NWSL Power Rankings: Banda and Orlando on an absolute roll, Gotham continues rise back up

What a weekend it was to be a women's football fan. We definitely had fun. An enthralling UEFA Women's Champions League Final. The thrilling Women's Coppa Italia Final in Cesena, Italy on Friday. Arsenal's narrow 1-0 win over the All-Stars of Australia's top-flight, the A-League down in Melbourne in a postseason friendly. And then there were seven games in the National Women's Soccer League just ahead of an extremely intriguing slate of international contests.

Week after week, we're learning more and more about each outfit. 10 of the 14 clubs have competed in 11 fixtures while the other four have an extra game in hand as we're nearly halfway into the 2024 NWSL season. Three points separate third from first while there is just a four-point difference between sixth and 11th. It's time to break it all down. Based on the numbers, of course, the eye test most importantly, we have ranked each club from one to 14. It's all subject to change, especially in an ultra-competitive league like the NWSL, but as of now, let's run through it all.

NWSL Power Rankings after over two months of the regular season

Note: Records are written in this particular order, wins-draws-losses.

1. Orlando Pride
Record: 8-3-0

My oh my is the Orlando Pride scorching hot. The club's recent form has matched the city's temperatures, which were in the upper 90s over the past few days. If you aren't convinced this isn't the best Orlando side that's ever played in the NWSL, you're in denial.

The Pride broke the NWSL record for most consecutive victories, breaking a tie with the 2014 Seattle Reign with a win over an in-form Portland Thorns FC. Seb Hines has quietly become a master constructor, building a team identity on and off the pitch ever since he took over mid-way through the 2022 campaign. Just 11 games into 2024, the Florida club is just two wins away from tying its win total from 2023, the year it barely missed out on the playoffs. Barbra Banda is flying, scoring her sixth and seventh goal at home against Portland. Second-year defender Emily Sams has become a force in a deeper position out wide, completing at least 80 percent of her passes in nine of her 10 starts. We all had doubts about this team in the preseason, but those were squashed weeks ago. Orlando is the only team in the league to net 20 goals, and concede fewer than 15 through these first few months of the season.

This club is not one on the outside looking to sneak in, it is a leader, a pacesetter, and a legit contender. If you haven't started to pay attention to the women in purple down in the Sunshine State, this is our plead to you.

2. Washington Spirit
Record: 8-0-3

We thought once Jonatan Giráldez was on board, that's when the Washington Spirit would smash that 'go' button. The calendar is about to turn to June, and the East Coast club has already established itself among the best. Similar to the USWNT with Twila Kilgore, this side has exuded confidence under an interim leader. Despite allowing multiple goals in successive weeks, Washington's attack has delivered the goods.

Three first-half goals including a stunner from the brilliant rookie Croix Bethune launched Washington past a struggling Reign team. Bethune was involved in two of those goals, one of which she belted into the bottom left corner in the 21'. The rookie out of Georgia now has 11 goal involvements, second most in the NWSL, behind only Sophia Smith. Keep in mind that Leicy Santos is about to join this team when her Liga F season concludes. It's a frightening fact for the rest of the league. Currently, Kansas City Current is the only outfit with a higher expected goal differential per FBref.

3. Kansas City Current
Record: 7-4-0

Despite missing four big chances in Utah, Kansas City Current managed to remain one of the last remaining unbeaten sides in the NWSL. Substitute defender Elizabeth Ball, otherwise known as "E-Ball" became the 15th different goal scorer for the Current this year, the most in a single regular season in league history. The bad news for KC is that center-back Gabby Robinson was forced to come off due to a knee injury in the first 25 minutes in that 1-0 win over the Royals. The West Virginia product has quietly become a force in the back line, leading the team in passes completed and total clearances so far in 2024. For a defense that hasn't been the most consistent, the loss of Robinson is a tough pill to swallow if this does end up being something long-term.

Star Brazilian Bia Zaneratto did make her long-awaited return to the pitch for the first time since that two-goal triumph away at Angel City in late April. Defensive midfielder Claire Hutton continued to make a name for herself, showing why she deserves recognition in the Rookie of the Year discussion against the Royals.

4. NJ/NY Gotham FC
Record: 5-3-2

Here come the defending champions. You don't want to mess with a healthy Gotham FC. Its pool of talent may be the deepest in the NWSL.

Since that defeat in the nation's capital several weeks back, Gotham FC has strung together wins in four out of the last six contests. Juan Carlos Amorós left the NWSL record holder for goals scored on the bench on Friday evening in San Jose. It didn't matter. Ex-Chicago Red Star Ella Stevens bagged her third goal in two matches, netting two in the span of two minutes to sink Bay FC on its home soil. It was Stevens' first start this season where she saw the pitch past the 75'. The club that secured all the points in just one of its first four contests now sits one point out of fourth position in the table.

Tierna Davidson continued to be eased back into play, being utilized as a substitute for the second straight outing after missing some time because of a thigh issue.

5. Portland Thorns FC
Record: 6-1-4

In the battle at the top of the table on Friday, Portland Thorns FC came out on the wrong side. We're not going to beat Rob Gale's team up too much for this defeat. The club didn't have Sophia Smith at its disposal, the current MVP frontrunner and this was the second instance of this campaign that it was on the road for two weeks running.

Even though it tested the Pride's defense, particularly in that second half when some reinforcements came on, Banda and Orlando put an end to the Thorns' six-game win streak. Gale's crew should have left the Sunshine State with its heads held high, knowing it has still locked up the maximum amount of points in six of its last seven league games.

