Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the most emblematic result of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League regular season came early last month when the Portland Thorns took the field against Racing Louisville at Lynn Family Stadium.
Both teams were lacking some firepower, but Louisville was the more depleted side: Nadia Nadim still wasn’t 100%, Savannah DeMelo was suspended, Carson Pickett was nursing her calf, and Jaelin Howell’s hip was causing her problems.
In the midst of Thorns forward Sophia Smith’s nagging knee problem, the visitors started Hannah Betfort in a strike partnership with Morgan Weaver. Although they were without Smith and their road assignment was historically the most travel-challenged in the league, Portland still held a nearly 18-goal advantage in non-penalty expected goal difference (npxGD). The spread in quality between the teams could not have been more stark. Without DeMelo, Pickett and Howell, Louisville didn’t have a prayer — so said logic, at least.
But two halves of soccer later,…
