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Tenth season of the National Women's Soccer League From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2022 National Women's Soccer League season was the tenth season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), it was the 16th overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. Twelve teams competed in the league, including two expansion teams, San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC.
Season | 2022 |
---|---|
Dates | April 29–October 29 |
Champions | Portland Thorns FC (3rd title) |
NWSL Shield | OL Reign (3rd shield) |
Challenge Cup | North Carolina Courage (1st cup) |
Matches played | 132 |
Goals scored | 367 (2.78 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Alex Morgan (15 goals) |
Best goalkeeper | Bella Bixby, Phallon Tullis-Joyce (9 clean sheets) |
Biggest home win | POR 6–0 ORL (June 19) |
Biggest away win | LOU 0–4 CHI (August 27) HOU 0–4 POR (June 12) |
Highest scoring | NC 3–4 HOU (June 19) NC 3–4 KC (August 13) WAS 4–3 SD (September 10) |
Longest winning run | 3 games SD (May 1 – May 18) KC (July 1 – July 31) HOU (July 16 – August 12) |
Longest unbeaten run | 13 games KC (May 30 – Sept 14) |
Longest winless run | 16 games WAS (May 15 – September 10) |
Longest losing run | 12 games NJY (July 16 – October 1) |
Highest attendance | 32,000 SD vs. LA (Sept 17) |
Lowest attendance | 1,961 WAS vs. CHI (June 1) |
Total attendance | 1,045,095 |
Average attendance | 7,917 |
← 2021 2023 → |
The NWSL regular season, comprising 22 games for each team, began on April 29 and ended on October 2, 2022. OL Reign topped the standing with 40 points and thus won the NWSL Shield. The championship playoffs were held from October 16–29 and were won by Portland Thorns FC, who defeated the Kansas City Current 2-0 in the final and thus became the NWSL champions. The year also included the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, which was played from March 18 to May 7 and overlapped with the start of the regular season. It was won by the North Carolina Courage, who defeated the Washington Spirit 2-1 in the final.
This season was the first in which the total attendance exceeded one million.[1]
On October 21, 2020, the Los Angeles expansion team announced its name as Angel City FC.[2]
On October 30, 2021, the NWSL franchise in Kansas City announced its new name as Kansas City Current.[3]
On November 9, 2021, the San Diego expansion team announced its name as San Diego Wave FC.[4]
Capacities listed here are full capacities, and do not reflect COVID-19 restrictions.
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Note: All teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer as part of a league-wide sponsorship agreement renewed in November 2021.[12]
Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington Spirit | Richie Burke | Re-assigned[lower-alpha 1] | August 10, 2021 | 7th in 2021 | Kris Ward | December 20, 2021 | [30] |
San Diego Wave FC | Preseason | Casey Stoney | July 14, 2021 | [31] | |||
Angel City FC | Preseason | Freya Coombe | August 23, 2021 | [32] | |||
Orlando Pride | Becky Burleigh (interim) | End of interim period | October 30, 2021 | Preseason | Amanda Cromwell | December 7, 2021 | [33][34] |
Racing Louisville FC | Mario Sanchez (interim) | End of interim period | November 1, 2021 | Preseason | Kim Björkegren | December 9, 2021 | [35][36] |
North Carolina Courage | Sean Nahas (interim) | End of interim period | November 8, 2021 | Preseason | Sean Nahas | December 1, 2021 | [37][38] |
Portland Thorns FC | Mark Parsons | Resigned | November 15, 2021 | Preseason | Rhian Wilkinson | November 29, 2021 | [39][40] |
Kansas City Current | Huw Williams | Re-assigned | November 18, 2021 | Preseason | Matt Potter | January 11, 2022 | [41][42] |
Chicago Red Stars | Rory Dames | Resigned | November 22, 2021 | Preseason | Chris Petrucelli | February 18, 2022 | [43][44] |
Houston Dash | James Clarkson | Suspended | April 26, 2022 | Preseason | Sarah Lowdon (acting) | April 29, 2022 | [45][46] |
Orlando Pride | Amanda Cromwell | Placed on administrative leave[lower-alpha 2] | June 7, 2022 | 9th | Seb Hines (interim) | June 7, 2022 | [48] |
Houston Dash | Sarah Lowdon (acting) | End of acting period | July 12, 2022[lower-alpha 3] | 6th | Juan Carlos Amorós (interim) | June 15, 2022 | [50] |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | Scott Parkinson | Mutual separation | August 11, 2022 | 11th | Beverly Goebel Yanez (acting)[lower-alpha 4] | August 14, 2022 | [51][52] |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | Beverly Goebel Yanez (acting) | End of acting period[lower-alpha 4] | August 15, 2022 | 11th | Hue Menzies (interim) | August 13, 2022 | [54] |
Washington Spirit | Kris Ward | Fired | August 22, 2022 | 11th | Angela Salem (acting)[lower-alpha 5] | August 27, 2022 | [57] |
Washington Spirit | Angela Salem (acting) | End of acting period[lower-alpha 5] | August 28, 2022 | 11th | Albertin Montoya (interim) | September 2, 2022 | [58] |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | OL Reign | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 40 | NWSL Shield, Playoffs – semi-finals |
2 | Portland Thorns FC (C) | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 49 | 24 | +25 | 39 | Playoffs – semi-finals |
3 | San Diego Wave FC | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 21 | +11 | 36 | Playoffs – first round |
4 | Houston Dash | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 35 | 27 | +8 | 36 | |
