Emma Hayes’ Blues hand Barcelona first home loss since 2019 🏆🌍

It’s April 22, 2024. Give us four minutes, we give you everything The Women’s Game.

Good afternoon, TWG readers! I watched so much soccer this weekend, there’s a permanent dent in my couch. There’s also some crumbs in here but I’m just going to ignore them.

Between the NWSL, the WSL, and the Champions League semi-finals, there is so much to discuss in today’s newsletter and tomorrow’s episode of Good Vibes FC with Becky Sauerbrunn. 

The Portland Thorns got their first win of this NWSL season on Saturday night against Houston– this comes right after the club announced a restructuring of the technical staff. I’m so happy for Becky and her team to be back on track– we actually just had her Thorns teammate Jessie Fleming on Friendlies last week and she told us all about her decision to leave Chelsea and come to the NWSL. LISTEN HERE.

Man City continued their quest for the WSL league title with a 5-0 win over West Ham on Sunday morning… they also won a record-setting 13th WSL game in a row. Bunny Shaw scored her 50th WSL goal, and (good timing!) our interview with Bunny from my trip to Manchester is dropping this Thursday! I’m so excited for you all to hear this one- Bunny was so much fun to chat with and she told me all about growing up in Jamaica and her journey to play college soccer in the US. It’s really an amazing story so stay tuned for that on Thursday. Make sure you subscribe to The Women’s Game wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE.

Thank you all so much for your emails and comments… and dog pics. If you have questions you want answered on the podcast, comments about what we’re doing, or dog pics to share, please email me- [email protected].

Enjoy the newsletter!

Love,

Sam

I. UEFA Women’s Champions League RECAP: Emma Hayes’ Blues hand Barcelona first home loss since 2019; Lyon fire from behind with three incredible late goals to stymie PSG 🏆🌍

1. Future USWNT Manager Emma Hayes is seeking the one trophy to elude her illustrious tenure at Chelsea. And this weekend, she took a massive step toward that UWCL Final, with an historic first leg victory over defending Champions Barcelona 1 - 0 in Spain. Scottish midfield dynamo Erin Cuthbert’s goal made the difference in a well-managed game for the Londoners, as Barcelona held 66% of the ball but failed to break through Chelsea’s back five and disciplined team cohesion. Together, Chelsea limited the Spanish side to one measly shot on target (though reigning Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí expressed her dismay at the officiating and time-wasting). The second leg goes down this Saturday at Stamford Bridge (Saturday, April 27, 1230 ET, DAZN). 

2. The other semifinal features a fierce battle in France, with eight-time UWCL champions Lyon clashing with their Parisian foes PSG. French international standout and PSG’s all-time top scorer, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, worked early magic for PSG, who held the lead at half-time. But Lyon powered a second half comeback with three goals scored in six minutes before a record 38,466 fans in Lyon, sealing the first-leg victory 3-2. Haitian midfielder Melchie Durmonay’s goal to bring Lyon level is worth at least one watch. PSG hosts Lyon for the second leg on Sunday. (Sunday April 28, 10 AM ET, DAZN)

More: ‘Blues bounce back from cup exits’ 

Also This: ‘Caroline Graham Hanson: Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or frontrunner who almost quit football at 23’

II. NWSL Week 5: Portland Thorns first win 🌹, Rookie sensation Croix Bethune scores again ✨, Malawian wonder Temwa Chawinga on fire and more 🇺🇲

The first five weeks of NWSL has featured a few early struggles for last year’s top teams, as well as comeback redemption arcs for those that missed the playoffs, further emphasizing the league’s reputation as one with more surprises than a Taylor Swift 2am album drop. 

1. Kansas City Current remain top of the league as they collected their fourth resounding victory of the year this weekend, defeating expansion side Bay FC 5-2. Brazilian wonder Beatriz Zaneratto and the league’s first Malawian player, Temwa Chawinga, both bagged a brace to bring both of their goal tallies to four in ‘24. 

2. After a midweek managerial shakeup, Portland Thorns collected their first win of the year in a 4-1 trouncing of a struggling Houston Dash side. Portland’s four goals came from four different players (check out this self-created goal from the USA’s Sophia Smith) proof of the team’s depth and a showing of just how dangerous they can be going forward. 

