🔬 The Debrief on Friday's NWSL action | OneFootball

Matchday eight of NWSL got underway Friday night with two matches. Here is what went down around the league.

What happened?

Angel City stood up to a late Utah onslaught to collect a win on the road after two first-half goals. Strikes from Sydney Leroux and Claire Emslie were enough to see the visitors over the line and collect their fourth win of the campaign.

Despite taking an early lead and playing with an extra player for more than 80 minutes of the match after Tziarra King was sent off, San Diego somehow managed to suffer defeat in Seattle thanks to a late Veronica Latsko winner.

Player of the day

Well there is only one option there. Another superb showing from Alyssa Thompson.

Goal of the day

While there weren’t many to choose from, that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a great goal on the night. Angel City’s opener on in Utah was not too shabby of a strike to start the matchday off, as Alyssa Thompson picked out Sydney Leroux for a superb headed finish.

Stat of the day

What this means

Angel City’s win on the road means they jump into the playoff spots for now, though a few teams behind them in the standings have one or more games in hand on Becki Tweed’s side. Meanwhile, it’s more woes for the Royals as they tasted defeat for fifth time in their opening seven games and will remain bottom of the table.

It was a chance for San Diego to leap into a playoff spot with a win, particularly given the run of play on the night, but after collapsing at Lumen Field, both sides will head into the weekend on the outside looking in.

What comes next?

There is another slate of games to come on Saturday Gotham host the Courage, while Washington will travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Thorns.