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- The Whole NWSL Season Comes Down to This 🏆
The Whole NWSL Season Comes Down to This 🏆
Plus, Trinity Rodman's potential move abroad.
Happy Tuesday and NWSL Championship Week, TWG readers!
We’re finally here: the NWSL Championship is this Saturday in San Jose. After two thrilling semifinals, it’ll be the Washington Spirit vs. Gotham. Both teams are dripping with superstars… we’ve got Trinity Rodman, Croix Bethune, and Sofia Cantore taking on Rose Lavelle, Ann-Katrin Berger, and Jaedyn Shaw. It’s bound to be an attacking masterclass and I personally am hoping for a goal fest. 🏆
TWG is heading to San Jose this week for our live show at The GlassHouse on Thursday and then we’ll be around the entire weekend for all the festivities! I cannot wait to see all of you and celebrate this incredible NWSL season together. In the meantime, send me San Jose recommendations! 🙏
Becky Sauerbrunn dropped an episode of “Teaming Up” with Laura Harvey yesterday, and then Lynn and I will recap the semifinals from this past weekend on today’s episode of “Good Vibes.” Plus, the Deaf WNT is playing in the Deaflympics all week long - look for their games here. 📺
PS - Be sure to check out the new “Player Pathways” series, presented by our friends at Allstate, featuring an interview with KK Ream, the youngest goalscorer in NWSL history. Watch the full conversation. 🇺🇸
See you this weekend!
Love,
Sam
The 2025 NWSL Final Is Set 🇺🇲🏆
Washington Spirit vs. Gotham (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+)
With goals from Nigerian forward and team top-scorer Gift Monday (hats off to Rose Kouassi for an electric run to set it up) and midfield maestro Croix Bethune, the Washington Spirit were the first to book their spot in this year’s final after beating three-time NWSL champions Portland Thorns 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd at Audi Field on Saturday. For a second-straight season, the Spirit will joust for a trophy in the biggest game of the NWSL season. They fell 1-0 to Orlando in the 2024 Championship, and will now face the 2023 Champions, Gotham.
Sam's Take 🗣️: The Spirit have been steadily building all year. Coming into the playoffs, it felt like they still had so much more to give. So far, we've seen them show up and execute like a championship team.
One week after delivering a stunning victory against record-setting Shield-winners Kansas City, Gotham defeated reigning champions Orlando with a 96th-minute free-kick from Jaedyn Shaw, who joined the team at the tail end of the season, and has made a momentous impact. In a postseason full of pandemonium, the eighth-ranked NWSL side heading into the playoffs returns to California for the final (where they won in 2023). In the words of Jaedyn Shaw after they toppled Kansas City, “Underdog, my a#@.”
Sam's Take 🗣️: Despite their pushback, Gotham do kind of seem like underdogs! Though I mean that as a compliment, I love an underdog! They came into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed, defeated giants Kansas City, and then scored a last-minute miracle goal to overcome the defending champions in the semifinal. I cannot wait to watch them take on their East Coast rivals in the championship game.
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UEFA Women’s Champions League Marches On 🏆
Manchester United 2-1 PSG 🏴 🇫🇷
In their first-ever UWCL run, Manchester United are one of just three teams to have three wins from their first three games, joining three-time champions Barcelona and eight-time winners OL Lyonnes. The Red Devils beat PSG 2-1 with goals from Melvine Mallard and Fridolina Rolfö to mark a momentous first Women’s Champions League match at the legendary Old Trafford.
Bayern Munich 3-2 Arsenal 🇩🇪 🏴
The title-defenders have just one win from their first three games after losing to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Despite the Gunners’ strong start—which saw U.S. right-back Emily Fox score her first goal of the season—Bayern came back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring three goals in the last 30 minutes to steal all three points.
St. Pölten 0-6 Chelsea 🇦🇹 🏴
Three USWNT players started in Chelsea’s 6-0 demolition of Austrian side St. Pölten, including Cat Macario, Alyssa Thompson and center-back Naomi Girma for the first time this season, becoming the first trio of U.S. talents to start in the Champions League since Sam Mewis, Rose Lavelle and Abby Dahlkemper did for Manchester City back in 2021. Macario had a massive two-goal performance, as did Australian striker Sam Kerr, who notched her first start for the Blues since Dec. 20, 2023.
