front. Falling down, she got her foot on the ball and poked past Cosette Morché to pull one back for the Dash. But that was as close as Houston would get. Faase put the ball in halfway through the second, but she was correctly ruled offside. Houston will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year, the side showing ability in all facets but needing to bring that together on a consistent basis. The win is bittersweet for Orlando, because Seattle’s victory later in the day would officially eliminate the Pride from the playoffs. Hanks’ late tally salvages draw for Portland against Bay One of the league’s early leaders, Portland has been slumping of late, with just two wins in their last eight matches. On this night, a late Caiya Hanks equalizer allowed the Thorns to steal a point against a Bay side that has already been eliminated from the playoffs. The match started out perfectly for the Thorns. After several corners, the visitors capitalized on a Bay turnover in their own end. Hanks passed to Nina Nijstad in the box, and she sent back to Morgan Weaver. Weaver fired past Jordan Silkowitz to give herself a great birthday present, and her team the lead. Bay returned the favor in the 33rd minute. A bad turnover in the Portland end found Karlie Lema with the ball alone against Mackenzie Arnold. Lema went around the Portland keeper, then sent across to a wide open Caroline Conti, who easily tapped home. There were no further threats for the rest of the half, and the sides went in all square. Embed from Getty Images The second half was measured and even. Early on a highlight reel save from Arnold denied a highlight reel goal from Kennedy Fuller, so Fuller just had to try again. Halfway through the frame, Bay’s winger took a pass from Lema at the top of the box. She turned, filthily nutmegged her defender, and fired it in to reclaim the lead. 20 minutes later, Hanks played Portland’s savior. She came down the left side and sent a centering pass in that the Bay defense cleared right back to her. Hanks cut in, then came back across to fire the ball in near post. The draw keeps Portland seventh in the table, only two points from the cutoff. The return next week of Sophia Wilson should buoy the club. Bay is playing for pride, and certainly earned it in this one. Seattle gets vital win over Chicago, moves into last playoff slot Coming into this match, Seattle was on the outside looking in, two points back of North Carolina. Knowing that the Courage had lost earlier, the Reign only needed to take care of business against last-place Chicago, and so they did. The Reign took advantage of the struggling Chicago defense, with Jess Fishlock potting just nine minutes in, only to have it called back for offside. Seattle kept the press on, and got the opener seven minutes before half. Fishlock had the ball at midfield, and sent dropped the ball into the box for Maddie Mercado. She chested it down, then slid it past Halle Mackiewicz. That would be all the scoring for the half, and indeed, until late in the second. Seattle was the aggressor in the second, controlling play on offense and defense. The visitors finally got their second in the 80th minute on a wonderful turn from Nérilia Mondésir. Sofia Huerta sent a ball into the box and Mondésir brought it down. The Haitian international completely turned around and went far post to double for Seattle. Four minutes later, Mercado sealed the deal. Embed from Getty Images Brittany Ratcliffe stole the ball deep in the Chicago end and drove to the end line. She sent the ball into the middle and Mercado smashed it into the far post on an attempted header that got more of her face than her head. Anyone who has ever played football can tell you how much those hurt. Chicago got a consolation goal just before the final whistle went Maitane López sent a through ball to Simone Charley. She outraced the defenders and went far side past Claudia Dickey, just enough to spoil the clean sheet. The win sees Seattle leapfrog Carolina for the final playoff spot. The battle for the last three spots in the postseason is going to be so much fun to watch. Chicago showed tenacity throughout, a good sign for a side playing out the rest of the season. NWSL Week 25 results in full Boston Legacy 2-1 Racing Louisville Washington Spirit 1-0 Gotham FC Utah Royals 0-2 Kansas City Current North Carolina Courage 1-2 San Diego Wave Denver Summit 2-3 Angel City FC Houston Dash 1-2 Orlando Pride Bay FC 2-2 Portland Thorns Chicago Stars 1-3 Seattle Reign Related articles from Her Football Hub: Serie A matchday three results: Como 1907 make title-race statement with Juventus win Liga F match-day seven results: Real Sociedad pull off upset win over Barcelona NSL Week 26 results: A tense finish looms as the playoffs race goes down to the wire