Tag: Alex Morgan

NWSL News of Note: Alex Morgan announces retirement, Croix Bethune on SEI list, Magic Johnson invests in Spirit, plus lots more

Sunday, September 8th will be the end of an era as Alex Morgan will play her final professional soccer match. On Thursday, September 5th, Morgan announced her retirement via a social media video. The suddenness of Morgan’s retirement was due in part to a pregnancy, which was first publicly disclosed in the social media video.

The other major NWSL news of the week is the loss of Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune for the rest of the season due to a meniscus injury that occurred during a ceremonial first pitch at a Washington Nationals baseball game.

Here are the rest of the notables from September 3rd to the 5th:

  • Washington Spirit: Earvin “Magic” Johnson joins the club’s investor group
  • Seattle Reign: Jordyn Huitema extends until 2026, with mutual option for 2027
  • Angel City: Forward Jun Endo signs on through 2027
  • Angel City: Sale of Controlling interest to Willow Bay and Bob Iger completed
  • Houston Dash: Forward Bárbara Olivieri extends for two years
  • Houston Dash: Forward Cece Kizer released from contract
  • Orlando Pride: Amanda Allen loaned to USL Super League’s Lexington Sporting Club
  • Utah Royals: Addisyn Merrick released, signed by USL Super League’s Carolina Ascent
  • Rumor: Sofia Jakobsson “close to signing” with London City Lionesses
Continue reading “NWSL News of Note: Alex Morgan announces retirement, Croix Bethune on SEI list, Magic Johnson invests in Spirit, plus lots more”

NWSL: Media Coverage of the ‘Historic’ and ‘Groundbreaking’ New Collective Bargaining Agreement

(Note: The bulk of this post was originally going to be part of a longer article analyzing the new CBA, but due to time constraints, I have not been able to do proper research for that article.)

On Thursday, August 22nd, the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) released details about their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league. The new CBA, which has been described as “historic”, “groundbreaking” and “landmark” by professional journalists, has numerous significant new provisions, including several that grant the players much greater autonomy over their professional soccer careers.

Specifically, those provisions cover:

  • Full free agency for all players,
  • Player consent required for any trade,
  • Elimination of the entry draft and expansion drafts, and
  • Guaranteed contracts

Other key changes include revenue sharing for players, sizable increases in the minimum player salary, and requiring charter flights in certain situations.

At the moment, the full text of the new CBA is not yet available, so a detailed analysis is not currently possible. (According to the NWSLPA’s website, “[t]he full terms of the new CBA announced on August 22, 2024 will be shared… at a future date.”)

Continue reading “NWSL: Media Coverage of the ‘Historic’ and ‘Groundbreaking’ New Collective Bargaining Agreement”

USWNT: Roster for Sweden and Costa Rica Friendlies (November 2019)

Last week,  Vlatko Andonovski announced his first call-ups (USSoccer.com) as the brand new head coach of the United States Women’s National Team. Of the 24 players, three were called into their first USWNT camp: goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, the NWSL’s 2018 Rookie of the Year, Imani Dorsey and dual national defender Alana Cook.  A third uncapped player, Margaret “Midge” Purce, had been called into at least two previous USWNT camps, in 2018 and 2017. Other players called in who were not on the USA’s 2019 Women’s World Cup roster include outside back Casey Short, midfielder Andi Sullivan, and forward Lynn Williams.

Six players from the WWC roster are not available due to medical reasons: Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Ali Krieger,  Kelley O’Hara, and Megan Rapinoe, all for injuries, plus Alex Morgan, who recently announced via People magazine that she is pregnant, with an expected delivery date of April 2020. Continue reading “USWNT: Roster for Sweden and Costa Rica Friendlies (November 2019)”

USWNT: The USA Defeats China 2:0 in Detroit

On Saturday, in front of a crowd of 17,371, the United States Women’s National Team defeat China by a score of 2 to 0, with goals scored by midfielder Carli Lloyd in the 50th minute — off an assist by second-half sub Tobin Heath — and super-sub forward Sydney Leroux in the 82nd minute. Alex Morgan, who did not start the match, earned her 20th assist of the year on Leroux’s goal, making her only the second player in USWNT history to have 20 goals and 20 assists in a single calendar year. Starting in place of Morgan was Amy Rodriguez, who earned her 100th cap for the USA and wore the captain’s armband. Saturday’s match was neither televised nor streamed online, and there are no readily available highlights, whether official or amateur. However, the Detroit Free Press write-up on the match does have a photo gallery of 20 images. Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Defeats China 2:0 in Detroit”

News of Note: December 4, 2012 – Morgan and Johnston Win Player of the Year Honors, 2013 Cyprus Cup Field Set

News of Note: U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Awards… The USWNT’s December 15th Match Will Be Televised… North Carolina Wins Its 22nd National Title… Twelve Teams To Compete in the 2013 Cyprus Cup. Continue reading “News of Note: December 4, 2012 – Morgan and Johnston Win Player of the Year Honors, 2013 Cyprus Cup Field Set”

USWNT: The USA Defeat The Republic of Ireland by Five Goals To Nil, Again

On a rainy Wednesday night in Portland, for the fifth time, the United States Women’s National Team defeated the Republic of Ireland by a score of 5 goals to none, with Alex Morgan, who only played 59 minutes, supplying a trio of goals, all in the first half, and her second-half substitute, Sydney Leroux adding two more. Ireland managed just 3 shots to the USA’s 20, with only one of those on goal, compared to 10 for the USA. Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Defeat The Republic of Ireland by Five Goals To Nil, Again”

USWNT: The USA Wins Its Olympic Send-Off Match Versus Canada

On Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team defeated their northern neighbor, Canada, 2:1 in an Olympic send-off match at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah. The USA’s goals were scored by Carmelina Moscato via an own goal and Amy Rodriguez, who had an 85th minute game-winner after Melissa Tancredi equalized in the 57th minute. Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Wins Its Olympic Send-Off Match Versus Canada”

USWNT: The USA Defeats Sweden 3:1 In Opening Match of the Volvo Winners Cup

The counter-attacking offense of the United States Women’s National Team was in first gear on Saturday in a 3:1 victory over Sweden on that country’s home soil, in Halmstad. Goals by Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, and Tobin Heath were the difference in a match where neither team earned many style points, especially in the possession category. Continue reading “USWNT: The USA Defeats Sweden 3:1 In Opening Match of the Volvo Winners Cup”

USWNT: Notes From Memorial Day Weekend

On Sunday, May 27th, the USWNT defeated China 4:1, with Alex Morgan scoring two goals and getting an assist via a throw-in. Earlier in the day, the Olympic roster was released.

Also, on Wednesday (May 23rd), the USWNT defeated China 3:0 in a closed-door scrimmage.

Continue reading “USWNT: Notes From Memorial Day Weekend”