Thursday, December 26

Tag: NWSL

U.S. Soccer took a gamble waiting for Emma Hayes, leaving USWNT’s style of play in limbo
13Apr By adminNo Comments
Sports

U.S. Soccer took a gamble waiting for Emma Hayes, leaving USWNT’s style of play in limbo

In November, U.S. Soccer gambled that it was worth sacrificing a year of continuous preparation under a permanent manager to hire Emma Hayes. For eight months following the 2023 World Cup, interim management has overseen the U.S. women’s national team. To her credit, Twila Kilgore’s tenure as placeholder helped turn over the player pool and saw her team win a pair of tune-up competitions this spring.Still, it’s been a lost year for the program at a time when it was in sore need of a clear new vision. Hayes’ first games as USWNT manager in June are still two months away, bringing the post-World Cup interlude to 10 months — and a full seven months from her appointment in November.With the CONCACAF W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup in the rearview, it’s time to take stock. Is the program any be...
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Gotham FC’s 13-year-old trainee Mak Whitham is scoring goals and readying to go pro
12Apr By adminNo Comments
Sports

Gotham FC’s 13-year-old trainee Mak Whitham is scoring goals and readying to go pro

McKenna Whitham scored against Deportivo Cali in added time at the Women’s Cup in Colombia in February, finding her footing in a sea of defenders and tucking the ball away to send Gotham FC to the finals of the four-day preseason tournament.The goal was the 13-year-old’s first in a professional environment, and it came after weeks of preseason training with the NWSL defending champions. Whitham, who goes by Mak, was unfazed.“It’s just been spectacular,” she told The Athletic following her preseason debut. “I’ve always kind of been playing up at a high level, so I’ve just been motivated to be the best and just give 100% effort, and, I mean, just because they’re older, it doesn’t scare me.”The teen has made a name for herself already, garnering headlines for being the youngest women’s socce...
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Washington Spirit, Lyon owner Michele Kang buys London City Lionesses
17Dec By adminNo Comments
Sports

Washington Spirit, Lyon owner Michele Kang buys London City Lionesses

On Friday, Michele Kang announced she has acquired London City Lionesses FC, an independent club competing in the FA Women’s Championship. The English club is another “foundational block” in her vision to grow her global multi-club organization, following her agreement earlier this year to take over OL Feminine and ownership of the Washington Spirit.“As you can imagine, if you’re trying to build a preeminent women’s football organization, you have to be where the center of gravity is,” Kang told The Athletic ahead of Friday’s announcement. “England is definitely one of them. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to land, and London City Lionesses being the only independent team, it was a no-brainer.”Rather than having to convince a men’s club to allow Kang to split their women’s team apart...
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How the USWNT lured Emma Hayes away from Chelsea: Inside the near $2 million deal
17Nov By adminNo Comments
Sports

How the USWNT lured Emma Hayes away from Chelsea: Inside the near $2 million deal

Chelsea Women had created a frenzy. On Nov. 4, the English club released a statement saying their coach Emma Hayes was leaving at the end of the season to “pursue a new opportunity outside of the Women’s Super League and club football.” Hayes had just entered her second decade in charge of the club, and few knew where she would land next.That same day The Athletic, among others, reported that Hayes’ next job would be with the U.S. women’s national team, leading a four-time World Cup and Olympic gold medal-winning program into a new era. On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer made her appointment official.Hayes, who previously won six WSL titles in England, will become the 10th full-time coach of the U.S., but not until her final season with Chelsea is complete next May. Sporting director Matt Crocker ma...
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Megan Rapinoe’s injury during NWSL Championship robs her of ‘perfect ending’ with OL Reign
14Nov By adminNo Comments
Sports

Megan Rapinoe’s injury during NWSL Championship robs her of ‘perfect ending’ with OL Reign

All week, there was a constant refrain: the NWSL Championship was set up for a poetic finish between two of the game’s greatest players. Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger would play against each other for one more trophy in the final match of their respective careers. “You couldn’t write a better ending,” Gotham forward Lynn Williams said on Friday, with a smile. It was supposed to be one last chance to give two players their flowers in real-time, no matter who ended victorious.But only two minutes and 25 seconds into Saturday night’s showdown at Snapdragon Stadium in front of a rowdy, record 25,011 fans, Rapinoe’s chance to write her half of the story ended abruptly, and without warning. During an offensive run, Rapinoe slipped and fell to the pitch with an apparent non-contact injury. She g...
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Unemployment, isolation, no insurance – the real impact of ACL injuries in women’s football
21Oct By adminNo Comments
Sports

Unemployment, isolation, no insurance – the real impact of ACL injuries in women’s football

There is no consensus on how to remedy the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury crisis in women’s football. Maybe because there is no obvious solution. What exactly do we attribute the Rolodex-worth of 2023 World Cup absentees — England duo Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, Canada’s Janine Beckie and Vivianne Miedema of the Netherlands to name a few — to?The ACL Club has gained six new British members over the past month alone: Arsenal’s Teyah Goldie, Faye Kirby of Liverpool, Manchester United pair Emma Watson and Gabby George, Caroline Weir of Real Madrid and Aberdeen’s Laura Holden.GO DEEPERManchester United defender George suffers ACL injuryHow big a role does the menstrual cycle — 2017 research suggests that ACL laxity and risk of injury may increase in the ovulatory phase — have...
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9Jul By adminNo Comments
Sports

Megan Rapinoe announces she will retire at end of the season – video | Football

Megan Rapinoe has announced that she will retire at the end of the 2023 football season and that the upcoming Women's World Cup will be her last. 'It's with a really deep sense of peace, gratitude and excitement that I want to share with you that this is going to be my last season, my last World Cup and my last NWSL season,' she said. 'I could never have imagined where this beautiful game would have taken me,' said the 38-year-old. 'I feel so honoured to be able to have represented this country and this federation for so many years. It's truly been the greatest thing I've ever done.'
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