NWSL Second Half: Three Things to See Including Portland Thorns’ Shield Tracking

The Olympic Games are over and the NWSL regular season is halfway past week 12. All 10 teams have played at least 12 games in their 24-game season, with Portland Thorns FC currently topping the league table. As the second half of the season kicks off this weekend and more players return from their internationals, let’s take a look at three storylines to keep an eye on as the season progresses. You can catch live NWSL action all season long on Paramount +.

1. Will Portland win the shield?

Before the Tokyo Games, the Portland Thorns bid farewell to several key Olympics players. The US internationals Becky Sauerbrunn, Adrianna Franch, Lindsey Horan, Crystal Dunn and the Canadian internationals Christine Sinclair have not been on the team since July and all five internationals start in caliber XI for the Thorns.

The Thorns remained undefeated in six games across the Olympic portion of the schedule, building their first-place score. Here’s a look at the top half of the NWSL rating:

The depth of the Thorns over the past few weeks not only helped Portland recapture first place, but also added to the club’s leadership in that position. The Thorns are seven points behind second place and nine points ahead of sixth place OL Reign.

As their Olympic medalists slowly return to the club, head coach Mark Parsons and his squad have put themselves in a strong position to battle for the NWSL shield (awarded to the team with the best regular season record).

Would you like to report more about women’s football? Listen below and follow Attacking Third, a CBS soccer podcast that has everything you need to know about the NWSL and around the world.

2. Did OL Reign figure things out just in time?

After OL Reign struggled to find consistent form in the first half of the season, OL Reign finished his Olympic portion of the schedule with a three-game winning streak and advanced to sixth place.

The club parted ways with former head coach Farid Benstiti after a string of disappointing results and a non-won victory after joining OL Reign with Olympique Lyon stars Sarah Bouhaddi, Dzenifer Marosan and Eugenie Le Sommer.

Longtime assistant Sam Laity took over as interim head coach, and the squad began to find their form a little when Jess Fishlock, Marosan and Sofia Huerta became key players in midfield. Striker Bethany Balcer was in top form and led the team through the first half of the season with six goals. In addition to the return of American stars Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle from the Olympics, the team will also welcome the arrival of head coach Laura Harvey.

OL Reign announced that Harvey would return to the Reign as head coach after the Olympics are over, having finished her time serving on the US soccer team for the women’s national team.

3. Will Orlando keep the playoff pace?

Orlando Pride struggled throughout the Olympic portion of the game, falling back on the table and seeing the departure of head coach Marc Skinner to Manchester United. The club saw a six-game streak between the coaches without a win, eventually naming Becky Burleigh, head coach of the University of Florida, as interim head coach before snapping up their skid with a win over Chicago Red Stars.

Veterans have described Burleigh’s arrival as refreshing and an important step for the club on its way to the playoffs in the next half of the regular season. The team has welcomed the return of the Olympians with Brazilian icon Marta and New Zealand defender Ali Riley. USWNT striker Alex Morgan’s return has been postponed as she sustained an injury during the bronze medal game and USWNT players are not expected to return to club markets immediately after international tournaments. Reserve goalkeeper and Canadian gold medalist Erin McLeod will also join the team at a later date.

The added experience of the Olympians will undoubtedly add to the pride and the club currently have the league’s top scorer in striker Sydney Leroux. Leroux has scored seven goals in 13 games this regular season.

After an impressive run of seven unbeaten games early in the season, Pride also overcame various injuries as it dropped from first to seventh place during the Olympic course. Their most recent win against Chicago put them back in the top four, and with Burleigh continuing to challenge younger players in Taylor Kornieck and Courtney Petersen, the team could put pressure to stay in playoffs.