NWSL Recap: Oshoala’s Penalty Kick Lifts Bay FC, Courage and Thorns Secure Victories

Bay FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville FC, thanks to a penalty kick goal by Asisat Oshoala in the 76th minute. This win marked Bay FC’s first back-to-back victories of the season, a significant achievement for the expansion team.

Oshoala, who had been struggling to find the back of the net in recent matches, broke her goal drought with a perfectly placed penalty kick that left Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund with no chance. The penalty was awarded after a foul by Louisville’s Jordan Baggett in the penalty area, who was subsequently shown a yellow card.

Goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland played a crucial role in securing the win for Bay FC, making a key save to preserve the clean sheet. The victory lifted Bay FC to 18 points for the season.

In other NWSL action, North Carolina edged out Washington 1-0, with Ashley Sanchez scoring the lone goal of the match in the 19th minute. The Courage extended their unbeaten streak to three matches, while Washington saw their six-match unbeaten run come to an end despite a dominant performance in terms of total shot attempts.

Meanwhile, Portland and Utah played out a scoreless draw, with both teams struggling to find the back of the net. Utah, the lowest-scoring team in the NWSL, was kept at bay by Portland’s goalkeeper Shelby Hogan, who made six saves to earn the clean sheet.

Overall, it was an action-packed day in the NWSL, with Bay FC’s historic win, North Carolina’s impressive victory, and the goalless draw between Portland and Utah providing plenty of excitement for fans.