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USWNT Rewind: Action-packed Week in NWSL, Clash of the Titans in France

With one week to go until the start of the June FIFA international window, U.S. Women’s National Team players are gearing up for a busy summer and sharpening their form through club competition.

In France, Paris Saint-Germain looks primed to end the 14-year run for Olympique Lyonnais as French league champions, thanks to a 0-0 draw on Sunday evening in Lyon. Separated by just one point in the league table courtesy of PSG’s 1-0 win in the first of the two league meetings between the teams last November 20, the Parisian club remains atop the league standings following the stalemate. U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Catarina Macario started and played the full 90 minutes for OL while defender Alana Cook came on for PSG in the 74th minute to help see out the vital point. Having bounced Lyon from the UEFA Women’s Champions League earlier this spring, PSG remains in control of its own fate with 59 points from 21 matches heading into the final matchday of the season. PSG will take on Dijon on June 4 while Lyon, who has 58 points, hosts Fleury 91. Both PSG and Lyon are expected to have little trouble in their final matches.  

In the NWSL, U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan made it three goals in the first three games of the 2021 season, scoring a brilliant left-footed half-volley in a 2-1 mid-week victory for the Orlando Pride over Portland Thorns FC. Morgan, who also found the back of the net in Orlando’s season opener against Washington and last week’s road win over North Carolina, put the Pride up 1-0 with a perfectly placed finish in the 22nd minute. Portland equalized just before halftime, but Sydney Leroux scored the game-winner in the opening moments of the second half to secure the victory for the Pride.  Morgan, Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris played the full 90 for Orlando while Adrianna Franch (90 minutes), Crystal Dunn (90), Lindsey Horan (90), Becky Sauerbrunn (90) and Sophia Smith (45) all saw action for Portland.

WATCH: MORGAN VOLLEYS PRIDE TO VICTORY



 

Orlando continued its stellar run of form with a 1-0 victory over Kansas City on Sunday afternoon, extending its winning streak to three in a row to remain the only unbeaten team in the NWSL this season. While Morgan’s goal scoring streak came to a end, she led all players with five shots on the day and – along with Krieger and Harris – played every minute in the club’s first clean sheet of 2021.

 

The Chicago Red Stars were also victorious mid-week, picking up their first victory of the 2021 campaign with a 2-0 road victory over Kansas City on Wednesday night. Mallory Pugh came on in the 60th minute and made an impact, assisting on both of Chicago’s goals. In the 67th minute, Pugh capped off a strong individual run with layoff to Kealia Watt, who beat KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart with a strike to the far post. Three minutes later, Pugh combined with Makenzy Doniak to double the Red Stars’ advantage. Defensively, Chicago recorded its second consecutive clean sheet, buoyed by 90-minute efforts from defenders Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger, and a strong showing from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Naeher made three saves on the night, including a great reaction save in the 26th minute to deny a close-range attempt from KC’s Mariana Larroquette.

WATCH: NAEHER DENIES LARROQUETTE



The Washington Spirit picked up their first win of the season on Wednesday, beating the Houston Dash, 2-1, behind a game-winning goal from Ashley Hatch in the 70th minute, despite being reduced to just 10 players for the final 40 minutes of the game. Kelley O’Hara and Emily Sonnett played the full 90 minutes for Washington in the victory, while Andi Sullivan was held to just 50 minutes, after which she was forced to depart, being shown a yellow card in the 41st minute and then again in the 50th, followed by the inevitable red. Jane Campbell made three saves on the night for the Dash.

However, Houston responded on Saturday night with a 2-1 victory of its own, downing the Red Stars thanks to a second-half goal from U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Kristie Mewis. Chicago got on the board first, following a fourth-minute goal from Pugh, her first of the 2021 campaign. But Houston would respond with two unanswered goals to snap its three-game winless skid, capped off by Mewis’ game winner in the 83rd minute. After serving in the initial corner kick that was partially cleared away, Mewis quickly returned to the fray and finished a Sophie Schmidt cross with a volley from six yards out for the decisive goal. Mewis played 90 minutes while Campbell added two saves for the Dash. Naeher made one save for the Red Stars, who also received 90-minute efforts from Pugh, Krueger and Davidson.  

WATCH: KRISTIE MEWIS CORNER LEADS TO GAME-WINNING GOAL



 

Younger sister Samantha Mewis made her return to the NWSL following a successful stint with Manchester City and played 73 minutes in a dominant performance for the North Carolina Courage. The Courage downed visiting Racing Louisville, 5-0 on Friday evening, powered by four goals in the second half. USWNT forward Lynn Williams slotted home her first goal of the 2021 season – and her 51st NWSL regular season goal overall – in the 63rd minute to extend North Carolina’s lead to 2-0.

WATCH: WILLIAMS WEAVES THROUGH DEFENSE AND SCORES



 Rose Lavelle also made her return to the NWSL, playing 64 minutes in OL Reign’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit. Lavelle – who helped Manchester City to an FA Cup title and second-place finish in the Women’s Super League – impressed in her first showing with her new club. USA teammate Megan Rapinoe played 75 minutes for OL Reign, who were sunk by an own goal in the 52nd minute that inadvertently bounced off Rapinoe. O’Hara and Sonnett played 90 minutes each in the shutout victory for the Spirit, who moved to second in the league standings with back-to-back victories.

A rainy East Coast Sunday at Red Bull Arena saw the Portland Thorns snap their two-game skid with a 1-0 victory over NJ/NY Gotham FC. The rematch of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup Final saw the visiting Thorns come away with the win, thanks to a stunning 56th-minute goal from New York native Crystal Dunn, which was #2 on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays of the day that night. Dunn’s goal was her first since joining the Thorns last October 2020 and gave the Thorns their second win of the young season. Franch added three saves in the shutout victory, while Sauerbrunn (90), Horan (90) and Smith (89) also made significant contributions for Portland. Carli Lloyd and Margaret Purce went the distance for Gotham FC in the defeat.

WATCH: DUNN’S DAZZLING GAME WINNER VS. GOTHAM



 

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

 

Friday, June 4

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Dijon

D1 Arkema

2:45 p.m.

 

Olympique Lyonnais vs. Fleury 91

D1 Arkema

2:45 p.m.

 

Saturday, June 5

Chicago Red Stars vs. North Carolina Courage

NWSL

2:00 p.m.

Paramount+

NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. OL Reign

NWSL

7:00 p.m.

Paramount+

Portland Thorns FC vs. Racing Louisville FC

NWSL

10:30 p.m.

Twitch

Sunday, June 6

Kansas City vs. Houston Dash

NWSL

2:00 p.m.

Paramount+

Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride

NWSL

2:00 p.m.

Paramount+

Go Deeper

WNT