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USATSI

The NWSL regular season is officially over and the postseason is rapidly approaching. The first-ever NWSL Decision Day gave everything to be desired, from blowouts, narrow wins, multigoal draws, new NWSL Shield winners, penalties, and even red cards. Decision Day set the bar high for next season when we might even get a crazier iteration what with 2024 seeing the edition of two more expansion sides entering the league. 

OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey has been in the league since its inception and had nothing but praise following the historic league event. 

"Last year, when we knew Portland had lost and we could win the Shield by winning? There's no doubt we played better. So do I think it gave us an advantage? Yeah, I do think it did. So today was interesting," Harvey said after her team's 3-0 win at the Chicago Red Stars locked up their playoff spot. 

"But I think it's the way it should be. You know whether we love it or hate it. I actually think that is the way it should be. Because someone else's results shouldn't impact how you approach the game. Everyone should approach it the same way. So, I do agree that it should be how it was done today."

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OL Reign are the fourth seed after their Decision Day win. They will host a quarterfinal against Angel City FC on Friday and third-seeded North Carolina Courage will host NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday. The playoff picture needed Decision Day to finalize the postseason, crown the Sheild winners, and determine the Golden Boot winner.

Let's take a look at the official playoff teams and their peak moments of chaos during Decision Day:

6. NJ/NY Gotham FC

Ali Krieger's goal-line save wasn't just a moment of defensive skill, it was ultimately a playoff-saving difference maker. The Current were building momentum after nabbing a goal back to make the match 2-1, and without Krieger's clearance, the eventual own-goal equalizer by Jenna Nighswonger may have been catastrophic for the East Coast side.

All is well that ends well, and Kriegers' clearance helped keep Gotham alive in what was ultimately a 2-2 draw, good enough for the sixth and final playoff spot. 

5. Angel City FC

Heading into Decision Day the Los Angeles side needed a win, possibly some help with other losses, and to make up goal differential to leap into the playoff half of the table. All of those things happened, and Angel City kept up their part of the bargain, scoring five goals to help launch them into fifth place, after starting the day in eighth. The 5-1 win included a consolation goal by Portland, which meant Sydney Leroux's outrageous bicycle kick to make things 4-0 in the 51st minute provided enough insurance for Angel City over other bubble teams in the hunt.

Check out Leroux bike it here:

4. OL Reign

Megan Rapinoe and OL Reign held onto the sixth and final playoff spot ahead of Decision Day. Despite the Reign carrying the attacking opportunities in the first half, the end product was missing, but that all changed after halftime. Rapinoe needed just three minutes to change the fate for the Reign and scored a brace early in the opening minutes clinching a seventh playoff appearance for the franchise.

Earlier this year, the USWNT superstar and two-time World Cup winner announced she would retire after her club season. Now, since the win pushed them up to fourth place, she'll get one more game back at home in front of Seattle's fans.

3. North Carolina Courage

There may not been another game that had more chaotic moments in it than the Courage's 1-0 win against Washington Spirit. It's the type of game that fans will remember for years, and could become a permanent fixture in the lore of these two clubs. There were just so many what-ifs. What if that red card to Trinity Rodman hadn't been issued? What if North Carolina's goal minutes later was ruled offside? The answer will shift depending on perspective, but the final result remains, Courage advanced and the Spirit's loss alongside other results mean the Spirit are out of the playoffs.

Trinity Rodman, arguably the Spirit's best player this season, was on the receiving end of heavy contact -- and with no call -- reacted and committed a foul on North Carolina's team captain Denise O'Sullivan. After VAR review, the initial yellow card was upgraded to a red, and Washington was down to ten players before the half-hour mark. 

Immediately following the ejection, the Courage quickly capitalized on the advantage with a goal by Tyler Lussi. However, the debate on whether or not it was offside will linger in NWSL Decision Day history.

Take a look at the sequence and judge for yourselves:

2. Portland Thorns FC

The Thorns let the shield slip out of their fingers for a second consecutive season and that alone is its own level of chaos. A complete, 5-1, blowout loss isn't quite what a team wants to see as they turn their attention to the postseason. But in any dark moment, there is always a bit of light, and Sophia Smith making a careful comeback from an MCL sprain only to win the Golden Boot anyway is exactly that.

Smith made her return post-World Cup in late August, scored a game-winner and 11th goal of the season, and suffered the knee injury the following week. She's made a careful and quiet return, played a half hour during Decision Day, and recorded an assist on Portland's lone goal. 

Portland's early playoff clinch means a direct bye to the semifinals in early November. That means extra time for Smith to build endurance ahead of such a big knockout game. She's a player who can make things happen just by being on the pitch, and that's a lethal weapon for the Thorns ahead of playoffs.

1. San Diego Wave FC

Winning the NWSL Shield in your second year of existence is already a wild concept. Doing it on Decision Day is just a different level of chaos. Alex Morgan is back, Jaedyn Shaw is here to stay, and the duo is clicking right when it matters the most.

Morgan had a rough summer, going goalless for San Diego since June, but is connecting in front of goal right when it matters the most. Shaw has been second behind Morgan in offensive production, the two of them providing 13 goals nearly split between them. The pair combined for the opening goal against Louisville on their way to a 2-0 victory and a 2023 NWSL Shield win.

Take a look at the definitive Shield-winning goal: 

What's next

The NWSL Playoffs are right around the corner and the quarterfinal round will begin on Friday. Angel City FC and OL Reign will square off first, followed by NJ/NY Gotham FC against North Carolina Courage on Sunday. There will be a brief break ahead of the NWSL semifinals, set for Nov. 5, each match hosted by Portland and San Diego where they meet the quarterfinal winners. The NWSL Championship will conclude the 2023 playoffs on Nov. 11.