The Final Four is here. No, it's not March Madness. It's still madness but in the fall. In two intriguing NWSL quarterfinal matchups on each end of the country, OL Reign reigned supreme while NJ/NY Gotham FC shut out North Carolina Courage with Brazilian superstar Kerolin watching from the sideline.
After four weeks straight of women's top-flight soccer in the United States, the NWSL takes a bit of a hiatus until the semifinals kick-off in Oregon. That does not stop us from taking a look at what is to come on the weekend of November 5. It's pretty unique. Some players have to leave their club sides in the midst of the postseason and shift to what is required of their national team. Without question, this is going to have an effect. The top-two seeds in the league will be coming off two weeks without a match together. The hope is nobody gets injured, and we are all treated to two fixtures featuring four healthy clubs.
Here is what you need to know about the last weekend of NWSL soccer with more than a single match in 2023.
NWSL Semifinal Predictions and Matchups
No. 1 seed: San Diego Wave vs. No. 4 seed: OL Reign
Date: Sunday, November 5, 9:30 p.m. EST
How to watch: CBS Sports Network
In four matches throughout the campaign across all competitions, Laura Harvey's OL Reign are shockingly unbeaten against the NWSL Shield holders, San Diego Wave. Megan Rapinoe and Co outscored the southern California side 7-1 with Jaedyn Shaw owning the only goal just after halftime on June 24.
Bethany Balcer has frankly been a machine for the Reign in these games. Sure, Harvey has Jordyn Huitema, but Balcer has to start considering she has scored the last three goals against SD for the Seattle outfit. Crosses into the penalty area were a cause for concern for the Wave. Making sure you know where everyone is on those crosses from Rapinoe and Sofia Huerta is going to be essential. Only two clubs had more crosses than the Reign while Harvey's team led the league in crosses in and around the penalty area.
The center-back duo of Naomi Girma and Abby Dahlkemper has yet to see the Reign this season. Those two have been at the center of SD's clean sheet run of three straight league fixtures. The two combined for 10 clearances in the match that clinched the Shield. Up top for the Wave, Shaw should serve at a dynamic No. 10 behind Alex Morgan with Kyra Carusa out wide on one of the wings.
Again, Casey Stoney's team will not have played a match together since October 15. Stoney is an incredible motivator so even the idea of SD coming out slow should be thrown aside. Even though it is their second season in the league, the Wave have won a postseason game. A goal by Alex Morgan in the 110' sealed San Diego's place into the semifinals against Portland.
This is different. The southern California outfit does not have to leave its home base at all this postseason. The fuel from being at Snapdragon should push this club over the finish line. Even with the regular season matchups going the way they did, it is tough to bet against the Shield winners.
Prediction: San Diego Wave 2-1 OL Reign (Final in ET)
No. 2 seed: Portland Thorns vs. No. 6 seed: NJ/NY Gotham FC
Date: Sunday, November 5, 7:00 p.m. EST
How to watch: CBS Sports Network
From dead last to one of the last four standing within a year. What a story. NJ/NY Gotham FC turned itself from a club with a minus-30 goal differential into a semifinalist for the first time as a club since 2013. Juan Carlos Amorós' team battled on the road in the quarterfinals, but it only gets tougher from here.
Providence Park. Home of the Portland Thorns. A place that has not had less than 15,000 for a single match at all this regular season. When the northeast outfit traveled there last, Hina Sugita converted a header from a brilliant Sam Coffey cross to seal a one-goal triumph. Gotham's attack had its opportunities, especially in stoppage time but Bella Bixby had an answer on each occasion.
For the second consecutive contest between these two sides, Gotham will have the majority of the possession. The flanks are going to be where your eyes should gravitate toward when the away side has the ball. Portland's wing backs of Meghan Klingenberg and Natalia Kuikka will have their hands full once again dealing with Lynn Williams on the left and Margaret Purce on the right side. The U.S. internationals have that ability to flip a contest on its head in the blink of an eye. That is not even taking into account rookie Jenna Nighswonger and Brazilian international Bruninha who love to get forward. Their speed and creativity cause headaches. Just ask North Carolina.
Mike Norris has had some time to digest what transpired in Los Angeles in the final week of the regular season. Some may view it as a concern, but to me, it is more of a wake-up call. Sophia Smith is back in the fold. That alone should strike fear into Gotham. She came off the bench in each of the last two league fixtures. In the 12 league contests that the U.S. star played more than 45 minutes, Portland won seven, drew three, and only lost two.
It is not only the Golden Boot winner who is in the MVP conversation, Coffey is right up there after leading the league in assists. Those two along with Olivia Moultrie, and Morgan Weaver have the Thorns in a prime position to retain the title.
Prediction: Portland Thorns 1-1 NJ/NY Gotham FC (POR wins 4-2 on penalties)
The victors of these two games will meet in the NWSL Championship on November 11 at 8:00 p.m. EST at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. It will be broadcast live on CBS.
