2018 NWSL Championship

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2018 NWSL Championship
EventNWSL Championship
North Carolina Courage Portland Thorns FC
3 0
DateSeptember 22, 2018 (2018-09-22)
VenueProvidence Park, Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Most Valuable PlayerJessica McDonald
(North Carolina Courage)
RefereeGuido Gonzales Jr.
Attendance21,144
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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.[1][2]

Road to the final

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North Carolina Courage

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See also: 2018 North Carolina Courage season

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.[3] 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.[3] 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.[3] 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.[3]

Portland Thorns FC

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See also: 2018 Portland Thorns FC season

After winning the 2017 NWSL Championship, Portland Thorns FC placed second in the 2018 regular-season standings.[3] 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.[3] 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.[4]

Match

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Details

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North Carolina Courage3–0Portland Thorns FC
Debinha 13'
McDonald 40', 64'		 Report
Attendance: 21,144
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
North Carolina Courage
Portland Thorns FC
GK 99 United States Katelyn Rowland
LB 15 United States Jaelene Hinkle
CB 6 New Zealand Abby Erceg (c)
CB 13 United States Abby Dahlkemper
RB 11 United States Merritt Mathias
MF 10 Brazil Debinha downward-facing red arrow 78'
MF 8 Republic of Ireland Denise O'Sullivan Yellow card 42'
MF 5 United States Sam Mewis
MF 19 United States Crystal Dunn downward-facing red arrow 87'
FW 9 United States Lynn Williams
FW 14 United States Jessica McDonald Yellow card 65' downward-facing red arrow 90+1'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Canada Sabrina D'Angelo
FW 23 United States Kristen Hamilton upward-facing green arrow 78'
FW 21 United States Darian Jenkins upward-facing green arrow 90+1'
DF 31 United States Kaleigh Kurtz
MF 17 United States Heather O'Reilly upward-facing green arrow 87'
MF 16 United States Cari Roccaro
MF 25 United States Meredith Speck
Manager:
England Paul Riley
GK 24 United States Adrianna Franch
LB 25 United States Meghan Klingenberg
CB 4 United States Emily Menges
CB 16 United States Emily Sonnett
LB 15 Australia Ellie Carpenter downward-facing red arrow 90+3'
DM 30 United States Celeste Boureille
DM 10 United States Lindsey Horan
AM 17 United States Tobin Heath
AM 12 Canada Christine Sinclair (c)
AM 7 Switzerland Ana-Maria Crnogorčević downward-facing red arrow 68'
FW 9 Australia Caitlin Foord
Substitutes:
GK 33 United States Britt Eckerstrom
DF 27 United States Elizabeth Ball
MF 8 Brazil Andressinha upward-facing green arrow 68'
FW 34 United States Tyler Lussi
FW 22 United States Ifeoma Onumonu
FW 23 United States Midge Purce upward-facing green arrow 90+3'
FW 26 United States Mallory Weber
Manager:
England Mark Parsons

NWSL Championship Most Valuable Player:
United States Jessica McDonald

Assistant referees:
Brooke Mayo (United States)
Adrienne McDonald (United States)
Fourth official:
Karen Abt (United States)

Match rules

References

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  1. ^ "Courage cap off record-setting season with NWSL Championship win". National Women's Soccer League. September 22, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  2. ^ Theivam, Kieran (September 22, 2018). "Jess McDonald's remarkable journey continues with NWSL Championship MVP award". The Equalizer. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "2018 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Murray, Caitlin (September 16, 2018). "Portland Thorns reach NWSL final again, best rivals Seattle Reign in wild match". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 19, 2025.