5 | Kansas City Current | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 36 | |
6 | Chicago Red Stars | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 28 | +6 | 33 | |
7 | North Carolina Courage | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 46 | 33 | +13 | 32 | |
8 | Angel City FC | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 29 | |
9 | Racing Louisville FC | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 23 | 35 | −12 | 23 | |
10 | Orlando Pride | 22 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 45 | −23 | 22 | |
11 | Washington Spirit | 22 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 19 | |
12 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 16 | 46 | −30 | 13 |
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in total points total when determining rank, playoff qualification, and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker criteria,[59] going down the list until all teams are ranked.
Home \ Away | CHI | HOU | KC | LA | LOU | NC | NJY | ORL | POR | RGN | SD | WAS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Red Stars | — | 0–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
Houston Dash | 4–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 |
Kansas City Current | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
Angel City FC | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 |
Racing Louisville FC | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | — | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
North Carolina Courage | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 5–1 | — | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–3 |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 0–3 | 2–4 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | 1–2 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
Orlando Pride | 2–4 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | — | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Portland Thorns FC | 3–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 6–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
OL Reign | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 |
San Diego Wave FC | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 |
Washington Spirit | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 4–3 | — |
Considering each week to end when the NWSL releases their weekly standing tweet
Team \ Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OL Reign | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Portland Thorns FC | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
San Diego Wave FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Houston Dash | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
Kansas City Current | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Chicago Red Stars | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
North Carolina Courage | 7 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
Angel City FC | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Racing Louisville FC | 9 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Orlando Pride | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Washington Spirit | 5 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Legend: Gold = first place; green = playoff position; Red = last place.
Ranked from highest to lowest average attendance.
Regular season
Team | GP | Attendance | High | Low | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angel City FC | 11 | 210,153 | 22,000 | 16,112 | 19,105 |
Portland Thorns FC | 11 | 170,976 | 19,127 | 9,876 | 15,543 |
San Diego Wave FC | 11 | 96,017 | 32,000 | 4,418 | 8,729 |
Kansas City Current | 11 | 84,223 | 10,395 | 5,695 | 7,657 |
OL Reign | 11 | 75,289 | 10,746 | 3,944 | 6,844 |
Washington Spirit | 11 | 68,441 | 10,177 | 1,961 | 6,222 |
Racing Louisville FC | 11 | 66,529 | 8,729 | 5,107 | 6,048 |
Chicago Red Stars | 11 | 64,588 | 23,951 | 2,135 | 5,872 |
Houston Dash | 11 | 62,085 | 7,798 | 4,637 | 5,644 |
North Carolina Courage | 11 | 49,991 | 6,398 | 3,084 | 4,545 |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 11 | 48,563 | 7,145 | 2,130 | 4,415 |
Orlando Pride | 11 | 48,240 | 7,573 | 3,015 | 4,385 |
Total | 132 | 1,045,095 | 32,000 | 1,961 | 7,917 |
Updated through October 2, 2022
Regular season
Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance[60] | Date | Stadium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Diego Wave FC | 1–0 | Angel City FC | 32,000 | September 17, 2022 | Snapdragon Stadium |
2 | Chicago Red Stars | 0–1 | San Diego Wave FC | 23,951 | July 30, 2022 | Soldier Field |
3 | Angel City FC | 2–1 | North Carolina Courage | 22,000 | April 29, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium |
Angel City FC | 2–1 | San Diego Wave FC | 22,000 | July 9, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium | |
Angel City FC | 2–3 | OL Reign | 22,000 | July 30, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium | |
Angel City FC | 1–3 | Racing Louisville FC | 22,000 | September 25, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium | |
7 | Angel City FC | 0–1 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 18,784 | May 29, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium |
8 | Portland Thorns FC | 0–2 | San Diego Wave FC | 18,624 | August 27, 2022 | Providence Park |
9 | Angel City FC | 1–0 | Kansas City Current | 18,514 | May 21, 2022 | Banc of California Stadium |
10 | San Diego Wave FC | 0–0 | North Carolina Courage | 18,000 | September 30, 2022 | Snapdragon Stadium |
Updated through October 2, 2022.
