National Women’s Soccer League’s 11th regular season concludes on Sunday and there is a lot riding on every fixture
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The final matches of National Women’s Soccer League’s 11th regular season take place on Sunday – aka Decision Day – and each one holds serious playoff ramifications. Of the 12 clubs competing this year, two have already clinched play-off places, with eight remain in contention for four positions. It promises to be some weekend …
Angel City FC vs Portland Thorns
The reigning champions and first-placed Portland Thorns affirmed their playoff bye in the penultimate weekend with a goal from Japan’s Hina Sugita. She and golden boot leader Sophia Smith, who has just returned from injury, will be rested for the first round of the playoffs but still have the Supporters Shield to secure, vying for that trophy with San Diego. Thorns head to Los Angeles attempt to that achieve that, meeting an Angel City FC side hoping to scrape their way into the playoffs for the first time in their second year.
On Monday, a Mary Earps limited-edition goalkeeper kit was quietly made available by Nike. The release followed months of tension over the lack of the kit and, perhaps not suprisingly, it subsequently sold out in a matter of hours.
The Women’s Champions League resumed this week. The second qualifying round features 24 teams competing in a two-legged tie, with winners progressing to the group stage. Already a few ties have been back-and-forth battles. Wolfsburg fought back to a 3-3 finish against Paris FC thanks to a brace of headers from Alexandra Popp, while Manchester United also came from behind to draw 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain thanks to Melvine Malard’s 70th-minute equaliser.
Jenni Hermoso, Spain’s all-time leading goalscorer and recently crowned World Cup champion, had her interview with Spanish prosecutors aired on Spanish TV this week. In it, Hermoso maintained the kiss from Luis Rubiales at the World Cup Final was not consensual and relayed the emotional turmoil she’s had to wrestle with in the aftermath, saying, “I do not deserve to have lived through all this.”
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