5. ELLA TOONE TAKES THE THRONE

GOAL!

It's homegrown @ellatoone99 with a lovely finish!

Look at what it means ❤️

Finally @ManUtdWomen make the pressure pay, but can they hold on?

Watch LIVE ????https://t.co/oRKaD5gwbM#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/AhDUA2tiok

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 8, 2020

Late in the second half of a scoreless match, Manchester United’s Lauren James splits two Arsenal defenders to deal a stunning slip ball out wide to her teammate Jessica Sigsworth. Sigsworth displays some serious speed as she fends off her defender and drives into the box, playing a perfectly weighted ball to her teammate, Ella Toone. Toone receives the pass and immediately pulls the trigger, sending her shot into the back of the net. In the blink of an eye, Manchester United is up 1-0, not only beating Arsenal, but taking their spot atop the FAWSL standings.

 

4. JANINE BECKIE: FAST AND FURIOUS

.@janinebeckie gets on the scoresheet for @ManCityWomen. ????#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/mwe6rkfdcm

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 7, 2020

Deep in their defensive half, Ellen White of Manchester City strips the ball from Bristol City, initiating a counter-attack and driving to half field. White then threads the needle between two Bristol City defenders with a leading ball to her teammate Janine Beckie. Beckie takes two touches, cutting in toward goal and setting herself up for a calm and collected finish. Beckie’s goal was Manchester City’s seventh in a record-breaking 8-1 victory over Bristol City. White herself earned her 50th goal of her FAWSL career, scoring twice and handing out two assists.

 

3. SANDY MACLVER: THOU SHALL NOT PASS

What an effort, @Bethany_Eng15. ????

The striker cleverly creates the opportunity but @SandyMacIver_ denies her!

#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/MWFy4xnIEY

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 8, 2020

Bethany England of Chelsea FC receives the ball off a throw-in from the left flank. England takes a touch inside, splitting her two defenders and smashing a shot from outside the 18 before Everton’s defenders can close on her. The bender carries its momentum, heading towards the upper V before Sandy Maclver reads the wicked shot and punches the ball away from danger. Unfortunately, Maclver’s save was not enough as Everton lost 0-4 against the now third-ranked Chelsea FC.

 

2. ANITA ASANTE: SCORING BUCKETS

NEEEEETZ!!! pic.twitter.com/TNtmCHnpDR

— Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) November 8, 2020

Caution: extreme levels of tiki-taka ahead. With the outside of her foot, Aston Villa’s Anita Asante plays a beautiful ball into her teammate, Ramona Petzelberger, who scoops the ball over her defender’s foot. Receiving the ball, teammate Shania Hayles back heels it out wide, finding her teammate Stine Larsen, who is stripped by a Brighton defender. The half clearance rolls back to Asante, who cleverly chips the ball over the crowded box full of defenders to find the back post. Asante gifts Aston Villa their first goal of the match, assisting them in a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion FC.

 

1. HARDER HITS ‘EM WITH A LIL’ RAZZLE-DAZZLE

WOW. ????@PernilleMHarder finds top bins. ????

What a finish!#BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/CFOSvMrxXp

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 8, 2020

Late in the match, Chelsea’s Melanie Leupolz plays a ball into Pernille Harder, who flexes her skills as she carries inside and cuts around an Everton defender. The 2020 UEFA Player of the Year plays a quick give-and-go, takes a touch, and then lifts her shot into the upper shelf of the back post. In a single play, Harder shows off her quickness, intelligence and power as she maneuvers her way through a sequence of tight spaces before unloading this rocket. Tallying her second goal of the season, Harder lifted Chelsea to a 4-0 shutout against Everton, preserving their undefeated season.

The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN, with the broadcaster signing on to carry 16 additional regular-season games in both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, upping the platform's total to 33 matches per year.

ESPN will also introduce a season-long "Match of the Week" centerpiece series, as well as live coverage of NWSL Decision Day, when eight concurrent matches will close out the season on the same day. 

"The NWSL showcases some of the best athletes in the world," ESPN EVP of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant said in a press release. "We are proud to increase our commitment on ABC and ESPN, and to further elevate women's sports and the athlete stories."

This media rights extension builds on the league's ongoing blockbuster four-year, $240 million TV deal with ESPN, adding inventory for the final two seasons of the November 2023 agreement.

