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- SPIRIT VS. PRIDE FOR THE NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
SPIRIT VS. PRIDE FOR THE NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
Good afternoon TWG readers! The NWSL Championship is SET! The Washington Spirit will be taking on the Orlando Pride this upcoming Saturday, November 23rd in Kansas City at the incredible CPKC Stadium. Both semifinals kept us on the edge of our seats — keep reading for recaps of both games!
I’m getting ready to head off to Kansas City for The Women’s Game Live: Night of 1,000 Stars presented by Ally on Thursday, November 21st (like, in 3 days). As I try to pick out my outfits for the weekend (SOS) I would love for you to get tickets and join us. We’ll be celebrating the incredible NWSL season and the championship weekend, plus the amazing soccer culture that grows every day in Kansas City. We have some unbelievable guests joining us— friends of the show, star players, and some celebrity guests. Get your tickets here and keep me in your thoughts as I try on jeans today.
As many of you have probably seen, my sister just announced that she’s having a baby! I’m obviously very excited for Kristie and Sam and thrilled that I get to be an auntie. I would love any auntie tips from TWG listeners out there… so send me an email at [email protected] and let me know where to get the cutest onesies, along with any other things you think I need to know!
Thank you all so much for being here!
Love,
Sam
2024 NWSL Championship CONFIRMED: Washington Spirit face Orlando Pride in the final 🏆
Graphic: NWSL
Washington Spirit 1 - 1 Gotham (PEN 3-0)
32-year-old American goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made a remarkable three saves to win a dramatic penalty shootout in Saturday’s semifinal. Kingsbury’s heroics came after a closely fought battle before a sold-out crowd in Washington D.C., as Washington Spirit and reigning champions Gotham FC were tied 1-1 after 120 minutes. Gotham took a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute, thanks to a perfectly placed header from Spanish striker Esther González. But U.S. gold medalist and rookie midfielder Hal Hershfelt scored the equalizer in the 93rd-minute to send the match into extra-time.
We’re still reeling from this brief Rodman vs Sonnett beef, and Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury’s penalty heroics, but a raucous 19,215 fans had a lot to celebrate: After falling just short of the playoffs last year, this will be Washington Spirit’s first NWSL final since they won it in 2021.🏟️
Orlando Pride 3 - 2 Kansas City Current
Sunday’s semifinal saw two remarkable teams go toe-to-toe in a riveting matchup. In the end, Orlando Pride’s incredible season finished with one more milestone. With a 3-2 win over Kansas City Current, the record-setting Shield-winners (who went 24-games unbeaten in the NWSL regular season, stretching back to last year) are going to their first NWSL final in club history.
The Pride fell behind first, thanks to Brazilian wonder Debinha’s goal. But Orlando battled back with an equalizer from Haley McCutcheon. Zambian forward Barbra Banda followed with a decisive strike to give them their first lead 2-1, and finally, 38-year-old Brazilian legend Marta danced through multiple defenders before completing a dazzling goal, helping to seal a ticket to her first NWSL final. Marta told reporters: “This was the kind of situation I normally finish in goal.” 💜
More: Sam spoke with Orlando Pride’s topscorer, Zambian forward Barbra Banda this week. WATCH HERE.
Also: Sunday’s loss marks the end of an incredible year for the Kansas City Current. Former U.S. manager Vlatko Andonovski returned to the club game with remarkable results. The team’s 57 goals set a new single-season goals record. And Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga broke Australian striker Sam Kerr’s previous record for goals scored in a single season. Chawinga won the 2024 NWSL Golden Boot with 20 goals in 25 games. The future is bright in Kansas City. 🩵
And this: Earlier this year, Orlando Pride and Brazil midfielder Luana was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Sunday in Orlando, she was there to cheer on her club as they qualified for their first-ever final, after finishing her final round of chemotherapy this past October. 💜
NWSL Championship 2024
Saturday evening at the historic CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, the 2024 NWSL final will see the first-place regular season Shield winners, Orlando Pride, take on the second-place Washington Spirit. The Orlando Pride have won hearts and minds with compelling team performances this season, as they break major club milestones after struggling for years. The inimitable Brazilian veteran Marta embodies their undying spirit, and to see her win a first NWSL trophy would be immense. They’ll face a tough test in the Washington Spirit. Although injuries have riddled the club, the Spirit are full of dynamic young talent, including USWNT midfielder and Spirit rookie Hal Hershfelt, who scored Saturday’s essential equalizer, and U.S. forward phenom of triple espresso fame, Trinity Rodman. (Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+).
🏆 PS: You can gear up for the Championship — hats, kits, sweatshirts, scarfs, and more — thanks to our friends at WorldSoccerShop.
NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP FAN FEST - Adobe Bringing Tori Kelly to Headline Free Concert 🎵
Our great friends at Adobe are bringing two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Tori Kelly to NWSL Fan Fest!
Sam is meeting up with Tori right before her set at the Adobe Stage and we want YOU to send in your questions!
What NWSL team does Tori support? Who’s her favorite player? EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS at [email protected] and it could be used this coming weekend.
European Roundup 🌍
Image: Chelsea FC Women
England’s Women’s Super League (WSL) Matchday 8 🏴
Chelsea are on top of the WSL after beating Manchester City 2-0. Manager Sonia Bompastor has now led Chelsea to 10 games unbeaten across all competitions.
Brighton & Hove Albion continued their strong start to the season with a 3-2 win over West Ham. Check out this beautiful team goal. They finished the weekend in 3rd place.
Arsenal and Manchester United are tied on points, taking fourth and fifth place respectively, after wins this weekend. Arsenal beat Tottenham 3-0 in the North London Derby (North Carolina Tar Heels graduate and England Lioness forward Alessia Russo opened the scoring in the second minute). Meanwhile, Manchester United beat Leicester City 2-0.
England midfielder Ella Toone was absent from United’s win over Leicester City, marking the first game in 96 WSL matches that the Lioness star didn’t start for Manchester United. Toone is absent due to a calf injury picked up in training, and could miss England’s upcoming friendly against the United States.
Everton beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Merseyside Derby. The win marks Everton’s third victory in their last five derbies, with the pair of clubs drawing the other two. However, the win came following a controversial decision, as Everton were awarded a penalty for a foul outside the box.
More: All WSL and Championship games were played at the main stadiums this past weekend, with England’s Lionesses taking over the role of Transport for London (TfL) station announcers.
Around Europe
French giants Lyon routed Saint Etienne 11-0 with five goals from USWNT captain Lindsey Horan. Horan is now the topscorer in the French top flight with nine goals and two assists in six regular season games. Horan also has the highest goals per 90, averaging 1.74 goals a game. 🇺🇲🇫🇷
17-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, who officially committed to play for the USWNT last week, scored the game-winning goal for Dutch side Ajax in a 1-0 victory against Utrecht. 🇺🇲🇳🇱
Barcelona Femení beat rivals Real Madrid 4-0 to mark 15 wins out of 15 meetings in El Clásico. Patri Guijarro and Cláudia Pina both scored a brace in the win. Atlético Madrid moved into second place in Liga F after a 2-1 win over Sevilla. 🇪🇸
Wolfsburg are still on top of the Frauen Bundesliga after a 3-1 win over Potsdam. 🇩🇪
23-year-old American forward from Boston, Mass., Alex Kerr, scored the game-winning goal in Como’s 1-0 win at AC Milan. 🇺🇲🇮🇹
‼️ LESS THAN 30 TICKETS LEFT for The Women’s Game Live Night of 1,000 Stars presented by Ally ⭐️
We are heading to Kansas City for NWSL Championship weekend in JUST A FEW DAYS. Rog and I will be LIVE at the Madrid Theater on November 21st for The Women's Game LIVE: Night of 1,000 Stars presented by Ally. It will be a celebration of the championship game, the incredible growth of the league, and an opportunity to revel in the singular, surging soccer culture that thrives in Kansas City.
There will be friends of the show, star players, and a celebrity surprise guest or two joining on stage. Make sure to get your tickets NOW! We can't wait to be with you! 🚨
🎟️ Get your tickets today before they are all gone. We can’t wait to be with you 💙
UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) Group Stage 🏆
Graphics: UEFA Women’s Champions League
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Lyon, Manchester City and Real Madrid could clinch their spot in the quarterfinals in Matchday 4 of the UWCL group stage.
