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Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to follow NWSL players this summer. Plus: A jubilant Euro 2025 host
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is 's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. As a Shel Silverstein poem starts: 'When the light turns green, you go. When the light turns red, you stop.' But what do you do when the light turns green with the silhouette of your favorite football queen? Keep reading to find out. Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan and Tamerra Griffin — welcome to Full Time! Advertisement Summer Soccerfest NWSL players go abroad We are in the thick of the European Championship, with an entire round of the group stage gone. It has not disappointed, but we are just getting started. NWSL fans need not fret too much over the summer break, because several of the league's players are traversing the globe with their national teams. The Euros kicked off July 2, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations on July 5 and Copa America Femenina starts Friday. Eighteen NWSL players are enjoying a European summer, with 11 of 16 nations in the Euros using talent from the American league. That's triple the NWSL players who competed in the tournament in 2022. Advertisement WAFCON features eight NWSL players representing three different countries: Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia. The players in that tournament are competing for an increased winner's prize of $1 million, double what it was in 2022. In Ecuador, Copa América Femenina features 11 NWSL players representing three countries: Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. And yes, one of those players is the unretired, ageless wonder Marta. You can read about all 37 players and how to watch them in Tamerra and Melanie's rundown. Top moments of the Euros Twenty-four games in 12 days is a lot to keep track of. Luckily, we have a team of reporters and a Slack channel full of chatter to catch you up. Here are just a few of our favorite Euros moments: Advertisement 💬 Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema let out a guttural roar and pointed to the sky after scoring her 100th goal for the country, joining her teammates to make the sign 'Viv 100' with their fingers afterward. 💬 After absorbing England's front-footedness at the start of their game, France wingers Delphine Cascarino and Sandy Baltimore outpaced England's backline. Marie-Antoinette Katoto is a rather stoic player, but the broad smile on her face as her teammates piled onto her after scoring the opening goal made clear how special the moment was as France defeated England 2-1. 💬 Earlier today, Portugal and Italy kept the fight alive in Group B with a hard-fought 1-1 draw. It featured a golazo from Italy's all-time leading scorer Cristiana Girelli, 35, a disallowed Portugal goal and a late equalizer from Diana Gomes. It's not over yet for the group topped by Spain and Italy for now. WAFCON trio of goals Women's AFCON only officially got underway Saturday, but three NWSL players have already scored in pretty banger-ific fashion. Here's Tamerra's take on the first few games: Advertisement 'Reigning NWSL Championship MVP Barbra Banda scored 58 seconds into Zambia's opening game against Morocco. Twenty-six minutes later, Banda was in vintage form, collecting the ball at midfield with her chest while absorbing pressure and playing a deliciously timed ball through to Bay FC striker Racheal Kundanandji, who slid it cleanly to the back of the net. 'Morocco weren't to be counted out, though, and rallied from behind to level the score to 2-2 by game's end. 'On Sunday, the Bay contingent kept rolling. Six-time African Women's Player of the Year and 'agba baller' Asisat Oshoala opened the scoring account for Nigeria's Super Falcons with a flick of her head off a free kick.' Meg's Corner: The hostess with the mostest I can't be the only one tuning into the Euros from home, sighing wistfully at all that beautiful b-roll of picturesque towns with towering mountains in the background, wishing I were on the ground, ready to complain about the summer heat and gorge myself on live tournament football and Swiss chocolate. Advertisement Despite the distance, the afternoon games on the East Coast have thoroughly entertained, especially Switzerland's 2-0 victory over Iceland, which has now kept the host country's dreams of reaching the knockouts for the first time alive. To earn it, they'll have to face off against Finland — arguably the best team in Group A so far — on Thursday. And for all the questions about Switzerland hosting this tournament and what it may mean for the country in terms of legacy, there can be no doubt that the locals have shown their loyalty. Swiss supporters turned up in the thousands for the fan walk to the match in Bern, along with another 2,000 Icelandic fans, setting a new record for the largest fan walk in the tournament's history. (Just look at this sea of red.) 'You really change a country if you host it properly,' former Switzerland Football Association head of women's football Tatjana Haenni told , who saw purpose in building a strategy without relying on Switzerland's results. The last two Euro hosts went on to win it all; Switzerland's expectations are nowhere near that. But Sunday's win may help provide a path for Switzerland to prove itself as a footballing nation and a host country with a proper atmosphere and a plan for the future of the women's game. 