The National Women’s Soccer League is back in action on Sunday as the NWSL quarterfinals kickoff on Paramount+. Both squads overcame off-the-field scandals and punched their ticket to the playoffs, and third-place Washington Spirit will host sixth-place North Carolina Courage at Audi Field at Washington, D.C. where the winner will go on the face OL Reign in the semifinal. The Spirit are making their return to the NWSL playoffs for the first time since 2016, and North Carolina enter the NWSL playoffs for the fourth consecutive time.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming quarterfinal:
Viewing information
- Date: Sunday, November 7
- Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Audi Field — Washington, District of Columbia
- Stream: Paramount+
Storylines
Washington Spirit: The Spirit boast one of the best attacks in the game heading into the quarterfinals. Led by the 2021 golden boot winner Ashley Hatch, the attacking group scored 20 goals combined between Hatch, Trinity Rodman, and Ashley Sanchez. After going through off-the-field issues involving team owner Steve Baldwin, the team rallied in the final third of the season to earn third-place and a home playoff game. The team has also been clicking on defense throughout the season with goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe earning eight clean sheets this year, and the if the team sticks to their dominant possession game to spearhead their attack, they can come out victorious in the quarterfinal.
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North Carolina Courage: This is the first time in North Carolina’s playoff history that the team is in the knockout rounds lower than the first seed. After a late season scandal involving their former head coach with reports of sexual misconduct and sexual coercion of former players, the team navigated their way through the remainder of their season, and picked up a draw in their final regular season game to help clinch a playoff spot. The team has experienced attackers with Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald, and the duo has combined for 11 goals this season. The team will need a massive game in midfield to try and disrupt Washington’s attack. Brazilian international Debinha and Irish international Denise O’Sullivan will be key in regulating things in the middle third.
Game prediction
Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy has had an impressive season with 11 clean sheets of her own, she’ll keep it respectable, but it won’t be enough against the Spirit attack, Pick: Spirit 2, Courage 1
