Racing Louisville advances to the playoffs for the first time in its history after finishing in last place in the postseason as the NWSL regular season came to an entertaining conclusion.
Louisville wins 1-0 Bay FC are two points ahead of them North Carolina Couragewho were in the hunt for a postseason spot but came away with a 3-2 win over Gotham FC was not enough to push them over the line. The combination of results also moved Gotham from seventh place at the start of Decision Day to eighth place, leaving them with one win from their last seven and ensuring they would qualify in good form. Kansas City Turk in the quarterfinals.
Portland ThornsMeanwhile, it achieved its greatest success on Sunday, rising from sixth place to third with a 2-0 win over Houston Dash while still booking a home playoff game. Dayna Castellanos And Jessie Fleming scored both goals, winning three of the last four en route to the playoffs and setting up a meeting with the San Diego Wave in the quarterfinals.
Here are the key takeaways from NWSL Decision Day and what Sunday's results could mean for the playoffs.
NWSL Decision Day Results
- Kansas City Current 2, San Diego Wave 1
- North Carolina Courage 3, Gotham 2
- Utah Royals 1, Washington Spirit 0
- Orlando Pride 1, Seattle Rain 1
- Racing Louisville 1, Bay 0
- Chicago Stars 2, City of Angels 1
- Portland Thorns 2, Houston Dash 0
NWSL Quarterfinal Playoffs
All times US/Eastern
Friday, November 7
Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign, 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
Saturday, November 8
Washington Spirit – Racing Louisville, 12:00 (CBS, Paramount+)
Sunday, November 9
“Kansas City Current” vs. “Gotham,” 12:30 p.m. (ABC)
Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave, 3:00 p.m. (ABC)
Louisville clinch a playoff berth for the first time in history
Racing Louisville secured the last remaining playoff spot with a 1-0 victory over Bay FC on Sunday, which was enough to finish two points above the NC Courage and become two-time NWSL champions in their first trip to the postseason. The only goal of the game was scored thanks to Ella Hase in the 48th minute, the rookie scored his first professional goal of the day as Louisville's dominant performance met momentum in a must-win game. Their ability to reach the postseason is a testament to their steady progress under head coach Bev Yanez, now in her second year in the role, although the road doesn't get any easier from here – they will face a Washington Spirit team that has moved into second place, although the injury crisis could make the path to the title more difficult than they would like.
Ongoing reinstatement of championship credentials
Kansas City Current may have escaped without injuries Temwa Chawinga But they did fine without her on Sunday, scoring a 2-1 win over the San Diego Wave for their final win of the regular season. Volna opened the scoring with a goal Dudinha in the eighth minute, but Current's depth stole the show, first with Debinhaequalized the score in the 54th minute and Nichelle Princego-ahead goal 20 minutes later. Debinha is a mainstay in the Current line-up, as is his fellow starter. Bia Zaneratto and a healthy Chawinga, the three of them are enough to compete for the title. However, this only scratches the surface of the attack of Current, the rising stars of the US women's national team. Michelle Cooper and Ellie Senator started on Sunday and added another dimension to their attack, while Prince's contributions from the bench show head coach Vlatko Andonovski has no shortage of options as they begin a deep playoff run.
Gotham's skid continues
The most exciting matchup of the quarterfinals pits Gotham against Current in Kansas City, but which version of Gotham will emerge in a week's time is the biggest question as the NWSL moves from the regular season to the postseason. They were already guaranteed a playoff spot before Decision Day, but the Courage split their defense in a 3-2 victory, an uncharacteristic showing for a Gotham team that typically relies on defensive resolve. Perhaps an argument can be made that allowing two-plus expected goals and three actual goals is an anomaly, but Gotham failed to score one expected goal from 14 shots by the 86th minute, and their late goals highlight their performance. They relied too much on Spain international Esther Gonzalezwho has scored nearly 40% of the team's goals this season but was unavailable on Sunday and entered the postseason with just one win in his last seven. Gotham is exactly the type of team that can turn things around in a week. They have a mix of NWSL winners and international title winners on their roster, but their eighth-place finish in the regular season signals there is plenty of room for improvement.
