NWSL week 7 gave us a ton of action! Check out the top three goals and saves in terms of the difference between their post-shot expected goals (PSxG) and expected goals (xG).
Basically, these are the goals where the player taking the shot added the most value just on shot quality and the saves where the keeper was best able to navigate this unexpected extra shot quality.
Goal 1: Temwa Chawinga vs. Chicago Stars (0.97 PSxG on 0.35 xG)
Chawinga has excellent awareness and positioning here to take advantage of Alyssa Naeher’s slip-up. In the end, she’s able to slot it home to double her team’s lead.
Goal 2: Cloé Lacasse vs. Houston Dash (0.81 PSxG on 0.22 xG)
Lacasse slips through Houston’s defensive line with a perfectly timed run and makes it so that she only has the goalkeeper to beat.
Goal 3: Barbra Banda vs. North Carolina Courage (0.64 PSxG on 0.06 xG)
Who else to break the deadlock but Banda? The striker cuts inside to create a shooting angle and gets a tough shot to go on frame and out of the goalkeeper’s reach.
Save 1: Lorena vs. Chicago Stars (0.75 PSxG on 0.17 xG)
Nádia Gomes got a pretty open look at goal but Lorena had the reflexes to keep it out of the net and preserve her team’s clean sheet.
Save 2: Jane Campbell vs. Utah Royals (0.43 PSxG on 0.05 xG)
Campbell just barely gets her fingertips on this one to keep it from reaching the back of the net.
Save 3: Jordan Silkowitz vs. Utah Royals (0.76 PSxG on 0.44 xG)
Despite a costly turnover from her defense, Silkowitz stays aware and makes sure this high quality chance doesn’t cross the line.
