NWSL Power Rankings: Utah Royals and North Carolina Courage Light Up the Scoreboard

Week 15 Shakeup in NWSL Standings

The National Women's Soccer League saw some surprising results in Week 15. Sam Kerr and Gotham FC managed to score twice this week. The Utah Royals dazzled with five goals against the Portland Thorns, while the North Carolina Courage made a strong comeback with a 5-0 victory over the Orlando Pride.

Midweek games stirred things up, especially for the Kansas City Current, who first crushed Racing Louisville 5-0, but then had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Angel City. Meanwhile, the Washington Spirit kept their Shield hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Utah, despite a Sunday loss to San Diego Wave. Trinity Rodman’s form is heating up, now with eight goals, inching closer to the Golden Boot chase led by Barbra Banda of Orlando, who has 12 despite playing at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

High scoring was a theme this week. Utah bounced back from their earlier defeat by stunning Portland 5-1 on Sunday. North Carolina made a statement too with their 5-0 thrashing of Orlando on Friday. Even with injuries mounting, including the season-ending knee injury to Emily Sonnett, Gotham FC secured wins against Bay FC and Houston Dash, with Sam Kerr shining again.

Power Rankings Breakdown

16. Chicago StarsPrevious: 16Result: Lost 2-1 vs Racing LouisvilleNote: Consistency eludes them; another close loss limits their chances to climb.
15. Racing LouisvillePrevious: 15Result: Won 2-1 vs Chicago StarsNote: The needed win came, pushing them to 14 points, though they remain near the bottom.
14. Boston LegacyPrevious: 12Result: 1-1 Draw vs Denver SummitNote: After leading early, they conceded a late penalty; sit just behind Denver in the standings.
13. Denver SummitPrevious: 13Result: 1-1 Draw vs Boston LegacyNote: Defensive errors kept Boston in play; penalty goal earned them a point. Need more goals from Lindsey Heaps soon.
12. Kansas City CurrentPrevious: 14Result: 1-1 Draw vs Angel CityNote: Dropped potential momentum, settling for a draw rather than a boost up the table.
11. Orlando PridePrevious: 9Result: Lost 5-0 vs North Carolina CourageNote: Dominated from all angles, raising doubts after recent positive runs.
10. Bay FCPrevious: 11Result: Lost 3-2 vs Seattle ReignNote: Two goals scored but defensive mistakes cost dearly; Abby Dahlkemper’s return from maternity leave is a bright spot.
9. Houston DashPrevious: 10Result: Lost 1-0 vs Gotham FCNote: Managed to hold Gotham’s potent attack at bay for long stretches but continue to struggle offensively.
8. Angel CityPrevious: 8Result: 1-1 Draw vs Kansas City CurrentNote: Lack consistent attacking threat despite star players like Ally Sentnor and Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir.
7. Seattle ReignPrevious: 6Result: Won 3-2 vs Bay FCNote: Showed resilience and firepower with goals from Mia Fishel, Jess Fishlock, and Maddie Dahlien.
6. Portland ThornsPrevious: 4Result: Lost 5-1 vs Utah RoyalsNote: Suffered a heavy defeat, questioning their defense and ability to recover once matches slip away.
5. North Carolina CouragePrevious: 8Result: Won 5-0 vs Orlando PrideNote: A dominant performance that could reshape perceptions; Ashley Sanchez and the offense look lethal again.
4. San Diego WavePrevious: 5Result: Won 1-0 vs Washington SpiritNote: Proved they can beat top teams, with Lia Godfrey's goal securing the tight win.
3. Washington SpiritPrevious: 1Result: Lost 1-0 vs San Diego WaveNote: A rare off night knocked them down to second place, just behind Gotham FC.
2. Utah RoyalsPrevious: 3Result: Won 5-1 vs Portland ThornsNote: Delivered one of the season’s biggest statements, confirming their rise into the league’s upper echelon.
1. Gotham FCPrevious: 2Result: Won 1-0 vs Houston DashNote: Continue to look like title contenders, controlling games even when narrowly winning and coping with injuries.