Photo Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Following a vibrant Friday night, the National Women’s Soccer League spread out the weekend’s fixtures across Saturday and Sunday. Saturday featured two dominant performances, with North Carolina claiming a decisive 4-0 victory over Chicago, while Denver secured a 3-1 win against Orlando. On Sunday, Portland faced Angel City in a scoreless draw, and Utah celebrated a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Racing Louisville.
Ashley Sanchez Shines in Courage Victory
The North Carolina Courage delivered an impressive second-half display against the Chicago Stars, highlighted by a goal and an assist from Ashley Sanchez at a sold-out First Horizon Stadium in WakeMed Soccer Park. This match marked the team’s first back-to-back sellouts in history, drawing an impressive crowd of 10,023, which ranks as the fifth-largest in club history.
In the 47th minute, Evelyn Ijeh broke the deadlock, scoring her first goal for the Courage since transferring from Italian club AC Milan. Sanchez provided the assist with a perfectly placed cross from the left wing, allowing Ijeh to nod the ball home.
Sanchez followed up her assist by doubling the Courage’s lead in the 61st minute, finishing a chance in the box after Ijeh had kept the play alive. This marked Sanchez’s sixth goal of the season, setting a career high for the Courage midfielder and placing her second in the Golden Boot race, trailing only Barbra Banda.
Ally Schlegel added the third goal for the Courage in the 65th minute, converting a cross from Manaka Matsukubo. It was Schlegel’s first goal for the club after joining in the offseason as a free agent from Chicago. Manaka capped off the scoring shortly after, netting North Carolina’s fourth goal, further showcasing the team’s offensive prowess.
Mallory Swanson Returns, But Naeher Injured
Mallory Swanson made her highly anticipated return to the pitch on Saturday, entering the match in the 76th minute after being reinstated to the roster just the day before. Having last appeared 554 days earlier in a postseason match at Orlando on November 8, 2024, Swanson expressed her excitement after the match, describing her return as a new beginning rather than a mere comeback.
However, the Chicago Stars faced a setback when goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was substituted in the 21st minute due to a suspected hamstring injury, making way for Halle Mackiewicz. It was Mackiewicz’s first appearance of the season, having played previously in four matches during the 2024 season.
Historic Home Win for Denver Summit FC
Denver Summit FC celebrated a significant milestone as they secured their first home victory in franchise history with a 3-1 triumph over the Orlando Pride, marking their second consecutive win.
The breakthrough came early when defender Eva Gaetino netted her first career goal in the 10th minute, establishing an early lead for the Summit. Janine Sonis then converted a penalty kick in the 54th minute, a momentous occasion as it was both the first penalty for Denver this season and Sonis’s debut from the spot.
Orlando’s challenges were exacerbated as Angelina received a red card in the 63rd minute for a hair pull, though Barbra Banda managed to pull a goal back for the Pride in the 76th minute. Sonis quickly responded for Denver, scoring her second goal just a minute later and becoming one of only a handful of players to achieve consecutive braces this season.
Barbra Banda Maintains Exceptional Scoring Form
Despite the loss for Orlando, Banda continued her remarkable scoring streak, recording her ninth goal in as many games this season. She remains at the top of the Golden Boot standings, with Sanchez trailing six goals behind, and Temwa Chawinga among several others following with five.
However, Orlando urgently needs more contributors to its scoring efforts. Currently, only Haley McCutcheon has more than one goal this season, netting two, while Marta, Hannah Anderson, and Lizbeth Ovalle have each added a single goal to their tally.
Portland Remains Unbeaten at Home Against Angel City
The Portland Thorns extended their unbeaten run at Providence Park as they faced Angel City FC in a tense scoreless draw. The Thorns have yet to concede a goal at home this season, and this match extends their shutout streak to six games dating back to November 2025.
Angel City, conversely, became the first team to claim points from Portland at Providence Park this season, ending the Thorns’ perfect home record from their previous three matches.
Utah Royals Extend Unbeaten Streak to Eight Matches
The Utah Royals took an early lead against Racing Louisville when Lauren Milliet’s attempted clearance turned into an own goal in the 22nd minute. However, Louisville fought back to equalize in the 67th minute, ending Utah’s impressive 536-minute shutout streak. The Royals wasted no time, regaining the lead just ten minutes later through Mina Tanaka, further solidifying their unbeaten run.
