The 2025 NWSL regular season has reached its quarter-point, and with it comes the return of Attacking Third`s Team of the Week. Following each weekend`s matches throughout the 2025 NWSL campaign, analysts from Attacking Third select a Best XI lineup and name a Coach of the Week based on outstanding individual and team performances.
As teams approach the halfway mark of the season, we can expect to see some players making repeat appearances as consistent form develops. You can keep track of the selections, including our week six team.
Seven match weeks have now been completed. Fans have multiple options to watch select NWSL regular season matches.
Here is the Best XI for Week 7:
- Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Stars FC)
- Defender: Phoebe McClernon (Seattle Reign FC)
- Defender: Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)
- Defender: Trinity Armstrong (San Diego Wave FC)
- Defender: Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns FC)
- Midfielder: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave FC)
- Midfielder: Denise O`Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)
- Midfielder: Katie Zelem (Angel City FC)
- Forward: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC)
- Forward: Riley Tiernan (Angel City FC)
- Forward: Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)
- Coach: Bev Yanez (Racing Louisville FC)
Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Stars FC)
The veteran goalkeeper recorded her first shutout of the season against a strong Gotham FC side. Naeher faced 15 shots and made five saves, notably including a crucial stop right on the goal line late in stoppage time.
Defender: Phoebe McClernon (Seattle Reign FC)
The center back anchored the three-player defensive line against one of the league`s top attacking teams. She has become a reliable fixture in the Reign`s defense, starting every match this season. Her efforts in limiting scoring threats against Kansas City in week seven were particularly crucial and necessary given the high number of shots (13) faced by the Seattle defense.
Defender: Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)
Kayla Sharples has settled into a key role in Kansas City`s defense. The center back provides an extra layer of security alongside Alana Cook and poses a threat on set pieces. She made a header look effortless, rising above many players in the box during week five.
Defender: Trinity Armstrong (San Diego Wave FC)
The 17-year-old rookie appears increasingly comfortable with each start in San Diego`s defensive line alongside second-year center back Kennedy Wesley. She effectively neutralized any significant attacks from regional rivals Bay FC and also scored her first professional goal – a vital game-winner right at the very end of the match.
Defender: Reyna Reyes (Portland Thorns FC)
Reyes stepped up literally for the Thorns in week seven when she netted the winning goal against the reigning champions, Orlando Pride. She has been a dependable presence on the Thorns` backline to start the season. The outside back maintained her inverted run and held her position along the top of the box to secure the game-winner.
Midfielder: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave FC)
The France international has almost earned a permanent spot on our Team of the Week by now. This was another performance where the experienced veteran skillfully closed down opposition passing lanes and created clever spaces to operate within. San Diego continues to thrive, and much of that success is linked to Dali`s significant presence in midfield.
Midfielder: Denise O`Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)
The long-serving Courage captain has quickly helped steer North Carolina back on course. The Irish international is orchestrating play and guiding her teammates, whether facilitating connected passing or stabilizing possession.
Midfielder: Katie Zelem (Angel City FC)
The England international has provided valuable experience within a young Angel City squad that is currently in good form. Whether playing solidly in midfield alongside Alana Kennedy or showing clinical ability as she gets more starts, she has rapidly become key to balancing a younger lineup with veteran composure.
Forward: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC)
The U.S. women`s national team forward scored the game-winning goal in her third start for Seattle. The league veteran joined the team in the offseason and has been gradually working her way back into the starting lineup. Her impact has been immediate; she is effective in counterpressing situations and opens up space for other attackers within coach Laura Harvey`s system.
Forward: Riley Tiernan (Angel City FC)
The race for Rookie of the Year is heating up just seven weeks into the season, and the Angel City forward is in peak form as she makes her first appearance on our Team of the Week. She has scored four goals in five games and became the match hero with a stoppage-time winner.
Forward: Ashley Sanchez (North Carolina Courage)
As the Courage continue to find their rhythm, Ashley Sanchez is a crucial component. While there might be debate about including an attacking midfielder among forwards, now in her sixth season in the league, she is a veteran who is sometimes needed to take control of games, and she did just that in week seven. She has been used in both starts and off the bench, and if healthy, she will remain a key factor in Courage matches moving forward.
Coach: Bev Yanez (Racing Louisville FC)
Coaching through not one, but two lightning delays? We had to award Coach of the Week honors to Racing Louisville FC`s Bev Yanez. She kept her team focused and composed while on the road in Houston, navigating through a delay that extended towards two hours. The resulting win marks two consecutive positive results for a side that struggled during the first quarter of the regular season.
