It's Monday and another week of NWSL action has passed, which means it's time for the ESPN Power Rankings.
Our rankings are derived from a combination of key season stats (points per game, goal difference, expected goal difference), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings and observations from our writers.
Who's on the rise? Who's in free fall? Our editors and statistical models have ranked the 14 clubs in La Liga after Matchday 15. Let's break them down.
Previous classification: 1
Next match: Saturday vs. Orlando Pride, 7:30 p.m. ET
They left it for the end, but Kansas City Current made history Friday night at CPKC Stadium. Temwa Chawinga scored two goals to secure a 2-0 win over the Houston Dash, marking an NWSL-record 17 games unbeaten for Kansas City. Chawinga moved into the lead in the Golden Boot race (where she is now tied with Barbra Banda) with 11 goals after scoring six in her last four games.
Previous classification: 2
Next match: Saturday on Kansas City Current, 7:30 p.m. ET
Orlando’s formidable cast of attacking talents combined to score several goals Sunday night in Los Angeles, ensuring the Pride also remain unbeaten as they prepare to face Kansas City next weekend. Marta set up Adriana for the first and scored the second to make it two goals before Zambian phenom Banda made it 3-0 in stoppage time. Banda’s 11 goals in 11 games equal Chawinga atop the league, but tops the goals per 90 minutes chart.
Previous classification: 3
Next match: Saturday at Bay FC, 10pm ET
Washington Spirit fell to the Courage over the weekend, falling 1-0 thanks to a stunning, game-winning goal from former Spirit midfielder Ashley Sanchez. The moment was storybook-worthy (Spirit traded Sanchez on draft night in a decision that came as a surprise), though it doesn’t portend lasting damage for a formidable Spirit team. It does, however, mark their first loss since May 4.
Previous classification: 4
Next match: Saturday at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. ET
Gotham had a win all but conceded in the 99th minute of added time and were held to a draw in Seattle. It's best to focus on Rose Lavelle (who scored her fourth goal of the season against her former club) and let that last-minute mistake fade into the past.
0:17
Seattle Reign equalizes in overtime with an own goal
Seattle grabs a late equalizer after Gotham FC's Nealy Martin puts the ball into his own net.
Previous classification: 5
Next match: Friday vs. San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET
Portland's draw against the last-place Utah Royals wasn't the most impressive. The draw also marks their third game without a win, as the Thorns trace their last victory back to a memorable 1-0 win over North Carolina Courage on June 8, in which Sophia Smith was penalized for time-wasting in one of the season's most memorable moments. Despite the slight drop, the Thorns like the stats almost as much as the top teams. They'll be looking to pick up some points to turn the score around when they head to the Wave next weekend.
Previous classification: 6
Next match: Sunday vs. Racing Louisville, 4:30 p.m. ET
The Courage are finding some good form. The two-time NWSL champions picked up their second straight win over the weekend, making it three straight games without a loss against teams in the top half of the table. This weekend’s win came against a surging Spirit side, with Sanchez scoring an emotional goal against her former club in the 19th minute. With Kerolin back, there’s plenty to be excited about for Courage fans heading into the second half of the season.
Previous classification: 9
Next match: Saturday vs. Houston Dash, 1:00 p.m. ET
Mallory Swanson was at her best in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Wave on Friday night, scoring her third goal in three games. Swanson's strong form is great news for the Red Stars, as well as the U.S. women's national team, which will soon feature the forward Emma Hayes called “world class” when announcing the Olympic roster last Wednesday. The win is Chicago's first since May 12. Alyssa Naeher earned her second clean sheet of the season to help get it done.
Previous classification: 10
Next match: Saturday vs. Washington Spirit, 10 p.m. ET
Bay FC earned its third win in four games with a 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville on Saturday night. Asisat Oshoala secured the win from the penalty spot, making the difference in a close game to score her third goal of the season. The penalty was historic: Oshoala now claims the first-ever penalty scored for the expansion team (she also scored the club’s first goal from play earlier this year). Bay general manager Lucy Rushton resigned from the club last Monday (one of the big changes to happen in the NWSL this past week), though the relatively mid-table Bay’s performance remained steady during the restructuring.
0:42
Asisat Oshoala scores Bay FC's first goal from the penalty spot
Asisat Oshoala converts the penalty in the 76th minute for Bay FC.
Previous classification: 8
Next match: Sunday at North Carolina Courage, 4:30 pm ET
Racing know how to fight and have more draws than any other team in the league for a reason. They did enough to get another draw at home against their visitors on Saturday (both teams registered just one shot on target), and could have gotten one if not for Oshoala's penalty that made the difference.
Previous classification: 7
Next match: Friday at Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET
Alex Morgan’s missed penalty in the 74th minute of a 3-0 loss to Chicago — which he sent over the bar — was a chance to score her first goal of the season. But it was a continuation of the bad luck. Days after missing her first U.S. women’s national team call-up to a major tournament since 2008, Morgan’s confidence needs a spark. The Wave haven’t won since May 8 (five draws and two losses in between) and just fired their former Coach of the Year, Casey Stoney.
Previous classification: 12
Next match: Saturday at Chicago Red Stars, 1:00 pm ET
Houston went to CPKC Stadium and held off the leader Current for most of the match. In the end, Chawinga and Current's attack was too inevitable to contain and they made history in Kansas City. A respectable performance, overall, given the strength difference between the two teams and the momentum that drove the match.
Previous classification: eleven
Next match: Saturday vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 10pm ET
Angel City has never beaten Orlando. That streak remained intact in Los Angeles on Sunday night thanks to two goals from Brazilian Adriana and a stoppage-time goal from Banda. It's hard to find any silver lining for this Angel City team, whose fire is intermittent and its offensive power insufficient.
Previous classification: 13
Next match: Sunday vs. Utah Royals, 6:00 p.m. ET
Seattle salvaged a point against Gotham thanks to a 99th-minute goal off a set piece. That's enough, and credit goes to Quinn for the play. That said, it's not a definitive sign that Seattle's stagnant season has turned around. With three straight draws, they'll still be winless since May 3, though they do face a beatable Utah Royals team next weekend.
Previous classification: 14
Next match: Sunday at Seattle Reign FC, 6:00 p.m. ET
Utah managed a respectable 0-0 draw against the fifth-place Portland Thorns this weekend. By all indications, it was far from their worst performance of the year. Yet for some reason it was considered the final straw for the owners, who fired Amy Rodriguez, the manager of the inaugural expansion team. The decision is strange, and the timing even stranger. The expansion club had focused on youth and building rather than big-name signings in its first season. Rodriguez had a limit to what she could do.
