There may still be a weekend of regular season left in the NWSL calendar, but for a handful of league teams, Sunday’s fixtures will see them slide into a week of football in advance with plenty on the line on Decision Day.
The main characters will be Gotham FC and Seattle Reign, each with their own fates ahead of them with different tasks. Gotham have a chance to win the NWSL Shield for the first time in Sunday’s matchup against the Utah Royals, with an inconsistent run in the final months of the year pushing the trophy to the final day of the regular season. They were favored to pick up the prize, but they have a formidable opponent in the San Diego Wave, whose chances took a hit last week against the Boston Celtics.
In the interim, the team faced the Orlando Pride in a playoff game to secure a spot in the playoffs. The spirit of North Carolina is only two points behind them, and Denver Summit three, with those two against them, hoping to slip the Kingdom and get one of them a chance.
Here’s a look at what’s to come as the NWSL regular season comes to a close.
Gotham, San Diego Wave fight for the Shield
Gotham have been favored to win the NWSL Shield for months, so much so that they had a seven-point lead late in the summer. Even in the run-up, though, he loosened his grip on first place, but never slipped, leaving him well-placed to win the trophy for the first time on Sunday. They have a three-point lead over the Waves on Decision Day, drawn against the Royals to be enough to grab the target, no matter what happens in the Waves’ trip to Bay FC.
The bigger question for Gotham, though, is whether or not the week before the games begin will be full of heroes. Jaedyn Shaw and Rose Lavelle both missed last week’s 2-1 win at the Pride, while Shaw was also an unfamiliar substitute in the 1-0 loss at the Washington Spirit the week before. The pair have been Gotham’s most aggressive attackers this season, racking up 22 goals on the road with crucial contributions; Shaw in particular has been both a metascoring threat and an output producer, so much so that Gotham’s output doesn’t fall short on that pitch. League leaders had survived Sunday’s weapons without national women’s runners, set the standards of the Royal Nuggets tied to enter the post-season with a modest defense equipment.
Three games, one playoff spot
Seven of the eight games spots have already been booked, with three teams now competing for the final berth, and the odds will be tight for each of them. The Seattle Realm currently sits in eighth place with 42 points, taking pride enough to seal the deal. If they fall, the two teams in the pipeline are North Carolina State and Denver Summit, who play each other on Sunday. The heart needs to win and hope the Kingdom drop points to land in the top eight, while the highest need to do more damage to the Kingdom of profit in the season installed.
A layer of unpredictability is naturally baked into the scenario. Not only do they have the easiest route to the kingdom – they win and hang on – but they are ahead of a team whose hopes were once tied to the sport. Their defense has really helped them, conceding just 33 goals despite posting 39.96 goals against this season. The challengers have their strengths, finding the pinnacle of grace Lindsey piled up seven goals and three assists with his midfield arrival. In the meantime, this season’s cheat code will be on Ashley Sanchez and speaking of…
Ashley Sanchez follows NWSL history
With 20 goals this season, Sanchez is writing the MVP argument at this point, but he has a chance to bolster his campaign on Sunday and make history on the road. He would set the NWSL single-season goal record if he lost against the top, with that goal or assist allowing Temwa Chawinga to break his single-season goal contributions to the nation. It would be a worthy reward for Sanchez, whose switch to the left wing has transformed this season and resulted in a deserved return to the national team, putting her fully in the conversation for a place at next summer’s Women’s World Cup.
It is almost unfathomable that his strength alone could not at least afford him a place in Eros. Then again, perhaps they are too confident in the form of Sanchez, the winger contributing to almost half of the goals this campaign. They were overwhelmed, though, by a leaky defense, with Animi ranked in the bottom of the league with six goals conceded. The missing game is unlikely to jeopardize Sanchez’s MVP chances, but it will speak to the limitations of the team if they cannot sneak above the playoff line on the final day of the regular season.
The Day Schedule
Sunday, Nov. 1
Angel City vs.
Gulf FC vs.
Gotham FC vs.
Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
North Carolina Tavern vs. Denver Summit, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Racing Louisville vs. Kansas City Current, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Seattle, Kings vs. Orlando Pride, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Stars, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)