Asisat Oshoala Shines in Debut NWSL Season
Asisat Oshoala’s debut season in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with Bay FC has been marked by a series of standout achievements, showcasing her as a record-breaking force in women’s soccer.
The 30-year-old Nigerian striker wrapped up the season in dramatic fashion, scoring Bay FC’s first goal in their NWSL playoff quarterfinal against Washington Spirit at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. She put her team ahead in the 82nd minute, though Washington’s Tara McKeown equalized just four minutes later, and an extra-time own goal from Caprice Dydasco ultimately sent Bay FC out of the series with a 2-1 loss.
Bay FC signed Oshoala in January after her contract with Barcelona ended, followed in February by the high-profile addition of Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji from Madrid CFF for a record-breaking $860,000—making it the most expensive transfer in women’s soccer history. Bay FC’s debut NWSL season was notable, as they finished seventh out of 14 teams, securing a spot in the playoff quarterfinals and becoming the first Bay Area-based women’s professional soccer team since the San Jose CyberRays and FC Gold Pride.
Oshoala quickly became a fan favorite at PayPal Park, Bay FC’s 18,000-seat home ground in San Jose, California, which also hosts the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS. Known as “Agba Baller,” the former Robo Queens player made an impressive debut, scoring Bay FC’s first-ever NWSL goal in a 1-0 win over Angel City FC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on March 18. Her 17th-minute strike also marked Bay’s first away goal in league play.
Oshoala continued her scoring spree throughout the season, leading Bay FC’s charts with seven regular-season goals, and added another in the playoffs to bring her season total to eight. Though Bay’s playoff run was brief, Oshoala’s performances solidified her status as Africa’s premier female striker, showing impressive skill and tenacity, which have long been her trademarks.
The Ikorodu-born striker’s career is lined with historic accomplishments. She won the Nigerian FA Cup with Rivers Angels in 2013 and 2014, the FA Women’s Cup with Arsenal in 2015-16, two Chinese Super League titles with Dalian Quanjian (2017-2018), and numerous titles with FC Barcelona, including five Spanish league titles, three UEFA Women’s Champions League wins, four Supercopas, three Copa de la Reina trophies, and one Copa Catalunya.
Internationally, Oshoala has won the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations three times (2014, 2016, and 2018) and was a key player in Nigeria’s runner-up finish at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Across her club career, she has scored an impressive 105 goals in 156 matches and has been named African Women’s Footballer of the Year a record six times.
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