USWNT REWIND: Champions League Quarterfinals Kickoff, Challenge Cup Completes Second Weekend
Club competitions are in full swing, both domestically and abroad, with U.S. Women’s National Team players gaining valuable minutes leading into the fast-approaching April FIFA international match window.
The past week of action kicked off across the Atlantic with the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Quarterfinals. USWNT attacker Catarina Macario wasted no time continuing her impressive run of form for Olympique Lyonnais, scoring off a header in the eighth minute to give the visitors from France an early lead in their matchup against Juventus in Turin, Italy. It was the team-leading fifth goal of this Champions League campaign for Macario, who leads Lyon with 16 goals this season across all competitions.
WATCH: Macario Carries Finishing Touch into Champions League
However, the tide turned for Lyon in the second half after OL defender Ellie Carpenter was shown a red card in the 62nd minute. Juventus was able to capitalize and the player-up advantage, scoring in the 71st and 83rd minutes to come away with the win. USWNT midfielder Lindsey Horan saw action for Lyon in the second half, entering the match in the 76th minute to make her second appearance for the club since signing in late January. OL and Juventus will meet again in Lyon on Thursday, March 31 with seven-time European champions OL looking to make up the 2-1 deficit and advance to the semifinal round where they would meet the winner of Bayern Munich-Paris Saint-Germain.
Tobin Heath boosted Arsenal’s semifinal hopes, serving in the free-kick which led to an 89th minute equalizer as the Gunners battled German side Wolfsburg to a 1-1 draw in London on Wednesday night. The USWNT forward entered the match in the 76th minute and provided the heroics in the waning minutes with a well-placed service into the penalty area that was converted by defender Lotte Wubben-Moy.
WATCH: Heath Provides Late Heroics with Assist
Level on aggregate, the second leg will be played at VfL Wolfsburg Arena on Thursday, March 31 with the winner advancing to face either Real Madrid or Barcelona in the semifinal round.
While the Champions League enters its final phases, the second weekend of play kicked off stateside in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.
The North Carolina Courage are the only club with wins in each of their first two matches, as it defeated the visiting Orlando Pride 1-0 on Saturday evening. The defending NWSL Champions Washington Spirit sit second in the East Division with two points (0-0-2) after playing NJ/NY Gotham FC to a 1-1 draw on Friday night at Segra Field. A well-taken penalty from USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis in her Gotham debut put the visitors in front in the 23rd minute. However, the Spirit bagged an equalizer in the 61st minute when reigning NWSL Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch buried a left-footed strike into the bottom right corner after coming on at the half. The Spirit were soon reduced to 10 players after a red card in the 65th minute, but the 1-1 score line held to the final whistle.
WATCH: HATCH LEVELS SCORE IN SECOND HALF
The Kansas City Current lead the Central Division after the first two weekends of play with four points (1-0-1) and picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars on Friday night. Kansas City tied the game in the 58th minute and scored the game-winner in the 86th. The Houston Dash also earned their first victory of the 2022 Challenge Cup, scoring three goals in the second half in for 3-2 come-from-behind win over Racing Louisville.
The biggest win of the weekend came courtesy of OL Reign, who defeated Angel City FC, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon in Fullerton, California. Midfielder Rose Lavelle assisted OL’s opening goal in the 12th minute with a well-weighted pass to Veronica Latsko. Five minutes later, center back Alana Cook doubled OL’s lead, scoring off a header for her first ever goal in an official NWSL competition.
WATCH: CENTER BACK GOAL FOR COOK
Reduced to just 10 players after a red card in the 31st minute, Angel City pulled one back in the 67th minute with a goal from Tyler Lussi.
Rounding out the action out west, Portland Thorns FC played spoiler in San Diego, beating San Diego Wave FC, 1-0, in the sold-out home opener for the California club. Sophia Smith scored what would prove to be the game-winner for Portland in just the fifth minute, capping off an impressive team build-up with a one-time finish from inside the six-yard box.
WATCH: SMITH PUTS PORTLAND ON SCOREBOARD EARLY
Information on upcoming matches featuring U.S. Women’s National Team players can be found below. All times listed are ET.
|
Wednesday, March 30 |
|||
|
Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
7:00 p.m. |
|
|
Washington Spirit vs. North Carolina Courage |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
7:30 p.m. |
|
|
Chicago Red Stars vs. Racing Louisville FC |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
7:30 p.m. |
|
|
Houston Dash vs. Kansas City Current |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
8:30 p.m. |
|
|
Portland Thorns FC vs. Angel City FC |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
10:00 p.m. |
|
|
Thursday, March 31 |
|||
|
Wolfsburg vs. Arsenal |
UWCL - Quarterfinal |
12:45 p.m. |
|
|
Olympique Lyon vs. Juventus |
UWCL - Quarterfinal |
3:00 p.m. |
|
|
Saturday, April 2 |
|||
|
Kansas City Current vs. Racing Louisville FC |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
3:00 p.m. |
|
|
San Diego Wave FC vs. Angel City FC |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
4:00 p.m. |
CBS; Paramount+ |
|
Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
8:00 p.m. |
|
|
Portland Thorns FC vs. OL Reign |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
10:00 p.m. |
|
|
Sunday, April 3 |
|||
|
Guingamp vs. Olympique Lyon |
D1 Feminine |
6:45 a.m. |
|
|
Leicester City vs. Arsenal |
FA WSL |
7:30 a.m. |
|
|
NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. North Carolina Courage |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
3:00 p.m. |
|
|
Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride |
NWSL Challenge Cup |
4:00 p.m. |
|