Over the last two weeks, the NWSL table has been filled with movement. Given the quality of fixtures in week 9, there could be even more heading into June.
Memorial Day weekend features at least one match Friday through Sunday in the National Women's Soccer League. It is the final week of regular season fixtures in May, and what it month it has been. From a women's soccer perspective, it is incredibly difficult to beat the NWSL. With the NBA season winding down and the NFL not kicking off for several months, this is the perfect time for every sports fan to tune into the most competitive women's soccer league in the world. Just five points separate sixth and first position in the table with NJ/NY Gotham FC sitting at the top with a slim one-point advantage over Portland Thorns, San Diego Wave, and the Washington Spirit.
Week 9 kicks off in the mid-west as two of the teams in the bottom three of the league have the chance to get back on track. The weekend concludes with quite possibly the marquee matchup of the three days as first-place Gotham travel to Audi Field to do battle with the club that was in first heading into week 8, the Spirit. Saturday includes three contests between 3:30 pm EST and 8:00 pm EST kicking off with Angel City visiting the struggling OL Reign. Here are three matches in week 9 of the NWSL that you have to fit in your Memorial Day weekend plans:
3 contests that you can't miss in week 9 of the NWSL regular season:
3. North Carolina Courage at Racing Louisville
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2023, 8:00 pm EST
How to watch: Paramount+
Just two weeks ago, Kim Bjorkegren's Racing Louisville had no wins. Within a blink of an eye, the girls in purple are just one point out of a playoff spot. The Kentucky side heads back to Lynn Family Stadium after collecting another multi-goal clean sheet. With three goals and two assists, Racing's Savannah DeMelo is one of seven players across the league with five or more goal contributions. The midfielder is scorching hot, netting three goals in the last two matches across all competitions. On the back of DeMelo, Louisville seeks to continue its unbeaten streak at home, currently sitting as one of the three teams in the NWSL without a loss on their home turf.
The team just ahead of them in the table, the North Carolina Courage will have something to say about that. Since its one-goal loss on the road, Sean Nahas' team are unbeaten in their last five games including a sensational display against the Reign at home.
It is the team with the most clean sheets in league play against the club that has racked up eight goals over the last 270 minutes of soccer. The battle in the middle of the park is where all the attention of this contest should be given. North Carolina has grown into the best possession-based club in the league and with captain Denise O'Sullivan along with Narumi Miura, their hope is that they can limit the amount of space players like DeMelo and Ary Borges are presented with. For Racing it has been about those moments of individual brilliance, but the Courage could be the team to conclude their positive run of form given Nahas' play style in 2023.
Prediction: North Carolina Courage 1-1 Racing Louisville
2. NJ/NY Gotham FC at Washington Spirit
Date: Sunday, May 28, 2023, 5:00 pm EST
How to watch: Paramount+
These two sides met earlier in the campaign in the Challenge Cup at Red Bull Arena. A Lynn Williams goal in the 56′ proved to be enough for Gotham FC to secure three points to open up their Challenge Cup campaign. For the first time in the league this season, the two teams that once made up the bottom two of the NWSL table in 2022 meet in what is now a matchup between two top-four sides. The New York side are unbeaten in their last four across competitions, coming off of a statement triumph over OL Reign at Lumen Field. No team has scored more goals away from home than Gotham, netting 10 across five contests away from Red Bull Arena. The Washington Spirit on the other hand have given up just one goal at home in the league.
The Spirit may be coming off of a loss in Orlando, but back in the confines of Audi Field, Mark Parsons' side will have all the confidence in the world they can rebound. Trinity Rodman vs Williams is the duel that everyone wants to see. If you had to rank the top-three MVP candidates currently, those two have to be on the list.
Williams just cannot stop scoring, netting four goals in her last six games. Rookie Jenna Nighswonger has been a surprise X-factor recently, finding the back of the net in back-to-back starts. When opportunities have presented themselves, the No. 4 overall selection in January has taken full advantage. After finishing last in 2023, Gotham has looked like it has a chip on its shoulder since the season opened. This matchup not only could be the most free-flowing but has the potential to be the talk of the weekend considering where both these clubs sit in the table heading into week 9.
Prediction: NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-1 Washington Spirit
1. Portland Thorns at San Diego Wave
Date: Friday, May 26, 2023, 10:00 pm EST
How to watch: Paramount+
Mike Norris' Portland Thorns dropped their first match of the campaign in week 7 at PNC Stadium. How did they respond? Well, the defending champions scored four goals while pitching a shutout against the Chicago Red Stars at Providence Park. The San Diego Wave overcame their own adversity, bouncing back from two consecutive defeats with two multi-goal wins away from Snapdragon Stadium.
It is a rematch of the October 23 playoff semifinal in which the home side came out on top behind a stoppage-time goal by Crystal Dunn to advance to the championship game. Who knows if Casey Stoney's club will have that on their minds, but after three weeks outside of southern California, there is no question these players will be glad to be home. Losing 3-1 to the Orlando Pride ahead of the road trip has to leave a sour taste in everyone's mouths.
San Diego has allowed six goals in three matches at Snapdragon through eight weeks. That is not a recipe for success, especially against a club with as many goal-scoring threats as Portland. While it is early, both these sides sit knotted at 15 points. They met once before in 2023 in the Challenge Cup with the Wave using a second-half own goal to take all three points. This is a game that is going to be one of the highest-scoring of the weekend. While both teams are coming off convincing results, Portland may have too much firepower for the home side to be able to handle. If you want to see World Cup talent, this is the match to tune into. Alex Morgan vs Sophia Smith under the lights in a packed stadium. That is what NWSL soccer is all about.
Prediction: Portland Thorns 3-1 San Diego Wave
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