Top 5 Goals: NWSL Regular Season Week 9

July 20, 2021
By Rohtas Wadera

Last week, the NWSL became a major focal point for soccer fans as they await the start of soccer at the Olympics. While the stars are away in Tokyo, it’s up to the next generation (along with some NWSL vets) to hold it down. They’ve been doing exactly that with some competitive matches and outstanding goals. Here are the best women’s soccer goals from Week 9 of the NWSL.

5. Mallory Pugh – Chicago Red Stars

"That'll be enough from you, Own Goal" –@MalPugh #CHIvRGN | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/Rz6P1GHuco

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 18, 2021

It’s great to see Mallory Pugh back and scoring goals. This one ended the own goal streak by the Red Stars and she finished it impressively. Watch how Pugh shields the ball from the defender by faking as if she’ll go for the initial touch before letting the ball bounce and roll across her body. Once she did that, it created the angle for her to fire the ball into the back of the net with a clean strike. The Red Stars picked up a huge three points in large part due to Mallory Pugh.

4. Ashley Sanchez – Washington Spirit

A perfect 10 ?#WASvNJNY | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/ysAQ7rIcCh

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 18, 2021

Young stars like Ashley Sanchez make the future of the NWSL seem really bright. The former UCLA star continues to create and score for the Washington Spirit. This was a beautiful free-kick goal from a long distance. Sanchez had the angle to bend it over the wall and go for the far corner and she made it look easy. The keeper had no chance, and it’s easy to see how much work Sanchez has been putting in off the pitch when she’s scoring goals like this one.

3. Gabby Seiler – Houston Dash

Straight off the training ground ?#NCvHOU | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/3KwL0sbaF4

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 18, 2021

Gabby Seiler had never scored in her professional career, and this was quite a nice way to open her NWSL account. Houston showed a bit of work from the training ground with some trickery on this free kick. Two players separated at the last second to block Casey Murphy’s line of vision so she couldn’t predict where Seiler would shoot. With her wicked left foot, Seiler opened her body up and curled it into the far left corner beautifully. Based on her celebration it’s one Gabby Seiler will remember for a long time.

2. Trinity Rodman – Washington Spirit

Textbook @trinity_rodman right here ⚽️?#WASvNJNY | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/e2gC4wIzPC

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 18, 2021

Trinity Rodman can do no wrong at this point; she is a force to be reckoned with on the wing as seen in this play. Defenders simply cannot stay in front of her, and while it’s easy to say she shouldn’t be allowed to cut inside, it’s another thing to stop it from happening. Rodman dips her shoulder and hits the poor defender with a fake, giving her enough space to try the shot. The end result is a ball that kept bending until it nestled into the side netting of the goal. Rodman will be a household name soon—if she isn’t already.

1. Sophia Smith – Portland Thorns

One of the best goals you'll see from @sophsssmith ?#PORvORL | https://t.co/Vn6RiH86g9 | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/11x3YTXxHn

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 19, 2021

Sophia Smith made everyone question reality with the way she found the back of the net here. First, she showed strength to shield off the defender. Then, she has the audacity to take on the shot. Some will say Ashlyn Harris shouldn’t get beat near post in this situation. However, the strike was just too good. It was an absolute laser that flew into the top corner; not sure how many keepers could’ve stopped that goal. Simply World Class from a player who is starting to come into her own for the Portland Thorns.