The NWSL Challenge Cup quarterfinals were a thing to behold, as three of the four matches ended in penalty kicks. For bettors, the upsets pulled off by Portland Thorns FC and Sky Blue FC represented great profits of +1100 and +300, respectively.
The sportsbooks have learned a little from those four matches that there isn’t a huge degree of separation between NWSL clubs regardless of the seeding. The main question for handicappers on Wednesday is whether to expect more halves without either team securing goals.
How to bet on Wednesday’s NWSL Challenge Cup matches
If you’re in or near one of 10 states, you can legally wager on NWSL Challenge Cup matches online; as long as you are of legal age (at least 21 in most states), physically located within the state’s borders (you do not have to be a legal resident of these states, merely in them when you place your bet), and are placing your wager(s) with an operator licensed by that state. Here are the states:
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Nevada
- New Hampshire (minimum age is only 18)
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
Retail sportsbooks in other states, like North Carolina and Washington, may offer lines on Wednesday’s matches as well. The online sports betting brands that are offering lines on these matches in these states include:
- BetRivers (Sugarhouse in New Jersey)
- DraftKings
- Oregon Lottery Scoreboard
- PointsBet
- William Hill
If you’re new to these sportsbooks; you can register for an account online in just a few minutes and with a few pieces of information, except for in Iowa and Nevada. Those two states require bettors to visit a retail sportsbook associated with the sportsbook app of their choice to complete your registration.
Now that you’ve given the sportsbook some of your money, you would probably like to get it back with some profit to show for your trouble. There are some ways to make that happen in both matches.
Does Portland have the most dangerous offense left?
The pairings for both of Wednesday’s matches didn’t take place during the seeding round, so there’s no recent form data to go on. In terms of the early match, Portland Thorns FC vs. Houston Dash (12:30 p.m. ET on CBS All-Access), Portland has the more impressive overall recent form.
Thorns FC has scored a goal in two of its last three matches, while Houston hasn’t found the back of the net in regular time in any of its last three matches. This match may come down to whether bettors believe Portland keeper Britt Ellen Eckerstrom can repeat her dazzling performance.
Eckerstrom is effectively Portland’s third-string keeper. Against the North Carolina Courage last week, she faced 21 shots and made eight saves, including this clutch tip over the crossbar. Thorns FC may need her to do more of the same to advance to the championship match.
The sportsbooks have Portland as a consensus but a narrow favorite. Earning that status will require a well-coordinated attack that takes advantage of the Dash backline and midfield. In Houston’s last match, it gave up possession by a margin of nearly seven percent and allowed Utah Royals FC to connect its passes at a rate of almost 69%.
If your models suggest the match will be knotted up at the ends of both halves, DraftKings will give you +210 on that wager. PointsBet will give you +400 odds on a No Goal in regular time wager.
As far as my prediction for this match goes, I’m taking Portland 1-0. Eckerstrom is hot. Additionally, I don’t feel that the Dash will mount a more intimidating offensive pressure than North Carolina did last week. Finally, Portland has won all of the most recent five matches these two clubs have played against each other.
The final late-night match features the greatest spread
When the Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC take the pitch at 10 p.m. ET on CBS All-Access, Sky Blue will be the biggest underdog of the day at the books. A consensus line on Sky Blue to win on a 3-way moneyline is +250.
If you’re looking at recent form, there isn’t much separation. Both clubs have scored in regular time in just one of their last three matches. Frankly put, neither of these teams would be in the semis without their keepers.
Chicago’s Alyssa Naeher’s seven saves in regulation stymied an OL Reign attack that had the edge in possession and a nearly 4:1 ratio in shots on goal. The stats were nearly identical for Sky Blue’s Kailen Sheridan.
Sky Blue has two wins in its last five competitions against Chicago. If you want to take a flyer on a Sky Blue victory in regular time, the +250 odds make it worth the risk.
I expect Naeher and Sheridan to be the stars of this match again. Both backlines will be pressing to create chances in the opponent’s box. I believe this match will make four of the last five that go to penalty kicks. From there, it’s a crapshoot of whether you believe in Chicago’s veteran experience or Sky Blue’s youth.
The books are generous on a 0-0 score at full-time Correct Score markets. BetRivers and DraftKings have the line on that sitting at +650, for example.
Which teams move on to the NWSL Challenge Cup final will depend on whose keepers can replicate their stellar play from the quarterfinals. If you ask me, the oddsmakers have the lines on these matches crossed up. The competitive gap in Wednesday’s first match is much greater than in the second.
Follow me on Twitter @dhellingsport. Be sure to check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
