NWSL's Fastest Player to 25 Goals 📈

Plus, a historic treble in England.

May 20, 2025

Happy Tuesday, TWG readers!

From FA Cup dreams coming true to NWSL nail-biters, this weekend was full of women’s football drama. I loved watching Cat Macario score for Chelsea in the FA Cup final at a SOLD OUT Wembley Stadium on Sunday. And I can’t get over San Diego’s rise in the NWSL table this season. The Wave are impressing week after week, especially 17-year-old Kimmi Ascanio, who scored her third goal in four games, and French attacker Delphine Cascarino, who has been one of the Wave’s best players this season. San Diego now sit in second place!

There’s another huge week ahead, and we have new content coming out every single day to match the game schedule. With the CONCACAF Champions Cup semis on Wednesday and the final on Saturday, we chatted with Gotham’s Jess Carter and Club America’s Sarah Luebbert, which drops tomorrow. Plus, we have two Arsenal interviews being released ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday with England’s Chloe Kelly (Thursday) and Emily Fox from the USWNT (Friday.) After the Champions League final between Arsenal and Barcelona, Becky Sauerbrunn and I will be going live on TWG’s YouTube channel. You don’t want to miss it!

I’m keeping up as best I can from The Women’s Game satellite office in London, visiting my sister and new baby nephew. I am learning all about being an aunt, and even though I feel like I’ve been living under a rock for 32 years when it comes to babies, I am loving it and am feeling so grateful for my family.

Thank you all for being on this crazy ride with us! We’re so happy you’re here.

Love,

Sam

The 2025 UWCL Final Is Almost Here 🏟️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇸

Arsenal vs. Barcelona (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, DAZN)

The 24th European Club Championship organized by UEFA (and the 16th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Women’s Champions League) takes place this Saturday in Portugal. The Estádio José Alvalade (home venue of Sporting CP) hosts the reigning champions, Barcelona, as they look to defend their title against England’s only European champions, Arsenal, who are returning to the tournament final for the first time since 2007.

Barcelona beat England’s undefeated WSL title winners, Chelsea, a decisive 8-2 on aggregate in the semifinal, and enter this year’s UWCL final as foreboding defenders of the European crown. Arsenal (who finished the WSL season in second place, but 12 points behind Chelsea), on the other hand, made a statement in their semifinal bout with eight-time champions Lyon, who they beat 5-3 on aggregate. They arrive as formidable underdogs, but equipped with multiple players in exceptional form, including England striker (and UNC Tarheels alum) Alessia Russo, who scooped up multiple end-of-year accolades at the close of the WSL season, and became the highest-ever English goal scorer in a single season of the Champions League this year.

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: While Barcelona may be the favorite, finals are notorious for being magical days where anything can happen. I've definitely given Barca the edge on Saturday, but I do think Arsenal has something special going on in Champions League this year... and as a football fan with no dog in this fight, I'd love to see an upset! Don't miss Becky and I reacting to the game on TWG's YouTube channel right at the final whistle.

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Chelsea Complete Historic Treble with FA Cup Win 🏆

Chelsea finished a dominant year in the domestic game by winning the last trophy available: the FA Cup. Sunday’s 3-0 win over the reigning champs, Manchester United, cemented a seismic three-trophy season for Sonia Bompastor’s Blues. While 25-year-old French left-winger Sandy Baltimore scored a double before a crowd of over 74,000 at Wembley Stadium, 25-year-old U.S. forward Catarina Macario came off the bench to contribute a goal as well (just listen to the Wembley crowd erupt as she heads home the pivotal goal in the clip below). Macario is now the third USWNT player to score in the FA Cup Final, as she joins the illustrious ranks of Carli Lloyd and the TWG’s very own Sam Mewis.

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: I chatted with Sonia Bompastor last week, just ahead of the FA Cup final. She spoke with such confidence in her team and herself, and it really impressed me the way her squad was able to rise to meet almost every challenge this season. Sonia's first year as manager was historically successful and I’m so excited for what's next at Chelsea.

NWSL Weekend Nine: KC Owns the Top Spot 📊

Orlando 0-1 Kansas City Current

The season’s first seismic clash between its most dominant teams ended in a win for first-place Kansas City. Fittingly, Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga made the difference, scoring the decisive goal in the 52nd minute. With that, Chawinga added another milestone to NWSL’s history books: the 26-year-old (now in her second year in the league) is the league’s fastest-ever player to reach 25 regular season goals. 