The deal expansion comes in light of the league's significant growth this season, with the NWSL seeing gains across both attendance and viewership, including a 72% year-over-year ratings rise on ESPN.

"This supplemental agreement underscores the growing demand for women's soccer and ensures our players and clubs receive the visibility they deserve on some of the most prominent sports platforms," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement.

The 2025 WNBA season is over for Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, but the 23-year-old star is still making headlines, with Reebok set to drop her signature Angel Reese 1 sneakers on Thursday.

The Angel Reese 1 is a cornerstone of Reebok's re-entry into the basketball market, with the sportswear giant engineering the signature shoe for on-court performance by including features like responsive cushioning and added upper support.

Inspired by the brand's classic Mobius line, the shoes will hit the shelves in three colorways — an iridescent white "Diamond Dust," a bold pink "Mebounds," and a black and white "Receipts Ready" — with Reese's personal logo incorporated into the design.

Reese first signed with Reebok as an NIL athlete at LSU in 2023, a little over six months after winning the NCAA championship with the Tigers.

This week's rollout follows the July sneak peek of the signature sneakers worn by Reese on the cover of NBA 2K26's WNBA Edition.

"This isn't just a shoe, it's my style, my story, and my stamp on the game," Reese said in Reebok's press release. "I wanted to design a basketball shoe that elevates performance, innovation, style, and creative expression, all at once."

"Reebok and I built something that's true to who I am, and I hope it pushes others to stand in their power too."

How to buy the Angel Reese 1 Reebok sneakers

All three colorways of the Angel Reese 1 sneakers will be available for a retail price of $120 beginning at 10 AM ET on Thursday at Reebok.com as well as in select stores.

No. 5 New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart isn't letting Sunday's left knee knock take her off the 2025 WNBA Playoffs court, with the forward planning to compete in Game 2 against the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.

An emotional Stewart finished Game 1 on the bench, going down with a knee injury in overtime of the Liberty's 76-69 upset win over the Mercury on Sunday.

"What I felt in that moment scared me more than anything," Stewart told reporters on Wednesday morning.

A Monday MRI revealed a sprained MCL, and though the two-time WNBA MVP did not practice on Tuesday, she participated in the team's Wednesday shootaround and said her pain had diminished to a three out of 10.

"[As long as] I don't wake up from my nap and feel like s—t," said Stewart, "I'm willing to take that [chance of re-injury] because I want to be out with my team, and they told me that structurally everything looks OK."

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Even when the game-day status for Stewart was still unknown, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello promised that the defending champions would give their star "as much time as we can."

"We know what's at stake," Brondello told reporters on Tuesday. "We don't want to go back to Phoenix [for Game 3], but they're going to come in hungry."

Stewart echoed that sentiment on Wednesday morning, saying "We want to finish it here. Not having to go back to Phoenix is our main priority."

How to watch the Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty in Game 2

No. 5 New York will look to oust No. 4 Phoenix from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs with a first-round sweep on Wednesday night, when the Liberty host the Mercury for Game 2 at 8 PM ET.

The matchup will air live on ESPN.

Star sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is reaching new heights, setting a new US record for the 400-meter race in the event's Tuesday semifinals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist finished the flat event in 48.29 seconds, shaving more than 0.40 seconds off the previous US record of 48.70 seconds set by track legend Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006.

Both her personal best and the fastest time in the world for that event this year, McLaughlin-Levrone's performance also makes her the seventh-fastest woman of all time in the 400-meter dash — elevating expectations that she could challenge the long-standing world record of 47.60 seconds, set by then-East German sprinter Marita Koch in 1985.

Known for her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles, the 26-year-old made the decision to focus on the flat 400-meter event ahead of this year's competition. 

"I definitely wasn't expecting that time," she said afterwards. "It just shows the fitness is there. I'm excited for the finals and grateful to have taken down a record by an amazing woman."

How to watch McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400-meter final

McLaughlin-Levrone will take aim at the 2025 World Athletics Championships' 400-meter podium — and, perhaps, another record time — during the event's final on Thursday.

The US star will race against 2024 Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser when the final begins at 9:24 AM ET.

Live coverage will air on USA Network.