Latest news with #NWSL
San Francisco Chronicle
10 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay FC lose 2-1 as Gotham's Gonzalez scores her NWSL-best 10th goal of the season
Esther Gonzalez scored her 10th goal of the season and Gotham FC came from behind Saturday to defeat visiting Bay FC 2-1. The Spaniard is the top scorer in the NWSL and has already surpassed her total of nine goals from the 2024 season. Gotham (5-5-3) won its second home match of the season. It was a second straight loss for Bay FC (4-6-3), who have lost all three meetings with Gotham since joining the NWSL last year. Penelope Hocking put Bay FC up 1-0 in the 11th minute. Hocking latched onto a looping pass from Hannah Bebar and poked the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger in the Gotham goal. Gonzalez got Gotham's equalizer in the 29th minute when she pounced on a loose pass in the box by Alyssa Malonson. Geyse netted the winning goal for Gotham in the 55th. Nealy Martin found the Brazilian with a bending 40-yard long pass out of the defense. The NWSL schedule will pause until August, with Bay FC facing Houston on Aug. 2. However, Bay FC will host two friendlies at PayPal Park before then, taking on NWSL team Angel City on July 19 and the Urawa Red Diamonds of the Japanese J League on July 27.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Boston Legacy name Filipa Patao as first head coach
June 27 - Boston Legacy FC named Filipa Patao as the NWSL expansion club's first head coach. Patao, 36, coached Benfica in her native Portugal from 2020-25, compiling a 156-28-15 record in all competitions. She led Benfica to five consecutive league titles and was nominated for Ballon d'or Coach of the Year in 2024. Patao will join Boston in July once her visa is approved to begin preparations for the club's 2026 debut. "I'm very excited about going to Boston. I can't wait to get to the city, meet all the people, and start working," Patao said in a team release on Wednesday. "The American league is extremely competitive -- and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project. I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better." --Field Level Media
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Portland's WNBA expansion team reportedly fires president less than 3 months after hiring her
The incoming WNBA team in Portland is still nearly a year away from playing its first games, but its leadership might already be getting a little messy. Team president Inky Son, the franchise's first employee who was hired on April 1, has been fired according to The Oregonian's Bill Oram. A reason why was not given, though The Oregonian reports significant 'growing pains' amid a 'rocky' rollout for the WNBA's planned 15th team. Advertisement A South Korea native and graduate from Georgetown's business school, Son joined the still-unnamed Portland team after a stint as the chief administrative officer of the National Basketball Players Association. She also has experience with the MLB Players Association. As president, she was to oversee all aspects of the business, including hiring the team's head of basketball operations. The team's ownership group, which also owns the NWSL's Portland Thorns, sang her praises while announcing her hire less than three months ago: 'We are thrilled to welcome Inky to our team,' said Lisa Bhathal Merage, Owner and Governor of the expansion Portland WNBA franchise. 'Inky's proven track record of transforming organizations, her strategic mindset, and her passion for our mission make her the ideal person to build a solid foundation for our franchise and reaffirm Portland as the global epicenter of women's sports. Apparently no longer the ideal person for the job, Son's ouster comes at an awkward time for the Portland team, which is set to play its inaugural season in 2026 alongside another expansion team, the Toronto Tempo. Unlike Portland, the Tempo have already revealed their name, logo and general manager. Portland did have a potential name leak out earlier this week: the Portland Fire, a name that reflects both the city's previous WNBA team, in operation from 2000 to 2002, and the recurring phenomena that burnt 1.9 million acres in Oregon last year, damaged nearly 200 homes and racked up more than $350 million in firefighting bills. Advertisement The team filed trademarks for the Portland Fire earlier this month and has hinted it will reveal its brand identity on July 15. On the bright side, the team reported over 10,000 season ticket deposits had been made as of Thursday afternoon. Hopefully, they have some more good news to report soon.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA expansion team in Portland fires president Inky Son: Reports