🎧 From Basel to Zurich, 'Full Time Euros' and its panel of experts, takes you inside Euro 2025 from Switzerland. Advertisement Need to Know Lily Yohannes lands in Lyon U.S. women's national team midfielder Lily Yohannes officially signed with OL Lyonnes today. We previously reported the agreement between Ajax and Lyonnes over the 18-year-old on July 1. The deal runs through 2028. She will play for new head coach Jonathan Giraldez, who most recently led the Washington Spirit in NWSL. Both clubs are owned by businesswoman Michele Kang. She joins fellow USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert, who signed with the club last week from Paris Saint-Germain, fullback Ashley Lawrence from Chelsea, former Barcelona winger Ingrid Engen, winger Jule Brand from Wolfsburg and striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto from PSG. Advertisement Read more about Yohannes and her growing career here. Women's soccer remembers Diogo Jota Another moment that will last from this Euros was Portugal's first game against Spain after the tragic news of Diogo Jota's death. Before the match, a placard was unfurled in the stands that read, 'You took the name of Portugal beyond borders. Now it's our turn to raise your name.' The banner honored former Liverpool and Portugal forward, Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, who passed away following a car crash in the early hours of Thursday in Spain. Jota had just married his long-time girlfriend 10 days earlier. Advertisement Every Euro 2025 game has since observed a moment of silence for the brothers. Around the world, players have taken to mimicking Jota's famous video game celebration to honor the Premier League champion. During Nigeria's 3-0 win over Tunisia in WAFCON, former Liverpool player Rinsola Babajide used the celebration after scoring the team's second goal. What to Watch Summer tournaments galore With so many games going on, we can't tell you to watch all of them, but these tournaments are capable of surprise bangers like Portugal-Italy and Spain-Belgium proved today. 📺 England vs. Netherlands England have their backs against the wall, while the Netherlands are coming off the high of beating Wales and seeing Miedema reach a century of goals. It's a must-win for both teams. Advertisement 📺 Zambia vs. Senegal You'll have to get a second screen, but this matchup has quite the firepower with Senegal coming off a 4-0 win over DR Congo and Zambia looking to build momentum from a closely contested 2-2 draw with Morocco. We know Banda can score. The question is just how many. 📺 Ecuador vs. Uruguay While Sunday's game between Brazil and Venezuela might be more intriguing on the field, this one has a few strong storylines to follow. Ecuador, the hosts, face a Uruguay team that reportedly refused to train, protesting their federation and demanding better conditions. Full Time First Looks A moment for Wales: Euro 2025 is Wales Women's first major tournament. Although the Netherlands spoiled the party, it was a major milestone for the nation, which played in front of just five people in 2021. Megan was there to capture the singing, tears and even smiles. Advertisement Closer review: England forward Alessia Russo's opening goal against France was disallowed for a marginal offside ruling on Beth Mead. It was a decision England's head coach described as a 'huge surprise' — so what exactly happened, and why didn't the goal stand? explains. Light the way: As Meg mentioned, Switzerland has fully embraced the Euros this summer, breaking records off the field and finding success on it. That passion goes all the way up to the traffic lights. In Basel, where the final will take place, officials installed 12 alternate pedestrian crossing lights that feature a footballer kicking a ball when on green. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with Also, check out our other newsletters. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Advertisement NWSL, Full Time Newsletter 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Your Euro 2025 cheat sheet. Plus: USWNT's Biyendolo gets well-deserved recognition
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Watch out for robots on the pitch today. Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei, Asli Pelit and Tamerra Griffin — welcome to Full Time! Everything to know about the Euros It's time for another summer of soccer! (We need to find a different way to describe this. Camp Soccer, Summer Soccerfest, Socapalooza?) Even if the NWSL is on a break (play resumes Aug. 1), there are plenty of matches to watch between the Women's European Championship, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina. Most NWSL teams also have friendlies and mini-tournaments lined up. Advertisement Things kick off Wednesday with the Euros, so let's start there. Reigning champions England are hoping to successfully defend their title, and Spain are attempting to complete a treble of major tournament wins — and will be relieved to have star midfielder Aitana Bonmati back after she was hospitalized with meningitis. Keep an eye on Meg and Tamerra's picks to win it all: Germany and France. Watch more here. Switzerland are hosting the tournament that runs from July 2 until July 27 and have a good chance to get out of their group. Want to … We have team guides for all 16 competing nations, which you can find here — and be sure to hit 'follow' on that page to stay updated throughout the tournament. How to watch: You'll hear