Photo Copyright William Purnell for Imagn Images
The lasting image of Week 8 will be the looks on the faces of Angel City and Utah Royals players while Savy King was attended to and stretchered off the pitch at BMO Stadium and to a local hospital on Friday night. Fortunately, it appears King was and is stable and is going to be okay.
As for the actual soccer, we reopened Cream of the Crop this week and shuffled some teams around a bit.
Cream of the Crop
Kansas City Current (6-2-0, 18 pts; vs Bay FC; 4-1): For the first time in three games, Debinha and Temwa Chawinga started together, and for the first time in three games, the Current won. Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, they pounced early and never let Bay up for air. Debinha’s free kick goal was majestic. The only downside is that last week’s issue of defending set pieces reared its ugly head once more. A visit to Orlando looms on Friday night.
The best of the rest
Orlando Pride (5-2-1, 16 pts; @ Courage, 1-1): We’re about to learn a bit more about the 2025 Orlando Pride. As teams have shifted toward allowing them to possess the ball instead of sit-and-pounce, it has exposed some weaknesses in the attack. The Current are at their best playing just that way, and they’ll be at INTER&CO on Friday night. The Pride managed to get a late equalizer to snag a point in North Carolina last weekend, but they continue to struggle offensively. And how nice must it be to be struggling like that and have a chance to go top of the table in a few days?
San Diego Wave FC (4-2-2, 14 pts; vs Thorns, 1-1): The Wave were so close to a fantastic victory over the Thorns. After going down to 10 players late in the first half on a questionable red card to Kennedy Wesley, they did well to mix defending and possession to sit on their 1-0 lead…until…the final few minutes. First, Adriana Leon rushed a shot and turned over possession. Then Kenza Dali got a bit too fancy in the defensive third, which led to a penalty and a stoppage time equalizer for the Thorns. It is only eight games into the Jonas Eidevall era, but this is a team with a firm identity.
The next level
Washington Spirit (5-3-0, 15 pts; @ Red Stars, 3-2): The Spirit’s win over the Stars was a mix of championship mettle and some more rough defending. In the end, championship mettle won out when Rose Kouassi somehow busted through two defenders after receiving a short corner before she crossed it into the path of Gift Monday. Some Stars box confusion helped, but Kouassi had no right turning that sequence into a viable scoring chance. Notably, the Spirit have the same record as they did at this point a year ago when they finished runner-up for the Shield and NWSL Championship.
Angel City FC (4-2-2, 14 pts; vs Royals, 2-0): Look what happens when Christen Press gets meaningful minutes? Her goal put the team on top in a match they were supposed to win, against an opponent that never looked likely to score. Of course, it was all overshadowed by the sight of Savy King on the pitch before she was transferred to a local hospital. At last update, King was stable and requesting privacy.
The Sphere of Mediocrity
NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-3-3, 12 pts, @ Louisville, 0-1): The Stars/Louisville stretch was supposed to be a soft underbelly, especially after the thrashing they put on Washington. But they failed to score in both matches and took just one point away from them. It is starting to feel as if opponents can contain Esther Gonzalez, they can contain Gotham. Perhaps that changes once Rose Lavelle gets back on the field.
Seattle Reign FC (3-3-2, 11 pts, vs Dash, 0-1): Losing at home to the Dash must be alarming for the Reign as Sunday’s 1-0 result was just the second time in 13 regular season tries the Dash won in Seattle. And all of a sudden, not having Jessica Fishlock seems like a major void again.
Portland Thorns FC (3-2-4, 13 pts; @ Wave, 1-1): Jayden Perry is now the first NWSL player to convert three penalties in her rookie season. In a sport where those moments are usually left for the veterans, it’s hardly surprising that she’s the first. What is surprising is that Perry has now converted twice in stoppage time to earn the Thorns late draws. That’s great stuff. And it’s enough to overlook 49 minutes playing 11-v-10 and rarely looking like they would break through.
North Carolina Courage (2-3-3, 9 pts; vs Pride, 1-1): The Courage were oh-so-close to winning three straight after the abysmal start, but a Casey Murphy blunder gifted Orlando the equalizer in front of a large and loud crowd at First Horizon. In fairness to Murphy, her defense was on the back foot for much of the final 15 as the Pride pushed for the equalizer. There is a long way to go, but the Courage season seems to have leveled off.
Racing Louisville FC (3-3-2, 8 pts; vs Gotham, 1-0): Don’t look now, but Racing have won two straight and have looked okay doing it. Savannah DeMelo is playing well since returning after missing some time following an event on the pitch where she felt lightheaded and has to be wheeled off. Jordyn Bloomer has two wins and a clean sheet since taking over for Katie Lund. A third straight win—they are home to the Reign on Friday—would be a franchise first. And it would actually lift them into a playoff position.
Swimming upstream
Bay FC (2-4-2, 8 pts; @ Current, 1-4): Where to begin. For one, they played tactically right into the teeth of the Current, and they paid for it. For two, the attack remains an issue. Penelope Hocking made her second start of the season, and while she scored the Bay goal, her presence in the lineup did not exactly make the side look more dangerous.
Houston Dash (3-4-1, 10 pts; @ Reign, 1-0): Abby Smith made her first start since injuring her patella tendon in 2023, and that relegated Jane Campbell to backup for the first time in a regular season game since June 2017. Smith then earned her clean sheet with a fantastic, reaction save on Maddie Mercado late.
Chicago Stars FC (1-6-1, 4 pts, vs Spirit, 2-3): They scored twice against Washington on Saturday, which was a 67% increase in total goals after bagging three through the first seven games. Unfortunately, it was not enough. The Stars allowed Rose Kouassi to blow by two defenders on the end line, and once she got the pass off, Alyssa Naeher and her backline appeared to have a communication breakdown. The team is definitely playing with more energy since the coaching change.
Utah Royals FC (1-6-1, 4 pts; @ Angel City, 0-2): Maybe the Royals could convince their next opponent to warm them up with a 30-minute scrimmage before the match. It seems like they play better after halftime every week. It hasn’t been enough, though, and they were ultimately worn down against Angel City.
