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Following a long three-week international break, the National Women's Soccer League made a thunderous return in Matchweek 5, delivering eight matches, 26 goals and not a single draw.
Just one club, the Boston Legacy, has yet to record a win after Racing Louisville claimed their first victory of the campaign by defeating the Orlando Pride on Friday evening. Meanwhile, the San Diego Wave extended their winning run to five consecutive matches to stay near the summit. Here are the power rankings following Matchweek 5.
NWSL Matchweek 5 Results
Racing Louisville 3–2 Orlando Pride
Washington Spirit 4–0 KC Current
Houston Dash 0–1 NC Courage
NJ/NY Gotham FC 3–0 Bay FC
Chicago Stars 2–0 Boston Legacy
Denver Summit 2–3 San Diego Wave
Angel City 1–2 Portland Thorns
Seattle Reign 0–3 Utah Royals
NWSL Power Rankings: Clubs 11–16
16. Boston Legacy (Previous: 16)
15. Chicago Stars (Previous: 15)
14. Bay FC (Previous: 11)
13. Racing Louisville (Previous: 13)
12. Seattle Reign (Previous: 7)
11. KC Current (Previous: 8)
10. Utah Royals (Previous: 14)
The Utah Royals have now won three matches in a row, going four games unbeaten. Earning a road victory in the NWSL is never straightforward, but building a 3–0 lead before halftime at Lumen Field was particularly remarkable. There is plenty to admire in how Utah's attacking quartet of Kiana Palacios, Mina Tanaka, Cloé Lacasse and Paige Cronin are working together both on and off the ball. And that's without key forward Lara Prašnikar, who sat out last weekend with a thigh problem. The Royals have also climbed into the top three of the NWSL standings for the first time since 2019.
9. Denver Summit (Previous: 10)
Surrendering a 2–0 halftime advantage to end up losing 3–2 is simply not acceptable. There's no way to dress it up. However, stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, there is still much to appreciate about the Denver Summit at this stage. Last weekend marked the first occasion Denver has conceded more than one goal since the opening match of the season. A Carson Pickett own goal is not something that will repeat itself every week, nor is an opponent converting three goals from eight shots and 0.93 expected goals. For now, the Summit appear solid and somewhat unfortunate.
8. NC Courage (Previous: 12)
New head coach Mak Lind is off to a promising start with the Courage in the NWSL, with the team looking organized and competitive heading into 2026. He has revitalized Ashley Sanchez, who is once again performing like a U.S. women's national team caliber player, and the comeback of Manaka Matsukubo has given this squad a significant boost. Matsukubo has contributed two goals and an assist across the three matches since returning from Japan's triumph at the 2026 Women's Asian Cup.
Manaka Matsukubo drops it over the top and Ashley Sanchez does the rest 🫨 pic.twitter.com/laN8gOweVi
7. Houston Dash (Previous: 6)
The Houston Dash are shaping up as the NWSL's quintessential middle-of-the-pack side early in the season. Sitting at 3-2-0, nearly every match has been decided by a single goal. Manager Fabrice Gautrat has his squad exceptionally well-organized defensively, and Houston's pressing structures rank among the finest in the league. Adding a more capable center forward in possession could push this team to another level.
6. Gotham FC (Previous: 9)
When it rains, it pours in New Jersey. After managing just two goals across their opening five fixtures, Gotham burst to life by netting three times in a single half against Bay FC over the weekend. It was a massive relief for a side that had been struggling in front of goal. Rose Lavelle opened her account for the season, but the standout performer was Jordynn Dudley. The rookie looked sharp, skillful and dangerous, driving into the box and setting up Lavelle for the team's second of the afternoon. That said, there are genuine concerns around Gotham's thin bench and limited defensive cover.
Rookie Jordynn Dudley finds Rose Lavelle for goal No. 2 for Gotham ✌️ pic.twitter.com/FanJKZGCLU
5. Angel City FC (Previous: 3)
After opening the season with three straight wins, Angel City has now suffered back-to-back defeats. However, those narrow 2–1 losses came away at the Orlando Pride and at home to the Portland Thorns, both settled in second-half stoppage time. It is difficult to be overly critical of ACFC when their recent setbacks have come against some of the league's top sides, with the results nearly tipping in their favor. There remains plenty to be optimistic about in Los Angeles.
4. Washington Spirit (Previous: 5)
The underlying data had suggested the Washington Spirit were unfortunate to go winless through their opening four matches. Now, fortune appears to be swinging in their direction. The Spirit were clearly the superior side in their 4–0 demolition of KC Current, though it may not have been the dominant four-goal display many had anticipated. Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver continues to stand out. The Scottish shot-stopper was called upon early to keep things level and provide the Spirit with the foundation to go on and win.
Friday's victory was also full of landmark moments. Trinity Rodman, fresh off signing a record-breaking contract, registered her first goal and assist of the season. Claudia Martínez, just 18 years old, scored her first NWSL goal, becoming the first Paraguayan player to find the net in the league. And Leicy Santos recorded her first NWSL brace.
VAMOSSS!
Claudia Martínez scores the FIRST goal by a Paraguayan player in NWSL history 🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/W3uyHSpBog
3. Orlando Pride (Previous: 1)
It remains the Barbra Banda show for the reigning 2024 champions. The Zambian striker leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals, including a brace on Friday in the Pride's 3–2 road loss to Racing Louisville. With a record of 2-2-2, Orlando might appear to be a mid-table outfit to some. Yet with Banda and some highly encouraging attacking metrics, this is a team that belongs among the elite. Orlando ranks third in the league for xG (10.7) and first for shots on target per 90 minutes (7.2).
2. Portland Thorns (Previous: 3)
Welcome back, Sophia Wilson. The 25-year-old netted her first goal in 540 days — and her first since becoming a mother — to seal the Thorns' dramatic 2-1 away victory over Angel City. Beyond the ever-improving Wilson, there is much to admire about the balance in Portland's attack. Pietra Tordin scored again to bring her tally to three. Reilyn Turner and Olivia Moultrie are also contributing, each with three goals to their name.
1. San Diego Wave (Previous: 2)
How do you argue against a club-record five-match winning streak? The Wave continue to lead the league in key metrics including big chances created (16) and touches in the opposition box (205). Rookie Lia Godfrey has emerged as one of the breakout stars of the campaign, netting her fourth goal of the year in the comeback win over the Summit.
Lia Godfrey has played in 6 pro games
she's now scored 4 goals 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jFyZb1euq5
That victory in Denver was not San Diego's most polished performance of the season, but overturning a halftime deficit was a remarkable feat. So remarkable, in fact, that the Wave became just the sixth NWSL team in history to come from two goals down at halftime to win a match on the road.
More NWSL from Sports Illustrated
Theo Lloyd-Hughes is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer based in the Southern United States. Originally from England, he can often be found in a press box across the NWSL or at international matches featuring the USWNT and other Concacaf nations.