familiar voices calling and commentating on the matches via Fox, which will air 19 games on its main channel, 11 on FS1 and one on FS2. (You can stream the tournament on Fubo — try it for free.) There will be two matches daily at 12 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET through July 9, then two matches happening simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET to round out the group stage by July 13. Full schedule here. USWNT youth looks strong vs. Ireland If the U.S. women's national team's last two matches — both against the Republic of Ireland, both 4-0 victories — have taught us anything, it's that the present and future of this squad will be powered by the youth. In keeping with her development manifesto, coach Emma Hayes brought six more uncapped players to this camp, four of whom earned their first call-ups. Three of those first-timers (defenders Jordyn Bugg and Lilly Reale, and midfielder Sam Meza) last trained with the under-23s and competed in a pair of bangers against Germany a month ago. Those performances, in addition to their strong club contributions, earned them invitations to the senior side — and their experience with U-23s primed them to thrive in their USWNT debuts. Advertisement Bugg was the epitome of composure in both games, and Meza controlled the tempo of the U.S. midfield with supreme maturity. Reale played the full 90 in the first match, her senior debut, and assisted Alyssa Thompson's 63rd-minute goal. Next up: The U.S. concludes its three-match FIFA window with a clash against Canada on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., at Audi Field (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, TruTV and Universo). The continental rivals' last two meetings in 2024 were decided by penalty kicks, with the U.S. triumphant each time. This will be a huge test for the team's rotating roster. Youth generally stole the show at the USWNT's pair of friendlies against Ireland, but in addition to Rose Lavelle's strong return to the team with a goal and assist in the first match, Lynn Biyendolo got her moment in the sun in the second — serving as the team's captain for the first time and adding a goal with the armband on. With so much focus on the missing Triple Espresso and the rise of talent like Thompson, the 32-year-old Biyendolo has been a steady presence for the USWNT and a crucial leadership voice in this camp. Since Hayes arrived last year, she has had nothing but praise for Biyendolo. Originally named as an alternate for the second time for the 2024 Olympics, Biyendolo got promoted to the 18 following an injury to Cat Macario. 'A player who epitomizes everything you want in a squad, someone who cares, someone who trains with great intensity, someone who's intentional,' Hayes said in Marseille last year. Biyendolo finally getting the captain's armband, then going on to score, was a truly lovely full-circle moment. After the match, Biyendolo recounted her first pregame speech as captain to the TNT desk: 'Everybody's meant to be here. If you were not meant to be here, you wouldn't be here.' She ended it on a note that drew from her own experience. 'Take a deep breath and let's just play, and play with joy.' WAFCON, Copa up soon The next several weeks will be filled with some of the biggest international competitions outside of North America. Beyond the Euros, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations begins this weekend, followed by Copa America Femenina next week. WAFCON The 2023 World Cup served as a gentle yet urgent reminder that women's football in Africa continues to rise, and this summer's Women's Africa Cup of Nations will showcase the best of what the continent has to offer starting Saturday. Advertisement Hosts Morocco fell short of a title in the last tournament, which they also hosted, but will need to get through the likes of Nigeria and Zambia, whose rosters shimmer with international stars and homegrown talent champing at the bit for their breakout moments. The Super Falcons of Nigeria are bolstered by Europe-based players — including Christy Ucheibe of Benfica and Rasheedat Ajibade of Atlético Madrid — while the Copper Queens of Zambia will be led by NWSL standouts Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, not to mention Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya, who are also gaining footholds in the league. Copa America Femenina The South American competition begins July 12 in Ecuador, with some of the region's brightest stars vying to dethrone eight-time champions Brazil. While Brazil remains a heavy favorite, the slow but growing investment in professional women's soccer across the continent has the potential to shake things up. Argentina is only the second team besides Brazil to have won the competition. While La Albiceleste could be the tournament's dark horse, the Colombian national team is a top contender to earn its first Copa America crown after finishing second in 2022. Las Cafeteras are headlined by promising rising stars in Real Madrid's Linda Caicedo and Chelsea's Mayra Ramirez. With Marta coming out of international retirement at 39 to join Brazil for Copa America, the competition is must-watch television. How often are we given a second chance to watch a women's soccer icon on the world stage? (Crossing our fingers for World Cup 2027, too.) Catching up with Ali Krieger Two years after retiring as an NWSL champion with Gotham FC, Ali Krieger isn't exactly slowing down. She's still lacing up for special occasions, but Krieger's focus has shifted from playing to building: The 40-year-old is investing in women's sports with the same intensity she once brought to the pitch, as Krieger shared with Asli over the weekend. From their conversation: You're already investing in LOVB, the volleyball league. Are there any other women's sports you're interested in getting into? 