Portland ended Orlando’s record 24-match unbeaten streak on Friday with their first NWSL win since July 5th.
Thorns forward Morgan Weaver’s 13th-minute goal marked the first time the Pride trailed in a game since March 22nd.
Portland captain Christine Sinclair scored her 78th goal across all NWSL competitions to secure a 2-0 finish. Sinclair’s 55th-minute strike puts her just behind league-leader Lynn Williams, who scored her 80th goal in Gotham’s 2-0 win over Chicago on Saturday.
Orlando, who secured the 2024 NWSL Shield earlier this month, notably did not start their three leading scorers: Barbra Banda, Marta, and Adriana. All entered in the second half to face a Thorns side missing top scorer Sophia Smith due to an ankle injury.
Portland, currently in seventh place, will aim to clinch their postseason spot in the final two matchdays of the NWSL season, a fact cheekily pointed out by Marta after the Thorns’ victory.
Chawinga bags NWSL scoring record
Kansas City striker Temwa Chawinga surpassed Sam Kerr’s 2019 scoring tally with her 19th goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bay FC to etch her name into the NWSL record books. None of the Malawian’s goals in this record-setting run have come from penalties.
“[The single-season scoring record] means a lot to me because it’s a very difficult league… So I thank my teammates and I thank God for giving me this chance to be here,” Chawinga said after the game.
KC boss Vlatko Andonovski commented on Chawinga’s performance, noting how opposing teams are trying to limit her chances but she still manages to deliver outstanding goals.
Chawinga leads the NWSL Golden Boot race with six more goals than the league’s second-leading scorer, Barbra Banda.
The weekend also saw the fourth-place Current securing a first-ever home playoff match, alongside second-place Washington and third-place Gotham, while sixth-place Chicago officially secured their postseason berth.
Lacasse hat trick sees Seattle eliminated from playoffs
Utah Royals forward Cloé Lacasse made NWSL history with a hat trick on Sunday that lifted the Royals 3-0 over the Seattle Reign, eliminating Seattle from playoff contention.
Lacasse opened scoring off a third-minute corner kick, tying Utah’s record for the fastest goal before adding two more goals before halftime. This achievement marked the first hat trick of the 2024 NWSL season and the first in Utah Royals history.
With a three-game winning streak, 10th-place Utah remains in the postseason hunt thanks to Lacasse’s phenomenal performance.
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