NWSL

Apparently not everyone is on board with the USWNT equal-pay suit. In an interview with the news site TooFab, former USMNT player Jermaine Jones openly criticized the action, stating that some women are making more money in the NWSL than men in MLS, while also claiming that the NWSL is league where “you can say that you suck” and you still get paid.

Jones' comments stem from the fact that members of the USWNT receive a guaranteed extra bonus of around $60,000 for playing in the NWSL, an incentive to draw American talent to the league.

The North Carolina Courage kept pace with the league-leading Portland Thorns on Saturday after recording an impressive 2-1 road victory over the Utah Royals at Rio Tinto Stadium. 

An announced crowd of 10,545 was on its feet in the 13th minute following a sensational opener from World Cup-winner Christen Press. The 30-year-old attacker now has two goals in two games since returning from France, including a strike last week that was voted the NWSL’s Goal of the Week.

Last night in Bridgeview, Illinois, a crowd of 17,388 turned up at SeatGeek Stadium to watch the Chicago Red Stars defeat the North Carolina Courage 2-1 in NWSL play. For a bit of perspective, the Chicago Fire has averaged a gate of 11,209 throughout the 2019 MLS season. According to ESPN’s Sarah Spain, it was the first-ever sellout for a Chicago women’s professional soccer team.

On Saturday night, the Houston Dash faced off against the Washington Spirit in Boyds, Maryland, where both teams had their fair share of opportunities on goal.

After an hour delay at halftime due to lightning, the Spirit came out strong and found the back of the net first. Midfielder Jordan DiBiasi received a deflected ball off a long throw-in from Sam Staab, and DiBiasi got her head on it to give the Spirit the lead in the 52nd minute.

The stars of the 2019 Women’s World Cup are returning to the NWSL and if Friday night was any evidence, they’re ready to keep people talking about women’s soccer beyond just once every four years.

All four goals in a 2-2 draw between the Utah Royals FC and Portland Thorns FC were scored by Women’s World Cup stars on Friday night in Sandy, Utah, yet the best performance of them all came from a USWNT player who didn’t even make it onto the pitch en route to the Americans’ fourth World Cup title.

Let’s face it, women have faced inequality for as long as we have written history. Women’s soccer players are no exception. 

Today, the U.S. women’s soccer team — the No. 1 women’s soccer team in the world — has to deal with the reality that if both the men and women’s teams played 20 friendlies a year, the women would earn, at most, $99,000 while the men would earn an average of $263,320. That’s just ridiculous. It seems like some kind of sick joke, but I can assure you, it’s not. 

After the USWNT won its fourth World Cup, second in a row, Budweiser made an announcement. 

Budweiser will be the official supporter of the National Women’s Soccer League.

The Portland Thorns FC faced Sky Blue FC in a 2-2 draw continuing their unbeaten streak (5-0-3) on Sunday.

Sky Blue took an early lead after Carli Lloyd netted a goal in the sixth minute and again in the 18th minute.

The Thorns continued to fight back and found the back of the net in the 32nd minute when Christine Sinclair slotted a ball across the 6-yard box picking out Emily Sonnett, who put the Thorns on the scoreboard. 

This past Sunday night the Orlando Pride faced the Seattle Reign in Tacoma, Washington, where the Pride picked up its first point of the 2019 NWSL season after drawing 1-1 at Cheney Stadium.

Orlando took an early lead after being rewarded a free kick outside the box in the sixth minute. Australian defender Alanna Kennedy gave the Pride the upper hand when she casually hit a perfect bicycle kick inside the box. Although the Pride didn't ultimately get all three points, if there were points awarded for style they definitely would have won by a landslide.