Clean sheets
|
Hat-tricks
4 Player scored 4 goals |
The top six teams from the regular season qualified for the NWSL Championship playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a first-round bye. On August 23, 2022, the league announced that the championship match would be held on October 29, 2022, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with domestic broadcast on CBS and a prime-time kickoff at 8 p.m. EDT.[63][64]
First round | Semi-finals | Championship | ||||||||||||
1 | OL Reign | 0 | ||||||||||||
4 | Houston Dash | 1 | 5 | Kansas City Current | 2 | |||||||||
5 | Kansas City Current | 2 | 5 | Kansas City Current | 0 | |||||||||
2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
2 | Portland Thorns FC | 2 | ||||||||||||
3 | San Diego Wave FC (a.e.t.) | 2 | 3 | San Diego Wave FC | 1 | |||||||||
6 | Chicago Red Stars | 1 |
San Diego Wave FC | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Chicago Red Stars |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
Championship Game MVP: Sophia Smith (POR)
Award | Winner | Nominees | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Boot | Alex Morgan (15 G) | San Diego Wave FC | N/A | [65] |
Most Valuable Player | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | Debinha, NC Naomi Girma, SD Alex Morgan, SD Mallory Pugh, CHI |
[66] |
Defender of the Year | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | Alana Cook, RGN Sofia Huerta, RGN Carson Pickett, NC Becky Sauerbrunn, POR |
[67] |
Goalkeeper of the Year | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | Adrianna Franch, KC Phallon Tullis-Joyce, RGN |
[68] |
Rookie of the Year | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | Sam Coffey, POR Diana Ordóñez, NC |
[67] |
Coach of the Year | Casey Stoney | San Diego Wave FC | Laura Harvey, RGN Matt Potter, KC |
[69] |
Announced October 25, 2022[70]
Best XI
Position | Player | Club |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC |
Defender | Alana Cook | OL Reign |
Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | |
Sofia Huerta | OL Reign | |
Carson Pickett | North Carolina Courage | |
Midfielder/Forward | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns FC |
Lo'eau LaBonta | Kansas City Current | |
Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | |
Debinha | North Carolina Courage | |
Mallory Pugh | Chicago Red Stars | |
Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC |
Second XI
Position | Player | Club |
---|---|---|
Goalkeeper | Adrianna Franch | Kansas City Current |
Defender | Kelli Hubly | Portland Thorns FC |
Hailie Mace | Kansas City Current | |
Tatumn Milazzo | Chicago Red Stars | |
Becky Sauerbrunn | Portland Thorns FC | |
Midfielder/Forward | Kerolin | North Carolina Courage |
Jess Fishlock | OL Reign | |
Rose Lavelle | OL Reign | |
Diana Ordóñez | North Carolina Courage | |
Megan Rapinoe | OL Reign | |
Ebony Salmon | Houston Dash |
Month | Player | Club | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
May | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | [71] |
June | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | [72] |
July | Ebony Salmon | Houston Dash | [73] |
August | Megan Rapinoe | OL Reign | [74] |
September/October | Debinha | North Carolina Courage | [75] |
Month | Player | Club | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
May | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave FC | [76] |
June | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns FC | [77] |