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Across the Pond 🏴
Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United
City are still on top of the WSL table for a second week after beating their Mancunian rivals 3-0. With Champions League in the midweek, United rested multiple key players, and City secured a firm three-goal lead before the half. Jamaican striker Bunny Shaw provided the second of three goals, bringing the former WSL top-scorer to a league-leading six goals this season.
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Last year’s treble-winners finished the weekend in second-place for a second-straight week after drawing with Liverpool. USWNT winger Alyssa Thompson’s ninth-minute golazo (her fourth goal contribution in her last four games) wasn’t enough to seal all three points, thanks to Beatta Olsson’s 33rd-minute equalizer.
Sam's Take 🗣️: This was a record-setting game for Chelsea, marking their 34th-consecutive WSL game without a loss. But it came at a bizarre time, as they tied last-place Liverpool 1-1 with a lackluster performance. Alyssa Thompson's goal was fun to watch, but Chelsea have some sharpening up to do before facing Barcelona on Thursday in the Champions League.
Canada Crowns Its First NSL Champion 🇨🇦 👑
At the end of a historic season north of the border, the first-ever team to win a game in Canada’s top-flight women’s football league are also the league’s first champions. The Vancouver Rise etched their name into the history books after beating AFC Toronto 2-1. Fittingly, the game-winning goal was scored by 22-year-old Vancouver local, forward Holly Ward.
🥤 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.
Upcoming UWCL Matches to Get Excited About 🗓️
Wolfsburg vs. Man United (Wed., 12:45 p.m. ET, Paramount+) 🇩🇪 🏴
Manchester United will play former champions Wolfsburg in Germany tomorrow, looking to stretch their perfect start to four wins, while the Germans aim to bounce back from their first loss of the year to OL Lyonnes.
Arsenal vs. Real Madrid (Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET, Paramount+) 🏴 🇪🇸
The Gunners are in 11th place of 18 teams—enough to see them progress to the next round— but could easily fall below the 12 top spots this week. They return to London to host Real Madrid this Wednesday, who are in fifth with two wins and one draw so far.
Chelsea vs. Barcelona (Thursday, 3 p.m. ET, Paramount+) 🏴 🇪🇸
Chelsea will play host this Thursday for their biggest test of the league phase as they welcome three-time UWCL champions and last season’s runner up, Barcelona, to Stamford Bridge in West London.
News & Notes 🗞️
NWSL has confirmed the league’s 17th franchise will be located in Atlanta. The team will debut in the 2028 season and play at the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United’s Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Amid talks about NWSL’s salary cap, reports indicate Trinity Rodman may soon be moving overseas.
A few months after announcing her retirement, two-time World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Tobin Heath will be inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. Also in her first year of her eligibility, World Cup champion and three-time gold medalist Heather O’Reilly will be inducted as well.
It’s TWG Trivia Time 🤔
This week’s question: Both of this year’s NWSL Championship contenders have won a title in the past, with the Washington Spirit and Gotham each securing separate 2-1 victories. We want to know: Which two players scored their sides’s game-winning goals?
Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.
Last week’s answer: En route to Gotham’s 2023 Championship trophy, Katie Stengel knocked home her team’s game-winner against the Portland Thorns.
Congrats to Adrienne Dickson, who was the first person to respond with the correct answer. Adrienne, the patch is on its way! 💌
Good Reads 🗞️
From Sarah Rendell in The Guardian, ‘After the glory of Euro 2025, what happened next for Switzerland?’
From Josh Lobley for BBC, ‘WSL Football calls for more female friendly football stadiums’
A little basketball news from ESPN, ‘WNBA CBA negotiations: What's at stake for Engelbert, owners, teams’
Moment of Joy 🤸
Scott writes: Hi Sam - My wife has been a huge fan of your show for quite a while now. You read one of her emails about our daughter's heartbreak when Jenna Nighswonger left Gotham for Arsenal. After many road trips listening to your show, I have become a fan as well. We came to see you in NY when you did the live broadcast with the Sirens players and our favorite Gotham players.
Listening to you and Kristie talk Meat and Potatoes and the hysterical discussion about "Lawn Meat" gave me an idea. And I love your commitment to calling the fans Hot Dogs.
We are looking forward to your thoughts about the playoffs. Scott.
Sam writes: Scott! This is hilarious and I need it on a t-shirt immediately!! I feel like it really sums up my vibe. Thank you for listening and I’m so glad you and your family got to come to the live show in New York this summer. It was a blast. From one hot dog to another, thank you.
Sam
📝 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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