Season | 2013 |
---|---|
Champions | Portland Thorns FC |
NWSL Shield | Western New York Flash |
Matches played | 88 |
Goals scored | 238 (2.7 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Lauren Holiday (12 goals) |
Biggest home win |
NJ 5–1 BOS (June 1) WNY 4–0 DC (June 28) |
Biggest away win | SEA 0–3 SBFC (May 19) |
Highest scoring | 7 goals: DC 2–5 BOS (July 27) |
Longest winning run | 5 games Sky Blue FC (May 11 – June 1) |
Longest unbeaten run | 10 games FC Kansas City (June 23 – August 4) |
Longest losing run | 9 games Seattle Reign FC (April 16 – June 21) |
Highest attendance | 17,619 POR v FCKC (August 4) |
Lowest attendance | 688 NJ v CHI (May 8) |
Total attendance | 375,763 |
Average attendance | 4,270 |
2014 →
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The 2013 National Women's Soccer League season was the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), this is the seventh overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing is provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation. All three national federations are paying the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
The league started on April 13 with FC Kansas City hosting Portland Thorns FC. The last regular season matches were played on August 18, followed by postseason playoffs which culminated with a one-game final on August 31. In the final, Portland Thorns FC defeated the Western New York Flash 2–0 to win the inaugural NWSL Championship.
Note: All teams use Nike as kit manufacturer.
Players were acquired through the 2013 Allocation of national team players announced on January 11, the 2013 NWSL College Draft on January 18, and the 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft on February 7, along with free agency, trading and loans.
The Portland Thorns received an allocation with a notably strong offensive record including Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair, the 2012 U.S. and Canadian Players of the Year and leading scorers for their national teams respectively, as well as a U.S. allocation (Morgan, Tobin Heath, and Rachel Buehler) that accounted for 1/3 of their national team's assists in 2012.