This 2021 NWSL season, beyond all the off-field turmoil, has been one of the more wide-open in league history, with the recently dominant North Carolina Courage taking a step back and a number of teams rounding into form in time for the playoffs.
The league’s expanded postseason, which featured six of its 10 teams making the cut, debuted last weekend, with the No. 4 seed Chicago Red Stars knocking off No. 5 Gotham FC and the No. 3 seed Washington Spirit edging No. 6 North Carolina in extra time. Chicago now travels to Portland to take on the Thorns, while Washington heads to Tacoma to meet the OL Reign.