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Welcome to this week’s edition of Goalside Gossip!

It was a busy weekend to close out the NWSL regular season — and the playoff picture is finally set. North Carolina edged Gotham 3–2 in a rain-soaked thriller, Racing Louisville held off Bay FC 1–0, and Chicago topped Angel City 2–1 in the final match for club legends Christen Press and Ali Riley. Meanwhile, Kansas City wrapped its record-breaking campaign with a 2–1 comeback win over San Diego to finish unbeaten at home. Off the field, Angel City co-founder Alexis Ohanian made headlines with pointed remarks about the club’s early ownership model, while Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga claimed her second straight Golden Boot. With the quarterfinals now locked in for November 7–9, the postseason stage is officially set.

Here’s what’s in store this week:

• NWSL:

  • NC Courage vs Gotham FC (3-2)

  • Racing Louisville vs Bay FC (1-0)

  • Chicago Stars vs Angel City (2-1)

  • KC Current vs SD Wave (2-1)

• News:

  • Alexis Ohanian has some strong words for Angel City’s early ownership

  • Chawinga secures golden boot again

  • 2025 NWSL playoffs quarterfinals schedule is here

NC Courage vs
Gotham FC (3-2)

Gotham FC ended their regular season with a 3–2 loss to the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, sealing an eighth-place finish and a quarterfinals matchup against top-seeded Kansas City Current. Early defensive lapses cost Gotham, as North Carolina jumped to a 2–0 lead within 16 minutes through goals from Meredith Speck and Manaka Matsukubo, followed by a second-half own goal from Jess Carter. Late efforts from Rose Lavelle, who converted a penalty, and Gabi Portilho, who scored in stoppage time, narrowed the gap but couldn’t complete the comeback. Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós emphasized the need for consistency ahead of the playoffs, where Gotham will face a Kansas City side led by Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga and known for its aggressive press and strong home record.

Racing Louisville vs
Bay FC (1-0)

Bay FC closed out their 2025 NWSL season with a 1–0 loss to Racing Louisville on Sunday night at Lynn Family Stadium. After withstanding heavy first-half pressure and several Louisville set pieces, Bay’s defense held strong until midfielder Ella Hase broke through in the 48th minute, converting a long ball for the game’s lone goal. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz kept Bay within reach with five saves, including a highlight stop on Arin Wright’s long-range effort. Despite late attacking substitutions and a near-miss free kick from Taylor Huff, Bay couldn’t find an equalizer. The match also marked a milestone for defender Caprice Dydasco, who became the first Bay FC player to achieve ironwoman status by playing every minute of the 2025 season. Bay FC finished their second campaign with 20 points (4–14–8) and will return for their third season in March 2026.

Chicago Stars vs
Angel City (2-1)

Angel City FC ended their 2025 season with a 2–1 loss to the Chicago Stars, despite taking an early lead through defender Miyabi Moriya’s 23rd-minute goal. After a strong first half featuring chances from Gisele Thompson and Christen Press, Angel City conceded twice in the second, with Jameese Joseph leveling the match in the 49th minute and Ally Schlegel netting the winner deep into stoppage time. Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson kept Angel City in the game with key saves, including a late tip onto the crossbar, but the team couldn’t find an equalizer. The match also marked the final professional appearances for club icons Christen Press and Ali Riley, closing an emotional season for Angel City.

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KC Current vs
SD Wave (2-1)

The Kansas City Current capped off a historic 2025 regular season with a 2–1 comeback win over the San Diego Wave, securing an unbeaten home record and extending their league-best total to 65 points. After conceding early to San Diego’s Dudinha in the eighth minute, Kansas City stormed back in the second half as Debinha curled in a stunning free kick in the 54th minute before Nichelle Prince netted the winner off the crossbar in the 75th. The victory marked the Current’s 21st of the season—both an NWSL record for wins and points—and their 18th multi-goal match, also a league record. Goalkeeper Lorena and defender Izzy Rodriguez each set club milestones, while retiring veteran Kristen Hamilton was honored for her decorated career. With the win, Kansas City became just the sixth NWSL team to finish a regular season unbeaten at home and will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed.

Where We Finished

Onto The Playoffs

Who’s going to take it all?

Let us know your thoughts on Instagram.

Alexis Ohanian Criticizes
Early Ownership Model

Angel City FC co-founder Alexis Ohanian reignited controversy this week by criticizing the club’s original ownership model during an appearance on Front Office Sports’ Portfolio Players podcast. Reflecting on the NWSL expansion team’s early years, Ohanian described the structure as “a terrible idea,” explaining that while he served as the founding control owner, his co-founders — actor Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, and CEO Julie Uhrman — “invested no money” but still held significant influence. He argued that the celebrity-heavy, tech-style ownership approach was unsustainable for a professional sports franchise, ultimately leading to instability and last year’s $250 million sale of the club.

Ohanian attributed the 2024 ownership transition directly to these internal clashes over Angel City’s direction, citing disagreements about operational control and long-term financing. The sale brought Disney CEO Bob Iger and USC dean Willow Bay into the fold as the team’s new majority owners, a move Ohanian called “a rebuild” that would better align leadership with financial accountability. While Ohanian expressed confidence in the club’s new structure, Angel City, Portman, and Uhrman have not publicly commented on his remarks, and Nortman remains a non-voting investor.

Chawinga Secures
Golden Boot Again

Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga claimed her second consecutive NWSL Golden Boot after leading the league with 15 goals and three assists in the 2025 season. The 27-year-old Malawi international edged out Gotham’s Esther González, North Carolina’s Manaka Matsukubo, and Louisville’s Emma Sears to take the top scorer honor. Chawinga, who shattered the league’s single-season scoring record with 20 goals in 2024, becomes just the second player in NWSL history to win back-to-back Golden Boots, joining former Chicago Red Stars standout Sam Kerr.

Chawinga’s achievement comes despite missing Kansas City’s regular-season finale with an adductor injury sustained in mid-October. She opted out of Malawi’s WAFCON qualifiers to continue her recovery locally, aiming to be ready for the NWSL playoffs. Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski told reporters in a press conference that Chawinga remains “day-to-day” and that the team will not rush her return, though there’s hope she could feature early in the postseason.

As the No. 1-seeded Current enter the playoffs following a record-setting campaign, Chawinga’s health looms large. Kansas City’s attack remains strong, but a fit and firing Chawinga could be the deciding factor in the club’s pursuit of its first NWSL championship title.

2025 NWSL Playoffs Schedule:
Quarter Finals

📅 Weekend of November 7–9

Friday, November 7

• Orlando Pride (No. 4) vs. Seattle Reign FC (No. 5)
  📍 Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando
  🕗 8:00 PM ET | 📺 Prime Video

Saturday, November 8

• Washington Spirit (No. 2) vs. Racing Louisville FC (No. 7)
  📍 Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
  🕛 12:00 PM ET | 📺 CBS / Paramount+

Sunday, November 9

ABC Doubleheader:

1. Kansas City Current (No. 1) vs. Gotham FC (No. 8)
   📍 CPKC Stadium, Kansas City
   🕧 12:30 PM ET | 📺 ABC

2. Portland Thorns FC (No. 3) vs. San Diego Wave FC (No. 6)
   📍 Providence Park, Portland
   🕒 3:00 PM ET | 📺 ABC

🔜 Next Rounds

• Semifinals: November 15–16
  🖥️ CBS / Paramount+ and ESPN / ABC

• Championship: Saturday, November 22
  📍 PayPal Park, San Jose, CA
  🕗 8:00 PM ET | 📺 CBS / Paramount+