It’s Sunday, and one other spherical of NWSL motion is within the books, which implies it’s time for ESPN’s Energy Rankings.
Who’s climbing the desk? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the motion from throughout Matchday 25 to provide you with this week’s order of all 14 groups within the league. Let’s dive in.
Earlier rating: 1
The Present fell 1-0 to the Houston Sprint on Saturday, but it surely’s star Temwa Chawinga that will go down because the way more impactful loss. After struggling a non-contact harm within the first half, the ahead was carried off the sector. Whereas the severity of the harm isn’t identified, Kansas Metropolis head coach Vlatko Andonovski stated after the sport that Chawinga’s harm was within the “higher leg” slightly than the knee. Even so, loads of of us in Kansas Metropolis shall be holding their breath.
Earlier rating: 2
It’s been a no good, very dangerous previous few days for the Washington Spirit. First, Trinity Rodman went down with a knee harm throughout a midweek Concacaf Champions Cup conflict with Monterrey. Then they misplaced to the Orlando Satisfaction on Saturday. An unlucky deflection and a penalty concession turned a 2-1 lead at half-time right into a 3-2 loss at full-time for the Spirit. Nonetheless, the primary defeat in additional than 4 months received’t sting almost as a lot because the uncertainty surrounding Rodman’s return to play.
Earlier rating: 4
If there was any doubt about Marta’s means to take over a soccer sport at age 39, that doubt ought to be put to relaxation after Orlando’s 3-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday. The Brazil icon compelled an personal purpose and scored the game-winning penalty to assist the Satisfaction acquire all three factors towards a Washington aspect that hadn’t misplaced a sport since June. Marta’s introduction on the break modified Orlando’s destiny. Is anybody shocked?
Earlier rating: 3
Few matchups this weekend had been simpler to foretell than NJ/NY Gotham vs. Racing Louisville, at the very least in a tactical sense. Enjoying at house and as one of many league’s extra possession-heavy outfits, Gotham held the lion’s share of the ball. Louisville, for its half, continued a theme of deeper, resolute defending. The end result was a sport the place the hosts hit almost twice as many passes because the guests, although the scoreline completed deadlocked at 2-2. The excellent news for Gotham, although, is that the draw clinched them a playoff spot.
Earlier rating: 5
Make that 4 targets in three video games for Olivia Moultrie. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder bagged a brace in Portland’s 2-0 win over Angel Metropolis on Sunday, discovering the primary end by way of a long-range banger from open play and the second from the penalty spot. With the younger United States worldwide pulling the strings and sufficient defensive solidity to see out the end result, the Portland Thorns nailed down playoff qualification this weekend.
Earlier rating: 7
For the primary time in membership historical past, the Wave bagged six targets in a single sport. They bested the Chicago Stars 6-1 at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, dominating play within the attacking third in a sport that was as one-sided because the scoreline signifies. Whether or not in open play or on set items, San Diego discovered appears to be like early and infrequently in Chicago’s hazard space. Due to their dazzling attacking show, the Wave are formally certain for the postseason.
Earlier rating: 6
Due to a 2-1 win over the Utah Royals on Friday evening, the Reign booked a spot within the postseason. Whereas Seattle didn’t create a bevy of possibilities, a primary profession NWSL purpose for Ainsley McCammon simply earlier than half-time gave the hosts a lead and a penalty from Sofia Huerta reclaimed it within the second half to complete the scoring. The Reign have been one of many league’s leakier defensive groups in 2025, however a victory towards Utah might function a confidence enhance with only one extra match earlier than the playoffs.
Earlier rating: 9
As soon as once more, Manaka Matsukubo got here up large for the Braveness, this time in a 4-1 win over Bay FC. The younger Japanese attacker’s praises aren’t sung close to sufficient: her hat trick, which might’ve been a four-goal sport if not for a missed penalty, made the distinction on Friday simply as her attacking play has made the distinction for her squad in a lot of 2025. Matsukubo ranks second within the league in purpose contributions this 12 months and was a terror up the center towards Bay. She’s a bona fide star.
Earlier rating: 8
A win on the highway towards Gotham would’ve seen Louisville formally qualify for the playoffs, however Sunday’s 2-2 draw will see Racing go all the way down to the wire looking for the postseason when it comes time for his or her common season finale subsequent month. Louisville sitting fairly late towards NJ/NY, however an eighty fifth minute equalizer from Rose Lavelle turned a playoff occasion right into a run-of-the-mill draw for Bev Yanez’s crew.
Earlier rating: 11
The Houston Sprint didn’t impress towards the Kansas Metropolis Present on Saturday — they had been out-shot 20 to 6. Nonetheless, they managed to claw to a 1-0 victory due to a strike from Ryan Gareis simply minutes into her look off the bench. With the win, Houston did all the things of their energy to remain alive within the playoff race however outcomes elsewhere across the league didn’t go the Sprint’s approach. Because of this, they received’t make this 12 months’s postseason.
Earlier rating: 10
With their hopes of qualifying for the postseason dashed earlier than their matchup with the Portland Thorns even kicked off, it’s onerous responsible Angel Metropolis for trying flat in a 2-0 loss on Sunday. Due to Racing Louisville’s draw earlier on Sunday, Angel Metropolis’s season successfully ended earlier than they touched the ball at BMO Stadium. Permitting a brace to Moultrie merely positioned the exclamation level on what has been a disappointing marketing campaign.
Earlier rating: 12
Utah’s three-game profitable streak looks like ages in the past, doesn’t it? The identical might be stated of their eight-game unbeaten run within the common season, a run that got here to an finish in final weekend’s loss to San Diego. Following a 2-1 defeat in Seattle on Friday, the Royals have now kicked off a shedding streak. Already eradicated from playoff rivalry, they had been second-best in a sloppy affair towards the Reign.
Earlier rating: 13
Bay FC seemed an terrible lot like a crew with nothing to play for on Friday evening. With no hope of qualifying for the playoffs, the house aspect put collectively one of many sloppiest performances of any crew this season. They fell 4-1 to the North Carolina Braveness in a sport that may have been much more lopsided if not for a missed North Carolina penalty. Between devastating turnovers in their very own half and a mistake-filled efficiency in purpose from Jordan Silkowitz, Bay fell behind early and by no means discovered their approach again.
Earlier rating: 14
With out hope of postseason qualification fueling their play, this time of 12 months for Chicago is about figuring out constructing blocks for the longer term. Saturday’s brutal 6-1 loss on the highway in San Diego gave the Stars very, only a few constructive indicators for 2026 and past. Overrun in their very own third and largely toothless once they did dare to enterprise ahead into the Wave’s half, the earlier the reminiscence of this sport fades for Chicago, the higher.