💬 Absolutely. I would love to get into women's hockey, ice hockey, as well, basketball, of course, and then broaden my journey within the NWSL. I want to be an owner and investor fully into an organization so that I can have more of an impact on the day-to-day side of things. I think there's a lot on the table in the future, and I'm hopeful that women's sports will continue to grow and that I can kind of pick out little pieces here and there along the way that can benefit not only the women, you know, playing, but just the fan experience as well. Kang's new role: Michele Kang was just named the president of Olympique Lyonnais … men's team? It's unclear how, if at all, this will affect OL Lyonnes as the two teams were split up, but if you need to understand it from the men's side, we've got a long read on John Textor. Gotham in NYC: The NWSL break is firmly on, but teams are working to give us something to look forward to this summer. Gotham FC will head to Manhattan at Icahn Stadium to kick off their Concacaf W Champions Cup action against CF Monterrey Femenil. Sure, it's a smaller stadium, but it's a rare treat to see Gotham in NYC proper. Advertisement Women's sports 📈: And while it's not soccer, we've got to shout out the three new expansion teams coming to the the WNBA in Cleveland, Detroit and Philly. Expansion fees? $250 million. It will bring the league to a record 18 teams by 2030. Keep an eye on what this could mean for expansion in the NWSL in the long term. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
New York Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NWSL takes a break. Plus: María Sánchez's Tigres return
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Suggesting a Connections: Sports Edition category for my colleague Mark Cooper. Clues: Attend the Cowboy Carter tour, go to a water park, read a book, watch more soccer Advertisement Category: Things you can do while do while NWSL is on a break Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Tamerra Griffin and Asli Pelit — welcome to Full Time! NWSL midseason review We are officially halfway through the 2025 NWSL season. We've arrived at the summer break, though it's hard to call it that. Here are three key numbers to illustrate where the league stands after 13 action-packed weekends: Every team has squared off with every other team once, and the reverse matches take place after the league returns to regular-season action on Aug. 1. In the meantime, several players will depart for national team duty. In addition to the trio of USWNT games that will heavily feature NWSL players this week and next, other players will embark on a month-long chase for a trophy in the European Championship, Women's African Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina. Even those who don't get the call for their country won't necessarily be jetting off to the beach. Many NWSL teams have their own friendlies or tournaments during this time. I'm not sure you can call this a 'break,' exactly. Where everybody knows your name With all this soccer, we're going to need a place to watch it. Lucky for those in the Bay Area, where the 2025 NWSL Championship will take place, the newest sports bar in the area can guarantee the games will be on. Tamerra went to Rikki's to find out more: 'What's on today?' I asked the bouncer at the entrance to Rikki's, the new women's sports bar that opened in San Francisco on June 11. I knew I'd find what I was looking for, but I wanted to hear her say it. The Golden State Valkyries had just concluded their 87-63 drubbing of the Connecticut Sun, the bouncer told me while she stamped my wrist with a purple smiley face. 'We're about to put a soccer game on now,' she said of the San Diego Wave-Washington Spirit match. I took my time searching for a table, delighting in the framed jerseys of not only Bay FC and the Valkyries, but the semi-pro Bay Breakers women's rugby team and professional women's ultimate frisbee Bay Area Falcons squad. The crowd swelled late into the night as people across race and gender spectrums exchanged hugs and shouted over plates of duck confit, dry rub BBQ chicken wings (highly recommend) and signature cocktails inspired by icons like Kristi Yamaguchi and Miss Gaviota, Mexico's first trans lucha libre wrestler. Rikki's is named after the late Rikki Streicher, a champion of women's sports who ran queer and lesbian bars in San Francisco. What struck me most about the space was how quickly it has transcended its purpose as a gathering place for women's sports to a place for folks to simply gather, with the games playing on its well-placed TVs a normalized and necessary background. NWSL's leading goal scorer Esther González may stand just 5 feet 5 inches, but the Spanish striker continues to tower over the NWSL. She was nearly unstoppable again last weekend, earning Player of the Match honors in Gotham FC's 2-1 win over Bay FC. Now the league's top scorer with 10 goals in 13 games, González has already claimed April's Player of the Month. As Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós put it earlier this season, her soccer IQ is next-level. A 2023 World Cup winner, she's