Welcome back Fearless readers. It’s that time of the week again, where I take a quick trip around the NWSL to cover all things great and small. This weekend was billed as “Rivalry Weekend” by the league, and it looked like it wouldn’t live up to the hype before the league’s oldest rivalry saved the day. The juggernaut in Missouri grew their lead at the top of the table, while the bottom four teams put in solid performances, with three of them getting results.
Overall, it felt like a weekend when most teams decided not to take a lot of risks as they tried to figure out how to navigate the first month of the second half of the season. While we have a marquee matchup to look forward to next weekend, let’s look back at the weekend that was.
THERE IS NO ONE LIKE TEMWA CHAWINGA 😳
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) August 9, 2025 at 5:55 AM
The Kansas City Current traveled to Sandy, UT to take on the Royals, in what can now be billed as the Ally Sentnor Derby. The new Current signing did not start the match, but she did sub in in the second half, while the match was still tied at 0-0. Yes, the Utah Royals put in another stellar defensive performance, denying the most prolific attack in the league for the better part of 80 minutes. An exhausted but organized Royals side was ten minutes away from getting a result when Kayla Sharples sent in a beautiful ball to the most inevitable player in the NWSL made a cheeky move to lose a defender, scoring maybe her best goal of the season.
Temwa Chawinga now has thirty (30) goals in the league, in just forty (40) matches. For comparison, the previous record holder for fastest to thirty goals is Christen Press, who did it in fifty-one (51) matches, and did not do it by scoring against every existing team in the league. When I ask what more can I say, it is because I, a writer, have run out of words to describe just how dominant Chawinga has been in under two full seasons in the league.
Records fall when she is around, and for all of Kansas City’s depth, she is the most important player they have. As she goes, so goes to Kansas City. Additionally, this goal brings her level with Esther in this year’s Golden Boot with eleven (11) matches to go. It feels like the end of the regular season will culminate with Chawinga winning back-to-back Golden Boots, potentially breaking her own single season record. We are fortunate enough to get to witness her play in our league.
Late-game heroics from Sophie Schmidt leads to three points for Houston!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) August 9, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Houston is an intriguing project for many of the soccer minds that cover women’s soccer, with their offseason moves and changes in the front office and at the manager position. There’s a structure and a plan on the pitch, though often, it doesn’t come together for an entire match. This weekend held true to that pattern, with the Houston Dash and the North Carolina Courage playing a similar game that led to most of the match being a stalemate and a bit uninspiring.
But Houston had two big chances, and that was all they needed to win their match 2-1. Kiki Van Zanten scored her second NWSL goal in as many weeks with a golazo from distance, and Sophie Schimdt got a result for her team for the second week in a row as well, with a stoppage time goal to sneak three points for a team toward the bottom of the table.
There are still holes for Houston, one of which may be remedied with the signing of left back Lisa Boattin from Juventus, but they should feel good about four (4) points in two weeks. They will need that confidence, as their next four matches are against playoff teams.
The Dash’s opponents in this match, the North Carolina Courage, the winningest organization in the NWSL, were wrapping up an eventful week. On Wednesday, the club terminated the contract of former head coach Sean Nahas, just hours after he had done a radio spot and gone to training with the team. The statement the team put out was brief, and left the public, and Courage fans, with more questions than answers.
The following day, the teams called a press conference where they failed to answer questions from the press, leaving everyone perplexed and still without answers to basic questions about the termination. Nathan Thackarey became the acting head coach, after the loss, the Courage cleared up some things, stating that the firing was a combination of results, differing visions, and a desire for cultural change. It did not answer everything, but it gave us some clarity into the matter, and the decision seems to be performance based.
That does not mean the week did not take a toll on the players and staff, who now await answers about decisions about the next head coach, just like the rest of us. They’re a team fighting for a playoff spot, and while Thackarey offers stability and familiarity, the road to the postseason just became harder for the team that takes on Portland at home next weekend.
Geyse red card
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) August 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Saturday in the NWSL gave us no separation between the six teams that played that day. The early match of the day was between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit, one of the billed rivalry matches of the weekend. These two sides played three times last season, with the D.C. side taking all three NWSL matches. This season, Gotham defeated the Spirit at home 3-0, with a brace from Esther, and this match had all the makings of another classic tie. It was the opposite, with a questionable red card and a lot of stop and start that limited the attacks of both teams.
