It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.
Our rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings and the observations of our writers.
Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in a free fall? Our writers and statistical models have ranked all 14 clubs in the league after Matchday 17. Let’s dive in.
Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Sunday at Chicago Red Stars, 6 p.m. ET
A torrential downpour came closer to stopping the Pride than anyone else has this season, but even mother nature was no match for Orlando, who made a good Gotham team look extraordinarily average in a 2-0 win. It has now won five in a row and has opened up a six-point lead in the race for the Shield, but it feels like the gap between the Pride and the rest of the league is much bigger than that.
Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Saturday vs. Portland Thorns, 12:30 p.m. ET
The Spirit flew clear across the country to play on a bad pitch in a very warm San Diego, were the much better team and somehow only managed a 1-1 draw. It was a frustrating day for Washington, but not one that should change anyone’s mind about this very good team.
