The NWSL promises a tense mid-table battle this weekend, as the No. 4 Portland Thorns take on the No. 5 San Diego Wave with both teams looking to keep late-season lags at bay.
After strong starts, the Thorns and Wave each have just one win in their last five games, with San Diego aiming to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to Gotham last weekend.
Even more, both clubs currently sit in a four-way tie for points on the NWSL table, giving Saturday's match extra weight in potentially shifting the standings this weekend.
"It's a really important moment for us as a team," said San Diego head coach Jonas Eidevall. "Because adversity will happen to people or teams at various points, and everything about now is how we respond."
Portland will also look to regain ground, perhaps drawing inspiration from the past after announcing Wednesday that the club plans to retire legendary forward Christine Sinclair's jersey in an October 4th ceremony.
Sinclair established herself as the Portland Thorns' all-time leading scorer, retiring last year with 79 goals across all NWSL competitions — the second-most ever scored by an NWSL player.
How to watch the Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave
The No. 4 Portland Thorns will host the No. 5 San Diego Wave at 10 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage of the NWSL match airing on ION.
The 2025 NWSL regular season returned this past weekend after a month-long international break, and the San Diego Wave are already ahead of schedule.
Because after a tumultuous end to 2024 followed by offseason roster and front office shakeups, the club has so far exceeded the soccer world's — and possibly even their own — expectations.
San Diego entered the second half of the year in third place in the NWSL standings, having lost only one of their last nine games before play suspended in late June. Along the way, the club produced a legitimate 2025 MVP candidate in forward Delphine Cascarino while also leaning hard into the league's youth movement, becoming the first NWSL club to start three 17-year-olds in the same match.
But as the second season starts to rev up, there are still lingering questions about the team's ability to create consistency on the pitch — not to mention the club's big picture plans.
The Wave know they don't have everything figured out just yet. But it's safe to say the light at the end of the tunnel showed up far sooner on the field than expected for a young team riding out a game-changing season.
Veteran Kailen Sheridan sees San Diego start anew
At the end of 2024, all San Diego Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan wanted was a break from soccer.
A member of the Wave since their inaugural 2022 season, Sheridan saw her team abruptly plummet down the NWSL table after winning the shield in 2023, failing to make the playoffs for the first time in club history.
And the trouble wasn't contained to the field. Amid the skid, the Wave parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney, dealt with allegations of front office toxicity† linked to club president Jill Ellis, and saw USWNT legend and founding Wave star Alex Morgan's surprise retirement.
"I remember at the end of last season being kind of bombarded with everything, and not sure how we were moving forward," Sheridan told Just Women's Sports. "I want to be the best version of myself on the field and off the field. The people who were left felt that as well, and we needed some time away."
After a disappointing finish, San Diego saw further roster shifts dominate the offseason headlines. USWNT defender Naomi Girma transferred to WSL side Chelsea for a then-record transfer fee, while star-in-the-making Jaedyn Shaw requested a trade to the North Carolina Courage. Change appeared to be chasing the Wave whether the club's remaining players were ready or not.
"Honestly, it was a really rough couple of weeks," Sheridan continued. "But once we got out, we could turn our focus onto what this year could look like, how we could have a really strong year but also focus on our growth."
The growing pains hurt. But as more changes brought a shift in leadership and perspective, a blank slate also began to emerge. The team entered 2025 under new ownership. Ellis left for a role at FIFA while former Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall took over as head coach, setting a fresh tone across the franchise.
"For me, it was coming in with less expectation," said Sheridan. "More just being ready to work and put in the effort to create a new culture."
Young Wave star Trinity Armstrong takes a leap of faith
After winning a national championship in her first season with UNC, then-17-year-old Trinity Armstrong was looking for a challenge.
She decided to turn professional in 2025. She then entered the NWSL under the U18 mechanism — a legal process that allows underage players to pick their pro teams. The wide-open nature of San Diego's rebuild spoke to her.
"It felt like the best environment for me. To not only try and earn a spot, but then be a consistent starter," she told JWS. After Girma's transfer, the team needed a new cornerstone center-back. Armstrong felt emboldened by conversations with Eidevall about the team’s developing defensive identity.
Armstrong was keenly aware of the legacy left by departed Wave superstars like Alex Morgan and Abby Dahlkemper. She liked the idea of adding to that history while also making her own mark as her star grew.
"It felt like they had their own successes in the past. But from what I was hearing coming in, it was basically a brand new team," she continued. "I was very excited to be a part of that young group to rebrand ourselves and push forward."
In January, Armstrong signed a three-year deal with the Wave. And she already has 11 starts under her belt this season. She's particularly effective in possession, completing nearly 90% of her passes with the ability to cut through lines to spring play forward.