Gotham 0-1 San Diego

After missing the playoffs in 2024, San Diego finished the weekend in second place after beating Gotham 1-0 and leapfrogging Orlando in the standings. Their strong start to the year is officially more than a fluke with a robust rookie class, a few standout talents (including French forward Delphine Cascarino), and former Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall guiding the team into what looks like a statement season.

Elsewhere in the League, Rookies and Teen Talents Continue to Shine

Nine weeks into the season, NWSL’s young talents and rookie class (who are the first to enter the league without a draft) are continuing to make an impact in front of goal:

  • Maddie Dahlien made the difference in Seattle’s 1-0 win over Racing Louisville.

  • 17-year-old Kimmi Ascanio (who signed for San Diego through the U18 Entry Mechanism in March 2024) sealed victory for the visitors in San Diego’s 1-0 win against Gotham.

  • In Portland’s 4-1 win against Houston, Portland’s 21-year-old Princeton grad Pietra Tordin collected her first professional goal in her first start to open the scoring, and 20-year-old former Wake Forest forward Caiya Hanks notched her second pro goal to cap things off.

  • Washington Spirit’s 22-year-old former UCLA midfielder (signed as a temporary injury replacement) Meg Boade scored Spirit’s second of three goals in a 3-3 draw with Utah. 

🥤 Olipop power everything we do here at The Women’s Game. You can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

Elsewhere in Europe 🌍

Lyon Win their Fourth Straight Première Ligue Title 🇫🇷🏆

French juggernauts Lyon won their fourth straight league title on Friday with a 3-0 win over second-place PSG. Three U.S. gold medalists started on either side of the pitch, including Lyon midfielder and USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps (who assisted Haitian midfielder Melchie Dumornay in the team’s first goal), as well as a pair of versatile PSG players in Crystal Dunn and Korbin Albert.

Lyon’s 18th club title was an emotional affair, as multiple key players and club legends are departing at the close of this season. That includes French veteran Eugénie Le Sommer, who bids adieu to the game after 15 years with an enormous cabinet of accomplishments, including eight Champions League trophies, 13 league titles, and over 400 appearances for one of the most dominant clubs in the game. Le Sommer’s Les Bleues teammate and fellow Lyon legend Wendie Renard handed her the captain’s armband ahead of the trophy lift.

  • Sam’s Take 🗣️: Lyon are saying goodbye to some other notable names as well, like German legend Dzsenifer Marozsan, Danielle van de Donk, Vanessa Gilles, Sara Daebritz, Laura Benkarth, and the U.S.'s own Sofia Huerta. Truly the end of an era for many iconic Lyon players, but I think it's an exciting time to add some fresh faces to a roster that can still compete for Champions League next season.

The Women’s Game Live! In Vermont 🎙️

Sam Mewis and The Women’s Game are coming to the Green Mountain State ahead of Vermont Green’s women’s week – which Sam is coaching! – for The Women’s Game Live! in Vermont! The evening will be one of storytelling, soccer, and celebration of what makes Vermont soccer so special and the creativity used to make Vermont soccer-mad.

Hosted by Sam, who is proud to call Vermont home, the show will bring together some very special local guests for a lively, heartfelt look at the state’s unique soccer culture and DIY spirit. From bike paths and lake views to grassroots football and big dreams, you'll hear how Vermont became the unlikely heartbeat of something much bigger. Expect candid conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, and a celebration of women’s soccer. This is part-live podcast, part-community gathering—with smiles, laughs, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you're a local or just passing through, come see why Vermont feels like home.

Upcoming Matches Worth Setting Reminders for 📺

Concacaf W Champions Cup Semifinals 🌎

Club América vs. Gotham FC (Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Paramount+) / Tigres vs. Portland Thorns (Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

The inaugural edition of the Concacaf W Champions Cup, which serves as the official qualification for FIFA's soon-to-launch Women's Club World Cup, sees two Mexican giants take on two top U.S. sides in this week's semifinal. At 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Club América host Gotham FC, while Tigres take on Portland Thorns at 10:30 p.m. later that night.

World Sevens Football 🏟️

All 16 Matches of the Tournament (Wednesday - Friday, DAZN)

This week, $5 million in prize money is on the line, as this inaugural seven-a-side women’s football tournament sets off in Portugal. Eight elite clubs from across Europe—drawing from England, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden’s top flights—will compete for this week’s trophy.