The WNBA expansion franchise in Portland doesn't even begin playing until 2026. It has already fired its top employee. Team president Inky Son, who was hired by the new franchise April 1, is out less than three months later, according to multiple reports. The Oregonian was the first to report the news. Advertisement RAJ Sports, which owns the fledgling franchise, as well as the Portland Thorns FC of the NWSL and other sports entities, declined to comment to The Oregonian. The WNBA awarded Portland its expansion team in September, and the team is expected to debut next season along with a new team in Toronto. But though Toronto has already hired a general manager (Monica Wright Rogers) and assistant general manager (Eli Horowitz), among others, not to mention revealed its name (Tempo), Portland has not built out its basketball operations staff. Last week, the WNBA filed trademarks for the name 'Portland Fire' and a stylized 'P' logo. The franchise is expected to reveal its name next month. Son, who was formerly the chief administrative officer of the National Basketball Players Association, was hired earlier this spring, about the same time the team broke ground on a practice facility that it will share with the Thorns. At the time, RAJ Sports managing director Mike Whitehead said Son would 'lay the groundwork for our future growth.' Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. WNBA, women's sports 2025 The Athletic Media Company
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Girls in Green well beaten by classy USA in Denver
USA 4-0 Republic of Ireland The heat, altitude and relentless energy of an excellent USA side proved too much for the Republic of Ireland in Denver, as they slumped to a 4-0 friendly defeat in the early hours of Friday morning. Emma Hayes rested most of her European-based stars, with the exception of Chelsea defender Naomi Girma. Instead she gave some of the NWSL's brightest talents the opportinity to shine - and they gleefully took it. Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson headed home the opener after 18 minutes, with Sam Coffey doubling the Americans' lead right on the stroke of half-time. Rose Lavelle put the result beyond doubt early in the second half before Alyssa Thompson placed the cherry on top with a super individual effort. It was a chastening night at the office for Ireland. They must dust themselves down now and head for Cincinnati, where they face the world No 1-ranked side again on Sunday. Shorn of Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell in the build-up, head coach Carla Ward knew this was going to be a massive challenge. Ireland had travelled without Katie McCabe, Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne and Leanne Kiernan; they could not afford to lose more quality. It was tough going from the off. Courtney Brosnan - named captain on the occasion of her 50th cap - denied Thompson with a brilliant point-blank stop, and clawed a low Claire Hutton effort around the post moments later. Thompson was a menace down the left, attacking with huge purpose and pace. A goal felt inevitable but when it came on 18 minutes, it was avoidable. Ireland switched off from a corner that was played short to Lavelle. She swung in a fine cross that Patterson powered home with a downward header. Ireland struggled to enjoy anything resembling decent possession as the USA swarmed all over them. Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes and Jessie Stapelton all produced moments of courageous defending, but collectively the visitors couldn't stem the tide. Having survied a few close calls, the second goal eventually arrived in first-half stoppage time when Coffey glided beyond a couple of defenders and forced home a smart left-footed strike. Two down at the break, there was realistically no way back for Ireland. They'd have hoped to restrict their vaunted opponents more effectively and perhaps pinch a goal back, but neither happened. If anything, it was the hosts who went up a level. Lavelle finished off a sweeping move from close range seven minutes into the second half to make it three, and Thompson made it four with 63 minutes on the clock when she ghosted beyond Stapleton, surged towards the area and curled home a peach of a goal via the inside of the post. Hayes emptied her bench, each sub hungry to make their mark. San Diego-born attacker Erin Healy did come on to make her Ireland debut in the closing stages, but she barely touched the ball. Emily Sonnett and Olivia Moultrie - who hit the bar with a rasper - both went close as the USA hunted more goals. In the end they had to settle for 4-0, though they will no doubt relish the chance to inflict more pain on the Irish in the rematch this weekend. USA: Claudia Dickey; Naomi Girma (Capt), Avery Patterson, Lilly Reale, Emily Sonnett; Claire Hutton, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffey; Alyssa Thompson, Ally Sentnor, Michelle Cooper
