Top 5 Women’s Soccer Goals This Week: NCAA Soccer and England

October 24, 2023
By Rohtas Wadera

The women’s soccer calendar is jam-packed with games all week long. NCAA Soccer and the Women’s Champions League have matches midweek, followed by the NWSL and all the other domestic leagues in Europe like Liga F, Barclays WSL and Championship, D1 Arkema, Frauen Bundesliga and plenty more. This week’s theme is, once again, long-range stunners that will leave your jaw on the floor. Let’s take a look at the top 5 women’s soccer goals from the Barclays WSL Gameweek 4, Barclays Championship Gameweek 8, and NCAA Soccer Week 10.

5. Lois Joel – London City Lionesses

A belter from @loisjoel_ 🙌#BarclaysWC @LC_Lionesses pic.twitter.com/RZBMJKV4Cq

— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) October 23, 2023

London City picked up a huge win in the league, their second of the season. Lois Joel is a former West Virginia Mountaineer and North Carolina Tar Heel who returned home to England after college. Joel was a WSL player with West Ham and is making a big impact for London City. She did well to intercept the ball and didn’t give anyone on the opposing team a chance to react once she did. Joel caught the keeper off her line and smashed it into the roof of the net from at least 25 yards out.

4. Emma Vane – UC Davis Aggies

She did what now?! 😳#NCAASoccer x 🎥 ESPN+ / @ucdaviswsoc pic.twitter.com/sfXGhIVaI9

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 22, 2023

The technique displayed by Emma Vane on this long-range goal is perfect. The ball slowly rolled to her from close to 30 yards out, and the striker let it rip. Notice how Vane puts her laces to the ball, follows through, and drives the ball into the top corner. The keeper had no chance. Not only was it a stunning goal, but it was the game-winner as UC Davis would go on to beat UC Santa Barbara.

3. Katie McCabe – Arsenal

Katie McCabe only scores BANGERS 🚀#BarclaysWSL @ArsenalWFC @Katie_McCabe11 pic.twitter.com/QW0LzhDPtO

— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) October 23, 2023

The narrative that Katie McCabe only scores bangers was confirmed this past weekend. Is there anything she can’t do? McCabe used a bit of deception and hesitation to fake out the defender and create space for the strike. Once the Irish international had the room she needed, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

McCabe wrapped her foot around the ball beautifully, and the ball spun past the keeper and into the top corner. Arsenal is one of the best teams in the world, and they’re even tougher to beat when Katie McCabe plays like this.

2. Araya Dennis – Crystal Palace

This is magic from Araya Dennis 😱#BarclaysWC @cpfc_w pic.twitter.com/EMW6NuNqWD

— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) October 23, 2023

Araya Dennis is a future star in the making. The 17-year-old striker is sure to be on plenty of watchlists for clubs around Europe as she progresses. Scoring a goal like this at that age is sure to catch the eyes of scouts.

The ball came out to her after the corner kick was cleared, and Dennis had plenty of time to line up the shot. Still, the teenager had plenty of work to do and caught the ball so sweetly it had no choice but to find the back of the net. She did get a little help from the crossbar, but it’s a phenomenal goal from a young star in the making.

1. Josefine Schlichting – San Diego Toreros

FROM DEEP 😤😤#NCAASoccer x 🎥 ESPN+ / @USDwsoccer pic.twitter.com/PRq9IP6FhM

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 19, 2023

Josefine Schlichting takes the top spot on the list as her long-range effort is the furthest out of anyone out of the five. The German import has some professional experience in Germany and has brought that with her to San Diego. Notice her physical play as she bodies the opposing player and wins the ball in space.

Schlichting takes this shot from closer to midfield than she is to the goal, making it a 40-yard effort, if not more. There’s a lot that can go wrong when shooting from that far out. It’s easier to miss; the wind can guide it in a different direction, and the keeper has more time to make up ground.

Yet, that was not an issue for the striker, who found a way to hit it like a line drive rather than a chip. The end result is an amazing goal and a bright spot for San Diego this season.