Everything was on the line for Dallas Trinity on Saturday night, including a spot in the playoffs. 5,884 fans showed up at the Cotton Bowl to see Allie Thornton grab the USL Super League inaugural Golden Boot and lead her side to a playoff spot.
Trinity Coach Pauline MacDonald, after months of playing three at the back, changed formations to a diamond 4-4-2 with Amber Brooks in the single pivot. Brooks was outstanding in the game, controlling the midfield. She even shifted to center back for the last 28 minutes or so due to a shortage of defenders from all the injuries and call-ups.
Thornton took the lead in the Golden Boot race over Carolina’s Mia Corbin with a 20th-minute header off a cross by Tamara Bolt. Arlington native and SMU alum Thornton finishes the regular season with 13 goals to win the first ever scoring title for the USL Super League. Trinity shut down Corbin all night, and she finished the season with 12 goals.
As usual, Thornton gave all the credit to her teammates. “Tamara played a perfect ball. We were pumped up. Everyone was really excited to play well with what was on the line for the game. If this was going to be the last one, might as well make it the best one. We’re excited to make the playoffs.”
In the second half, Chioma Ubogagu netted what would eventually be the game winner with a tremendous cut-back goal.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the players,” Coach MacDonald said after the game. “Making the playoffs was our goal, and we want to continue to progress. We made history, and that is a huge part of the legacy.”
With the win and the draw between Spokane Zephyr and Fort Lauderdale United, Trinity makes the USL Super League four-team playoffs. Trinity will travel to face two-seeded Tampa Bay Sun FC in the Semi-Finals on June 7. All matches will stream on Peacock.
There remains a chance that Dallas Trinity could host the Final if they were to win and the four-seed Fort Lauderdale were to upset the Shield-winning Carolina Ascent.
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Final 2024-25 USL Super League Standings
The top four teams make the playoffs.
| Pos | Team | Wins | Losses | Ties | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina Ascent | 13 | 6 | 9 | 48 |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Sun | 12 | 6 | 10 | 46 |
| 3 | Dallas Trinity | 12 | 9 | 7 | 43 |
| 4 | Fort Lauderdale United | 11 | 8 | 9 | 42 |
| 5 | Spokane Zephyr | 11 | 8 | 9 | 42 |
| 6 | Brooklyn FC | 10 | 9 | 9 | 39 |
| 7 | DC Power | 5 | 14 | 9 | 24 |
| 8 | Lexington SC | 4 | 18 | 6 | 18 |
USL Super League 2024-25 Golden Boot Race
| Ranks | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allie Thornton | Dallas Trinity | 13 |
| 2 | Mia Corbin | Carolina Ascent | 12 |
| 3 | Cecilie Nielsen | Tampa Bay Sun | 11 |
| 4 | Emina Ekic | Spokane Zephyr | 10 |
| Addie McCain | Fort Lauderdale United | 10 |