NWSL 🇺🇸

Seattle Reign vs. Washington Spirit (Friday, 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video)

Fifth-place Washington Spirit head to Seattle to face the sixth-place Reign on Friday. While Washington’s had mixed results as they navigate myriad injuries in their lineup, Seattle has had a strong start to the year, allowing the second-fewest goals in the league and beating the first-place Kansas City Current in week seven.

San Diego Wave vs. NC Courage (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

This is a battle of two teams that should finish the year toward the top of the table, although ninth-place North Carolina started the season slow and San Diego leads them by seven spots in the rankings. Worth keeping an eye on: USWNT burgeoning star forward Jaedyn Shaw returns to her former club for the first time in 2025, still looking for her first goal of the year for the Courage. 

News and Notes 🗞️

  • USWNT manager Emma Hayes delivered the commencement address at Iona University, where she once served as the women’s soccer coach. In a speech full of wisdom, Hayes advised her audience, “The growth mindset, for me, isn’t just a line in a book somewhere; it’s something that allows us to open all those pathways to keep being the best version of ourselves.”

  • Reddit founder, and husband to tennis icon Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian purchased a 10% ownership stake in Chelsea’s women’s team. He invested $26 million in the reigning champions of England, marking the second professional women’s soccer club he’s invested in after NWSL’s Angel City. 

  • Elsewhere in California, recently-retired USWNT and NWSL icon Alex Morgan is set to become a minority investor in her final professional club, the San Diego Wave. 

  • Starting next season, 133-year-old Goodison Park will play home to Everton’s women’s team for the entirety of the campaign. As the iconic ground will no longer host the men’s side, the 39,572-capacity stadium is now the largest women’s-specific football venue in the country. 

  • A new look for the new year: England’s WSL is undergoing a rebrand ahead of the 2025/26 regular season. As part of the shift, the second-flight division formerly known as the Championship will now be called “WSL 2”. Check out some of the new brand colors here.

What’s the Story? 🗣️ Chelsea Captain Millie Bright on Welcoming the USWNT’s Naomi Girma to the Treble-Winning Club

Sam Mewis: Naomi Girma, our American center-back who has joined Chelsea and joined you in the backline… As team captain, someone who has been on that backline for a really long time, what's it been like to welcome Naomi to the club and to get to play with her a little bit?

Millie Bright: Nay's one of those people where you can see from the way she carries herself that she's an unbelievable person and a fantastic player. So to have her as part of Chelsea is incredible, and we're very, very lucky. She’s someone that's slotted right in and it's like she's been here for seasons. She's really, really nice, and I think we needed that personality in the changing room as well. She's so uplifting, but on the pitch, she brings something completely different to our team, which we've not had. So again, it's just another string to our bow and she's really strengthened us. So yeah, we're really lucky to have her, and she's just a joy to be around and so easy to play with.

It’s TWG Trivia Time 🤔

Welcome back to our weekly trivia game!

This week’s question: Last week, U.S. Soccer unveiled the new 2025 National Team kits. The USWNT have won a multitude of major titles over the years in a variety of jerseys, but they won one major international title while wearing the “Waldo,” a red and white-striped kit that looks like the ‘“Where’s Waldo?” character. What trophy was it?

Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.

Last week’s answer: Arsenal and England striker Alessia Russo, who was recently named Football Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association, played college soccer at the University of North Carolina, where she was part of a team that lost to Stanford on penalties in the 2019 College Cup final. The three members of the current USWNT who scored penalties for Stanford in that shootout: Cat Macario, Naomi Girma, and Sophia Wilson (née Smith).

This week’s winner is Greg Jacobs, and thanks to everyone who responded. Greg, the patch is in the mail. 📬

Moment of Joy 🤸

Kerrigan writes: Hi Sam!

First ever Sammy Banana Phone caller, Kerrigan Owens, here! I had to reach out because on the first Sammy Banana Phone, you asked for predictions on the Golden Boot race; and I am so excited to have been (half) correct that Alessia Russo tied Bunny Shaw!!! Go Alessia and go me for being right!

Thanks for all of the content, I recently tore my ACL and have now become a part of the injured soccer player community relying on your podcast for our mental well-being!

Hope you’re doing great!

Kerrigan

Sam writes:

Kerrigan! Our very first banana head! So sorry to hear about your ACL. Sending you well wishes and a speedy recovery. Thank you for listening to the pod! And congrats on your very accurate Alessia Russo Golden Boot prediction!

📝 Want to be featured in next week’s TWG newsletter? Send Sam an email! All your questions, comments, and dog (or wedding) photos can be sent to [email protected]

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