UWCL Matchday 3: Big wins, massive milestones,
Both Spanish clubs walked away with massive wins last week. Barcelona beat Austrian club St. Pölten 7-0. Barcelona’s 16 team goals are the most in UWCL. And Real Madrid whalloped Dutch club Twente 7-0. Scottish midfielder Caroline Weir scored their fifth goal with this beautiful free kick. 🇪🇸
Danish midfielder/forward Pernille Harder scored first for Bayern Munich in a 3-0 win over Norwegian club Vålerenga. Harder’s goal is her fifth this UWCL season, making her the UWCL topscorer after three match days. The goal also marks the 32-year-old Danish footballer’s 40th career UWCL goal, officially placing her in the top 10 all-time leading goalscorers in UWCL history.🇩🇰 German forward Klara Bühl assisted Harder’s goal, and leads the UWCL with three assists (tied with Barcelona midfielder Patri). 🇩🇪
Arsenal's statement 4-0 win against third-place Juventus strengthened their hold on second place in Group C. Frida Maanum, who has four goals for Arsenal in the WSL regular season, opened the scoring with her first goal of the group stage. Spanish forward Mariona Caldentey scored her third UWCL goal of the year in the win, and leads the UWCL in combined goals/assists with three goals and two assists. And finally, the USWNT’s gold medal winning right back Emily Fox was voted Player of the Match. 🏴🇮🇹
Chelsea came from behind to beat Glaswegian side Celtic 2-1 in Glasgow. 26-year-old American forward Murphy Agnew scored Celtic’s momentous opening goal. But Chelsea came back with an equalizer from Japanese forward Maika Hamano, and Canadian defender Ashley Lawrence provided Chelsea’s game-winning goal. 🏴🏴
UWCL Matchday 4: Six teams eye an early quarterfinal berth 👀
Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year, Haitian midfielder Melchie Dumornay, scored twice in Lyon’s 3-0 win over Roma in Italy last week. Dumornay’s stunning second goal was named UWCL Goal of the Week. They could secure their knockout spot with a second win against Roma this Wednesday in France (Nov. 20, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 🇫🇷🇮🇹
Group B could see two teams progress this week. First-place Chelsea will qualify for the quarterfinal if they beat Celtic a second time on Wednesday (Nov. 20, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 🏴🏴 And second-place Real Madrid will do the same if they beat Twente again (Wednesday, Nov. 20, 12:45 p.m. ET, DAZN). 🇪🇸🇳🇱
Group C could also see two teams progress. German juggernauts Bayern Munich could confirm their quarterfinal spot with a second win against Vålerenga (Thursday, Nov. 21, 12:45 p.m. ET, DAZN). 🇩🇪🇳🇴 Second-place Arsenal could do the same with a second win against Juventus (Thursday, Nov. 21, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 🏴🇮🇹
In Group D, first-place Manchester City could qualify in their second leg against Swedish side Hammarby (Thursday, Nov. 21, 12:45 p.m. ET, DAZN).🏴🇸🇪
News and Notes 📰🗞️
USWNT manager Emma Hayes has named a 24-player roster ahead of two international friendlies this month. The U.S. will play England’s Lionesses first, on Nov. 30th at Wembley Stadium in London. On Dec. 3rd they play the Netherlands in The Hague. 17-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes, who plays in the Netherlands, will join the squad just one week after committing to play for the USWNT. Two uncapped players received callups, including 28-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and 20-year-old Utah Royals NWSL Rookie of the Year Nominee Ally Sentnor.
NWSL End of Year Award Nominees are in, with categories for MVP, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year. Winners will be announced in the days surrounding Saturday’s NWSL Championship in Kansas City.🏆
Former Canada Women’s National Team manager, Bev Priestman, will not return to her role after an initial suspension due to Canada’s drone-spying scandal at the Olympics. The news comes after an independent body conducted a review, which confirmed that this summer’s “spygate” was not an isolated incident. Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue said in a statement that the spying was part of, “...an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams”, and promised further details with next steps in the coming week. 🇨🇦
The annual NCAA D1 Tournament is underway, featuring 64 of the top teams in women’s collegiate soccer. The second round continues this Friday, November 22, with all games available to watch on ESPN+. 🇺🇲
The FA Women’s League Cup (an annual tournament between teams in England’s top two divisions) continues with Matchday 2 of the group stage week. The group stage features five groups of four, with the first-place team qualifying for the knockout phase. 🏴
Parting Shots 🥃
THE EMILY SONNETT ALEX MORGAN HANDBALL STORY WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Sonnett told Sam “the tale of the handball” on the pod last week. Watch the full conversation here.
Good Reads 📚
From Jeff Kassouf in ESPN, ‘NWSL playoffs 2024: what’s next for eliminated teams?’
From Emma Sanders in The BBC, ‘Maya Le Tissier: ‘My job to fight for next generation’
From Sports Business Journal, ‘NWSL praised as championship match nears’
Dear Sam… ✍️
“Hi Sam!
Writing to you from Washington DC, where we are definitely having an okay time since our Spirit are headed to the finals!! My voice is still recovering from getting rowdy at Audi yesterday. While watching the Pride/Current match, I noticed that one of the Pride's water bottles had a tape label that looked like it said "Marta's Secret..." something, which you can see in the pictures:
I didn't know Bugs Bunny was on the Pride equipment crew:
As a fellow Space Jam fan, I'll add this to the laundry list of reasons Marta's the GOAT, alongside her incredible goal. Looking forward to your coverage of the Final — wish I could be there and that I could go to your live show. Go Spirit!!!
Best wishes,
Elaine N.”
Elaine — THANK YOU for taking the time to write in. You’re right, this does just add to the legend of Marta.
Want to be featured next week on “Dear Sam”? Write me an email at [email protected].
