NWSL Power Rankings: Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC rise as Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars stumble

1. 

Orlando Pride

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Being the best team in the league comes with a bit of history this year if you’re Orlando. The squad set a new league record with their 18-game unbeaten streak and they look just as strong as they did before the summer break. Barbra Banda has no problem sharing the goal-scoring and Summer Yates delivered for the Pride again this week.

2. 

NJ/NY Gotham FC

+2

Perhaps no other team had as predictive a summer as Gotham FC with wins in the Summer Cup and the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Depth players got extended minutes and helped the team jump right back into regular season action. Ella Stevens continues to be the answer for goal scoring and Yazmeen Ryan is in good form at the right time.

3. 

Washington Spirit

+1

Plenty to feel good about for the Spirit in their postseason push. Croix Bethune keeps making history as she tied Tobin Heath’s all-time single season assist record (10) and Colombian international Leicy Santos made her debut with a goal in her first start. Jonatan Giraldez’s first regular season game as Spirit head coach was a definitive win.

4. 

Kansas City Current

-2

The Current had their 17-game unbeaten streak snapped by Orlando ahead of the Olympic break, and now they’re on a new trend with a two-game losing streak, each against major postseason players. Four goals were conceded on the road against the Spirit and it’s a day at the office that goalkeeper Adrianna Franch will want to put behind her quickly.

5. 

North Carolina Courage

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Despite a three game win streak heading into the break and semifinal appearance in the Summer Cup, the Courage looked a bit rusty in their regular season return on the road in Seattle. Their struggles on the road aren’t quite something they can quite shake off, despite good play in the midfield by Narumi Miura and Denise O’Sullivan, and they’ll be happy to be back at home next week. 

6. 

Portland Thorns FC

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The Thorns continue to struggle whenever Sophia Smith isn’t on the pitch. Add the extra layer of no Sam Coffey this week to help regulate the midfield and it was a lackluster match on the road against Gotham FC. Portland have paraded as a postseason team, but what seed they’ll end up as in another thing altogether. 

7. 

Racing Louisville FC

+1

While the franchise opted to trade away a piece of it’s future for a shot at the present, it’s a gamble that’s already paying off. Newly acquired Bethany Balcer delivered an assist on the team’s opening goal and they’re inching closer to the playoff line. 

8. 

Chicago Red Stars

-1

The Red Stars were able to put a bandaid on their mixed form at the summer break but now they’ll have to manage the second half of the season without defensive star Sam Staab. They also missed Mallory Swanson against Racing Louisville and looked massively unprepared as the coaching staff tinkered with positional rotations. 

9. 

Angel City FC

+2

Will the west coast side prove that they’re a second-half season team once more? Maybe the summer break came at a good time for Angel City because forward Christen Press is building her minutes back up and 19-year-old Alyssa Thompson delivered a brace to kick off the squad’s playoff push.

10. 

San Diego Wave FC

-1

The Wave’s latest substitute teacher Landon Donovan already has mixed marks. A win in the Concacaf W Champions Cup wasn’t enough to help launch the team into good form for the return of the regular season, and for all the talk of how he’ll help give the team an identity, they still look awfully familiar with undefined tactics and last-ditch goal scoring that doesn’t change the outcome of games. 

11. 

Bay FC

-1

Weren’t super active during the Summer transfer window, had a poor showing in the Summer Cup, and were now handed a loss by near last place Utah. They’re still hovering near the playoff line, but for how long? 

12. 

Seattle Reign FC

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With Megan Rapinoe looking on, the club finally got a win, their first since May, and its head coach Laura Harvey’s 100th in the league. A late game winner, a forced own goal created by 18-year-old Emeri Adames, was the bright spot in game that had lots of lulls. 

13. 

Utah Royals FC

+1

The acquisition of Mina Tanaka already looks like a key pick up for the franchise. She provided plenty of pop in her debut, while Ana Tejada looks more acclimated with the team after a couple of months on the roster. She delivered an assist on the opening goal and helped set the tone.

14. 

Houston Dash

-1

The Dash are still navigating their regular season without head coach Fran Alonso who has been away from the team since June. The franchise dismissed general manager Alex Singer over the summer window. The defense was a bright spot this week keeping Banda off the scoresheet, but the team is on a steady losing streak now, dropping three in a row.