NWSL standings: Who is on top of the league by goal differential?

Soak it in. What we're witnessing with the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League this season may not happen again. Captained by the tactician himself Seb Hines and the unrelenting finisher that is Zambian international Barbra Banda, the Florida outfit is unbeaten in its last 23 matches -- a league record dating back to last season.

That's 2,070 minutes and counting without a defeat. Talk about an unreal level of consistency.

Sure, Banda owns the headlines, but the club's stalwart defense has been key in finding its way above the playoff line, a goal that narrowly eluded them in 2023. This defensive success can be largely attributed to a formidable center back duo: emerging USWNT star Emily Madril and the converted left back Kylie Strom. They are the only Pride field players to have competed in more than 1,790 minutes in 2024. It's worth noting that both defenders also rank among the NWSL's top 15 in pass completion percentage.

The Pride's 13 goals conceded are four fewer than the next club -- NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Let's not forget the rock between the sticks, Anna Moorhouse, who began her professional career 12 years ago in England and set the single-season record for shutouts (12) in the Sept. 20 clash against Bay FC. If Orlando can secure two more clean sheets in its last four games, it will establish a new record for shutouts in a single NWSL campaign (14).

History making Orlando is on the verge of the Shield while others lag behind

Add in the league's third-best scoring offense, and you have the top goal differential (plus-27) among all 14 NWSL clubs. For reference, at the end of the 2023 season, only one team had a goal differential in double figures.

Thanks to results over the past few days, Orlando has an opportunity to hoist the franchise's first-ever NWSL Shield this weekend when it hosts the second place Washington Spirit on Sunday evening.

Since 2018, just two clubs finished with a goal difference above 20: the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019, and the Portland Thorns in 2022. All three of these teams went on to win the NWSL Championship. Hines' crew will be the majority's pick to continue this trend (we'll do a full predictions breakdown when the time comes).

The Washington Spirit, who took down Angel City on Friday night, and Vlatko Andonovski's Kansas City Current are right behind Orlando in one of the most important statistics in football. While their offenses have come through time and time again, the fact that the two have conceded more than a goal in 15 combined matches doesn't help their case to be the pacesetter in this category.

Unlike KC and Washington, the defending champions Gotham FC, ranked fourth in terms of goal difference, have relied on its defensive depth to secure results. At the other end of the field, goals have proven far more elusive than expected, given the talent up front. Its 27 goals scored are the second fewest among all teams currently in the top nine of the table.

NWSL's top-six by goal differential

1. Orlando Pride (+27)
2. Washington Spirit (+19)
3. Kansas City Current (+18)
4. NJ/NY Gotham FC (+10)
5. North Carolina Courage (+7)
6. Racing Louisville FC (0)