locked in through 2027 with Gotham as the heartbeat of the team's front line and a nightmare for opponents. Esther is now headed to Switzerland, chasing Euro glory with La Roja. With the first half of the NWSL season wrapped, the next six weeks should prove a pretty fascinating time for women's soccer in America, even with three major summer tournaments that don't feature the U.S. This, more than the drama of a World Cup, should help reveal the actual state of the game both from a fans' point of view and within an NWSL framework. Advertisement With the USWNT's three friendlies in this FIFA window — including what should be a fun first showdown between U.S. head coach Emma Hayes and Canada's Casey Stoney on the touchline — the NWSL players on the roster are taking center stage while the European kids take a break (aside from Naomi Girma, who asked to be included). With plenty of competition from the Gold Cup and the Club World Cup on the men's side, if the U.S. women can pull attendance and eyeballs even with inconsequential matches, that will mean something. The same goes for the three major continental tournaments happening in Europe, South America and Africa. The NWSL was smart enough to take the full month off due to the sheer number of international players involved, but the Euros, in particular, will be a good test of how hungry the American audience is for women's soccer of every kind. Fox is betting big with its presentation, which includes Carli Lloyd in the studio. The network is showing 19 games on the flagship channel and 11 on FS1, with only a single match bumped to FS2. Look how far we've come! Two challenges await: for the NWSL, it's to insert itself into this summer of soccer despite not playing games, and for the fans, it's to prove the audience is there. The results may surprise us all. María Sánchez leaves San Diego Summer also means player movement. And one player who has seen plenty of changes in the last few years is headed back to her former club. Forward María Sánchez has left the San Diego Wave to join Liga MX Femenil's Tigres UANL on a four-year deal, her agent confirmed to The Athletic. The American-born attacker arrived in San Diego last year after requesting a trade away from the Houston Dash. Houston had previously signed Sánchez on a $1.5 million deal, then considered the richest contract in the NWSL. She scored nine goals and recorded seven assists across 40 games with the Wave, an improvement from her time with the Dash, where she totaled eight goals and 14 assists across 62 matches. Advertisement Stadium designs with everyone in mind As women's sports rise in visibility and popularity, stadium design is finally catching up. Asli has been speaking with architects, designers and industry experts about how stadiums have long excluded the needs of women — down to the size of the seats. Clubs and leagues are now rethinking how these spaces should function more inclusively. Here is Asli's biggest takeaway: 'I spoke with architects Fran Weld from Canopy Team and Rita Ochoa (AFL) who walked me through every small (but impactful) detail: from shower designs to smoothie machines and seats with sightlines that account for shorter heights. 'As Weld put it, leadership means using privilege to create space for others. Mixed-use spaces aren't just good planning, they're good business. 'For design geeks like me, here is the full story.' International Friendlies 📺 USWNT vs. Ireland Thursday at 9 p.m. ET, free on TBS, TruTV and Universo The U.S. faces off in two matches against Ireland this window, the first on Thursday and the second on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. As we've mentioned before, this camp features almost exclusively NWSL players. Prepare for rotation. Elsewhere, several European nations are gearing up for the Euros with key friendlies. We're keeping an eye on updates out of Spain vs. Japan on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Making moves: Sánchez isn't the only one on the move: There was a triple change among Michele Kang's teams last week. The Spirit added forward Sofia Cantore from Juventus, who will be the first Italian player in the NWSL. In France, Ingrid Engen joined Lyon from Barcelona, and Netherlands midfielder Danielle van de Donk joined London City Lionesses from Lyon. Juneteenth celebration: The Black Women's Player Collective doubled down on its core values, using Juneteenth as both a celebration and a call to action across women's soccer. And the work isn't limited to one day. Dash goalkeeper Abby Smith also joined 'Full Time' to talk about what Juneteenth means to her. Advertisement Next in goal: Speaking of the Euros, we've talked a lot about the players left off England's squad, but now we are hearing from the players headed to the tournament. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton says she will do her best to 'fill the gloves' of the goalkeepers who came before her, including Mary Earps, who announced her retirement from international football last month. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NWSL is still plenty chaotic, actually. Plus, Americans headed to Champions League final
