NWSL fans have long loved the league for its chaos. This weekend’s slate of games did nothing to beat those allegations, with comebacks, draws, upsets and general commotion taking place across the league throughout Matchweek 2.
Cascadia rivalry reached new levels of insanity
The famous west coast competition between the Portland Thorns and Seattle Reign kicked off for the 44th time on Friday night. The Thorns beat the Reign 2-0, despite going down to nine players due to two players earning red cards. What made the game especially crazy, though, is that both Portland goals came after the first sendoff; in a situation where Portland was expected to double down defensively, they fired up the attack instead. Also, this was the first time in all 44 Cascadia Rivalry matchups that a red card was ever issued, and there were two. This was easily the most memorable game of the weekend.
Sullivan and Davidson made long-awaited returns
The Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC both earned draws this weekend, but their matches were notable for something else significant — both teams saw the return of franchise players who hadn’t touched the field in a long time. For the Spirit, midfielder Andi Sullivan made her first appearance since October 2024, after an ACL tear and maternity leave kept her off the pitch for over a year. And for Gotham, defender Tierna Davidson returned after tearing her ACL (for the second time) just a few matches into the 2025 season. Both teams already have strong rosters, but should be bolstered by the returns of these veterans.
Big comeback energy from Spirit and Pride
The Cascadia Rivalry was far from the only exciting NWSL action on Friday night. The Washington Spirit and the Orlando Pride, considered two of the strongest teams in the league, both trailed at the half against teams they may have underestimated. The Spirit, in Louisville, ultimately closed their 2-0 gap to finish the game 2-2, and the Pride, down 1-0 to the Denver Summit, eventually equalized when Barbra Banda scored — on her birthday! Friday night’s matches were a good reminder that, in this league, you should never underestimate your opponent.
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Updates from expansion sides
Although Denver was unable to secure the win over the Pride on Friday night, the team still collected its first ever point. The Boston Legacy, however, are still searching for that elusive first point and first goal. They went down 3-0 on Saturday to an unusually strong Houston Dash.
Other surprises and upsets
And speaking of unusually strong, the Chicago Stars, who finished in last place in 2025, beat reigning Shield winners Kansas City Current 2-1 on Sunday. Chicago’s goals came from rookie Tessa Dellarose and Jordyn Huitema, who joined the team on a transfer from Seattle just over a week ago.
After matchweek 2, the top of the standings is Angel City FC in first place, followed by the Houston Dash in second. It may only be the second week of the season, but let’s take a moment to appreciate this rarity. Each team has only ever qualified for the playoffs once. If early results are any indication, the typical powerhouses may be getting a little rusty while the usual underdogs begin their long-awaited climbs.
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