KC Current star Temwa Chawinga added to one of the best individual runs in NWSL history this weekend, finding the back of the net for the 20th time to extend her single-season scoring record.
Even more, the 25-year-old Golden Boot leader set another league record in the process. With her Saturday goal in KC's 4-1 win over the San Diego Wave, Chawinga became the first NWSL player to score against all 13 opposing teams in one season.
Final two NWSL playoff spots still up for grabs
Ahead of this week's international break, Portland, Louisville, and Bay FC all struggled to secure playoff spots this weekend.
The seventh-place Thorns fell 1-0 to ninth-place Louisville on Saturday, with Racing midfielder Taylor Flint heading in the 88th-minute game-winner.
A few hours later, eighth-place Bay FC handed a 1-0 loss to fifth-place North Carolina. Center back Abby Dahlkemper's deflection off an 83rd-minute set piece ultimately allowed Bay to draw even with Portland in points on the NWSL table.
Additionally, Bay's victory snuffed out Utah, Angel City, and San Diego's hopes of a playoff berth, immediately eliminated the trio from contention.
With just one regular-season game to go, the NWSL's full postseason picture will come down to the wire as Portland, Bay, and Louisville will battle for the two remaining postseason berths when the NWSL returns on November 1st.
Gotham makes statement with win over Orlando
Though both defending NWSL champions Gotham FC and 2024 Shield-winners Orlando have had their postseason positions locked up for weeks, Sunday's match was still one for the books.
One week after logging their season's first loss, the Pride fell 3-1 to Gotham on Sunday. Unlike their lineup against Portland last week, Orlando included their top scorers Barbra Banda, Marta, and Adriana, as well as defender Emily Sams and midfielder Morgan Gautrat in Sunday's starting IX.
The Pride's lone goal came from Adriana's 31st-minute converted penalty, with the Gotham defense shutting down Orlando's usually overwhelming attack. Meanwhile, the Pride allowed three goals for the first time all season.
In the wake of back-to-back losses with the NWSL playoffs looming, Orlando boss Seb Hines noted that "at this period where whatever happens in the game, it doesn’t have any dividends on our position."
"We just have to get back to who we are and our identity," Hines continued. "We need to work extremely hard and not allow teams to work harder than us once we step onto that field... [The players] have got to know that they have a target on their back and everyone wants to continue to beat this team because of what they have showed all season long.”