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is 's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Cut your bangs, it's chaos season. Emily Olsen here with Tamerra Griffin, Melanie Anzidei and Meg Linehan — welcome to Full Time! What Is Going On? Never question the chaos If the NWSL was a person, it'd be that one friend who finds joy in keeping the people around them on their toes. Tease them for being too afraid to cut their hair, and their next Instagram post will be a selfie from a barber's chair, holding a tube of semi-permanent dye. You know the kind. Advertisement This weekend the NWSL saw the hand-wringing — some of it on the latest 'Full Time' podcast, to be fair — about the crystallizing of an Elite Four and the other eight teams being left to the spots beneath them, and shrugged, 'Say less.' Our bad! Gotham FC had a roller-coaster week, which included a 4-1 spanking by the Portland Thorns on Tuesday night, followed by a vengeful 3-0 dub over the Washington Spirit on Saturday afternoon. Angel City FC had a revival, nearly beating Orlando Pride a week after a 4-0 loss to Gotham. The reigning league champion Pride were about 20 minutes away from their second consecutive loss of the season before Marta redirected the tides and Carson Pickett went beast mode to lift the team to a thrilling 3-2 victory. Not a crumb of popcorn was left at the bottom of the bowl after that one. In Portland yesterday, just when it appeared that Racing Louisville was set to head home with a coveted road victory, the Thorns poked back. Rookie defender Jayden Perry converted her second penalty of the week to bring the home team level with Racing at 3-3 in the waning minutes of stoppage time. This match was brimming with goals and officiating controversy, and on the whole, the weekend was a humble reminder to everyone who dared question the chaos quotient in this league: The limit does not exist. Advertisement However, the chaos wasn't limited to the top of the table. After a winless start to the season, the North Carolina Courage finally found themselves with the biggest statement win possible, beating the formerly undefeated Kansas City Current 3-2 at WakeMed on Saturday evening. Courage defenders Ryan Williams and Kaleigh Kurtz scored the first two, and Ashley Sanchez, who's been relatively quiet so far this season, got the go-ahead. 🔮 Someone who saw it coming all along, head coach Sean Nahas, joined the 'Full Time Focus' podcast on Friday. You can listen to the full interview here. Goalkeeper throw-ins should count for something Gotham scored three unanswered goals for all three points against the Washington Spirit on Saturday. But as the skies opened up and the rain poured down, the Spirit got at least one positive stat: most goalkeeper throw-ins. That counts for something, right? Even if it's only a less-than-ideal consolation for the loss and the red card to head coach Jonatan Giráldez in the final moments of the match. Meg's Corner: Rivalries need time even if entertaining doesn't Beyond our collective enjoyment from this weekend's NWSL action, there was a helpful reminder that this league loves to buck off tidy narratives. Advertisement If you didn't watch Friday night's match between the Orlando Pride and Angel City FC, it'd be easy to assign a couple of quick takes about that final result. Orlando's still good; Angel City with yet another collapse. Both of those things are true on the surface, but barely sum up that wild 90-minute ride, plus the all-important stoppage time. Angel City had Orlando on the ropes for a while, making last year's seemingly invincible team look all too human. The Pride had to find some reserve they had never needed to tap for the comeback victory, led by — who else — Marta and Barbra Banda. Angel City's had too many games end like that, but Friday night will be a different level of hurt, one a new coach can harness to better the young core. The league desperately wants rivalries to be one of the main stories driving attention as the front office works to build star power (see: Spirit vs. Gotham, a good game but certainly not in the top three for entertainment this weekend alone). Outside of Portland and Seattle, however, everything else needs real time and history to develop. Fortunately, this weekend proved that what's happening naturally on the field is providing the spark in the meantime. Need to Know NWSL applies to add a new league The NWSL has submitted application paperwork to U.S. Soccer for sanctioning of a potential Division II league, theoretically starting in 2026. Commissioner Jessica Berman wrote in the application that having a Division II league was 'essential for the development and sustainability' of the NWSL. There are some details in the document: Advertisement Eight teams to start with proposed markets Every NWSL team would have a DII side by 2030 The lower-division teams would use the NWSL's existing training facility and stadium infrastructure While it's an interesting proposal, there's a lot more that we don't know. That includes if this league will even start by 2026. And not all of the teams listed in the proposal were on board before the information was submitted. Some of the pushback centered on the price of operating a second team. As Jeff wrote today in his column, filling in the second division on the U.S. women's soccer pyramid is a good thing for the game, there are just big existential questions right now about how that pyramid should be built. Jeff called it 'a conundrum of U.S. Soccer's own creation by opening the landscape like a marketplace instead of working to ensure a coherent structure.' Advertisement Expect more on these big questions in Wednesday's episode of 'Full Time.' Americans headed to Champions League final Barcelona and Arsenal will meet in the Champions League final on May 24. Yesterday's dramatic semifinals saw