Teen Wave stars write a new chapter
Armstrong became a key component to the Wave's rebuild. She joined fellow teen talents Melanie Barcenas and Kimmy Ascanio playing Eidevall's preferred style of purposeful possession. In Eidevall's game plan, San Diego holds the lion's share of the ball, executing plays at a tempo that sets defenses on their heels.
The Wave relied on established internationals like Sheridan and Cascarino to propel them forward with consistency. But transitioning to quickly developing the team's youngsters also sets the club up for years to come.
"We were unsure of how they would gel at such a young age. And honestly, they've blown all of us away," Sheridan said of her new teammates. "We've been really impressed with their mentality — and their desire."
The respect is mutual. Armstrong credits Sheridan with helping her adjust while adopting the same emphasis on growth that's become the team's calling card.
"Kailen, coming in, she's been such a great mentor to me," Armstrong said. "She's been super encouraging. I can only speak good things about her."
San Diego finds its footing on the pitch
It's easy enough for confidence-building and good vibes to carry a team through preseason training. But once the regular-season whistle blew, both veterans and newcomers were happily surprised at how quickly they were able to produce.
"It was just so beautiful to see us connecting, seeing our midfield and our forward line have these great combinations and getting really good goals off of them," said Armstrong. "This could really be something that pushes us all the way to the championship."
"I honestly wasn't 100% confident in how successful we would be putting it all together right away," Sheridan recalled. "It's great to see that we've been able to get through those first couple hurdles of gelling and creating chemistry. We'll still hit a bunch of bumps going forward, but ultimately, I was confident in the individual talent."
Much of the credit goes to the homegrown focus Eidevall imparted on his new squad within his first few weeks.
"The drive was, how do I make each player better?" Sheridan said of her coach's approach. "That was humongous for us."
Eidevall made headlines during his time at Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups but could never seriously endanger Chelsea FC's dominant run. When the 42-year-old crossed over to the NWSL after mutually parting ways with the WSL last October, he arrived with a bottom-up perspective.
His players have responded in kind.
"The mindset to want to grow, to want to develop, that's been great from the players and from the staff," he recently told reporters. "The commitment to the team and to the group, that's such an important aspect. And you can see that these players create something special between them."
Anchors of the central defense, Sheridan and Armstrong both enjoy playing technical football. They like the ball at their feet, connecting out of the back to set up the dynamic midfield, and setting their frontline free.
With half a season to go, San Diego has already scored more goals than they did in the entire 2024 season. It resulted in the third-best goal differential in the NWSL standings.
"It's a very tight team," added Eidevall. "We see that when players are coming on from the bench. We see how the bench and the starting XI interact. And that's very important because at the end of the day, this is team sport."
Marching into the NWSL season's back half
July's break allowed players across the league the opportunity to reset. Armstrong spent her days caring for her rescue pit bull mix Mochi — adopted a few months ago from the local Humane Society — going on hikes and taking trips to the beach. She also celebrated her 18th birthday, graduating from the separate U18 locker room shared with Barcenas and Ascanio to join the rest of the team.
But while the Wave's turnaround looks to be in full swing, the real tests might still lie ahead. No longer a surprise, their opponents can now review tape on the team's first-half successes. They're able to better counter San Diego's new form.
On Saturday, the Wave restarted their 2025 campaign with another positive result, though one tempered with missed opportunities. Despite both out-possessing and generating more attack than the North Carolina Courage, San Diego settled for a scoreless draw. The outcome pointed to a strong performance from the defense, while also showcasing yet another opportunity for growth.
Sheridan doesn't appear to be too rattled. Returning refreshed, she's confident in her team's ability to recapture the continuity they so fluidly created at the beginning of the season. Just so long as they stick together.
"We've started with a mindset of 'Okay, we're back at zero,'" Sheridan said. "How do we want this to look, and how do we want to go forward from here?"
†An October 2024 lawsuit filed by five former club employees alleging the Wave of workplace misconduct remains active and unresolved.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the 2025 resurgence of the San Diego Wave, a team currently sitting in third on the NWSL table following a disastrous 2024 season.
First, Watkins chats through the Wave's 2024 on- and off-pitch losses, from the abrupt firing of head coach Casey Stoney to the midseason retirement of superstar Alex Morgan to the transfers of franchise players Abby Dahlkemper and Naomi Girma — moves that left the 2023 Shield-winners below the 2024 postseason cutoff line.
Given the 2024 upheaval, "San Diego was set up to surprise," says Watkins. "They not only look better this year than they did last year, but right now they look better than a lot of the other teams in the league despite that talent loss."
