Top 5 Goals: NWSL Matchday 22

The NWSL playoff race is heating up, with teams jostling for position in the standings. As we head into the final stretch of the season with a few games to go, every team is giving everything they have to finish strong. From first place to last place, everyone is scoring some incredible goals. We’d be remiss not to catch you up and show them to you. Here are the Top 5 Goals from the NWSL Matchday 22.

5. Marta – Orlando Pride

A bit of Marta Magic in stoppage time! pic.twitter.com/KxibRNf0Rw

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 29, 2024

Marta is simply timeless, while some of her contemporaries like Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan are retiring, Marta keeps balling. The Brazilian has been rewarded for her loyalty and is part of an Orlando Pride team that will run away with the NWSL Shield this season. She doesn’t have to do all of the work, and watching her thrive in a complementary role has allowed her to enjoy more success. The forward has more room to be herself, like this vintage goal.

Marta shields one defender and then takes on another with a quick step over and hesitation move to beat the second defender. Then the GOAT finished with a superb strike to the far corner like we’ve seen her do repeatedly. It’s great to see Marta still going strong and helping her team win games. 

4. Angelina – Orlando Pride

A 🚀 from distance courtesy of Angelina! pic.twitter.com/NGnqqQhhxJ

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 29, 2024

Angelina is a technical maestro who cannot be given extra space in or around the box. Houston has had a rough season, and Angelina compounded their problems with this goal. Three quick touches were all the Brazilian needed: one to trap it, one to put it out in front of her, and the third to find the roof of the net. It’s a beautiful strike and something that you could watch over and over again. Orlando has a plethora of riches at their disposal and is the team to beat in the NWSL right now.

3. Denise O’Sullivan – North Carolina Courage

Take a bow, @OSullivanDenise!

Ashley Sanchez puts in the work and Denise O’Sullivan finishes the opportunity spectacularly 🤌 pic.twitter.com/LND6KGydW3

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 29, 2024

The Irish international and NC Courage captain continues to be their team’s heart and soul. Before we get into the goal, watch Ashley Sanchez’s dribbling and how she freestyled her way away from the defender with a backheel nutmeg. That’s not something you see every day, and it wouldn’t have led to the goal if Sanchez didn’t pull it off. Once the ball came to O’Sullivan, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with the ball. The captain stuck the ball in the top right corner with a perfect strike that curled away from Alyssa Naeher. Nothing Naeher could’ve done about a strike like that; simply sublime from Denise O’Sullivan. 

2. Ludmila – Chicago Red Stars

LUDMILA. OMG. AN ABSOLUTE STUNNER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uZI1HlwHDB

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 29, 2024

Ludmila is a Brazilian international who left Atletico Madrid as one of the best players in team history to come to Chicago. The forward announced her arrival into the NWSL with a bang, scoring twice in her first three starts. This was a goal out of the top drawer that no one would’ve expected her to score from an impossible angle. Watching the replay, I still don’t know how Ludmilla could flick the ball into the top corner like that. The Brazilian made it look so easy when it was, in fact, the opposite: a great finish from a great player who is looking to be a nice pickup for the Red Stars.

1. Ana Tejada – Utah Royals

Ana Tejada pulled up from a different state 🚀 pic.twitter.com/fUhR7At3Vs

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 29, 2024

The Utah Royals have been a completely different team since the Olympic break and have managed to dig themselves out of the dungeon of last place in the NWSL table. Racing Louisville played Utah tough at home for most of the match until Ana Tejada scored an incredible game-winning goal with less than 15 minutes left in the match. The Spanish international joined from Real Sociedad and is 22 years young. She’s been an impact player for the Royals since her signing. Tejada took one touch when receiving the ball, picked her head up, and went for the rocket shot. Louisville keeper Katie Lund was having a fantastic game up until this. It was going to take something special to beat Lund, and Tejada provided it with this stunning long-range effort to take the top spot on this week’s list. 

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