Headed into Week 24, two clubs could clinch playoff spots. Ultimately, neither did, ensuring that the fight for postseason positions carries over into Week 25, starting November 1st and after the international break. Catch up on all the Week 24 before the race continues!
Friday, October 18th
Seattle Reign 2, Houston Dash 1
In their final home match of the 2024 NWSL season, Seattle Reign secured a 2-1 victory against the Houston Dash. The match began with the Reign dominating possession, and midfielder Olivia Athens opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a powerful shot following a cleared corner kick. Houston quickly equalized through Bárbara Olivieri’s penalty kick just minutes later. The second half saw the Reign regain control, culminating in Nérilia Mondésir scoring the game-winner in the 65th minute, her first goal in the league and the first Haitian to score in the NWSL. Despite a strong performance from both sides, the Reign maintained their lead to conclude the match with a win. Both teams were already eliminated from the playoffs but the win serves as a high note for the Reign.
Saturday, October 19th
Kansas City Current 4, San Diego Wave FC 1
The Kansas City Current defended their home turf commandingly with a 4-1 victory over the San Diego Wave. Forward Michelle Cooper opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, followed by an own goal that extended the Current's lead to 2-0. Temwa Chawinga then made history in the 54th minute by scoring her 20th goal of the season, setting a new NWSL single-season record and becoming the first player to score against all 13 active opponents in a single season. Midfielder Debinha capped the scoring in the 80th minute, assisted by Nichelle Prince, who celebrated her 100th NWSL appearance with a multi-assist performance. Although San Diego found the back of the net with a long-range goal from Delphine Cascarino in the 88th minute, the Current's strong offensive display ensured a decisive win.
Racing Louisville FC 1, Portland Thorns 0
Racing Louisville FC boosted their playoff aspirations with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Portland Thorns FC, thanks to late-game heroics from Taylor Flint and Janine Beckie. In the 88th minute, Beckie delivered a corner kick that Flint headed into the net, marking the only goal of the match and securing an essential win for Racing in their final home game of the season. With the victory, Racing heads to San Diego Wave FC for their season finale, now within reach of an eighth-place finish and a playoff spot as long as they can claim victory and hope Bay FC loses that same weekend. And for the Thorns, missing out on points has made their quest for a playoff spot harder but not impossible.
Bay FC 1, North Carolina Courage 0
Bay FC secured a crucial 1-0 victory over the North Carolina Courage on Fan Appreciation Night, keeping their playoff dreams alive. The match remained scoreless until the 83rd minute, when Abby Dahlkemper netted the game’s only goal following a free kick from Racheal Kundananji, her second for Bay FC. With this win, Bay FC tied the NWSL record for most victories by an expansion team in its inaugural season with 10 wins. The clean sheet, thanks to a quality performance by goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland and her defensive line, was Bay FC's sixth of the season. Bay FC is currently sitting in eighth place with 31 points, with a win or draw against the Houston Dash on November 2 enough to secure their playoff berth.
Sunday, October 20th
Washington Spirit 2, Chicago Red Stars 0
The Washington Spirit claimed a crucial 2-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars in their regular season home finale at Audi Field, drawing an impressive crowd of 17,065. With playoff positioning on the line, the Spirit dominated early, leveraging their high press to force turnovers and maintain possession. Heather Stainbrook opened the scoring in the 31st minute, making history as all six Spirit rookies found the net this season, a record for a single team in NWSL history. Trinity Rodman assisted Makenna Morris for the second goal in the 78th minute, marking Morris’ fifth goal of the season, tying her for the most by a rookie in 2024. The Spirit's defense was relentless, holding Chicago without a shot for a significant stretch and finishing the match with a total of 23 shots, tying a team record. The victory secured the Spirit's position at #2 in the NWSL standings and setting them up for a strong end to the regular season.
NJ/NY Gotham FC 3, Orlando Pride 1
NJ/NY Gotham FC continued their impressive form with a 3-1 victory over Orlando Pride on Sunday night, marking their seventh consecutive regular-season win. The match began with Gotham taking an early lead in the 13th minute when defender Sam Hiatt redirected a shot from Ella Stevens, extending their streak of scoring first to seven matches. Orlando equalized in the 31st minute with a penalty kick from Adriana, but Gotham regained control just before halftime as Rose Lavelle scored in the 45th minute. The team entered the break leading 2-1 and maintained their momentum in the second half, with Stevens netting her goal in the 49th minute after a clever assist from Bruninha. Despite multiple attempts, Orlando was unable to score again, leaving Gotham to secure the win.
Angel City FC 1, Utah Royals FC 1
Angel City FC and Utah Royals, both eliminated from the playoffs but playing for pride, settled for a 1-1 draw in the final BMO Stadium game of 2024, featuring goals from Claudia Zornoza and Sydney Leroux. The Royals struck first in the 21st minute when Zornoza curled a free kick inside the near post, giving Utah an early lead. In the 57th minute, Angel City equalized following a corner kick Gisele Thompson set up for Leroux, who volleyed the ball into the net. The match concluded with both teams sharing the points, leaving Angel City set to face Portland Thorns in a match that has potential playoff implications for the Thorns, Bay FC, and Racing Louisville.