July | Savannah DeMelo | Racing Louisville FC | [78] |
August | Diana Ordoñez | North Carolina Courage | [79] |
September/October | Naomi Girma (2) | San Diego Wave FC | [80] |
Month | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
May | Phallon Tullis-Joyce, RGN | Alana Cook, RGN Vanessa Gilles, LA Naomi Girma, SD Sofia Huerta, RGN |
Savannah DeMelo, LOU Taylor Kornieck, SD Rose Lavelle, RGN |
Rachel Daly, HOU Alex Morgan, SD Mallory Pugh, CHI |
[81] |
June | Bella Bixby, POR | Naomi Girma (2), SD Natalia Kuikka, POR Tatumn Milazzo, CHI Carson Pickett, NC |
Sam Coffey, POR Debinha, NC Taylor Kornieck (2), SD |
Alex Morgan (2), SD Mallory Pugh (2), CHI Sophia Smith, POR |
[82] |
July | Adrianna Franch, KC | Kristen Edmonds, KC Kelli Hubly, POR Hailie Mace, KC Carson Pickett (2), NC |
Jess Fishlock, RGN Lo'eau LaBonta, KC Hina Sugita, POR |
Bethany Balcer, RGN Ebony Salmon, HOU Morgan Weaver, POR |
[83] |
August | Adrianna Franch (2), KC | Elizabeth Ball, KC Naomi Girma (3), SD Sofia Huerta (2), RGN Carson Pickett (3), NC |
Meggie Dougherty Howard, ORL Lo'eau LaBonta (2), KC Cari Roccaro, LA |
Diana Ordoñez, NC Megan Rapinoe, RGN Ebony Salmon (2), HOU |
[84] |
September/October | Katie Lund, LOU | Alana Cook (2), RGN Naomi Girma (4), SD Hailie Mace (2), KC Carson Pickett (4), NC |
Sam Coffey (2), POR Vanessa DiBernardo, CHI Rose Lavelle (2), RGN |
Debinha (2), NC Megan Rapinoe (2), RGN Sophia Smith (2), POR |
[85] |
Week | Player of the Week | Save of the Week | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Club | Player | Club | ||
1 | Jun Endo | Angel City FC | DiDi Haračić | Angel City FC | [86][87] |
2 | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | Phallon Tullis-Joyce | OL Reign | [88][89] |
3 | Christen Press | Angel City FC | Phallon Tullis-Joyce (2) | OL Reign | [90][91] |
4 | Mallory Pugh | Chicago Red Stars | DiDi Haračić (2) | Angel City FC | [92][93] |
5 | Sofia Huerta | OL Reign | Ashlyn Harris | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [94][95] |
6 | Nichelle Prince | Houston Dash | DiDi Haračić (3) | Angel City FC | [96][97] |
7 | Taylor Kornieck | San Diego Wave FC | Jane Campbell | Houston Dash | [98][99] |
8 | Alex Morgan (2) | San Diego Wave FC | Bella Bixby | Portland Thorns FC | [100][101] |
9 | Jess Fishlock | OL Reign | Shelby Hogan | Portland Thorns FC | [102][103] |
10 | Adrianna Franch | Kansas City Current | Adrianna Franch | Kansas City Current | [104][105] |
11 | Ebony Salmon | Houston Dash | Adrianna Franch (2) | Kansas City Current | [106][107] |
12 | Sofia Huerta (2) | OL Reign | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | [108][109] |
13 | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns FC | Katie Lund | Racing Louisville FC | [110][111] |
14 | Claire Lavogez | Kansas City Current | Michelle Betos | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [112][113] |
15 | Makenzy Doniak | San Diego Wave FC | Michelle Betos (2) | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [114][115] |
16 | Megan Rapinoe | OL Reign | Abby Smith | Portland Thorns FC | [116][117] |
17 | Amber Brooks | Washington Spirit | Paige Monaghan | NJ/NY Gotham FC | [118][119] |
18 | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | Kailen Sheridan (2) | San Diego Wave FC | [120][121] |
19 | Debinha | North Carolina Courage | Bella Bixby (2) | Portland Thorns FC | [122][123] |
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