3. Our very own Lynn Williams returned to the field last weekend following early season injury, and clocked her first start since the comeback against Washington Spirit in DC while wearing the captain’s armband. Alas, Lynn’s return was not enough for the reigning champions, who were kept at bay by an ascendant Spirit rocking with multiple fearless and elite rookies this year. Rookie sensation Croix Bethune clocked her third goal in five games with this worldie from way out. Final Score: Washington Spirit 2 - 0 Gotham. 

4. Elsewhere, Zambian goal scoring wonder Barbra Banda (who set the record for the second-highest women’s transfer record when she signed for Orlando this March) made her debut for the Pride in a 1-0 victory over San Diego Wave for the still undefeated Floridians). And in Chicago, Mallory Swanson reminded us (again) why she’s so, so good at scoring goals in a 2-1 victory over Seattle Reign. 

More: ‘San Diego Wave lands Maria Sanchez in trade from Houston Dash’

III. 2023 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion Aitana Bonmatí says ‘nothing has changed’ in Spain despite World Cup win 🇪🇸

Winning World Cups is often seen as a catalyst for change in women’s football, but Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí says that hasn’t happened yet. While fallout from Luis Rubiales’ unwanted kiss on Jenni Hermoso rocked La Roja, Bonmatí has spoken out regarding the glacial impact of their 2023 victory on their domestic league, Liga F, as well. Speaking to the BBC, the world class midfielder says players have moved to England’s WSL, whose growth she compliments: "I would like to say that everything has changed and the World Cup gave us more things - but I cannot say that. I compare [it to] when England won the Euros - everything changed… But we won the World Cup which I think is bigger than winning the Euros and no, it never changed, especially in the league. We are having the same problems as always. We have a lot of problems."

More: Spain’s veteran goalscorer and 2023 World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, is named to Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year. Hermoso took a stand last year when Spain’s former president Luis Rubiales planted an unwanted kiss on her following the World Cup Final. Former NWSL player Mana Shim, one of the key whistleblowers preceding investigations of abuse in the NWSL, wrote about Jenni Hermoso for TIME. 🇪🇸

IV. News and Notes 📰🗞️

1. The Santos Women’s manager, Kleiton Lima, has officially resigned following protests in Brazil. Lima had initially returned to his post despite 19 accusations of harassment, but was met by public displays of dissent from players. 🇧🇷

2. American international Catarina Macario registers a wicked backheel assist in her first start for Chelsea. Macario also had 5 chances created, 17/21 passes into the final third, 3 times possession won 24/29 passess completed and 1/1 tackles won in her 70 minute appearance. 🇺🇲 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

3. Amid historic signings and major breakout performances from African players in NWSL, ESPN Africa will begin showing two NWSL games per week in Africa. 🌍

4. Former England footballer and current commentator Eni Aluko says English football is still not a safe space for women and girls. Aluko has been the target of online harassment amid a torrent of disparaging commentary regarding women in men’s football from former player Joey Barton. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

V. Parting Shots 🥃

Alyssa Naeher’s goalkeeper kit sells out in three hours 🧤🇺🇲: After controversy last summer when Nike failed to make England’s esteemed keeper Mary Earps’ replica jersey available to fans during the 2023 World Cup, more and more goalkeeper kits have been made available to the public. This past week, the NWSL made goalkeeper kits available for purchase. Alyssa Naeher, the USA’s veteran keeper responsible for multiple penalty wonders in 2024, had her kit sell out in three hours. 

VI. Good Reads to Stretch Your Mind 📚

i. From Ella Braidwood in The Guardian, ‘It’s open to everyone’: women’s football watch parties on the rise’

ii. Nick Ames in The Guardian, ‘Malmo women’s new dawn offers hope as Nordic clubs reach crossroads’

iii. Pardeep Cattry for CBSSports, ‘As schedule anxiety grows in the NWSL, NJ/NY Gotham FC begin to fill in women’s soccer high performance gaps’

iv. Nikki Doucet of NewCo, the company set to take ownership of England’s two top divisions this year, has spoken about capturing the “rebel spirit” of women’s football, amid plans for expanding the market for women’s football in England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

v. The all-girls U12 football team, Queens Park Ladies, have gone the entire season unbeaten in a boys’ league. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