Welcome to this week’s edition of Goalside Gossip!

It was a weekend of drama and statement results across the NWSL as the Washington Spirit edged the San Diego Wave in front of an increasingly rowdy home crowd, Gotham FC and Seattle Reign played out a cagey draw, and the KC Current inched past Angel City. Portland added another home victory over Bay FC, while Houston and Orlando shared the points in a tense draw. Off the field, Emma Hayes addressed her surprising NWSL snub, Chloe Ricketts locks in her “Legacy” with Boston and Ashleigh Plumptre opened up about her decision to continue her journey in Saudi Arabia.

Here’s what’s in store this week:

• NWSL:

  • Washington Spirit vs SD Wave (2-1)

  • Gotham FC vs Seattle Reign (0-0)

  • Angel City vs KC Current (0-1)

  • Portland Thorns vs Bay FC (2-1)

  • Houston Dash vs Orlando Pride (1-1)

• News:

  • Hayes talks NWSL snub

  • Ricketts locks in future in Boston

  • Plumptre talks Saudi move

Washington Spirit
vs SD Wave (2-1)

Washington’s late-game flair struck again in front of a roaring Audi Field. Rosemonde Kouassi opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a diving header, but the Wave fought back deep into stoppage time when Delphine Cascarino (returning from injury) finished a brilliant through ball from Kyra Carusa to level the match. Just 90 seconds later, Kouassi struck again with a stunning 25-yard curler to secure all three points for the Spirit and deny San Diego a ninth straight unbeaten road result. Despite the defeat, Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was outstanding, recording nine saves (a new club record).

Audi Field roared on Sunday too. The club announced 17,422 in attendance, the fifth largest regular season crowd in team history, and confirmed a new single season record of 181,324 fans through 12 home dates with one still to come. Average home attendance now sits above 15,000 at what fans call Rowdy Audi.

Gotham FC vs
Seattle Reign (0-0)

At Sports Illustrated Stadium, Gotham did almost everything but score. They controlled two thirds of possession, outshot Seattle ten to one, and produced over one expected goal, yet the net refused to cooperate. Claudia Dickey was outstanding for the Reign, turning away five efforts to secure her seventh clean sheet of the season. For Gotham, the frustration was visible as Rose Lavelle’s curling strike clipped the bar, and late chances from Esther Gonzalez and Yazmeen Ryan rolled just wide. Still, the point extends Gotham’s unbeaten run to eleven matches across all competitions, matching a club record and keeping them firmly among the league’s top three.

There was one quirky stat from this match. Gotham held Seattle to one total shot, which the club says is a team record for fewest shots faced in a match. The draw also stretched Gotham’s unbeaten run in all competitions to eleven, tying a club record.

Angel City vs
KC Current (0-1)

Angel City looked sharper and braver than the scoreline suggests. They controlled the ball for long stretches, pressed high, and held the league leaders without a single shot in the first half. Then Michelle Cooper stepped on the field in the 59th minute and immediately changed everything. Her first touch turned into the match’s only goal, Kansas City’s lone shot on target all night.

The Current continue to rewrite the record book, setting new league marks for total wins and road victories in a single season while extending their scoring streak to 23 consecutive matches. Lorena earned her 13th clean sheet, matching the league record, as the visitors once again proved why they sit atop the table. Angel City’s fifteen total attempts tied their season high, but the final touch never arrived.

Portland Thorns
vs Bay FC (2-1)

Christine Sinclair’s Hall of Fame induction gave Providence Park the feel of a celebration, but 19 year old Olivia Moultrie made sure the match had its own highlight reel. After Bay’s Taylor Huff opened the scoring in the 36th minute, Moultrie leveled early in the second half from a Sam Coffey assist, then buried a free kick that swerved beautifully over the wall and into the top corner.

It was Moultrie’s first career brace and her sixth goal of the campaign, moving her to the top of Portland’s scoring chart. The Thorns generated seventeen shots and held Bay without an attempt for the final 30 minutes, a defensive stretch that equaled their best of the season. Attendance reached twenty one thousand one hundred four, marking the third largest crowd in club history and snapping a three match home drought.

