OL Reign

By defeating the Chicago Red Stars 3-2 at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday afternoon, the OL Reign clinched a spot in the NWSL playoffs with three matches remaining in the regular season.

The Portland Thorns still lead the Shield race with 39 points, but the Reign is just one point back and six points clear of third-place Houston (the top two finishers receive byes to the playoff semifinals).

The Reign reached the postseason in fine style. After Mallory Pugh had given Chicago a 14th-minute lead, the Reign responded through Jess Fishlock in the 31st. 

This is what Reign fans were hoping for when Olympique Lyonnais became the NWSL club’s majority owner last year. This is what fans of all the other NWSL teams were afraid of when one of the league’s best-supported clubs joined together with the most dominant force in European women’s football.

OL Reign’s Lyon connection paid massive dividends in a 3-0 win over the Orlando Pride on Sunday. Two Lyon stars linked up for one of the prettiest goals you’ll see all year, an intricate piece of passing that highlighted the quality of Europe’s best footballers.

I finally got around to watching the “LFG” documentary on the USWNT’s fight for equal pay earlier this week. My delay was mostly justified, as there wasn’t really any new information for anyone who has been paying attention to the saga over the last five years, but it was a good opportunity to see some of the world’s best footballers off the pitch and a strong reminder of the ongoing struggles women’s soccer players face.

Jessica McDonald led North Carolina to a 2-1 win over OL Reign, but Jessica Fishlock provided the moment of the week with a magical goal for a late consolation on Saturday. The Jess Fishlock lob was in my opinion the best goal of the day, even with Euro 2020 going on.

The NWSL Challenge Cup is in full swing and these lady ballers are here to show what makes them the best of the best. They are showing class both on and off the field; from their pre-game outfits to their goals and celebrations, you do not want to miss a single second. 

As NJ/NY Gotham FC leads the East Division and the Portland Thorns hold the No. 1 spot in the West Division, there has been great play and amazing moments during tournament play. 

The National Women’s Soccer League recently announced the opening of player registration for the upcoming 2021 NWSL Draft. The draft will be streamed live on the NWSL’s Twitch channel on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. ET. It's the most life-changing day for college players who are looking to continue their careers at the professional level.