Photo Credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images
A weekend of late goals, milestones, and tight results across the National Women’s Soccer League produced drama throughout.
Boston rallies for club’s first win
Boston Legacy’s breakthrough didn’t arrive quietly. In a chaotic, momentum-swinging game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, the expansion side earned a 3–2 comeback win over Denver Summit — a result that felt as emotional as it was overdue after a winless start to their inaugural campaign. Denver struck first through Yazmeen Ryan, and even after Nichelle Prince pulled Boston level just before halftime, the visitors regained the lead when Natasha Flint found the net in the second half.
The closing minutes tilted fully into chaos. Boston committed bodies forward, finding an equalizer through substitute Aïssata Traoré in the 90th minute before Bianca St-Georges finished comeback deep into stoppage time. It’ll be up to Boston to carry this momentum and turn around their season.
— Emily Dulhanty
Washington Spirit make goalscoring history
The luck of unlikely mascot José the coyote has yet to wear off (or the Spirit have finally found their rhythm) as Washington downed Orlando 4-2 on Saturday in a goal-filled contest.
Washington opened up an early two-goal lead thanks to Sofia Cantore scoring the fastest brace from kickoff in NWSL history, needing only five minutes and 27 seconds.
Orlando responded with a quick brace of their own courtesy of Golden Boot leader Barbra Banda, who now has seven goals in seven games this season.
The second half belonged to the Spirit, though. Claudia Martínez only needed ten minutes to score her second NWSL goal and put her team back on top. Fifteen minutes later Trinity Rodman restored Washington’s two-goal lead with her third goal in three games. Rodman also made history as the youngest player in NWSL history to record 30 goals and 20 assists.
— Bella Munson
Kansas City earns its first road win of the season
Despite not controlling the majority of possession and taking half as many shots, a pair of well-taken first-half goals was enough to lift the Current over the North Carolina Courage on Saturday.
Midfielder Croix Bethune opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a well-placed volley. Bethune then set up forward Michelle Cooper in the 23rd minute to double the Current’s advantage. Kansas City weathered a late North Carolina rally, as a goal from Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo in the 85th minute led to a frenzied finish.
The Courage were reduced to 10 players after a violent conduct offense committed by second-half substitute Feli Rauch in stoppage time. Kansas City saw the remainder of the match out from there, earning the club’s first road victory of the 2026 campaign.
The match also marked Lo’eau LaBonta’s 100th career regular-season starting appearance for the Current. The milestone comes nearly five years to the date of her first start for the club in Kansas City’s inaugural match on May 15, 2021. She is the first player in club history to reach the milestone.
— Bella Munson
Utah keeps winning
The Royals earned a club-record fourth consecutive win on Saturday, defeating Angel City 1–0.
The game-winning goal came in the 33rd minute from a combination of the players that scored in Utah’s impressive 3-0 win over Seattle the weekend before, with Paige Cronin providing the assist and Cloé Lacasse finishing it off with a header. Utah has scored in the last 16-straight regular season games, setting a new club scoring record.
Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn had to make some big saves to keep her team’s one-goal advantage intact. Her 50th NWSL appearance was an impressive one after her start was necessary because Mia Justus exited last week’s game injured.
— Bella Munson
More results from around the league
The weekend’s action got off to a slow start, as Friday’s only game ended in a scoreless draw between the Houston Dash and Seattle Reign. On Sunday, the Portland Thorns earned a 2–0 win over the Chicago Stars, with Olivia Moultrie opening the scoring in the 17th minute before Reilyn Turner added a late second in the 89th to secure the result. Gotham FC edged Racing Louisville 1–0 thanks to a 16th-minute strike from Jaedyn Shaw, while Bay FC also picked up an away win, defeating the San Diego Wave 1–0 with Rachael Kundananji scoring inside the opening five minutes.
— Emily Dulhanty