Houston Dash vs
Orlando Pride (1-1)

The Pride wrapped up a grueling road stretch of more than 4,000 miles with a gritty draw in Houston. Malia Berkley gave the Dash the lead midway through the first half, but Simone Charley’s comeback story stole the spotlight. Returning from two full seasons lost to Achilles injuries, she came off the bench to score her first goal since September, a composed finish from close range that silenced Shell Energy Stadium.

Haley McCutcheon recorded her third assist of the season, and Orlando’s late push extended their unbeaten away run to two matches. The Pride have now scored nine goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this year, the most in the league, and have taken points in every game when scoring after the 75th minute. It was a hard earned result that summed up the resilience and depth that define this team.

Where We Stand So Far

Hayes Voices Disappointment
Over NWSL Snub

Emma Hayes has never been one to stay quiet about fairness in football, and her latest comments on global awards made that clear. In her post ceremony interview after the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the United States head coach voiced disappointment that no NWSL players appeared among the final nominees. Aitana Bonmatí captured her third straight crown, with Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo rounding out the top three, while every major individual trophy once again went to Europe based talent.

Hayes said the imbalance reflects visibility rather than quality. She argued that the NWSL matches the intensity and skill of Europe’s best leagues but lacks the same broadcast reach through the Champions League and continental tournaments. She also used the moment to champion the team aspect of the sport, reminding voters that the brightest individual seasons often start with strong collective play. Her words echoed across social media, sparking a wider conversation about how the global game measures greatness.

Chloe Ricketts Locks in Future
with Boston Legacy

At just 18 years old, Chloe Ricketts has already lived several chapters of a professional career. After debuting with the Washington Spirit at 15, she became the youngest player in NWSL history to sign a standard contract under the league’s new under 18 initiative. Now she is preparing for her next leap, signing a long term deal with the expansion side Boston Legacy through 2028, with an option for 2029. The agreement was finalized this week and officially takes effect at the start of the 2026 season.

Ricketts will finish the 2025 campaign with the Houston Dash, where she moved this summer to gain consistent minutes in a playoff chase. Across her first two seasons she has made 30 league appearances, scored twice, and added three assists while also captaining the United States under 20 team at the CONCACAF Championships earlier this year. Boston’s front office called her a cornerstone for their inaugural roster, praising her energy and maturity in a statement that said she “represents the next wave of American talent.”

The signing signals a clear direction for the new franchise. Instead of chasing marquee veterans, Boston is investing in a young core with national team potential, hoping to replicate the development pipelines seen at Washington and Kansas City. For Ricketts, the move offers stability and a chance to grow with a team from day one. “It feels like the start of something,” she told All For XI. “I want to build a legacy, not just join one.”

Life After Leicester:
Plumptre’s New Path in Saudi

When Ashleigh Plumptre left Leicester City in 2023, few could have predicted that she would become one of the defining figures in Saudi Arabia’s young women’s football scene. Her decision to join Al Ittihad, the Jeddah based powerhouse in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, came after a two day visit that convinced her to take what she called “a step of faith.” Two years later, the Nigeria international has extended her contract and is helping shape the league’s next phase of growth.

Plumptre revealed in her recent BBC and SheKicks interviews that the offer from Al Ittihad was one of several on the table. She turned down approaches from clubs in England, the United States, and mainland Europe, drawn instead to what she described as a sense of belonging and purpose. In her words, it was “about people and project more than paycheck.” Since joining, she has seen tangible progress: access to the club’s main training ground, modern recovery facilities, and televised matches on Saudi Sports Company channels and Shahid, with DAZN distributing highlights across Europe.

She also spoke candidly about the cultural learning curve. The move, she said, brought fulfillment but also responsibility. Backlash from some fans, particularly within the LGBT community, left her feeling that she “hurt people who once trusted me.” Plumptre explained that she does not condone discrimination and hopes that her presence can help open space for dialogue and understanding from within. She now describes life in Jeddah as calmer and more community focused than she expected, with women’s football attracting small but steadily growing crowds. For her, progress will not be measured by headlines or transfer fees but by how many young girls start believing there is a place for them in the sport.