It’s Sunday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 5 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Saturday, April 26 at North Carolina Courage, 7 p.m. ET
The Current are on top of the league thanks to a 2-0 win over Houston on Saturday, plus a bit of help. It was what is becoming a typical Kansas City performance at CPKC Stadium: The Current found a first-half goal (thanks to a penalty from Lo’eau LaBonta, who celebrated with a ballet display), showed a bunch of grit in defending the lead, managed to extend the advantage (thanks to a finish by Kayla Sharples) and once again are off to enjoy the rest of the weekend after securing all three points and a fourth straight clean sheet.
Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Saturday, April 26 vs. Gotham FC, 1 p.m. ET
The Spirit went into the big NWSL Shield rematch with Orlando with an injury list as long as this article, missing forward Trinity Rodman, who is out indefinitely because of a back issue, plus attackers Croix Bethune and Brittany Ratcliffe, midfielders midfielder Hal Hershfelt and Andi Sullivan, and a handful of players on the season-ending injury list. They leave the weekend having pinned the first defeat of the season on the Pride, as Gift Monday scored in a 1-0 triumph. It wasn’t always straightforward: Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury was called into action early after a mistake at the back in the 20th minute and ended the night with six saves. That, plus Monday capitalizing on an error playing out of the back of her own making sees the Spirit climb up a spot. When health comes, even better results could, too.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Friday, April 25 vs. Angel City, 8 p.m. ET
The Pride tasted defeat for the first time this year, falling 1-0 at home to Washington in the weekend’s marquee matchup. While it knocks them off the top slot for now, they’ll have plenty of belief they can soon return. The Spirit’s lone goal came off an error by Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, who had her pocket picked by Gift Monday. The Pride also had plenty of the ball and put six shots on goal. Saturday was one of those days when the ball just didn’t want to go in. Orlando hasn’t had many of those this season, and it will look to get back to the form it’s shown all season next weekend when it welcomes Angel City.
Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Tuesday, April 22 at Portland Thorns, 10:30 p.m. ET
Well, that was fun for Gotham. The Bats saw Esther González net a double, plus got an own goal in their favor and a cherry-on-top golazo from Geyse in a 4-0 victory over Angel City. Juan Carlos Amorós hardly could’ve asked for a better performance, not only seeing his forward follow up a two-goal outing last weekend with another brace but also getting the new No. 10 Geyse going — with an assist from Midge Purce — and keeping a clean sheet. The slow start may truly be behind Gotham.
Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Saturday, April 26 at Chicago Stars, 7:30 p.m. ET
After consecutive losses, the Wave came into the weekend needing a palette cleanser and got just that with a 4-1 win in Louisville against Racing. Kenza Dali’s opening goal set the tone, but the Wave’s second-half blitz — with Delphine Cascarino assisting a Melanie Barcenas equalizer in the 50th minute, then scoring a goal of her own 10 minutes later and adding another to cap the night with a double and an assist — was impressive. In helping the Wave bounce back, the France international matches her goal tally from last season.
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Delphine Cascarino scores goal for San Diego Wave FC
Delphine Cascarino scores goal for San Diego Wave FC
Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Friday, April 25 at Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ET
It was a weekend to forget for Angel City, falling 4-0 to Gotham in a Friday night showdown at BMO Stadium. A home loss would be frustrating enough, but it was a home loss to another team that, early on, looks to be a fellow contender. The Los Angeles side missed attacker Alyssa Thompson, who suffered an upper leg injury in training during the week, but interim boss Sam Laity will be more concerned with the goals conceded, especially with a visit to Orlando next on the calendar.
Previous ranking: 7br> Next match: Saturday, April 26 at Bay FC, 10 p.m. ET
The Reign enjoyed a 1-0 rivalry victory over Portland, getting an early goal from Maddie Dahlien (the former UNC Tar Heel’s first in NWSL) and protecting the net to keep the clean sheet and earn three points. Seeing manager Laura Harvey’s jubilant celebration, including tossing a bouquet of roses to the ground, showed just how much relief she felt to defeat their Cascadia rivals to snap a five-match winless skid against the Thorns.
Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Saturday, April 26 vs. Seattle Reign, 10 p.m. ET
Bay FC made the cross-country trip to face North Carolina and came away with a 1-0 victory thanks to Kiki Pickett ‘s long-range golazo in the 34th minute. The visitors pushed for more but failed to produce a multi-goal game for the third week in a row. Pickett’s brilliance meant that didn’t matter this week, but Bay will hope the finishing is crisper against the Reign next weekend and that more goals start coming as they look to stay on the right side of the playoff line early on.
Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Tuesday, April 22 vs. Gotham FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
Portland continues to wait for an attacking explosion, as it fell 1-0 to Seattle on Friday. The Thorns were in a hole early, conceding in the fourth minute. It may be small consolation after a rivalry loss, but they pushed impressively for an equalizer on the road, ending the night with 13 shots and four on target. Despite decent efforts from Deyna Castellanos and Caiya Hanks, no one could beat Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Friday, April 25 vs. Utah Royals, 8 p.m. ET
The Dash fell for the second week in a row, losing 2-0 away to Kansas City. While the game plan seemed to be to defend as well as possible against a Current team that not only rode a long winning streak into the match but also had scored multiple goals in each match this season, an early penalty conceded on the outside of the box complicated life for the Dash, who then conceded in the second half to give KC another multi-goal game. Next week’s home tilt with Utah may be a better chance for the Dash to double their win total on the season.
Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Friday, April 25 at Houston Dash, 8 p.m. ET
There should be hope in Utah. On the field, the Royals secured their first victory of the season, keeping a clean sheet against Chicago and seeing Ally Sentnor convert a stoppage-time penalty for a 1-0 victory. Off the field, the club now has new ownership, with the local Miller family finalizing a purchase for the Royals, their stadium and sibling club Real Salt Lake. At risk of being party poopers, this team still has a lot to do to compete. Sentnor’s penalty in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time was the Royals’ first shot on target in the match.
Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Saturday, April 26 vs. San Diego Wave, 7:30 p.m. ET
After a big win last week, it was back to old ways for the Stars in a 1-0 loss to Utah on Friday. The good news? They kept the Royals to one shot on target in the contest. The bad? That was a penalty converted by Ally Sentnor. The Stars’ only shot on target, a second-half effort from Jameese Joseph, was saved by Mandy McGlynn as the Chicago squad slumped to a fourth loss of the season.
Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Sunday, April 27 at Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. ET
Another weekend, another home defeat for Bev Yanez’s team, who fell 4-1 to San Diego at Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday. Ary Borges answered the Wave’s opener with a penalty just before the half, but Racing couldn’t keep the momentum after drawing level, falling victim to The Delphine Cascarino show. Next up, it’s a trip to Portland to meet the Thorns. Perhaps there’s no place like the road?
Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Saturday, April 26 vs. Kansas City Current, 7 p.m. ET
After a 1-0 defeat to Bay FC, the Courage ended Matchday 5 as the last team in the NWSL without a win. Kiki Pickett’s stunning first-half goal was the difference, but the unfortunate news for the Courage is that it probably could’ve been worse. While Bay managed to control the match and fire off 11 shots, four on target, the Courage had just one shot on target over 90 minutes.