NWSL Team of the Week: Kansas City Current’s stars deliver; Gotham FC’s Lily Reale impresses as rookie

Week three of the 2025 NWSL regular season gave us some extended winning streaks for teams, and certain individual performances are getting harder to narrow down on our weekly best XI. Throughout the 2025 regular season, Attacking Third will select a team of the week, featuring 11 of the week’s best players across the weekend. At the end of each match week, Attacking Third analysts will try to narrow down hundreds of performances, and one coach to lead them all, and even make a case for players with strong outings in games that don’t end in wins. 

It’s a long campaign, and the season will stretch into October, but week three brought us a couple of teams that are separating themselves from others, so make sure to check out which club dominated our team of the week. 

There are still plenty of regular season games ahead, but fans can watch select NWSL regular season matches across CBS platforms, including CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Golazo Network. 

Take a look at our Best XI:

Forwards

Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current): Cooper’s play out of week three is that of a complete player. She scored a goal and notched an assist against Utah and led the roster in successful dribbles (three). Her total shots (two), attempts on target (one), and chances created (one) are among the top five on the team after a third consecutive win, and Cooper is a baller in every sense of the phrase. 

Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current): Three goals through three games and Chawinga is already leaving defenders in the dust. Whether on or off the ball, the reigning NWSL Golden Boot winner is a constant threat. She can shoot, score, and press against any team and will have a constant place on our team of the week at this rate. 

Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit): Hatch popped the cork off like vintage wine as the long-time Spirit forward delivered a game-winning performance against Bay FC. Her two goals led the way to victory ahead of a call-up to national team camps. Good timing for a great performance.

Midfielders

Debinha (Kansas City Current): Like Chawinga, this is Debinha’s third consecutive spot on our team of the week. The Brazilian international keeps delivering consistent attacking performances and got on the scoresheet in week three with her second goal of the season. She’s out there almost playing with a chip on her shoulder, and she might be after being left off Brazil’s April roster despite leading the entire league in chances (14).

Haley McCutcheon (Orlando Pride): The hard-working, ball-winning midfielder can officially add goal scorer to her resume. Her diligence in ball hunting, even when the team is out of transition, is impressive. She scored her second goal of the season and led the team in recoveries (seven) in the Pride’s third consecutive win. 

Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave): The France international hasn’t missed a step in adapting to NWSL play. Her impact for the Wave has been fairly immediate and is notable in her active pressing and moments where she’s connecting with teammates in the final third. Despite a loss against a top side in Orlando, Dali delivered again with an assist to Chiamaka Okwuchukwu.

“Dali was a boss in the midfield,” Attacking Third analyst Darian Jenkins said. “The way that she plays these penetrative passes, her connection with McCaskill — who is back in form too — the balls she whipped in to get the assist … she’s hitting her prime that we see her in when she’s with France and I love it that we get to see it stateside.”

Defenders

M.A. Vignola (Angel City FC): Vignola was flying for the Angels in week three. The outside back covered tons of ground and was a constant presence whenever she got more involved higher up the pitch. She led the team in successful dribbles (three) and was tough in challenges. 

Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit): McKeown was a key factor in maintaining the Spirit’s cleansheet against Bay FC. The defender worked in tandem with her centerback partners Rebeca Bernal and Esme Morgan and she had key awareness in moments of transition for the squad. 

Alana Cook (Kansas City Current): Cook brought the crunch during the Current’s third consecutive win. She led the team in tackles (four) and helped organize the backline when needed. 

Lily Reale (Gotham FC): The rookie had a massive response after her first professional start. She might have been on the end of her own goal in week two, but she was a major asset in week three and aided Gotham through momentum shifts. The rookie was second on the team in crosses completed (four). 

Goalkeeper

Mackenzie Arnold (Portland Thorns FC): The Australian international came up huge against North Carolina Courage when she faced 28 crosses during the match. She made five saves including a clutch stop against a penalty attempt by Jaedyn Shaw. 

Coach

Vlatko Andonovski (Kansas City Current): The long-time NWSL manager has his team looking confident and lethal in front of the goal while steady and organized out the back. The group is somehow off to an even better start than they were last season.