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NWSL Championship 2021 betting guide: Odds, picks for the final game

Washington Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan (Daniel Bartel/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

We have finally arrived at the NWSL final, where two somewhat unlikely finalists will meet to crown a new league champion. The Chicago Red Stars and the Washington Spirit face off Saturday at Louisville’s Lynn Family Stadium in a game that isn’t quite easy to preview, let alone predict.

Before you place your bets on the championship game, let’s look at the keys to the matchup and how they could play into the final result.

The road so far

The Red Stars and the Spirit play very different styles of soccer, with unique sets of tools at their disposal. Chicago had a lackluster start to the season that included heavy defeats and doubts about their performances, both in the attack and on defense. But even after losing Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz to season-ending injuries, they figured out their team identity and started to string together more wins.

Chicago defends narrowly with a compact core. Gotham FC and the Portland Thorns, the two teams they’ve beaten so far in playoffs, were forced to play the ball wide and deliver crosses into the box from outside. The Red Stars took them out of their comfort zones and capitalized on it, upsetting both teams to advance to the final.

Washington has faced different kinds of problems throughout the season, most notably off the field with their coaching staff and front office. On the pitch, they stuck to a system of play that stemmed from organized defense. Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnett held down the backline, Aubrey Bledsoe won NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year for her play in net, Andi Sullivan guided the midfield and Ashley Hatch, Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez spearheaded a fast and crafty attack.

Washington has also had a knack for winning games late. Of all six teams that qualified for the NWSL playoffs, the Spirit scored the most goals in the final 15 minutes of games and scored the most on counter-attacks, recording seven in each category.

What to expect

It might sound simple, but whichever group of midfielders has more possession of the ball and disrupts the flow of play will have the upper hand in this match. If Morgan Gautrat, Sarah Woldmoe and the rest of the Red Stars’ midfielders can press effectively in the middle of the park and deliver clean passes to Mallory Pugh (cleared to play Friday after missing the semifinal due to COVID-19 protocol), Chicago can wear Washington down.

Chicago’s defense has to be rock solid, since Washington’s speedy strikers will jump on any mistake. Washington’s front three resemble Portland’s with their pace and willingness to go 1v1. After shutting out the top-ranked Thorns last weekend, the Red Stars should look to play a similar style of defense on Saturday.

On the other side, if Washington’s midfield can do the same with Sullivan and Dorian Bailey, by exploiting gaps and lapses of concentration by the Chicago defense, Washington has a better chance of controlling the game. Look for the midfielders to set the tempo and pace of the game from the opening whistle.

It’s also worth noting that the Spirit have played more minutes than the Red Stars in the past two weeks after going into overtime with the North Carolina Courage in the quarterfinals. How well interim head coach Kris Ward sets up the rotation and times his substitutions will be a difference-maker for Washington.

Set pieces can also make or break this game. Chicago has scored six times on set pieces, more than any other team in the league. Washington has conceded four, making up almost a quarter of the goals they’ve given up all season.

Betting lines: What to bet?

The slight favorites for the sportsbooks are the Washington Spirit, as the higher seed in the playoffs and the team with more players who received national recognition this year, from Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch to Rookie of the Year Trinity Rodman to Goalkeeper of the Year Aubrey Bledsoe. If you think the Spirit will win by the end of regulation time, DraftKings has the best line for you at +170. If your faith and money are with the Red Stars, who return Pugh and Kayla Sharples from COVID-19 protocol on Saturday, DraftKings offers the best line at +185.

As you can see, there’s not a lot separating these teams, but what caught my attention is the line for the draw. Given the possibility of the game going into extra time, it might be tempting to place your money on it. DraftKings has a good line at +210, but PointsBet has a slightly better one at +215. I think it’s worth considering for bettors.

Unibet, BetRivers, SugarHouse and Caesars also offer the opportunity to bet on the championship game. The lines are not as advantageous as the ones mentioned above, but maybe one not tied to the result will catch your eye.

Antonio Maza is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering NWSL betting. He also contributes to Bet Her. Follow him on Twitter @NwslAnalitica.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with the team. 

Angel City coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL. Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on. Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league. WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

USC’s Aaliyah Gayles Opens Up About Her Journey Back to Basketball

USC Basketball - Aaliyah Gayles

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate Aaliyah Gayles. Here are five things to know from our conversation with the redshirt freshman guard from Las Vegas.

#1 Aaliyah suffered from a near-death act of violence in 2022.

The incident taught her a lot about herself and the support around her. “[USC] Coach Lindsay [Gottlieb] was one of the first people to fly out there and come see me. That means a lot to me off the court.” 

#2 Her favorite USC memory is when she surprised her teammates after getting out of the hospital.

She left her walker at the door to show she was on the road to returning to the court. “That was my favorite memory because it was family. It was my first time being able to walk to you guys and see you practice.”

#3 There's a reason she wears #3.

#3 was her grandpa’s favorite number and a golden number in her life. Plus, AG3 has a nice ring to it. 

#4 She has a list of basketball GOAT’s:

Candace Parker, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Cason Wallace.

#5 There have been many celebrity appearances at USC’s games over the years, especially this season.

Aaliyah’s favorites include Will Ferrell, Kehlani, and Saweetie. And she hopes Lil Durk will come to watch a game soon.

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

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