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Temwa Chawinga makes history 💥; Orlando Pride stays unbeaten 📈

PLUS: Club footy returns in Europe, U20 Women’s World Cup is underway

September 03, 2024

It’s Tuesday September 3rd. Give us four minutes, we give you everything The Women’s Game.

Happy 4-day week, TWG readers! I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. I had a family lobster bake that I tell Becky about in great detail on this week's episode of Good Vibes (listen to the episode for a depiction of me scavenging for lobster meat.)

We had a huge weekend in NWSL with Orlando Pride bangers, Angel City stitches, and center backs scoring goals. There has also been lots of content from the WSL teams abroad, including Kristie Mewis at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Perth, Australia! The European leagues are starting up imminently, so it’s about to be all soccer, all the time. We’re going to need all the Olipop we can get, and you can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

Last week we had so much incredible content come out — an interview with Rose Lavelle and Emily Sonnett plus a Friendlies episode with Arsenal’s Alessia Russo. Thursday we’re dropping my sit-down with Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham goalkeeper and German bronze medalist from this past Olympics. Ann has such an amazing story and I had the opportunity to ask her about her battle with thyroid cancer. Mark your calendars for that one on Thursday.

Please make sure you’re subscribed to our YouTube channel and our podcast feed! Follow along with TWG on social media at womensgamemib on IG, X, TikTok, and Threads. I’m also on the hunt for questions from you for the podcasts — send me an email at [email protected]. It’s such a joy to be bringing you this content and I’m so grateful for your support. Thanks for being here!

Love,
Sam

I. NWSL Week 18: Malawian star Temwa Chawinga makes history with Kansas City Current; Orlando Pride stays unbeaten 📈

a. With just eight games to go in the regular season, Orlando Pride remain undefeated after downing fourth-ranked Gotham FC 2-0 at home this Sunday. Both Orlando goals came early on (in the sixth and 19th minute, specifically), and were scored by Brazil’s fleet-footed forward Adriana, bringing her season total to five. Four Pride players now have five or more goals in ‘24: Barbra Banda has 12, while Marta, Summer Yates and Adriana each have five. Combined with a strong defense (no team has allowed fewer goals than Orlando’s 12), the 19-game-unbeaten Orlando Pride are in pole position for the Shield as they make more history every weekend. 

b. Orlando weren’t the only ones to make history this weekend. In Cary, North Carolina, Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga scored again for Kansas City Current in a remarkable seventh-consecutive game, setting a new NWSL record. Chawinga’s 14th goal of the season puts her two goals ahead of Zambian forward Barbra Banda in the golden boot race, but it wasn’t enough to defeat North Carolina Courage at home. Recently signed Australian winger Cortnee Vine brought her new club level with her first NWSL goal. And 24-year-old American midfielder Brianna Pinto came off the bench to score a stoppage-time match winner, handing the Current their second straight loss on the road. Incredibly, North Carolina Courage are now unbeaten in their last 18 regular season home games. 🏟️ 

c. Californian expansion side Bay FC collected a big 3-1 win over Portland Thorns this weekend. Newly acquired World-Cup-winning defender and Bay Area native Abby Dahlkemper scored seven minutes into her debut, helping set the tempo for a convincing win on the road. With goals from Rachel Hill and Joelle Anderson to seal the club’s seventh victory of 2024, Bay FC are in eighth place (just inside the playoff positions) with eight games to go. The USA’s gold medal-winning striker Sophia Smith pulled one back for Portland, but to no avail, as the Thorns struggle to find their form. 

d. End-of-season runs loading? With the playoffs looming, multiple teams look ready to make a late charge. That includes Angel City FC, who sit one spot shy of the playoff positions after beating Chicago Red Stars 2-1. 19-year-old USWNT forward talent Alyssa Thompson scored her third goal in two games for Angel City FC, as the SoCal side picked up a second straight win with their victory over Chicago Red Stars. (Hat-tip to USWNT veteran Sydney Leroux for the stoppage time game-winning goal). Utah Royals also picked up a second straight win this weekend. Claudia Zornoza’s pass to Paige Monaghan’s goal is worth a gander. And newly signed Spanish international Ana Tajeda claimed her first goal for the Royals. 

