# 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup

The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup was a league cup competition that took place during the 2022 National Women's Soccer League season. It was the third iteration of the NWSL Challenge Cup tournament. In the 2022 championship game, the North Carolina Courage won their first title, defeating the Washington Spirit 2–1.

## Format

The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup was a multi-stage tournament. All 12 NWSL teams participated in the Challenge Cup, an increase of two from the previous edition due to the addition of expansion franchises Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC during the offseason. As a result, the competition was split into three regional groups of four teams each; East, Central and West. Each team played a six-game double round-robin in which every team played all others in its division at home and away. The winner from each of the three divisions along with the highest-ranked group stage runner-up progressed to the knockout stage, which consisted of three single-elimination matches: two semifinals and one final. As a result of the expanded group stage, teams played a minimum of six games, two more than in 2021, and a maximum of eight, three more than in 2021. A total of 39 matches were played, 18 more than the 21 matches played during the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.
No matches had extra time. In the group stage, matches could end in a tie at the end of normal playing time. In the knockout stage, if a match was tied at the end of normal playing time, the game was decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Teams were required to have a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 20 players on a matchday roster. A maximum of nine players could be named as substitutes with a maximum of five substitutions in three stoppages (excluding half-time) permitted to be used during a match. No substitutes could be made after the end of normal playing time (except if a goalkeeper was unable to continue before or during the penalty shoot-out). Two "concussion substitutes" could also be used in accordance with IFAB rules.

### Tiebreakers

A team's position in the divisional standings was determined by points, with three points awarded for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams in the same group were tied on points at the end of the group stage, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied to determine the final group standings:
* Greatest goal difference across all group stage matches.
* Most goals scored across all group stage matches.
* Direct head-to-head points record with teams involved in the tie.
* Direct head-to-head goal difference in matches between teams involved in the tie.
* Direct head-to-head number of goals scored in matches between teams involved in the tie.
* Fewest disciplinary points accrued. Points were awarded as follows (players could receive only one disciplinary points assessment per match, with the highest taking precedent):
** yellow card: 1 point;
** indirect red card (as a result of two yellow cards): 3 points;
** direct red card: 4 points;
** yellow card and direct red card: 5 points.
* If teams still could not be separated using the tiebreaking procedures, the NWSL would decide ranking using the random drawing of lots.
In the case of two or more teams from different divisions being tied on points at the end of the group stage, the same procedure was followed except for the use of the head-to-head scenarios by virtue of the fact teams from different divisions would not have played each other during the group stage.

## Group stage
### East Division
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | NC | WAS | NJY | ORL |
| 1 | North Carolina Courage | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 12 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| 2 | Washington Spirit | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 10 | Advance to knockout stage based on ranking | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| 3 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 6 | | 1–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–1 |
| 4 | Orlando Pride | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | −7 | 2 | | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | — |

#### Matches
### Central Division
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KC | CHI | LOU | HOU |
| 1 | Kansas City Current | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 13 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 |
| 2 | Chicago Red Stars | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 8 | | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Racing Louisville FC | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 6 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 |
| 4 | Houston Dash | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | −6 | 6 | | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–1 | — |

#### Matches
### West Division
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | RGN | POR | SD | LA |
| 1 | OL Reign | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 14 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 | | 0–1 | — | 3–2 | 3–0 |
| 3 | San Diego Wave FC | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 5 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 4–2 |
| 4 | Angel City FC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 4 | | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — |

#### Matches
### Ranking of second-placed teams

The best second-placed team from the group stage advanced to the knockout stage.
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | East | Washington Spirit | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 10 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | West | Portland Thorns FC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 | |
| 3 | Central | Chicago Red Stars | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 8 | |

## Knockout stage

The seeding of the division winners was determined by points accumulated in the group stage, followed if necessary by any applicable tiebreakers. The advancing second-place team was automatically made the #4 seed.

### Bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Championship | Championship | Championship |
| 1 | OL Reign | 0 (8) | | | |
| 4 | Washington Spirit (p) | 0 (9) | | | |
| 4 | Washington Spirit (p) | 0 (9) | 4 | Washington Spirit | 1 |
| | | | 3 | North Carolina Courage | 2 |
| 2 | Kansas City Current | 1 | 3 | North Carolina Courage | 2 |
| 3 | North Carolina Courage | 2 | | | |

