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USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bad blood, big trade, bitter rematches: 2025 NWSL rivalry weekend storylines
The stakes are high, but emotions will be running higher as the NWSL enters rivalry weekend Friday. The 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race is heating up and the NWSL Shield is up for grabs as teams jockey for playoff positioning following a month-long break for international play. Now, add a sprinkle of bad blood to the mix. Seven intense rivalries are on the lineup for Week 15, capped by the record 43rd meeting between the Portland Thorns FC and the Seattle Reign FC, "the longest rivalry in the history of the league," NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told USA TODAY Sports. "There's been some players chirping this week about how much the players in Seattle hate Portland and how much the players in Portland hate Seattle," Berman said. "We know it's gonna be a fierce competition." The NWSL welcomes rivalry because it's crucial to growing viewership and engagement in any league. Think of the new audience the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry brought to the WNBA or what the decades-long battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics did for the NBA. "Giving people an extra reason to watch is really the key to growing the league," Berman told USA TODAY Sports. "Luckily we have some of this inherent competition that exists between these various different clubs. And so I think it's really important to our league and I think just gives players an additional reason to care and just put themselves out there." Berman said the league was "definitely intentional" about scheduling rivalry weekend after the second half of the season resumed because the "games matter even more." Here are the best storylines heading into the NWSL's rivalry weekend: Utah Royals FC vs Kansas City Current Ally Sentnor and the Utah Royals meet again. Exactly one week after Sentnor blockbuster trade from Utah to the Kansas City Current, the two teams are set to face off against each other in rivalry week. Sentnor joins a red-hot Current team that is atop the standings with a 10-point lead in the NWSL Shield race. Current forward Temwa Chawinga is closing in on the Golden Boot leader Esther González with nine goals on the season after finding net in the Current's 2-0 over Racing Louisville in Week 14. Chawinga was also nominated for the 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or, an annual award presented to the best player in the world by France Football. Meanwhile, the Royals are looking for a big win to spark momentum. The team has struggled with a record of 1-10-3. Gotham FC vs Washington Spirit The New York Knicks aren't the only team with a "celebrity row." The rivalry game between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit, a rematch of the 2024 NWSL semifinals that ended in a a penalty shootout, is set to attract A-listers like Kylie Kelce, Cierra and "some other surprise guests," Berman told USA TODAY Sports. We can't forget about the superstars on the pitch. Washington forward Trinity Rodman returned to the field for the first time in nearly four months in epic fashion with a stoppage time game-winner. Gotham also has Golden Boot leader Esther González (10 goals) back in the lineup. González also picked up a 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or nomination. Gotham is fighting to stay in playoff contention and need to stake up some wins. Expect fireworks. San Diego Wave FC vs. Angel City FC Who is the best team in California? "Every game is personal, but this one is extra personal," said Angel City rookie forward Riley Tiernan, who leads the team with seven goals this season. Angel City hasn't got off to the best start and is currently outside the playoff picture in 11th place, but all that goes out the window on Saturday when they face their nemesis San Diego. The Wave are currently in fourth place and will be looking for points to close the gap between the Current. The first and only matchup of the season between the San Diego Wave and Angel City ended in a draw in March. Look out for Wave forward Delphine Cascarino is coming off a strong performance in UEFA Women's Euro in Switzerland, where she scored two goals for France in the tournament. Portland Thorns FC vs. Seattle Reign FC The NWSL may have saved the best rivalry for last. The Cascadia rivalry, which stems from Seattle and Portland's close proximity, dates back to the North American Soccer League (1968 to 1984) and remains as passionate and intense as ever. No other teams in the NWSL have played each other more than the Thorns and Reign (42) and their head-to-head series is dead even at 16 wins and 10 draws each. The Reign won the first meeting of the season 1-0 in Seattle in April. Sunday's matchup, however, will be held in Portland, giving the Thorns a slight advantage as they are undefeated at home this season. Portland will have to watch out for USWNT star and Reign forward Lynn Biyendolo. She's scored 13 career goals against the Thorns, the most against the Thorns by any player in league history. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rachel Corsie calls time after chronic pain with dream ending for Scotland
