Another year, another FIFA game where it’s obvious EA Sports paid no attention to women’s soccer. The FIFA 22 women's ratings are somehow even worse than last year, once again proving the WoSo portion of the franchise is merely lip service to try to appease women without actually putting in any effort.
The Washington Spirit and Orlando Pride delivered a classic NWSL match on Sunday evening at Audi Field with Marta scoring a memorable goal for the visitors before Ashley Sanchez’s spectacular game-winner in the 89th minute.
The first half finished scoreless, but Washington’s Trinity Rodman was twice denied by the woodwork while Orlando’s Sydney Leroux was kept out following a sensational double-save by Aubrey Bledsoe.
But there was no keeping out Marta’s opener in the 68th minute, which was smashed off the inside of the far post from distance.
Morgan Weaver hadn’t made an appearance for the Portland Thorns in over a month after getting injured against the Orlando Pride on July 18. The 23-year-old made her return in fashion and in the form of an 87th minute winner against Lyon.
Weaver was substituted into the game in the 82nd minute and nearly scored with her first touch of the game. She was in on goal against Lyon’s Christiane Endler but ended up hitting her shot over the bar.
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.
With the USWNT’s Olympic campaign in the rear-view mirror there’s one topic that was overlooked. Catarina Macario is one of the most exciting young prospects for the USWNT, yet she only saw the field for seven minutes during the Olympics. Thanks, Vlatko.
Macario is a versatile player who can play in the midfield or as forward. Born in São Luís, the 21-year-old had the choice to represent either the USWNT or Brazil. She received her U.S. citizenship on Oct. 8, 2020, and was cleared by FIFA to play for the USWNT in January.
If you had to name the current Galácticos of women's club football, the answer is pretty easy: Olympique Lyon. The French side won a record 14 consecutive Ligue 1 titles and five Champions League titles in a row before both streaks were ended by PSG this year.
But 20 years ago, there was an unexpected forerunner in women's soccer, a team full of Galácticos that spawned at a time when the original Galácticos side at Real Madrid was still in its infancy.
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.
The USWNT has been far from impressive at the Tokyo Olympics. The defense has been shaky, the midfield often overrun and the forwards unable to stay onside. But Team USA is through to the medal rounds thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, the one constant this tournament.
In 1999, the USWNT was on top of the world. Americans fell in love with the 99ers who won the Women’s World Cup on home soil, with Brandi Chastain’s shirtless celebration becoming one of the first soccer moments to transcend into mainstream culture in the U.S.
Twenty years later, the USWNT was back on top of the world. Megan Rapinoe led the USWNT to a fourth Women’s World Cup, but the love didn’t necessarily follow. Half of the country hated the team for reasons having little to do with soccer.
Zambia’s women’s soccer team was supposed to be the feel-good story of the tournament. The team shocked Cameroon to get to Tokyo, came to the tournament with nothing to lose and have a striker who was a sprinter in the 2008 Olympics. The fun ended rather quickly when the World Cup runner-up Netherlands torched the Copper Queens 10-3 on Wednesday.