Time is running out in the NWSL Playoff race, and Wednesday night was one giant tick of the clock. 3rd through 8th are separated by 7 points; 3rd through 6th by just 5. With so little of the season left, and so little separating teams from the postseason, a dropped point or two is a matter of postseason life or death.
That is why the Western New York Flash’s draw against the Washington Spirit was so debilitating. It leaves them 6 points out of the top four with just 3 games left. With the Seattle Reign clinching their spot in the post season, there are only 3 spots left up for grabs, and two of the teams currently occupying those have a game in hand over the Flash. The draw was an improvement over a patch of 4 games that saw them secure only 3 points, but for all it might have done for team moral it has undone with the reality it has left behind. Far too much has to happen for them to make up those 6 points, and I don’t even see the Flash doing their part with a difficult home-and-home against 2nd place Chicago lying in wait.
Chicago, for its part, also failed to impress this week, but they are hardly worse off for it. A luxury that it has earned by fighting its way into second place. Their draw against Sky Blue FC was a continuation of a trend of above average play that, after a hot start to the season, has maintained their place near the top of the table. They are 3-3-1 since losing to the Flash back on June 6th.
Aside from Kansas City’s 3-0 thumping of the Portland Thorns, the Seattle Reign put forth the best performance of the week. They knew that they could clinch a postseason berth with 4 games to spare with a win, and they played like it as they came back from two goals down. You can check out the full game here.
Meanwhile the Portland Thorns lost at the absolute worst possible time after getting a massive 2-1 win over Chicago, and a 5-2 destruction of the bottom feeding Boston Breakers. Their loss against Kansas City was not just ill timed either. Kansas is in 3rd, tied on points with 4th place Washinton, and ahead of 5th place Portland; beating Kansas would have given Portland a lot more breathing room than it has now. Calling Portland desperate right now is an exaggeration, but not by that much.
Speaking of desperate, the Houston Dash. They are 5 points outside the playoff bubble and are about to play against a team that has already clinched a playoff spot, a team that could clinch one very soon, and a team in last place, meaning that wins don’t affect their chances as much as they would like, considering where they currently sit. In fact, they could win all three games and it wouldn't be unlikely to see them all sitting on their couches come September 13th.
Apart from a huge Portland vs Washington game on the 30th of this month (which will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1) it’s hard to see the top four changing. One of Chicago, Kansas City, or Washington could trip up and find itself out of the playoffs, but it just seems like it would take a breakdown of tragic, almost comical proportions for that to happen.
No matter what happens, make sure you tune into the NWSL semifinals on September 13th on Fox Sports 1.
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