The NWSL’s first random Woso Wednesday featured sixteen (16!) goals across three games lmao. Portland went up early on Bay FC, who eventually woke up and fought back. The Spirit and Red Stars played one of those random games with low xG totals but lots of goals, which meant: bangers. Also, Barbra Banda terrorized yet another team.

Here’s what it all looked like according to StatsBomb’s xG race charts and passing networks.

chicago red stars 2-4 washington spirit

It took both teams twenty’ish minutes to figure out how to do soccer-like soccering but the Spirit were first and capitalized on two quick opportunities. Chicago fought back and made it scary, but a late Ratcliffe brace spoiled their fun.

Dunno how replicable that last bit is for the Spirit, so there’s still work to do to manage games when they suddenly lose a bit of control.

red stars

For the second match in a row early goals forced Chicago into a gameplan they’re not entirely comfortable with yet.

spirit

Smell that sweet organization. Croix Bethune being able to spend time on the ball close to Trinity Rodman is something the Spirit have needed to make happen, and finally did.

orlando pride 4-1 nc courage

Mercy. We knew Orlando would improve once Banda got on the pitch, but this is a total dismantling of a team expected to be in trophy conversations all season.

orlando pride

Eff a midfield just get the ball to Banda. Also: I agree.

courage

Orlando put em in a glass case of emotion.

bay fc 2-3 portland thorns

Sophia Smith was responsible for .89 of Portland’s 1.30 xG, which she squeezed two goals out of. She remains a deeply unsolvable problem.

bay

A Beattie-Menges CB pairing in 2024 is just, so brave. Took a minute to settle, for obvious reasons, but rookie Jamie Shepherd did a decent enough Loera impression to warrant another start.

thorns

Early goals meant managing the game became the priority, and that’s how you get this. They still needed more Soph magic and an error from Bay goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx to secure all three points, so Coach Kenough still has a few things to do to turn their season around completely.

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