In week one of the NWSL regular season, four of the five matches were even contests. Out of the five matches, two stuck out as potential playoff previews. Gotham FC versus Houston Dash saw one team get on top and the other fight for 60 minutes to equalize. Out West, the Chicago Red Stars visited the Portland Thorns and came away with a bad result and a potential injury concern. Only four changes in the power rankings, but one usually strong side is moving down.
Here are how the teams look in the Power Rankings after the first five league matches.
The Portland Thorns scored early and often versus Chicago. Usually, the score line doesn’t tell the whole story, but the 5-0 does a really good job at letting supporters know how it went. Portland can build up play, play on the counter, and makes teams pay for the smallest of mistakes.
It’s not hard to say that Portland is the best team in the NWSL. Until someone exposes them, they’re at the top of the league and the power rankings.
Last Result: 5-0 v. Chicago | Next Match: Sunday, May 23 v. OL Reign – 6:00 p.m. ET
The defensive phrase “bend don’t break” fits Gotham FC so well. Against Houston, the New Jersey-based side started their 2021 regular season at Red Bull Arena. In front of a socially distanced crowd, forward Midge Purce scored a tough angled shot, in the 30th minute, to put the home side up.
They then withheld a Houston attack for 60 minutes, not giving up an equalizer. With each match, Gotham moves further and further away from their troubled Sky Blue past.
Last Result: 1-0 v. Houston | Next Match: Saturday, May 22 v. Chicago Red Stars – 8:00 p.m. ET
NC Courage had a late-night trip out West, facing OL Reign. The 0-0 end result made history for the team. It was the first time the Courage failed to score a goal in two consecutive matches since they relocated to North Carolina in 2017. The Western New York Flash had two matches in April of 2016 where they didn’t score. That’s over five years for head coach Paul Riley without multiple zeros on the box score.
Oh, and that 2016 year where they didn’t score in two straight matches? Riley and the Flash won the NWSL Championship.
Doesn’t hurt either that midfielder Sam Mewis is back, with a two-year contract. She’ll miss time for the Olympics but will be a big addition for late season and playoffs.
Last Result: 0-0 v. OL Reign | Next Match: Saturday, May 22 v. Orlando Pride – 7:00 p.m. ET
OL Reign stopped Debinha, Jess McDonald, and a usually potent Courage offense. That needs to be celebrated, so they moved up a spot. Jess Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe had three chances that gave Courage fans anxiety. Fishlock had a free-kick go just over the bar and a breakaway where Courage midfielder Hailie Mace found another gear to force a bad shot. The US International Rapinoe struck a ball right off the post, just inches away from putting the Reign ahead.
They went toe-to-toe against the reigning NWSL champions and they’re only going to get better. Their three Lyon loanees are waiting in the wings and the official return of US midfielder Rose Lavelle, which helped move them up the power rankings.
Last Result: 0-0 v. NC Courage | Next Match: Sunday, May 23 v. Portland Thorns – 6:00 p.m. ET
Houston dropped one spot this week, but they didn’t have a really bad display against Gotham. Sure, they lost 0-1, but they had their fair share of chances. The Dash thrive on countering and using their speed to stretch opponents. Gotham’s defense isn’t easy to unpack and break through, but Houston didn’t look clinical in their final attempts. Most attempts also came when a Dash player was all alone.
The Dash will beat teams with the chances they had Saturday but will need to get results against the top sides in the league to compete for their second team trophy.
Last Result: 0-1 v. Gotham FC | Next Match: Sunday, May 23 v. Kansas City NWSL – 7:00 p.m. ET
There is a lot of excitement surrounding Washington. The first five minutes of their match against Orlando saw rookie forward Trinity Rodman make a defender look foolish and get a shot on goal. If the shot had more power behind it, Washington may have left with three points and not one, in a 1-1 draw. It took some time, but Ashley Hatch put them into the lead on a beautiful header parallel to the goal line.
Defensively, Orlando had far too many chances. Forwards Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux could have given Orlando multiple goals if their chances were on target. Credit to Spirit keeper Aubrey Bledsoe for keeping them away for all shots but one.
Last Result: 1-1 v. Orlando Pride | Next Match: Friday, May 21 v. Racing Louisville FC – 7:30 p.m. ET
Orlando has much of the same roster as years past. Years that saw them near the bottom of the NWSL table. It doesn’t feel like the same team though. The Pride did well at putting themselves into opportunities to score. Marta’s distribution keeps this team moving, even if she isn’t scoring in droves like her countrymate Debinha. Leroux and Morgan are a scary duo to face, and teams are learning this all over again after it’s been years since the two were healthy or available to play.
All this with top-notch goalkeeping by Ashlyn Harris should leave Orlando supporters more excited than ever. Their potential is high and so could their place be in future power rankings.
Last Result: 1-1 v. Washington Spirit | Next Match: Saturday, May 22 v. NC Courage – 7:00 p.m. ET
Racing Louisville doesn’t play on the field like an expansion team. Against a fellow expansion/relocation side in Kansas City NWSL, they frustrated Amy Rodriguez and the KC offense. The one thing missing in all of this is scoring goals. Head coach Christy Holly wants his team to take more shots, and the shots are coming. Now they just need to get them on target.
If they begin scoring, which the addition of Women’s Super League young player of the year Ebony Salmon will help immensely, they’ll get their first franchise win, and then some.
Last Result: 0-0 v. Kansas City NWSL | Next Match: Friday, May 21 v. Washington Spirit – 7:30 p.m. ET
Chicago did not have a good weekend. That is the understatement of understatements, after a 5-0 loss against Portland. Loss may actually not be a strong enough word, considering they also may have lost midfielder Julie Ertz to an injury. The defense was something the Red Stars could hang their hat on coming into the regular season, but the Thorns exploited every mistake and demoralized Rory Dames’ side.
Luckily, there’s 23 matches left. The season is far from over and if the Chicago rumors are true, they’ll be making a splash on their roster this summer. If it’s not a striker, and poor results continue through the year, the narrative may turn into questions about the Red Stars’ future.
Last Result: 0-5 v. Portland Thorns | Next Match: Saturday, May 22 v. Gotham FC – 8:00 p.m. ET
Kansas City came away with a point in their first match of the season; a 0-0 draw against Racing Louisville FC. Early in the match, they looked strong, which they showed the same energy against OL Reign in the final Challenge Cup match. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn into anything on the scoreboard. Even more unfortunate is Lo’eau Labonta leaving the match in the first half, due to a head injury. There’s no update yet on her status moving forward.
Kansas City is going to be a good team. They had three months to build a team, relocate and adapt to a new coach. A clean sheet on double-digit Louisville shots is a great start for the team in teal. See them move up the power rankings as they play more matches in 2021.
Last Result: 0-0 v. Racing Louisville FC | Next Match: Sunday, May 23 v. Houston Dash – 7:00 p.m. ET
The NWSL is back this weekend. See how your team moves in the power rankings next week, after all the weekend’s action. Visit Beyond Women’s Sports for coverage around the NWSL, WNBA, and the world of women’s sports.
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