Top 5 Women’s Soccer Goals: NWSL and Barclays FA WSL

This week has to be one of the more insane weeks in women’s soccer history with what went down. The NWSL had one of the best games you’ll ever see between Angel City and the Portland Thorns. The Champions League semifinals were as dramatic as ever. A Liberty A-League Champion was crowned, and Manchester United could actually dethrone Arsenal or Chelsea as champions in the FA WSL. Let’s get into the top women’s soccer goals across the NWSL and Barclays FA WSL. 

5. Bella Bixby – Portland Thorns

Backheel goal from the keeper at the last second to win the game 😱 #ThatsaW | @bellageist | @NWSL pic.twitter.com/ChknwuU39c

— espnW (@espnW) April 30, 2023

This game is the definition of an instant classic. That means no matter how many times you watch that game back, even the day after it happened, it will always be a classic game that will go down in NWSL history.

Julie Ertz just scored what seemed like the winning goal ten minutes earlier. The game was well into stoppage time, and a Paige Nielsen head injury forced the ref to add more time past the allotted five minutes.

That’s when this happened. DiDi Haracic seems to get hit in the sea of bodies and drops the ball, which leads Bella Bixby, the goalie, to score. A backheel into the net to tie the game with the last kick, and it came from the goalkeeper. It easily goes down as one of the craziest endings to a game in NWSL history and is actually the second goal scored by a keeper in league history. Definitely going down as one of our top women’s soccer goals of this year. 

4. Adriana Silva – Orlando Pride

BORA BORA @adrisilva_16 😈#PrideOrDie pic.twitter.com/is2BYiryYU

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) April 30, 2023

The new crop of Brazilians entering the NWSL has already had a tremendous impact on the league. We’ve seen Kerolin and Ary Borges score some incredible goals, and Adriana was the next Brazilian to do something amazing. This camera angle shows Adriana’s control, technique, and flair.

The slow-mo cameras break down Adriana’s first touch and what it does to Naomi Girma. For a split second, Girma moves her body to defend inside, and that’s the inch of daylight Adriana needed to score.

As soon as Adriana sees Girma make that adjustment, she cuts back and then fires it through Girma’s legs and into the net. This goal has a little of everything, but that Brazilian flair is the icing on the cake. 

3. Alyssa Thompson – Angel City

Speed. Alyssa Thompson IS speed 💨 pic.twitter.com/bTdUr3HoUr

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 30, 2023

If anyone is still hating on Alyssa Thompson or has any doubts about whether she can play at this level, just show them this goal. Outside of Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman, Thompson is the only player that can do this.

She made a great read, seeing that Kelli Hubly is going for the ball. Thompson knows right away that Hubly would never beat her in a foot race, which is why she just kicks the ball into space and then runs behind the entire Portland Thorns backline. The phenom is running so fast that even if Hubly wanted to stop her from cutting inside, she can’t because she’s at full speed and can’t adjust her body in time.

Bella Bixby will be upset with herself for getting beat on Thompson’s shot near post, but it all happened so fast that Portland barely had time to react. So if you haven’t tuned in to watch the teenage superstar, it’s time to get on it. 

2. Steph Houghton – Manchester City

Pure magic from @stephhoughton2 🙌#BarclaysWSL @ManCityWomen pic.twitter.com/lX9modIsLr

— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) May 1, 2023

Steph Houghton will become one of the best and most respected center-backs in women’s soccer history. How many center-backs do you know that also take free kicks for your team? That’s the quality and technique that Steph Houghton has.

The angle was set up for her to take the shot directly, and she made it look easy, like she’s done it a thousand times before. Most can get the ball over the wall, but it’s the ability to get the ball to dip back down after clearing the wall that’s the hard part. Houghton does that better than anyone, which can be seen here.

The ball comes down and has more than enough pace to beat the keeper as well. Don’t give Steph Houghton a free kick chance outside the box because, more often than not, she will make you pay. 

1. Savannah DeMelo – Racing Louisville

TAKE A BOW @Savannah_DeMelo 🤩 pic.twitter.com/kbKIPJBdUT

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 30, 2023

Last on our list of this week’s top women’s soccer goals is Savannah DeMelo. She had quite an eventful game against the OL Reign over the weekend. DeMelo picked up a red card in the second half on a questionable call.

However, before that, she would extend her team’s lead in spectacular fashion in the first half. The first thing that jumps out is the strength of Savannah DeMelo. The former USC star had to run back to chase down the ball and, almost like a fadeaway jumper, got her foot around the ball and fired it home.

How in the world did she generate that kind of power on a shot where she’s practically backing up? That’s what makes this goal special. Very few players can do that in the heat of the moment. One thing is for sure; Racing Louisville has its star of the future. 

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