Week 17 had it all – record crowds, history-making assists, gritty road wins, and late drama. Bay FC set a new all-time NWSL attendance mark at Oracle Park, Sofia Huerta became the league’s all-time assist leader, and Temwa Chawinga kept her Golden Boot campaign alive. With playoff races heating up, every point mattered in another unpredictable week of action.
Angel City FC 1, Orlando Pride 0
Angel City overcame the reigning champions with a 1-0 win at BMO Stadium on a rare Thursday night match. All match, Angel City outpossessed and outshot the Pride, with the pressure finally breaking through late in the game as Alyssa Thompson cut inside and buried her chance into the side netting. Rookie Riley Tiernan was a constant threat, while Hannah Seabert in her second NWSL appearance ever recorded the clean sheet with key early stops.
Chicago Stars FC 3, North Carolina Courage 3
The Courage and Stars shared six second-half goals in a wild 3-3 draw at SeatGeek Stadium. Manaka Matsukubo chipped home the opener before Tyler Lussi doubled the lead, but Chicago super-sub Ludmila exploded for a hat trick, striking in the 76th, 81st, and 86th minutes. Jaedyn Shaw briefly restored the Courage lead off Meredith Speck’s 100th-match assist, only for Ludmila’s header to level it again. The end-to-end chaos left both teams with a point but Chicago will feel like winners, especially after Ludmila’s hat trick broke the NWSL record for fastest hat trick in league history in 10 minutes and 9 seconds.
Bay FC 2, Washington Spirit 3
In front of a record-setting 40,091 fans at Oracle Park, Washington spoiled Bay FC’s historic day with a 3-2 win. The Spirit raced out to a 3-0 lead through Kate Wiesner, Croix Bethune, and a stoppage-time own goal before Bay roared back. Racheal Kundananji struck just before halftime and Kelli Hubly powered home a header after the break, setting up a frenetic finish. Bay pressed for an equalizer, with goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz nearly scoring from a late corner, but Washington held on to claim all three points on a landmark day for women’s sports.
Gotham FC 0, Utah Royals FC 0
Gotham and Utah battled to a goalless draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with both defenses taking the spotlight. Gotham fired 18 shots and dominated territory, but Utah keeper Mandy McGlynn stood tall with seven saves against her former club. Ann-Katrin Berger matched her on the other end, tying Gotham’s all-time shutout record with her 14th. Despite the frustration of missed chances, Gotham stay just in playoff position.
Portland Thorns FC 0, Kansas City Current 2
Kansas City kept its dominant run rolling with a 2-0 win at Providence Park, their sixth straight road victory. Defender Ellie Wheeler scored just 55 seconds in, before assisting Temwa Chawinga’s breakaway finish in the second half. Chawinga’s 11th goal grabbed the top spot in the Golden Boot chase, with Esther González’s 11 goal being overtaken due to Chawinga’s two assists. Goalkeeper Lorena, the unsung hero of the day, collected her ninth clean sheet as the Current notched their 10th shutout and tied the league record with five consecutive shutouts.
Houston Dash 1, Seattle Reign FC 1
Sofia Huerta made NWSL history, recording her 32nd career assist to become the league’s all-time leader, as she set up Jordyn Huitema’s equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Shell Energy Stadium. Houston struck first through Yazmeen Ryan after capitalizing on a defensive error, but Huerta’s pinpoint cross in the 57th minute brought Seattle level. The Dash hit the woodwork and kept testing Claudia Dickey, while Seattle absorbed pressure to secure a valuable away point in the Texas heat. They exited the weekend still in sixth place in the standings.
Racing Louisville FC 1, San Diego Wave FC 0
Racing Louisville capped a challenging road stretch with a statement 1-0 win in San Diego, their first ever at Snapdragon Stadium. Emma Sears netted the decisive strike in the 59th minute off Ella Hase’s cross, becoming the club’s single-season goals leader with her seventh goal. Louisville’s defense, anchored by Jordyn Bloomer in goal who made eight key saves, held firm against a Wave side that dominated possession but couldn’t break through. In seventh place, they remain in playoff position and if they hold firm, it’ll be their first postseason appearance in franchise history.