Rachel Corsie has revealed she has battled through chronic pain to ensure she could end her career with the dream scenario of playing for her country. The 35-year-old Scotland captain will retire after the Women's Nations League matches at home to Austria on Friday and the away game against the Netherlands in Tilburg on 3 June. Corsie, who recovered from a knee injury to play her final club game for Aston Villa this month, said: 'My body has really wanted this to be my last year but my heart and my head have been stubborn and said 'I'm not quite ready'.' Related: Straight-talking Slegers lifted Arsenal to glory – now club must back her vision 'Getting back to playing at the end of the season was a really tough ambition and objective, but we got there. I feel like playing in WSL, playing international football, that is the highest level, and so to be turning 36 in August and know I've got to this point, that feels the right place for me [to stop].' Corsie, who has won 154 caps, said her career has surpassed everything she thought it would. 'For the first 20 years of my life, sport was what sport is for the average person; you do it alongside your studies or your schoolwork and you do it with your friends, you do it in the garden, you do it at the park. To get to do that as a professional, I massively treasure that. That's why I've been able to give my all to it, because I have a genuine love for football.' The former Aberdeen youngster, who missed one club game through suspension in her 19-year career, won seven league titles with Glasgow City, five Scottish Cups and four Scottish league cups, as well as the NWSL Shield with Seattle Reign in 2015. She has also played in Australia with Canberra United and represented Notts County, Birmingham City and Kansas City Current. In 2023-24 she was a regular for Aston Villa in the English top tier but this year she was able to make only two WSL appearances and she explained the day-to-day agony she has endured. 'Over the course of my career, I've had six surgeries in total, five on my left knee,' said Corsie, who is a qualified chartered accountant. 'This time around, I was sort of told by the surgeon before having the surgery that the condition of my knee was fairly concerning and that surgery would potentially give some relief. But there's quite a serious likelihood the damage that's been done over the course of my career is going to be impactful to the rest of my life. 'I wanted to do the surgery because I knew that I couldn't get back playing leaving it as it was. I was in chronic pain all the time, walking up and down stairs to the house, getting in and out of the shower and having to climb out the bath. You tolerate it in sport. You're willing to accept some level of pain and discomfort, but it's the rest of your day where it probably mentally impacts you more because there's no respite. 'The first half of the season, especially from October through to January, was a much harder journey. It was one I had nothing to relate it to. The emotional stress and knowing potentially this could be your last year and going to not make it back, is something that for any athlete is extremely difficult. 'It has been a tough journey. But I have made it and it has been worth – I think – all those days in pain. Some days you don't believe you're going to do it but the only option is to keep going.' The centre-back, who has scored 20 times for her country since making her debut in 2009, captained Scotland at their first Women's World Cup in 2019. 'To lead your team out at their first ever game at a World Cup is just a moment that can't be replicated and that moment probably fills me with the most pride.' For that reason, she is particularly proud she will conclude her career with a national team camp, which began on Monday, saying it feels almost perfect to finish in this way. 'When I got the call to say I was going be in [the squad], I was over the moon. There's something special about being Scottish and it's been the one thing, the light, I've needed at times to keep going, to want to keep pushing.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alex Morgan becomes minority investor in San Diego Wave
Alex Morgan has re-entered the NWSL world less than a year after retiring as a player. The former USWNT star announced on Tuesday that she is now a part-owner of the San Diego Wave, the club where she finished her career. Morgan joined the Wave during their inaugural season in 2022 and played for the club until the back half of last season, abruptly retiring after discovering she was pregnant for a second time. 'San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career,' Morgan said in a statement. 'I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports. I'm proud to invest in that future and not just as a player, but now as an investor.' Related: Alex Morgan retires with a relentless record of victories on and off the pitch | Alexander Abnos Aside from saying that Morgan will be a minority investor in the club, no other details were given on her stake. The Wave are majority owned by the Levine Leichtman family, who completed their $113m purchase of 100% of the club from former owner Ron Burkle at the end of the 2024 season. Since the new ownership took the reins, the club has undergone numerous changes. That includes the departure of club president and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis, following allegations that she created a hostile work environment (Ellis has countersued for defamation of character), along with the hiring of former Arsenal Women head coach Jonas Eidevall and the trade of Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage. 'Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,' said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of Wave FC. 'Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.' Morgan finished her career as one of the most accomplished players in the history of US women's soccer, winning two World Cups and Olympic gold with the US to go with an NWSL Championship in 2013 and the NWSL Shield in 2023. She said after retirement that she intended to invest in women's sports in her post-playing days, and she has kept her word – before this latest investment in Wave FC, Morgan also started venture capital firm Trybe Ventues and became an investor in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women's basketball league.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alex Morgan becomes minority investor in San Diego Wave
