Tune into The Short Corner today for an eventful round-up of the NWSL Matchday 18 that featured Angel City sneak by in a closely fought game, NC Courage and Gotham City trading goals and Louisville beating first place Portland Thorns. Also some games got feisty with two red cards being shown and a new number one is crowned. Lastly, get to know the up and coming star of the NWSL Trinity Rodman.

KC Current vs Angel City (0-1)

The Kansas City Current suffered a 1-0 loss to Angel City FC, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy. Interim coach Caroline Sjöblom expressed disappointment in the team's inability to control the game and the midfield, leading to a chaotic, transitional style of play. Despite their best efforts, the Current couldn't find an equalizer, but the return of Claire Lavogez was a positive highlight. With a 6-1-11 record, their playoff chances are slim, but they now focus on the Challenge Cup semifinal against the North Carolina Courage as an opportunity to compete for a trophy.

NC Courage vs Gotham FC (3-3)

The North Carolina Courage and Gotham FC played to an exciting 3-3 draw in a closely contested match. North Carolina initially took a two-goal lead, with Kerolin and Narumi Miura scoring for them. Gotham FC mounted a comeback, with Jenna Nighswonger converting a penalty and Haley Hopkins scoring for North Carolina. However, Gotham FC managed to equalize with goals from Maitane López and Midge Purce. This result leaves North Carolina in 2nd place with 28 points, just one point behind the leaders Portland, while Gotham FC remains in 4th place with 27 points in the NWSL playoff race.

Racing Louisville vs Portland Thorns (2-1)

Racing Louisville FC secured their first-ever regular season win over Portland Thorns FC, coming from behind to win 2-1. After Morgan Weaver scored for Portland, Louisville dominated with numerous chances, including a shot by Paige Monaghan that hit the crossbar. Abby Erceg equalized for Louisville in the 60th minute from a set piece, and Thembi Kgatlana put them ahead in the 64th minute. The win lifted Racing Louisville to 6th place, the final playoff position, while Portland moves to second in the NWSL table.

Washington Spirit vs Chicago Red Stars (0-2)

The Washington Spirit suffered a 0-2 defeat against the Chicago Red Stars, conceding two goals in the second half. Despite putting up a strong offensive effort, including multiple shots on target, the Spirit couldn't find the back of the net. Spirit Defender Tara McKeown celebrated her 50th career NWSL regular season match, while for the Red Stars, Yuki Nagasato has now been involved in 43 goal contributions across all NWSL competitions, surpassing Christen Press (42) for second most in club history (Sam Kerr – 44). The Spirit remains in playoff contention with four games left in the 2023 NWSL regular season, despite this loss.

OL Reign vs Orlando Pride (1-0)

OL Reign secured a 1-0 victory over Orlando Pride despite a chaotic start with Orlando's goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse receiving a red card in the third minute tacklefor a wreckless . The lone goal scored by Jordyn Huitema in the 49th minute was enough to secure the win, moving OL Reign into a playoff qualification spot. Claudia Dickey, despite conceding two goals in the previous match, earned her first NWSL regular season clean sheet in this game as the starting goalkeeper for OL Reign.

San Diego Wave vs Houston Dash (1-0)

San Diego Wave FC defeated the Houston Dash 1-0 in front of a crowd of nearly 25,000 fans, moving them into first place in the NWSL standings. The lone goal came from 18-year-old midfielder Jaedyn Shaw in the 57th minute, and this marked her 8th career regular-season goal, tying the NWSL record for goals by a teenager. Despite Houston playing most of the game with 10 players after Michelle Alozie's red card, Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell made nine saves, taking her career saves in regular season play up to 402.

Player Spotlight: Trinity Rodman

Trinity Rain Moyer-Rodman is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL and the United States Women's National Team. At just 18 years old, she became the youngest drafted player in NWSL history when selected second overall in the 2021 NWSL College Draft. In her debut season, she earned several accolades, including NWSL Rookie of the Year, NWSL Best XI, and U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

As of February 2022, she is the highest-paid player in the NWSL, having signed a contract extension worth $1.1 million with the Washington Spirit. In August 2022, Rodman was nominated for the Ballon d'Or Féminin and also received a nomination for the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award.

So far, Trinity has had a remarkable journey representing the United States in soccer. She played for the U-17 and U-20 national teams, contributing to the U.S. victory at the 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. She was nominated for the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2020 and won the award in 2021. In 2022, she made her senior national team debut, scoring her first goal in her third appearance. Rodman continued her success by earning a spot on the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. During a World Cup send-off friendly, she scored a brace, making her the youngest player in team history to achieve this feat.

What’s the Tea, Sis?

Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain's national soccer federation, is facing intense pressure to resign after forcibly kissing Jennifer Hermoso, one of the standout stars in Spain’s World Cup team, sparking national outrage over sexism in soccer. Despite calls for his resignation from various quarters and a suspension by FIFA, Rubiales has maintained he will not step down. Amidst the controversy, Rubiales' mother began a hunger strike in his defense, while prosecutors are investigating whether the kiss constitutes an act of sexual aggression. Hermoso has seen an outpouring of support from players, coaches, and the broad footballing community as several senior coaches from the Spanish Women’s National Team have resigned in solidarity while some NWSL have worn wrist tape with “Contigo Jenni” written on. Read more here.

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