Overview: How the table looks ahead of matchdays seven and eight
Here's how the table looks heading into matchdays seven and eight. So far, only North Carolina Courage has already qualified for a seeded position in the knockout rounds thanks to their perfect start so far to this competition:
Preview: Washington Spirit vs Houston Dash
Washington Spirit come into their upcoming clash with Houston Dash with some worrying injury news, namely to star player Rose Lavelle, who's a major doubt due to an ankle injury. Additional absentees include DiBiasi and Scarpa, who will definitely miss this fixture as a result of hip and adductor issues respectively. That being said, manager Richie Burke is not necessarily keen on throwing Lavelle on either, so it will be very interesting to see if she even makes the bench as he may want to keep all his stars fit and fresh for the key knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, Houston Dash will be keen on making amends following their bad showing in a 2-0 defeat to Sky Blue that saw them miss out on a chance to move up in the tournament's table, and surprisingly, head coach James Clarkson didn't opt to rotate much for that game which could come back to haunt him in this upcoming match.
Where to watch Washington Spirit vs Houston Dash live on July 12, 2020
Washington Spirit vs Houston Dash kick-off at 09:30 PST/12:30 EST/16:30 GMT
USA: CBS All Access
Canada: CBS All Access
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Preview: Chicago Red Stars vs Utah Royals
With Orlando Pride having to withdraw due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in their ranks, every single team does qualify for the knockout rounds. That being said, no one wants to finish last in the table as it will affect who they play in the next stages. At this juncture, Chicago Red Stars sit last, without a win to their name, but that could change if they can get their act together against hosts Utah Royals. Tierna Davidson has yet to feature so far, as she came into this tournament not fully fit, and it has certainly had an impact on the team's options going forward.
Meanwhile, Utah Royals have done much better than most had anticipated. Despite star player Christen Press opting to sit out, veteran striker Amy Rodriguez has stepped up to help carry the team and the Royals will be looking to make amends after a disappointing 2019 season by going far at this summer's tournament - especially as they're serving as hosts.
Where to watch Chicago Red Stars vs Utah Royals live on July 12, 2020
Chicago Red Stars vs Utah Royals kick-off at 19:00 PST/22:00 EST/02:00 GMT
USA: CBS All Access
Canada: CBS All Access
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Preview: OL Reign vs Portland Thorns
Another team eager to finally get off the mark is none other than Portland Thorns. Despite having veteran striker Christine Sinclair in their ranks, the Thorns have yet to really get up and running, and still haven't registered their first win at this summer's event. So far, they have earned a very disappointing two points from their first three games and Sinclair has yet to get off the mark - something that will naturally have to change quickly if they want to progress. Albeit, they have been quite strong on the defensive strong, with shot-stopper Bella Bixby being quite impressive in between the posts.
OL Reign also find themselves in the same boat. Although they're slightly better off, on four points, goals have been hard to come by, as they've scored just once. Defensively, like the Thorns, they've been pretty solid, having conceded just twice so far, attackers like Jodie Taylor and Bethany Balcer, who has scored just once, have been unusually subdued and the absence of star player Megan Rapinoe really has left a huge hole up front. Will they be able to break down an equally stubbornly-defensive side to pick up some much needed points?
Where to watch OL Reign vs Portland Thorns live on July 13, 2020
OL Reign vs Portland Thorns kick-off at 09:30 PST/12:30 EST/16:30 GMT
USA: CBS All Access
Canada: CBS All Access
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Preview: Sky Blue vs North Carolina Courage
North Carolina Courage have already secured their seeded spot, so coach Paul Riley will probably roatate for this fixture. That being said, considering how dominant they are in the NWSL, that doesn't mean much - they will be the overwhelming favorites to win this game. Sky Blue, meanwhile, finally got both a win and some goals as they earned a 2-0 win over Houston Dash, and given how congested things were in the table, it helped propel them all the way up to second in the table.
Will they be able to nick some points against a side who have been in cruise control since this tournament kicked off last month? Or will the Courage make it four wins out of four as they have already secured top spot in the knockout stages?
Where to watch Sky Blue vs North Carolina Courage live on July 13, 2020
Sky Blue vs North Carolina Courage kick-off at 19:00 PST/22:00 EST/02:00 GMT
USA: CBS All Access
Canada: CBS All Access
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