Week 18 had no shortage of drama, from Esther González reclaiming the Golden Boot lead, to Kansas City locking in the first playoff berth of 2025, to 16-year-old KK Ream rewriting history in Portland. With seven playoff spots still wide open, the stakes are only getting higher. Here’s what you might have missed!
Racing Louisville 1, Houston Dash 1
Racing looked set for three points after Taylor Flint’s late game header from a perfect Courtney Petersen corner, but late-show specialists Houston leveled seconds into stoppage time. Evelina Duljan became the latest hero for a team that has found late-game goals to grab points in the last five games. Racing ended the weekend seventh in the playoff race but with plenty of time to solidify that positioning and potentially qualify for their first-ever playoff appearance in franchise history.
Orlando Pride 0, Gotham FC 2
Gotham snapped a four-match winless streak and avenged their earlier loss to the champions this season behind star turns from Rose Lavelle and Esther González, plus a stunner from Jaelin Howell. Lavelle, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time, slipped González in for a deft finish to reclaim the Golden Boot lead from Temwa Chawinga, and Howell crushed a left-footed volley in first-half stoppage time to seal it. Ann-Katrin Berger’s seventh solo clean sheet capped off the result as Gotham moved to eighth, three points clear of North Carolina and within two of seventh-place Racing.
Portland Thorns 1, Utah Royals 2
Utah earned just their second win of 2025, and first away, by out-working Portland and riding an 11-save masterclass from Mandy McGlynn. Paige Monaghan’s composed first-half finish put the Royals ahead, and after sustained Thorns pressure, late subs Bianca St-Georges and KK Ream combined for the clincher, with 16-year-old Ream grabbing her first NWSL goal to become the league’s youngest-ever scorer. A late Portland reply from Julie Dufour, also her first NWSL goal, wasn’t enough despite a loud home crowd.
Seattle Reign 0, San Diego Wave 0
San Diego extended their road unbeaten streak to seven with a controlled, high-possession draw in Seattle – thanks to five saves from Kailen Sheridan and a pair of big second-half chances denied by Claudia Dickey. Kenza Dali’s service repeatedly found her teammates on the wings but to no avail, while Seattle’s best look on goal was tipped over deftly by Sheridan.
Kansas City Current 2, North Carolina Courage 0
First-place KC clinched the league’s first 2025 playoff berth and did it in style at home. Izzy Rodriguez bent in the opening goal from distance and Lo’eau LaBonta buried a penalty, her 20th for the club. Goalkeeper Lorena notched her league-leading 10th clean sheet as the Current stretched their regular-season shutout streak to six straight victories, thanks in large part to a stingy defense that kept the Courage shotless in the second half. KC hit the road next weekend but for now, they remain perfect in 2025 in their home fortress.
Washington Spirit 1, Chicago Stars FC 1
Before a big home crowd at Audi Field, second place Washington Spirit dominated territory and chances, finally breaking through on Sofia Cantore’s sharp second-half turn-and-finish from Trinity Rodman’s endline service. But as they habitually do, Chicago played spoiler when Ludmila punished a midfield giveaway 10 minutes later and scored a solo equalizer. Alyssa Naeher produced several highlight stops to blunt the Spirit’s late surge, while Aubrey Kingsbury’s aggressive sweep kept it level at the other end. Rodman’s first start at Audi in over five months and Deborah Abiodun’s debut added bright notes to a point that keeps the Spirit tentatively in the Shield hunt, which weakens every weekend they don’t gather all three points while Current defeat their opponents.
Angel City FC 2, Bay FC 1
Angel City claimed SoCal-NorCal bragging rights for the first time as Riley Tiernan’s icy early game solo finish and Maiara Niehues’ header from a Miyabi Moriya corner bookended a busy night for Sveindís Jónsdóttir, who repeatedly threatened on the break. Bay equalized through Rachel Hill after Racheal Kundananji’s clever feed and a Seabert save fell kindly, but LA’s back line—anchored by Sarah Gorden and the increasingly clutch Hannah Seabert in her third NWSL appearance—held firm. The win gives Angel City a timely boost in the race for the final playoff spots while Bay FC returns home to face the league-leading KC Current.
