After 48 group stage matches, this historic NWSL Challenge Cup has its semifinalists with the goal of securing the historic prize pool on Sept. 9.
From the beginning, this competition had the makings of something special. For the first time in NWSL history, the Challenge Cup took place during the regular season. At the end of the Championship game, the league will give out the largest prize pool in United States women's soccer history to the victor. There are some concerns though, including how to fix the excessive number of contests per week now with the regular season overlapping.
From April 19 to August 9, the Challenge Cup has delivered numerous unforgettable moments. Whether it was North Carolina coming back to beat Washington in June, or Morgan Weaver netting the late winner for Portland against Angel City FC, the path to reach these last four clubs has been a memorable one. With the playoff picture in the Challenge Cup set, we examine each team and its path to being two wins away from a domestic cup.
2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup semifinalists
No. 1 seed: OL Reign (4-2-0)
Division: West
Semifinal opponent: Racing Louisville
After falling short against Washington Spirit last season in the Challenge Cup semifinals, Laura Harvey's OL Reign return as the top-seeded side. Despite the three NWSL Shields, not once has this team lifted a true postseason trophy. With Megan Rapinoe departing at the conclusion of the season, there is going to be that extra motivation to send a legend of the game out on a high.
The true strength of this team has been its defensive solidity. The Seattle side has been far and away the most consistent team in the group stage, finishing as the only club to not concede a single goal through six games. Claudia Dickey and Laurel Ivory split time through those fixtures, combining to collect 19 saves.
Canadian international Jordyn Huitema leads the Reign with just two cup goals. Whether it was a penalty or a finish by Elyse Bennett, Harvey's team has found the back of the net when it needed to. Olivia Athens has been one of the standout players for the Reign during this cup run, playing the second most minutes while completing over 81 percent of her passes.
The team's best cup contest was without question the 3-0 victory over San Diego Wave on the last day of May. Ryanne Brown scored her first NWSL goal while Quinn and Tziarra King ran the show for the Reign. Even with the top seed, Harvey's team still encounters Racing Louisville, a side that ran through this competition up until it was left without its World Cup players.
No. 2 seed: Kansas City Current (4-1-1)
Division: Central
Semifinal opponent: North Carolina Courage
Behind the goal-scoring prowess of Kristen Hamilton in July and August, Kansas City Current caught Racing to take the top spot in the Central Division. The mid-west side combined to score 10 goals in its final four cup games, finishing with the second most goals in the group stage, behind only North Carolina Courage.
Only once has KC failed to score multiple goals on its path to the semifinals. Three players had two or more goals during the group stage including Hamilton who netted five in just four cup starts. With the kind of form Hamilton has been in, KC wishes it could play the Courage much sooner than September. The former North Carolina striker has been sublime since returning from injury, continuously finding space in the opposition's defensive third.
Isabel Rodriguez, Gabrielle Robinson, and Kate Del Fava were difference-makers throughout, finishing as the only three players to contribute in all six fixtures. The side's only loss came in Louisville when Savannah DeMelo scored two goals within a five-minute span in the first half.
Last season, a Debinha and Diana Ordóñez one-two punch picked the Current out of the competition. A lot has changed since then. Debinha now dons the red and teal, bringing with her not only back-to-back Challenge Cup MVP awards, but valuable experience in this kind of knockout setting. Adrianna Franch in net also possesses some of that, winning the 2021 Challenge Cup final Player of the Match award as Portland Thorns took down NJ/NY Gotham FC on penalties.
No. 3 seed: North Carolina Courage (3-2-1)
Division: East
Semifinal opponent: Kansas City Current
Sean Nahas and the Courage can thank Messiah Bright and Orlando Pride for keeping the dream of consecutive Challenge Cups alive. Unlike the other two divisions, the East came down to the final match of the entire group stage. Bright's first-half goal proved to be enough to propel the defending cup champions into the three seed of this bracket.
It is not like this team did not deserve it. North Carolina was absolutely relentless in the final third in match weeks four and four, combining to score 11 goals in 180 minutes of soccer. That Olivia Wingate goal in stoppage time in the nation's capital sparked the Courage, beginning a stunning run of form. The team had to rebound from back-to-back draws to kick the Challenge Cup off.
Four players finished group play with multiple goals with Brittany Ratcliffe leading the pack with three. Rookie forward Wingate has been an energy lifter off the bench, collecting the most goal contributions on the team in just 246 cup minutes. Nahas has proven before he can lead a team to the top, and with the kind of football his side is playing this season, there is little doubt he can do it again. For North Carolina, it is all about the collective unit.
There are stars within it, but the unselfishness is quite evident. Led by a solid backbone in the defense, the Courage has the capability to slowly break any opponent down. When they find the code, they run with it. Currently sitting at the top of the NWSL table, North Carolina still owns the ability to achieve the domestic double.
No. 4 seed: Racing Louisville (4-0-2)
Division: Central
Semifinal opponent: OL Reign
Through the first four weeks of the Challenge Cup, it looked like the Kentucky side was going to run away with the Central Division. Kim Björkegren's team outscored its opponents 10-2 after four match weeks by way of a team effort. Seven different Racing players converted a chance during that dominant run.
Since that win over the Chicago Red Stars where Paige Monaghan netted a goal-of-the-season contender, Louisville has been held scoreless in cup games. The offside flag denied Racing threes goals in those matches including two in Kansas City which would have gifted it the lead at the time. Hamilton and the Current capitalized, finishing two chances in the final nine minutes plus stoppage time to seal the Central Division.
Björkegren's team while in poor form now, should be ready to tackle the Reign on the road with its World Cup players back in the fold. When running on all cylinders, this team has been one of the most dangerous in the entire league. The wing backs of Lauren Milliet, and Carsen Pickett cause consistent havoc while Jaelin Howell continues to dominate in the middle of the park with her unmatched physicality. Even with the slide toward the end, Racing deserved to get in. The stability of Abby Erceg, and Katie Lund allows for the creativity from DeMelo, and Thembi Kgatlana going forward. The Reign are going to have their hands full when it comes time for the semifinals.
The National Women's Soccer League regular season resumes on Friday, August 18 when OL Reign visits Kansas City Current at 8:00 p.m. EST on Paramount+.