both teams topple their opponents in dominating fashion. The championship game will also feature two USWNT defenders, with Emily Fox and Jenna Nighswonger both members of Arsenal's backline. Both previously played in the NWSL, with Fox signing with the English club in 2024 and Nighswonger joining after her exit from Gotham FC this past offseason. Barcelona outscored Chelsea 4-1 for a second time, bringing the aggregate score over the two matches to a shameful eight goals to two for the Blues. Meanwhile, Arsenal stunned Lyon, an eight-time UWCL champion, taking advantage of the French side's poor defending and picking up on the early momentum from an own goal just five minutes in. Advertisement Arsenal's legendary performance earned them a return to the UWCL final for the first time in 18 years. They'll be up against a dominant Barcelona team, a three-time champion that has featured in the last four finals. 'Life-changing' treatments help freeze time Seattle defender Lauren Barnes remembers the process of freezing her eggs well. The 35-year-old took advantage of her team's partnership with a local clinic last year, but said it took six months for her to feel like herself again. Barnes isn't alone. Asli Pelit spoke to players who are taking advantage of fertility treatment options in NWSL that didn't exist even five years ago. Advertisement But it's not just about freezing eggs — it's about trying to freeze time, to buy a chance in the game, on the pitch and off. What to Watch 📺 Birmingham City vs. London City Lionesses Who doesn't love a winner-takes-all finale? The lone spot for promotion to the Women's Super League in England comes down to a single match. Will Michele Kang's investment in London City make the difference or will Birmingham City finally claw its way back to the top? Full Time First Looks Vested interest: Two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner Lauren Holiday has joined the ownership group of North Carolina Courage. Previously an investor in Angel City, Holiday is said to be taking a hands-on approach to Courage ownership. Along with husband, Jrue, the Holiday Family Trust will hold a main stake in North Carolina going forward. Advertisement Foot in the door: A new partnership between IDA Sports and the USL Players Association will give every player in the USL Super League access to cleats specifically designed for women's feet. Even cooler, the players will have a chance to give direct feedback and input on future designs. Research has suggested a link between improper footwear and ACL injuries, which makes this hopefully a revolutionary move. Lonely milestones: Jacqui Oatley, who was a frequent voice on NWSL games last year, was the first woman to commentate on England's Match of the Day program 18 years ago. She started that week thinking her biggest challenge would be adapting to the nuances of TV commentary, then came the stomach-drop moment when she realized she had become the story. Oatley recently reflected on the milestone and the isolation that followed. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with Also, check out our other newsletters. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NWSL, Full Time Newsletter 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NWSL is still plenty chaotic, actually. Plus, Americans headed to Champions League final
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Cut your bangs, it's chaos season. Emily Olsen here with Tamerra Griffin, Melanie Anzidei and Meg Linehan — welcome to Full Time! Never question the chaos If the NWSL was a person, it'd be that one friend who finds joy in keeping the people around them on their toes. Tease them for being too afraid to cut their hair, and their next Instagram post will be a selfie from a barber's chair, holding a tube of semi-permanent dye. You know the kind. This weekend the NWSL saw the hand-wringing — some of it on the latest 'Full Time' podcast, to be fair — about the crystallizing of an Elite Four and the other eight teams being left to the spots beneath them, and shrugged, 'Say less.' Our bad! However, the chaos wasn't limited to the top of the table. After a winless start to the season, the North Carolina Courage finally found themselves with the biggest statement win possible, beating the formerly undefeated Kansas City Current 3-2 at WakeMed on Saturday evening. Courage defenders Ryan Williams and Kaleigh Kurtz scored the first two, and Ashley Sanchez, who's been relatively quiet so far this season, got the go-ahead. Advertisement 🔮 Someone who saw it coming all along, head coach Sean Nahas, joined the 'Full Time Focus' podcast on Friday. You can listen to the full interview here. Goalkeeper throw-ins should count for something Gotham scored three unanswered goals for all three points against the Washington Spirit on Saturday. But as the skies opened up and the rain poured down, the Spirit got at least one positive stat: most goalkeeper throw-ins. In fact, Aubrey Kingsbury just became the first NWSL goalkeeper to take a throw-in since May 12, 2023 (Alyssa Naeher). [image or embed] — Jeff Rueter (@ April 26, 2025 at 11:53 AM That counts for something, right? Even if it's only a less-than-ideal consolation for the loss and the red card to head coach Jonatan Giráldez in the final moments of the match. Beyond our collective enjoyment from this weekend's NWSL action, there was a helpful reminder that this league loves to buck off tidy narratives. If you didn't watch Friday night's match between the Orlando