The 2018 NWSL Championship was the sixth edition of the NWSL Championship, the championship match of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and took place on September 22, 2018. In a rematch of the 2017 NWSL Championship, the North Carolina Courage became the first NWSL Shield holders to complete the league double, winning 3–0 against defending champions Portland Thorns FC. The match was played at Portland's home field Providence Park.
Road to the final North Carolina Courage
After coming short of the league double in the 2017 NWSL Championship, the North Carolina Courage repeated as NWSL Shield champions in the 2018 season with the best record in the league, with just one loss all year. NWSL Defender of the Year Abby Erceg and returning NWSL Defender of the Year Abby Dahlkemper guided a defense that conceded the fewest goals in the league. McCall Zerboni and Crystal Dunn were also named in the NWSL Best XI, and NWSL Golden Boot runner-up Lynn Williams led the league's highest-scoring offense. In the playoff semifinals, the Courage won 2–0 over the fourth seed Chicago Red Stars, with goals scored by Jessica McDonald and Sam Mewis, to reach the franchise's third consecutive NWSL final.
Portland Thorns FC
After winning the 2017 NWSL Championship, Portland Thorns FC placed second in the 2018 regular-season standings. They were led by NWSL Most Valuable Player Lindsey Horan, the league's third-highest scorer, along with fellow NWSL Best XI honorees Tobin Heath, Emily Sonnett, and repeating NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Adrianna Franch. In the playoff semifinals—the first Cascadia rivalry playoff game—the Thorns won 2–1 against the third seed Seattle Reign FC, with goals from Heath and Horan, to reach their second consecutive NWSL final.
Match
Details
GK 99 Katelyn RowlandLB 15 Jaelene HinkleCB 6 Abby Erceg (c)CB 13 Abby DahlkemperRB 11 Merritt MathiasMF 10 Debinha MF 8 Denise O'Sullivan MF 5 Sam MewisMF 19 Crystal Dunn FW 9 Lynn WilliamsFW 14 Jessica McDonald Substitutes:GK 1 Sabrina D'AngeloFW 23 Kristen Hamilton FW 21 Darian Jenkins DF 31 Kaleigh KurtzMF 17 Heather O'Reilly MF 16 Cari RoccaroMF 25 Meredith SpeckManager: Paul Riley GK 24 Adrianna FranchLB 25 Meghan KlingenbergCB 4 Emily MengesCB 16 Emily SonnettLB 15 Ellie Carpenter DM 30 Celeste BoureilleDM 10 Lindsey HoranAM 17 Tobin HeathAM 12 Christine Sinclair (c)AM 7 Ana-Maria Crnogorčević FW 9 Caitlin FoordSubstitutes:GK 33 Britt EckerstromDF 27 Elizabeth BallMF 8 Andressinha FW 34 Tyler LussiFW 22 Ifeoma OnumonuFW 23 Midge Purce FW 26 Mallory WeberManager: Mark Parsons
NWSL Championship Most Valuable Player: Jessica McDonald
Assistant referees: Brooke Mayo (United States) Adrienne McDonald (United States) Fourth official: Karen Abt (United States)Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shootout if scores still level. Maximum of three substitutions.
References