No matter what happens in NWSL final on Saturday, there will be a new NWSL champion.
OL Reign, who took down the top-seeded San Diego Wave last weekend, and NJ/NY Gotham FC, who pushed past the Portland Thorns in extra time, will battle for a first NWSL Championship win in club history. Neither team entered the playoffs as favorites, though in the parity-filled NWSL, sometimes there simply aren’t any favorites. Gotham snuck into sixth and final spot in the playoff bracket, while OL Reign finished fourth.
Now all that’s left standing between each of these teams and the trophy is the other.
To help get you ready for Saturday’s matchup, we’re digging into each team’s title hopes and giving you a few things to watch out for during the game. How did they make it this far, and will what worked for them all season be enough to win the NWSL Championship?
How OL Reign reached the final
It’s been a season of consistency for Laura Harvey’s OL Reign squad. They finished eight points off their Shield-winning pace from 2022, but stayed above the playoff line for 21-consecutive…