II. Club footy returns in Europe 🇩🇪🇪🇸

While NWSL heats up for the playoffs, multiple European seasons are returning for a brand new year. That includes Germany’s Frauen Bundesliga, which officially started last weekend, as well as Spain’s Liga F, which begins their new season this Friday. 

a. In week one of Germany’s Frauen Bundesliga, last year’s league Champions, Bayern Munich, are off to another strong start. 37-year–old Swedish defender Linda Sembrant scored a brace to seal the 2-0 win over Potsdam on the road. German juggernauts VfL Wolfsburg drew Werder Bremen in a 3-3 goalfest, featuring, yes, a goal from 33-year-old German goalscorer extraordinaire, Alexandra Popp. 🇩🇪

b. In Spain, Liga F kicks off this Friday as Real Madrid heads to Espanyol for the first game of the season. The nine-time current champions of Liga F, and current Champions of Europe, FC Barcelona Femeni also kick off their season on the road, as they face Deportivo in Galicia this Sunday. They’ll do so with a new manager. Catalonia-native Pere Romeu, who steps into the head coach position after three years in the assistant role, will answer the annual question, “Can anybody stop Barcelona?”, as former Barca-boss Jonatan Giráldez has moved to Washington Spirit. 

III. The U20 Women’s World Cup is Underway in Colombia 🌎

Fans of the game may want to keep an eye on Colombia this month, where the U-20 World Cup is going down from August 31 through September 22, showcasing some of the world’s best young talents. The USA’s 21-player squad also features a number of notable NWSL players (with eight total named to the team), including Bay FC defender Savy King and Utah Royals forward Ally Sentnor, who’s scored three goals and notched three assists in NWSL since being drafted number one overall in the 2024 NWSL Draft. Sentnor was named NWSL Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month for July. In their opening match of Group C, the US U-20 squad fell 1-0 in a closely contested match against Spain that pitted the youth teams of the current Olympic gold medalists (USA) against the current World Cup Champions (Spain). They’ll play their next match against Morocco, this Thursday, September 4th at 9 PM ET (FS2). 

a. Rebecca Welch is moving on from a historic career as a referee as she takes up a managerial position in PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), the organization overseeing and supporting match officials in English football. Welch was the first woman to referee in the Premier League, and in the top four divisions in England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

B. Last week, Bay FC hosted current Champions League winners, and Spanish giants FC Barcelona for a friendly at PayPal Park in California. The visitors won 5-2, with goals that included this Mapi Leon worldie. Bay FC forward and Nigeria Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala had a fun time playing her old team with her new team. 🤝

c. Orlando Pride are taking action over Grace Chanda’s injury during the Olympics as they file a formal grievance with FIFA against the Football Association of Zambia. Chanda signed for Orlando from Madrid CFF this summer, but suffered a season-ending injury in France. Orlando believes the Zambian football authorities did not ensure Chanda’s safety while in their care for the Olympics. 

d. Proud fiancée moment: Kristie Mewis visited the official Sam Kerr Football Centre in Perth, Australia, while her club, West Ham, were in town. Kristie went on to clock her first start in 431 days for West Ham’s Perth-based friendly against Leicester City, which they lost 5-2. ♥️

e. The NWSL Free Agency period set off this Sunday, September 1st, with an expansive number of free agents eligible following the recently unveiled, historic CBA. Read more on rules, regulations, and 2025 NWSL Free Agents here. 

f. The Concacaf W Champions Cup is back in action this week. The group stage resumes with a few exciting match-ups, including Portland Thorns hosting Mexican juggernauts Club América this Wednesday, and reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC heading to Alajuela, Costa Rica to play Alajuelense. The Concacaf W Champions Cup is a newly launched annual competition between eleven of the best teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The competition will serve as the sole qualification route for the FIFA Club World Cup. 🌎

IV. Parting Shots 🥃

“Don’t write me off. I will be ready come the Olympics.” –  the one and only Lynn Williams told Becky and Sam what she told Emma Hayes, how she broke her gold medal and much more as the Good Vibes pod returned this week. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE LIVE HERE.  

V. Good Reads 📚

c. From Tom Garry in The Guardian, ‘Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big?’.

d. The global organization representing footballers worldwide, FIFPRO, has announced new guidelines for postpartum players: ‘FIFPRO launches return to play guide for footballers after childbirth’.

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