Top 5 Goals: NWSL Regular Season Week 12

Week 12 of the NWSL coincided with the end of the Olympic Games. While we wait for our USWNT stars to return, the NWSL has been fulfilling every need when it comes to watching some great soccer. Whether it’s a brilliant individual effort or a nice team goal, the goals scored this week were out of this world. So, let’s take a closer look at the best women’s soccer goals from Week 12 of the NWSL. 

5. Sydney Leroux – Orlando Pride

Syd called game ?#CHIvORL | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/21SF0Uel1M

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 8, 2021

Sydney Leroux’s year of resurgence continues; she’s scoring clutch goal after clutch goal. Earlier in the year, the Orlando Pride salvaged a dramatic draw from Chicago Red Stars with one of the last kicks of the game. In this case, Leroux flat out took the game from the Chicago Red Stars to earn the three points. A calm finish to slot the ball past the Red Stars keeper, she made it look easy when most would’ve folded. Leroux is now the league leader in goals, and she’s sure to add to that total before the year’s up.

4. Ebony Salmon – Racing Louisville

Take time to appreciate this @RacingLouFC team goal ?#LOUvKC | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/okJDpHgbQr

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 8, 2021

Racing Louisville is playing a nice brand of attacking football just as head coach Christy Holly would’ve hoped. Look no further than this team goal, with Savannah McCaskill doing a lot of great work. McCaskill made multiple overlapping runs going from one side of the field to the other, just to set up this cross. The tantalizing cross was slotted home by Ebony Salmon, who has emerged as one of the signings of the season. A beautiful team goal from Racing Louisville. 

3. Jodie Taylor – Orlando Pride 

https://twitter.com/NWSL/status/1424496525816868873

Orlando's New No. 9 ⚽️?#CHIvORL | https://t.co/0LtSAUK1Jw | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/uWJMyXMbwK

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 8, 2021

Jodie Taylor has a new team and it didn’t take her long to make an impact for Orlando. A lot of credit also goes to Ali Krieger. No one stepped to Krieger to put pressure on the ball, and the defender dropped an inch-perfect ball into the path of Taylor. All Taylor had to do was run onto it, take one touch, and then nicely stroke the ball into the far right corner. Sometimes being direct is the best way to break a rearguard, Orlando has feasted from such situations this season. 

2. Sofia Huerta – OL Reign

That's @schuerta opening her 2021 account ?#RGNvHOU | https://t.co/iecT7II54a | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/aTkX9pi9Rv

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 8, 2021

Sofia Huerta finally opened her account for the OL Reign and she did it emphatically. Not only did she start the move from her own 18-yard-box, but she finished the move as well. After getting the ball out wide, Eugenie Le Sommer rewarded her with the pass back but Huerta still had a bit to do. The defender is trying to send her to the outside but Huerta put on a nice fake to get inside onto her left foot. From there, the accuracy from Huerta is special, everyone can tell she’s looking to bend it far post but the shot was still unstoppable. The OL Reign is really starting to put it together after their last couple of matches. 

1. Jess Fishlock – OL Reign

TAKE A BOW, @JessFishlock ⚽️?#RGNvHOU | https://t.co/iecT7II54a | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/yUj4vZWDtn

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 8, 2021

This is easily the best goal of the week; it’s not even close. You’d think by now that people would want to try and put a body on Jess Fishlock, who has scored some screamers from long distances before. It was a bit of an audacious attempt but she had more than enough time to line up the strike. Once Fishlock saw her opening, it’s all about the execution and she smashed it into the top corner; the keeper had no chance. Hopefully, we see Jessica Fishlock in the NWSL until she retires, an ageless star who continues to shine bright at such a high level.

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