This week's games (times US EDT): April 26 19:30 Washington hosts Orlando NWSL+ 22:00 LA hosts KC Prime Video April 27 19:00 North Carolina hosts Seattle NWSL+ 19:30 Chicago hosts Portland ION 19:30 Utah hosts Houston NWSL+ 22:00 San Diego hosts Bay FC ION April 28 17:00 Gotham hosts Louisville NWSL+ This past week, NWSL sold international TV rights in Latin America, Luso America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, Portugal, Scandinavia and Canada. Specifics of which outlets have access in these markets is here [ https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nat...ribution-details-for-remainder-of-2024-season ]. All other games are on NWSL+. ======= Headlines this week: Dash acquired Tarciane from Corinthians and brought in Paige Nielsen from Angel City after sending Maria Sanchez to Bay FC for allocation money and 2024 and 2025 international slots. Maria wasn't the only player who wanted out of Houston, they also dealt Emily Alvarado to Portland at her request. Marta announced that this will be her final year playing for Brazil. Alex Morgan's injury from last week's San Diego Orlando match has been declared week to week, but she will definitely be unavailable this week. KC fired their medical chief of staff due to violations of the league non-fraternization policy. Gotham, San Diego, and Portland will be the NWSL representatives in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup, the first competition in a new format. The other competitors include Tigres UANL (MEX), Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite (CAN), LD Alajuelense (CR), Frazsiers Whip (JAM). The Mexican Clausura Champion and the best overall runner up, the 2023/2024 El Salvador Liga Primera playoffs winner, and the Panamanian Liga de Futbol 2024 Apertura champion will also participate.
Regarding this weekend. The same three teams remain undefeated: KC (4-0-1), ORL (2-0-3), and LOU (1-0-4). Every team has picked up at least one win. Both GOT and SD will continue to have a game in hand after this weekend, having played 5 to everyone else’s 6 games. Next week is going to introduce more unevenness, because there are 3 games Wednesday and 7 games over the weekend. ORL, NC, WAS, BAY, and POR will play twice, moving them 2 games-played ahead of GOT and SD. This weekend, ORL at WAS (5th vs 2nd place) and LOU at GOT (6th vs 11th place) look to be interesting. NWSLsoccer.com took away the last five games W-L-L-D-W graphic, so I can’t easily check to see which team is on the upswing or downswing. In the battle for relegation (joke) HOU at UTA (12th vs 14th place) is important. And BAY at SD (8th vs 10th place) is critical for each side to stay away from the relegation discussion.
ORL have gone ahead for the second time this game early in the second half, so 2-1 now. I'm biased, but I think WAS have generally had the better of play this game so far - but the sheer talent that ORL brought in this year is clearly on display, getting good breakaways fairly often and controlling the game for portions as well (especially the first 10' of the second half). ORL just awarded a PK
Yates sends Kingsbury the wrong way. 3-1 ORL now. I need to stop watching games... Whenever I actually watch a game, the team I'm watching for loses.
Hatch just did a Hatch thing. Not a usual Hatch thing, but a good thing, nonetheless. 3-2. I enjoy any game Ash Hatch scores in.
Wow Debinha! LA's defense has been really composed against relentless KC counterattacks, but their offense in the second half hasn't shown as much speed.
There's the third KC goal, Chawinga to Lavogez. Sorry angels, this one turned out to be an impossible mission.
I'm going to miss all the Saturday matches unless I can catch the second half of the SD game. I'm sad to miss what will likely be an epic Carolina beatdown for Seattle.
San Diego looked much better this game, sleeping in their own beds appears to have helped. And of course it had to be Shaw...is there a better late game sub in the league? Lovely sequence leading to Shaw's goal. Losing Loera definitely hurt Bay. They threatened now and again, but couldn't finish. I thought Boade stood out for Bay, made a lot of good passes and if she had tapped in late it would have saved a point for Bay.
Good things happen when you play both Jaedyn Shaw and Savannah McCaskill centrally — even if it's only for a half. Beautiful team goal for the winner It's Jaedyn Shaw's world, and we're just living in it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EeaS0wtv3D— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 28, 2024
Yes, I do wonder how they are going to organize the midfield going forward now that Sanchez is in San Diego.