WHAT A FIRST NWSL PLAYOFF WEEKEND đŸ’„

November 11, 2024

Happy NWSL playoffs! 🏆 It’s the most wonderful time of the year
 those of us delusional enough to take out holiday decorations in early November are enjoying that while we watch the knockout rounds of the NWSL. The games this weekend were filled with goals and tense moments as we saw all the top seeds win and secure their spots in the semifinals. The highlight for me was Rose Lavelle’s game-winner for Gotham
 keep reading to hear more about that and the rest of the games.

If you missed our Friendlies episode with Sam Coffey, don’t worry — it’s available now wherever you get your podcasts and on our YouTube channel. Sam was such a joy to speak with, and despite her Portland Thorns losing yesterday, the interview is still definitely worth listening to. We’re on track this week to have an episode of Friendlies with Emily Sonnett drop on Thursday, and possibly even some surprise bonus content from one of the biggest stars in the league. Make sure you’re subscribed to our podcast feed so you don’t miss it!

Thank you all so much for being here – more to come tomorrow on an all-new episode of Good Vibes FC with Lynn Williams!

Love,

Sam

The 2024 NWSL Semifinals are set 👀

Graphic: NWSL

The Quarter-final Wrap-Up: The NWSL playoffs commenced this weekend with riveting quarter-final clashes. In the end, the regular season’s top four teams progressed to the next round. 

  • The record-setting Shield winners, Orlando Pride, started things off on Friday with the biggest win of the round, as they beat Chicago Red Stars 4-1 at home. The Pride’s regular season topscorer, Zambian forward Barbra Banda, scored twice in the victory, as did the great Brazilian legend Marta, who scored her first-ever playoff goal.  

  • Sunday’s showdown in the capital between Washington Spirit and playoff debutantes Bay FC went down to the wire before a sold out crowd at Audi Field, with the Spirit clinching a 2-1 win after extra-time. Nigerian forward and African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala gave Bay FC a 1-0 lead in the 82nd minute. But 25-year-old California-native and USC graduate, defender Tara McKeown, scored the equalizer four minutes later. An own goal in extra-time sealed the win for the home team. 

  • The NWSL reigning champions Gotham FC hosted Portland Thorns for the final thriller of the weekend, which saw the pride of Cincinnati, Rose Lavelle, provide the game-winning goal in the 97th minute of stoppage time. 

Also: The Women’s Game’s pod co-host Lynn Williams was honored for 150 NWSL appearances ahead of the playoff win at Red Bull Arena 

SEMI-FINALS NEXT: 

  • Washington Spirit maintain home field advantage in the semi-final after finishing the regular season in second place. They’ll host the reigning champions, Gotham FC, this Saturday at Audi Field. The match is poised to be a close one, though Washington Spirit defeated Gotham twice in the regular season. (Saturday, Nov. 16, 12 p.m. ET, CBS). 

  • On Sunday, Orlando Pride hosts Kansas City Current at Inter & Co. Stadium in Florida, where the 2024 Shield winners remain undefeated this year. (Sunday, Nov. 17, 3 p.m. ET, ABC). 

đŸ“ș More: For more on this weekend’s action keep an eye out for our new series This Week in NWSL, presented by Adobe Express which drops this Tuesday on our YouTube page and socials. 👀

The Women's Game LIVE: Night of 1,000 Stars presented by Ally in Kansas City ⭐

We are heading to Kansas City for the NWSL Championship weekend next week. 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! 🚹

đŸŽŸïž Get your tickets today before they are all gone. We can’t wait to be with you 💙

European Roundup 🌍

England’s top-flight WSL continued with matchday seven this weekend. 

  • Manchester City also won big this weekend in a 4-0 trouncing of Tottenham. Jamaican striker Bunny Shaw scored a hat-trick, with her first goal coming just 30 seconds into the match. England forward Lauren Hemp collected a remarkable three assists in the win, bringing her season total to five as the WSL’s assist leader. 

