Top 5 Goals: NWSL Final & European Action

Women’s soccer action reached its peak with numerous competitions underway at the same time. This past week featured the NWSL Final, European domestic leagues, and the UEFA Champions League, plus the first three rounds of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament. With so much to choose from, we had to whittle it down to just five. So here are some of the best women’s soccer goals this week had to offer.

5. Rachel Hill – Chicago Red Stars 

Queen of the Hill ?#WASvCHI | @CBS | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/Y8K6WLHp2M

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 20, 2021

Chicago fought incredibly hard in the NWSL Final. They played through a plethora of injuries and looked like they could win it. Arin Wright did a great job of taking on Kelley O’Hara one-on-one towards the byline, and her cross to the back post was begging to be hit. Rachel Hill trusted her teammate, ran to the back post, and headed home from close range. This goal was huge for Chicago. Unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize and bring home the title. 

4. Kelley O’Hara – Washington Spirit

KELL YEAH! @kelleymohara with the go-ahead goal in overtime! ?

? @NWSL pic.twitter.com/V6xj7TpRGz

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) November 20, 2021

Not only did Kelley O’Hara make up for her error on the earlier goal, but she picked the perfect time to score her first goal of the season. Trinity Rodman was the catalyst; she refused to let her team lose and tried harder than anyone to get her team to win. Rodman had the ball on the left flank with a little bit of space and had enough time to pick out O’Hara on the back post. O’Hara ran right past her marker and headed nicely back across the goal. Cassie Miller couldn’t keep it out. The goal that clinched the NWSL Championship for Washington was a special moment. 

3. Lea Khelifi – PSG 

?STUNNING free kick ?

Khelifi gets her second of the game and the third for @PSG_Feminines!#WatchWithAta #D1Arkema pic.twitter.com/fuI4lZAfJY

— ata football (@atafball) November 21, 2021

It’s time we start getting used to hearing the name Lea Khelifi. The 22-year-old starlet is sure to be coveted by other European clubs soon, and with goals like these, it’s easy to see why. The angle wasn’t as favorable as it could have been for Khelifi, but it didn’t matter. The keeper gives her one side of the goal to shoot at and should be prepared to come all the way across her line to save it. Despite that, the accuracy and bend were more than enough for the ball to find the back of the net, a lovely goal from Lea Khelifi. 

2. Lucia Garcia – Athletic Bilbao 

The chances that you'll be seing Lucia García's equalizer Monday in our Weekly Top 5 Goals magazine? Yes!#WatchWithAta #PrimeraIberdrola pic.twitter.com/eQ5OkRAuPk

— ata football (@atafball) November 20, 2021

Lucia Garcia of Athletic Bilbao pulled this goal out of nowhere, but it’s a thing of beauty. All she needs is a split second to get her defender on the back foot, which she creates with a couple of hesitation moves. Once Garcia has the inch of daylight she needs, it’s a simple-looking but very difficult finish to complete. Garcia has to wrap her foot around the ball completely to get the bend and power, and she did that ever so well for this outstanding goal. 

1. Olha Ovdiychuk – Kharkiv

INCREDIBLE. Kharkiv get the W ?

?: @DAZNFootball pic.twitter.com/bsuufxNjdD

— ata football (@atafball) November 18, 2021

If you’ve never heard of the women’s soccer club Kharkiv before, don’t worry because I hadn’t either before seeing this goal. The great thing about the UEFA Women’s Champions League is that many clubs get an opportunity for exposure that they wouldn’t have previously received playing. Olha Ovdiychuk is one of Ukraine’s best players; a stint with Atletico Madrid shows she’s got some real technical quality. That was on full display here as this goal helped seal the three points in a big Champions League win. Ovdiychuk did well to not only shed her defender but had the awareness to go and chip the keeper. For a second, it looked like the ball might hit the bar, but it perfectly dipped under and into the net, a dream for Kharkiv to grab three points in the UWCL. 

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