6. North Carolina Courage
Record: 5-0-6

Six games on the road. Six defeats. That's simply remarkable. Only three teams have lost more games than the Courage. All of them make up the bottom three in the table. We're not the ones to begin to doubt Sean Nahas' Courage. We've done it before, and we're not doing it again, but right now, NC is simply moving in the wrong direction.

The East Coast team has had at least 55 percent of the ball in five straight games but fell short of a result in four of those fixtures. Possession has not turned into quality chances, at least as of late. Houston held NC scoreless for the third game running. The last outing in which it netted more than one was back on April 13. If you look at the expected goals total, the Courage should be a top-five offense in the NWSL.

7. Racing Louisville FC
Record: 2-6-2

There's something brewing in the Bluegrass State. Bev Yanez is onto something. Behind the brilliance of its youth, Racing Louisville FC won its second game of the season, holding on to beat a gritty Red Stars team in the Windy City. The Louisvillians have lost just two games this year, both by one goal, proving to the league just how difficult it is to get the best of them.

Emma Sears is emerging as a bonafide star, netting a goal in successive weeks. It wasn't one of those tap-in finishes either. Sears executed a wonder strike yet again, blasting a strike from an unreal angle into the opposite corner of the net. Not to be remiss, Taylor Flint is still balling. I would have called her up to the USWNT camp as a depth piece for that defensive midfield role. The former San Diego Wave player won 13 duels in Chicago, five more than anyone else.

8. San Diego Wave
Record: 3-3-4

This isn't the Casey Stoney team we expected to get coming off an NWSL Shield. At least for now. San Diego is an outfit still trying to figure out what success looks like with all its talent on the pitch. Only the lowly Royals have found the back of the net on fewer occasions than the Wave in 2024.

San Diego has underachieved in the final third if you look at its goals scored vs. its expected goals in the last three games. The only teams it took down in April and May were the two expansion sides. We're still waiting for all this talent to begin firing on all cylinders, and health should help with that.

9. Chicago Red Stars
Record: 5-1-5

Without Alyssa Naeher, we're going to take each Red Stars game with a grain of salt. She's just that elite of a difference-maker. Chicago ended the weekend contest against Racing on the front foot, but could not get it past the wall that was Katie Lund between the sticks. Mallory Swanson did have moments where she tested the Louisville defense, but nothing came of it. Lorne Donaldson's team has now lost four of its last six, and two straight by just a one-goal margin.

10. Houston Dash
Record: 3-3-5

Talking about flipping that script. Houston was obliterated by Nahas' NC Courage to open the 2024 season. 10 games later, the Dash pitched a three-goal shutout over the possession-dominant Courage in the Lone Star State to move tied with the Wave and Louisville on 12 points.

This could be a turning point for Houston under Fran Alonso as it begins to turn around a tough start to its life since coming over from Scotland. Young defender Tarciane manufactured a quality debut in the back while Avery Patterson was quite impressive down the right flank behind Barbara Olivieri.

11. Angel City FC
Record: 3-2-5

If it wasn't for the quick reflexes of DiDi Haracic, Angel City would be rolling into this break the losers of three consecutive fixtures. The ACFC shot-stopper made five saves, including a critical one in second-half stoppage time on an Alex Morgan header to keep the game scoreless. You'd think a packed BMO Stadium would be an advantage.

After all, it is one of the best environments in the NWSL. It has not been good luck for Becki Tweed's side so far during this campaign as its four points are tied for the fewest of any NWSL club in the confines of home.

12. Seattle Reign FC
Record: 2-1-8

When Laura Harvey's team came back from one down with just 10 players against the defending Shield winners, we thought Seattle had turned a corner. I was confident about it. That has not turned out to be the case.

After that draw vs. KC, the Reign allowed 10 goals in just 270 minutes of football. Washington converted three chances past Laurel Ivory in the first half over the weekend, making the hill far too steep to climb. The queen may have returned, but this club just hasn't been able to find that next level to start securing consistent results.

13. Bay FC
Record: 3-0-8

When you're gift-wrapping goals while trying to play out of the back, it's almost impossible to win ball games. You can have all the attacking talent in the world. Bay FC was unable to use the momentum gained from the previous win against a California foe, falling to the in-form reigning champions at home. No club has leaked more goals on home soil than Albertin Montoya's group in 2024. March 17, the first week of the season was its last clean sheet. Solutions are not going to be discovered overnight, especially when you don't have your defensive stalwart in the midfield.

In the second 45 minutes, Bay was far and away more dangerous than Gotham. It was just lacking that execution as it was held scoreless for the second time in three games.

14. Utah Royals FC
Record: 1-1-9

Utah Royals are firmly in the cellar of the NWSL. Nine defeats, five in a row now after a narrow one goal loss to KC Current. We're still trying to figure out the identity of Amy Rodriguez's expansion side. Finding results as a new club in this league specifically takes time. Ask literally anyone but San Diego.

Let's think of some positives though. Two players, Macey Fraser and Ana Tejada made their debuts for the Royals on Saturday. Tejada started in the middle of what was pretty much a back five for Utah, completing 90 percent of her passes while winning 86 percent of her total ground duels.

Flip over to Prime videoNWSL+ for those replays to get your NWSL fix in, at least for now cause the league does not return until Friday, June 7 when Racing Louisville FC hosts Houston Dash in the first match of a Friday night doubleheader.