NWSL

The Houston Dash was the oddball inclusion the 2021 Women’s International Champions Cup. 

Teams like the Portland Thorns, French powerhouse Lyon and perhaps the most dominant team on the planet, Barcelona, all looked like giants compared to the Dash. 

The 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup champions were heavy underdogs against Barcelona for the third-place match, but holy hell did the Dash give the defending UEFA Champions League winners a run for their money, losing 3-2.

15-year-old Portland Thorns phenom Olivia Moultrie scored her first professional goal on Wednesday night to help her side advance to the final of the Women’s International Champions Cup.

Shea Groom had given the Houston Dash a 2-0 halftime advantage to stun Providence Park, but Natalia Kuikka pulled one back for the Thorns in the 51st-minute to set the stage for Moultrie’s equalizer in the 58th.

The Women’s International Champions Cup returns on Wednesday, giving us a rare glimpse of how the best club sides in Europe match-up with the NWSL elite. This year’s tournament boasts the defending UEFA Women’s Champions League winner, Barcelona, and the most recent NWSL champ, the Portland Thorns. 

Carli Lloyd, one of the greatest women's soccer players to ever grace the game, has announced her retirement, U.S. Soccer said on Monday.

The 39-year-old Lloyd, who was twice named the FIFA Women's Player of the Year, became the second-most capped player in world soccer history (312) during a career that includes two Women's World Cups and two Olympic gold medals.

Abusive behavior, racist jokes, homophobic slurs — Richie Burke, it seems, is no Ted Lasso, and he appears to be on his way out of the NWSL after a damning report and some confusing reactions from his Washington Spirit club.

There's no doubt that footballers create a special connection with each other since there's such a strong bond between two people that understand the game and everything it entails. It's no secret that many professional women’s players are dating teammates or even opponents. The most recent rumored couple that had fans wondering if they're official or not was the relationship status between Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis. 

When you hear her teammates talk about her, Olivia Moultrie isn’t just a 15-year-old gimmick, she’s a contributing member of the Portland Thorns. And now that the NWSL has allowed her to become the youngest player in league history, she’s making an impact on the pitch.

In her first career start, Moultrie provided the game-winning assist, sending in a peach of a cross for Simone Charley to head home as Portland held off Washington 1-0 on Saturday night. 

As the USWNT showcased one of its worst Olympic performances, it did walk away with a bronze medal, which is better than nothing. Although, it was expected to win it all, the USWNT fell short and struggled to outplay its opponents. Despite the team difficulties, one USWNT player overcame more than just struggling to win.

Carli Lloyd was not good enough. Megan Rapinoe was not good enough. Alex Morgan was not good enough. Crystal Dunn was not good enough. Tobin Heath was not good enough. The USWNT was not good enough. 

Carli Lloyd running sprints alone after defeat may be the lasting image of the USWNT’s 2020 Olympic run, but her questionable inclusion on the team will be a talking point for years to come.