Top 5 Goals: D1 Arkema & NWSL Regular Season Matchday 6

D1 Arkema’s season in France has finally come to a close which should now shift everyone’s focus to the rest of the NWSL season. Lyon is champion of France once again, while the 12 teams in the NWSL now jostle for position within the standings.

Week to week, the NWSL table looks completely different, which speaks to the competitiveness and parity within the league. This week’s goals were spectacular as well. Let’s take a closer look at the best women’s soccer goals of the week from D1 Arkema and the NWSL regular season. 

5. Eugenie Le Sommer – Lyon

Things we know you love seeing – Le Sommer scoring for l'OL!#WatchWithAta #D1Arkema pic.twitter.com/tU3NHZGYAo

— ata football (@atafball) June 1, 2022

This was a beautifully worked goal from Lyon; three quick passes within a triangle allowed Eugenie Le Sommer to open up in space. Once she sees where the keeper is, she can decide to either go for the curler or try and beat the keeper on her near post.

Notice how Le Sommer doesn’t commit till the last second, making it very difficult for the keeper to get a good read on whether Le Sommer wanted to curl it or not. Le Sommer chooses to go the same side, and the keeper can’t get across in time as a result. One of the best goal scorers in the world–Eugenie Le Sommer is too good, as seen from this goal. 

4. Kelli Hubly – Portland Thorns

HAVE YOURSELF A DANCE, @kellihubly!
Kelli Hubly with her FIRST career NWSL Goal!#BAONPDX | @ThornsFC pic.twitter.com/tOSC2l9ljU

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 4, 2022

This definitely isn’t a bad way to score your first-ever NWSL goal if you’re Kelli Hubly. The Thorns center back managed to locate Sophia Smith’s cross on the corner kick and, with her body going away from goal, still managed to get a head on it.

Not only that, Hubly managed to get enough power and accuracy on the header to find the top corner. A perfectly guided header from a very awkward and tough position and a goal Kelli Hubly surely won’t forget. 

3. Nichelle Prince – Houston Dash

HAT TRICK ALERT! 🎩🚨@nichelleprince7 scores her THIRD goal of the night!@HoustonDash | #HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/fd5RJZHw3y

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 4, 2022

The Orlando Pride will not want to see Nichelle Prince again after her last performance. The Canadian international completed her hattrick with this spectacular chip shot of a goal. The degree of difficulty for Prince is higher because she isn’t fully facing the goal. However, Prince somehow turns into it and tries the only thing she can from the angle, a chip shot. The execution is inch-perfect.

Erin McLeod had to just helplessly watch the ball float into the net. When Nichelle Prince is in form, look out for Houston, their offense becomes twice as dangerous. 

2. Mallory Pugh – Chicago Red Stars

This is just unreal, @MalPugh 😱@chicagoredstars | #MKOT pic.twitter.com/YWEBidBqaf

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 4, 2022

With the recent news that Kealia Watt is soon to have a child, a big piece of Chicago’s attack will be gone for a while. As a result, Mallory Pugh’s role on offense has become even more critical. Most of the offense will run through her, with Ava Cook doing a great job finding her.

Cook leads the league with four assists, and Pugh is tied for second in the league in goals with four. This was a nasty move from Pugh–faking as if she would go to the end line and then cutting back inside made the defender look silly. Not only that, but the finish was world-class.

For Pugh to use her weaker foot and finish so emphatically by curling it into the top corner shows the work that she continues to put in along with her talent is paying dividends at the moment. 

1. Rachel Daly – Houston Dash

RACHEL 👏 DALY 👏

What a header by @RachelDaly3 to make it 2-0 for the @HoustonDash!#HOUvORL | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/XA693uOeQZ

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) June 4, 2022

If anyone remembers the epic goal that Robin van Persie scored again Spain at the World Cup, this goal should definitely remind you of that. Houston was right on the money with their signing of Maria Sanchez, who continues to be a catalyst for them offensively. In this case, this long ball from Sanchez is immaculate. The way the ball curves in the air and seeing its trajectory is incredible, and then Rachel Daly still had to finish the change.

Even with a defender on her, it wouldn’t stop Daly from putting her body on the line and going for it. Daly’s diving header was timed perfectly and the ball looped over the goalie’s head and in. This is a goal that should be appreciated even more than it is, based on its difficulty. 

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