There are two reasons for the Wave's 2025 rise, argues Watkins, starting with roster construction. San Diego has a bevy of young talent, including 17-year-olds Kimmi Ascanio, Trinity Armstrong, and Melanie Barcenas, as well as notable NCAA signings in Quincy McMahon and Trinity Byars — proving the Wave is flourishing in the NWSL's post-draft era.
"This is the new era of NWSL where teams, if they can sell young players on the future, they don't have to give up assets to sign those players," explains Watkins. "The best pitch wins. And San Diego, for all of their troubles last year, seems to still have a pretty compelling pitch to get these players to sign for them."
Along with the ability to identify and sign top young talent, explains Watkins, the Wave is also putting together a fast, creative style of play that is allowing San Diego to dominate possession and snag wins.
Could San Diego be in its "dynasty build" era?
Looking forward, while San Diego is clearly on the upswing, Watkins outlines the possible final components the club still needs to push them to the top of the league.
Noting that a young core is likely to struggle with consistency, Watkins says that some midseason pickups to either "let that offense go supernova or [to secure] a veteran stabilizing midfield force would be really useful for them."
Ultimately, Watkins questions San Diego's future in the context of the club's 2024 exodus and 2025 success, asking "Is this a setup for a five-year dynasty build, or is this a team that is always going to be stuck in this cycle of strong talent ID, good development —but then those players move on?"
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.
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The 2025 NWSL season saw parity take center-pitch over the weekend, flipping the script yet again as the league's top teams hunted redemption — but came away winless.
Despite still sitting at No. 1 in the NWSL standings, the Kansas City Current find themselves on a two-game losing streak after falling to No. 7 Seattle on Friday, suffering the 1-0 stumble thanks to star Lynn Biyendolo's first goal in a Reign shirt.
More upsets followed, with the now-No. 6 Washington Spirit falling 4-3 to No. 8 Angel City on Friday before No. 5 Portland handed No. 2 Orlando a 1-0 Saturday loss.
The lone Top 4 team entering the weekend to escape without a loss was No. 4 Gotham, who eked out a single point after playing the struggling last-place Chicago Stars to a 0-0 stalemate on Sunday.
As squads compete for a foothold in a league where any team can win any match, two California clubs are continuing to carve out their own 2025 success stories.
Under new head coach Jonas Eidevall, San Diego has rocketed up the NWSL table to No. 3 behind Sunday's 2-1 victory over No. 10 Bay FC — putting the Wave on a three-game winning streak.
Similarly, Angel City managed to snap a two-game losing streak with their Friday win over a skidding Washington — a match that saw USWNT vet Christen Press earn her first assist of the season while Gisele and Alyssa Thompson made NWSL history with the league's first-ever sister-to-sister goal.
Overall, the seventh matchday delivered on parity, with the 2025 NWSL season swapping the dominance of the few for week-to-week chaos — challenging every club to stay on their toes.
WSL side Manchester City parted ways with manager Gareth Taylor on Monday, just five days before the club faces table-leaders Chelsea in Saturday’s League Cup final — and nine days before they meet Chelsea once again in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
In his nearly five years at the helm, Taylor led Man City to an overall 117-15-29 record, picking up the 2020 FA Cup and 2022 League Cup along the way.
Taylor departs just one year into a three-year contract renewal with the club.
"Manchester City prides itself on competing at the top of the WSL and on its outstanding record of qualifying for European competition," said Man City managing director Charlotte O'Neill in a club statement. "Unfortunately, results this season have so far not reached this high standard."
Former City coach Nick Cushing — who led the team from 2013 to 2020 — will take over interim manager duties for the remainder of the season.
Taylor’s dismissal follows a number of big-name WSL coaching changes, with Arsenal’s Jonas Eidevall and Liverpool’s Matt Beard both exiting the league this season.
Eidevall has since taken over as head coach for the NWSL’s San Diego Wave.
Despite rumblings that Taylor could follow suit and fill the vacancy with the Wave’s SoCal rival Angel City, those rumors appear to be overblown.
Manchester City still in the hunt for non-WSL titles
Sitting 12 points behind Chelsea with just six matchdays left in their 2024/25 season, fourth-place Man City's WSL title hopes have dimmed. However, they remain very much in the running for the League Cup, FA Cup, and Champions League honors.
That said, the Citizens are staring down an unusually demanding gauntlet against one of the world’s top clubs this month.
After facing Chelsea in Saturday's League Cup final and next week's Champions League quarterfinals, City will again take on the Blues in a March 23rd regular-season matchup before wrapping up the pair's two-leg Champions League quarters on March 27th.
Ultimately, the pressure for top WSL teams to properly challenge Chelsea’s years-long dominance is mounting — and some coaches appear to be bearing the brunt of those ambitions.