  • Chelsea are the only team to win every game of the season thus far, but sit in second place with a game in hand after a 3-0 win over Liverpool. Norwegian winger Guro Reiten scored her fourth goal of the year in the win. Only Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw has scored more goals (seven) this season. đŸŽó §ó ąó „ó źó §ó ż

Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana BonmatĂ­ scored her 100th goal for Barcelona in a 3-0 win over AtlĂ©tico Madrid this Saturday. Barcelona are comfortably in first-place of Liga F with nine wins from nine games (and have scored 23 more goals than the league’s next highest scorer), but face their second-place Spanish rival Real Madrid next weekend (Saturday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m. ET, DAZN). đŸ‡Ș🇾

Wolfsburg are on top of the Frauen Bundesliga after a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim. Alex Popp, who recently retired from international football as Germany’s third all-time leading scorer, scored the opening goal. Second-place Frankfurt beat FC Köln 8-0, with a hat-trick from 26-year-old German midfielder/forward Laura Friegang, bringing her season total to 10 goals in 9 games as the Bundesliga’s topscorer. And finally third-place Bayern Munich drew Freiburg 2-2 to mark their second consecutive draw in the regular season. đŸ‡©đŸ‡Ș

One week after scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over their rivals, PSG, 28-year-old Malawian forward Tabitha Chawinga (sister to NWSL’s record-setting single season goal scorer Temwa Chawinga) scored a hat-trick for the first-place French club Lyon in a 8-0 win over Guingamp. French striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto also scored a hat-trick this weekend for second-place PSG in a 4-0 win over Strasbourg. đŸ‡«đŸ‡·

UEFA Women’s Champions League picks up this week 🏆

Graphics: UEFA

Matchday 3 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage takes place Tuesday and Wednesday across Europe. 

  • Italian side Roma and eight-time UWCL champions Lyon are both undefeated with two wins each in Group A, but face each other on Wednesday in Rome. (Nov. 13, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 

  • Chelsea are the only team to win both of their games in Group B, and head to Glasgow next, where they’ll play UWCL debutantes Celtic. (Wednesday, Nov. 13, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 

  • Arsenal face a tough test in the top-ranked Serie A club, Juventus, on Tuesday. The two clubs are tied on points, and rank second and third on goal differential behind Bayern Munich in Group C. (Tuesday, Nov. 12, 12:45 p.m. ET, DAZN). 

  • Manchester City will look to hold onto the top spot in Group D (after beating the reigning champions, Barcelona, 2-0 on matchday one) as they host Swedish side Hammarby in Manchester this Tuesday. (Nov. 12, 3 p.m. ET, DAZN). 

News and Notes đŸ“°đŸ—žïž

  • 21-year-old Trinity Byars is the first active college player to sign with an NWSL team since the new CBA abolished the College Draft. Byars leaves the University of Texas as the all-time top scorer and will join San Diego Wave in January. 📝

  • NCAA D1 Women’s Soccer (the top flight of women’s collegiate soccer in the United States) will hold a live draw for the Championship bracket this afternoon. (Monday, Nov. 11, 4 p.m. ET, WATCH HERE). The annual Championship tournament features 64 of the best teams in college soccer in a knockout-style tournament. The first set of matches take place next weekend, Nov. 15th, 16th, and 17th. 🏆

  • The UEFA Women’s Nation’s League (UWNL) league stage groups are set. This marks the second edition of the UWNL, with the first set of matches taking place in February 2025. 🌍

New Copa Football Collection ft. Beanies to Keep You Warm đŸ„¶

With the COPA Beanies, you can survive the cold days in style and support your team on matchdays. As 'Made in Europe' product, these warm, knitted bobble beanies are the latest addition to the COPA collection. Many different styles available, all finished with the typical bobble upon its top to stand out from the crowd. This one in particular? Remembers the classic Zidane FIFA World Cupℱ final headbutt on Marco Materazzi. Oh yeah, brilliant.

shop.meninblazers.com

Good Reads 📚

⚡AND FINALLY, YOUR BOLT OF JOY FOR THE WEEK

Credit: Lily Yohannes/@LilyYohannes10

17-year-old Ajax midfielder and remarkable talent Lily Yohannes has officially committed to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team. The Springfield, Va. native plays football in the Netherlands and was also eligible to represent the Dutch National Team. Yohannes made history as the youngest player to ever start in a UEFA Women’s Champions League game, has collected awards in the Dutch Eredivisie for her dynamic play with Ajax, and became the third-youngest player to score in USWNT history this past June in Minnesota, as she took just ten minutes to score a goal in her debut against South Korea. That June friendly marked Yohannes’ second callup to USWNT camp (after she was included in the squad for the SheBelieves tournament in April but did not make an appearance), but she made her debut under Emma Hayes during Hayes’ first training camp as manager of the U.S. Welcome home, Lily. đŸ‡șđŸ‡Č

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