da cassino online： The two USWNT stars feature in the frontline in this best XI, but who else makes the cut?

da blaze casino： And then there were two. Gotham and OL Reign will face off on Saturday in the NWSL Championship game, with both teams looking to win a first-ever title. It’s going to be dream come true for one legend of the United States women’s national team and heartbreak for another, with Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe both set to play the final games of their illustrious careers when these two sides meet in San Diego this weekend.

That match will be the climax of a quite brilliant NWSL campaign which has produced plenty of drama, including the chaos on the final day of the regular season which saw the San Diego Wave win its first silverware in just its second year. Rapinoe's Reign denied the Wave a chance of playing for a Shield and Championship double on its own turf, though, with the Pacific Northwest side making its third appearance in the big season finale, a situation Gotham is entirely new to.

But before one of these teams lifts the big trophy, let's take a look back at the last eight months. The league itself has already revealed its Best XI, but now it's GOAL's turn to pick the team of the 2023 NWSL season…

GettyGK: Jane Campbell (Houston Dash)

It wasn't a great season for Houston. In 22 regular season games, the Dash netted just 16 goals, nine fewer than any other team in the league. Yet, with two games remaining, it was still in contention for a play-off spot. Why? Because its defense was the best in the division.

Jane Campbell, capped seven times by the United States women's national team, was a huge reason for that, racking up an outstanding tally of eight clean sheets that was only one away from being the best in the division this year. The two goalkeepers who reached nine, Casey Murphy and Kailen Sheridan, were both in teams that made the playoffs.

The expected goals against stats say that Campbell should've conceded 36.9 goals in the NWSL in 2023. Instead, she conceded just 18, making more saves than any other shot-stopper and registering the best save percentage of anyone in her position playing more than five games. She's more than earned a place in this XI.

AdvertisementGettyRB: Kaleigh Kurtz (North Carolina Courage)

Okay, we've cheated a little bit by moving her to rightback, but there were so many outstanding centerbacks in the NWSL this year that one of them was always going to end up shoehorned in. And Kaleigh Kurtz has played here before, so she won't mind.

The North Carolina Courage had the second-best defense in the NWSL this season and Kurtz was a big reason why, playing every single minute for the club as it finished third. No one on the team made more clearances and she ranked second in the league for blocks, too, the 29-year-old so often in the right place to thwart any danger.

Kurtz played a big role in getting things started at the other end as well, with no one in the NWSL completing more passes than the Courage's reliable and consistent No.3.

GettyCB: Sarah Gorden (Angel City)

After missing the entire 2022 season with an ACL injury, Sarah Gorden announced herself to new club Angel City in style this year, playing every single minute as the Los Angeles side snuck into the playoffs on the final weekend of the regular season with an incredible 5-1 win over reigning champion Portland.

It was a first appearance in the postseason for a club in just its second campaign of existence, and Gorden was a big reason why it got there. No Angel City player completed more passes or made more blocks, which illustrates how important she was on and off the ball. Her performances were made all the more impressive by the fact it was her first season back after such a devastating injury.

GettyCB: Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave)

Plenty has been made of how Naomi Girma has taken to life on the USWNT this year, with her growing into a starter for one of the best international sides on the planet despite only celebrating her 23rd birthday in June. Her form has been just as eye-catching in the NWSL, too, with her having been nominated for the Most Valuable Player award for a second successive year.

Last year, Girma was named Rookie and Defender of the Year by the league, and she has only built on that strong start to life in the NWSL, playing a crucial role to help the San Diego Wave win the NWSL Shield in just its second season.

Completing the fourth-most passes in the league, for an accuracy of 89 percent, her on-ball ability is outstanding, but it is her reading of the game that really grabs your attention – especially given her age. Indeed, Girma committed just four fouls all year, which is quite remarkable given her position.