At the end, Gotham looked more of a threat to win despite being down a player, but both sides settled for a 0-0 draw, in a match that both will likely want to forget. These two teams meet one more time this season, though it will be in the CONCACAF Champion’s League. Hopefully it will be a more competitive match between both sides.
Down in Orlando, the Pride faced the team that defeated them right before the break, Racing Louisville, in the battle of the purple teams. Racing seemed to have Orlando’s number again, scoring first on a lovely goal from Marisa DiGrande, after a penalty save from Jordyn Bloomer. Bloomer would have another save in this match against Angelina, and that looked to be enough to earn the Kentucky side all three (3) points until a stoppage time own goal by Louisville.
Orlando created other chances beyond the penalty chances, but as is the case lately, they struggled to convert those chances. They are not likely in danger of missing the playoffs, and the Pride are also involved in the CONCACAF Champion’s League, which is a new trophy they’ll want to chase and win, but their championship hangover seems to be real, and traveling to Kansas City next weekend for a top of the table clash feels like the wrong time to be in a funk. Maybe the match will get them back to their winning ways, but we’ll know more after next weekend.
The last match of on Saturday was the Southern California rivalry between San Diego Wave and Angel City FC. This match was a tale of two halves for both sides, with the Wave being the dominant side in the first half, with better ball movement and better chances on goal that they failed to put away. The LA side was not helped by their captain, Sarah Gorden, leaving the game after a goal saving block that she took to the side of her face, snapping her head back. She walked off on her own but had to be subbed out for Megan Reid in the first half.
Despite that, ACFC were the more dominant side in the second half, with more chances and more width that forced San Diego to run and defend. They failed to put away their chances as well and were made to pay when Makenzy Robbe scored a lovely goal off a deflection and against the run of play late in regulation. That looked like the game winner, particularly with Angel City’s habit of dropping points late, but they rallied to score a goal in stoppage time on a header from Alanna Kennedy, and the match ended 1-1, just like their first tie this season.
Alanna Kennedy’s first goal of the season ties things up in stoppage time! 😱 pic.twitter.com/PcTPubfjtH
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 10, 2025
Three draws in one day left most of the NWSL community feeling a bit let down by rivalry weekend, but there were two more games, and one more rivalry to go.
They built a bonfire (this was very hard for me to type)
Dear readers, I try hard to carry as little bias as possible within the pages of this weekly article, but I am an unapologetic Seattle Reign fan that looks forward to one opponent every season. For all the talk of new rivalries, the league’s biggest and best rivalry is the one that has existed as long as the NWSL itself.
The Cascadia Rivalry is the first and most hate-filled competition in the league, in part because both teams have been good during this time, and the cities are about three hours apart. With the first match on Sunday also ending in a 1-1 draw, we all turned to Cascadia to deliver us goals and a great match.
In the scorching heat of Portland, where the temperature on the turf was over 100 degrees, it was a brutal but fun six (6) goal match with a goal in the first three minutes from Seattle’s Emeri Adames. It was the last time Seattle would hold a lead in the match, with Portland scoring a penalty and a goal prior to halftime.
Turner and the Thorns 🌹
Reilyn Turner gives Portland the 2-1 lead!
Reilyn Turner was the best player for the Thorns, creating chances for her teammates, scoring the second goal, and tracking back and making tackles on defense. Portland pressed strategically and was able to cut through the Seattle backline and midfield with ease.
The second half provided much of the same, with Portland adding a third goal to go up 3-1, before Jess Fishlock brought the Reign to within a goal with a header of her own off a Maddy Curry cross. Seattle then immediately conceded a fourth goal off the restart with a lovely pass from Hina Sugita to a wide-open Pietra Tordin.
Laura Harvey seemed to outthink herself in the match and the Thorns made her pay with some fun football. The teams each won their home tie this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these two teams meet again in the playoffs to decide the season tiebreaker and to get one step closer to San Jose. If that happens, we will all be winners as witnesses to the third installment of this rivalry.
Until next time, whether it’s a bumpy grass pitch or a blazing turf, don’t forget to cover every blade of grass.
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Sylvia Bullock is 1/2 of Shea Butter FC and the world’s foremost Christen Press and Crystal Dunn truther. She’ll be covering the NWSL every week for Fearless SC. You can find her on BlueSky at Southern Sylvs.
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