Alex Morgan has re-entered the NWSL world less than a year after retiring as a player. The former USWNT star announced on Tuesday that she is now a part-owner of the San Diego Wave, the club where she finished her career. Morgan joined the Wave during their inaugural season in 2022 and played for the club until the back half of last season, abruptly retiring after discovering she was pregnant for a second time. Advertisement 'San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career,' Morgan said in a statement. 'I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports. I'm proud to invest in that future and not just as a player, but now as an investor.' Related: Alex Morgan retires with a relentless record of victories on and off the pitch | Alexander Abnos Aside from saying that Morgan will be a minority investor in the club, no other details were given on her stake. The Wave are majority owned by the Levine Leichtman family, who completed their $113m purchase of 100% of the club from former owner Ron Burkle at the end of the 2024 season. Since the new ownership took the reins, the club has undergone numerous changes. That includes the departure of club president and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis, following allegations that she created a hostile work environment (Ellis has countersued for defamation of character), along with the hiring of former Arsenal Women head coach Jonas Eidevall and the trade of Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage. 'Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,' said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of Wave FC. 'Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.' Morgan finished her career as one of the most accomplished players in the history of US women's soccer, winning two World Cups and Olympic gold with the US to go with an NWSL Championship in 2013 and the NWSL Shield in 2023. She said after retirement that she intended to invest in women's sports in her post-playing days, and she has kept her word – before this latest investment in Wave FC, Morgan also started venture capital firm Trybe Ventues and became an investor in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women's basketball league.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After a chaotic weekend of results, parity in the NWSL is alive and well
In March, the NWSL got off to a worrying and predictable start, as some of the most dominant teams in the league picked up early wins. But a wild weekend of results has tightened the table and reinforced the NWSL's greatest asset: chaos. Angel City FC defeated the Washington Spirit 4-3 away off a stoppage-time winner. Seattle Reign FC and Portland Thorns pulled off 1-0 wins over the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride, respectively, who sit at the top of the standings. The Chicago Stars, who just fired their coach after a 1-5 start, picked up a 0-0 away draw against NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday. For years, parity has been part of the NWSL's claim to fame — something that sets it apart from the European leagues. While the richest European clubs (Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, etc.) dominate their respective leagues, the NWSL's salary cap keeps everyone on an even footing. Advertisement Any team can win the league in a given year; any team can get an upset in a given week. The league's unpredictability is a unique feature, something that Spirit forward Esme Morgan called "really appealing" in an interview with Yahoo Sports in March. "You don't go into any games thinking it's gonna be an easy game, or you're gonna win comfortably. Every game, you have to be at your very best," Morgan said at the time. And yet the start of the NWSL season put some of that equality into question. In the first match of the year, the Orlando Pride — the reigning champions and NWSL Shield winners — dominated the Chicago stars with a 6-0 win. That same weekend, the Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current also earned strong wins, giving three of the four best teams from the 2024 season a victory to open the year. (NJ/NY Gotham FC, the other dominant force last season, ended with a 1-1 draw away.) Now, though, things have returned to being delightfully unpredictable. After seven regular-season games (out of 26 total), eight of the 14 teams are within four points of each other in the standings. Advertisement The Spirit-Angel City game on Friday probably best exemplifies the parity argument. Despite taking place at Washington's Audi Field — a raucous home environment dubbed "Rowdy Audi" — Angel City controlled the pace in the matchup. ACFC finished with 59% of the possession, held a 77% passing accuracy, got twice as many shots as the Spirit and three times as many shots on goal ... all for it to come down to a stoppage-time goal from Riley Tiernan. The Current and Pride, meanwhile, have five wins each in seven games, but their away losses this weekend made their lead at the top of the table a bit more narrow. On Friday, the Reign got the win over Kansas City by notching a first-half goal — a beauty from Lynn Biyendolo in the 37th minute, marking her first with the team — and then holding strong on defense against one of the best offenses in the league. Portland got its win over Orlando on Saturday in much the same way: Reyna Reyes scored a banger in the 16th minute, and then the Thorns controlled possession for the rest of the match. Advertisement The wins saw Angel City, Seattle and Portland soar up the standings into what would be playoff positions if the season ended today. Notably, the weekend also shook things up for the San Diego Wave, who started the season with somewhat low expectations after the departures of players like Jaedyn Shaw and Naomi Girma. San Diego's 2-1 win over Bay FC — off another stoppage-time goal from a rookie, this time from 17-year-old defender Trinity Armstrong — sent the Wave up to the No. 3 spot, putting the team in excellent position moving forward. But more importantly, these shakeups bode well for the rest of the season. There are some notable matchups in the coming months that will have big implications heading into the international break in July: May 16, for example, will have both Gotham-Wave and Pride-Current. But the beauty of an unpredictable NWSL is that any of the games in between may also shake up the table. We've got a long way to go until the playoffs in November, and every team could still be in the running.
