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Emily Olsen right here, needing loads of assist after a birthday weekend away. Fortunately, I’ve Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei and Asli Pelit Basker to assist — welcome to Full Time!
NWSL Recap
The defining moments of Week 8
Final weekend within the NWSL shall be remembered for 2 issues: the horrifying second when Savy King collapsed on the pitch (Meg has extra on that under) and the second the Kansas Metropolis Present rediscovered their identification.
In entrance of a sellout crowd that included “Ted Lasso’s” Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt (aka Coach Beard), the Present placed on a present, dismantling Bay FC 4-1 at residence. The Brazilians — Bea Zaneratto João and Debinha — have been electrical, combining for 3 epic targets whereas Temwa Chawinga added one other on the 62nd minute to seal the deal.
Elsewhere, chaos remained:
- The Chicago Stars and Washington Spirit performed a head-scratcher, with the latter popping out on high.
- The North Carolina Braveness tied with the Orlando Pleasure.
- Racing Louisville obtained their third win — towards title-contending Gotham, no much less.
- The Houston Sprint shocked the Seattle Reign at residence.
- And San Diego Wave vs. Portland Thorns? With a pink card and last-minute penalty from the Thorns that tied the sport, it was pure drama.
Now, on to extra severe issues.
Meg’s Nook: NWSL should be taught from King scenario
Angel Metropolis defender Savy King “stays steady,” an NWSL spokesperson stated Saturday, almost 12 hours after she required on-the-field medical attention throughout a sport towards Utah Royals on Friday night time.
King, 20, went down round 74 minutes into the match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and was taken to a hospital after receiving therapy on the sphere. Play resumed within the eighty fifth minute, regardless of gamers from each groups showing visibly shaken and emotional on the printed — even crying.
The league has the ultimate say in terms of enjoying following main incidents, whether or not medical, weather-related, or the rest that rises to this stage, in line with inner insurance policies reviewed by The Athletic. Past that, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman has the jurisdiction to overrule any choice to make the perfect name for the league. So the NWSL may have made the decision finish Friday night time’s sport early in the event that they thought of it finest for everybody.
Angel Metropolis was already up a purpose by that time and had little incentive to need the match to proceed. Even Utah’s head coach Jimmy Coenraets appeared advantageous with the concept of ceasing play within the rapid aftermath. Although league coverage was adopted, as a number of sources careworn, it’s onerous to argue the choice was truly what was finest for everybody.
Gamers have been anticipated to proceed enjoying after somebody goes down with a severe harm — like an ACL or Achilles tear — prior to now, however these accidents aren’t almost as distressing as a participant all of a sudden collapsing with out an instantly clear cause. That is the place the protocols should be extra of a suggestion somewhat than onerous and quick guidelines.
Contemplating this league’s historical past, placing participant well being and security on the high of the checklist appears like a simple win. It is usually the precise factor to do. They’ll’t get slowed down questioning in the event that they adopted insurance policies or not.
The NWSL has to be taught from this second.
🎧 Read more about the decision here and take heed to Meg and Jillian Sakovits talk about it on the “Full Time Review” podcast.
Daniel Bartel / Imagn Photos
Have to Know
Swanson thriller solved 🍼
Mal Swanson was on the Saturday matinee showdown between the Stars and Spirit, simply up within the stands. Final week, she and her husband, Dansby Swanson (the shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, notably not the brand new pope’s favourite baseball staff) introduced they are expecting their first child.
Congrats to the pleased couple, and congrats on the top of the few obscure updates on why Swanson wasn’t out there to play for the entire begin of this season.
Swanson is the most recent participant to announce a being pregnant in NWSL, following San Diego Wave’s Kailen Sheridan and Sophia Wilson earlier this yr. Wilson’s teammate, Bella Bixby, returned this season from maternity depart and defined how she’s navigated the changes and the way the league’s up to date collective bargaining settlement has helped.
These aren’t localized experiences, they’re common. This weekend, FC Como Girls captain Alia Guagni shared that her choice to retire wasn’t nearly age — it was about life beyond the game and her long-delayed dream of turning into a mom.
Shiffrin joins Denver possession group
Mikaela Shiffrin is likely one of the biggest skiers of all time, with a file 101 World Cups to her title and an Olympic gold medal. Final week, she added another title to her lengthy checklist of accomplishments: owner of a professional sports team. The 30-year-old is the most recent investor in NWSL Denver, the league’s sixteenth membership that begins play subsequent yr.
Shiffrin stated she hopes to see different Colorado natives return to characterize the house staff. This can be her first funding in a sports activities staff, however she admits she’s going to “maintain in search of alternatives.”
Who’s going to the ‘grand slam’ of soccer?
With Manchester Metropolis, Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Rosengard now confirmed, World Sevens Soccer (W7F) has locked in its eight-team lineup for the inaugural girls’s seven-a-side match in Portugal.
The competitors, which has the purpose of turning into a “revolutionary grand slam collection,” kicks off Might 21 in Estoril, simply days earlier than the Portuguese capital hosts the Champions League closing. W7F guarantees to shake up the ladies’s soccer panorama with a game-changing $5 million prize pool, together with $2.5M for the winners, surpassing what the 2025 Champions League winners will take residence.
What to Watch
FA Cup closing
📺 WSL: Chelsea vs. Manchester United
Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+
Chelsea are invincible within the Girls’s Tremendous League after finishing an unbeaten season. (Nonetheless, it’s value inspecting whether or not that claims extra about the remainder of WSL than it does Chelsea, as Michael Cox writes.) This weekend they go once more towards Manchester United for the FA Cup title.
Full Time First Appears
Everton twins: Megan Feringa’s function on Everton’s identical twins Karen and Sara Holmgaard is a pleasant experience filled with the mischief solely twins can rise up to — however you’re telling us that at 26 years outdated, they nonetheless haven’t give you their very own signature celebration? They’ve work to do.
WSL rebrand: The WSL will have a new look for the 2025-2026 season, with the rebrand additionally renaming the second-tier Girls’s Championship to WSL2. The rebrand isn’t a shock, however now we have one request transferring ahead: Can girls’s sports activities generally retire the “It’s greater than a league, it’s a motion” line?
Making progress: Keep in mind the story of the footballers who had their dreams interrupted by the Taliban? Effectively, there’s hope in spite of everything. FIFA has sanctioned the establishment of an Afghanistan women’s refugee team, which is able to be capable to take part in matches overseen by world soccer’s governing physique.
Much more information: It’s not girls’s soccer with out a ton occurring each week. We now know the stadiums for the 2027 World Cup, and that the 2031 edition will expand to 48 teams. Elsewhere, Wolves have pledged to step up and apply for tier-two status transferring ahead after backlash.
Lastly, as a child my prized possession was the Guinness World Document ebook from the Scholastic E-book Truthful. I simply may need to purchase this yr’s version now that the record-holder for longest throw-in is this women’s soccer player.
Megan Campbell of the London Metropolis Lionesses has set a brand new file for the longest soccer throw in (feminine) at 37.55 metres (123 ft 2 in) 😮 pic.twitter.com/CneFXP5CRQ
— Guinness World Data (@GWR) May 8, 2025
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(High photograph: Jessica Alcheh / Imagn Photos)
