2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Recap: The Biggest Winners and Losers

The 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup wrapped up what was another successful event in growing in the league. The two-division format made things interesting going into the final weekend of matches. Five of those matches were 0-0, which is not ideal during the initial round, but Portland and Gotham separated themselves from the rest of the field. Portland squeezed out a dramatic win in penalties over Gotham, which was perfect on the big stage. With the NWSL regular season around the corner, we’re taking a look at the winners and losers from the cup and how that might carry over into the regular season. Here’s our NWSL Challenge Cup recap.

Biggest Winners

Portland Thorns

From start to finish, the Portland Thorns were the best team in the tournament. Mark Parsons and his staff did an incredible job getting their team ready. Some of the other teams almost considered the cup as a simple preseason tournament, but the Thorns didn’t. Christine Sinclair continued to show everyone she can contribute at the highest level. Outside of Sophia Smith’s inability to finish, it was a near-flawless performance from this team. They did not mess around coming into this tournament, and there’s nothing to indicate they won’t do the same for the NWSL regular season. As of right now, they’re the team to beat with their cohesiveness in all areas of the game. 

Gotham FC

The rebrand was a trending topic in the world of women’s soccer, and the team wanted to emphasize how things would be different. Embracing more of their dark side, they came out and defended incredibly well. Three shutouts over the four games and a win over the North Carolina Courage were enough to clinch them a spot in the final. This team has so much toughness, heart, and resiliency – you can never count them out. The way they pushed Portland to the brink in the final was outstanding. There’s definitely a lot for Gotham to build on, but heading into the regular season, they’ll definitely be in the discussion for the playoffs. 

OL Reign

The Reign played the Thorns, Dash, and Red Stars and held their own in all of those matches. Adding Tziarra King made a big difference to that locker room, along with the return of Jessica Fishlock. The OL Reign seems to be getting better and closer as a team both on and off the pitch. Considering they didn’t have Megan Rapinoe much for this cup and they’ll be getting Dzsenifer Marozsan, Sarah Bouhaddi, and Eugenie Le Sommer for the regular season, they’ll enter the title-contending conversation with so much talent. 

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Biggest Losers

Chicago Red Stars

The Red Stars will be the first to point out they underachieved and didn’t play up to their potential during the Challenge Cup. While many key players returned along with new additions, it looked more like a preseason for Chicago. They weren’t ever really able to get started offensively until their last game. While the slow start is a bit of a concern, Mallory Pugh scoring is a bright spot moving forward. There’s no reason to assume the Red Stars won’t get it together in the regular season, but they weren’t great during the Challenge Cup. 

Washington Spirit

The emergence of Trinity Rodman was a great sight to see so early on in her career. Her early contributions confirm the Spirit has something special on its hands. However, where was the rest of the team during this tournament? 19 shots against Orlando with no goals to show for it isn’t ideal for any team. Their finishing has to be better. If both Sanchez and Hatch can find a way to score more, they will be fine during the regular season, but surely they would’ve liked to have done better through the four games.

Kansas City FC

Kansas City took most of the players from Utah as a part of their relocation, but the losses of Christen Press and Tziarra King definitely had consequences. This team plays hard. They give everything they have and refuse to give up, making it a little unfair to have them here. However, Michelle Vasconcelos and Mallory Weber aren’t going to score goals regularly, leaving the responsibility to Amy Rodriguez. How long can she put the team on her back? When she’s not scoring, this team will have a hard time getting wins during the regular season despite their defensive efforts. 

Featured Image via Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images

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