NWSL Team of the Week: Kayla Sharples, Sam Coffey, Arin Wright once again shine

The regular 2025 season officially tapped in the middle of the season, and week 13 yielded definitive action before the competition pauses for a long summer vacation. All 14 clubs had one last week to compete for points for a five -week break for international tournaments, and there were plenty of striking versions to opt for attacking the Team of Third.

After weekly competitions during the NWSL campaign of 2025, attacking third analysts select a best XI, head coach and honorary captain based on striking versions at the weekend. Now that half the point of the season has arrived, reducing 11 players of more than 300 is only becoming more difficult. If you keep an eye on who has cracked our earlier line -ups, make sure you refer to our Best XI of week 12.

There is enough to look forward to when the regular season returns, and fans can watch selected NWSL -Regular seasonal competitions on CBS platforms, including CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

View our best XI:

Goalkeeper: Lorena ((Kansas City Current))

The goalkeeper leads the competition in Schone Laakens (six) and is second in savings percentage (75.6%) among all keepers with at least 11 games this season. The Brazilian international is perhaps one of the best signing sessions outside the season for a club in the 2025 season and has again defined how Kansas City’s defense works this year. She came up with a huge fine to guarantee all three points for the current.

Defender: Alyssa Malonon (Bay FC)

The big breakthrough may occur at the perfect moment Bay FC While the team regrets itself for a second half of play -off push. While Bay FC sorting things out, Alyssa Malonon has been a conistant figure on the backline, covered the ground and win the ball when needed. They were on the losing side of things on the road against Gotham, but it was not because of a lack of effort or a bad show, and Malonon helped the group in long pieces.

“I think Bay FC played very well against Gotham, and I think [Malonson]Her one interception, when she reads the game, saves the ball, intercept and plays. That’s just Mallinson in a nutshell, “said former Scotland International Jen Beattie on Offensive third.

Defender: Kayla Sharples (Current Kansas City)

Kayla Sharples is back in our team of the week after a new striking achievement, while the Current drove to another shutout this season, their sixth. Kayla Sharples is both anchor and leading voice of the Backline of Kansas City, and she will continue to be a presence on our best XI with all her consistent game.

“Sharples for me went into force. I think she’s on the ball, especially her back, that’s why she was brought to Bay last season. I think she went to the next level this year,” ” Beattie explained.

Defender: Tara McKeown ((Washington Spirit))

Another repeated appearance for Tara Mckeown in our best XI after a dominant presence from week 13. The mind has shown that they are resilient in retaining attacking pressure waves, which is not an easy performance in NWSL. McKeown has often led the defensive organization and this week the team led in total details (53) and clearance (13), and was fearless to get higher in the field of its central role.

Defender: Arin Wright (Racing Louisville FC)

Racing Louisville has won 5 of their last seven games and team captain Arin Wright has been a key factor in the current form of the team. She back in our team of the week after she had shown her set of Peice skills, positioning and clinical header.

Midfielder: Sam Coffey ((Portland thorns FC)

Sam Coffey is a repeated position in our team of the week. The team captain led the team to a different victory with her rapid thinking about the ball and decision -making. She has led the Game Winning Assist on Rookie Tordin’s Stone goal.

Midfielder: Taylor Flint (Racing Louisville FC)

It is not only Arin Wright who leads the leadership for racing this season, it is Taylor Flint who uses consistent shifts in midfield. The defensive midfielder leads the team in tackles, duels, approvals and intercetpies halfway through the season. She also became their penalty kick specialist and she scored her third goal this season, her second of the place.

Midfielder: Ji So-Yun (Seattle Reign FC)

The Zuid -Korea International brought Expereince and Flair for Seattle this week and it deserved her first time at our best XI this year. She not only delivered a great assist in the match against Utah, but nailed her shot competition in the vicinity of the place in the box to help with the dominant gain of Seattle.

Forward: Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign)

De Reign set four goals this week and the 19-year-old Ermeri Adames scored two. The young Foward showed adulthood about her penalty kick conversion and connected in the Run of Play. Her performance ended up in competition books as the second youngest player who scored two goals in a match.

Forward: Manaka Matsukubo ((North Carolina courage))

The courage has quietly taken back to the play -off line, and although they are just outside during the break, the recent form of forward Manaka Matsukubo is a huge silver lining for a team that could use a short break. She came to the score sheet and again on our best XI, when she resisted the winning assist of the game.

Forward: Bia Zanerrato (Kansas City Current)

If there is a game on the schedule, the Stroom from Kansas City will just find a way. Lorena may have given heroic deeds on the backend, her Brazilian compatirat Bia Zanerrato has shifted the winning goal of the game to make the power look as deadly as always.

Coach: Bev Yanez (Racing Louisville FC)

Winners of five games in their last seven games, head coach Bev Yanez and the team not only get results, but only do this with confidence. There is enough record about the struggles of Racing to cross the play -off line, but they are in a very good shape during the summer holidays of the season. Now the real work starts for Yanez and the company.

Honorary Captain: Washington Spirit Locker

When the Spirit returns from the break, Adrian Gonzalez will officially be the head coach of Washington Spirit. Former manager Jonatan Giraldez departure to Ol Lyonnes was announced earlier in June, but came a few weeks early because he was absent for his last two Spirit games while his family welcomes a new baby. While Gonzalez was given a lead on the helm, it marks the seventh main coaching change for the Spirit since 2021. Despite the constant changes in the role, the players have maintained a united and competitive energy and have remained in Playoff by the first half of the season.