NWSL Power Rankings: North Carolina Courage put the rest of the league on notice
Credit to Author: Megan Swanick| Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:21:01 EST
Haley Hopkins gets past her defender with a nice move and doubles North Carolina Courage’s lead. (0:35)
It’s Monday — the first Monday after the first weekend of NWSL action for the 2024 regular season! And what a weekend it was, with 26 goals across six games, some thrilling late drama — like the Portland Thorns nearly completing a comeback from 5-1 down with three goals in the final 17 minutes at Kansas City — and some great debuts for new stars, including a first NWSL goal for former Barcelona forward Asisat Oshoala as expansion side Bay FC defeated Angel City FC.
The order for our NWSL Power Rankings every week will be derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings, and the observations of our writers.
So, where do our trusty statistical models rank all 14 clubs after the first weekend? Let’s dive in.
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Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 22 at Utah Royals, 9:30 p.m. ET
They may be missing last year’s MVP (Kerolin) to an ACL injury, but the Courage have proven more than capable of creating in her absence as they thrashed Houston 5-1 on Saturday. Their new signings excelled across the board, too, with Ashley Sanchez and Felicitas Rauch slotting well into the starting XI. Bianca St. Georges and Dani Weatherholt debuted from the bench to score three of the team’s five goals. Returning players, like Haley Hopkins, were also exceptional.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 at Chicago Red Stars, 4 p.m. ET
With Megan Rapinoe in the stands instead of the field for the first time in club history, Laura Harvey’s evolved Seattle side looked sleek and creative with the ball and creative, running out 1-0 winners over Washington. The expanded Welsh contingent (Angharad James, Lily Woodham) and addition of Ji So-Yun in the midfield is working early wonders.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 vs. Kansas City Current, 10 p.m. ET
The Wave open their regular season next weekend, but do so with the momentum of an early-season trophy, thanks to Alex Morgan‘s late-game heroics in Harrison in winning the NWSL Challenge Cup. After 88 minutes of stalemate Morgan’s header from a set piece made the difference against a tough Gotham side.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 24 vs. Gotham FC, 7 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+
The Thorns will leave Kansas City having to rue their defensive lapses in Saturday’s 5-4 defeat. Three members of their four person backline made debuts at CPKC Stadium; miscommunication between them and their keeper led to five goals conceded. That’s not entirely new for the Thorns, though, who conceded the second-most goals in the league last season.
As ever, Portland has the power to counteract those lapses with elite attacking power, evidenced by Sophia Smith and Janine Beckie’s pair of braces.
Kansas City Current survives a late Portland Thorns rally to win the NWSL curtain-raiser 5-4.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 at San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET
Kansas City christened their new stadium with a highly entertaining nine-goal display that showcased talent across generations. Their first goal came compliments of longtime NWSL player Vanessa DiBernardo and their fifth game from 16-year-old Alex Pfeiffer, becoming the youngest goalscorer in NWSL. Knowing Andonovski will be focused on improved defending, this Current side could be lethal.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 at Washington Spirit, 7:30 p.m. ET
Bay FC‘s investment is paying off early, as this squad is stocked with talent from goalkeeper to striker. Canadian goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx made a pivotal eight saves, matching a record for most saves in a debut appearance. It set the table for Nigerian player of the year, Asisat Oshoala,, to collect her NWSL debut goal in the 1-0 victory, marking the first-ever goal in club history and what will likely be far from the last from Oshoala.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 22 at Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ET
Angel City started their new campaign before another 22,000 sellout crowd in LA, but failed to deliver victory despite showing plenty of promise for the season ahead. Sarah Gorden proved again why she’s among the best defenders in the league as she limited Asisat Oshoala in the 1-0 defeat. Firing off 19 shots with nine of them on target, ACFC may have had more to show for it were it not for a showstopping performance from Bay FC‘s keeper, Lysianne Proulx.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 24 at Portland Thorns, 7 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+
Gotham started the year with a 0-1 loss at home in the Challenge Cup. They were dangerous getting into the final third, but skewed multiple chances off target. With a few key players injured and many starters just returning from the W Gold Cup, Gotham’s suspected super team may need a moment to really set off on the season.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 at Houston Dash, 8:30 p.m. ET
The rookies showed out in Louisville’s 2-2 draw with Orlando. That includes Colombian international Elexa Marie Bahr, who made her NWSL debut with a goal and an assist and 21-year-old Reilyn Turner (drafted out of UCLA this year) who provided the assist for Bahr’s opening goal.
Louisville’s Elexa Bahr gives her team the lead with a stellar goal by chipping the keeper from just outside the box.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 vs. Seattle Reign, 4 p.m. ET
Alyssa Naeher is an elite shot-stopper and greets the new season in top-form, with her five saves against Utah marking one of just three clean sheets in the 2024 regular season’s opening weekend. Moving forward from that bedrock, there are reasons to hope the Red Stars grow into the season under Lorne Donaldson, including that Mallory Swanson is back starting.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 22 vs. North Carolina Courage, 9:30 p.m. ET
With an average age of 25.2 for players that saw the pitch, Utah fielded the youngest squad across NWSL‘s opening day on Saturday. Rookies like 20-year-old Ally Sentnor (drafted first out of UNC in the 2024 NWSL Draft) did well in their debut, though the squad may need time to find their full rhythm. Were it not for Alyssa Naeher‘s five-save heroics, the Royals might have had more to show for their 19-shot (5 on target with a 2.1 xG) performance. Alyssa Naeher can be brutal.
Allyson Schlegel and Ava Cook find the back of the net as the Red Stars beat the Royals 2-0.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 22 vs. Angel City, 8 p.m. ET
With an average age of 27.9, the Pride fielded one of the older teams across opening weekend (though their 86th minute equalizing goal marked 23-year-old Summer Yates‘ debut goal in her second season). What they may lack in youth they make up for in skill, as the Brazil-heavy squad clawed back from a deficit to collect a draw on the road to start the season.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 vs. Racing Louisville 8:30 p.m. ET
The Dash left North Carolina with a 5-1 loss and a tough road ahead of them. Failing to produce high quality chances from open play, their lone goal came complements of an own goal from the opposition. Defensively, they collapsed under pressure in transition and the Courage cut too easily through their lines.
Previous ranking: N/A
Next match: March 23 vs. Bay FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Absent Trinity Rodman (suspended due to being red carded late last season), under the care of an interim manager (Adrian Gonzalez) and debuting multiple rookies, the Spirit couldn’t crack the code of Seattle’s midfield and failed to produce opportunity, registering just two total shots and only one of them on target. Were it not for Aubrey Kingsbury‘s five saves, their 1-0 loss could have been a much more unforgiving scoreline.