2018 NWSL Championship
| Event | NWSL Championship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | September 22, 2018 | ||||||
| Venue | Providence Park, Portland, Oregon, U.S. | ||||||
| Most Valuable Player | Jessica McDonald (North Carolina Courage) | ||||||
| Referee | Guido Gonzales Jr. | ||||||
| Attendance | 21,144 | ||||||
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
North Carolina Courage
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
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
Details
| North Carolina Courage | 3–0 | Portland Thorns FC |
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| Debinha 13' McDonald 40', 64' |
Report |
North Carolina Courage
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Portland Thorns FC
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NWSL Championship Most Valuable Player:
Assistant referees:
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Match rules
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References
- ^ "Courage cap off record-setting season with NWSL Championship win". National Women's Soccer League. September 22, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
- ^ Theivam, Kieran (September 22, 2018). "Jess McDonald's remarkable journey continues with NWSL Championship MVP award". The Equalizer. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "2018 NWSL Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ^ Murray, Caitlin (September 16, 2018). "Portland Thorns reach NWSL final again, best rivals Seattle Reign in wild match". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 19, 2025.