A song for every NWSL team. Plus: USWNT-Brazil friendlies up next

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Taking a Break: How NWSL stands ahead of summer pause

This newsletter isn’t going on break, but everyone else is. NWSL teams are all at least a third of the way through their seasons, and now the league is taking a month-long pause during the group stage of the men’s World Cup.

It’s a chance for teams to reset and refocus. Here’s a quick look at where things stand:

• At the bottom of the table, Racing Louisville are on an unrecognizable skid despite their pieces, like U.S. forward Emma Sears. Just above them are the Chicago Stars, who benefit from one more win than Louisville thanks to Mallory Swanson’s return.
• The two expansion teams, Boston Legacy and Denver Summit, are on different paths. Denver has been able to maintain that opening-weekend excitement and are just out of the playoff picture, while Boston has some soul-searching to do.

And some inevitables: Temwa Chawinga is good at soccer, and so is Barbra Banda (though we are a little concerned about her early exit from Orlando’s win over Bay FC). They are the top two contenders for the Golden Boot, again. Banda has the lead with 11 goals in 12 games, while Chawinga is quickly catching up with seven goals in eight games since returning from injury.

Also, congratulations to the Utah Royals for making it to the break with a 10-match unbeaten run, holding the Portland Thorns to a 2-2 draw this weekend.

Even during the break, an NWSL bus could be visiting a town near you. Fun!

Songs of the summer

What better way to embrace the seasonal vibes than with the perfect playlist? We went through the painstaking illuminating process of assigning a song of the summer to each of the 16 NWSL teams. This was a group effort by our staff, so the list is as eclectic and wonderful as the league. The songs are representative of teams via lyrics, metaphors and just overall vibes.

We even made a Spotify playlist for you. Listen here.

San Diego: “Dance Tonight” by Lucy Pearl

• The top team headed into the break has fully embraced the West Coast city it calls home: Having fun is a luxury worth fighting for. Chock-full of creatives, the Wave are at their best when they’re relaxed and enjoying the ball.

Utah Royals: “Wickedest” by Tems

• Not many people understood the plan when Utah quietly churned and toiled the earth (and dealt with staggering injuries, to be fair). The best thing it can do is stay the course.

Portland Thorns: “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy

• The Thorns have the chance to solidify Portland’s legacy with a historic fourth championship, the most of any team. We’ll be remembering this team for centuries if so.

Washington Spirit: “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey

• Spirit believed in Jose the Coyote, and the wins started coming. This faith might just be what helps them win their second NWSL championship.

Gotham FC: “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco

• The reigning champions have plenty of promise, but as their struggles in the Concacaf W Champions Cup showed, it’s time to turn hope into action.

Kansas City Current: “The Universal” by Blur

• I heard this song while watching Lincoln City’s promotion-clinching match a few weeks ago, with thousands of supporters singing this classic ’90s Britpop anthem from the stands. Beyond the meaning, it feels especially fitting given that the Current’s ground recently hosted filming for the fourth season of “Ted Lasso.”

North Carolina: “Pink Pony Club” by Chappelle Roan

• A team that has emerged from the shadows and suddenly cannot be ignored, North Carolina’s rebirth feels a lot like the way Roan burst onto the scene. This song is both powerful in message and fun, and has a whole lot of Courage.

Orlando Pride: “Tive Sim” by Cartola

• Samba for Orlando? Groundbreaking. This masterpiece by the legendary singer Cartola touches on a comeback, moving on to a new love while respectfully acknowledging the past, which is what Orlando desperately needs.

Denver Summit: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

• This feels like a reference to every goal this team has achieved this year: its first point, first win, and eventually, first playoff push.

Seattle Reign: “Learn to Fly” by Foo Fighters

• Seattle desperately needs to start getting results and showing us what they are capable of. They fell short against the Spirit this weekend, but coach Laura Harvey has a month to reorganize and teach her squad to fly in the second half.

Houston Dash: “Treasure in the Hills” by Leon Thomas

• Will we see the Dash spend the funds they acquired from the trades of Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan at the start of the season? The Dash’s rookies and other less experienced players have overperformed at times, but to ensure longevity, focus on finding their soul.

Angel City: “girl, get up.” by Doechii (ft. SZA)

• If there’s an NWSL club that would most embrace the suggestion of sipping some kombucha on a rooftop, it’s Angel City. Much less levitatin’ or meditatin,’ as Doechii and SZA sing about, this team needs to get up and get going with the talent it has.

Bay FC: “Happier Times Ahead” by RAYE

• It’s tough to go so many games without a win — five, in Bay FC’s case. The results aren’t there, but the team’s improvements from last season are noticeable and can be built upon.

Boston Legacy: “Why don’t you” by Cleo Sol

• Self-reflection and acceptance. Boston needs to embrace the turbulence of its first season and the learning opportunities it bears.

Chicago Stars: “Why Not?” by Hilary Duff

• The Stars are the team with the most to gain this offseason, so why not throw all you got into this summer transfer window?

Racing Louisville: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus

• If Sears can rediscover the form that made her one of the league’s rising stars last year, bottom-of-the-table Racing still has every chance to climb back to the playoff race.