Pride and Angel City FC, it'd be easy to assign a couple of quick takes about that final result. Orlando's still good; Angel City with yet another collapse. Both of those things are true on the surface, but barely sum up that wild 90-minute ride, plus the all-important stoppage time. Angel City had Orlando on the ropes for a while, making last year's seemingly invincible team look all too human. The Pride had to find some reserve they had never needed to tap for the comeback victory, led by — who else — Marta and Barbra Banda. Angel City's had too many games end like that, but Friday night will be a different level of hurt, one a new coach can harness to better the young core. The league desperately wants rivalries to be one of the main stories driving attention as the front office works to build star power (see: Spirit vs. Gotham, a good game but certainly not in the top three for entertainment this weekend alone). Outside of Portland and Seattle, however, everything else needs real time and history to develop. Fortunately, this weekend proved that what's happening naturally on the field is providing the spark in the meantime. NWSL applies to add a new league The NWSL has submitted application paperwork to U.S. Soccer for sanctioning of a potential Division II league, theoretically starting in 2026. Commissioner Jessica Berman wrote in the application that having a Division II league was 'essential for the development and sustainability' of the NWSL. There are some details in the document: While it's an interesting proposal, there's a lot more that we don't know. That includes if this league will even start by 2026. And not all of the teams listed in the proposal were on board before the information was submitted. Some of the pushback centered on the price of operating a second team. As Jeff wrote today in his column, filling in the second division on the U.S. women's soccer pyramid is a good thing for the game, there are just big existential questions right now about how that pyramid should be built. Jeff called it 'a conundrum of U.S. Soccer's own creation by opening the landscape like a marketplace instead of working to ensure a coherent structure.' Advertisement Expect more on these big questions in Wednesday's episode of 'Full Time.' Americans headed to Champions League final Barcelona and Arsenal will meet in the Champions League final on May 24. Yesterday's dramatic semifinals saw both teams topple their opponents in dominating fashion. The championship game will also feature two USWNT defenders, with Emily Fox and Jenna Nighswonger both members of Arsenal's backline. Both previously played in the NWSL, with Fox signing with the English club in 2024 and Nighswonger joining after her exit from Gotham FC this past offseason. Barcelona outscored Chelsea 4-1 for a second time, bringing the aggregate score over the two matches to a shameful eight goals to two for the Blues. Meanwhile, Arsenal stunned Lyon, an eight-time UWCL champion, taking advantage of the French side's poor defending and picking up on the early momentum from an own goal just five minutes in. Arsenal's legendary performance earned them a return to the UWCL final for the first time in 18 years. They'll be up against a dominant Barcelona team, a three-time champion that has featured in the last four finals. 'Life-changing' treatments help freeze time Seattle defender Lauren Barnes remembers the process of freezing her eggs well. The 35-year-old took advantage of her team's partnership with a local clinic last year, but said it took six months for her to feel like herself again. Barnes isn't alone. Asli Pelit spoke to players who are taking advantage of fertility treatment options in NWSL that didn't exist even five years ago. But it's not just about freezing eggs — it's about trying to freeze time, to buy a chance in the game, on the pitch and off. What to Watch 📺 Birmingham City vs. London City Lionesses Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on YouTube Who doesn't love a winner-takes-all finale? The lone spot for promotion to the Women's Super League in England comes down to a single match. Will Michele Kang's investment in London City make the difference or will Birmingham City finally claw its way back to the top? Vested interest: Two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner Lauren Holiday has joined the ownership group of North Carolina Courage. Previously an investor in Angel City, Holiday is said to be taking a hands-on approach to Courage ownership. Along with husband, Jrue, the Holiday Family Trust will hold a main stake in North Carolina going forward. Advertisement Foot in the door: A new partnership between IDA Sports and the USL Players Association will give every player in the USL Super League access to cleats specifically designed for women's feet. Even cooler, the players will have a chance to give direct feedback and input on future designs. Research has suggested a link between improper footwear and ACL injuries, which makes this hopefully a revolutionary move. Lonely milestones: Jacqui Oatley, who was a frequent voice on NWSL games last year, was the first woman to commentate on England's Match of the Day program 18 years ago. She started that week thinking her biggest challenge would be adapting to the nuances of TV commentary, then came the stomach-drop moment when she realized she had become the story. Oatley recently reflected on the milestone and the isolation that followed. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
