Challenge Cup In Review: The Final Stretch
After the memorable saves and iconic upsets of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, fans affectionately began referring to it as the “Chaos Cup,” a nod to its unpredictable nature. A year later, with a revamped format, the tournament shows no signs of predictability.
The group stage provided us with several enticing matchups. NC Courage and Gotham FC faced off and gave us a 7-goal game, which was won in stoppage time by Gotham’s Evelyn Viens, signaling that Gotham FC was the real deal. OL Reign mounted a fierce comeback against Kansas City, proving that their healthy mix of experience and youth could be a recipe for success in the regular season. The final group stage game, which saw eventual champions Portland Thorns and reigning champions Houston Dash battle it out to a 1-1 draw, kept us on our toes, wondering if one of these powerhouses would snap.
That led us to the final, which saw the juggernaut Portland Thorns against Gotham FC, with a “new brand, new team” attitude. An early goal from Thorns legend Christine Sinclair might have signaled a rough game ahead for Gotham, but they held their ground. Despite several attempts that couldn’t find the back of the net, Gotham captain Carli Lloyd equalized, bringing the young team back into the match. Portland almost (and should’ve) stolen the game in the 72nd, but Gotham’s Mandy Freeman came up with an epic goal-line clearance to send the game to penalties. Tied through 5 rounds of PKs, former USWNT goalkeeper Adrianna Franch came up with a huge save against Japanese international Nahomi Kawasumi, which gave Morgan Weaver the opportunity to clinch it for Portland. Slotting it past DiDi Haracic, Weaver sent Providence Park into a frenzy, and Portland lifted yet another trophy in its short but illustrious NWSL history.
The tournament gave us more than just a nailbiter in the final. We learned that the Spirit’s Trinity Rodman is legit and will become a huge asset for the team moving forward. Chicago had opportunities to test out various lineups to find its true strikers, which is what the team has notably lacked since Sam Kerr’s departure. Kansas City and Racing Louisville had some strikes of brilliance and have learned their weaknesses heading into the extended regular season.
Speaking of the regular season, the “Chaos Cup” left us with many more questions than we had to go into 2021. What teams will work out their weaknesses and elevate themselves to championship quality? What teams will regress? Who has the best bench, and will it come up when it’s needed most? These questions will bide us over until the start of the NWSL regular season. But, if there’s one thing we learned for sure, it’s that in 2021, all eyes are on the NWSL.