### Championship
## Statistics
### Goalscorers

There were 106 goals scored in 39 matches, for an average of 2.72 goals per match.
6 goals
* Ashley Hatch, WAS
5 goals
* Debinha, NC
* Kristen Hamilton, KC
4 goals
* Mallory Pugh, CHI
* Alex Morgan, SD
* Trinity Rodman, WAS
3 goals
* Sophia Smith, POR
2 goals
* Christen Press, LA
* Taylor Smith, NC
* Kristie Mewis, NJY
* Darian Jenkins, ORL
* Gunny Jonsdottir, ORL
* Hina Sugita, POR
* Bethany Balcer, RGN
* Ashley Sanchez, WAS
1 goal
* Vanessa DiBernardo, CHI
* Amanda Kowalski, CHI
* Bianca St-Georges, CHI
* Arin Wright, CHI
* Rachel Daly, HOU
* Shea Groom, HOU
* Katie Naughton, HOU
* Nichelle Prince, HOU
* Ally Prisock, HOU
* María Sánchez, HOU
* Marisa Viggiano, HOU
* Lo'eau LaBonta, KC
* Taylor Leach, KC
* Alex Loera, KC
* Hailie Mace, KC
* Addie McCain, KC
* Victoria Pickett, KC
* Simone Charley, LA
* Tyler Lussi, LA
* Savannah McCaskill, LA
* Gemma Bonner, LOU
* Kirsten Davis, LOU
* Emina Ekic, LOU
* Jaelin Howell, LOU
* Cece Kizer, LOU
* Jessica McDonald, LOU
* Lauren Milliet, LOU
* Malia Berkely, NC
* Jaelene Daniels, NC
* Abby Erceg, NC
* Kerolin, NC
* Merritt Mathias, NC
* Diana Ordoñez, NC
* Brianna Pinto, NC
* Nahomi Kawasumi, NJY
* Ifeoma Onumonu, NJY
* Midge Purce, NJY
* Yazmeen Ryan, POR
* Christine Sinclair, POR
* Morgan Weaver, POR
* Angelina, RGN
* Alana Cook, RGN
* Sam Hiatt, RGN
* Sofia Huerta, RGN
* Veronica Latsko, RGN
* Rose Lavelle, RGN
* Nikki Stanton, RGN
* Olivia Van der Jagt, RGN
* Ally Watt, RGN
* Amirah Ali, SD
* Belle Briede, SD
* Taylor Kornieck, SD
* Kaleigh Riehl, SD
* Jodie Taylor, SD
* Andi Sullivan, WAS
1 own goal
* Hailie Mace, KC (against LOU)
* Megan Montefusco, ORL (against NC)
* Tegan McGrady, SD (against LA)
* Taylor Aylmer, WAS (against NC)
Source: NWSL
Statistics do not include penalty-shootout goals.

### Discipline

A player was automatically suspended for the next match in the tournament for the following offenses:
* Receiving a red card (red card suspensions may be extended for serious offenses);
* Receiving two yellow cards in two matches, unless the second yellow card was accumulated in the final match of group play;
* Direct red card suspensions were carried over to the 2022 NWSL regular season. Suspensions as a result of indirect red cards were not carried over.
The following suspensions were served during the tournament:
| Player / Coach | Offense(s) | Suspension |
| Amber Brooks, WAS | vs. NJY, March 25 | vs. NC, March 30 |
| Savannah McCaskill, LA | vs. RGN, March 26 | vs. POR, March 30 |
| Lauren Barnes, RGN | vs. POR, March 18 vs. LA, March 26 | vs. POR, April 2 |
| Kylie Strom, ORL | vs. WAS, March 19 vs. NJY, March 30 | vs. WAS, April 3 |
| McCall Zerboni, NJY | vs. WAS, March 25 vs. ORL, March 30 | vs. NC, April 3 |
| Tegan McGrady, SD | vs. LA, March 19 vs. LA, April 2 | vs. RGN, April 14 |
| Bianca St-Georges, CHI | vs. HOU, March 20 vs. HOU, April 2 | vs. LOU, April 16 |
| Malia Berkely, NC | vs. WAS, March 30 vs. NJY, April 3 | vs. ORL, April 16 |
| Jennifer Cudjoe, NJY | vs. NCC, March 19 vs. NCC, April 3 | vs. WAS, April 17 |
| Taylor Aylmer, WAS | vs. ORL, March 19 vs. NJY, April 17 | vs. NCC, April 23 |
| Kristen McNabb, SD | vs. LA, March 19 vs. POR, April 17 | vs. RGN, April 23 |
| Kelcie Hedge, HOU | vs. LOU, March 25 vs. KCC, April 15 | vs. LOU, April 24 |
| Ava Cook, CHI | vs. KCC, March 25 vs. LOU, April 16 | vs. KCC, April 24 |
| Freja Olofsson, LOU | vs. HOU, March 25 vs. CHI, April 16 | vs. HOU, April 24 |

## Awards
### All-Tournament Team

Debinha was named the MVP for the second consecutive Challenge Cup.
| Pos. | Player | Club |
| GK | Phallon Tullis-Joyce | OL Reign |
| DF | Carson Pickett | North Carolina Courage |
| DF | Abby Erceg | North Carolina Courage |
| DF | Alana Cook | OL Reign |
| DF | Sofia Huerta | OL Reign |
| MF | Rose Lavelle | OL Reign |
| MF | Ashley Sanchez | Washington Spirit |
| MF | Debinha $^#$ | North Carolina Courage |
| FW | Kristen Hamilton | Kansas City Current |
| FW | Ashley Hatch | Washington Spirit |
| FW | Trinity Rodman | Washington Spirit |
$^#$ Tournament MVP

### Weekly awards

| Week | Player of the Week | Player of the Week | Save of the Week | Save of the Week | Ref. |
| Week | Player | Club | Player | Club | Ref. |
| 1 | Mallory Pugh | Chicago Red Stars | Kailen Sheridan | San Diego Wave FC | |
| 2 | María Sánchez | Houston Dash | Phallon Tullis-Joyce | OL Reign | |
| 3 | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave FC | Phallon Tullis-Joyce (2) | OL Reign | |
| 4 | Hina Sugita | Portland Thorns FC | Phallon Tullis-Joyce (3) | OL Reign | |
| 5 | Elyse Bennett | Kansas City Current | Kristen Edmonds | Kansas City Current | |