Spirit emphatically book postseason berth

It's Sunday, and different circular of NWSL enactment is successful the books, which means it's clip for ESPN's Power Rankings.

Who's climbing the table? Who's successful escaped fall? Our writers studied the enactment from crossed Matchday 22 to travel up with this week's bid of each 14 teams successful the league. Let's dive in.

1. Kansas City Current

Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Monday Oct. 6 vs. Angel City FC, 10.30 p.m. ET

Kansas City could've rested aft clinching the NWSL Shield past week, but didn't successful a 4-1 triumph implicit the Chicago Stars. That it felt truthful "ho-hum" is simply a testament to however fantabulous the Current person been this season. Debinha started the enactment successful the seventh infinitesimal with a decorativeness from adjacent the punishment spot, and the pb was 2 successful the 51st infinitesimal erstwhile Bia Zaneratto surged guardant aft a walk from Temwa Chawinga and finished successful the box. The Current did concede successful the 58th minute, ending an NWSL grounds 870 minutes without allowing a goal. But they were close backmost with 2 much goals and enactment 16 points wide astatine the summit.

2. Washington Spirit

Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Sunday Oct. 5 vs. San Diego Wave, 1 p.m. ET (Stream LIVE connected ESPN+)

Welcome to the playoffs, Spirit. The D.C. squad clinched their spot successful the postseason emphatically with a 4-0 triumph implicit the Houston Dash that saw Gift Monday people the fastest chapeau instrumentality from the opening whistle successful NWSL history. The Nigerian guardant had goals successful the 18th, 21st and 36th minutes. Remarkably, the champion extremity whitethorn person been the fourth, with Sofia Cantore scoring an improbable backheel to headdress a gorgeous squad move. The Spirit haven't mislaid successful a twelve matches including successful Concacaf W Champions Cup play, which they instrumentality to with a midweek travel to Gotham.

3. NJ/NY Gotham FC

Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Sunday Oct. 5 vs. Seattle Reign, 4 p.m. ET

Goals from Midge Purce, Rose Lavelle and Katie Stengel paced Gotham to a 3-0 triumph implicit the Portland Thorns connected Friday. It was the 2nd week successful a enactment that Lavelle has scored, and she besides added an assist, mounting up Stengel with a saccharine back-heeled pass. It was 1 of 3 chances created, hinting astatine Lavelle approaching her champion arsenic we adjacent the concern extremity of the season. The Champions Cup crippled Wednesday against the Spirit looks enticing.

4. San Diego Wave FC

Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Sunday Oct. 5 vs. Wa...