USWNT Rewind: Lyon Wins French League, Reign Surge In NWSL Standings

After winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League on May 21, Olympique Lyon captured its second trophy of the month on May 29, defeating rivals Paris Saint-Germain, 1-0, in Paris to win the D1 Féminine. OL entered the penultimate match day of the season with a five-point lead over PSG in the standings and needed either a win or a draw to capture its 15^th league title. Cataraina Macario wasted no time in making that happen, scoring the decisive goal for Lyon in the third minute when she broke into the penalty area from the left flank and fired a right-footed shot into the lower left corner from close range. Macario, who also scored in Lyon’s 3-1 win over Barcelona and in doing so became the first American – female or male – to score in a Champions League Final, leads OL in scoring this season with 23 goals across all competitions during the 2021-22 campaign – 14 in league play and nine in the title-winning Champions League run.

 

WATCH: MACARIO GOAL CLINCHES TITLE FOR LYON

 

Lindsey Horan, who was named OL’s Player of the Match following an impressive 90-minute performance, adds another trophy to her résumé to go along with her 2019 World Cup title, two NWSL Supporters’ Shields with Portland Thorns FC (2016, 2017) and an NWSL Championship in 2017 with the Thorns. Horan, who previously played for PSG from 2012-16, joined Lyon in January of 2022 and has made nine appearances for the club across all competitions, playing the full 90 minutes in each of her last five appearances.

 

It was also a successful week for Lyon’s American affiliate, OL Reign, which registered its first win of the 2022 NWSL regular season on Wednesday, May 25, defeating the visiting Kansas City Current, 1-0. In the 80^th minute, defender Sofia Huerta served a pin-point cross to the back post that was headed in by Bethany Balcer for the game’s lone goal and the Reign pitched their third consecutive shutout.

The Reign made it back-to-back wins with a 1-0 victory over league-leaders San Diego Wave FC, powered by a diving header from Rose Lavelle in the 75^th minute, also off an assist from Huerta. It was the second goal of the season for Lavelle, who currently leads the league in both shots (21) and shots on goal (12). Huerta tallied her second assist in as many games and now has 27 career assists, one shy of tying the NWSL career regular season record currently held by Jessica McDonald. 

 

WATCH: LAVELLE-HUERTA CONNECTION LEADS OL REIGN TO VICTORY

 

With the two wins, OL Reign extended its unbeaten streak to five consecutive matches and is now tied for second in the league standings with nine points.

NJ/NY Gotham FC returned to the win column on Sunday, besting Angel City FC, 1-0, at Banc of California Stadium. Margaret Purce assisted the game’s only goal in the 57^th minute as Gotham earned its second road victory of the season.

 

The Kansas City Current were also victorious, picking up their first win of the regular season with a 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville on Memorial Day at Children’s Mercy Park.

The Washington Spirit and Orlando Pride played to a 2-2 draw on Friday night at Exploria Stadium, with the Pride scoring twice in second-half stoppage time to pick up the point at home. The Spirit, who have now tied their last three outings, took the lead in the 19^th minute off a stellar strike from forward Trinity Rodman. The 20-year-old Rodman blasted a blistering right-footed shot into the bottom left corner from 23-yards out for her first goal of the regular season.

 

WATCH: RODMAN SCORES ROCKET FOR SPIRIT

 

 

Washington doubled its lead in the 66^th minute as reigning Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch netted her third goal of the 2022 campaign, finishing with a left-footed strike off a perfectly played pass from teammate Ashley Sanchez.

 

WATCH: HATCH SETS SPIRIT SCORING RECORD

Washington seemed primed for victory, but dramatic goals by Orlando in the 95^th and 98^th minutes salvaged a point for the Pride.

The Chicago Red Stars and Portland Thorns also played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium. Mallory Pugh, who scored twice and tallied an assist the week prior in her first action back since injury, continued her great run of form with a goal in the fifth minute, powering through the Portland defense and finishing from 12-yards out.

WATCH: PUGH PUTS RED STARS IN FRONT

The lead would be short-lived as the Thorns equalized in the seventh minute. Chicago re-claimed the lead in the 20^th minute, but a Sophia Smith strike in the 47^th minute put Portland level again. It was Smith’s third goal of the regular season.

WATCH: SMITH SCORES EQUALIZERS FOR PORTLAND

 

The 2022 Challenge Cup champions North Carolina Courage are still searching for their first victory of the regular season after playing the Houston Dash to a 1-1 on May 29.

 

Information on upcoming matches featuring U.S. Women’s National Team players can be found below. All times listed are ET.

Wednesday, June 1
D1 Féminine: Olympique Lyon vs. Issy	2:45 p.m.	atafootball
NWSL: Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars	7:30 p.m.	Paramount+
Friday, June 3
NWSL: Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride	8:30 p.m.	Paramount+
NWSL: Portland Thorns FC vs. Angel City FC	10:30 p.m.	Paramount+
Saturday, June 4
NWSL: Chicago Red Stars vs. OL Reign	3 p.m.	Twitch
NWSL: NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit	7 p.m.	Twitch
NWSL: Racing Louisville FC vs. North Carolina Courage	8 p.m.	Paramount+
NWSL: Kansas City Current vs. San Diego Wave FC	8:30 p.m.	Paramount+