USWNT REWIND: Americans Score in Champions League Play, Final Berths to NWSL Postseason Still on the Line Heading Into International Window
As the U.S. Women’s National Team reconvenes in Austin, Texas for its first matches since winning gold at the 2024 Olympics, the players head to camp coming off yet another busy and significant week of matches with their club teams.
The action kicked off on Tuesday night as the Portland Thorns topped the Vancouver Whitecaps 6-0 in their final group stage match of the Concacaf W Champions Cup to clinch a spot in the competition semifinals, which will be played in the spring of 2025.
NJ/NY Gotham FC also secured its spot in the knockout rounds with a 4-4 draw on Wednesday night against Tigres UANL, securing a point in the back-and-forth affair to clinch its spot in the semifinals of the inaugural edition of the regional competition. Gotham and Portland will be the lone NWSL representatives in the knockout round of the Concacaf W Champions Cup as San Diego Wave FC failed to advance out of the group, losing 1-0 to Club América on Wednesday night.
Midweek matches were also underway in Europe for the group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Coming off a disappointing 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening match of Group C play, Arsenal bounced back on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Norwegian side Välerenga 4-1 for their first group stage victory. Defender Emily Fox gave the Gunners the lead just two minutes in, finishing from close range following a scrum in the box for her first goal since joining the club in January. Arsenal doubled its advantage in the 29th minute before Välerenga pulled one back in the 35th. The Gunners maintained the 2-1 lead for the majority of the second half before putting the match away late, scoring in the 85th and 90+3rd minutes.
WATCH: FOX SCORES FIRST GOAL AS A GUNNER
Fox followed her midweek goal with a strong defensive showing on Sunday, logging 89 minutes as Arsenal shutout West Ham United 2-0 for its second win of the Women’s Super League campaign.
Lindsey Horan also scored during Champions League action, converting a penalty kick in the second half of Olympique Lyon’s 2-0 win over Vfl Wolfsburg on Thursday evening in Group A action. Eight-time Champions League winners Lyon opened the scoring in the eighth minute and added to their lead in the 58th minute as Horan stepped up to the spot and buried her penalty kick for her ninth career Champions League goal. It was Horan’s sixth goal across all competitions to open the 2024-25 campaign.
WATCH: HORAN DOUBLES LYON LEAD
After making it two wins in two games to open Champions League play, Lyon dropped points for the first time this season in Première Ligue play,drawing Paris FC 0-0 on Sunday.
With Lyon dropping point, Paris Saint-Germain now sits atop the league table, defeating Fleury 2-1 on Friday evening for its fifth win of the league campaign. Midfielder Korbin Albert scored her second goal of the season in the 37th minute on a one-touch finish from the top of the six-yard box to give PSG a 1-0 lead. Fleury equalized just after the hour mark, but the Parisians scored again in the 80th to remain perfect on the season. Albert was replaced late in second-half stoppage time by fellow American Eva Gaetino, who earned her second USWNT call-up for the upcoming training camp and matches.
WATCH: ALBERT OPENS SCORING FOR PSG
Stateside, the penultimate weekend of the NWSL regular season saw the playoff race tighten even further. Portland Thorns FC entered the weekend need a win or draw to clinch a spot in the postseason but were bested 1-0 on Saturday night by a Racing Louisville side looking to make its first-ever postseason appearance. Squaring off on Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, the teams remained scoreless until late in the second half when 6-foot-1 midfielder Taylor Flint headed in the game-winning goal off a corner kick in the 88th minute.
The victory kept Louisville’s playoff hopes alive and proved ever important after Bay FC beat the North Carolina Courage 1-0 late Saturday night in San Jose on an 83rd-minute game-winner from center back Abby Dahlkemper.
Entering the final weekend of the regular season, the Thorns currently hold the seven seed with 31 points and a minus-1 goal difference and will host Angel City FC at home on November 1. Bay FC currently controls the eighth and final playoff spot with 31 points and a minus-11 goal difference and will end the season on the road against the Houston Dash (Nov. 2). Racing Louisville is in ninth with 28 points and a minus-4 goal difference and needs a win over the San Diego Wave on Nov. 3, along with some help, to qualify for the playoffs.
The Wave were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a 4-1 loss to the Kansas City Current on Saturday afternoon. Current forward Temwa Chawinga made even more history as she scored her 20th goal of the regular season and became the first player in league history to score against every opposing club in a single season. The Current enter the final weekend of the regular season in fourth and have clinched a home playoff game.
Victories by Racing Louisville and Bay FC on Sunday also eliminated both Angel City and Utah Royals FC from the playoff race ahead of the teams’ Sunday night meeting in Los Angeles. The clubs played to a 1-1 draw, with Utah opening the scoring in the 21st minute and Angel City equalizing in the 57th.
The Seattle Reign defeated the Houston Dash 2-1 on Friday night in their final home game of the season, but both clubs were already eliminated from playoff contention entering the weekend.
Defending champions NJ/NY Gotham FC played its final home match of the regular season on Sunday night, downing 2024 NWSL Shield Winners Orlando Pride 3-1. Gotham jumped out to an early lead with a goal in the 13th minute before Orlando equalized from the penalty spot in the 31st. Just before halftime, Rose Lavelle scored what proved to be the game winner for Gotham, powering home a rebound from close range for her seventh goal of the regular season. Lavelle’s seven goals this NWSL campaign are more than she had scored in her previous three seasons in the NWSL combined.
WATCH: LAVELLE SCORES GAME WINNER FOR GOTHAM
Gotham scored again early in the second half to secure the victory and heads into the final weekend of the regular season in third with 53 points and a +18 goal difference.
The Washington Spirit are in second place with 53 points and a +22 goal difference following a 2-0 win over the playoff-bound Chicago Red Stars on Sunday night at Audi Field. The Spirit scored once in each half for their 10th win at home of the season. Washington will close out the regular season on the road against the North Carolina Courage (Nov. 2)while the Red Stars will host the Current in their home finale (Nov. 3).